Reedley Exponent 3-7-19 E-edition

KCUSD students participate in ‘Battle of the Books’ at RHS
Reedley High track and field hosts first NYL mini-meet
Sports
Panorama
Vol. 130, No. 10 | Thursday, March 7, 2019
Buckley
named
new RC
president
By Juanita Adame
juanita@midvalleypublishing.com
Jerry Buckley was appointed as the new Reedley College presi- dent on the afternoon of March 5, but not before a heated exchange of words between Paul Parnell, the State Center Community College District chancellor, and board representative, Trustee John Leal.
Buckley was selected over Donna Berry, who served as the interim president for Reedley College since July after the de- parture of San-
dra Caldwell
for a job in
Wyoming. Ber-
ry has been
the dean of
instruction at
the college for
the past seven
years.
www.reedleyexponent.com
Jerry Buckley
Reedley (Fresno County) CA 93654 | 50 cents IHS boys to play for state title Saturday
60-48 win over Wood High advances Eagles to noon final in Sacramento
The Immanuel High Eagles posed with the Northern California Division 4 boys basketball champion- ship plaque on March 5 after they defeated Wood High of Vacaville, 60-48, before an overflow crowd at Immanuel High gym. The Eagles (26-8) advance to their first-ever state championship final, and will play Southern California champion Ribet Academy at noon Saturday, March 9, at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. More on the championship victory and the Immanuel’s state playoff run is in Sports on Page B3.
Jon Earnest / The Exponent
Korean event in Reedley
The an-
nouncement
came as an action item near the end of the hour-plus board meet- ing.
Just before the new president was to be announced and appoint- ed, Leal suggested a motion to postpone the consent agenda item appointing the new president.
Leal said it would be best to wait until after a retreat the board is scheduled to attend in April.
“These departures from past practice are still not clear to me,” said Leal. “But I will say this, we do have a board retreat coming up and I think it would be im- portant to look at any departures from past practices and policies and that this board does have the authority to change policy when it feels it’s necessary.”
“We need to be more in- formed, rather than waiting for two finalists,” he continued. “So if you could speak a little bit to the process and then removing, because this board did not have an opportunity to interview these finalists.”
Parnell responded by saying that prolonging the process would be unethical.
“We’ve gone through a rigor- ous process, this is a process that has been open, our committees, our consultants, our candidates were all diverse pools, consid- eration was totally given in this process and I don’t think there is any reason at all to delay,” the chancellor said. “In my opinion this consideration is totally inap- propriate, and borderlines on un- ethical.”
Deborah Ikeda, president of the board, agreed with Parnell. She told Leal that policy changes can be looked at, however, the day of the selection was too late to change this process.
“The process is about ready to be completed,” said Ikeda. “The only employee to this board is the chancellor, not the college presi- dents, the college presidents re- port to the chancellor. I think it’s appropriate for the chancellor to be able to choose his own team,
See PRESIDENT on page A3
Classifieds - B7
International celebration held at Armory building in city on March 2
By Juanita Adame
juanita@midvalleypublishing.com
The Reedley Armory building was packed to full capacity on the morning of March 2.
Hundreds of Koreans along with Korean Americans — and even those not of Korean descent —from around the Central Valley including Reedley, Dinuba, and oth- er surrounding cities filled the Ar- mory Hall to celebrate the centen- nial commemoration of the March 1 Korean Independent Movement.
“This is the March 1 indepen- dence celebration,” said Ralph Urbano, a Vietnam veteran and Armory staff member. “We were going to hold it outdoors but be- cause of the rain, they approached us and we were glad to let them use the hall.”
The event also included musical performances, an awards ceremo- ny as well as several visits to honor historic Korean memorials here in the Central Valley.
“There are also different speak- ers here today,” Urbano added. “They’re here to kick off the cere- mony and they had the Korean and the American National Anthems, as well as the Chanting of the March 1 Independence Movement Song.”
Urbano is not of Korean de- scent, but said the event holds near to him for several reasons.
“There is a large population of Korean Americans in Reedley,” he
See KOREAN EVENT on page A8
A standing-room audience gathered in the Reed- ley Armory building on March 2 to celebrate the centennial commemoration of the March 1 Korean Independent Movement. On March 1, 1919, the first demonstrations were held as Korea began ef- forts to gain independence from Japan.
ABOVE: A boys and girls choir performed tradi- tional Korean songs during the ceremony.
LEFT: Commemorative performances like these drummers performing traditional music were part of the ceremony honoring the Korean Indepen- dence Movement.
Photos by Juanita Adame / The Exponent
Commission OKs adding more antennas to towers
Resident cautions of ‘incremental creep’
By Jon Earnest
jon@midvalleypublishing.com
A quorum of members with the Reedley Planning Commission at its Feb. 21 meeting approved the first steps toward eventual placement of 12 antennas on the two historic Reedley Twin Water Towers downtown.
The commission voted 3-0 – com- missioners Dawn Barcellos and Alberto Custodio were absent — to approve an environmental assessment and condi- tional use permit application that would authorize the installation of 12 wireless
telecommunication antennas. the anten- nas will be located in groups of three on each side of each tower.
There also would be a ground level equipment cabinet placed on a concrete pad that would support the antenna functions. The least agreement, pay- ing about $16,000 annually to the city, would be used to support maintenance and enhancement of the towers and tower site.
Resident Anthony Jewell, repre- senting the Reedley Historical Society, spoke during public comment. He ex- pressed concern about what he called “incremental creep” that would hinder the appearance of the towers which he said the community thinks of as “part
Jon Earnest / The Exponent
The historic Reedley Twin Water Towers are pictured on March 4. On Feb. 21, the Reedley Planning Commission approved the installation later this year of wireless technology antennas below the tower.
Lights & Sirens - A3 Obituaries - A2-3 Opinion - A4
Remember to set your clocks ahead an hour on Sunday, March 10.
See TOWERS on page A8 Directory - A5 Legals - B6 Sports - B3-4 Health & Fitness - A6-7