Dinuba Sentinel 2-15-18 E-edition
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Dinuba Sentinel Serving the communities of Dinuba, Cutler-Orosi and Monson-Sultana
Ridge Creek homes debut
Vision of golf course homes becomes realized with rst models
Back Page, Page A6
Emperors upset Selma Dinuba High takes advantage of the short-handed Selma Bears Sports, Page B1
Established 1909, Dinuba, California
Thursday, February 15, 2018
50 Cents
Thrift store will ll downtown building
Valentine's run, walk and roll for charity
By Jackson Moore News@thedinubasentinel.com
A downtown Dinuba building will have a tenant for the first time since 2012.
The 12,000-square foot building at 137 North L Street was last occupied by El Tigre Boxing & MMA. Now, half of the building will be home to Streetlight Ministries of Reedley for a second-hand thrift store.
“Streetlight Ministries, we run what you would call high-quality second- hand stores to provide jobs for the local community and serve the needs of the local community,” David Ediger, store manager for Streetlight Ministries, told the commission. “We have an overabundance of donations, not financial donations, but we’re up to our eyeballs in clothing and furniture - we just don’t have room to put everything in our stores in Reedley, so we’ve been looking for another place we could open a second-hand store.”
The applicant presented many reasons he felt the business would be a success in Dinuba. They are following a similar model to stores they currently operate in Reedley, they already have donations to fill the store, they felt Reedley and Dinuba are similar demographics, they have experience renovating other buildings in disrepair and that they will take a long-term approach.
Ediger explained, “It will take three to five years for this store to reach its potential. In Reedley, if a business comes in and they aren’t making money in six months they leave. It takes time, you’ve got to be slow and steady. We’re not under the gun that we’ve got to make money tomorrow. We run our stores in the black. We believe if there’s no margin there’s no ministry.”
Streetlight Ministries is active in the Reedley community, and will do so alongside their store in the Dinuba community now too. They give scholarships to Reedley High School graduates, support educational programs, give to a ministry in the
community of London and donate to those facing hardships within the community.
“We’re new to Dinuba, but we’re excited,” Ediger told the commission.
Streetlight Ministries runs their other locations with four full-time employees and four part-time employees. They would start their new store in Dinuba with three full-time employees.
The downtown district is not zoned for thrift stores, but they can be opened with a Conditional Use Permit approved by the Dinuba Planning Commission. When an application was made for a thrift store at the same location by a different applicant in 2016, the applicant was turned away by a 4-0 vote due to an “incompatibility due to the overall issues of downtown” - despite city staff’s recommendation of approval. There is only one member of the 2016 Planning Commission that is still serving - Chair Tim Conklin of District 5.
This item, however, was approved by a 4-0 vote. Commissioner Linda Faust recused herself from the item.
After hearing their presentation, Conklin told the applicants, “I haven’t been a huge fan of another thrift store in the downtown, but I’m excited that we have an owner that is taking an aggressive stance, doing good repairs and taking an opportunity to improve that area. It’s in a long need of repair, so thank you for taking an interest in our downtown.”
The applicants also had signatures from nearly all the neighboring business owners approving the thrift shop at the location.
Vice Chair Sergio Alvarado said, “I’m glad to see something in that building. The last time I remember something wastherewaswhenIwasakiditwasa Bonanza 88 if anyone remembers. I’m glad to finally see a use for it.”
Streetlight Ministries will operate the thrift store in the northern portion of the building. Additional repairs are needed to the other 6,000 square feet. Once ready, the owners will consider a lease for commercial business in the remainder.
Rick Curiel | The Sentinel
Art teachers share concern at school board meeting
By Keven J. Geaney News@thedinubasentinel.com
Two Dinuba Unified School District teachers were unhappy with the lack of art teachers and classes, as they addressed the school board at last Thursday’s meeting.
Teacher and parent Tamyra Tomlinson was the first to speak during the public comment portion of the meeting.
“I am here because I’m concerned about the changes at Dinuba High School, which are adversely affecting the elective program and the courses there,” Tomlinson said. “We have many students that need a different kind of learning. I have a lot of those students. They need the hands-on learning. They don’t just work from a book. They need 2D and 3D experiences. Fine arts, especially visual
arts, provides those kinds of opportunities. We’ve “I really feel that we are rolling in the wrong District has a strong commitment to VAPA. He then
been pushing common core, art does that with self expression, connecting with others and thinking outside the box.”
Tomlinson then listed other schools near Dinuba with similar size high schools and stated that they all have more art teachers than Dinuba High. Kingsburg High has 1,100 students and two full- time art teachers and digital photography. Orosi High has 1,100 students and two art teachers and one video graphics teacher. Selma High has 1,700 students and one art teacher and one digital graphics teacher. Orange Cove has 625 students and one art teacher and one video graphics teacher. Reedley High has 1,825 students and three art teachers, which includes digital graphics. Sanger has 3,000 students and four art teachers and three graphics teachers.
direction,” Tomlinson ended by saying. “I’m really concerned for our students and the electives programs. Thank you.”
Craig Tomlinson then approached the podium and stated that he has been teaching art in the school district for 38 years.
“In the midst of change in the District there seems to be a lack of clear communication that we’re experiencing,” Tomlinson said. “Many of us in VAPA [Visual Arts and Performing Arts] have been told various scenarios that might occur in arts next year. In most of these cases we have been getting a vague answer of ‘We haven’t decided yet,’ which is basically putting us off, instead of including us. We wait to give our input until it’s been decided it’s too late. So here we are.”
Tomlinson then said that Dinuba Unified School
said, “What’s the definition of strong?” Tomlinson stated that at Washington Intermediate School he had six art classes for 600 students at the school. Now he has three classes for 1,000 students. Sixth grade art has been cut 44
percent.
“We love to compare ourselves with similar
schools in the surrounding areas, which are smaller in size, but have more classes and teachers than Dinuba High School in visual arts,” Tomlinson said. “Are we strong?”
Tomlinson said that in all his 38 years in the District he has never heard anyone, not a principal, superintendent, or administrator say, “We believe in the arts.”
See DUSD, Page A2
Meet Mr. Emperor
The first annual Sweetheart’s Run was held Feb. 10 at Ridge Creek Golf Course.
Participants were encouraged to run, walk, or roll – by themselves or as couples, with a Valentine’s Day theme.
Dinuban Gilbert Martinez Sr. organized the event. Martinez, a double-amputee, lost one leg to diabetes five years ago and a year and a half later lost the second leg. He uses a wheelchair 80 percent of the time.
“I want more people in wheelchairs to get involved,” Martinez said. Proceeds from the event benefited the Wheel Chair Society.
Michael Rivera poses in his Mr. Emporer sash and crown at Dinuba High School. Rivera is also wearing his outfit from the Mr. Emporer evening walk.
Jackson Moore | The Sentinel
By Jackson Moore News@thedinubasentinel.com
When Michael Rivera began performing as a 10-year-old he would wear sunglasses to hide the crowd from his vision. On Saturday, he wore them only as part of an outfit for his Bruno Mars themed performance on his way to being crowned Mr. Emperor.
Rivera, now a 17-year-old junior at Dinuba High School, was one of five DHS boys vying for the title of Mr. Emperor on Saturday. The pageant event featured an opening number, talent competition, evening walk, impromptu question and the crowning.
Of his performing history, Rivera said, “I’m a big performer, so I like to perform and be on stage. It wasn’t as easy as it is now. I probably started performing when I was around 10. I figured if I wore sunglasses I couldn’t see them so they couldn’t see me ... Personally, I enjoy performing, but that
performance was easily one of the most nerve wracking for me.”
Rivera sang and played piano, then broke out a dance routine. The whole performance featured five different Bruno Mars songs. Rivera said it was his first time dancing by himself in front of a crowd.
For the impromptu question, Rivera was asked: If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be and why?
Said Rivera, “My answer was that I would tell myself to never give up on myself, always encourage myself as well as others to do their best and never give up on what you love doing.”
The biggest takeaway for Rivera was working together with the other contestants and competing to improve each other. “The crowning was the best moment, by far,” Rivera said. The DHS junior hopes to use his platform to motivate
See Mr. Emperor, Page A6
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