Page 7 - Dinuba Sentinel 3-21-19 E-edition

The Dinuba Sentinel Community Thursday, March 21, 2019 | A7
Photos by Rick Curiel | The Sentinel
Students from Lincoln Elementary School spent last Thursday preparing for the 61st Annual Peach Blossom Festival, held on Mar. 15. This was the 43rd year that sixth grade teacher Greg Olson has taken students to the festival at California State University, Fresno. Some of the students participating in this year's event were Joshua Gomez (Left) who performed 'Casey at the plate', a popular skit over the years. Also performing were Luis Martinez and Alexis Cazares who performed a duet skit entitled '15 seconds' and Elizabeth Tapia, who performed a poem entitled 'Every time I climb a tree'.
Blossom
Continued from Page A1
At first, being part of the Peach Blossom was quite competitive, as only six students were allowed to attend from each school. However, when the festival began to allow choral groups it expanded the amount of students allowed from each school, to the delight of Olson.
Olson said he now takes anywhere from 50 to 70 students to the festival.
“It’s a great experience for them,” Olson said, adding that just going to a college campus makes it a great experience. His experience of haven taken students to the Peach Blossom Festival for the past 43 years did not go unnoticed by those who host the event. Fresno State recently released an article highlighting the efforts of Olson and his students at the annual event.
That article was shared by Olson on his Facebook page, which drew the attention of many of his former
students. Many
chimed in to share how the experience benifited them.
“I have so many
fond memories of
being a sixth grade
student in your
class, and Peach
Blossom was one of
them,” said former
student Allyson
Niino-Wiggins. “I truly believe it’s one of the reasons I don’t mind public speaking as an adult.
to deal with the new law at the Feb. 26 city council meeting. However, due to concerns from the council in regards to how things will be handled at the county level, the matter was tabled and will be addressed at this Tuesday’s meeting.
On hand at last Wednesday’s GAC meeting was Assistant City Manager Daniel James.
“From the city’s perspective, we’ve been doing our best to understand the details of the bill,” said James. “And that goes back several months.”
He went on to add that the new law does offer some challenges. “It became fairly clear that the law is pretty strict on what the city can and can’t do in terms of regulations,” James said. “There are few things you can do in terms of location and hours, but not much... So from the city’s perspective it’s about complying with the law.”
James also mentioned that Dinuba is one of the few cities even attempting to establish such an ordinance. He said many cities are just adapting the new law as-is, for fear that any ordinance that is too restrictive would be met with a lawsuit.
At one point in the meeting the issue of illegal immigration status was also thrown into the conversation, creating a heated discussion.
“So let’s implement red tape on brick and mortar, people who have legitimately worked hard and have invested serious money into their businesses, but let’s cut the red tape for people who don’t even have a social security card,” stated Bennani. “People who don’t even have legal status in the United States because our State Board of Equalization will not even require you to prove
I’m so blessed to have had you as my teacher.” Another former student, Alyssa Smith Keehan, wrote, “I was blessed to be one of those Peach Blossom kids and I learned so much from that experience. Thank you Mr. Olson for sharing your time and talent with countless kids over the years.
You’ve enriched so many lives.”
On Friday, Mar. 15, Olson took his 43rd class to
that you are a legal citizen or resident of the United States. How unfair is this?”
In response, Tulare Kings Hispanic Chamber of Commerce member Vincent Salinas said complying with the laws once they are here is more important.
“I have a different perspective on that,” said Salinas. “Whether an individual is undocumented or not, as long as he or she plays by the same rules here... I’m looking at it as the same playing field for all of us, for the business owners and for
the Peach Blossom Festival. The Thursday before the event, his classroom was full of students preparing for the event.
And there were again some talented acts, like the duo of Andrew Barajas and Aaron Martinez, Elizabeth Tapia performing ‘Every Time I Climb a Tree’ or Joshua Gomez performing ‘Casey at The Bat’.
According to Olson, all the students who performed at this year's festival received a Superior performance. And the groups he took, 14 in all, performed six times all througout the campus, some just for random students.
As for whether there will be a 44th trip to the Peach Blossom, Olson wouldn’t say, but simply responded, “I’m closer to retiring now than when I first started.”
those vendors, they should have to abide by the same rules.”
The matter of sidewalk vendors will be addressed again at Tuesday night’s Dinuba City Council meeting. To help clarify the county’s position on the law, representatives from Tulare County Environmental Health will be present to brief council members and staff and answer any questions.
Tuesday night’s city council meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.
“I was blessed to be one of those Peach Blossom kids and I learned so much from that experience. Thank you Mr. Olson for sharing your time and talent with countless kids over the years. You’ve enriched so many lives.”
— Alyssa Smith Keehan, former student
GAC
Continued from Page A1
are our brick and mortars. They went through a process to get to where they are. And for us to have someone and come and, literally, illegally park... it’s anarchy. There is no way we can stand for this business practice.”
The new business practice is now permitted by way of the new California law, SB 946. The law was introduced by former State Senator, and now California State Insurance Commissioner, Ricardo Lara of Long Beach as a way of protecting migrant street vendors in the Los Angeles area.
However, the ‘tone of restrictions’ (or lack thereof) is what’s concerning many in the city, and the GAC.
Though the law allows cities to establish their own ordinances to monitor such vendors through proper permitting processes, because of its liberal language many cities have chosen not to do so for fear of litigation.
At stake, according to the members of the GAC, is a standard for one kind of business versus another, in a state known for all its red tape.
Though the new law has its obvious challenges in small cities like Dinuba, the law does allow for opportunities in unincorporated smaller towns.
“What about small communities that don’t offer things or places to go to eat after hours,” asked Tulare County Supervisor Eddie Valero, who also attended the meeting.
Valero pointed out that the new law could actually benefit small communities like London, Yettem and Seville who don’t have a lot of local establishments to fill those needs.
Here in Dinuba, the city proposed an ordinance
02319