On May 12, 2019 (Mother’s Day), my wife, Kathryn Garges (67 years old), and whom I shared 49 years of marriage with, along with her best friend, Diana Whitfield (75 years old), were tragically killed by a drunk driver who was about three times the legal drinking limit. The drunk driver, Sergio Delfino Mendoza-Sanchez, was […]
“Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” – Thomas Jefferson, third U.S. President. He set high expectations for their role as government watchdogs – but editors still choose what stories they will […]
Despite all the recent conflict in the Tulare Local Healthcare District and the uncertain, yet hopeful path the district faces, I believe that we need, every now and then, to take a step back and remember how far we’ve come. As we’re left reeling by the recent New Yorker story and the criminal investigations into […]
Catherine Doe, Editor/Owner of the Valley Voice, received a hearty round of applause from a packed house during a recent community forum that focused on “Fake News.” The audience expressed their appreciation for the paper’s coverage of the problems at Tulare Hospital. Sponsored by the Visalia Times Delta and 210 Connect, panelists included both journalists […]
The strength of the city of Tulare comes from its people. Past, present, and future. As a fourth generation Tularean on both sides of my family, Tulare has always been in my blood, heart, and soul. I moved away from Tulare twice in my life, once for 2 years at a university (after attending College […]
After years of lurching from one emergency to the next I have learned that my family is awash in serendipity. But maybe we all are. Maybe it’s called the election season. Irrespective of your political stripe, it’s an opportunity to weigh in. It’s a duty. So is writing this column. I have to call it […]
The Old College Try We spent most of our five years in Mexico living in Santa Maria Bay, a perfect crescent about eight miles east of Cabo San Lucas. The first year there we lived in a house on a hill overlooking the few shoreline condos and, across the water, the Hotel Twin Dolphin. Except […]
I am a member of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Volunteers In Patrol (VIP) and have served for over 16 years. My wife, Evelyn, was also a VIP for 14 years until cancer took her from me. Over those years we paroled together and had a lot of great experiences, except for one. One of our […]
As a Texan, I have been reading the Valley Voice to stay abreast of your local politics because I want to understand how any place could have elected Nunes more than one term. I’m interested in seeing if District 22 is such a pathetic place, or not, in the great state of California, to have […]
What is a slate mailer? A slate mailer lists or pictures several candidates on the publication. The goal is to leave the voter with the impression that the candidates represented on the mailer stand together on a particular party or issue. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Slate mailers can be confusing. They can be deceptive. […]