Page 11 - Sanger Herald 2-1-18 E-edition

Lifestyles
SANGER HERALD • 3B • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018
AMVETS revives the storied legacy of the Smoke Shop Chili Dog
Sanger
By Mike Nemeth
Sanger Herald
The AMVETS chili dog is back.
No, it’s not Mike Ortiz in the kitchen this time. George Willhoite has taken over the culinary duties of recreating the tasty dog Sanger has grown to love.
“I just make ‘em, and I can’t do it without these guys,” Willhoite said. “We couldn’t replace Mike.”
These guys are all his fellow members at the AMVETS Post 98 at 817 K St. in Sanger.
One was David Flores who helped put together the dogs and Frito boats as customers streamed in the night of Jan. 24. “New era,” he said. “New beginning.”
Mike Nemeth / Sanger Herald
Ralph Davila prepares chili dogs last week at the AMVETS Post 98. They will be sold the first and third Wednesdays of the month. That means from 5 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 7 and 21.
Also in the AMVETS kitchen and at the chili station was Ralph Davila, who said sales were looking good. “We’re about halfway on the chili right now,” he said.
Davila’s comment came about 6 p.m., about an hour after Willhoite and crew had begun serving. They still had another two hours to go.
“We sold out last week,” said Mike Viar, who was working the cash drawer and taking orders. “It worked out good. And we’ve been steady tonight.”
Sanger has history with the chili dog. Sure, there’s the Chuck Wagon on Academy Avenue that draws people from as far away as the Bay Area and
has a dedicated following in the county. But this chili dog, the AMVETS chili dog has history, too. The legend surrounds longtime chef and restauranteur Ortiz, who owned Tony’s Smoke Shop with wife Cathy on Seventh Street near Academy during the 1980s. He was a legend, especially amongst the high school crowd. His place was a hangout.
And Ortiz brought his dogs back to AMVETS after a long health-related hiatus. “I’m like a used car,” he said in an August 2015 story. “Look under the hood.” Rachel Segovia was a fan, and in fact bought 15 of the chili dogs that Ortiz
See Chili, Page 4B
United Health Centers opens to all
By Mike Nemeth
Sanger Herald
Justin Preas said he grew accustomed to predictions Sanger’s new United Health Centers building would never materialize over the four years it took to complete construction.
“I don’t know how many times I was told, ‘You’re not going to build that building,’” said Preas, United Health’s deputy chief executive. “(But) as a health center, being a nonprofit, we have to be creative (with financing).”
The lot at 1570 Seventh St. remained vacant and fenced until construction began in earnest in late 2016.
But that was then. On Jan. 24, Sanger’s top officials and community leaders, political representatives and even local television personality Kopi Sotiropulos, from KMPH Fox 26, gathered on the rooftop parking lot to officially open the 15,000-square-foot facility.
“Now we can put all of our services inside this building,” said Colleen Curtis, health center president and chief executive, to the crowd. “Our goal, our motto is we’ll do everything we can to serve our patients.”
The center’s four family medicine doctors were introduced to the crowd as were the staff dentists. Preas said the facility has space for three more doctors and additional medical professionals.
The idea is to expand operations to enable patients to access all medical services at the same place whether it be lab work, X-rays, doctor visit, dental appointments or other services like
Up is an interesting word
The mighty Easter hymn declares, “Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o’er His foes; He arose a victor from the dark domain, and He lives forever with His saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!”
Frank Endicott wrote: “We have a two-letter word we use constantly that may
Mike Nemeth / Sanger Herald
Colleen Curtis, president and chief executive of United Health Centers, shares a laugh with Sanger mayor Frank Gonzalez at the official opening last week. She said they are open for business.
behavioral health, Curtis said. She said the facility in Sanger is United Health Centers’ 14th.
“We’re very happy for this expansion, and we’re not ready to stop yet,” Curtis said. “As long as there’s a need for services, United Health Centers will continue to grow.”
The operation specializes in helping low income clients, but everybody is encouraged to use the
have more meanings than you would imagine. The word is UP.
“It is easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or toward the top of a list. But when we waken, why do we wake UP? At a meeting, why does a topic come UP. Why do participants speak UP and why are the officers UP for elections? And why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report?
“Often the little word
PASTOR’S CORNER
services. The first center opened in 1971 in Orange Cove.
Preas said the project was difficult with “a lot of different pieces. But it got done.” He credited TJ Cox, president and chief operating officer of Fresno- based Central Valley New Market Tax Credits LLC, as being instrumental in making the project happen. CVNMTC, as it is referred to, is a community development organization, which since 2011 has been awarded $65 million in tax credits from the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund.
Cox’s group put up $9.5 million in financing for construction and equipment for the Sanger and Fowler health centers projects. The Sanger facility cost about $5 million, and Legacy Construction in Fresno was the contractor, and Kent Rodrigues of Fresno was the architect.
The project drew quite a bit of praise.
“Big beautiful building,” said Sanger mayor Frank Gonzalez. “It’s going to be a treasure for years to come.”
Matt Rogers, a representative of Sen. Kamala Harris’ office, called the facility beautiful as well and praised the service it would provide. “Your vision to reach the most vulnerable in the Valley,” he said. “You’ve made access to affordable, quality health care a reality.”
And the event wasn’t all serious. Sotiropulos, who wore bright red running shoes he said were just about brand new, photo bombed a picture in which
See United, Page 4B
aren’t sure, then it’s time to CATCH-UP. I am not looking for an undertaker but an UPPER-taker! Things are definitely looking UP!
Pastor Sam Estes is city advance director and facilitates the Sanger Community Task Force that meets the first and third Tuesdays every month. He can be reached at pastorsam51@gmail.com.
isn’t needed, but
we use it anyway.
We brighten UP a
room, polish UP
the silver, lock UP
the house, and fix
UP the old car. At
other times, it has
special meanings.
People stir UP
trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, think UP excuses, get tied UP in traffic.
“To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed
UP is special. It may be confusing, but a drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP. We open UP a store in the morning and close it UP at night. We seem to
desk-size dictionary, UP takes UP half a page, and listed definitions add UP to about 40. If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways in which UP is used.
“It will take UP a lot of your time but, if you don’t give UP, you may wind UP with a thousand or so.”
I want to encourage you to CHEER-UP because the good news for Christians is we are GOING-UP. If for some reason you
Pastor Sam Estes
be all mixed UP. We fill UP balloons and even name movies UP.
“To be UP on the proper use of UP, look UP the word in your dictionary. In one