Mid Valley Times 10-28-21 E-edition

Thursday, October 28, 2021
Vol. 3, No. 17
Rain returns with a fury
50 cents
Reedley council OKs plan to expand Sports Park
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
The Reedley City Council earlier this month took steps to try and to secure state grant funding and use existing general fund money for ex- pansion of the Reedley Sports Park in southeast Reedley.
During the Oct. 12 regular meeting, the council unani- mously approved a memo- randum of understanding between the city and Reedley Parks and Recreation Foun- dation, allowing the applica- tion to the state for a Propo- sition 68 regional park grant of $3 million. If secured, the money would be used to de- velop the Mixed Sports Phase of the sports park. This proj- ect would include basketball, tennis and pickleball courts, court lighting, restroom facil- ity and a picnic area.
In addition, the council also adopted a resolution to use $2.2 million of currently available general fund money for design and construction of the North Soccer Field phase of the sports park.
Sarah Reid, community services director, told the council at the meeting that staff has made several at- tempts over the past 10 years to obtain grant funding for fu- ture phases of the sports park, Two past public meetings and a public survey showed sup- port for the Mixed Sports Phase funding. Reid told the council that these amenities
See COUNCIL on page A2
MVT cities receive nearly an inch of rain in 'atmospheric river' event
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
A parched Central Valley received a brief respite from ongoing drought conditions on Oct. 25, when a brief storm system dubbed an "atmo- spheric river" brought nearly an inch of rain to locations in Fresno and Tulare counties and much-welcomed snow in the Sierra Nevada.
The storm arrived in the region in the overnight hours leading into Oct. 25, after coming onshore in Northern California and dropping re- cord single-day amounts of rainfall to San Francisco and Sacramento. While nowhere near this figures, smaller Mid Valley Times cities Reedley, Sanger and Dinuba received a drenching from amounts ranging from three-quarters of an inch to just above an inch.
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ABOVE: A brief downpour of rain and loud rumbles of thunder passed over G Street in down- town Reedley the afternoon of Oct. 25. There were reported sightings of a funnel cloud as the edge of an "atmospheric river" passed through the Valley.
LEFT: A puddle of water formed in the lower levels of Greenwood Park in Sanger the morning of Oct. 25, after a day-long storm system moved through the area, bringing up to an inch of rain in Valley areas of Fresno County and snow in the Sierra.
Photos by Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
Fresno County cities get fresh batch of numbers
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
Fresno County's Department of Pub- lic Health website finally has provided some updated numbers on coronavirus cases in Mid Valley Times cities.
On Oct. 26, the FCDPH website pro- vided updated numbers in its census tract map. While the most positive cas- es listed inside a city limits remains in Sanger — with an updated in-city figure
Coronavirus Update
of 5,900 — the highest region including surrounding areas now is in Reedley.
It's been weeks going on months since the previous updates, so Reedley's in-city number growth of 3,800 to 4,500 kept the city well behind its neighbor to the north. But the region surround- ing Reedley, including Lac Jac areas and Wahtoke-Navelencia, has seen the
total number of cases jump from 7,545 to 9,744. That's nearly 200 more than Sanger's combined region that stretches north and east toward the foothills.
Death totals for communities also were updated by the county, and Reed- ley's jumped by 8, to 81. Sanger also in- creased by 8, to 75, while Parlier had four additional death bringing its total number to 45. Deaths in Fowler and Orange Cove
See VIRUS on page A14
Dinuba Paint Night event honors Dia De Los Muertos
Heathe Jones / Photo Contributed
Attendees proudly displayed their finished paint- ings at the end of the event.
The Dinuba Chamber of Commerce and sponsors Cricket Wireless Dinuba and Pena's DIsposal Services hosted a Dia De Los Muertos Paint Night at the Alta Historical Society on Oct. 23. Adult attendees had the opportunity to paint their own "Day of the Dead" themed paintings while enjoying food and wine, music and friendly conversation.
ABOVE LEFT: Heathe Jones with the Dinuba Chamber of Commerce welcomes attendees to the Oct. 23 paint night at the Alta District Historical Society, while artist Pixie 25 painters prepared to offer instruction and tips for the painters.
RIGHT: Cassie Reimer, foreground, and Maribel Sorensen with the Dinuba Women's Club work on their paintings.
Photos by Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
Classifieds - A9 Directory - A6 Legals - A10-12 Sports - A8, A13 Lifestyle - A7 Lights & Sirens - A3, A5 Obituaries - A2-3 Opinion - A4