Page 1 - Reedley Exponent 5-31-18 E-edition

T.L. Reed School gets up close view of Black Hawk helicopter
Immanuel High baseball outdueled in section final
Sports
Panorama
Reedley’s Danny Carrillo greeted RFK just weeks before assassination
By Jon Earnest
jon@midvalleypublishing.com
Fifty years ago, Danny Carrillo was in the student union at then- Fresno State College when a friend and fellow student came up to him and said “Did you hear Kennedy is on campus?”
The Reedley native initially scoffed at the suggestion, but then discovered that Robert F. Kennedy was in fact at the college’s amphi- theater on the south end of campus making a brief speech on April 31, 1968. Carrillo missed the speech. But he caught up to the senator and Democratic presidential candidate as Kennedy was shaking hands with excited students.
“He was on a little hill, kind of on a low spot of the hill,” Carrillo, now 71, said in describing the scene.
“So when he was coming right at me, and I said ‘I’ve got to shake his hand.’ And I did shake his hand.”
In fact, Carrillo did shake Ken- nedy’s hand twice at two different times.
It was a personal highlight for Carrillo, who was majoring in in- dustrial arts at the college. He and his family and friends admired Ken- nedy for his support of the United Farm Workers boycotts of that time.
See CARRILLO on page A3
Reedley resident Danny Carrillo holds up a copy of
the June 6, 1968 Los Angeles Times that reported on the assassination of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. Carrillo shook hands with Kennedy during an April 1968 campaign stop in Fresno.
Jon Earnest / The Exponent
Water,
sewer fee
increases
coming
By Jon Earnest
jon@midvalleypublishing.com
Beginning July 1, Reedley residents will be paying more for their water and sewer services.
In separate resolutions, the Reedley City Council formally approved the recommended 2.5 percent annual increase in wa- ter and sewer rates by a 4-0 vote. Mayor Pro Tem Frank Pinon was an excused absence. The increase is in line with a July 2016 resolu- tion that calls for annual inflation- ary increases that fall in line with a 10-year rolling average of the Consumer Price Index.
The current 10-year rolling average is 2.51 percent, but the increase will be 2.5 percent as part of the resolution. A May 2016 water rate study by an inde- pendent engineering consulting firm recommended the annual increases to cover inflationary costs in personnel, operations and maintenance. Infrastructure maintenance needs also are con- sidered.
Russ Robertson, the city’s director of public works, told Council Member Mary Fast that the 2.5 percent increase also in- cludes a 2 cents per thousand gallons commodity charge for residences. The fee hike means the monthly residential service meter charge for a typical single family will go from $31.08 to $31.85 per residence.
Fast asked Robertson if the city’s watering policy will re- main at three days a week but can be changed on a council vote. Fast also asked about the city’s drought rate policy, and Robert- son told her that any changes or institution of the drought rate pol- icy would need council approval by vote.
“The reason for having the
See RATES on page A2
www.reedleyexponent.com
Reedley (Fresno County) CA 93654 | 50 cents Fifty years ago, a thrill overshadowed by tragedy
Vol. 129, No. 22 | Thursday, May 31, 2018
Remembering the fallen
Hundreds attend Memorial Day ceremony at Reedley Cemetery By Jon Earnest
jon@midvalleypublishing.com
More than 250 people turned out to Reedley Cemetery to commemorate Memorial Day and honor local military who gave their lives in service to their country.
For more than 15 minutes during the hour-long ceremony, the audience listened intently to a powerful message from a local Air Force pilot with strong Reedley ties — Capt. Skylar “Voodoo” Bautista of the 144th Fighter Wing in Fresno. He received a standing ovation from many in the audience after his ad- dress.
Bautista, a 2004 Reedley High grad- uate who quit his job to train to become a fighter pilot, initially spoke of his pride in American air superiority and being one of the airmen that defends the nation’s airspace on a regular basis.
However, he said “I feel woefully unqualified to speak to you all on Me- morial Day. I have yet to have combat time, I’ve never lost a friend in action and have never even lost a family mem- ber in the service of their country.
“I would bet that no small portion of you here today are far more qualified in this area than I am, and I know for a fact that some of you are.”
Bautista said he could only hope to honor families’ losses and memories held for fallen loved ones. When he first began speaking he emotionally shared of the Lusk and Martinez families who had loved ones pay the ultimate price.
Bautista later talked about how America honors its fallen military mem- bers. He gave details on the diligence and dedication the military shows to sol- diers brought back to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
“We honor the dead by remember- ing them,” he said. “Never forget that the tree of freedom is often watered with the blood of patriots. You can see our effort to remember our fallen in
See MEMORIAL on page A8
TOP: From left, Pastor Ernie Williams of the Reedley Evan- gelical Free Church, special speaker Capt. Skylar “Voodoo” Bautista, and master of ceremonies Carl Smith saluted during a ceremonial gun salute at the Reedley Memorial DayCeremonyonMay28atReedley Cemetery.
ABOVE: John Heathcote performed “Taps” immediately following the gun salute.
Photos by Jon Earnest / The Exponent
LEFT: Gregory Rodriguez, 2, of Reedley tends to one of the military gravesites after the ceremony.
Velaine Hobbs / Photo Contributed
Quiet motivation drives top RHS valedictorian
Jon Earnest / The Exponent
Lorena Orozco is the top valedictorian for 2017-18 at Reedley High School. Orozco, who will attend Stanford University this fall, had a cumulative grade point average of 4.392 which included her advanced courses.
Lorena Orozco will continue studies at Stanford University
By Jon Earnest
jon@midvalleypublishing
Lorena Orozco knew throughout the 2017-18 school year that she was on track to be Reedley High School’s top valedictorian.
“I kept it to myself because I re- ally don’t like publicity,” she said.
That didn’t mean that Orozco had any intention of letting up. She com- piled a cumulative grade point aver- age of 4.392. She’s earned a scholar- ship to Stanford University where she’s thinking of majoring in human biology with an emphasis in neurol- ogy. She’s also considering a double major that includes English or the humanities.
“[Leading the class] was a big factor driving me,” she said. “I really didn’t want to give up the spot, hav- ing worked hard for it. It was really important to me.”
Orozco’s achievements included being named one of 500 Dell Schol- ars recipients nationwide — and one of 132 from California.
Hector Chapa, senior class ad- viser and counselor at Reedley High, said Orozco’s leadership skills stand out among the student body.
“Lorena is just an outstanding student,” he said. “She continues to surprise me with all that she does to be able to support school. Her mind- set to help others is great, and she’s a team player.”
Orozco credited her solid work ethic to her first Advanced Place- ment course, AP World History, and to social science teacher Bladimir Pizano.
“I really feel that Mr. Pizano
See OROZCO on page A2
GRADUATIONS
Reedley High: Thursday, May 31, 8 p.m., RHS football stadium Immanuel High: Thursday, May 31, 7 p.m., Reedley Mennonite Brethren Church
Orange Cove High: Friday, June 1, 8 p.m., OCHS Titan football stadium Kings Canyon High School/Adult School: Tuesday, June 5, 8 p.m., RHS football stadium
Reedley Middle College High School: Wednesday, June 6, 8 p.m. Reedley High School Performing Arts Theatre
Classified - A6-7 Directory - A5 Legals - B6
Sports - B7-8 Lights & Sirens - A3 Obituaries - A2 Opinion - A4