Page 8 - Reedley Exponent 2-22-18 E-edition

FORUM Continued from page A1
troversial Feb. 2 release of an intel- ligence memo claiming that officials with the Federal Bureau of Investi- gation abused their authority and fa- vored Democrats in the early stages of the investigation into whether Rus- sia meddled with the 2016 presidential elections.
During his closing statement, Car- roll told the audience of his having un- dergone a “midlife crisis” and becom- ing a better man for it.
“I believe in the value of a midlife crisis, and I would like to help Devin Nunes have his,” he said as the audi- ence laughed and applauded.
There were impassioned state- ments about gun control from the candidates. The forum occurred just one day after a high school shooting in Florida killed 17 people, including many students.
“The [National Rifle Association] has 17 more pairs of cold, dead hands on their conscience, and it cannot hap- pen anymore,” said Franco. “The only thing the NRA has given me is higher ammo prices from some fake idea thatthegovernment isgoingtocome and steal their guns. The government can’t even get clean drinking water to people. How in the world do we actu- ally expect them to actually get these guns. We have to start making sure we do not vote anymore for people in Con- gress that take money from the NRA.”
Bliatout — the son of Hmong im- migrants who fled their native Laos — said healthcare was the issue “that got me into the race.” He told of his own cancer fight in 2011 that he beat within two years because he had affordable healthcare.
“We talk about that if there’s a free market there will be options. The prob- lem is that for some people there are no options. And that’s why we have to get single payer,” he said. “That’s why everyone needs and deserves health- care. It’s just the right thing to do.”
The candidates all supported the Deferred Action for Childhood Arriv- als (DACA). Merryman, the lone Lib- ertarian in the race, said there are two very distinct sides in the argument.
“Both sides are morally bound to their answers, so you’re not going to change minds by telling one side or another that they’re wrong,” he said. “I want to look at this in a more objec- tive standpoint. If somebody is here and they are getting an education to better themselves, working to contrib- ute to our society — if they want to raise their kids in a better place. They are assimilated into the culture of our community. Those are the people that
TOP: The audience at Reedley College’s Forum Hall listens to statements by four challengers to the 22nd Congressional District seat currently held by Devin Nunes at a community forum on Feb. 15.
ABOVE FAR LEFT: Democratic candidate Bobby Bliatout of Fresno is a health care professional.
ABOVE NEAR LEFT: American Solidarity candidate Brian Carroll of Visalia is a teacher in Farmersville.
ABOVE NEAR RIGHT: Democratic candidate Ricardo “Rico” Franco is a Fresno businessman.
ABOVE FAR RIGHT: Libertarian candidate Bill Merryman of Clovis works for a government agency.
SHELTER Continued from page A1
that it was unfair to target just one council member,” Miller told the council. “[Soleno] was appointed to represent our district — even though I believe that all of you should represent your district and take a po- sition on what your district feels is best.”
At the Feb. 13 meeting, Miller told the council the the residents weren’t going to appeal the Planning Com- mission’s Feb. 1 approval of the conditional permit.
“The way we viewed it is it would be like a baseball player at home plate, giving an umpire $500 to take away the strike and call it a ball rather than a strike,” he said. “We’re not going to give you $500 because the same peo- ple who push this [project] forward would be the same ones who would be the judge of whether the appeal would go through or not.”
Miller told the council that he is making plans to sell his home on River Bluff Drive.
“My wife and I have enjoyed living in Reedley for 27-plus years,” he said. “What has changed is our trust in Reedley city gov- ernment. I no longer trust that you will make the ap- propriate quality of life decisions that will keep Reedley taxpaying prop- erty owners safe.”
Ken Baker, police chap- lain and pastor at Heritage Church of God in Reedley, would oversee the shelter that would be run by a man- ager living on site. Baker said the shelter would be constantly monitored and run with what he called the “highest integrity.”
The city is receiving a state grant of $560,000 to run the shelter if it is ap- proved. Reedley applied for the money from the California Department of Finance and was awarded the grant in 2017.
Sixty percent of that money must be spent on the shelter itself and the re- maining 40 percent would cover operational costs.
we want to come here.”
Merryman said a path to citizen-
ship needs to be made available to “dreamers” — the children whose families that illegally immigrated to the U.S. He said laws need to be en- forced that discourage black market human trafficking.
Blatout said that the estimated 5,000 “dreamers” in Congressional District 22 bring $273 million in rev- enue. “Why take that away?” he asked.
Franco went a step further, saying pass the Dream Act right now. “Get it done and keep them here,” he said.
Carroll said that legislation like DACA should have been passed 10
or 20 years ago. “We can’t wait. Once we get that taken care of, we do need comprehensive immigration reform,” he said.
In closing statements, the candi- dates agreed that voters can make the change in government,
“We need to make sure that who- ever we send to Congress, they truly represent the values of our people. I’m hoping it’s me,” said Bliatout.
Merryman said that every should have the freedom to choose their own path in life.
“I don’t care if you’re a Republi- can, Democrat, Libertarian, Green, Peace and Freedom or American Soli-
Photos by Jon Earnest / The Exponent
darity. We are all Americans,” he said. “We all have a voice, and all of our voices deserve to be heard. If elected, I will hear your voice.”
Franco urged the audience to vote for “one of the four of us that actually took the courtesy to come out here to Reedley. To show that these college communities are not forgotten.
“I would love to be your voice and your face for this new America to come, which will have a government that works for us,” he said.
After the forum, the candidates met individually with audience mem- bers and passed out literature detail- ing their respective campaigns.
The Reedley Exponent A8 Thursday, February 22, 2018
Reedley Middle College High School sophomore Diana Hoffman, left, and senior Jeremy Hammond stand at the site at Reedley College, where the new permanent RMCHS campus will be built. Hoffman and Hammond spoke at the Feb.15 groundbreaking ceremony.
RMCHS Continued from page A2
in our region.” She said the different entities involved in establishing RMCHS and now building it a permanent home were focused on the impact the school can have: “We know that when you get that first person in a family through college, it creates ripple effects that change generations.”
“Together, we are in the life-changing, dream-building business,” she said.
Campbell, who talked about the history of the project and the many people involved in mak- ing it happen, said: “This place will be here long after we’re all gone, and it will still be educating children because of the dream these people had.”
After the ceremony, sophomores Jackson, Maria Vasquez and Ivette Soto said they were excited to know their class will have more than a year in the new building once it’s completed. And, they said they all chose to come there rather than their regular high schools. Jack- son of Squaw Valley attended Dunlap School before high school, and Vasquez and Soto at- tended Citrus Middle School in Orange Cove.
Jackson, who’s involved in FFA activities at
RMCHS, initially wanted to be an Air Force pi- lot but now is exploring a career in law enforce- ment. He said he chose the school because he was impressed by the combination of high school and college experience: “I didn’t want to be part of the regular crowd. I wanted to be somebody who stood out ... So I know, coming here, that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Soto plans to be a registered nurse. Vasquez, who at first thought about enlisting in the U.S. Army, now wants to be a pediatric nurse.
Soto said RMCHS offers opportunities unlike other high schools, and that “you get a head start with everything.” She said once she enters a college or university after high school, “you already know what to do, you al- ready know how to prepare for it.”
Vasquez said she came to RMCHS “because I decided to have a good career and when I heard they take college classes, I wanted to get a head start on college.” She also said she likes the atmosphere at the school, where “we get to all be like a big family, we all communicate.”
With a permanent home on the horizon, the sophomores said they will be watching prog- ress of its construction. As Soto said: “We’ll have our own place to ourselves.”
Felicia Cousart Matlosz / The Exponent
Annual flag lowering ceremony for Bejar on Feb. 26
Staff Report
The Reedley Police De- partment invites the public to watch the annual flag lower- ing ceremony for fallen Offi- cer Javier Bejar at 8:30 a.m.
Monday, Feb. 26, in front of the department at 843 G St.
The annual ceremony nor- mally is held on Feb. 25, but that date falls on a Sunday this year so it will be held on Feb. 26.
The ceremony honors Bejar, who died Feb. 25, 2010 during a standoff in Min- kler. He was the first officer killed in the line of duty in the 100-year history of Reedley Police Department.
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