Mid Valley Times 5:21:20 E-edition

Thursday, May 21, 2020
Vol. 1, No. 47
Region creeps toward reopening
Sheriff's dive team prepares as parks brace for visitors
By Rick Curiel
Mid Valley Times
With temperatures rising, the upcoming Memorial Day weekend and the reopening of Fresno County parks, people are already beginning to flock to the waters of the Central Valley.
Monday, May 11, was the first day the parks opened in Fresno County after they were closed in March due to the CO- VID-19 pandemic. By week’s end, some of those parks were starting to see a slow yet steady return to normalcy.
At Avocado Lake on Fri-
See PARKS on page A17
Rick Curiel / Mid Valley Times
Members of the Fresno County Sheriff's Search and Rescue dive unit gathered to perform various search and rescue drills at Avocado Lake, northeast of Sanger, on May 15. Parks in Fresno County now are open, and the dive team will be prepared for any emergencies on the Memorial Day weekend.
Cases still
increase as
state eases
restrictions
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
Positive COVID-19 cases took a sharp jump in certain re- gional hotspots — Dinuba had 37 new cases within a 24-hour pe- riod May 18-19 — but otherwise maintained a steady increase as the Central Valley began the steady process of reopening for business.
Tulare County saw its Valley- leading total of confirmed posi- tive cases grow to 1,539 — with 71 deaths and 443 recoveries — as of noon on May 19. Dinuba had 322 of those cases, with 92
See COVID-19 on page A9
Schools gearing up for virtual graduations
Seniors from Dinuba High School gathered onto the football field of Claud Hebert Sta- dium the past two weeks, one by one, to take part in the school’s virtual graduation ceremony. Among those to have their photos taken were Aaliah Ramos, right photo, who also took the opportunity to take various senior photos around campus with her fam- ily. She is shown posing next the “Emperor Rock”, a gift to the school from the class of 2018.
Another senior to take part in the photo shoot was Michael Gomez, left photo. He attended the virtual ceremony with his par- ents, Nick (adjusting Michael's headgear) and Kristie Gomez, and his sister, Frankie Gomez.
The photos and videos soon willbe turned into a graduation video which will be live streamed on Thursday, May 28, the regularly scheduled date of the high school’s gradua- tion.
Photos by Rick Curiel / Mid Valley Times
Memorial Day ceremonies scale back
50 cents
Coronavirus Shelter in Place — Week 9
MVT offices will close on May 25 in observance of Memorial Day
The Mid Valley Times' business offices in Dinu- ba, Reedley and Sanger will be closed on Monday, May 25, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday.
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, May 21. Regular and classified display ads also are due by noon on Thursday, May 21.
The Times' three of- fices will reopen for busi- ness at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, May 26.
Sanger revamps its event, Reedley and Dinuba cancel respective events for 2020
The cannon and veterans area at Reedley Cemetery won't be the scene of the annual Memorial Day cer- emony because of the COVID-19 crisis and shelter in place. While Reedley and Dinuba ceremonies to commemorate the holiday are can- celed for 2020, the ceremony at Sanger Cemetery will be held beginning at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 25.
Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
It will be quite a different Memorial Day because of the COVID-19 shelter in place.
The Sanger Memorial Day Service will begin at 11 a.m. Monday, May 25, inside Sanger Cemetery. Margaret Mims, Fresno County Sheriff, will be the guest speaker as orga- nizers again honor those who have paid the ultimate sacri- fice.
J.D. Bennett, commander for American Legion Post 23 and organizer of the annual
Sanger event, said this year's ceremony won't be having a previously scheduled flyover. Attendees to the event will be asked to keep at least six feet apart in line with social and physical distancing guidelines.
In Reedley, the annual Me- morial Day ceremony was canceled because of the Kings Canyon Unified School Dis- trict's closure to on-campus instruction. That led to the unavailability of the Reed- ley High School Navy Junior ROTC and the Reedley High
See MEMORIAL DAY on page A9
Classifieds - A13
Directory - A10 Legals - A14-16
Sports - A11 Lifestyle - A7
Lights & Sirens - A3
Obituaries - A2-3
Opinion - A4