Dinuba Sentinel 11-1-18 E-edition
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Dinuba Sentinel Serving the communities of Dinuba, Cutler-Orosi and Monson-Sultana
Daylight Savings Time ends Sunday. Don't forget to turn back your clocks.
Fourth term as president
Myles Chute selected for another term as Alta District Historical Society president Back Page, A8
Tuesday, Nov. 6, is Election Day
50 Cents
Established 1909, Dinuba, California
Special
Education
numbers
continue
Thursday, November 1, 2018
Trunks and treats
Election
to rise
The number of special education students in the Dinuba Unified School District has seen a significant rise in recent years.
According to the district’s Director of Special Education and Student Services Rashella Avalos, who gave a report on the matter at last Thursday’s school board meeting, in 2014 there were 296 special education students in the district. That number has only increased year by year, with 322 students considered to be in need of special education in 2015 and 409 students in 2016. Last year that number grew to 456 and this year the district has assessed 472 students who qualify under special education, with 25 who are pending.
The rise in numbers represents nearly a 63% increase over the past four years.The numbers, say Avalos, are a reflection of several contributing factors. One of those factors is that the district is seeing a rise in students with Autism and mental health needs.
“We’ve had an increase in autism,” said Avalos. “The research shows us that. In fact, one of every 49 children is considered autistic.”
And when it comes to children suffering with mental health issues, Avalos says the district has seen a “significant rise” in those cases.
The majority of the current students receiving special education have specific learning disabilities, with over 200 students qualified as such. There are 57 students in the district who are considered autistic.
Among those making up the rest of the total number are those students with significant medical needs, emotionally distressed students and children going through the foster care system. The district has anywhere from 40-50 foster care students in the district, a number Avalos says changes from day to day.
As a whole, Avalos stated that about seven percent of the district is currently receiving special education, just shy of the state average. “When we get into the ten percent mark then we are over the state average,” explained Avalos. “And that can raise some red flags.”
The other contributing factor for the increase in numbers, according to Avalos, is due to mandatory assessments through what the state calls the “Child Find” program.
See Special, Page A7
choose from
By Rick Curiel
Sentinel staff report
On Tuesday, Election Day, there will be five polling stations to chose from in the Dinuba and Cutler-Orosi area.
In the Dinuba area there will be three locations; the Dinuba Community Center at 1390 East Elizabeth Way, the Dinuba Memorial Hall at 249 South Alta Avenue and the Dinuba Christian Church at 355 East Saginaw Avenue.
In the Cutler-Orosi area two locations will be available for voting; the Orosi Memorial Hall at 41645 Road 128 and Cutler Elementary School, located at 40532 Road 128.
Each of the five polling stations will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and all are handicap accessible.
For your polling station, refer to the voter's guide that was sent out a couple of weeks ago. For more informaiton, contact the Tulare County Elections Office at 624-7300.
New city
watering
schedule
begins today
Sentinel staff report
Today marks the beginning of the new watering schedule for the city of Dinuba. The city is implementing a Stage 2 schedule with mandatory restrictions from Nov. 1 to April 30.
All residents within the city will be asked to go from three watering days a week to two. Odd number addresses will be allowed to water on Tuesdays and Saturdays, while even number addresses can water on Wednesday and Sundays.
Also different from the city’s summer watering schedule are the times allowed for watering. Unlike the summer, when residents were asked not to water during the middle of the day, the new watering schedule has an allotted time for watering between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
As usual runoff is prohibited and watering during and within 48 hours after measurable rainfall is also prohibited.
Rising comedian Richard Barba recently took third place in the Central Valley Comedy Competition. Barba grew up in Dinuba and is pursuing a comedy career in Southern California.
Editor@thedinubasentinel.com
2018
Five polling
places to
On Sunday Dinuba Circle K owner Sukhwinder Singh Sidhu hosted a Trunk or Treat event in the parking lot of his store, much to the delight of many locals who attended dressed in full custome. Helping Sidhu out with the event were three local car clubs, Fifty 1 Fifty Kustomz, Creativity Car Club and Aztec Kings Califas Car Club.
Photos by Rick Curiel | The Sentinel
Vehicles from each club lined the parking lot with trunks open and plenty of treats to hand out, provided by Sidhu.
Aspiring comedian calls Dinuba his hometown
five finalists.
Barba was among the top five and competed in the finals
this Saturday at Warnor’s Theater in downtown Fresno. At stake was not only a big step forward in the comedy circuit, but also a grand prize of $10,000 in cash and prizes.
For Barba, though the case prize was a nice cherry on top, the opportunity to keep moving up in his aspiring career was matters more. When asked prior to the show what he would do if he were to win the competition, he said, “Keep going. This is my first major competition and I would use this to keep going.”
Barba moved Orange County to Dinuba when he was just a child and attended Wilson Elementary School, Washington Intermediate School and Dinuba High School. He moved back to Southern California after his sophomore year in 1993, but has frequently visited his hometown ever since.
“I go down there about three to four times a year,” Barba
See Comedian, Page A8
"This is just something to give back to the community," said Sidhu. "We are hoping to make this an annual thing."
By Rick Curiel
Editor@thedinubasentinel.com
He does four to five standup shows a week in the Los Angeles area, some at world famous locations such as the Laugh Factory and the Ice House Comedy Club. He currently lives in Anaheim and works in Santa Ana. He’s lived in Southern California for the past 15 years.
So when comedian Richard Barba was asked where he was from while entering the largest comedy competition in the Central Valley, his answer was clear.
“Dinuba is my hometown,” said Barba. “There are certain places in this world that matter. Dinuba gave me a hometown.”
Barba recently took part in the Central Valley Comedy Competition, a competition put on by Fresno radio disc jockey, and comedian, Andre Covington. On Oct. 19 over 60 comic entries competed in four preliminary rounds at Chukchansi Casino. From the total entries, judges, along with audience participation, whittled them down to the top
Photo contributed
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Lady Emps win rst round
DHS girls volleyball wins long- awaited home playoff game Sports, Page B1
