Mid Valley Times 12-19-19 E-edition

From All of Us
To All of You,
Thursday, December 19, 2019
Wreaths for Reedley Veterans
Sanger
man is
accused
in Fowler
homicide
MVT Staff Report
Fresno County Sheriff's homicide detectives arrested a 20-year-old Sanger man in connection to a fatal shoot- ing in Fowler on Dec. 15 that left one
man dead
and two in-
jured.
Joseph Ornelas was booked into the Fresno County Jail after he was taken
into cus-
tody on the afternoon of Dec. 16. An FCSO deputy, working as part of the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force, made the arrest.
Ornelas faces one charge of murder and two charges of attempted murder in the death of 20-year-old Lee Major III of Fresno. Major died at a local hospital after being shot at a home in the 200 block of East Adams Avenue in Fowler early Sunday morning.
Officers from the Fowler Police Department and depu- ties with the Fresno County Sheriff ’s Office responded to the home at around 2 a.m. in response to a call of shots fired. When officers arrived, they found three young men at the scene, in their late teens and early 20s, who had suffered from gunshot wounds.
See HOMICIDEonpageA12
Vol. 1, No. 25
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
There was a smattering of rain, but that didn't deter dozens of volunteers from spreading around the Reed- ley Cemetery and laying hol- iday wreaths as a tribute to interred veterans.
The sixth annual Wreaths for Reedley Veterans cer- emony is part of a national movement where wreaths are laid out for every mili- tary veteran who has died. In Reedley's case, more than !,800 veterans buried at the cemetery on Reed Avenue had large wreaths hung on brack- ets at their gravesites by vol- unteers, who followed up with either reciting a short prayer or solemnly giving a moment of silence.
As tradition, event orga- nizer Susan Lusk spoke with volunteers before the cere- mony, which featured Reed-
See WREATHS on page A14
Danny Jimenez / Photo Contributed
Maricela Bejar Chavez and her children placed a wreath at the gravesite of her brother, fallen Reedley police officer Javier Bejar, after the annual Wreaths for Reedley Veterans ceremony was held the morn- ing of Dec. 14. Javier Bejar was fatally shot in the line of duty in February 2010.
Joseph Ornelas
Breakfast treat for Dinuba first-graders
By George M. Villagrana
Mid Valley Times
Dinuba Unified School District’s Transit De- partment employees made sure first-graders from Elizabeth Ramos’ Jefferson Elementary School’s class would get an early Christmas surprise.
On Dec. 11, students arrived at Dinuba's IHOP restaurant where they were treated to a breakfast meal consisting of bacon, eggs, pancakes, sausag- es and hot chocolate. The morning gathering was highlighted by the arrival of Santa Claus, who met with each student.
“Everybody is just glad to participate,” said Terri Serpa, administrative assistant with the DUSD transportation department.
Serpa said the principal from Jefferson decid- ed which class is chosen for the event.
Funding for was provided by the transporta- tion department and the bus drivers, according
See BREAKFAST on page A12
George M. Villagrana / Mid Valley Times
Dinuba Unified School District Transit Department employee Max Saenz shared breakfast at Dinuba IHOP with Jefferson Elementary School first-graders on Dec. 11 in an event funded by the transportation department.
MVT offices will close on Dec. 25 for Christmas
The Mid Valley Times' business offices in Dinu- ba, Reedley and Sanger will be closed on Wednes- day, Dec. 25, in obser- vance of Christmas Day.
There will be early deadlines this week be- cause of the office clo- sure. Classified liner ads and legal notices are due by noon on Thursday, Dec. 19. Regular and classified display ads also are due by noon on Thursday, Dec. 19.
The Times' three of- fices will reopen for busi- ness at 8 a.m. on Thurs- day, Dec. 26.
Sanger Rotary hosts annual Senior luncheon
By Rick Curiel
Mid Valley Times
On Dec. 13, the Sanger Ro- tary Club hosted its annual holiday senior luncheon at the Sanger Community Cen- ter, something the service club has done now for over 40 years.
Rotarion Charles Wal- lin was a member of the club when the luncheon first began in the late 1970s.
“It was a way of giving back to the community and the senior citizens,” said Wal- lin, who has been a member of the Sanger Rotary Club for 55 years. “It’s giving to the com- munity. But it’s also giving back to the people who we have
served and have served us.” Over 300 plates were pre- pared for the senior luncheon. Unlike years past, when the Rotary Club actually pre- pared each meal, this year’s luncheon was catered by local caterer Ramiro Garza. It was the third year Ramiro catered
the event.
“During this time of the
year, with an opportunity to feed the elderly, I was ready to go,” said Garza of being involved with the senior lun- cheon.
Garza said he and his crew prepared about 110 pounds of ham for the luncheon. They al- so served salad, green beans,
SeeSENIORSonpage A12
Rick Curiel / Mid Valley Times
Sanger Rotary Club members (at right) dished out food to guests during the Club's annual holiday senior luncheon Dec. 13 at the Sanger Community Center.
Classifieds - B4
Directory - B0 Legals - B5-8 Sports - B1-2, B9-10 Lifestyle - A7-11
Lights & Sirens - A3, A5 Obituaries - A2-3 Opinion - A4