THANKS GIVING

In November, our thoughts naturally turn to family, friends, and the Thanksgiving season.  It’s a special time when we hopefully remember to say “thank you” for our many blessings.  Recently, Visalia’s solid waste department received a nice “thank you” from Nasser Kadkhodaian.

Mr. Kadkhodaian telephoned the city regarding his mother, who is almost 90 and lives alone here.  He related that he was visiting his mother and noticed her solid waste driver, Stan Padilla, taking her heavy garbage can out to the curb so that it could be dumped.  Stan told Mr. Kadkhodaian that one day he saw Mr. Kadkhodaian’s mother struggling to put her can out, so he stopped and helped her.  Since then, Stan had taken it upon himself to retrieve her garbage can and pack it out if the can was not by the curb.  Mr. Kadkhodaian indicated that he was so touched by this kindness that it made him cry, that someone was so nice to look out for his mother in such a thoughtful way.

I telephoned Mr. Kadkhodaian back to thank him for letting the city know of Stan’s quiet service in this situation.  Mr. Kadkhodaian replied that he has lived in Visalia for many years, that he loves his neighborhood, and that he is proud of his city.

We have many fine city employees who give service over and above that required of their jobs.  We always enjoy hearing from people like Mr. Kadkhodaian.  I might add that his mother has now applied for and qualified for free pack out service from the city.  Stan was also recognized in a morning briefing and applauded for his outstanding customer service.

HOMELESS ISSUE:  The city recently enacted a new ordinance prohibiting shopping carts in our parks and along our city trails.  Shopping carts piled high with the belongings of the homeless have admittedly become an eyesore, and as part of this ordinance, we have required local merchants who provide shopping carts to monitor their use and to promptly retrieve them if located elsewhere around town.  However, at the same time, the city has purchased four Seatrains and donated storage containers whereby the homeless can store their belongings at no charge.  These Seatrains and containers will be overseen by the Visalia Rescue Mission and the homeless will have free storage and access to their personal belongings without having to cart them around town with them. This is an attempt by the city to clean up our parks and streets, but at the same time deal compassionately with those who are less fortunate.  We recently received a report from the VRM that they sleep 100 homeless men per night.  That is their capacity.  About half of those are in their Next Step program, whose goal is to assist the homeless to find employment and housing.  The VRM has taken approximately 92 homeless men off the streets through this program, according to Kurt Salierno of the VRM.  We thank them along with the Samaritan Center, the Salvation Army, Visalia Emergency Aid Council, and the many other non-profits, churches and individuals who partner with the city to feed and care for the needs of the homeless.  May I recommend that if you are approached for a handout, you refer the person to our local resources, and instead make your financial contributions to these experienced charitable organizations so that they can provide for the needs of the homeless.

BASEBALL MOVIE:  By the time you read this, a short movie will have been filmed at Rawhide Stadium.  This was a “promo/concept” film, about 45 minutes long, with the hope that it will get picked up and become the basis for a full-length movie.  This will likely generate some good publicity for Visalia, and contribute to the local economy by way of additional hotel occupancy and restaurant meals purchased.  I am told that the crew looked at other locations, but liked the feel of our local Rawhide Stadium and the cooperation that they received from our community and local ball club.
COPS AWARD:  Visalia has been awarded a $375,000.00 COPS grant from the federal government.  This will provide partial funding for three more police officers to be stationed at our local junior high schools.  The city and school district will work together to come up with the funding for the balance needed to implement this program.

Finally, many thanks to my loyal readers, and to Direct Magazine for giving me a venue in their great magazine to express my thoughts.

Happy Thanksgiving to all this holiday season!


Warren Gubler
Visalia City Councilmember
wgubler@ci.visalia.ca.us
(559) 713-4400 x 3313

ADDRESSING THE HOMELESS ISSUE

Thank you to the Times Delta for publicizing my recent Donuts and Discussion, held last Saturday morning at the community center at Lincoln Oval Park.  We had a great turnout,  approximately 30 local citizens in addition to city representatives.  A number of the attendees were from the immediate neighborhood.  We had a frank discussion, not only about the homeless issue, but also about the city’s new shopping cart ordinance, planned road modifications for and improvements to the park.

When I arrived for the 8:00 a.m. meeting, I noted that all the shopping carts in the park were gone, although some homeless still remained along with their bagged possessions.  Last week was the first time Visalia has implemented the new ordinance that prohibits shopping carts in our city parks and trailways.  The carts were retrieved by code enforcement to be returned to local merchants.  Approximately 100 carts have been retrieved from the Oval Park area.  At the same time, about 40 of the homeless have taken advantage of the new, secure storage facility at the Rescue Mission where they can store their possessions 24/7 free of charge.  This is intended to get rid of the shopping cart blight in our parks and trails, and at the same time to compassionately give our homeless another alternative.  We need to give this new project time to work.  As we gain the trust of the homeless, and as the weather gets colder, we hope the homeless will take advantage of this new storage resource.

From the lively discussions at our D & D meeting, it became clear to me that most people in the community want to help the situation, but just don’t know how.  I’ve asked the city to compile a resource guide, listing the available agencies and non-profits who can help in the following seven service areas: food, shelter, clothing, drug addiction, mental health, physical health and employment.  It is my recommendation to post this information on the city’s website, as well as to make it available to the public as a handout.  Hopefully, we will get this information out directly to the homeless so that they can seek necessary assistance.  We’ll try to update it regularly.

After the D & D meeting, I, along with some city staff, went out to visit in the park with the homeless who had congregated there.  They seemed genuinely pleased that we would take the time to come and speak with them and get their views.  I found them to be bright and articulate.  We had an interesting dialog and learned of some of their concerns.  I’m hoping that we can plan additional visits directly with the homeless to keep that dialog going.

In my opinion, the city should not attempt to reinvent the wheel by duplicating the services already being provided by our non-profits, churches and agencies.  Instead, we should continue to support them in their projects and services for the homeless.  May I again recommend that citizens not give money directly to panhandlers.  Our public safety officers maintain that a large number of those soliciting money are not homeless, but rather are panhandlers making a good living off of such donations, which donation the giver cannot monitor to know how it’s spent.  Instead, particularly with the holidays coming up, may I suggest that we all donate generously, and direct those donations to the service organizations, such as the Rescue Mission, the Bethlehem Center, the Salvation Army, and the Visalia Emergency Aid Council.  By so doing, you can rest assured that these professionals will be better able to feed, clothe and shelter the truly needy.  If you are approached by a person seeking monetary assistance, instead provide them with a piece of fruit, power bar, or coupon to a local food restaurant, and soon to be available city resource guide.

Many of the homeless are serious about seeking help and improving their situation.  For those, we should be willing to provide assistance.  For instance, a recent report I received from the Rescue Mission indicates that they helped 92 homeless men off the streets through their Next Step Program, finding them jobs and housing.  However,  others are not ready to accept such help, whether it be because of mental illness, drug addiction, or otherwise.  As to those, we must insist that they obey the law and respect the private property rights of others, and we must enforce the law.

Also, let’s support our Oval businesses.  Two such successful businesses include Pho and Seafood (I ate there today) and Carlos’ barber shop.  The City of Visalia is aware of these homeless issues, and while we don’t pretend to have all the answers, we’ll continue to be at the forefront of finding creative solutions.

Published in Visalia Times Delta 10/24/13

                                              

THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN VISALIA

Monday, August 19, 2013.  I arrive early at City Hall for the 4:30 p.m. work session of the city council.  We slog through that agenda, then confer in closed session from 6 to 7.  At 7 p.m., we reconvene in council chambers to hold our regular city council meeting.  As we begin the meeting, the lights flicker, go out momentarily, then come back on. We continue with our meeting until 8 p.m. when city manager Steve Salomon steals up behind the dais where we are deliberating to whisper that the Rector power station in southeast Visalia is on fire and that power is out around the county.  Councilman Bob Link leans over to share his wife’s text that not only Tulare County but all of Kings County is without power.  In the midst of this realization, my high school daughter Lora, who is home alone, rings my cell phone so I step out to take the call.  She indicates that all the power is out at home.  I reply that City Hall is on emergency generators, we still have lights and some air conditioning.  She asks if she can come down and finish her homework by the lights at City Hall. Glad that she is okay, I step back into the council meeting.  We finally conclude our deliberations a little before 9 p.m.  By this time the council chambers have emptied, most city personnel having left to address this city emergency.

Lora is waiting for me in the foyer of city hall.  She hasn’t had much for dinner.  I suggest we cruise around to see if any place is open.  There is almost a full moon on this muggy evening.  We drive around downtown.  The hospital lights are on by way of back-up emergency generators.  Some stop lights are likewise on, powered by battery back-ups.  Otherwise, downtown has a dark, eery feel to it, may be a good place for the next film noir or zombie movie?  All restaurants and businesses are empty and closed.  We find one gas station/mini mart miraculously open on Mineral King, but there is a line of cars trailing into the street.  We decide not to wait.  We then try Mooney Blvd. and find it likewise completely dark, other than a few stop lights that are still working.  Next, we stop at my law office to check on our server, I retrieve my trusty dictaphone.  I suggest to Lora that we visit the city’s Emergency Operations Center to investigate what is happening there.  As a dad, I take every opportunity to give my daughter a civics lesson.

The EOC is located at Station 55 on the corner of Shirk and Ferguson.  We pull in to find all the lights on, again due to emergency generators.  Inside, we greet the city manager, some council members, fire and police staff along with some department heads and miscellaneous city staff.  A t.v. news channel is describing the recent storm and power outage.  People are huddled around computers and communication equipment.  Lora heads to a table that has some frozen burritos, peanut butter-filled pretzels, biscotti, uncrustables, and drinks.  At last, Lora is able to satiate her appetite.  The new Fire Chief, Doug McBee, indicates that 120,000 Edison Company customers are without power, he estimates it could be as many as half a million people!

We speak with Police Chief Colleen Mestas and some of her staff.  She indicates that they have officers and reserves patrolling the streets.  There is no looting or criminal activity related to the power outage. After visiting a bit more and observing how efficiently the EOC is being operated, I head home with Lora and let the city staff take care of the city.

Back home, the house is stuffy, it is actually cooler outside than in.  With my flashlight, I head upstairs and change, trying to decide whether to sleep indoors or out.  Lora, being ever inquisitive, tries the whole-house fan switch once more, this time it comes on!  We gratefully flip the power switches on and re-set the clocks.  The time is 10:21.  I check the fridge and freezer, food is still safe  for Lora’s future consumption.  I telephone assistant city manager Mike Olmos to report that our part of town has power back on. He relates that our city fire department has extinguished the Rector station fire.  Thankful to have power resumption, and knowing our city is in good hands, I decide to end this dictation and get some sleep.

COMPLIMENTS TO VISALIA

In last month’s article, I referenced a recent Fresno Bee editorial that was very complimentary of Visalia as being a business-friendly community.  Let me share with you some excerpts from another article, this one authored by Joe Matthews of the L.A. Daily News and posted July 16, 2013:

“Are you a young person in an expensive coastal city who fears the California dream ended a few generations back?  Do you see no end to your struggles with high rents and a sluggish job market?

“Go inland, young Californian.  If I were younger, I’d think hard about moving to Visalia, population 126,000, about 45 minutes south of Fresno.

“The city is an art center, with its own symphony and opera.  Its downtown has at once old-school charm and new-school functionality, with enough ethnic food options to satisfy even an L.A. hipster.  The minor league baseball team, the Visalia Rawhide, is run with major-league style.

“On a recent visit, I marveled at a three bedroom, two bath, 2,100 square foot house for sale in a spotless neighborhood for $179,000.00.  And you get more than you pay for.  A new survey of Visalia residents found that 69 percent  rated the quality of life in town as either high or very high.

“But what’s most striking about Visalia, and other smaller cities of California, is the relative openness of the people in charge.

“Inland California won’t be built in a day.... but move now, and you can get in on the ground floor.”

Sequoia Shuttle:  On a recent weekend, my brother and I took our families to Sequoia National Park to do a little camping and sightseeing.  In particular, I wanted to test out the Sequoia Shuttle, run for the National Park Service by our Visalia Transit department.  I found numerous shuttle stops within the park, clean, modern and air conditioned shuttle buses, and polite drivers.  I met people on the shuttle buses from around the world.  This shuttle service reduces automobile traffic within the park and certainly was convenient for getting around to the main tourist sites.  I was impressed that each bus not only had the National Park Service logo on it, but Visalia’s logo next to that as well.  This is clever marketing, because when people see this, they will associate Visalia with Sequoia National Park.  I predict that this will pay future big dividends for Visalia tourism.  While a bus ticket from Visalia to Sequoia National Park and back is a mere $15.00 (inclusive of park entry fees, and not much more than a movie ticket), the shuttle buses within the park are free to the public.

Survey Results: The Citizens Advisory Committee conducted their annual public opinion survey and presented their 2013 findings to the city council at our July 15th meeting.  The results included that 69% of the respondents rated the overall quality of life in Visalia as high or very high.  88% rated fire services as good to excellent, and 70% rated police services as good to excellent.  Overall, comparing this year’s survey results with past years, citizens appear to be more optimistic about the direction Visalia is headed, as the economy continues to improve.

Positive Trends: Adam Peck, the executive director of the Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County, recently made a presentation to the VEDC.  Some of the positive trends he noted included that in the third quarter of 2012, Tulare County taxable sales increased by 7.7% compared to the state average of 1.1%.  City of Visalia building permits for single-family homes are up 81% so far in 2013.

Dump on Us Success: On July 20, 2013, Visalia’s Solid Waste department sponsored its quarterly free Dump on Us event at the city yard.  824 vehicles (including mine) visited that morning to dispose of their home refuse, a record for this event.  This successful program just keeps getting better.  A special thanks to Bill Huott, who always organizes a volunteer team of workers with trucks to pick up mattresses, tires and other refuse in north Visalia to dispose of at this event.  The final one in 2013 is scheduled for October 19.  Mark your calendar!

Blue Ribbon Task Force:  At the July 15 council work session, we received the final report of the task force appointed to consider putting a sales tax increase on the ballot.  The committee’s conclusion was that such an increase is not needed at this time, which I agree with.  No proposed tax increase should ever be implemented in a rush, at least not until all the needs of the community and alternatives are explored.  In this case, the slow but steady process worked, and I congratulate the blue ribbon committee on a job well done.


Warren Gubler
Visalia City Councilmember
wgubler@ci.visalia.ca.us
(559) 713-4400 x 3313

MARKETING VISALIA

One of the privileges I enjoy as a member of the city council is attending the monthly meetings of the Visalia Economic Development Corporation (VEDC).  These meetings are held at 7 a.m. on the third Wednesday of each month at the Buckman Mitchell offices downtown.  The VEDC is a 501c(3) non-profit organization formed in 1996 to nurture and develop the Visalia economy, to help businesses thrive and to create jobs.  According to its website at visaliaedc.com, the VEDC acts as a catalyst in creating a positive business climate, facilitating a stronger link between the business community and local education-training programs, and ensuring adequate infrastructure investment.  It is committed to addressing unemployment, Visalia’s general plan, education and positive growth.  The attendees include various businesspeople, bankers, retailers and government officials, and is open to the public.  Its executive director is Nancy Lockwood, Stephen Peck is the outgoing president, and Wayne Millies is the incoming president of the board of directors.

VEDC’s website provides an all-in-one location for advertising Visalia, Visalia demographics, information about the community and business incentives.  For instance, go to its website, click on “demographics,” and you can find out what the average hourly and annual wage is for just about every occupation in Visalia.

At these monthly meetings, we often hear from guest speakers on topics of current interest.  At our most recent meeting, Ted Smalley of TCAG (Tulare County Association of Governments), gave us a presentation regarding Measure R.  Mr. Smalley’s report touted the success of the first five years of our Measure R regional projects (2007-2012).  Measure R is a half-cent sales tax measure that was approved by county voters, and is making possible major improvements to Tulare County’s transportation system, from major road improvements and pothole repair to bike paths and mass transit.  The monies raised by Measure R have been used to successfully leverage over $200 million in state funding for shovel-ready Tulare County projects.  In Visalia, you can see those tax dollars at work when you view the Plaza Drive/198 interchange under construction, as well as the recent Ben Maddox/198 bridge remodel, and our beautiful trail system.  Close by in Goshen, is the recently completed Betty Drive bridge and street widening connecting to the industrial park and Riggin Road.  Some of these dollars also were spent on widening Mooney Blvd. which made that street three lanes in each direction.  Additional projects have included the Santa Fe bridge overcrossing, and the Road 80 widening to Dinuba.  Measure R funds have been used in Visalia to resurface streets, install sidewalks and upgrade traffic signals. Visalia has received local funding from Measure R of $8.23 million, and Tulare County has received $17.4 million, with additional monies going to the other cities in the county.

Mr. Smalley’s report was just one example of information that is shared with the attendees at our monthly VEDC meetings.  I encourage all that are interested in our business community and in what is happening locally, to join with us.

Next Donuts and Discussion:  August 24, 2013, 7:00 a.m. at Panera Bread. Police Chief Colleen Mestas will be with me to discuss public safety and to answer questions from the public.

More Good News:  New tax revenue projections indicate that this year, real property valuations will increase by 4.8%, which roughly translates into another $500,000.00 of projected tax revenues for the City of Visalia.

Business Friendly Visalia:  A June 3, 2013 Editorial in the Fresno Bee, while describing Fresno’s ongoing problems, had this to say about Visalia: “But it’s impossible to overlook the fact that Bakersfield and Visalia, for the past several years,  have billed themselves as business-friendly cities and now are on the leading edge of the recovery. What makes for a business friendly city?  Encouraging entrepreneurs, answering their questions straight up and briskly processing their permits.  A business friendly city bends over backward to ensure that projects aren’t held up by last-minute surprises.”

If you have questions or topics regarding the city  which you would like to have addressed in future articles, please email Warren at wgubler@ci.visalia.ca.us, or call (559) 713-4400 x 3313.  For past articles, visit directfromwarren.blogspot.com.


Warren Gubler
Visalia City Councilmember

TRAILS AND TAXES

TRAILS:  In May, I took my family for an early morning bike ride along the St. John’s Riverwalk.  We parked our truck at the trail head located on N. Ben Maddox and commenced our bike ride from there.  Various species of plants were identified by explanatory signs along the trail.  As we pedaled  east along the paved trail, we waved “hello” to a number of walkers and joggers.  The weather was perfect, around 70° at 7:00 a.m.  Off to the left were citrus groves, and to the right some residential areas.  The mighty St. John’s River was dry this time of year.  The trail went under the overpasses on Lover’s Lane and McAuliff, such that we didn’t have to stop for street traffic.  I noted an oak grove that had grown from saplings planted by one of my scouts, Danny Allen, as an Eagle Scout project over 20 years ago.  I also saw a number of benches along the trail that had been installed as Eagle projects by various scouts from Troop 308.  The trail was even furnished with “mutt mitts” kiosks along the way for hikers who bring along their leashed dogs.  The native vegetation along the trail was well maintained and created a pleasant atmosphere.  We passed under the newly installed, lofty SCE power poles and finally arrived at Cutler Park.  After stopping for a water break, we turned around and rode back to the Ben Maddox trail head.  

I ended up continuing my ride to the west of Ben Maddox to explore the rest of the trail.  It ended just before Old Dinuba Highway and the Target Shopping Center.  The city continues to accumulate the necessary land parcels such that this trail will eventually end at the River Way Sports Park.  This east/west trail is outstanding, and my only regret is that I have not taken advantage of this community asset in the past.  There will be other trails connecting to it eventually, including the Santa Fe Trail which heads south to Mooney Grove Park.  Also in the works is a new greenway trail further to the east that will follow along the north/south SCE corridor.  These trails have been financed for the most part from Measure R funds along with other grants the city has obtained.  Kudos to the City of Visalia, the Parks and Recreation Dept. and all who have made these amenities available to the public.  While I’m on the topic, double kudos to the Waterways and Trails Committee for supporting National Bike to Work Week in May, and all those who participated.

TAXES:  I recently came across an interesting news article entitled The Wealthy Won’t Simply Stand By and Pay Higher Tax Rates by Deroy Murdock.  I share with you a few of his observations, along with some of my own.  There is mounting evidence that tax payers go where taxes are low. Golf great Phil Mickelson was in the news recently, when he suggested that higher taxes might drive him from his native California to another state with lower taxes.  He stated “If you add up all the federal (levies) and you look at the disability and the unemployment and the social security and the state, my tax rate is 62, 63%.”  That leaves him with just 37¢ of every dollar that he earns.  I’d suggest that we all try adding up the taxes and fees that we’re paying to various governmental entities, those just mentioned, along with property tax, sales tax, school tax, gasoline tax, tolls, business fees, development fees, and so forth.  Then you will be able to better gauge what’s left to spend of your hard-earned dollars.  

Between 1995 and 2010, $2 trillion in wealth was shifted by people abandoning California, Illinois, New Jersey and other high-tax states and unpacking in low-tax states such as Florida, Nevada and Texas.  One-way traffic from New York to Florida is so steady that Harrington Moving & Storage specializes in moving people south.  According to a 2008 Princeton study, when New Jersey boosted its top tax rate from 6.35% to 8.97%, thousands left the state and state deficits soon erupted. 

When that much money leaves the state, it takes jobs with it.  I suspect that most of us know of people and businesses who have left California because they believed it’s too expensive to live and do business here. It should be painfully obvious by now that “income moves to where it is most welcome, tax wise.”  It’s death from a thousand cuts as each governmental and taxing entity asks for just a little bit more.

Visalians should consider this when balancing possible higher local taxes versus the level of city services desired.

A FINAL NOTE: I enjoyed the dedication and tour of Kaweah Delta Medical Center’s impressive new helipad.  This will be a terrific addition to their downtown campus, and their main parking lot is open again.  I saw our friend Janet Robertson at the dedication, great to have her back!

Warren Gubler

Visalia City Councilmember

wgubler@ci.visalia.ca.us

NEWS OF VISALIA

Happy Birthday:  Congratulations to Ed and Betty Vollmer.  Ed, a former mayor of Visalia, turned 90 on tax day, April 15, and he and Betty celebrated their 68^th wedding anniversary the same day.  Betty’s birthday was the following week, April 22.  We thank this young couple for all that they have done for our community.

This Place Matters:  Congratulations also to Don and Beverly Goodyear, for a job well done in restoring  a 1908 residence built by Lemuel and Maud Hyde of Visalia’s pioneering Hyde family.  On April 20, the home at 401 W. Grove Street received a plaque as part of Visalia’s historic recognition program.  The home has been designated as a “This Place Matters ” site by the Visalia Historic Preservation Advisory Committee and the Kaweah Kollectors.  I recommend that you drive by to see this historic marvel.

Oval Park Rescued:  The Visalia Rescue Mission recently completed nearly $15,000.00 in improvements to the Lincoln Oval building, in conjunction with local churches, the North Visalia Advisory Committee, Continuum of Care and Mental Health.  The grand opening was April 4, 2013.  Nick Anthony is the new activities director there.  The building is available for use by any community group.  This ongoing project should revitalize Oval Park and connect churches, organizations and businesses with the Oval area.

Goodbye Harry:  The groundbreaking for Family Health Care Network’s expansion at 401 E. School Avenue was held April 22, 2013.  This new 34,607 square foot expansion, along with Imagine U’s new museum nearby, will be the impetus for further development of east downtown.  Harry Foster, who has headed this organization for many years, retired the same day and is being succeeded  by Kerry Hydash.  We wish Harry many happy years of retirement and thank him for what he has done locally for the health care community.

Garbage Update:  New in this year’s annual survey of Visalians were questions about whether local citizens are satisfied with the current split-can garbage collection service, or if customers would prefer to have separate containers for waste and recycling.  A 3-can system (solid waste, green waste, and recycling) would  provide more room for disposing of our garbage, but would take up more space at home, and require some additional maneuvering to bring the cans curbside.  The survey results showed that 72% want separate cans, 22% are okay with maintaining the split cans, and 4% don’t care one way or the other.  These survey results will help guide city leaders in future considerations.  If you’d like to share your opinion on the topic, feel free to email me or Adam Ennis, Public Works Director, at aennis@ci.visalia.ca.us.

Hungry Visalia:  Data from a recent sales tax survey shows that Visalians are supporting the local business economy with their hard-earned dollars.  This survey ranked Visalia as to 37 retail business establishments.  Visalia’s retail sales topped all of Tulare County as to each of those businesses, and were some of the highest in the state.  In particular, Visalia did very well in the food establishment category.  Some highlights include: Buffalo Wild Wings #4 (out of 16 stores), Hobby Lobby #2 (8), In-and-Out Burger #4 (126), J.C. Penny #15 (82), Panera Bread #14 (49) Red Robin #8 (64), Sizzler #2 (21), and Habit Burger #3 (40).  Visalians continue to support our community by their purchases and the sales tax revenues they generate.

Outstanding Teachers:  Teachers from our local high schools, selected by their students, were recently recognized for excellence in teaching by receiving Crystal Apple Awards.  The 2013 honorees included: Jim Fitzpatrick, Redwood H.S., Stephanie Francis, Mt. Whitney H.S., Dr. David Harrow, Woodlake H.S., Bruce Jeffcoach, Golden West H.S., Raquel Lugo, El Diamante H.S., and Cindy Blackmon, Exeter H.S.  Thank you to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for sponsoring this annual event.

Volunteer Highlights:  April has turned out to be volunteer month in Visalia.  We thank the hundreds of individuals and churches who turned out for Serve Visalia, Earth Day and Arbor Day, including Valley Christian Church, Neighborhood Church, First Presbyterian Church, Radiant Church, Visalia Community Covenant Church, Saviors Community Church, Mormon Helping Hands, Eagle Scout candidate Spencer Darnell, and many others.  Volunteers cleaned Mooney Grove Museum, planted trees and did landscaping, painted, spread bark, did graffiti abatement and trash removal, held a blood drive, built a school garden, and made blankets and hats for childhood cancer patients.

If you have questions or topics regarding the city  which you would like to have addressed in future articles, please email Warren at wgubler@ci.visalia.ca.us, or call (559) 713-4400 x 3313.  For past articles, visit directfromwarren.blogspot.com.

                                                                                    Warren Gubler

                                                                                    Visalia City Councilmember