Page 1 - Mid Valley Times 5-20-21 E-edition

Thursday, May 20, 2021
Vol. 2, No. 46
Time to
graduate
is near
for region
schools
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
Until COVID-19 hit and scene in 2020, late May and June meant graduation and commencement ceremonies throughout the Fresno and Tu- lare counties and the Central Valley. Last year, virtually ev- ery live graduation ceremony was canceled because of the pandemic.
How, cases levels are con- siderably down and everyday life – including traditional school activities – are return- ing to pre-virus days. This year, most schools and colleg- es in the region are returning to some type of live ceremony, starting with Reedley College.
This week, the region's community college again is providing in-person com- mencement celebrations; both for new 2021 graduates and those 2020 grads who received their diplomas and certificates of completion in an online ceremony.
Now, graduates will par- ticipate in a walk-through cer- emony in the school cafeteria. Staff will usher graduates and families to the north side of the Student Center and into the caf- eteria to walk on stage, receive their diploma and take a photo.
Graduates in the college's Agriculture & Natural Re- sources and Industrial & Man- ufacturing programs partici-
See GRADS on page A16
Rotary Auction
Photo Courtesy of Rotary Club of Reedley
ABOVE: Mike Franks, owner of Reedley Insurance and a Reedley Rotarian addressed the crowd during the club’s annual dinner and auction on May 15.
RIGHT: Bottles of wine from a local wine maker were among the auction items at the Reedley Rotary auction and dinner. A wrapup article and additional photos on the event can be found in LIfestyle, Page A7.
Juanita Adame / Mid Valley Times
Reedley council OKs transfer of Faith House operations
50 cents
Coronavirus Update — Still Orange As Numbers Vary
Mask regulations ease a bit in Fresno County
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
COVID-19 cases contin- ue to remain relatively low throughout Central California and the rest of the state, and as a result mask regulations established by local munici- palities are beginning to show signs of easing.
In a May 17 news release from the Fresno County De- partment of Public Health, county officials said that face coverings no longer are re- quired outdoors except for unvaccinated people attend- ing crowded events when physical distancing cannot be maintained. Regardless of vaccination status, the state is requiring face coverings at in- door settings outside of one's home (which includes public spaces, stores, public trans- portation and schools).
The real easing of mask requirements in California is expected to come on June 15. That's when the state plans to implement last week's an- nouncement by the Centers for Disease Control and Pre- vention (CDC) stating that face coverings no longer will be required.
See COVIDonpageA16
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
The Reedley City Council on May 11 without dissent approved three resolutions that included an agreement to transfer the license partnership with the city from Hope Now Ministries (Heritage Church of God) to the nonprofit Serve Reedley in regards to operating the Faith House emergency tran- sitional housing shelter for families.
All three items were approved by a 4-0 vote (Council Member Ray Soleno was ab- sent), and the action leads to the following:
• A license agreement and memo of un- derstanding that switches operations from Hope Now Ministries to Serve Reedley, a partnership of local churches led by Re-
deemer's Church of Reedley. The organiza- tion's mission statement is "to be a hub that connects people, resources, and training op- portunities to under-resourced communities."
• A resolution appropriating $50,000 from the community-based transitional housing grant fund for a payment to Serve Reedley for operational responsibilities of the shelter.
• A three-year commitment to fund $25,000 from the city's general fund or a similar funding source for Faith House op- erations, starting in 2022.
Hope Now Ministries has operated Faith House — an 18-person transitional housing facility located in southwest Reedley on West Huntsman Avenue — since April 2018.
See FAITH HOUSE on page A2
Sanger police, Dinuba fire promotes personnel
Employees with public safety agencies in the Mid Val- ley Times region were recently promoted. Here are further details:
LEFT: Agustin Villatoro was sworn in by Sanger City Clerk Becky Ramirez as the Sanger Police Department's newest sergeant during a May 17 ceremony in front of City Hall. Villatoro has been with the department since December 2014, and has served as a patrol officer, mo- tor officer and school resource officer before becoming a detective in the department's Investigations Unit.
Sanger Police Department / Photo Contributed
RIGHT: Ashley Greco was sworn in as a Dinuba Fire Captain in a brief ceremony at the Dinuba City Council meeting on April 27. Greco becomes the first female to earn the rank of captain with the Dinuba depart- ment. She joined the department full-time in 2007 as a firefighter-EMT after serving to years as a paid call firefighter, She was promoted to Firefighter-Paramedic in 2013, and was chosen for the promotion from five candidates. "She truly has a special gift of being com- passionate to all that she serves, she has excellent leadership skills and is a great addition to the Fire De- partment Management Team," Chief Jordan Webster said of Greco.
Dinuba Fire Department / Photo Contributed
Classifieds - A10
Directory - A6
Legals - A11-15
Sports - A9, A16 Lifestyle - A7-8 Lights & Sirens - A3, A5 Obituaries - A2-3 Opinion - A4