Page 1 - Mid Valley Times 2-3-22 E-Edition

Thursday, February 3, 2022
Vol. 3, No. 31
Reedley conducts joint meeting
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
The Reedley City Council and Reedley Planning Com- mission came together for a joint meeting on Jan. 25 at the Reedley Community Cen- ter's Senior Room, sharing discussion on a Project Kick- Off Workshop regarding an update to the city's Municipal Code specific to housing and land use.
The two local governing bodies traditionally meet together once a year at the Community Center, but the council also was holding re- cent meetings because of re- modeling of the City Hall's council chambers.
The workshop was moved up ahead of the council's re- maining business on the rela- tively small agenda. Rob Ter- ry, the city's community devel- opment director, introduced a contracted consultant team (Mintier Harnish) and depart- ment staff to talk about hous- ing challenges the city faces in meeting California housing de- velopment mandates brought by State Senate Bill 9.
The workshop presenta- tion, discussion and Q&A with the council went on for about an hour. No council or Plan- ning Commission action was taken after the discussion.
Two consent agenda items were removed and underwent general discussion: a proposed agreement between the city and the Giants Community Fund allowing the city to pro- vide a Junior Giants Baseball
See MEETING on page A2
A taste of RHS culinary
50 cents
Coronavirus Update
COVID
surge
starting
to wane
MVT Staff Report
January's sharp surge in COVID-19 cases finally shows signs of easing up some as the calendar turns the page to February.
The Tuesday, Feb. 1, up- dates in Fresno and Tulare counties continued to show increases in overall cases and hospitalizations for the week, but there was a decline of more than 850 active cases in one day, and more than a thou- sand from the weekend.
Also, the rate of positivity cases in both counties finally was trending downward. Af- ter starting the week at 34.2 percent, Fresno County's pos-
See COVIDonpageA2
Juanita Adame / Mid Valley Times
Reedley High students sampled the fare of the school's culinary program on campus on Jan. 27. The program hosted an open house event that day, showing off the program's newly-remodeled classroom and providing some good eating for those in attendance. The school's culinary class is back in its own room, after meeting in the school library during the remodeling process. A story on the program iand an additional photo can be found in Lifestyle on page A7.
Sanger church preps for 100th anniversary
First UMC of Sanger hosts open house Feb. 12
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
One of Sanger's oldest churches is cel- ebrating a landmark centennial celebration next week.
The First United Methodist Church of Sanger, located at the northwest corner of 9th and P streets, will host an open house from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 12, to mark the 100-year anniversary of the gothic-de- signed building. The original dedication took place Feb. 12, 1922.
The public is invited to the open house, where attendees can tour the four-story structure. The church was built after the
See CHURCH on page A2
A shot of the First United Methodist Church of Sanger, taken from from the southeast corner of 9th and P Streets on Feb. 1. An open house event will take place on Saturday, Feb.
12, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the church. A service celebra- tion to mark the anniver- sary and rededicate the church building will take place at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 13.
Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
Moves shaped Dinuba teen candidate's leadership skills
Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
Dinuba High senior Arielle Orozco, who plans to major in neurobiology at Vanguard University, said the adapting she had to do when moving twice helped her utilize leadership skills while building new relationships.
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
The experience of mov- ing twice with her family as a child has helped Arielle Orozco develop her leader- ship skills and steer her fu- ture career path.
The Dinuba High senior plans to pursue a career in microbiology at Vanguard University when she gradu- ates, and said in her essay that she wishes to become Dinuba Teenage Citizen of the Year so she can serve as a role model for students in lower grade levels and motivate them to become involved in the community.
Arielle is one of four finalist candidates for Di-
nuba Teenage Citizen of the Year. The winner will be an- nounced during the annual Dinuba Community Awards event on Friday, Feb. 18.
Orozco, born to a single mother in Fresno, lived her first two years with her working mom and grand- mother.
"When my mother mar- ried the man I call my fa- ther, my whole life changed for the better," she said in her essay. We moved to the small town of Cutler/Orosi where
I spent the first half of my childhood being a bold and fearless leader to my class- mates." When her younger sisters were born, she moved from Cutler to Orosi.
Orozco said even though it was a close move, it still was a huge change for her 8-year-old self. "My experi- ence at school was complete- ly different, I was no lon- ger the strong and fearless leader but rather a reserved and quiet student who was too afraid to make friends." But she said she adapted, which helped her build rela- tionships and again use her leadership skills.
SeeTEENonpage A2
This is the second of four profiles on the finalists for Dinuba Teenage Citizen of the Year.
Classifieds - A9 Directory - A6 Legals - A10, 12-15 Sports - A11, A16 Lifestyle - A7-8 Lights & Sirens - A3, A5 Health & Fitness - A16-17
Obituaries - A2-3 Opinion - A4