Mid Valley Times 10-8-20 E-dition

Thursday, October 8, 2020
Vol. 2, No. 15
KCUSD has partial campus return Oct. 15
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
Positive COVID-19 active cases took an uptick in the last week in Fresno and Tulare counties, even while more school districts in Fresno County have received go-aheads to re- turn to live on-campus instruction for elemen- tary age students.
After dropping below 10,000 active cases in recent weeks — leading to an improved color code rating from the county's department of public health — Fresno County saw the active cases for the week rise by 77, to 9,385. Deaths
See COVID-19 on page A10
A volunteer with Community Service Employment Training of Tulare County passed out water to
a young child during the Tulare County Community Cares Coalition giveaway event at the Orosi Memorial Hall on Sept. 30. Volunteers distributed supplies to community members affected by COVID-19.
Photocontributed
Mobile COVID-19
testing event held in Orosi on Sept. 30
By George M. Villagrana
Mid Valley Times
The effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 spearheaded by the Tulare County Community Cares Coalition rolled into Orosi on Sept. 30 at the Orosi Memorial Hall.
Volunteers helped distribute supplies to those community members affected by COVID-19 and provide mobile testing for the Cutler-Orosi area.
See MASKSonpageA10
Former
Reedley
PD chief
dies at 73
Forrest Brown led the department from 1979-1995
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
Forrest Brown Jr., who served as Reedley's chief of police for 16 years during a 23-career
Ballots headed to voters
Fresno County drop boxes can be found in 66 locations including Sanger, Reedley
By Rick Curiel
Mid Valley Times
As voters in Fresno County receive their 2020 election ballots in the mail, some of which arrived last week while others were sent out this week, Fresno County Registrar of Voters Brandi Orth wants to remind voters of their options to vote in the Nov. 3 general election.
As of Oct. 5, voters can return their voted and signed ballots to any one of 66 secure drop boxes located through- out Fresno County. A list of drop box locations was included in each voter’s ballot packet.
Voters in Sanger can drop off their ballots at the Sanger Depot Museum,
See ELECTIONonpageA9
with the depart- ment, died Oct. 3 at his home in Reedley at the age of 73.
Brown headed up the depart-
50 cents
Coronavirus Update — Schools, Active Case Numbers
Numbers edge up, school dates set
Photo Contributed
Brandi Orth, Fresno County Registrar of Voters, earlier this week checked on boxes of bal- lots ready to be sent out to voters for the Nov. 3 general election.
Dinuba candidates state platforms at
GAC forum
cumbent Linda Launer, who is being challenged by Geno Gomez and Andrea McComb- Sotelo.
Moderating the forum was
See FORUMonpageA9
By George M. Villagrana
Mid Valley Times
A virtual candidate forum for candidates running for Dinuba City Council’s Ward 1 and Ward 5 was held on Oct.
2 was broadcast on Facebook Live for anyone at home to watch.
The forum included in- troductions, five questions and closing remarks. Joshua Huerta and Rachel Nerio
Guerrero, are running for the Ward 1 seat that is being va- cated by councilmember Jo- ey Morales. Morales is step- ping down after more than 20 years on the council. Candi- dates for Ward 5 include in-
Forrest Brown
Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
Alma and Tino Alvarez posed in front of their rural home in north Reedley. Tino and Alma are this year's Fiesta King and Queen.
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
Tino and Alma Alvarez have been involved with the Reedley youth sports scene for major portions of three decades, as well as part of an established local business in the communi- ty. Now, in this unprecedented year of COVID-19, they gave a unique honor with the Reedley Fiesta.
The Alvarezes — owners of Zweigle Septic Service and longtime coaches and support- ers in multiple youth sports — have been selected as 2020
King and Queen for the 55th annual Fiesta. And for the first time, as representatives of Fi- esta royalty, they will actually be stationed in front of Pioneer Park this Saturday, Oct. 10, and do their best waves as the pub- lic drives past on G Street in a drive-thru format.
"We've always had a lot of support from community. Not because it's us, but because the community supports all the ath- letic programs," Tino Alvarez said. The couple — married for 37 years — has their sports in- volvement tied in to their daugh-
ters, both past Female Athletes of the Year and multi-sports stars at Reedley High School.
Mikki Alvarez graduated from Fresno State this year with a kinesiology degree, and now is working as a student as- sistant coach with the Bulldogs' women's basketball program. Marissa Alvarez, a 2018 RHS graduate, currently is attending Cal State-San Marcos.
Tino, a lifelong Reedley resi- dent who graduated from Reed- ley High and Reedley College,
SeeALVAREZonpage A10
Classifieds - A7 Directory - B3 Legals - B4-7 Sports - B2 Fall Growers - A4-5 Lifestyle - B1, B8 Lights & Sirens - A3
Obituaries - A2-3 Opinion - A6
ment from 1979 to 1995, when he went to work for the Fres- no County District Attorney's
See BROWN on page A2
Tino and Alma Alvarez are 2020
Fiesta King and Queen