Mid Valley Times 11-21-19 E-edition

Thursday, November 21, 2019
50 cents
Vol. 1, No. 21
Missing
Orosi
woman
is safely
found
By Juanita Adame
Mid Valley Times
It took nearly four days of intense ground and aeri- al searches by hundreds of volunteers and several local agencies including the Tulare County
Sheriff’s
Office and
Fresno
County
Sheriff’s
Office
to final-
ly bring
home Pre-
sentacion
Quinday,
69, after
the woman
from the Orosi-Cutler area went missing on Nov. 14.
“So on Thursday morning she [Quinday] reached out to me to tell me that she had just left the DMV office and that she didn’t pass her eye vi- sion test,” said Josie Iglesias, Quinday’sdaughter. “Shewas going to promptly make an ap- pointment at the Dinuba eye doctor, so she can retake and get her drivers license. She never made it to the office.”
Iglesias said her mother had a way of hiding her emo- tions, so she could not tell if failing the test had affected her.
“I know, because she’s my mom, she was upset she was hurt about it, but she didn’t want to show it,” Iglesias said. “She tried to laugh about it.”
Photos of Quinday began circulating on social media
See MISSING on page A5
Roads hot topic at Dinuba GAC
Presentacion Quinday
By Rick Curiel
Mid Valley Times
After multiple traffic conditions caused Califor- nia Assemblyman Devon Mathis to arrive almost an hour late to the Nov. 13 Dinuba Government Af- fairs Committee meeting, the Visalia politician used his trip from San Diego to raise a local concern.
“I’m sorry about the traffic. We’re trying to get the governor to actually fund the roads,” Mathis joked as he took the podi- um in the event center of Ridge Creek Golf Course.
In his address, Mathis discussed how some mon- ey from current gas taxes that are intended for road repairs, including work on Freeway 99, has been moved by Gov. Gavin New- som toward housing funds.
He encouraged those in attendance and anyone else concerned about the move to look into the ‘Freight and Goods Movement’, a cam-
paign designed to highlight the significance of Califor- nia’s lead in providing a gateway for international trade and domestic com- merce.
“We haul more freight up and down the 99 than the entire state of Texas,” explained Mathis, whose 26th Assembly District in- cludes Dinuba and almost all of Tulare County.
He advised people, clubs and organizations to speak or write to their rep- resentatives, and reminded them to mention the move- ment.
He also mentioned a ‘Salt and Light’ project where the state is consider- ing the creation of a home- less camp made of tiny homes. The project would incorporate putting the homeless to work through the means of handmade crafts, which would then be sold to supplement and fund the project.
See MATHISonpageA16
Rick Curiel / Mid Valley Times
Devon Mathis, assemblyman for California's 26th District that includes Dinuba, spoke on roads, gas tax money and homeless issues during a Nov. 13 appearance at the Dinuba Government Affairs Committee meet- ing in the event center of Ridge Creek Golf Course.
Assemblyman addresses Nov. 13 meeting
Gar Tootelian to merge with Lemoore company
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
Reedley's largest family-owned agri- cultural business announced last week that it's merging with a Lemoore-based agribusiness.
Gar Tootelian, Inc., established in 1949 and the largest single location crop care retailer in the nation, will merge with Bennett Water Systems, a 90-year- old company that designs and builds large scale water systems for many of the largest farmers in the state. The deal was announced by both companies at a meeting on Nov. 13.
Starting in January, the new compa- ny name officially will be GAR Bennett. The merger is expected to become of- ficial on Jan. 1, 2020.
“We help growers feed the world by continually raising the bar with expert advice, products and services to address California’s growing challenges,” Gar Tootelian CEO Greg Musson told the large crowd on Nov. 13. “The merger of Bennett Water Systems with GAR raises the bar and brings together two locally owned family businesses with outstand-
ing reputations for integrity and trust with complimentary cultural values, products and services. Together, our op- portunities are endless.”
The merger assists both female- owned companies in bringing together a full product offering of grower servic- es ranging from water systems to crop protection, according to a joint news release from the two companies. Both family businesses share a commitment to longstanding relationships in the Central Valley serving agriculture, the release said. Bennett’s 90-year history
See MERGER on page A2
MVT offices will close for holiday on Nov. 28-29
The Mid Valley Times' business offices in Dinu- ba, Reedley and Sanger will be closed on Thurs- day and Friday, Nov. 28-29, in observance of Thanksgiving.
There will be early deadlines this week be- cause of the office clo- sure. Classified liner ads and legal notices are due by noon on Thursday, Nov. 21. Regular and classified display ads also are due by noon on Thursday, Nov. 21.
The Times' three of- fices will reopen for busi- ness at 8 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 2.
Sanger fundraiser to assist wildfire victims
By Rick Curiel
Mid Valley Times
A few weeks ago, Sanger chiropractor Roman R. Hy- sell and his wife, Tevy, an acupuncturist, were treat- ing some area firefighters after having returned from fighting Bay Area fires. The service, according to the Hy- sells, is offered free to fire- fighters.
After seeing the demand and toll on the firefight- ers, they asked if there was anything else they could do for them. The firefighter’s response, they said, was, “Don’t worry about us. We’re taken care of. But, can you do something for the victims? I
feel so sorry for those who lost their homes.”
With that, the Hysells de- cided to hold a fundraiser. It will be held on Saturday, Nov. 23, at their Chiropractic Acu- puncture Nutrition facility at 2216 Jensen Ave. in Sanger. The event, scheduled to run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., will in- clude raffle prizes, food, mu- sic and opportunities to help those who have been affected by the recent wildfires.
And though the couple hopes to raise funds to help those displaced, for Tevy, a special donation people can make would be in the form of a new stuffed animal.
See FUNDRAISER on page A7
Rick Curiel / Mid Valley Times
Sanger chiropractor Roman R. Hysell and his wife, Tevy, will hold a fundraiser on Saturday, Nov. 23, at their Sanger facility to raise money to help those affected by the recent wildfires in California.
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Karen Musson is recipient of 2020 Leon S. Peters Award, Page A2