Sanger Herald 1-11-18 E-edition

Winery continues to grow
Looking for a home
page 8A
Wilson Bulldogs go to college
Lifestyles 3B
Sports 1B
Weekly Newspaper
First council meeting of the year unveils a $190,000 surprise
More questions than answers about a proposed homeless task force in Sanger
By Juanita Adame
Sanger Herald correspondent
Recognitions, quarterly reports, questions about Measure S funding and a lawsuit payout were some of the highlights of Sanger’s first city council meet- ing of 2018.
A question by resident Kevin Carter during the public forum portion of the meeting resulted in the first city hall surprise of 2018.
“A couple years ago we had a lawsuit where a lady who worked for the police department got involved with suing the city over the issue that she was mis- treatedbythemayor,”saidCarter. “Iwaswonder- ing if that lawsuit ever came to a completion and if it did, how much did it cost the city?”
The lawsuit Carter was referring to involved former city employee Ellen "Ellie" Palomo, who, in November of 2014 filed a lawsuit against the city of Sanger claiming the city unlawfully terminated her employment in retaliation for reporting alleged harassment by a city official.
According to documents, obtained after the coun- cil meeting by the Sanger Herald through a public records request, the city settled with Palomo and her attorney for $190,000.
Measure S Citizens Oversight Committee mem- ber Tony Gonzalez once again appeared before the council during the public forum and after repeating his mantra, "My goal is to work together and build trust in each other," he launched into a series of often asked questions about how the city is handling Measure S funds. When he didn't finish his question- ing within the alloted three minutes per speaker, a former Measure S member Joe Villalobos, waiting to comment, donated his three minutes to Gonzalez.
More questions than answers.
Also discussed during the council meeting was the need for a “task force” to tackle homelessness.
“We are dealing with some pretty serious issues related to homelessness,” said Sanger’s Police Chief Silver Rodriguez. “Where do we go from here? If we do create this task force what will be its role, its function?”
Sanger (Fresno County) CA 93657
50¢ (tax included)
Administrator of the Year is really cooking - well, baking
Rick Church Herald staff report
Rick Church, Sanger Unified's Ed- ucation Center principal and Fresno County Department of Education's Administrator of the Year, looks like a football player but bakes like Betty Crocker.
Broad-shouldered and bald, the 5-foot-11-inch, 250-pound Church certainly fits the profile of a football player more than he does a chef hat- donning cake decorator.
But after speed-walking to his office after a game of mush ball with his students, Church enthusiastically pulls open a desk drawer to show off photos of his cake masterpieces.
The photos capture an impressive cake in the shape of an ocean liner that was created for Carnival Cruise Lines. And there's a 4-foot long cake in the shape of a 35 mm camera he baked for the photographer brother of Sanger High's principal Dan Chacon.
How did a master cake decorator become principal of Sanger's Educa- tion Center?
It's quite a story. Church, a Clovis High graduate, said he wanted to play football but turned down a scholarship to Fresno State to go into business with his parents, who owned Clovis Bakery.
He worked there for eight years until moving to Eddie's Pastry Shop in Fresno as the head decorator.
Then he got the itch to finish his education. After getting his teaching credential he taught in Fresno Uni- fied for one year before transferring to Washington Academic Middle School (WAMS) and then to Sanger High.
Before starting at the Educa-
tion Center, he was the principal at Pathways Community Day School in Sanger.
Church describes himself as
a very caring principal who acts consistently. He is involved with the students in both sports and academ- ics.
And, that's the rest of a very sweet story.
Saying goodbye to Sanger's cowboy legend
Photo contributed
There will be a celebration of life service for Wilbur Plaugher of Sanger at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 12, at Peoples Church in Fresno. Mr. Plaugher died Jan. 2. He was a rodeo legend, a member of every cowboy and rodeo hall of fame in the world and cofounder of the Fellowship of Chris- tian Cowboys. He died Tuesday evening. Read more about Sanger's cowboy legend and see more photos on page 7A.
Wilbur Plaugher 1922-2018
See CITY COUNCIL, page 6A
Threat had nothing to do with Sanger
By Juanita Adame
Herald correspondent
TheHerald received several messages from con- cerned parents Monday night regarding a social media post with extremely disturbing content. The Herald learned the post originated in Indiana and made the rounds on Facebook until it somehow wound up in Sanger.
Sanger High School sent out the following message to
California Department of Public Health
The California Department
of Public Health (CDPH) has announced that flu activity in Cali- fornia is widespread and at levels usually seen at the peak of the influenza season. Health officials encourage Californians to get vac-
parents onTuesdaymorning.
On Monday morning, there was a social media post that was brought to the atten- tion of Sanger High School administration. Another person reposted the message and speculated the threat was possibly for Sanger or Sunnyside High School. We added security at Sanger High School including Sanger PD just to be extra cautious. Upon further investigation with Sanger Police it was
found that the individual who posted this threat is a fresh- man student at South Side High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. School officials and police detectives in Indiana were already investigating the threat which they deter- mined to be unsubstantiated. Sanger High and Sanger Unified takes any potential threat seriously and responds accordingly, at this time, there is no current threat at Sanger High School.
Be careful, wash your hands, see your doctor - flu season is here
THURSDAY
JANUARY 11, 2018
VOL 129 NO. 2
2 sections, 16 pages
CLASSIFIED 4-6B LIFE STYLES 3B
OBITUARIES 2A OPINION 3A SPORTS 1B POLICE LOG 2A WEATHER 8A
Blossom Trail kick
off ceremony will
be held in Sanger
The 30th Annual Blossom Trail kick off ceremony will be hosted by the Sanger District Chamber of Commerce this year.
The event will be at 10 a.m. on Feb. 2 in the historic Sanger Woman's Club building at 1602 7th St.
The public is invited to attend, said chamber president/CEO Tammy Wolfe.
cinated.
The Fresno County Department
of Public Health has confirmed the first influenza associated death of a Fresno County resident under the age of 65 this influenza season.
“With the increase in influ-
enza impacting many communi- ties across the entire state, it is important to get a flu shot now if you have not done so already,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith. “Although influenza season usually peaks between December and Feb- ruary, flu activity can occur as late as May, which means it is not too
late to get vaccinated.”
It takes about two weeks after
vaccination for the body to respond fully. Vaccine effectiveness does vary for the different strains and year by year. Data will be available from the Centers for Disease Con- trol and Prevention (CDC) in Febru- ary about vaccine effectiveness.
“Vaccination will prevent infec- tion in a large number of cases. If disease does occur after vaccina- tion, the vaccine can reduce the severity of flu symptoms,” said Dr. Smith. "Getting the flu shot is still the best way to protect yourself and others from flu.”
Some people are at high risk for serious flu-related complications that can lead to hospitalization and even death including:
• pregnant women;
• children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old;
• people 65 years of age and older; and
• people who have medical condi- tions, such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease.
at high risk including children younger than 6 months, who are too young to get a flu vaccine.
People in a high-risk group that experience symptoms of flu (fever, chills and feeling very tired ac- companied by sore throat, muscle or body aches, headaches, or nasal congestion), should contact their health care provider early in the illness.
Antiviral drugs can be pre- scribed by a physician, and work best if started within two days of getting sick. Individuals who
See FLU SEASON on page 6A SANGER HERALD: A MID VALLEY PUBLISHING NEWSPAPER • (559) 875-2511 • www.thesangerherald.com
For those at high risk of serious flu complications, getting vaccinat- ed is especially important. It is also important for caregivers of anyone