Reedley Exponent 1-24-19 E-edition

St. La Salle Catholic School preps for annual auction
Panorama
Immanuel boys basketball pulls out two last-second victories
Sports
Vol. 130, No. 4 | Thursday, January 24, 2019
Soccer star’s career ascent
www.reedleyexponent.com
Reedley (Fresno County) CA 93654 | 50 cents Contracting the flu remains a risk in 2019
Officials say vaccination
still the best prevention
By Jon Earnest
jon@midvalleypublishing.com
The coughing, sneezes and full hospital waiting rooms tell it all — influenza season is here and still in peak exposure.
Susan Chapman, patient care executive and site administrator with Adventist Health Reedley, said the season began in November and will remain in full effect through March. That has meant an increase in flu-related
illnesses and visits to the clinics and emergency rooms.
While the strain hasn’t
been as hard-hitting locally
as last year, there still is a
high number of patients.
You’ll know you have the
seasonal flu is you get a
sudden onset of high fe-
ver, cough (usually dry),
headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throw, runny nose and a general malaise where you feel under the weather.
Chapman said the best defense mecha-
nism to ward off the flu is an annual flu vac- cination. She said it’s important that people don’t buy into the theory that a flu shot will make you contract the flu.
“Everybody thinks you’re going to get the flu when you get a flu shot,” she said. “But the fact is, the injectable flu vaccine does not contain the live virus.”
Chapman said the current vaccine will protect against the influenza A and B strains expected to be in circulation. After getting the shot, it should take about two weeks for antibodies to develop in the body and fully provide protection against the virus.
If you decide not to get the vaccine, it’s
still important to take preventative action. Chapman said this includes:
• Avoiding close contact with sick people
• While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to avoid infecting them.
• If sick with flu-like symptoms, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone (recommended by the Center for Dis- ease Controls). Only go out to get medical care or other necessities. Rest and lots of fluids are essential for recovery.
• Cover your nose or mouth with a tis- sue when you cough or sneeze. Throw tissue
See FLU on page A9
Forum for RC president candidates
next week
Staff Report
The field of candidates for the position of Reedley College presi- dent has been narrowed down to two following a nationwide search.
Donna Berry, who has been interim president of the college since July 2018, was announced as a finalist along with Jerry Buck- ley, most recently the assistant su- perintendent and vice president of academic affairs at Santa Clarita Community College District. The two candidates will present their vision for Reedley College’s future during a public forum from 9:15 to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 29,
See RC FORUM on page A6
Chamber
award nominee deadline pushed back to Jan. 31 Staff Report
The nomination deadline has been extended for one more week for the Greater Reedley Chamber of Commerce’s upcom- ing 2019 Business and Commu- nity Awards scheduled for next month.
Nominations are being ac- cepted through Thursday, Jan. 31, for award recipients to be honored at the annual dinner and awards. This year’s event is
See CHAMBER on page A3
Susan Chapman
Reedley native Anthony Velarde will play for USL team in Pittsburgh
By Jon Earnest
jon@midvalleypublishing.com
Soccer has been the sport to blaze Anthony Velarde’s career path since he moved to Reedley from Southern California with his family as a 9-year-old boy in 2005.
He refined his game as he grew, playing his freshman and se- nior years at Reedley High School and the middle two years with the California Odyssey travel team out of Fresno-Clovis. After earning North Yosemite League Most Valu- able Plahyer honors as a senior, the 2015 RHS graduate found recruit- ing options lacking. He followed his older brother and quietly joined the Fresno Pacific University soccer program.
After minor surgery on his left hip in 2016 forced him to redshirt, Velarde returned and burst into national prominence with spec- tacular junior and senior seasons for the Sunbirds. It culminated with Velarde setting the school and PacWest Conference career assist record in 2018, earning him All-American recognition from the Division II Conference Com- missioners Association and United Soccer Coaches.
The high point came early in January, when the 22-year-old signed a professional contract with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC of the United Soccer League.
See VELARDE on page A6
Jon Earnest / The Exponent
Anthony Velarde stood next to the south soccer goal area at Reedley High School’s Sal Gonzalez Field on Jan. 18. Velarde, a 2015 Reedley High graduate and recent All-American player at Fresno Pacific University, has signed a contract to play profes- sionally with the PIttsburgh Riverhounds SC franchise in the United Soccer League.
Quick response keeps garage fire damage to a minimum
Grae Gerster / Photo Contributed
Reedley firefighters moved a hose into position to douse flames inside a burning garage on South Buttonwillow Avenue on Jan. 16. Fire crews were able to limit the damage to the storage area and contents in the garage.
Blaze was on South Buttonwillow Avenue
Staff Report
A quick response by Reedley firefighters prevented a garage fire from spreading to the main house of a residence in the 500 block of South Buttonwillow Avenue on Jan. 16.
At about 8:30 p.m., RFD units responded to a greater alarm struc- ture fire that had broken out in the detached garage. According to a news release from Chief Jerry
A Reedley firefighter sprayed down the blaze burning in the garage next to a house in the 500 block of South Buttonwillow Avenue on Jan. 16.
Grae Gerster / Photo Contributed
Isaak with the department, the first arriving chief officers discovered the combined garage and storage shed about 50 percent involved with heavy smoke and flames. Firefight- ers arriving on the scene then made an aggressive and well-coordinated attack to protect the residence itself.
The blaze ultimately consumed the storage area and its contents, but
See FIRE on page A3
Classifieds - B5 Directory - A5 Legals - B6-7 Sports - B3-4 Lights & Sirens - A3 Obituaries - A2-3
Opinion - A4