Mid Valley Times 2-25-21 E-edition

Thursday, February 25, 2021
Vol. 2, No. 34
Vaccines increase, schools reopen
Vaccination program at Reedley College kicked off on Feb. 12
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
The number of COVID-19 vaccinations in the region continue to pick up, and low- ering numbers of active COVID-19 cases throughout Fresno and Tulare counties.
One specific area of growth for the much-desired shot is in Reedley, where the state-directed program to provide shots is set to provide 420 daily vaccines Wednesday through Saturday each week through August. After a bumpy start the on the opening day Feb. 19 — mainly be- cause a link to Reedley and Fresno in gen- eral hadn't been established — the initial 100 shots were administered and the in- creased number were administered on Feb. 20 by OptumServe medical staff with little complications.
Jerry Buckley, Reedley College presi- dent, was watching the proceedings as the first patients went through the short line for their appointments to get shots. He talk-
Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
Health care workers with OptumServe prepared to see patients during the first day of CO- VID-19 vaccinations at Reedley College on Feb. 12. Despite a day's worth of problems access- ing the website for appointments, 100 patients received their first COVID shot.
KCUSD, Dinuba to welcome back more students next week
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
Next week marks another milestone in the near-yearlong coronavirus pandemic — one major school district in the Mid Valley Times region is sending a good portion of its high school students back to school under a hybrid model.
Kings Canyon Unified School District is sending high school students at Reed- ley High School, Orange Cove High School and Kings Canyon High School back to classes on either March 2 or 3. This past week, 11th and 12th grade stu- dents at Reedley Middle Col-
See SCHOOLS on page A6
ed about how Fresno County had struggled to get doses of the vaccines, receiving just 8,000 in one shipment.
"Last week for the first time they sud- denly received an extra 10,000," he said. "So obviously the productivity and the logisti-
cal supply is improving as time goes by. We haven't seen any problems there."
The biggest hangup in launching the vaccination program was not having the
See VACCINES on page A18
50 cents
Coronavirus Update — Case Numbers Continue To Decline
Landmark stolen from Sanger business
Dick Sheppard funeral is set for March 20
MVT Staff Report
A funeral service has been scheduled for long- time Sanger Herald editor Dick Sheppard, who died Feb. 12 following a long illness.
A military service is scheduled to take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 20, at the Calvary Fellow- ship Church, 737 Church Ave., in Sanger.
A full obituary for Mr. Sheppard can be found on Page A2.
Gomez Barber Shop's barber pole taken from mount in overnight hours Feb. 10-11
A broken metal bracket is all that remained from the location where a land- mark barber pole was taken from the front of Gomez Barber Shop on 7th Street in down- town Sanger. The pole, which dates back more than 50 years through three generations of operators of the busi- ness, was stolen some- time in the overnight hours on Feb. 10-11.
Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
MVT Staff Report
A downtown Sanger barber shop of more than 50 years had its landmark barber pole stolen from in front of the business.
The barber pole at Gomez Barber Shop, 1319 7th St., went missing sometime dur- ing the overnight hours Feb. 10-11. Store officials said Sanger police were checking surrounding businesses to see if there was any surveillance video of the theft. The 50-year- old pole, which lights up and rotates to notify the public
that the busi- ness is open — is worth enough to mer- it a grand theft investigation.
Police are continuing
their investiga-
tion this week,
and have re-
leased no in-
formation on
a suspect. Anyone who may have information on the theft is asked to call the Sanger De- partment at 875-8521 or leave an anonymous tip at 399-8020.
Dinuba council approves $15 increase in towing fees
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
The Dinuba City Council, at its Feb. 9 regular virtual meeting, ap- proved an increase to the daily stor- age fee on towed vehicles in the city.
By a 3-0 vote — council members Armando Longoria and Kuldip Thusu were absent — the council elected to increase the daily storage fees of towed vehicles from $50 to $65. This figure is in line with the amount charged by the California Highway Patrol when that state agency does towing.
Before a vote, Vice Mayor Mari- bel Reynosa asked Dinuba police Sgt. Thaddeus Ashford the reasoning for the $15 increase. Ashford said that those were the lowest submitted rates
by towing companies, who sought the increase because of rising costs.
At the brief virtual meeting the council also approved a resolution authorizing an application for grant funding for CDGB coronavirus aid, relief and economic security.
In staff reports, Police Chief Dev- on Popovich said that police officers and department staff are getting CO- VID vaccinations. More than half of the department staff is participating. Popovich also said progress is being made on the parking lot expansion project.
Dinuba fire Capt. Jordan Web- ster also reported that COVID-19 is continuing to trend down in the area as the public practices good safety precautions and people begin getting vaccinations.
Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
Early work on the installation of a wrought iron fence around a parking lot off North O Street next to the Dinuba Police Department is pictured on Feb. 15. Building the fence and repaving the parking lot is part of improvement work at the site.
The missing pole
Classifieds - A9 Directory - A10
Legals - A13-16 Sports - A11-12 Lifestyle - A7-8 Lights & Sirens - A3, A5 Obituaries - A2-3 Opinion - A4