Reedley Exponent 1-4-18 E-edition

David dela Concepcion is KCUSD’s new choral teacher
Panorama
Vol. 129, No. 1 | Thursday, January 4, 2018
Immanuel High boys compete in Clovis Elks Christmas Classic
Sports
Hotel Burgess again open
Crash
south of
Reedley
kills man
Staff Report
A 28-year-old Reedley man was killed while a 28-year-old woman suffered moderate injuries in a fi- ery two-car accident just south of the intersection of Buttonwillow and Huntsman avenues on midday New Year’s Eve.
Carlos Perez Ramirez was pro- nounced dead at Adventist Medical Center, Reedley shortly after being transported from the scene of the Dec. 31 crash just before noon.
Police and paramedics respond- ing to the scene found Ramirez not breathing as he was lying on the ground outside his vehicle that was fully engulfed in flames.
According to Reedley police Sgt. Gary Kincaid, Ramirez’s car collided with the car driven by the uniden- tified Reedley woman, spun out of control and came to rest on the west side of the roadway. The other ve- hicle was turned around.
Kincaid said officers and emer- gency workers administered cardio- pulmonary resuscitation in an unsuc- cessful effort to revive Ramirez. The woman was treated at the scene and transported to the hospital. She was expected to make a full recovery.
See CRASH on page A3
City to provide potable water to 20 county homes
Staff Report
The Reedley City Council unani- mously voted at its Dec. 12 meeting to an agreement to provide potable water to 20 residential homes in un- incorporated Fresno County.
The city will enter a potable water service extension agree- ment with George Cox, who owns 20 homes on Zumwalt Avenue be- tween Duff and Dinuba avenues. The 20 homes sit adjacent to the city limits.
Cox will own the single meter serving the homes, and the city will not be responsible for managing the meter. The average homeowner will pay a little less than $21 per resi- dence.
The total cost of the project is $165,720 and will be funded by a Proposition 1 state grant from the State Water Board. If Grant funds aren’t awarders, Cox will be respon- sible for associated costs to the ser- vice extension project.
Yvette Encinia holds her baby, Julian Encinia, as husband Jacob Encinia stands by her bed at the Reedley Birth Center on Jan. 1. Julian, the first baby born in Reed- ley in 2018, arrived at 6:39 a.m. weighing 6 pounds, 14 ounces and measuring 18 3/4 inches. Julian is the third son born to Yvette and Jacob.
Adventist Health / Photo Contributed
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Refurbished business begins its first full year after reopening in July
By Jon Earnest
jon@midvalleypublishing.com
In 2018, one of Reedley’s most historic loca- tions will have its first full year of business in six years.
The Hotel Burgess — which closed its doors in 2012 after nearly a century in business be- fore reopening in July — has quietly established a customer base of in-state and foreign visitors. Guests have come to Reedley to stay at the ho- tel while visiting nearby Kings Canyon and Se- quoia national parks and other Sierra Nevada locations.
The 20,000-square-foot building at 1726 11th St. in downtown Reedley has undergone about $150,000 in renovations including painting, refur- nishing rooms, fixtures and electrical work. The result has been a facility that reminds guests of a European-style hotel.
“To me, it’s been like buying a piece of Reed- ley and not just the structure,” said Jose Rivera, who with his wife, Wendy, bought the hotel from Los Angeles-based owners in April.
The Riveras own and oversee a 25-acre plum orchard north of Reedley. Jose took personal time from his job as a firefighter with the U.S. Forest Service to run the hotel after Wendy gave birth to their youngest son, Arthur, this fall. This week, Jose returned to work as fire captain of the Pine- hurst Unit in the Sierra Region.
When the hotel reopened in July, Wendy han- dled all the booking and registration — most of which was done online — while Jose continued his firefighting duties.
In September, Joseph and Teresa De Pasquale stayed in one of the Hotel Burgess’ renovated rooms. The De Pasquales travel around the state from their Sacramento home.
“We’re antique buffs, so we go to Clovis and other shows,” he said. “I’ve stayed here before.
See BURGESS on page A10
TOP: Wendy and Jose Rivera stand outside the entrance to the Hotel Burgess on Dec. 29. The hotel reopened for business July 14 after the couple pur- chased the historic building in April.
LEFT: An exterior shot of the Hotel Burgess. Since reopening, the hotel has attracted a number of national and international guests coming to the area to visit nearby Kings Canyon and Sequoia national parks.
ABOVE: The hotel’s lobby area including the front desk has a European ambi- ance.
Photos by Jon Earnest / The Exponent
City’s first 2018 baby arrives 2 weeks early
Contributed
The Reedley Birth Center’s first baby of 2018 surprised everyone — especially his parents — by showing up two weeks early.
“We were not expecting him at all,” mother Yvette Encinia said as she held tiny, dark-haired Ju- lian Encinia in her arms on Jan. 1. He arrived at 6:39 a.m. weighing 6 pounds, 14 ounces and measuring 18 3/4 inches.
The baby is the third son born to Yvette and her husband, Jacob En- cinia, of Reedley.
Baby Julian didn’t interrupt the couple’s New Year’s Eve party plans, which was simply to enjoy a quiet
evening at home despite the cel- ebratory noise of fireworks in their neighborhood.
The noise awakened Yvette just after 3:30 a.m., and she started to feel uncomfortable. But she wasn’t concerned until her water broke and contractions started coming quickly. That surprised her and led to a trip to the Reedley Birth Center at 5:30
a.m.Yvette said that while Julian’s arrival on New Year’s Day was an exciting surprise, it was fitting as well.
“We just moved into a new place and are making a new start,” she said. “It feels like we’re starting off
See FIRST BABY on page A3
Classified - A8-9 Directory - B7 Legals - B8-9 Sports - B3-4
Health & Fitness - A5-7
Lights & Sirens - A3
Obituaries - A2-3
Opinion - A4