Page 1 - Sanger Herald 1-25-18 E-edition

Apaches: One up, one down
Looking for a home
page 8A
Make-A-Wish for Melody
Sports 1B
Lifestyles 3B
Weekly Newspaper
Medical pot
dispensary may
be considered
Council agrees to think about allowing a medical marijuana facility to operate in Sanger
By Dick Sheppard
Sanger Herald
The city council, at councilmember Humberto Garza's request, has agreed to consider whether to begin what could be a lengthy process of determining if and where a medical marijuana dispensary might be located in Sanger.
"If my brother [who was battling cancer] had been allowed to use medical marijuana instead of the opi- oids he was prescribed I think he might still be alive today," said Garza.
It was not the first time Garza had brought up the subject. It was the first time he has asked the council to agree to put an item on a future agenda that would allow it to consider whether to begin a process that would end in a decision about approving or not ap- proving a medical marijuana dispensary in Sanger.
If the council decides to move the process forward, it will go to the planning commission before the coun- cil takes a final vote on the issue.
Other council activities included:
• Appointing Vincent Wall and Monica Yamada to the planning commission. They will be officially sworn in at this evening's 6 p.m. meeting of the commission.
Dick Sheppard/Sanger Herald
Vincent Wall, an attorney and a recent arrival in Sanger and Monica Yamada, a Fresno State grad who says she is a lifetime resident of Sanger are new planning commissioners.
• Listening to Ray Cano plead for the council to consider extending city water service to the small neighborhood called Tombstone located just south of Sanger, along Central Avenue, mostly between Green- wood and Bethel avenues. "Our wells are running dry," said Cano. His pleas were echoed by Amanda Monaco, a policy advocate with the Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability.
• Seeming willing to agree to accept a Measure S Citizens Oversight Committee recommendation to change the way grant recipients are paid, from four times a year to once a year as soon as the grant is ap- proved. However, when city manager Tim Chapa said the city could not the begin the new disbursement pro- cess until the start of the new fiscal year in July, com- ments from oversight members seemed to indicate a feeling that their recommendation was being modified and it should go back to the oversight committee for review. So,thecouncilsentitbacktothecommittee for clarification along with another oversight recom- mendation about dividing excess Measure S grant funds among grant recipients.
See a grant application notice on page 6A.
• Hearing a review of upcoming capital improve- ment projects by city engineer Josh Rogers made it seem like we'll have another summer loaded with de- tours and street reconstruction projects. Rogers was congratulated by Chapa for his work on obtaining a three quarter million dollar grant to be used for work on Greenwood Avenue.
The reporter can be contacted by email at sanger- herald@gmail.com or by phone at the Herald at (559) 875-2511.
Sanger (Fresno County) CA 93657
Misty and Marilyn
Getting psyched for a big pet adoption event
Photo contributed
Misty, a 15 month old lab mix, listens intently as 4 year old Marilyn Schafer tells her to be on her best behavior for this Saturday's pet adoption event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Clovis Tractor Supply store on Herndon Avenue near the intersection with Clovis Avenue. Misty is just one of the Sanger shelter dogs who will be making an appearance Saturday. Blaze, Angel, JoJo, Buster, Doc and Ellen will also be there, said shelter volunteer Kim Reed. Marilyn sometimes helps out at the shelter by keeping the dogs entertained with stories she makes up especially for them. See more about the adoption event and those involved on page 8A of today's Herald.
More summer detours in your future
50¢ (tax included) A senate
race is on her mind
Not much time to make a decision
City councilmember Melissa Hurtado at her district 1 townhall meeting in November 2017.
By Dick Sheppard
Sanger Herald
Rumors have circulated ever since she was elected to the Sanger city council 14 months ago that Melissa Hurtado was being groomed for a higher of- fice.
Emilio Huerta, an unsuccess- ful Democratic challenger for Republican David Valadao's 21st district congressional seat, was among those who showed up to pose for photos with Hurtado when she was seated on the council in 2016. That probably triggered early rumors.
When asked by the Herald about current rumors circulat- ing at the county and state level among Democratic political committee members that she
is considering challenging incumbent Republican Andy Vidak for the 14th state senate seat, Hurtado replied by email, "I have received calls from both Democratic and Republican friends asking me to take a look at our state senate seat. There is a lot to consider. I am humbled by the calls and support from the community to enter this race. I will continue to keep
our community in mind in the consideration process."
The state primary election is on June 5 and the general elec- tion is on Nov. 6. That doesn't give Hurtado much time to make up her mind if she intends to do any fundraising and cam- paigning.
The same rumor that said Hurtado is considering a run for the state senate also said she is not the only Democrat thinking about challenging Vidak.
If she has to compete with other Democratic candidates, in spite of her Service Employees International Union (SEIU) background, it could be a rough and expensive road to the general election. SEIU has dem- onstrated considerable political clout in statewide elections.
The Sanger High graduate attended Sacramento State, then worked for SEIU before return- ing to Sanger and running for city council. She replaced Raul Cantu on the council. Cantu gave up his district 1 seat to run unsuccessfully for mayor.
The reporter can be contact- ed by email at sangerherald@ gmail.com or by phone at the Herald at (559) 875-2511.
By Dick Sheppard
Sanger Herald
Get ready for more detour signs.
Another round of street repair and reconstruction is on the agenda for this sum- mer. None of the projects, however, is downtown this year.
City Engineer Josh Rog- ers brought the city council up to date on the status of two unfinished 2017 capital improvement projects and four projects coming up this summer.
A streetlight project left over from last year won't be wrapped up until April, said Rogers. The traffic signal
at the intersection of Bethel and Church avenues should start actually signalling next
month.
The four projects for this
year include: new sidewalks as part of the Safe Routes to School program; an overlay on Church Avenue, from Bethel to Greenwood; recon- struction of I Street from 5th to 10th street; and recon- struction of Rawson and Dewitt from 14th to Hoag.
Most of those projects will get started in June, ac- cording to a chart Rogers provided to the city council.
The reporter can be contacted by email at sang- erherald@gmail.com or by
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March3- 30thannualBlossomFestival
Jan. 29 - Mayor Frank Gonzalez's first state of the city address at 6 p.m. in the council chamber at city hall.
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Feb. 2 - The Blossom Trail kickoff ceremony hosted by the Sanger District Chamber of Commerce at 10 a.m. in the Sanger Woman's Club building at 1602 7th St.
T•
in downtown Sanger. It starts at 7 a.m. with
runs and walks and winds up with a car show in the afternoon. If you'd like to get involved call the chamber at (559) 875-4575.
he public is invited.
SANGER HERALD: A MID VALLEY PUBLISHING NEWSPAPER • (559) 875-2511 • www.thesangerherald.com
THURSDAY
JANUARY 25, 2018
VOL 129 NO. 4
2 sections, 16 pages
CLASSIFIED 4-6B LIFE STYLES 3B
OBITUARIES 2A OPINION 3A SPORTS 1B POLICE LOG 2A WEATHER 8A