Page 7 - Reedley Exponent 12-14-17 e-edition

The Reedley Exponent BPanorama
Section | Thursday, December 14, 2017 www.reedleyexponent.com
RHS hasannual holidaydoor decorating contest
See Below
Reedley (Fresno County) CA 93654
The View From Here
This presents
a good time to
mention that this week, with the Dec. 14 Exponent, you now have the option to subscribe to our new, col- orful online e-edition. You can see an e-edition preview that we posted Dec. 6 on our Facebook page.
Just to be clear, you’ll still be able to get the weekly print edition. That’s not going away.
The e-edition is designed as an option to enhance your experience with The Exponent. For example, if you take your cursor, you can “flip” pages. You can click on the “jump” line of a story to get to its next seg- ment on another page. And, you can click on directory guides at the bot- tom of A1, such as Sports B3-4, and go right to the Sports pages.
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Back to the parade – I always enjoy the annual procession pre- sented by the Reedley Downtown Association. It’s not just all the lights, but the warm, holiday cheer that the event spreads among the event participants and attendees. I always get out there early before the 7:30 p.m. start so that I can take photos of parade entries.
I enjoy the walk down the mid- dle of G Street from our office. You see people on either side, wrapped in heavy jackets and blankets as they sit, chat, laugh, and wait patiently for the parade to begin. Well, almost everyone waits patiently – children gleefully run and play games while their parents and families drink hot coffee, tea or chocolate.
I’m a self-confessed wimp when it comes to cold weather. I had on a winter vest, scarf and wool cap to go with my thick jacket.
But when I got to the front of
See COLUMN page B2
hats and other holiday accessories. Youngsters are a vital part of the parade. For example, the Reed- ley High Navy Junior ROTC mem- bers presented the colors. Immanu- el Elementary School children had a float. So did Reedley Cub Scouts Pack 228. The Reedley Youth Tackle Football and Cheerleaders were in the procession as were a number of afterschool programs from cam-
puses in the Kings Canyon Unified School District.
And, of course, there was jolly Santa Claus, resplendent in his red suit as he stood in a splendid sled.
The parade emcees were Bill Williams, retail market manager for Rabobank, and Tony Cabrera, co-anchor of Action News AM Live on KFSN Channel 30.
For Williams, the parade is
A jolly, bright pageant
Electrical Farm Equipment Parade lights up downtown Reedley
In this week’s Exponent, you’ll find lots of pho- tos of the Dec. 7 Electrical Farm Equipment Pa- rade in downtown Reedley. The pic- tures are in the A section and in this Panorama section.
Felicia Cousart Matlosz
By Felicia Cousart Matlosz
felicia@midvalleypublishing.com
Despite the evening chill, the allure of Reedley’s Electrical Farm Equipment Parade always brings out lots of people ready for a happy, brightly lit, holiday event.
The 2018 edition of the annual event on G Street, held Dec. 7, was another crowd-pleaser, featuring marching bands, floats, vehicles and other entrants. (Also see story and photos on A1.)
“ It's a great representation of our community. It's just fun."
– Bill Williams, emcee for the Electrical Farm Equipment Parade
The parade – presented by the Reedley Downtown Association – depends on volunteers to make it run, including the Knights of Co- lumbus of Reedley. And, that orga- nization’s volunteers on Dec. 7 in- cluded high school students Angel Alonzo, Andrew Herrera and his brother, Adrian Herrera. Alonzo is a senior at Reedley High School. The Herreras attend Immanuel High – Andrew is a sophomore and Adrian is a freshman.
Alonzo said she was glad to be helping.
“I enjoy looking at all the floats. And, I heard some kids singing songs. It’s just nice,” she said.
The Reedley High School Pirate Marching Band always is a popular feature of the parade, with its mem- bers sporting bright red Santa Claus
LEFT: These youngsters and adults were part of the Cruising for Jesus Ministry float at the annual Electrical Farm Equip- ment Parade on Dec. 7. Alberto Trevino Jr. wore the Superman costume, and Luis Calles portrayed Jesus Christ.
The parade is presented by the Reedley Downtown Association.
See more pa- rade photos on B10.
Photos by Felicia Cousart Matlosz / The Exponent
have-to-be-there happening. He said this was his sixth as emcee. The role became his when he filled in for someone who couldn’t make it. Now, he said: “I won't miss it.”
“The fill-in became the replace- ment,” Williams said with a big smile, before this year’s parade started. “I think it’s a great parade. It’s a great representation of our community. It’s just fun.”
These eighth-grade students attend Navelencia Middle School and are in the afterschool pro- gram. Their float included characters from the "Star Wars" movie series. The students are (from left) Cesar Michael, Jose Pulido, Emily Gonzalez, Emily Medina and Maria Maciel.
Erik Valencia, executive director of the Greater Reedley Chamber of Commerce, dressed in a Captain America costume for the Electrical Farm Equipment Parade presented by the Reedley Downtown Association.
Reedley High holiday door contest brightens campus
By Felicia Cousart Matlosz
felicia@midvalleypublishing.com
Anyone who’s recently walked by art teacher David Smith’s class- room in Room 403 at Reedley High School probably stopped for a mo- ment to admire the door.
If you’re a “Star Wars” fan, you’ll recognize the similarity of the door’s image to the poster for the upcoming expected block- buster “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” In that poster, a somber, older and bearded Luke Skywalker looms over key characters, such as Rey and Kylo Ren, with their light- sabers aglow.
In Smith’s version, through pastels and charcoal, it’s Santa Claus who dominates the image, accompanied by a couple of elves (one with a lightsaber), a snow- man and Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Smith’s illustration is called “Door Wars – The Last Tree,” and it won sweepstakes honors for the school’s spirited annual holiday door decorating contest.
The event adds a festive touch to the campus, which is in the
LEFT: RHS art teacher David Smith is seen with his sweepstakes-winning holiday decorated door at the campus.
ABOVE: Attendance secretaries Sylvia Grinder (left) and Michelle Caban stand next to the Atten- dance Office door that took first place.
See RHS DOORS page B5
Photos by Felicia Cousart Matlosz / The Exponent