After two consecutive years of intensive planning and fundraising, officials with the city and the Visalia Chamber of Commerce told Amgen while Visalia would be a willing participant in 2011, it would also be willing to take a year off.
The 2011 Tour of California is May 15-22. Tour starts and finishes are expected to be announced this week.
Last year Visalia served as a start for the prestigious bicycle race that featured some of the world's top cyclists, including Lance Armstrong, who would crash just outside of Visalia and be eliminated from the tour last year.
Glenn Morris, CEO of the Visalia Chamber, said while Visalia did not make a formal proposal this year, it did indicate it would be willing to participate again.
“We felt our relationship with them is so we didn't need to put together a formal proposal,” said Morris, adding the speculation is the 2011 race will follow a more costal route, staying out of the Valley.
“We did send them a letter telling them we're here, we're on the team and we'll do whatever they want us to do,” he said.
However, he noted Lake Tahoe is making a big push to host one of the stages and noted it is rare for the race to follow the same route every year.
“Our concern is that we're part of their long-term plan, not being involved every year,” he added. “Let's think larger than one year at a time,” he said, adding the hope is to someday work out a route that would include Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks and showcase the giant sequoias.
The past two years the city submitted basically a bid, committing to raise tens of thousands of dollars to ensure the race would start or stop in town. The first year, said Morris, that was around $60,000, but last year that rose to $80,000 because the local race committee had to come up with money to pay for the racers, race teams and support groups to stay the night in Visalia. He said they raised about $40,000 in cash and got another $40,000 in in-kind donations.
“It's a big effort. It's a big fundraising deal. The question is, can you come up with the money every year,” said Morris, adding the city struggled a bit last year and with the “tough economy” that effort could be even more difficult this next year.
Sequoia Class Returning?
If Visalia is not part of Amgen, then Morris said the goal would be to bring back the Sequoia Classic, a two-day bicycle racing event that offers several different races – from short to long – from sprints to endurance.
Morris said the goal would be to bring back the race that was last held more than four years ago on a “larger scale” and include much of the county and maybe even partner with Bakersfield on some of the events.
The goal would be to hold the race in March or April, a few weeks before Amgen to take advantage of race teams that would already be in the state preparing for that event.
“We would do a multiple of events – an omnium – a series of three or four races over a couple of days. I think we would use the whole county,” he said.
“The teams, we understand, like that kind of competition,” he added.
The goal would be to attract corporate sponsors, at least 100 riders and thousands of spectators.
Judge Melinda Reed's tentative ruling said the question whether a defendant is responsible for the plaintiff's harm is for a jury to decide based on evidence presented at trial.
The plaintiffs, Carlos Vivero and David Reyna, sued the Platinum Theaters 6, the City of Dinuba, Dinuba Police and the city's parks and community services department claiming the defendants were responsible for causing dangerous conditions by allowing gang members to congregated and conceal themselves in a darkened area.
Seven persons were originally arrested and four were charged and convicted of the January, 2009 attack just outside the Platinum Theater on South M Street. Vivero was stabbed in the neck and suffered serious injury, according to city officials.
The suit claims the city was aware of the gang activity and that there was inadequate lightening to protect against gang attacks.
Dinuba officials contend there was no casual connection between the alleged dangerous conditions on the part of the plaintiffs because the area was well lighted and monitored by security cameras. The city also claims that having additional lighting would not have prevented the injuries to the plaintiffs.
In her ruling, Judge Reed stated, “the defendant may be responsible for plaintiff's harm if negligence was a substantial factor in causing the harm.” She also wrote, “whether a defendant's conduct actually caused an injury is a question of fact that is ordinarily for the jury,” (to decide).
Judge Reed also states the plaintiff's, “have submitted evidence showing the defendant knew gang members frequently congregated in the darkened areas of the park; criminal activity, including assaults, regularly occurred in and around the park; and defendant knew better lightening in the park would deter crime.”
The judge said in her ruling last week the defendant knew lights were out in the area of the attack and were aware that gang members were congregating in the darkened area a few hours before the attack.
Link said after the city's four other bargaining groups agreed to compensation concessions the city sought, it would not be right to agree to something less for the 103 police officers.
“This is the worst situation I've ever found myself in as a councilman,” said Link after the meeting.
Two weeks ago the council gave three bargaining groups – representing police managers, police officers and firefighters – until Oct. 4 to settle with the city. Two groups, the largest being miscellaneous employees – had already settled. Two weeks ago the council delayed imposing its “Last, Best and Final Offer” to give the groups more time to come to an agreement.
On Monday night, the city settled with Group G – police managers – and agreed to extend for two weeks negotiations with Group A – firefighters – after that group offered a settlement city officials said was viable.
However, the police officers’ latest offer, which Officer Mark Feller, president of the Police Officers Association, said conceded everything the city wanted but a 2 percent salary reduction, was not enough in the eyes of three council members who voted to impose the city's last offer and end negotiations.
A motion by Councilman Mike Lane to give police another two weeks to negotiate failed by the same 3-2 vote that imposed the final offer. Voting with Link to impose the final offer were Steve Nelsen and Warren Gubler. Amy Shuklian joined with Lane to oppose ending negotiations.
The city's final offer establishes a new retirement tier for new hires of 3 percent at age 55 on the highest three consecutive years of employment; discontinues the disability avoidance program (health club membership); gives one less floating holiday; and imposes a 2.1 percent decrease to the annual salary.
Terms with the police managers include the new retirement tier, discontinuation of the Disability Avoidance Program, and a 1 percent salary increase and additional 20 hours of paid leave. Police managers were the lone bargaining group that did not get a salary increase last year.
“We're just going to have to move on,” said a disappointed Feller. “Our commitment to the city of Visalia will be no less,” he added.
Feller did say the action could “potentially impact” recruiting new officers. He said the “final offer” would save the city approximately $490,000, which is roughly $4,900 per officer. However, City Administrative Services Director Eric Frost said the 4 percent reduction is not all salary and will not mean that much out of pocket.
An example, the officers will get one less paid holiday.
The city stated in February before negotiations began that it needed the employees to agree to compensation concessions in order for the city not having to dig deeper into its reserve. That reserve is a bone of contention with the groups, with the city saying it has dipped below $10 million and bargaining groups contending it is over $30 million. The city has spent more than $7 million of its reserves to make up for a lack of income from sales taxes and property taxes – both hit hard by the recession.
Feller said he was disappointed by how the city negotiated, especially in the past week. “We didn't get a chance to meet with the city. I received no feedback from them. There was no face time, all handled by email.”
However, negotiations with all bargaining groups began in March and numerous face-to-face meetings were held. In the end, said Feller, the officers conceded everything the city wanted but the wage decrease.
He said they even agreed to a two year contract, but apparently the city wasn't interested.
“We didn't feel there was enough movement on their part to go any further,” said Link, adding, “the hang up is they weren't willing to do a 4% (reduction in compensation).”
The only supervisor race in the county was expected to be a hot and heavy one and so far it has lived up to that billing. Charges and counter charges have been flying and with less than a month until the election, it promises to get even more interesting.
What has surfaced the past few weeks are charges – many coming from within Republican circles – that Rouch, a relative newcomer to politics at age 32, has misrepresented himself as being a conservative, fiscal Republican.
“In this race the candidate who is registered Republican is Steven Worthley and his opponent declined to state and is a former Democrat/Green Party member,” said James Henderson, chairman of the Republican Central Committee in Tulare County.
“The issue is he's gone to constituency in Fourth District and lied about who he is. I have no problem with his view, but fact he's lied about it and who he is a problem,” said Henderson, who admitted he does not live in the Fourth District.
The Fourth District takes in the northern edge of Visalia, Goshen, Ivanhoe, a part of Woodlake and the northern end of the county, including Dinuba and Cutler-Orosi.
In the June primary, Worthley won 39 percent of the vote, but Rouch was a close second with 37 percent, forcing the November runoff. Rouch points out that 60 percent of the June vote was for candidates other than Worthley.
Rouch deflected questions about his past, continually saying the race is about the record of his opponent and that he would not “go down the path” of his opponent's smear campaign.
“His (Worthley) campaign has made a choice, we can't run on his record so we need to attack the challenger,” said Rouch. “He's not talking about what he's going to do. He's throwing mud and innuendoes about me.”
However, Worthley said his challenger's character and past are valid issues.
Henderson agrees. “This is a character issue,” said Henderson. “He should have been honest on what he's done. He should come out and tell the truth,” he added.
There are several points that Rouch has claimed that his opponents point to – No. 1 being that they say he once worked for the Sierra Club.
“Not only was it on his resume, but he put it on an application for the city (of Visalia) Environmental Committee,” charge Henderson, adding that Rouch has listed as having worked for the John Kerry for president campaign as well. Kerry is a Democrat.
Those opponents have produced that application and on it Rouch did list as being affiliated with the Sierra Club and the California Wilderness Coalition. However, when asked directly, he did not answer if he had worked for the Sierra Club. “I'm focused on the issues and I'm not going down that rabbit trail,” he responded.
“My opponent voted to raise taxes on farmers,” by voting to end the Williamson Act, he charged, a position Worthley denied, saying he did vote to clean up non-conforming parcels of land that were under property tax protection.
Rouch also cites the raise Supervisors voted themselves two years ago, the alleged Brown Act violations, the lunches, the effort to save the Eastside railroad and Worthley's serving on the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control Board.
“We need to focus on the job, need to focus on the district,” he said, calling allegations about his past efforts to “distract” voters.
Worthley used Rouch's own statement on him, saying that Rouch likes to say that if you want to know what someone will do tomorrow, look at his background. “If someone's not willing to tell you about their past and lying about it, there's a question of integrity,” charged Worthley.
He also denied using
Measure R – the county sales tax – money to
purchase the Eastside railroad. “We've not spent millions
of dollars on a bankrupt railroad, and he says he has only
served on the Air Board six years, not ten as charged by
Rouch.
“I see my role on the board to keep the mandate from
the EPA and look out for the interests of businesses and
industry. My approach has always been pro business,”
he said.
There have also been charges by both camps of campaign signs being damaged or removed.
Voters will also decide a charter amendment change in Tulare and on the far northern fringes of the county voters in the Kingsburg Hospital District will decide whether to sell the assets of that now closed hospital.
Cutler-Orosi
Cutler-Orosi officials are seeking approval of two measures – a $15 million bond measure to improve facilities and an $89 parcel tax over the next five years to provide funds to the district for operation.
Measure T, is the letter given to the bond measure that will increase property taxes in the Cutler-Orosi district on average $60 per year per $100,000 of assessed property value. That tax will remain in effect for 25 years.
According to the ballot measure, the money would be used to improve the quality of education, construct, modernize and renovate outdated classrooms, restrooms and other facilities. It would also make health and safety improvements; update sports facilities; improve student access to computers and modern technology; improvement to kitchen facilities; and construct a local gymnasium for school and community use.
If the bond passes,
work would take about 18 months, said Raffi Soghomonian,
facilities and transportation director for Cutler-Orosi
Joint Unified School District.
“We are confident it will pass,” he added.
The measure will need 55 percent voter approval.
Measure U, the special tax of $89 per parcel annually, with an annual cost of living adjustment, is anticipated to generate approximately $350,000 a year for an unspecific period of time. The ballot measure indicates the tax would be in place as long as the district maintains a recreation program.
That charge will also be added to a property owner's tax bill so the total cost per $100,000 of assessed value in the Cutler-Orosi School District could be around $150 a year.
The proposed tax is to fund recreational programs for youth and to build a recreation department within the Cutler-Orosi area to promote youth activities including sports and other experiences that can develop young people into active, responsible citizens, states the ballot measure.
Currently, there is no recreation department, said Soghomonian.
Two-third approval is needed to pass the parcel tax.
Three Rivers
Three Rivers residents will experience a $56 per parcel annual tax for the next five years if Measure V passes. Measure V is a special assessment parcel tax placed on the November ballot by the Three Rivers School Board of Trustees.
“Three Rivers School District, like many districts in California, has suffered major budget challenges the past five years,” said Susan Sherwood, principal and superintendent for Three Rivers School.
The measure will support and help provide quality educational programs for the students at Three Rivers School. The Three Rivers Elementary School Board will oversee the program and use all proceeds to directly support single grade classrooms; maintain the status of a single school district; support band, music, art, sports programs and provide educational field trips.
In 2006, the school had 185 students, nine teachers - one for each grade level, six instructional aides, a certificated music and band teacher, two cafeteria workers, two grounds/maintenance/transportation workers, and one library technology specialist.
“We had a good reserve account which we have spent down the last five years while trying to maintain single grade classes and offer all the programs that make our school unique,” she added.
Sherwood is currently teaching sixth grade to help maintain the single grade classroom level, which is part of the reason the board initiated the tax.
Today, the school has 154 students, eight teachers, one cafeteria worker, one grounds/maintenance worker, two instructional aides and two office personnel who do combined duties, one band / music teacher and one library and technology specialist.
If passed, the tax will be applied to property tax bills within the Three Rivers School District boundary. Like Cutler-Orois's parcel tax, Three Rivers will need two-thirds voter approval for the tax to pass.
SECOND FRONT PAGE
What's New
VWR International, a supplier of medical laboratory materials that announced in August it would build a large distribution center in the Visalia Industrial Park, is moving as quickly as possible to get its building permit and begin construction, said a city of Visalia building official. Plans are for the center to begin operation in early 2012.
COS students voted on instituting a $5 per semester transit fee that will provide students unlimited travel on the public bus system in Tulare County — equivalent to the existing T-PASS. Students would just need to show their student body photo card to obtain a ride. The $5 fee would provide all but a few percent of the projected cost for the program. COS hopes to set up a similar service in Kings County.
Construction activity in the city of Visalia improved slightly last month over August, but still is far off the pace of a few years ago. Permits were issued for 12 new homes (only seven last month) and there was one permit for a duplex. Total valuation was $6.4 million, up from $5.4 million in August, but the second lowest figure of the year.
More than 850 small businesses sold in California last month, a decline from the total of 951 transactions recorded in September 2009, and from the 1,047 deals completed in August 2010, reported Peter Siegel, MBA, Founder and CEO of BizBen.com, which has been reporting on small business sales in the state since 1996. Sales declined in most of the state's large counties last month compared to the same month last year. BizBen reported 17 small businesses were sold in Tulare County.
Shoppers in downtown Visalia are getting a break. The city council Monday approved converting two-hour parking lots downtown to three-hour lots, giving shoppers an additional hour to shop or dine downtown.
St. Joseph's Christian Supply, which opened in 1992 at Walnut and Giddings, is moving to a new location - 3100 S. Mooney (southeast corner of Mooney and Sunnyside). The store is a non-profit, 401(3)(c), corporation, and is run entirely by unpaid volunteers, run by a board of directors (also unpaid). It carries a wide variety of Catholic and general Christian materials. The new store is over twice as large as the current site and will open Oct. 16.
San Joaquin Valley - With the rainy season approaching once again California's never-ending controversy over water availability remains at the forefront.
At last week's Water Conference sponsored by Southern California Edison's Agricultural Technology Application center, speakers from a cross-section of the water issue shores discussed the status of the state's water bond, water availability, the San Joaquin River settlement and more.
From the need to educate residents of the water issues, to the battle to keep the groundwater level below Tulare County from falling further, officials pointed out the massive challenges ahead.
Mark Larsen, general manager of the Kaweah Delta Water Conservation District, noted that the overdraft of the groundwater under Visalia is roughly about 36,000 acre feet of water – considerably better than a 1972 study that predicted that overdraft would be 100,000 acre feet by today, but not good either.
Larsen, who added the district is doing an update on that groundwater use study, said the district has determined that its “safe yield” – the amount of water that can be pumped from the underground around Visalia each year – is about 575,000 acre feet a year.
Despite efforts by KDWCD, the cities of Visalia and Tulare and several irrigation districts, the battle to stop the groundwater overdraft has been successful, but has not turned the tide. Larsen said the depth of the water table under Visalia has been falling at a rate of about 8 to 10 feet a year. The water table today is approximately 120 feet, about the same as it was a year ago, but not lower. It had been falling the past three years. The water table has been as good as just 39 feet below the surface, which is where it was at in 1988 after a couple of wet years.
In the KDWCD, 53 percent of the water used comes from underground, with the rest surface water. It was surface water – and the lack thereof – that drew interest during the day's opening session.
Tal Eslick with Rep. Devin Nunes' office, said the congressman has worked tirelessly to get more water sent from Northern California into Central California.
“I do believe Congressman Nunes has had some success on the water issue,” Eslick said, “especially with coverage and educating people on the water problem in California.”
Nunes offered several amendments over the spring and summer months to get the feds to pump more water out of the San Joaquin Delta to farms on the Valley's Westside, but had little success. Despite an above average snowpack, water releases to the Valley were at historic low levels, causing thousands of acres of fertile farm ground to lay fallow and thousands of farm workers seeking public assistance.
Assemblywoman Connie Conway (R-34th District), said she is concerned with the state water bond that is now scheduled to go before the votes in 2012 as carrying way too many things for too many folks.
“They tried to put everything into it,” she said of the $11 billion bond measure.
She said the bill is not well written. “After 10 years of fighting, we spent 24 hours to settle on it,” she said, but added at least there is now a ballot measure that voters can “weigh in on.”
She also feels it is good the measure is not on this year's ballot, although she said those who oppose it wanted it on the November ballot, figuring voters were in no mood to pass such a measure.
“The measure could change. I believe the fight will continue,” she said, adding, “I'm counting on each and every one of you to keep up the fight.”
Ron Jacobsma, general manager of the Friant Water Users Authority, explained his group agreed to settle the long-fought San Joaquin River case to eliminate uncertainty, to stop the financial bleeding the prolonged legal fight cost and to ensure a more stable water supply for Eastside users.
“We know exactly what will be released,” he said, adding Eastside users get a stable supply of 800,000 acre feet.
He said the settlement also provides funds to make repairs to the Friant-Kern Canal that runs along the county's east side and that irrigation districts within the Friant Authority now have lifetime contracts.
He said one solution to the water crisis facing the region would be the construction of the Temperance Flat Dam on the Friant watershed.
Nunes has proposed legislation for that dam.
Saying the region still can't handle runoff in wet years, the new dam would “help us pick up water year supply,” and supply water for salmon.
Westlands Fights Back
An innovative plan for exchanging water between the Westlands Water District and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California will produce double benefits for the public - delivering water where it is needed most and applying it when it can do the most good for both farms and cities, stated Westlands' board president Jean P. Sagouspe in response to criticism of the plan by Rep. George Miller (D-Richmond).
“The plan is simple, sensible, and consistent with the best principles of responsible water conservation and protection of the public interest," said Sagouspe.
Sagouspe's comments appeared in a letter responding to four California congressional representatives who were concerned that Westlands might be receiving "extra" water after three years of water shortages that have thrown thousands of people out of work and cost the economy billions of dollars in losses. On the contrary, Sagouspe pointed out, because of federal regulations, Westlands is still receiving less than half of its normal allocation of water this year even though reservoirs in California are running above 100 percent of capacity.
Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno) weighed in as well, vowing to fight his fellow Democrats' efforts to block the water transfer.
“Miller and his allies are dead wrong to create the impression that extra water was delivered to Westlands in 2010. No region's water supply in California has been more impacted by the water crisis than here in the San Joaquin Valley. That is a fact,” said Costa.
Acknowledging that the feds finally did release more water than it originally projected, “While we still need more, we handed Miller a defeat and he just can't stand to see more water flowing to the Valley. Now he is harassing one of our water districts because he doesn't like their attempts to maximize what water they have,” Costa charged.
“My position has not changed one bit. If Miller and his allies think they can get away with attacking Valley farmers and farmworkers whose livelihoods depend on water, he is wrong. If he wants to pick a fight with an entire Valley population whose economy hinges on a fair share of water, we'll give him one,” he added.
Hanford - When the new Adventist Medical Center-Hanford opens next week (Oct. 17), Central Valley General Hospital and Hanford Community Medical Center will stay busy with Adventist Health services.
"A hospital can't exist without a community," said Richard L. Rawson, president and CEO of Adventist Health/Central Valley Network, which includes the two Hanford hospitals. "Our hospitals are staying busy because our community supports us. It's a privilege to serve Kings County, and we are grateful for that support."
The Hanford Medical Pavilion next to the new facility opened earlier this month. It includes an outpatient surgery center, imaging center and laboratory patient services center on the first floor and physician offices on the second and third floors.
When Adventist Medical Center opens, emergency services at Central Valley General Hospital will close, but the hospital will still provide obstetrics, laboratory, imaging and support services. The obstetrics department will expand to the second floor of the building to provide all private rooms.
The Adventist Health/Community Care clinics at the hospital will not be affected by the transition in hospital services and will remain open.
Hanford Community Medical Center will be renamed Adventist Health/Central Valley Network-Support Services. It will house Medical Records, Education and Material Management Departments, among other departments and some administration until leaders decide how the building would best be used to meet community needs.
The Emergency Department at Hanford Community Medical Center will move to Adventist Medical Center-Hanford, 115 Mall Drive, with the Central Valley General Hospital Emergency Department, starting at 6 a.m. on opening day (Oct. 17). The move is expected to finish early that afternoon. Staff members have been cross-training for over a year to prepare for the move.
The hospital at 115 Mall Drive will include:
· First floor: emergency, laboratory, surgery, dietary and admitting departments along with the cafeteria and administrative offices.
· Second and third floors: Medical/Surgical and intensive care services.
· 142 private beds, including 120 medical/surgical beds, 22 intensive care unit beds 26 private emergency rooms, including four trauma rooms.
· Six 600-square-foot surgical suites with advanced technology.
· 4.5-acre park with walking track and fitness course next to the hospital.
· Three stories, 202,000 square feet, including 32,000 square feet of expansion space for 60 additional beds.
· 801 parking spaces, compared with 278 at Hanford Community Medical Center and the Kerr Outpatient Center.
Adventist Health/Central Valley Network is part of Adventist Health, a not-for-profit, faith-based health care system operating in California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington.
By Miles Shuper
Visalia - Visalian Betty Treaster knew her grandfather William Frazier and his brothers were the founders of the Frazier Mine and the namesake of Frazier Mountain and Frazier Park in southern Kern County.
But it wasn't until recently that she rediscovered
his photo, a prize which Kern County historians did not
have until now.
The photo's reappearance comes during the 140th anniversary
of the founding of the Frazier Mine where gold was discovered
in 1870.
Treaster rediscovered her grandfather's photo while going through her large collection of family history at her Visalia. Right away she contacted Terry Ommen, a leading Tulare County historian, researcher and author who confirmed the age of the photo fit the time frame of grandfather and his family in Kern County. That provided further evidence it was not another family member with the same first name, Treaster said.
After some additional research Ommen had the photo restored and sent a copy to Bonnie Kane, a historian for that area who has written several books and is connected to the Ridge Route Communities Museum.
Kane said having the photo is very exciting and has closed part of the gap in the Frazier family chronicles. Of the three Frazier bothers, William, Warren and Edgar, only Edgar's picture is now missing although there are photos of his wife and of William's wife in the history files at the Ridge Route Communities Museum in Frazier Park. William's name is on some maps and some property records.
Kane said Warren was the brother who generally worked the mine.
Treaster said stories of her grandfather, William, and his brothers are intriguing as well as colorful. She said her grandfather was gone from home for long periods of time and his travels took him to Alaska and places still unknown to family members. She recalls stories about William's adventures in Alaska and his spending long winter nights memorizing classic writings such as “Hiawatha” and the “Lady of the Lake” which he would recite to his grandchildren.
She said he was also reputed to be an expert taxidermist and kite maker.
Treaster is very familiar with the story of how the Frazier brothers came to California and how they found gold.
She also has a copy of a1977 Mountain Express newspaper with a picture of family members at the dedication of a plaque dedicated to the gold discovery.
Treaster's eldest sister, Bernice Blain Bowman, was instrumental in arranging to have the plaque made and dedicated.
The story notes, “also attending were the other Blain children, Leonard Blain, Al Blain and Betty Blain Treaster, all of Visalia. Their brother, Bill Blain, of Nevada was not able to be here.”
Treaster said her fondest memory of the dedication was being able to talk with another grandson of one of the three Fraziers who found the gold. Treaster said, “Shorty” Wells recalled talking with William Frazier and being able to fill in even more details than previously recorded accounts of the three brothers.
According to documents, the Fraziers came to California while working with crews that brought the railroad across the county. They settled in Bakersfield and often went to the mountains as “market hunters” providing meat to a market in the Valley.
As the story goes, they were tracking down a deer they had shot and came upon some gold nuggets. After returning to Bakersfield and gathering supplies they returned to stake their claim.
It turned out to be good claim and led to a producing mine from 1870 to the 1980s.
The rediscovery of the photo of William Frazier can't be measured in terms of that mine, but for Betty Treaster and her family and Kern County historians, it is certainly a prized nugget.
The above stories are the property of The Valley Voice Newspaper and may not be reprinted without explicit permission in writing from the publisher.
October 7, 2010
