Dinuba Takes Its Place on Valley Golf Map
By Miles Shuper
Dinuba - The City of Dinuba has a lot riding on its new golf course, a unique blend of tradition and modern design which city officials and others see as a keystone to Dinuba's future.
Ridge Creek Dinuba Golf Club will be open for public play July 13, an opening which has been anticipated by Central Valley golf enthusiasts since plans for the $27 million project were unveiled several years ago. The course is located at the western edge of Dinuba, just off of El Monte Way, about two miles from of the downtown area.
Dinuba is one of the Valley's cities on the fast track with commercial and industrial development moving at a faster pace than some areas. Ridge Creek is seen by many as a sign that Dinuba has gained some stature among Central Valley cities. With a population of 21,500 and an 8 percent growth in 2007, Dinuba is on the move. City Manager Ed Todd expects the growth rate to even off at 3 to 4 per cent annually, a rate allowing the city to provide all needed services.
“For the last 20 years, Dinuba has averaged one new job for each new home,” he said.
With several firms with the potential of several
hundred new jobs eyeing Dinuba, the prospects at this point
look good for continuing the new-home-to-new-job average.
Combining job and residential growth has paved the way for Dinuba
to realize a city council goal set more than 10 years ago to
develop the city into an intermediate market place. “That
means that we can provide at least 70 percent of all the shopping
needs for area residents,” Todd explained.
Having a first class golf course which will eventually be surrounded by homes will simply add to the list of amenities of one the Valley's fastest growing cities. Nearly 400 homes are planned on the 100 acres around the 250-acre course, practice facility and club house which features a restaurant - Three-Finger Jacks – offering breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with a full-service bar and meeting room.
Although home sites are not yet on the market, plans calls for a three-phase development of lots ranging from about 2,800 sq. ft. to more than 10,000 sq. ft. offering lots for town houses, single family residences and estate homes. The city owns the land but will sell to developers when the housing market improves, Todd said.
There is plenty of water for the course with Dinuba's Reclamation Conservation Recreation Project playing a key role. Water reclaimed via the city's treatment plant and reclamation facilities was a major factor in the design and course layout as well as restoration and improvement of the natural habitat. Officials say they already have noticed an increase in birds and various wildlife in areas on the 350-acre site.
Ralph Hinds, executive director of the Dinuba Chamber of Commerce, says Ridge Creek “is putting Dinuba on the map, making Dinuba a destination.”
With its proximity to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks as well as Yosemite and “any everything else this Valley has to offer,” visitors have not only a place to stay but an outstanding place to play golf,” he said.
For months, the chamber staff has been fielding
a rather steady stream of telephone calls and e-mail inquiries
about the golf course, as well the status of residential properties
around the new course. City officials and Ridge Creek Dinuba
Golf Club also report brisk interest in the opening of the course,
a John Fought Design facility.
The uniqueness of Ridge Creek is expected to draw golfers from
a wide area with its European heathland design incorporating
natural grasses, sloping and undulating greens and multiple
bunkers. There are no trees on the course nor are there any
water hazards.
The relatively wide and rolling fairways appear at first glance to be a wide open course. But it soon becomes apparent that keeping the ball in play isn't as easy as it might seem. Ridge Creek is a challenge for golfers of all skill levels.
The 7,495-yard layout is dotted with bunkers unlike any others in the Valley. Native grasses provide lots of challenges, especially off the fairway. Most holes also are bordered by well-manicured but challenging bare areas dotted with small shrubs, providing even more challenges for those who miss the fairways.
One of the main attractions is the 15th hole where a 653-yard journey from the championship tee box awaits challengers.
The front nine is known as the Vineyards with each hole bearing names of grape varieties. The first hole is the Emperor. Others include Black Beauty, Flame and Black Current. The back nine is the Orchard, featuring mostly tree fruits variety monikers such as Valencia, Gold King, El Dorado, Elberta and Santa Rosa.
Another feature expected to attract golfers is the 25-acre practice area featuring five target areas allowing chipping from bunkers, long range, intermediate and short game practice.
Rates for Ridge Creek are comparable to many in the Valley, especially in the Fresno, Madera and Clovis areas. Open weekday rates are $51 for 18 holes with $14 cart fee, bringing the total to $65. Seniors, aged 62 and above, will pay $41 and $10 for a cart.
Twilight and super twilight rates offer savings.
Weekend rates are $61 to walk and $75 with seniors
paying $43 to walk and $53 to ride. Juniors also receive savings
with twilight and super twilight rates.
Officials expect the Ridge Creek Rewards Card program, at $125
per year, to attract many area golfers to the facility. The
cards, valid for 12 months from date of purchase, provide green
fees savings up to 35 percent, two-hour earlier twilight times
and fees, one dozen logo Titlists Pro V golf balls, and a Northern
California Golf Association handicap. Card holders get one point
for each dollar spent during the year with the top 32 point
earners qualifying for an annual Cardholders Golf Trip.
Information: 591-2254 or visit golfridgecreek.com.
Tulare Up to Its EIR Ears
By John Lindt
Tulare - Tulare has three EIRs – Environmental Impact Reports- on its front burner – all jobbed out to consultants and just completed or nearing completion. The complicated and detailed documents – each hundreds of pages thick – are required to meet state rules on development in general within a city limits and on particular projects to weigh impacts the development might have on the environment.
The EIRs need to be complete, mentioning everything but the kitchen sink, to convince a judge if the document is challenged – that a good faith effort on all impacts were considered before the city approves it and allows it to move forward.
Mind you it doesn't say you have to make all the negative impacts go away, but that you have to consider them and mitigate them if feasible. You can't ignore them.
All of Tulare's big EIRs are controversial and
have already been challenged or will likely be challenged, meaning
the plans and projects that all involve growth – will
be headed to court. The upshot is potentially months and even
years in delay costing the city and developers possibly millions.
It could mean Tulare will grow but new jobs will be the question,
say some city council members.
The three EIRs are:
• the city's new general plan report already done but
facing a legal challenge by Tulare activist Don Manro and the
Bakersfield office of the Sierra Club.
• the Western Pacific Meatpacking plant EIR nearing the
final EIR stage and after nearly two years, heading to the city
planning commission and on to a final approval by city council
in the next few weeks.
• the draft EIR for the mega project – the Tulare
Motorsports Complex – that was thought to be complete
with all comments received and moving to the final EIR stage.
Now that status is in doubt.
The Motorsports Complex EIR is in doubt because the consultant apparently left out an appendix to one of the chapters over storm water, confirms Tulare City Manager Darrel Pyle who suggests the draft EIR will likely be recirculated for new comments for a 45-day period to remedy the snafu. “We will be making the decision by next week,” says Pyle who is on vacation this week.
That would put off a final EIR by several more months and could mean developer Bud Long's hopes there would be a 2009 race season are likely up in smoke.
Perhaps the most frustrated of the bunch are the founders of Western Pacific Meatpacking who have investor money and contracts to sell the meat in place, but can't prepare one burger patty until the final EIR is approved by the city council. Staff has received all comments but has an outside legal firm to bulletproof the final document to the highest degree possible. But the pace of this thing is so slow and the opponents ready to file in any case that a judge will likely have to decide this one no matter. “The judge will tell the city what they need to fix,” says a supporter urging the project EIR move forward.
Western Pacific went through a similar exercise when it proposed the same project in Goshen seven years ago spending five of those months working with the county on its EIR and fighting a determined opponent (a neighbor) in court before it pulled up stakes and landed in what it thought was cattle-friendly Tulare.
Where's the Beef?
Now the slaughterhouse is likely to be challenged by a competitor based on comments received by the city meaning further delay is to be expected. The state-of-the-art project is in high demand with closing of several meatpackers in California, and Far East interest in high quality U.S. beef. Last week, a high-ranking Korean politician, Kim Han-gil, visited Tulare with an entourage and expressed interest in the meatpacking plant as a new source for U.S.-grown beef for Korea. Sources say the Koreans are potential investors in both the motorsports deal and the 300-job meat plant. Korea is very sensitive about the source, age and quality of the beef they get from the U.S. as the world has seen with the huge demonstrations in recent weeks. But no matter how you slice it, that country wants our best beef if we can deliver it.
Settlement?
Meanwhile, the city met with representatives of the Sierra Club last week in a mandatory settlement session over the city's general plan and Pyle was upbeat that something could come of it saying the city was working on a document that could meet the points outlined by the Sierra Club and “solve our problem.” A settlement would mean an end to both the litigation, and the delay in a potential annexation the city wants to move forward that would allow development of a large parcel south of Elk Bayou. That could mean several hundred jobs. But there are two suits and Mr. Manro was not part of the settlement talk.
Otherwise, it's more hurry up and wait in Tulare.
By Rick Elkins
Visalia - Gary Beckers sees three positives for riding his bicycle to work at Visalia Community Bank each day.
First, he says, it saves on gas; second, it's the right thing to do and third, it provides him with exercise “I probably wouldn't get.”
Beckers is not alone. Bicycle shops in Visalia report brisk sales of the two-wheel, self-propelled bicycle that suddenly is enjoying new popularity with each rise in the price of gas.
Byron Almachar, assistant manager with Visalia Cyclery, said the store on West Caldwell was twice as busy in June as it was in May and the customers keep on coming. “It's been a wild month,” he said Monday. “Gas at $4.50 a gallon really raised people's eyebrows.”
Craig Peyron, owner of Sierra Bicycle Works at 123 East Main, said his business has also been very brisk, including bicycle repairs.
“Absolutely. We stay really busy this time of year. But, we are seeing more people coming in who want to ride their bicycle to work,” he said.
Beckers, a loan officer at the bank, is one of three bank employees who are now riding their bikes to work. The bank is going to install a bike rack and is working with employees on other ways to cut down on the use of gas and to help reduce air pollution.
Beckers purchased his bicycle on Mother's Day when he and his wife went shopping for a bike for her. “We were going to get my wife a bike, so we bought two.”
He has been riding to and from work ever since. The three-mile one-way trip takes him 15-20 minutes, depending on how hard he peddles. He says after work, when it is much warmer, he takes his time.
“I haven't paid for the bike yet. It's going to take a while,” he said. However, he has only filled up his vehicle once since he began riding.
Almachar and Peyron said bikes most sought by people to ride to and from work run from $250 and up, with some spending an additional $100 on accessories such as lights and a helmet.
Peyron said it is not only men who are looking for a bike to ride to work.
“It seems like more women are showing an interest in riding to work,” he said.
“Most people are seeking comfort bikes, easy to get on and off and easy on the seat,” added Almachar. “You want to get a good commuter bicycle. You want it equipped properly. Lights and reflectors are now required,” he added. He also said many buyers are seeking racks and panniers to be able to carry items and he always recommends they wear a helmet.
Interesting, there is now somewhat of a science to picking the bike seat.
“Nowadays, you buy seats according to your sit bone width,” he said, adding handlebars should be shoulder wide and “the more upright handlebar is more popular for riding around town.” Some bikes come with disc brakes and shock absorbers, both on the frame and on the seat.
Bikes Cost More
The high price of gasoline is having more than a positive effect on the sales of bicycles.
“The price (of bikes) is already going up. Companies are not as generous. It all has to do with gas prices,” said Peyron.
“Oil affects everything. To get the bikes here, it costs more. Prices are going up 20 percent, but I don't know when, but in the near future,” added Almachar.
Both Almachar and Peyron hope that bike riding becomes habit-forming for the people who are just getting into it.
“Not only are you saving gas, but there's a huge health benefit. You've got to look at it as a little more than saving gas. It's making people more aware of a lot of different issues,” said Peyron.
“I just hope they keep riding. There is going
to be a percentage of people who get into it. It will help them
adopt a new lifestyle,” he added.
Beckers agreed.
“Gas prices is topic A, but there are some side things that people are talking about, like doing the right thing – the green aspect,” said Beckers.
And, he is finding support from people who still drive a vehicle. “People give me a thumbs up,” he said.
Voice Becomes Easier to Read
Visalia - You'll notice some changes to how your Valley Voice looks today.
To make the Voice easier to read and to share, we have divided the main section of the Valley Voice into two sections and we have added more color to the inside pages.
In the first A section, you will still find the news that most other papers don't get for a few days, along with news of agriculture (including Ag Bag), the popular columns of Miles Shuper, Roni Miller and Liza Lieberman, and more.
The second A section will have the popular Second Front page where you will find What's New, more local news stories and the Top of the News. Inside, readers will find our entertainment section that includes the latest on what's happening in the South Valley, along with the music calendar and the community calendar.
You will still find Tulare Voice and Real Estate Now every week.
Feared Citrus Pest at the Border
Tulare County - Mexican and CDFA officials have confirmed the find of a devastating citrus pest around Tijuana on at least 15 different properties last weekend, fueling fears an infestation is in place and ready to cross the border.
For nearly a year, a state task force on the disease the pest carries – citrus greening – has been meeting to plan a coordinated attack against the insect – the Asian citrus psyllid – that has killed off 65,000 acres of citrus trees in Florida in the past year and a half.
The insect “could deliver a death sentence
for California citrus trees,” says Ted Batkin of the Visalia-based
Citrus Research Board who co-chairs the task force. The insect
has been found as close as one-quarter mile from the US border.
“This is the ugliest thing we have seen in our industry,”
says Batkin.
The tiny insect flies up to 2 to 3 miles and feeds on ornamental plants as well as citrus trees, reproducing at up to eight cycles a year. Batkin says CDFA has put out hundreds of traps to see if the pest jumps the border. Also, plans are in place to work with San Diego residents who favor backyard citrus trees on the need to wipe out the pest if it arrives.
Fighting the pest could be controversial since there are no effective biological controls and spraying with traditional pesticides is necessary to kill the critters off. The state just gave up plans to fight another pest – the light brown apple moth – with biological sprays after a huge outcry from residents over fears of the aerial spray. Batkin says the pest likely made its way from Hermosillo, Mexico to the border and USDA is working with Mexican officials to try to reduce the pysllid population there.
Batkin says the disease makes the fruit inedible and eventually kills the tree. The spread of the disease in Florida has been rapid, he says, effecting about 20% of that state's orange crop already.
Tulare County – the state's largest citrus producer – is a long way from TJ but the pest could easily jump from backyard citrus groves in southern San Diego county to the established groves of northern SD County, marching north like other invasive species we have seen have in the past few years.
“This thing is scary,” remarks Batkin.
Downtown Visalians Name
Kelly Hauert New CEO
By Steve Pastis
Visalia - After a long search, Downtown Visalians finally has a new CEO, and the successful candidate is someone who once headed the group as its executive director, according to Vernon Barr, president of Downtown Visalians.
“We made an offer to Kelly Hauert and she has accepted,” he said. She is expected to start her new position by August 15.
Hauert was executive director of Downtown Visalians for seven years. In June 2005, she resigned to move to Kingman, AZ, where her parents live.
“She has 22 years of experience in the fields that relate to downtown,” Barr said about the reasons Hauert was selected. “Also, she's a known quantity. She did an excellent job the seven years she was here.
“She was involved in the implementation of the original PBID (the association of downtown property owners) and the renewal of PBID,” he continued. “She helped grow Taste of Downtown into a very successful annual event. And she did an excellent job in terms of responsibly running the organization from a financial viewpoint.”
“I'm looking forward to her coming back,” said Elaine Martell, who has served as interim director since the resignation of Executive Director Jan Minami last summer. Martell has been with the association for 17 years so she has worked with Hauert. “I think she'll bring a really positive energy to downtown. She's a very positive person.”
Downtown Visalians started its CEO search last fall and more than 40 applications were received. Hauert will become the association's first CEO instead of its executive director. The new title reflects the position's increased responsibilities in attracting more business downtown.
Second Front Page
Dinuba will get a big shot in the arm in the next three years with the widening of El Monte (Ave. 416) through town and a mile west of Alta. Tax-supported Measure R will be a major funding source for the four-lane project expected to cost $41 million. Design of the project is expected to begin later this month with a 15-month design phase and a two-year construction period. Dinuba is looking to widen Ave. 416 to the Kings River bridge and beyond to Highway 99 long term, helping it boost easy access to the California market for its growing industrial and distribution companies.
CVS Drug stores are one of the few retailers that are busy expanding around the county with two stores under construction in each town – Tulare, Visalia and Porterville. The new stores are being built by Armstrong Development
Dinuba's Wal-Mart center is attracting an I Hop and Panda Express restaurants nearby as well as a new Holiday Inn Express on Alta Avenue.
Congressman Devin Nunes has announced his support for legislation that will ensure universal access to quality healthcare to all Americans. The bill, titled “A Roadmap for America's Future,” also permanently resolves the financial challenges facing Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid. The legislation also simplifies the tax code and prevents tax increases currently needed to pay for failing government programs.
Kings County enacted a hiring freeze Tuesday. The freeze covers any county department with vacancies, but does not mean there will be any layoffs. Last week, the Kings County Board of Supervisors adopted a preliminary budget that called for the elimination of 8.85 full-time equivalent positions.
The bill to designate the 69,500-acre John Krebs Wilderness in the Mineral King Valley may get tied up in the Senate because attached to the bill is a provision that limits carrying loaded firearms in national parks. Some fear that dispute could stall the entire bill.
A Kaweah River Drive home that was built more than 60 years ago was featured in the June 2008 issue of Sunset magazine. The article describes the history of the home from its original owners to its rebirth in the 21st century.
Assemblyman Bill Maze (R-Visalia) announced the awarding of $2.4 million from Department of Housing and Community Development to Housing Alternatives, Inc. and MacFarlane Costa Housing Partners (formerly Simpson Housing) grant for the Villa Siena Apartment Project in the City of Porterville. “Villa Siena Apartments will be a 70-unit, new construction, apartment, office and community space on the corner of E Street and Putnam in downtown Porterville,” said Maze.
Ruiz Foods, based in Dinuba and founded in Tulare, is rated in the top 10 Hispanic-owned manufacturing companies in the state by Hispanic Businesss Magazine. The manufacturer of frozen Mexican foods is rated third among the top 500 U.S. Hispanic-owned manufacturing companies and 16th among the top 500.
Top of the News
Enterprise Moves Visalia Airport Office
Visalia - Enterprise Rent-A-Car will close its office at Visalia Airport and open a new location on Mooney Boulevard in Visalia on Friday, July 25.
“We'll still service the airport,” said Brett Todd, regional vice president for Enterprise. “When the airport location closes, the new one will open within hours.”
The new location will be in the Serpa Automotive center at 3000 S. Mooney Blvd., where Enterprise will lease about 7,500 square feet and have two or three people on duty, according to Todd. One person at a time currently works at its airport office.
“We rotate staff from our Main Street location,”
he said, adding that if additional employees are needed once Enterprise's
airport site is replaced by a busier Mooney Blvd. location, the
company will hire accordingly.
The move is not due to the economy or to the gap in the airport's
current commercial flight schedule. “There's more traffic
on Mooney,” Todd explained.
The gap in commercial traffic was not a factor in
Enterprise's decision. Most of Enterprise's airport business has
been with those traveling in private planes, according to Visalia
Airport Manager Mario Cifuentez, II.
The termination of the lease at its airport location will result
in only a $300-to-$400 average monthly loss to the airport, Cifuentez
estimated. He said that the contract called for 5 percent of Enterprise's
airport revenues to be paid to the airport.
Irrigation Company Leases Visalia Warehouse
Visalia - NDS Inc, the Lindsay-based irrigation
equipment maker, is leasing nearly 120,000 square feet in the
Visalia industrial park, says a company spokesman. The move comes
as an expansion of the Lindsay operation in conjunction with the
closure of a sister plant in Troup, Texas, says Mary Medford,
an administration assistant with the Lindsay-based firm.
“They are already moving in some product,” into Visalia,
says Medford, adding that they expect to be in operation in a
matter of weeks. The company has leased a warehouse at 8800 Hurley
in Visalia.
Medford says they don't know yet just how many employees will be working at the warehouse, although the Texas plant employed 110 and Lindsay employment stands at 220.
The company will be adding more work in Lindsay,
requiring more distribution space away from the Lindsay plant.
NDS makes and sells a line of storm water management products
as well as landscaping and irrigation products.
The company moved its corporate headquarters from Camarillo to
Lindsay in 1995.
VUSD Campuses Get Summer Sprucing
By Rick Elkins
Visalia - Paving of the parking lots around
Redwood High is expected to be done in time for Friday night's
Fireworks Show. The paving work is one of many projects undertaken
by the Visalia Unified School District this summer.
“Redwood is the single largest project. We were scared for
a while over conflicts with the fireworks show,” said Robert
Groeber, assistant superintendent for the district. “The
(RHS) parking lot hadn't been touched for years. It will be done
in time for the Fireworks Show.”
“We've got some big projects,” said Supt. Stan Carrizosa, noting the summer break allows the district to take on projects that would be too disruptive during the school year.
“This is our time. So we crank up as schools
vacate and do as much as we can,” added Groeber.
In addition to the Redwood project, others are:
• Finishing two new elementary schools –
Annie Mitchell and Manuel Hernandez.
· New administration building, new computer lab, new teachers'
workroom and cafeteria/multi-purpose room at Highland Elementary
School.
· Upgrading ventilation and cooling system in weight room
and women's fitness room at Mount Whitney High School. Looker
rooms getting new swamp coolers as well.
· Removal of 15 portable classrooms in the district, including
six from the MW campus where new classrooms were added last year;
six from Oak Grove Elementary and two from Hurley.
· New outdoor irrigation system for Crestwood Elementary
School that, according to Groeber, “had irrigation challenges
for years so we're completely redoing its irrigation system.”
A couple pieces of school history in Tulare County are coming to an end: Union School will cease to exist this year as those students are moving to the new Annie Mitchell School. In addition, the charter school that has been housed at the old Packwood Elementary site, will move to the Union campus. It will still be known as Charter Alternative Academy School and have about 100 students.
Union and Packwood schools are two of the oldest schools in the county. They were both established on Aug. 8, 1865.
According to Tulare County Schools – 100 Years, a history written in 1961, both schools began as single room, single teacher schools. According to the history, Union, located between Visalia and Farmersville, was originally a log building. Packwood School District, west of Visalia, for a while included the school at the historical Tagus Ranch. The two were eventually combined at the present Packwood site where students first got their water from a well and tin cups, noted the history book.
Groeber said while the Union campus will still be utilized, Packwood will not and the district is studying ideas on how to utilize the small school site west of the city.
“We might share the facility with the city,
but we're still trying to find an appropriate use for Packwood,”
said Groeber.
“It's another small district with a long history, ceasing
to exist. It was just an old country school,” he added.
As a result of the closing of Union School, the kindergarten playground
apparatus that was installed just a couple of years ago there
will be moved to Crestwood School.
Some of the larger projects, such as the paving at Redwood and the moving of the portable classrooms, are being done by outside contractors, but much of the other work is being done by the district's staff. Groeber said there are scores of smaller projects throughout the district. Visalia Unified begins fall classes Aug. 14.
Celebrate the Fourth
Cities Offer Variety of Ways to Mark Nation's Birthday
Residents of Tulare and Kings counties will have plenty of opportunities to celebrate the Fourth of July this year, beginning with Tulare's annual fireworks show and a special fireworks show by the Visalia Oaks Thursday night.
Tulare
The Tulare Kiwanis Club's annual Fourth of July Fireworks Show will be Thursday, July 3, at the Tulare County Fairgrounds. Gates open at 6 p.m. with the fireworks starting at dusk. Admission is $3. Children 6 years old and younger are free.
Visalia
The Visalia Oaks will celebrate our nation's independence
one day early. The team's Thursday, July 3 fireworks will offer
15 minutes of fireworks exploding in the night sky, a raucous
light spectacular almost three times longer than the Oaks' popular
Fireworks Friday shows. For tickets, call 625-0480.
Gates will open at 6 p.m. Friday for Visalia's 2008 Provident
Mortgage 4th of July Celebration at Giant Chevrolet-Cadillac Mineral
King Bowl. Information: 713-4365. The event, sponsored by Provident
Mortgage and the Visalia Parks and Recreation Foundation, is free
to the public.
Porterville
Porterville fireworks will be presented by the Exchange Club. Gates at Jamison Stadium at Porterville College will open at 6 p.m. The preshow begins at 7 p.m., with fireworks at dusk. Cost is $2 per person. Children under 12 are free.
Exeter
Fourth of July events begin at 7 a.m. at Exeter City Park, corner of Chestnut and E streets, with a two-mile walk and a 10k run, and a pancake breakfast under the arbor. The traditional horseshoe tournament will begin at 8 a.m. Arts, crafts and food booths will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Entertainment will include featured entertainer Brad Wilson, Exeter City Dance and Marc Unger Karate. The day's events are sponsored by Tricia Kirksey Real Estate and Nielsen & Associates Insurance Services, Inc. A free fireworks show at Lions Stadium begins at dusk.
Lindsay
The Lindsay Friday Night Market at Sweet Brier on July 4th will feature live entertainment by the William Morris Band of Fresno, followed by a “safe and sane” fireworks show at 8:15 p.m.
Woodlake
The Kiwanis Club of Woodlake will sponsor its annual Woodlake July 3 Blast, featuring a ZZYZX Mobile Disc Jockey, fireworks show, rock climbing wall, Woodlake 4-H petting zoo, food and games, at the Woodlake High School football field. Gates open at 6 p.m. Thursday. Admission is $5 for adults, $1 for children 6-12 with a paying adult, and children under 6 admitted free. Parking is $5. Lawn chairs and picnic blankets are allowed, but no outside food will be permitted. For more information, call 564-7114.
Hanford
Hanford's July 4 Celebration will be held at East Campus Neighbor Bowl. It is free to the public. Gates will open at 5 p.m., with concessions and games opening at 6 p.m. Program begins around 8:45 and fireworks about 9:15. A low-level flyover from NAS Lemoore is planned. The show is free.
Lemoore
Residents of the city of Lemoore will mark the nation's birthday with a parade and an all-day celebration in the city park. The Third Annual Lemoore/Navy July 4th Celebration and Red, White & Blue Parade will begin with a 5K run and 3K walk at 7 a.m., followed by the parade from the Chamber of Commerce office at 300 E St. to the city park where there will be activities all day. Included will be a strolling barbershop quartet and hypnotist Linda Sparks performing hypnotic antics with the audience. There will also be a high-speed, low altitude fly-over by one of the NAS Lemoore pilots.
Dinuba
The City of Dinuba will not host its annual Fourth of July event this year. The decision was made to instead focus the city's attention on last month's car show and this month's opening of the 18-hole golf course on West El Monte Way.
Connie Kautz Becomes President of Visalia Chamber
By Steve Pastis
Visalia - Connie Kautz started her one-year term as president of the board of directors of the Visalia Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday.
“I'm really excited about my year,” Kautz said. “I have an amazing group of board members. I'm ready for the challenges, and we can really do it with the group I have.”
Among the challenges the chamber faces is finding a new CEO.
“We're just taking our time because we really want to make sure we get the right person,” she said. “We're really looking for someone with strong leadership skills, someone who has a strong grasp of what's going on in the community. We want someone who will fit our needs instead of us fitting theirs.
“We have a few applications, some local, some not,” she said, adding that no interviews have been conducted yet.
“We're still working on a job description.”
Kautz said that a description should be completed this week and that she expects the hiring process to take about 90 days.
“We're going to crawl, walk and run in implementing
things in the right order,” she said.
The other main challenge is how to deal with the financial problems
resulting from the chamber's building. It costs the chamber an
estimated $100,000 a year to maintain its facilities, but it receives
a significant income by renting out offices in the building.
Kautz said that there are “really just two options,” one being to sell the building; the other to conduct a capital campaign to raise money.
“We don't have a decision yet,” she said. “We're still talking about a capital campaign. We have been talking to (consultant) Mr. (Jerry) Bartels to clarify what a capital campaign would entail.”
She explained that the capital campaign would be a six-month project to raise money for the chamber. A consultant would gather donations, as well as financial commitments over a three-to-five year period.
If a decision is made to sell the building, the chamber would be interested in leasing its current space from any new owners. The chamber has received offers to buy the building from members of the chamber.
“There is nothing in writing, only verbal,” she said. “There is a very strong commitment from people who love the chamber.
“We'll talk about building finance at the
July 17 meeting,” said Kautz, who has been gathering information
as chair of the chamber's Building Task Force Committee. She explained
that the discussion was scheduled in July to include the new board
of directors. “The new board members are the ones who are
going to be living with this,” she said.
“My guess is that a capital campaign is the way we're going
to go,” she said. “A lot more people want to keep
the building than sell it. It's a better feeling to keep the building.
We've worked really hard for it.”
She said that she expects a decision very soon.
“People are anxious for a decision – period,”
she said.
Beyond playing a major role in the decisions facing the Visalia
Chamber, Kautz has additional goals.
“I want us to get in touch with the membership,” she
said. “I want our members to feel they are getting all they
can out of the chamber.”
She stressed the importance of member retention.
“I really want to open up our chamber to our members,” she said. “I don't want them to see us as just event planners. We want to be the voice of the membership.”
Kautz wants the chamber to be “more business-minded,” but not at the expense of the major community events it sponsors.
She had praise for the chamber's Octoberfest. “It helps businesses showcase what they can offer in their booths,” she said. “We will also definitely have the Christmas tree auction. That's a huge event for the community.”
Kautz chaired last year's event that raised over $300,000 for local charities.
She also noted that the chamber has been “lacking in the ag department” but that an effort was being made “to get ag back on the page.”
The above stories are the property of The Valley Voice Newspaper and may not be reprinted without explicit permission in writing from the publisher.
July 3, 2008
