MidValleyTimes 7-4-19 E-edition

Thursday, July 4, 2019
Vol. 1, No. 1
Celebrating the Fourth
Man fatally shot in Reedley
Construction on Academy begins this month in Sanger
Iconic Chuck Wagon restaurant safe
Construction will begin this month in Sanger for improve- ments on Academy Avenue near Anna- dale Avenue. Chuck Wagon restaurant, an iconic Sanger business, is safe from demolition work to be done to widen and straighten the roadway at the inter- section.
Dick Sheppard / Mid Valley Times
By Dick Sheppard
Mid Valley Times
Construction will finally begin this month on final phases of the long await- ed improvement of Academy Avenue, funded by Regional Measure C dollars.
But, don’t worry, Sanger’s iconic Chuck Wagon restaurant is safe. "The Chuck Wagon is not among the struc- tures that have to be demolished or moved as part of the work to widen and straighten the roadway at the Academy/ Annadale intersection," said city engi- neer Josh Rogers.
Long awaited? In 2010, Academy Av- enue was closed north of Sanger for new lanes to be added. In 2011 a project in downtown Sanger widened Academy to just north of Annadale Ave. and added a landscaped median with trees intended to reinforce Sanger’s “Nation’s Christ- mas Tree City” theme. In 2017 property acquisitions were being finalized and several structures on the west side of Academy, south of the intersection with Annadale and across the street from the Chuck Wagon were demolished.
See ACADEMY on page A12
Full enforcement planned to deter use of illegal fireworks
By Rick Curiel
Mid Valley Times
Personnel from the city of Dinuba’s Police and Fire Departments will be in full force Thursday, July 4, as the city celebrates our nation’s 243rd birthday.
Both Dinuba Police Lieutenant Rus- sell Son and Dinuba Fire Battalion Fire Chief Sean Doyle both agreed the num- ber of illegal fireworks has risen in re- cent years. To combat against the rise, Son and Doyle have teamed up the last few years to comb the city for violators.
Three teams, made up of police and fire personnel, will be out tonight en- forcing the city of Dinuba’s ordinance on illegal fireworks, but officers have already been responding to an increase in calls of illegal fireworks.
“We’ve already been getting calls and have confiscated some illegal fire- works,” said Lt. Son.
According to Dinuba Fire Chief Doyle, the illegal fireworks pose a
threat to public safety, as the improper use of them can lead to structural dam- age and even personnel harm.
“We’ve had numerous occasions where (illegal) fireworks have landed on roofs,” shared Doyle. “They’ve land- ed on bushes, started grass fires. They keep us active.”
For this reason, both departments
See FIREWORKSonpageA14
Tulare Co. OKs new veterans advisory committee
Contributed
The Tulare County Board of Supervisors voted on June 25 to approve the creation of the Tulare County Veteran Advisory Commit- tee.
The committee's purpose is to advise and assist the County Health & Human Services Agency with ongoing efforts to enhance current services. Other tasks are to develop new services, allow for more collaboration with the com- munity, provide a higher level of customer service, and improve the quality of services provided to Tulare County Veterans and their families.
“Veterans are a vital part of our community. Tulare County is dedi- cated to serving our veterans after they have served all of us,” shared Board Chairman, Kuyler Crocker. “Creating a committee specifical- ly for Veterans ensures the Tulare County Board of Supervisors will prioritize their care. This enables a public process to see how Tulare County is serving this community, as well as, seeking opportunities to improve our services.”
See VETERANS on page A5
SANGER FOURTH OF JULY SPECTACULAR
When: Thursday, July 4, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Where: Sanger High School practice field, north of softball facility. Attractions: Live music, water slides and food, capped off by a fireworks show,
Admission: $5 per person
50 cents
June 26 homicide occurred at east Reedley apartments
By Juanita Adame
Mid Valley Times
Police continued their inves- tigation into the fatal shooting of a Reedley man at an east Reedley apartment complex on June 26.
The Willow Glen Apartments, located in the 1600 block of Myrtle Avenue, were surrounded by yellow crime scene tape,
police vehicles, fire personnel, and news media after a man was shot and killed outside his apart- ment door.
"Upon arrival
of our officers,
they located a
subject who had
been shot, and unfortunately that individual succumbed to his inju- ries and has died," said Joe Garza, police chief for the Reedley Police Department.
The man, later identified as 38-year-old Amador Aguirre, was a Reedley native who lived at the complex.
Police believe Aguirre had ar- rived at his apartment sometime after 3 p.m., and was standing out- side his door when the shooting occurred.
See HOMICIDEonpageA12
Amador Aguirre
Juianita Adame / Mid Valley Times
A Reedley police patrol vehicle was parked just off Buttonwillow Avenue on June 26 as crime scerne tape surrounded the Willow Glen Apartments. There, 38-year-old Amador Aguirre was fatally shot outside his apartment sometime after 3 p.m. Police continue to investigate the homicide, the latest in a string of shootings in the city in 2019.
Classifieds - B8 Directory - B7
Legals - B9-12
Lifestyle - A* Sports - B1
Police Logs - A3
Health & Fitness - B3-4
Obituaries - A2-3
Opinion - A4