Mid Valley Times 8-13-20 E-edition

Thursday, August 13, 2020
50 cents
Heroism in the face of tragedy
Vol. 2, No. 7
Man drowns at Reedley Beach on
Aug 5 in effort to rescue 8-year-old
girl who passed away on Aug. 11
By Juanita Adame
Mid Valley Times
His name was Manjeet Singh. Before the afternoon of Aug 5, the 29-year-old truck driving student — who moved here two years ago from India — was known only by his close group of family and friends.
Since that day however, Singh is not just known across Fresno Coun- ty but across the nation as well.
He now is being called a hero who died trying to save a young girl — identified as 8-year-old Samantha Cruzpedro — from drowning in the Kings River after being swept away by the fast-moving current while she played in the water at Reedley Beach.
Valley Children's Hospital officials in Madera confirmed Samantha's death the evening of Aug. 11. She had been on life support at the facility.
The scene at the popular water spot began like any other ordinary summer evening. It had its share of visitors enjoying the water and playing in the sand.
Sometime after 7 p.m. however, all that changed as the sounds of children laughing and playing in the water quickly were silenced by po- lice sirens and helicopters overhead.
“About 7 we received a call for three victims in the water at the Cricket Hollow boat launch in Reed-
See DROWNINGonpageA15
Danny Jimenez / Photo Contributed
Members of the Reedley Fire Department's water rescue team ride along the Kings River just north of the Olson Avenue Bridge by Reedley Beach on Aug. 5 in search of 8-year-old Samantha Cruzpedro and 29-year-old Manjeet Singh.
Sanger fire station upgrade
Reedley salons get break on utility bills
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
The city of Reedley again is extending its financial arm to salons, barbershops and other personal care business- es forced to close last month because of Gov. Gavin New- som's directive that placed Fresno County on the state's county monitoring list.
At a special lunch hour meeting on Aug. 6, the Reed- ley City Council unanimously approved resolutions allow- ing for a temporary business utility bill and streetscape as- sessment district forgiveness program, appropriating an initial amount of $25,000 from the city's general fund. That
See SALONS on page A2
Council approves $8.5 million bond for needed work
By Rick Curiel
Mid Valley Times
City staff has been talking about renovating Sanger’s fire department since last year, with plans for the proj- ect presented to the city council last October. To pay for the project, the city council approved an $8.5 million bond on Aug. 6, committing the city to a 30-year term.
Presenting the bond resolution at last week’s council meeting was Ad- ministrative Services Director Bret Harmon, who spoke of deficiencies he noticed the first time he visited the station that was built in the 1960s. The most concerning deficiency was the the living quarters being too close to toxic fumes.
“We run a health risk with our em- ployees there,” said Harmon of one of the biggest reasons for the project.
The project will also look to bring the
station up to date on fire and ADA codes as well as allow for an expansion to bet- ter serve a rapidly growing community.
To secure the bond, the city will of- fer the Sanger Financing Authority the
Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
ABOVE: The Sanger Fire Depart- ment main station on 7th Street.
LEFT: An artist's rendering of the improvements to be made to the station. Funding will come from a proposed $8.5 million bond that the Sanger City Council ap- proved on Aug. 6.
Sanger Community Center and Corpo- rate Yard as collateral. In return, the SFA will lease both sites back to the
Grant from SCE feeds Dinuba seniors
Coronavirus Update
Schools prepare for online instruction
See FIRE STATION on page A15
By George M. Villagrana
Mid Valley Times
Seventy-seven residents at Em- peror Estates in Dinuba were given a free dinner that was provided by New York Pizza and Grill as part of a special grant program on Aug. 4.
The Tulare County Economic Development Corporation re- ceived a grant from Southern Cal Gas Company of $100,000 to pro- vide nutritious meals to seniors in skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes, and senior living facilities within Tulare County.
President/CEO Paul Saldana said the program started six
SeeMEALSonpage A16
George M. Villagrana / Mid Valley Times
Jaclyn Singh and her mother, Nevaeh Singh, of New York Pizza and Grill, help deliver dinner for residents of Emperor Estates in Dinuba on Aug. 4.
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
As Fresno and Tulare counties continue in their second month on the state's county monitoring list, a number of regional school districts began the 2020-2021 school year this week with distance learning — online instruction — for students.
Dinuba Unified began online classes on Aug. 10, and Cutler-Orosi schools fol-
lowed on Aug. 11. At Reedley High School, seniors and ju- niors picked up their school schedules and materials on Aug. 10 while sophomores and freshman did the same on Aug. 11. It was a scene repeated at other Kings Canyon Unified School Dis- trict campuses this week as students will be learning at home with their teachers on- line.
SeeCOVID-19onpage A16
Classifieds - A11 Directory - A10 Legals - A12-14 Sports - A9 Lifestyle - A7-8
Lights & Sirens - A3 Obituaries - A2 Opinion - A4