Page 1 - Dinuba Sentinel 1-17-19 E-edition

Dinuba Sentinel Serving the communities of Dinuba, Cutler-Orosi and Monson-Sultana
Established 1909, Dinuba, California
Heart Work Dinuba GATE student interviews Assistant Superintendent Community, A7
Thursday, January 17, 2019
50 Cents
Junior
high tackle
football is
a go for
next year
New state
Classes begin at VEC
recycling
mandate
forces
new city
By Rick Curiel
ordinance
Editor@thedinubasentinel.com
By Rick Curiel
In perhaps what could have been the shortest board meeting in school history, twelve minutes, the trustees for the Dinuba Unified School District approved two action items that will offer students in the district much more in the way of athletics and technology.
Perhaps the most anticipated action of the year was that of a proposed tackle football program at Washington Intermediate School. At last month’s school board meeting, the board heard the proposal from former Dinuba High School Athletic Director Martin Tovar and WIS teacher and DHS Freshman football coach Blake Benham.
On Thursday, the proposal was unanimously approved by the school board; meaning tackle football will be introduced next year at the junior high level.
“You have the green light,” said Board President Ron Froese to Tovar, who was in attendance at Thursday’s board meeting.
“Thank you for the wise decision,” replied Tovar.
Tackle football being introduced at the junior high level next year is just the first phase of new program. The second phase of the program includes tackle football all the way down to the fourth grade level.
Washington Intermediate School will be entering the Central Valley Athletic League next school year, joining teams from Sanger, Reedley, Selma, Madera and Fresno. The school will have both a team at the seventh and eighth grade level.
The other action item approved by the board involves additional courses for the high school’s Career Technical Education (CTE) Industry sector pathway. Though the school currently offers introductory courses in computer animation and video game graphics, next year the CTE program will be complete with an Animation and Advanced Animation course, as well as an Advanced Video Game Design course.
In addition, the program will also offer a Multimedia Marketing course.
Editor@thedinubasentinel.com
Start putting food waste in the green trash can. That’s what the city of Dinuba, along with Pena’s Disposal, is telling citizens, due to the pressure of new mandatory recycling laws. At the Jan. 8 Dinuba City Council meeting, a new city ordinance was introduced to help the city comply with the new mandate.
Since 2011, the city of Dinuba has participated in mandatory recycling laws that require cities to recycle certain waste products. Through a cooperation with Pena’s Disposal, the city has managed to largely stay on top of recycling mandates. With Pena’s being the only disposal site in the county capable of doing all forms of recycling; things like cardboard, plastic and aluminum have been greatly diverted from landfills.
But a new mandate that took effect on Jan. 1 of this year will require extra measures by both city and Pena’s Disposal. The new mandate requires that all organic waste must also be diverted from landfills via recycling. The new law defines organic waste as food waste, green waste, landscape and pruning waste, nonhazardous wood waste, and food soiled paper mix that is mixed in with food waste; meaning all food waste must go out for recycling with yard waste.
The state of California has been making efforts over the past 30 years to greatly reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfills. In 1989 the state passed the California Integrated Waste Management act, requiring all cities to reduce the amount of landfill waste to as much as 50 percent. Twenty-two years later the state created the Mandatory Commercial Recycling Program, requiring commercial and multi-family residential dwellings (those that dispose of at least four cubic-yards of solid waste per week) to arrange recycling services.
Presenting the ordinance to the
See Council, Page A6
Rick Curiel | The Sentinel
For the first time in years, the Dinuba Vocational Center (now referred to as the Dinuba Vocational Educational Center, or VEC) is open for classes. With the start of the second half of the school year, the Dinuba Unified School District, who is leasing the building from the City of Dinuba, opened adult education classes to the general public. During the holiday break, movers relocated some offices from the district office to the VEC building to accommodate the influx of adult learners. At the end of the lease with the city, the school district plans to purchase the building. To see what classes are available, visit www.dinuba.k12.ca.us/Adult.
Dinuba High School teacher stuck in Guatamala after water accident
An evening in Paris
Dinuba Chamber of Commerce to honor citizens of the year at annual banquet
Sentinel staff report
A Dinuba High School teacher is currently recovering in a Guatemala hospital after surviving a diving accident while on vacation that left him with two broken neck vertebrae
water. But he apparently misjudged the water and dove into about a foot of water, breaking his neck in the process.
Fortunately, a witness on the scene was an ER physician’s assistant and made sure to minimize any further injury to Austin’s neck. Locals even drove to a nearby town and cut locks off an entryway to a closed medical facility to get him a neck brace, reports say.
At first, the injury left Austin paralyzed on the beach, with the broken vertebrae pinching on his spinal cord. He was taken by ambulance to the only hospital equipped to handle his type of injury, a four-hour ride away.
Doctors there were able to remove his broken vertebrae and replaced it with two titanium rods and a titanium mesh cylinder, with a palladium plate holding it together.
He has slowly gained feeling in his extremities and took his first steps post-accident last Sunday. Now he faces the uphill battle of recovery, plus the hospital bill that must be paid prior to him being released.
A gofundme account has been set up in his name to help him pay for his bills and make it back home. As of Tuesday, the page had raised just over $29,000.
Alexander Austin
decided
to cool off in the
and nearly $35,000 worth of medical bills that need to be paid before he can be released.
Alexander Austin, who has been teaching Chemistry at Dinuba High School for the past three years, was vacationing with friends in Guatemala over the winter break when the accident happened. After he and some friends finished playing a game of beach volleyball on Jan. 2, Austin reportedly
Lady Emps roll past Cavs
Dinuba girls earn route victory over Central Valley Christian Sports, Page B1
Sentinel staff report
Every year the Dinuba Chamber of Commerce honors citizens from throughout the community who have made tremendous contributions to the city of Dinuba. This year the chamber will be honoring three citizens, two businesses and will be also be announcing the Teenage Citizen of the Year at their annual banquet on Friday, Jan. 25.
Taking a detour from their normal routine, the Dinuba Chamber of Commerce is announcing the winners of most categories prior to the event.
The 2018 Junior Citizen of the Year is Maribel Reynosa. In addition to being a Dinuba City Councilwoman, Reynosa volunteers much of her time with the Alta District Historical Society.
Diane Hayes, who is also active in the Alta District Historical Society, has been named the 2018 Senior Citizen of the Year. Hayes also coordinates the annual reunion of Alta District Hospital employees, an event held in October of each year.
As for the 2018 Distinguished Citizen of the Year, the chamber chose former Dinuba Fire Chief Myles Chute as the recipient of the honor. Chute is currently
2018 Junior Citizen of the Year
2018 Senior Citizen of the Year
2018 Distinguished Citizen of the Year
Maribel Reynosa
serving a fourth term as the President of the Alta District Historical Society.
The 2018 Small Business of the Year is Les Schwab Tire Center of Dinuba and the 2018 Large Business of the Year is Patterson Logistics Services, Inc.
The only winners not to be announced prior to the event is the 2018 Teenage Citizen of the Year. The winner will be
Diane Hayes
Myles Chute
announced at the banquet.
This year’s candidates for Teenage
Citizen of the Year are Jackie Gallardo Beltran, Lauryn Paredez and Jacob Rodriguez. Look for profiles of each in next week’s Sentinel.
This year’s Dinuba Chamber of Commerce Banquet theme is ‘An Evening in Paris.’ The event will be
held at the Dinuba Memorial Building, beginning with a social hour at 5:30 p.m. A French dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. and the event will feature entertainment, raffles and a silent auction.
Tickets are available by calling the Dinuba Chamber of Commerce at 591- 2707.
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