Page 1 - Reedley Exponent 5-3-18 E-edition

Alta Elementary School earns first PBIS Platinum Award
Host Pirates finish third at annual Reedley Invitational
Vol. 129, No. 18 | Thursday, May 3, 2018 www.reedleyexponent.com Reedley (Fresno County) CA 93654 | 50 cents Mass at St. Anthony celebrates Esquivel milestone
Mass of Thanksgiving recognizes 50 years
By Jon Earnest
jon@midvalleypublishing.com
With seven simple words — “I am, with the grace of God” — Monsignor John Esquivel renewed his vows to God and the Catholic Church on April 27 during a Mass of Thanksgiving at the new St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church.
Esquivel, who has led the Reed-
Caldwell
leaving
Reedley
College
President since 2013 heading to Wyoming
By Jon Earnest
jon@midvalleypublishing.com
Sandra Caldwell, Reedley Col- lege president since 2013, is leaving the college after the school year ends.
ley church since 2007, took the re- newal of his vows 50 years to the day after he was ordained by the Diocese of Fresno in 1968.
In front of hundreds of his pa- rishioners at St. Anthony — as well as 24 priests and religious officials from the Fresno diocese — Esquivel answered “yes” to Bishop Armando X. Ochoa’s question of “Are you still resolved to unite yourself more deeply in Christ? To try to become more like him by sacrificing your own pleasure and ambitions to bring his peace and love to your brothers
and sisters?”
He repeated his answer when
Ochoa asked if he still was resolved to be a faithful minister to the min- istry of God and devoted to continue teaching the Christian faith.
Ochoa then invited the congrega- tion to give Esquivel a standing ova- tion, which lasted 30 to 45 seconds.
During his brief remarks, Es- quivel said the spirit of serving God still burns in his heart.
“I’m very aware, that my first calling is the Church,” he said.
See ESQUIVEL on page A10
Monsignor John Esquivel waved in acknowledge- ment to the congregation at the new St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church dur- ing a Mass of Thanksgiving on April 27 in celebration of his 50 years as an ordained priest.
Jon Earnest / The Exponent
Caldwell confirmed on May 1 that she has accepted the job as executive director of the Wy-
oming Community
College Commis-
sion in Cheyenne,
Wyo. Before com-
ing to Reedley, she
served two years
as the associate
vice president
for planning and
improvement at
Western Wyoming Community Col- lege in Rock Springs, Wyo.
See CALDWELL on page A3
31st annual
Street Faire
set for May 6
Staff Report
The largest outdoor event of the spring in downtown Reedley oc- curs this Sunday, May 6, when the Reedley Downtown Association and Adventist Health presents the 31st annual Reedley Street Faire and Car Show.
See STREET FAIRE on page A2
School honors its first Hall of Fame inductees By Jon Earnest
jon@midvalleypublishing.com
Memories were shared, champi- onships were remembered and four distinct stories told on April 28, when Reedley High School saluted the first class of inductees into its Athletic Hall of Fame.
Larry Iwasaki, the late Paul Mitch- ell, Glenda Morgan and Pete Romero were honored during an outdoor din- ner ceremony at the Wakehouse Grill and Barrel next to the Kings River. The annual event was created by the high school and the Reedley Pirate Founda- tion Board.
The four were the first selections of the seven-member Hall of Fame Com- mittee. According to Darren Minami, RHS athletic director, they were obvi- ous choices.
“We had a group of 10-12 that were debated about, and the four shown kept finding their way to the top,” he said.
“I am super proud for these four to be recognized.”
Each inductee carried outstanding credentials to merit their induction:
• Iwasaki was a three-sport standout (football, basketball and track) in the 1950s for RHS and later played on Fres- no State College’s unbeaten 1961 Mercy Bowl championship football team. He returned to Reedley High as a coach in football and track for 26 years. He then served as athletic director from 1988 until his retirement in 2001.
• Mitchell, who died Jan. 13 at age 87, played multiple sports at RHS but was best known at the school teach- ing biology for 38 years and coaching baseball for 27 years. His teams won multiple league titles and a Valley championship in 1971. Still, his biggest fame came from being the “Voice of the PIrates” for nearly four decades and an- nounced Reedley College football for an amazing 61 years.
• Morgan was a premier coach and administrator at the school. She coached
See HALL OF FAME on page A2
Sandra Caldwell
RHS athletic trail blazers
TOP: From left, Pete Romero, Larry Iwasaki and Glenda Morgan stood April 28 with Madeleine Mitchell, right, repre- senting her late husband, Paul Mitchell as the inaugural class of inductees to the Reedley High School Athletic Hall of Fame. The inductees were honored at a dinner banquet and ceremony outside The Wakehouse Grill and Barrel.
ABOVE: Former players for Glenda Morgan stood and were acknowledged during Morgan’s speech at the ceremony. About 135 people attended the inaugural event that included dinner and a silent auction.
Photos by Jon Earnest / The Exponent
New convenience store replaces longtime building
LEFT: The East Reedley Store, left, at one time called Clark’s Corner, sits vacated at the northeast corner of Buttonwillow and Manning avenues on April 30. The store has relocated to a 5,000-square-foot convenience store, at right, and been renamed Dino Mart. Owner Ali Hezam Alkobadi said the new building just behind the old building opened for business on April 29, and features eight shaded gasoline pumps. The old building was believed to be 80 to 90 years old.
ABOVE: This shot of the old store from across Buttonwillow Avenue shows the old Clark’s Corner sign.
Photos by Jon Earnest / The Exponent
Classified - A6-7
Directory - A5
Legals - B5-6
Sports - B3-4
Health & Fitness - A8-9 Obituaries - A2 Opinion - A4