Page 1 - Dinuba Sentinel E-edition 12-21-17

Letters to Santa
Children write to Santa on what they want for Christmas and he responds
Community, Pages A6-A8
Thursday, December 21, 2017
Two children pose for a photo with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the 16th annual Alta Family Health Clinic's Community Christmas event on Friday. More photos on pages A7 and A8.
Clinic gives joy to children at annual Christmas event
By Keven J. Geaney at his clinic. wanted a toy or jacket.
Established 1909, Dinuba, California
50 Cents
Bowling alley
resurrection
in the works
center could fill that gap.
Another prominent Downtown
property reportedly sold recently as well at 137 North L Street – the location most recently operated as El Tigre Boxing & MMA.
In other council actions:
• A previously tabled agenda item was approved at the Dec. 12 meeting – an agreement for a new digital marquee sign in Dinuba. The sign will be located on the east portion of the entrance to Ridge Creek Golf Club Dinuba.
CEIS, a Florida-based sign company, approached the city to install the sign at no cost to the city. CEIS would, in turn, sell the local and corporate advertising. The company has also partnered for similar signs with the cities of Selma, Reedley and Chowchilla.
The potential sign could stand between 10 and 15 feet tall and would be consistent with the city’s wayfinding designs.
The topic was previously discussed at the Sept. 12 and Oct. 10 meetings. Council members raised concerns including conflicts with another city marquee sign and about the content that would be advertised on the marquee.
To address the council’s content concerns, the following policy into the city’s agreement with CEIS: “The sign(s) shall never contain obscene material nor advertise any adult matter, tobacco products, or questionable morally objective type messages or political messages such as running for public positions, or voting for laws, ordinances or similar messages.
“The City shall not otherwise restrict the content of the signs, which may advertise nonprofit/charitable causes, commercial messages, governmental and noncommercial messages, and
See Sign, Page A2
Apartment complex concerns resolved
and we’ve never defaulted on a loan, ever. But the attorneys have decided that if we have to foreclose on this, (they) have to have absolute control... We don’t think this changes anything about the intent of how we’re approaching this project. We intend to develop the second phase ourselves and be the ownership interest in this project in perpetuity.”
The city’s agreement was revised to meet its original intent while preserving Wells Fargo’s rights.
The Commission approved the revision 4-0.
The project, north of Washington Intermediate School, already has multiple two-story buildings on the land that was just graded in August. The buildings are not yet completed.
In other Planning Commision actions:
• Vice Chair Mark Carrion, commissioner of District 4 resigned on Dec. 4.
Carrion told the Dinuba city council at the Dec. 12 council meeting, “It was an honor to serve on the Planning Commission. It was a short run, but we have some personal matters to focus on. Hopefully we can get back to city business at some point.”
The Commission struggled to fill
See Apartment, Page A2
By Jackson Moore
News@thedinubasentinel.com
New life is planned for the vacant Dinuba Lanes building.
The Dinuba city council voted unanimously at the Dec. 12 council meeting to sell the bowling alley building for $150,000. The new owner, Jose R. Trevino, plans to partner with YR Pizza Planet to create a pizzeria and family entertainment center at the location.
According to a staff report from Dinuba Interim Assistant City Manager Daniel James, the location will include “bowling (number of lanes to be determined), games, arcade, party room facilities and various forms of family entertainment.”
YR Pizza Planet co-owner Ralph Alvarez confirmed that talks are ongoing with Trevino, who has a 50-day due diligence period before moving forward with his project. YR Pizza Planet has locations in Orosi, Orange Cove and Reedley.
If all goes as planned, the facility could open in late 2018.
The 15,687-foot bowling alley building at 150 South L Street was sold “as-is,” which includes needed repairs before opening. The building has roof damage, and in result, water damage on the bowling lanes underneath.
Trevino also owns an undeveloped property adjacent to the bowling alley’s north side and reportedly has plans to develop the space into a retail location.
City of Dinuba staff recommended the council approve the purchase and sale agreement to “increase foot traffic to the Downtown area” and to “provide local dining and entertainment for Dinuba and visitors to the community.”
An informal poll by the Sentinel earlier this year revealed that many Dinuba residents feel a lack of entertainment options, especially for children. The new entertainment
Keven J. Geaney | The Sentinel
Editor@thedinubasentinel.com
Santa and Mrs. Claus took photos with children, and the staff at Alta Family Health Clinic gave out over 5,000 toys and clothes, during the clinic's 16th annual Community Christmas event on Friday.
“I started this event 16 years ago because it was the thing to do by giving back to the community,” Alta Family Health Clinic CEO and city of Dinuba Vice Mayor Kuldip Thusu said.
Thusu went on by stating that what touches him the most, is seeing the children who came to the clinic back then, as successful adults now. He added that many local youth now work
“Twenty-five percent of my staff have come through my clinic as children,” Thusu said.
The staff, and their children, at the clinic spent a week and a half volunteering their time after hours wrapping nearly 2,700 toys. Thusu stated that those children are now adults volunteering their time helping with the Christmas event.
Many organizations came together to help with the event. Dinuba High School even sent over students from choir and band to perform for the families.
A three-year-old boy and his parents waited nearly three hours to be the first to take pictures with Santa. After taking photos the children were asked if they
After getting their present they received a raffle ticket for a chance at receiving one of 20 new bikes. Four- year-old Fastiono Olea and two-year- old Bertha Armenta were the first two children to win new bikes.
Families were then treated to pizza and tacos as they listened to music performed by Dinuba High students. Students from Dinuba and Orosi helped out at the event. Two youth from Navelencia Middle School in Reedley, Ashlee Chavez and Star Elizondo, also helped out by picking up trash.
Rebecca Cruz, age seven, her younger sister Emily, age two, and her cousin Aaron Rodriguez, age four, were busy playing with their new presents.
By Jackson Moore
News@thedinubasentinel.com
Self-Help Enterprises’ Sierra Village apartment complex proceeds after the project investor took issue with a portion of their agreement with the city of Dinuba.
The concerns were resolved at the Dec. 5 Dinuba Planning Commission meeting.
Wells Fargo, the investor and lender of the project, objected to the property on the northwest corner of Crawford Avenue and Davis Drive being split into two parcels. According to a city of Dinuba staff report, Wells Fargo believed it was a violation of the terms on the loans and agreements because it would limit their ability to foreclose or sell its interest.
Self-Help plans to build its 108-unit apartment complex in two phases, splitting the two phases into two properties to help acquire funding, then merging the lots upon completion of the project.
Tom Collishaw, CEO and President of Self-Help Enterprises, told the Planning Commission, “What we thought were reasonable conditions, we had really no idea that the attorneys for the investment group was going to have a problem with this.
“We’ve been around for 52 years
Keven J. Geaney | The Sentinel
Children wave to Santa Claus, and parents take photos, as he arrives with Mrs. Claus on a fire engine.
Orosi teen shot multiple times
thedinubasentinel.com
Inside | Lights and SirensA2 | ObituariesA2 | OpinionA4 | SportsB1 | Classi edsB4
Sentinel staff report
A 15-year-old boy was shot multiple times in Orosi on Monday evening.
Violent Crimes and Cyber Forensic Investigation Unit initiated the investigation at the scene. The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Violent Crimes Unit at 802-9563 or the TCSO Dispatch Center at 733-6218.
Sheriff’s Office that at least two suspects in a gray mid-size sedan and shot at the boy.
intersection of Avenue 414 and Road critical condition.
130. Witnesses told the Tulare County Detectives from the TCSO
The victim was transported to a local hospital. As of Tuesday, he had approximately 7:20 p.m. in the completed surgery and remained in
The incident occurred at
Perfection on the eld Orosi High School's girls varsity soccer team remains unbeaten Sports, Page B1