Page 9 - Reedley Exponent 11-29-18 E-edition

The Reedley Exponent PB anorama
Senior Center updates and events taking place in town
See B2
Section | Thursday, November 29, 2018 www.reedleyexponent.com
Last minute changes for city's tree
Reedley (Fresno County) CA 93654
The View From Here
Here is hoping ev- eryone had a wonderful Thanksgiving
holiday.
We ini-
tially made plans to visit some family and instead spent the day
in the emer- gency room,
so talk about
a change of plans.
Our daughter had extreme ab- dominal pain and doctors believed she might have appendicitis. After several tests however, thankfully that was not the case, and we were able to leave the hospital in time to enjoy some pumpkin pie.
I was sitting in the emer- gency room, first of all thinking how I could prevent myself from catching anything because I was surrounded by people coughing, sneezing and overall looking tired and stressed out. And second of all, I was thinking how initially we plan for something and sometimes life changes those plans.
Such was the case for the city's Christmas tree. For those who don't know, a last minute alternate tree was selected and in the end, everything worked out fine.
I'd spoken with Erik Valencia, Executive director for the Greater Reedley Chamber of Commerce a few days prior, I wanted to take some photos of the tree as it was being brought into town.
Erik told me the tree should be arriving on Nov. 21 sometime around 2 p.m. As I sat in the office that morning, I returned some emails and waited for Erik's text to let me know the tree was on its way.
A couple hours later, I see a visibly worried Erik walk into the Exponent office. "There's a bit of a problem," he said. "The tree we had
See COLUMN page B2
Juanita Adame
Photo Juanita Adame / The Exponent
ABOVE: Workers carefully took the tree off the flat bed with a large crane and positioned it in the center of downtown Reedley on the afternoon of Nov. 21.
By Juanita Adame
Juanita@midvalleypublishing.com
Reedley resident Julie Jimenez stood beside the 40-foot tall Christ- mas tree in downtown Reedley on the evening of Nov. 24 and said the tree lighting is something they par- ticipate in every year.
"We come to the tree lighting ev- ery year, it's like a tradition for us," she said. "Myself and my two daugh- ters like to come out and watch the tree light up."
Just a few days prior, however, crews from several local business- es remained busy after they had to shift their focus from one Christmas tree to another.
This after the originally selected tree was deemed too dangerous to cut down due to some intercepting power lines.
"I read that there was another tree chosen," said Jimenez. "But it was not available because of the power lines, but this is beautiful, we are just thankful to have a tree, there are a lot of towns that don't do this and it's just special for us."
Erik Valencia, the executive director with the Greater Reedley Chamber of Commerce said the tree that had been initially selected was hiding a power line that wasn't dis- covered until the day the tree was suppose to be cut down.
“This is a beautiful tree, we are just thankful we have one, a lot of towns don't
do this - so this is special."
– Julie Jimenez Reedley resident
"From where we were standing, we couldn't see the power line," he said. "It wasn't until crews went up to harvest the tree that they seen the power line in the way, they said it was too close and they didn't want to risk it."
Valencia said the last minute changes meant a redirection of fo- cus for the team of workers, but they handled the changes with ease
See TREE page B5
Photos Juanita Adame / The Exponent
ABOVE: Once the tree was on the crane, it was positioned into place, from left, pictured are James Byerley and Richard Alvarez with the Sam Jorgensen Pump Company. The two were part of the team who helped bring the tree into town.
ABOVE: Once the tree was positioned inside the manhole, workers propped it up to make sure it stayed in place.
Christmas concert at Reedley College
Norman Zech Orchestra will perform on Dec. 3
Photo Contributed
ABOVE: Jane Heathcote , 16 years old, is a student at the Reedley Middle School College High School. She has performed with the Norman Zech Reedley College Community Orchestra for five years, earned 1st chair in the Fresno-Madera Honor Orchestra and also a member of the All-State Honors Orchestra. She is also active in her school's Drama Club and the REACT (anti-tobacco initiative).
By Juanita Adame
Juanita@midvalleypublishing.com
The works of the San Joaquin Quilters Guild is now on display at the Mennonite Quilt Center's mu- seum. The museum is located up- stairs above the Mennonite Quilt Store, Marci VanderGriend, store manager for the Mennonite Quilt
Store, a non profit quilt store located in downtown Reedley and owned by the Mennonite Central Committee, said this exhibit is different from other exhibits they have showcased.
"It's very interesting all the tal- ent that's in the valley," she said. "It's amazing how different guilds have different focuses, this one is more modern and our quilts and other guilds will be more traditional."
Contributed
The Norman Zech Reedley College Orchestra will perform a free Christmas concert at 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 3 inside the Fo- rum Hall. The orchestra is named in memory of its founder; Norman Zech.
“"This symphony always showcases young and talented musicians."
– Tom Fritz Conductor
The featured selections are Capuzzi’s Concerto for String Bass with soloist Jane Heathcote. Music from the Disney movie, 'Frozen' with a vocal solo by Amanda Fritz (Vandermark) and Vivaldi’s Con- certo Grosso.
Amanda Fritz (Vandemark) received her musical background in Winston-Salem, North Caro- lina. She studied under a phenom- enal Choir Director in a Ohio and earned "outstanding vocal" awards. She is an RHS and RC graduate
See CONCERT page B5
ABOVE: One of the intricate quilts on display at the Mennonite Quilt Museum in downtown Reedley shows the historic Meux Home of Fresno.
New quilts on display
Photo Juanita Adame / The Exponent
See QUILT page B8