Reedley Exponent 6-27-19 E-edition

Taking a virtual swim from Pine Flat to Reedley Beach
Panorama
Pair of Reedley Babe Ruth all-star teams advance
Sports
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Reedley (Fresno County) CA 93654 | 50 cents Mid Valley Times makes its debut next week
Vol. 130, No. 25 | Thursday, June 27, 2019
Staff Report
Change is coming soon to readers of The Reedley Exponent.
Starting with our next issue on Thurs- day, July 4, The Exponent — along with The Dinuba Sentinel and Sanger Herald — will combine forces to become The Mid Valley Times. Readers of Mid Valley Publishing’s three community weekly newspapers will get a combined publication featuring a new mast- head design and a news-packed version fea- turing the latest happenings from the three Central Valley cities served by the papers.
The Mid Valley Times is designed to serve the readers much like The Exponent,
Esquivel
placed on
paid leave
by diocese
By Jon Earnest
jon@midvalleypublishing.com
The Diocese of Fresno placed Monsignor John Esquivel of St. An- thony of Padua Catholic Church on administrative leave last week, two days after allegations of sexual mis- conduct during the mid-1980s were made against him.
Teresa Wil- liams, a chancel- lor with the dio- cese, confirmed Esquivel’s status on June 21. The decision came after additional information was received follow- ing a Diocesan Review Board meeting on June 17.
Sylvia Gomez Ray told of the al- legations in a June 17 news confer- ence in Bakersfield. At that time, the 52-year-old accused Esquivel of sex- ual misconduct that occurred when she worked as a church secretary at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Ba- kersfield. Esquivel was priest at the church during that time.
Williams said in the June 21 news statement that the diocese’s review board didn’t have enough informa- tion to make a recommendation when they met on June 21.
“It has now been verified that two individuals have reported to Bakers- field Police Department,” the state- ment read. “Pending the outcome of law enforcement’s investigation followed by a diocesan investigation, Msgr. Esquivel is on paid administra- tive leave effective June 20, 2019.”
Williams said that clergy to serve at St. Anthony’s were being supplied as needed through the Chancery Of- fice.
Gomez Ray said she was 17 or 18 at the time when the incidents
See ESQUIVEL on page A3
Sentinel and Herald have for generations. Current subscribers will receive the newly- packaged Times as part of your subscription, and non-subscribers can join in an easy and inexpensive manner. You can receive our print and e-editions of the paper, as well as a newly-designed and improved website.
It’s important to let you, the reader, know that many familiar facets will remain with The Mid Valley Times. The Reedley office along with Dinuba and Sanger will remain open and maintained at its current level to provide easy access and meet the needs of each city. Our staff and employees will re- main right where they are to serve your needs. Reedley’s office at 1130 G St. will con-
tinue with its usual weekday hours.
The consolidation of papers will mean more news, advertising, classifieds, legals and obituaries for your reading. We’ll also be providing police logs for each city as in
the past.
The Reedley Exponent has been part of
the community for well more than a century — more than 128 years, to be precise — and carries significant history in this part of the Central Valley. Its name, along with The Sen- tinel and Herald, will continue within part
of our masthead, to remind the public of our tradition of service to the reader.
As we take this new and exciting step, we welcome your feedback and faithful reader- ship. Letters, news tips and other editorial submissions always are welcomed for pos- sible publication and consideration. Story ideas in the Reedley area — including Or- ange Cove and Parlier — can be sent to editor Jon Earnest (jon@midvalleypublishing.com) and features reporter/editor Juanita Adame (juanita@midvalleypublishing.com). Read- ers also can call us during business hours at (559) 638-2244.
This Independence Day, welcome to the Mid Valley Times!
Downtown artwork
Classifieds - B5
See NATHAN on page A6 Directory - A5 Legals - B6-7 Sports - B3-4 Lights & Sirens - A3 Obituaries - A2-3 Opinion - A4
Msgr. John Esquivel
A newly-painted mural was displayed on the north wall of the Bank of America building at the southeast corner of G and 9th streets in downtown Reedley on June 24. Laurie Schoelen, a local artist from Squaw Valley who previously painted electric power boxes throughout the city, was putting the finishing touches on the mural at the start of the week. The project was funded by city money along with donations from Reedley College, the Kings Canyon Unified School District and the Greater Reedley Chamber of Commerce board.
City touts water conservation at final Town Hall of 2019
Providing joy to young cancer patient
Jon Earnest / The Exponent
By Juanita Adame
juanita@midvalleypublishing.com
The series of Reedley’s town hall meetings that began in January, ended on the evening of June 24 where the topic was “drought, contami- nation, and your front lawn.”
Russ Robertson, the city’s public works director said the city met its water reduction goal in 2015 and felt that was an outstanding achievement.
“The city was very prudent in asking the
water conservation corps and doing some pub- lic outreach education efforts,” he said. “And with all of this combined the public responded very well, and we were able to meet that goal.”
He said that even after meeting the goal, the city of Reedley continued to consistently used less water each of the years following.
“So we’ve kept up with our conservation, unfortunately in 2018 we took a little dive up, so now we’re starting to inch our way back,” he said. “So its important to note that just be- cause we’ve had some wet rainy years, most of
the aquifers take years to respond from that. Our aquifer is still what would be considered through the drought years.”
Robertson also discussed Assembly Bill 1668 and Senate Bill 606.
“California has always been on the drought recovery path, but some of these droughts have lasted a lot longer than others and [result in] these bills that passed that limit the water use to 55 gallons per person per day,” he said.
See WATER on page A6
Early deadlines for first issue of Mid Valley Times on July 4
The business office of The Exponent will be closed on Thursday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day.
There will be early dead- lines for the first edition of The Mid Valley Times because of the July 4 holiday. Classified liner ads and legal notices are due by noon on Thursday, June 27. Regular and classified dis- play ads also are due by noon on Thursday, June 27.
The Exponent’s office will reopen for business at 8 a.m. on Friday, July 5.
Det. Isaac Cardenas with the Reedley Police Department showed a badge to AD- ventist Health patient Nathan Diaz during a pizza party on May 30.
“I’d never seen him unhappy, un- til one appointment,” said his pediatri- cian, Dr. Marta Atalla.
Alida Verduzco Silva / Photo Contributed
By Alida Verduzco Silva
For The Exponent
Nathan Ledezma Diaz recently celebrated his 6th birthday among old clinic friends on May 30.
Nathan, a patient at Adventist Health Medical Office–Reedley Chil- dren’s, recently was diagnosed with a brainstem glioma, a very rare type of cancer that affects mostly children.
The moment the clinic team learned of Nathan’s inoperable con- dition, they started discussing how to celebrate his life and make him hap- py as he prepared to enter treatment.
An Adventist Health patient since the age of 1, Nathan is a very happy, bright child, his care team says.
“We noticed that his left eye turned inward,” says Marcela Diaz, Nathan’s mother. A visit to Atalla regarding the problem turned into referrals to an ophthalmologist and then to an oncologist, who diagnosed Nathan. His condition is inoperable.
“He’s always been very ener- getic, very social. Everywhere we used to go, he would always speak to people and tell them stories,” Marcela said. A fan of the popular children’s show, “PAW Patrol,” Na- than dreamed of one day becoming a police officer or a firefighter.
The Reedley Police Department, Reedley Fire Department and Se- quoia Safety Council joined Adven- tist Health teams in presenting Na-
6-year-old Nathan Diaz receives surprise birthday party in Reedley