2013 Local News Archive Stories

Passing under orange and green floral arches, the Porterville High School Class of 2013 — dressed in orange and green caps and gowns — smiled, waved and blew kisses towards family and friends in the stands, as the Panther Band underclassmen played “Pomp and Circumstance” during the school’s 115th Commencement Thursd

Last night’s mood for students and members of the audience was relaxed and full of smiles. Before the graduation ceremony started, the seniors of Citrus High School milled about, chatting with their friends and family members in the audience. Makeup was repaired, clothes were readjusted and then readjusted again as the students waited eage

SACRAMENTO — The state’s largest health insurers, including Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield and Kaiser Permanente, will be among 13 plans competing to provide coverage to millions of Californians through the state’s new health exchange, officials announced Thursday. Covered California, the state agency running the

Tourism and how it is growing in Tulare County were the subjects of the first State of the Industry tourism event Thursday morning. Chamber, city and civic leaders gathered to hear Lynn Carpenter of Visit California, the state’s tourism marketing arm, say that visits by tourists and how much money those tourists spend each ye

Porterville, along with the rest of the nation, will honor those killed in action Monday during the annual Memorial Day Service in Hillcrest Cemetery. American Legion Post 20’s Memorial Day ceremony will start at 10 a.m. Monday, and the “Avenue of the Flags,” a stirring presentation of Old Glory, will also be disp

With the weekend weather predicted to be in the low to mid-eighties, many people will be looking for all of the great activities available for the holiday weekend. Giant Sequoia National Monument and Success Lake are two of the top destinations for those seeking a fun-filled Memorial Day weekend. The Giant

A film about a local teen with autism will be screened at the Sprout Film Festival, slated for May 31 to June 2 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Kendall Collins, 19, who was diagnosed with autism at age 5, was thrown into the spotlight after his story — and his artwork, drawings of trains with intense detai

With the Memorial Day weekend approaching, CalFire is reminding all Californians about the increased fire danger this year and asks everyone to be extra careful in the outdoors. “Holiday weekends are a great time for friends and families to go out and enjoy the outdoors, but we must all remain aware of the fire danger and the

Tourism and how it is growing in Tulare County were the subjects of the first State of the Industry tourism event Thursday morning. Chamber, city and civic leaders gathered to hear Lynn Carpenter of Visit California, the state’s tourism marketing arm, say that visits by tourists and how much money those tourists spend each ye

With the Memorial Day weekend approaching, CalFire is reminding all Californians about the increased fire danger this year and asks everyone to be extra careful in the outdoors. “Holiday weekends are a great time for friends and families to go out and enjoy the outdoors, but we must all remain aware of the fire danger and the

By ESTHER AVILA One local music educator, Mike Allard of Harmony Magnet Academy, is among 217 music teachers announced Thursday as quarterfinalists in the first-ever Music Educator Award to be presented by the Recording Academy and the Grammy Foundation in 2014. In total, more than 30,000 nominations from all 50 stat

A packed stadium cheered and screamed as the crowd watched the Monache High School Class of 2013, dressed in their blue and gold caps and gowns, take their final steps as high school seniors Wednesday evening during Monache High School’s 43rd Commencement at Rankin Stadium. In the stands, Josh Sanchez and Jose Larios —

Tom Tidwell, chief of the Forest Service, affirmed May 15 the latest Giant Sequoia National Monument management plan, moving that plan a step closer to reality after more than 12 years of study and negotiations. The plan, which was ordered when President Bill Clinton established the Giant Sequoia National Monument within the Sequoi

Reading is cool at the Porterville Library Looking for some great fun and educational adventures for your children, or perhaps for the entire family this summer? The Porterville Library kicks off its summer events on June 3 with its reading program; ‘Reading is So Delicious”. 

Authorities are on the look out for the thieves who stole nearly 800 young almond trees from an orchard in the Culter area. Tulare County Sheriff’s Ag Crimes detectives said the thieves removed 796 newly planted almond trees from the orchard in the aera of Avenue 384 and Road 172. The theft is believed to have occurred in he

Bring your old, tired, mustard-stained life jacket to Success Lake between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday at the Tule Recreation Area to receive a fresh, new U.S. Coast Guard-approved type III life jacket in return — courtesy of the California Department of Boating and Waterways. “Life jackets that are sun-bleached, punctured

The California State University Board of Trustees named Dr. Joseph I. Castro, vice chancellor, student academic affairs of the University of California, San Francisco, as president of Fresno State. “It is incredibly humbling that the CSU Trustees have appointed me as the next president of Fresno State, and I truly appreciate

Technology was one of the main themes at Tuesday night’s city council meeting. Two items on the agenda were dedicated to the continued discussion of bringing Porterville up to date with today’s technology by introducing online vouchers and mobile applications for the citizens of Porterville. One item, if approved, would allow

Community Services Employment Training (CSET) is requesting public participation in its 2013 Community Action Survey. Every two years, CSET conducts a Community Action Survey to gather community feedback on the current community needs, issues and goals important to Tulare County residents. CSET is asking for assistance

Changes to the county’s solid waste system were approved Tuesday, although not without considerable discussion. Supervisors began discussion on several proposed changes to the system that was implemented in 1979, but not changed since, the week before without reaching any agreements. On Tuesday, the board

Bikers decked out with leather vests, boots, bandanas and scraggly beards met up with local soldier Steven “Stevo” Pierson in Bakersfield and escorted him to Porterville as a welcome home present to his friends, family and girlfriend.   Pierson had served three years in the army and a one-year stint in Afghanistan.

Reservation Road is closed as firefighters battle a wildland fire that was reported at approximately 8:40 p.m. Wednesday. As of 8:45 p.m., the fire had burned 15 to 20 acres, was spreading rapidly and threatening multiple structures.

Alice Cooper once said “School’s out for summer.” For local firefighters, school is back in session.  Wednesday morning at Success Lake saw some 140 individual firefighters from nine departments brushing up on their skills for the summer fire season in a once-per-year gathering. Since setting fire to grass on

Porterville City Council member Brian Ward’s idea of developing pocket parks — small parks in underserved neighborhoods — kind of got pushed to the back Tuesday night after council members decided to try one very small park idea to see if a neighborhood would be willing to pay for the improvements. However, the co

A family of five was burned out of their apartment Tuesday when one unit of a fourplex caught fire. The fire on South F Street began around 10 a.m.  A small plume of grayish black smoke was drifting above the building, and flames could be seen shooting out of the windows when Porterville firefighters arriv