Page 1 - Mid Valley Times 6-2-22 E-Edition

Thursday, June 2, 2022
Vol. 3, No. 48
More sendoffs for Class of 2022
50 cents
Reedley
council
discusses
new water
rate hikes
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
The Reedley City Coun- cil held discussion and was scheduled to vote on two reso- lutions which would approve an increase of 4.1 percent in both water utility rate charg- es and wastewater utility rate charges beginning July 1.
In an executive report prepared by Russ Robertson, Public Works director, the city said that inflation in the last 12 months has been at levels not seen in 40 years. With national inflation increas- ing between 4 and 8 percent, water and wastewater opera- tions costs have substantial increased, and vendors have sent notifications to the city about increasing prices.
Robertson said in the re- port that effort to keep pace with these cost increases meant that the council would pass resolutions meaning that wastewater and water rates would be adjusted an- nually each July 1st, based on the actual change in the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward consumer price index for the 12-month period which in 2021 was at 4.1 percent.
Currently, base water service for a typical single- family residence is $34.28 per month. This rate would increase to $35.68 monthly (a $1,40 increase) with the new resolution. Wastewater ser- vice charges would increase by $1.88 per month; from $54.26 to $56.48.
Other scheduled business for the May 24 meeting was a workshop to discus a develop- ment impact fee study, along with a closed session regard- ing labor negotiations.
Reedley High,
Immanuel and
Dinuba celebrate
MVT Staff Report
Graduations of the region's high school seniors continued this past week, with Reedley's two ma- jor school (Reedley High and Im- manuel High) along with Dinuba High School and Orange Cove high schools awarding diplomas to their respective Class of 2022 honorees in large ceremonies.
Crowds packed the grandstands at Reedley High's Sal Gonzalez Field and Dinuba High's Claud Hebert Field to celebrate the high schools' large classes. Immanuel's ceremony at County Line Stadium celebrate the graduationg of the school's 61 seniors.
More photos on Page A20.
UPCOMING GRADUATIONS
Thursday, June 2
Orosi High, Ed Coats Stadium, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, June 8
Sanger Adult School, WAMS, 7 p.m.
Thursday, June 9
Parlier High, football stadium, 7 p.m. Kings River HS, WAMS Sanger, 6 p.m.
Friday, June 10
Sanger High, Save Mart Center, 7 p.m.
ABOVE: Fireworks at Reedley High on May 26.
Danny Jimenez / Photo Contributed
LEFT: Immanuel High graduates and staff cel- ebrated with a high-five on May 27.
Kirk Kawagoe / Photo Contributed
RIGHT: Some of Dinuba High's Summa Cum Laude stood for recognition on May 26.
Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
Coronavirus Update
Case numbers continue to steadily increase
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
New case numbers for COVID-19 are continuing to rise in Fresno and Tu- lare counties, mirroring a recent surge throughout the state.
Tulare County released new numbers on May 31 and it showed the seven-day average of new cases had surpassed
1,000 — 1,199 to be precise, an increase of 355 since the previous update had been released on May 26. The general positivity rate jumped to 7.3 percent — from 5.9 percent, and increased test numbers were significant especially compared to the weekly release of vac- cination numbers.
Fresno County had just one mid-week update, and had not released new sets
of numbers at the start this week. The May 26 update actually showed a seven- day average decrease of nearly 100 new daily cases, but the number of 100,000 cases still jumped from 14.5 to 18.4. The positivity rate for COVID increased slightly from 8.2 to 8.9 percent.
Hospitalizations in Fresno County
See VIRUS on page A20
Orange Cove softball wins section, then regional playoff
Jon Earnest / Mid Valley Times
Orange Cove High pitcher Mia Castillo fired to the plate during her two-hit shutout win on May 28. The sophomore struck out eight and didn't walk a batter.
By Jon Earnest
Mid Valley Times
Orange Cove High's softball team not only has captured a Central Section cham- pionship, its also embarked on a Southern Regional playoff run.
The Lady Titans (27-6) won the Di- vision IV crown on May 28 with a 10-0 blanking of Mission Prep, and then fol- lowed up with a similar 10-0 mercy rule victory over Legacy High in a reginonal quartefinal on May 31 at OCHS field.
Next up is a Thursday, June 2, regional semifinal (4 p.m.) at home against Hill- crest High from Riverside. The winner advances to the regional final on Saturday, June 4. More details on the section title win are in sports on page A8.
Jorge Lozoya / Photo Contributed
Orange Cove players celebrate and chant to their fans and supporters at Margie Wright Diamond in Fresno after defeating No. 2 seed Mission Prep by a 10-0 score in six innings on May 28..
Classifieds-A18 Directory-A6 Legals-A10-11, 14-17 Sports-A8,19 Lifestyle-A7,19 Lights&Sirens-A3, 5 Health&Fitness-A12-13 Obituaries-A2-3 Opinion-A4