Mid Valley Times 12-12-19 E-edition

Thursday, December 12, 2019
Vol. 1, No. 24
Sanger city council approves contested change
to police
department
By Rick Curiel
Mid Valley Times
A new city of Sanger resolu- tion that is part of a reorganiza- tion of the city’s police depart- ment was approved in a 3-2 vote by the city council after several community members spoke out against the changes.
The new resolution (No. 2019-58) amends a job descrip- tion for the city police depart- ment’s lieutenant position, something City Manager Tim Chapa said has not been done since 1994. But the new job de- scription comes as part of a re- organization of the Sanger Po- lice Department, a change that would allow for two lieutenants on the force and eliminate the department’s current captain position.
Many in the audience at the Dec. 5 meeting, however, took exception to the change, includ- ing the city’s Middle Manage- ment Group.
One of the concerns cited by the Middle Management Group was the timing.
“Elimination of the captain position in conjunction with the chief vacancy leaves the police department devoid of the top two leadership positions,” said the representative at the meet- ing.
The reorganization comes as current Sanger Police Chief Silver Rodriguez is in his final month at the department, hav- ing announced his retirement in late October. His final day
See COUNCILonpageA11
50 cents
Local parades herald the season
The Boys Scouts brought their stockings to the Reedley Electrical Parade.
George M. Villagrana / Mid Valley Times
A royal sleigh at Saturday's annual Dinuba Electric Christmas Parade
Rick Curiel / Mid Valley Times
Santa Claus was happy to be dry at Sanger's 72nd annual Toyland Parade.
Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
See more photos from the Reedley, Sanger and Dinuba Christmas parades on Page A12. Dinuba's United Health Center on track for spring opening
By George M. Villagrana
Mid Valley Times
If all goes according to plan, Dinuba’s newest health care center is projected to be com- pleted in the Spring.
“The most current projec- tion for the completion of con- struction is March – April of 2020,” stated David Phillips, community development offi- cer for United Health Center. “It is progressing rapidly and unless there are unforeseen delays it will be ready for oc- cupancy in April.”
The health care center is 16,500 square feet and will be
a welcoming addition for the city of Dinuba.
Located at 300 Westgate Way, the center will provide 18 exam room for medical, 14 dental operatories, 2 chiroprac- tic exam rooms, behavioral health services as a 7 exam room suite for Ugrent Care and X-Ray.
Phillips stated the facility will employ between 60 and 70 new positions.
Applications are not be- ing accepted at this time but applications will be accepted through the UHC web page https://unitedhealthcarecenters.org/ main/careers in the Spring 2020.
Photo contributed
An aerial view of the new United Health Center in Dinuba shows the progress of construction to date. The center is expected to open in March or April of 2020.
Final FOCAS dogs homed as shelter control moves to city
Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
Adriana Figueroa of the Friends of Orange Cove Animal Shelter nuzzled Twinx, one of the final dogs be- ing rescued from the facility, on Dec. 5. The shelter was officially closed down by the city, which will take over future operations at site on 2nd street in Orange Cove. FOCAS was able to successfully rescue the final 14 dogs at the facility, the final four at the end of last week.
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
It was a happy ending last week regarding the tale of dogs at the now-defunct Friends of Orange Cove Animal Shelter (FOCAS) facility.
Four days before a Dec. 10 deadline to clear the facility be- fore being subject to possible euthanization, the final four ca- nines remaining at the shelter had been placed in new homes at Oregon rescue facilities.
A day earlier on Dec. 5, the four dogs — a black bull terrier named Zack, a brown pit bull named Twinx, a brown mixed breed dog named Roscoe and a rambunctious pittie named Frannie — spent their final day at the shelter as volunteers on site began dis-assembling ken- nel cages owned by the Friends organization.
“We have been lucky enough to have so many local rescues
are the ones that really stepped up and helped when they have their own communities to deal with,” said Adriana Figueroa, Orange Cove resident and lead director for FOCAS. “I am over- whelmed with just happiness from all the support I’ve gotten. I was lucky that I had so much help.”
As of Dec. 11, the facility on the back side of property at 808 2nd St. in east Orange Cove became the property of the city. The transition came two months after city leaders terminated an agreement with FOCAS, and ended a year-plus long dispute between the two sides.
The initial conflict came in November 2018, when Orange Cove officials suspended FO- CAS’ agreement with the city due to tax liability inconsisten- cies. After shelter officials pro-
See FOCASon page A11
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