Page 1 - Dinuba Sentinel E-edition 5-16-19
P. 1
Dinuba Sentinel Serving the communities of Dinuba, Cutler-Orosi and Monson-Sultana
Cutler-Orosi Awards
Community leaders from Cutler-Orosi honored by Lions Club
Established 1909, Dinuba, California
Community, A7
Thursday, May 16, 2019 50 Cents
High levels
Blessing the bikes
Cutler woman, son die in State Route 63 traffic collision
Dinuba woman also injured in Monday morning accident
Sentinel staff report
A 28-year-old female from Cutler, identified by the Californigh High Patrol as Briseida Herrera, and her 12-year-old son, identified as Nico Herrera, died in a three-car collision on State Route 63 Monday morning. Also injured in the accident was Stephanie Quiroz, 27, of Dinuba and Miguel Hernandez, 29, of Visalia.
The California High Patrol received a call on May 13 at 7:56 a.m. of a traffic collision on State Route 63 north of Avenue 336 with multiple injuries.
Officers from the Visalia Office responded to the scene and during the course of investigation determined Herrera was driving a 2010 Honda southbound on SR 63, north of Avenue 336 at an undetermined speed.
According to CHP officers, Hernandez was driving a 2014 Toyota southbound and behind the Honda. Traveling with Hernandez as a passenger was Quiroz.
For unknown reasons, officer say, Herrera failed to slow for traffic, which had stopped ahead of her. Attempting to avoid the stopped traffic, officers say she abruptly swerved to the right and caught the west dirt shoulder, which in turn caused her to lose control of the Honda. The vehicle then rotated in a counterclockwise direction and into the northbound lane of SR 63.
Traveling northbound on SR 63 was Juan Cortez Garcia, 57, of Porterville in a 2015 Peterbilt. The Honda traveled directly in the path of the Peterbilt and the semi truck collided with the right side of the vehicle.
After the collision, officers say both the Honda and the Peterbilt traveled off the east roadway edge and collided with a tree, with the semi coming to a rest with its trailer blocking SR 63.
The collision occurred in the path of the Toyota and officers say that Hernandez applied his brakes upon
of lead found
in water at
Roosevelt
By Rick Curiel
Editor@thedinubasentinel.com
Bottled water has been brought into Roosevelt Elementary School after city workers recently found elevated levels of lead in one of the school’s water supplies.
The city of Dinuba conducts routine water sampling at all school sites within the Dinuba Unified School District, with the exception of Grand View which is outside of city jurisdiction. In a most recent sampling, the city discovered the elevated levels coming from a sample taken from Roosevelt Elementary School.
The district was notified of the levels on May 6 and shut off the source of the sample
thereafter. “The test
affected one classroom,” said DUSD Facilities Director Jack Schreuder.
On May 8, the district notified all parents via an automated phone system.
Schreuder said the district took immediate steps to deal
with the problem, including shutting off the water to the classroom in question and providing bottled water to the school for drinking.
“The District has taken immediate steps to address this issue and to ensure that all district students, at all school sites, have access to clean, safe drinking water,” it read in a statement released by the district in regard to the water sampling.
According to Schreuder, the city of Dinuba conducts yearly water testing at random school sites within the district. The testing is part of the Safe Drinking Water in Schools Act, which was passed
See Water, Page A3
Local students get taste of Ivy League
empowering kids from Dinuba, Orosi and Sultana, that’s pretty awesome.”
To become part of the Ivy League Project, students from all three schools have to apply, write an essay, need a teacher or instructor recommendation, a grade point average of at least 3.75 and help fundraise. Dr. Thusu and Mares interviewed students at Monson while Orosi High principal Roberto Vaca and school counselors oversaw the interview process. Two students from each cohort/pathway were selected at Dinuba High, according to Mares.
“They are the brightest and sharpest kids,” Mares said.
Dinuba High junior Marissa Requejo was one of the students selected and she would recommend the program to her peers.
“I got a lot out of this program,” she said. “I recommend it to a lot of people who are planning for their future who have goals that they aren’t so confident about, personally it gave me a lot of confidence.”
Requejo said growing up she heard of those colleges and even did a report on Harvard while in school.
“I never thought it would’ve been an option for me,” she added.
The group also had a chance to visit some of the historical sites and museums, according to Mares.
Nolan Fernandez, a freshman at Orosi High, said it was an amazing opportunity and thanked Dr. Thusu and Mares.
See Ivy, Page A6
Sports@thedinubasentinel.com
Monson-Sultana eighth grader Celeste Perez was on board the minute she heard Ivy League Project CEO and founder, Martin Mares speak about visiting prestigious schools like Harvard and Princeton.
“When I heard Harvard, Brown and Princeton and to get the chance to visit those schools, I was all in,” said Perez.
So to were other 15 students that represent Orosi and Dinuba High School’s.
Mares said this was the inaugural group to take a trip back East.
“I’ve had students from Dinuba and Orosi go before, but this is the first group from all three schools,” Mares said.
The Ivy League Project gives first generation students exposure to some of the best academic universities on the East Coast. Currently, there are projects in California, Arizona, and Texas. He was also approached to launch in Florida.
“It’s always interesting in empowering communities, especially first generation students,” Mares said.
Mares said Dinuba Mayor Dr. Kuldip Thusu had talked about sponsoring a group from Dinuba, Orosi and Monson. Mares pointed out that Dr. Thusu wanted to take 15 students and played a key role in sponsoring the trip.
“I admire Dr. Thusu. He is one of the most giving persons I’ve ever met in my life,” Mares said. “There are plenty of things we can work on in terms of
Photo contributed
Lady Emps quest for Valley
Dinuba defeats Kerman in quarters, hosted Liberty on Tuesday
Sports, Page B1
“As a matter of due diligence, we’ve taken every precaution to remedy this,”
-Jack Schreuder DUSD Facilities Director
Photos by Rick Curiel | The Sentinel
Hundreds of motorcycles from throughout the Valley converged onto Rose Ann Vuich Park on Saturday for the annual 'Blessing of the Bikes'.
The founder of the event, Joe De Luna, started the event several years ago as a way of praying for bikers as they enter the riding season here in the Valley.
Once held near downtown Dinuba, the event quickly outgrew its first location and moved to Rose Ann Vuich Park last year.
In addition to being a spectacle of motorcycles as far as the eye can see, the event also offered food and craft vendors, bounce houses for the kids and various Christian speakers and a concert featuring four Christian artists.
Speaking at this year's event were Lisa Moreno, Joshua 1:9, Seday Sanchez, Arien Pauls, Brittney Nicole Flores and Monibee.
This year's list of entertainers included the group 12th Tribe, 2nd Chance, Grupo Rio Jordan and Posse 4 Christ.
Above: A group of bikers receive prayers and a blessing at Saturday's 'Blessing of the Bikes' event.
Left: Hundreds of bikes lined the south end of Rose Ann Vuich Park on Saturday afternoon. Many riders came to the event to receive prayer as they enter the riding
season. See Accident, Page A2
By George M. Villagrana
Local students recently traveled to the East Coast as part of the Ivy League Project. Above the students, who represent schools in Dinuba, Orosi and Sultana, visit the campus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, otherwise known as M.I.T.
thedinubasentinel.com Inside | Lights and SirensA2 | ObituariesA2 | OpinionA4 | SportsB1 | ClassifiedsB2
