The Sun-Gazette is located in Exeter, California, and coveries the communities of Tulare County in California's San Joaquin Valley including Visalia, Porterville and many small towns. The Sun-Gazette is locally owned by Mineral King Publishing.
I have worked as a general assignment reporter with Mineral King Publishing since June 2023. Although my primary position is with the Mid Valley Times slightly north of Tulare County, I contribute to the Sun-Gazette as needed and as coverage areas overlap. Geared toward a civically-minded readership, I primarily report on city and county government, school districts, local business, community events and the impact state mandates have on the community.
Click on the "read more" button to download a PDF of articles behind paywalls.
California’s hourly minimum wage will increase once again this coming January, from $15.50 to $16, and a 2024 ballot measure could lead to an even greater hike within the next few years.
The increase, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2024, will impact all businesses regardless of staff size, and the minimum annual salary for full-time exempt employees will also increase from $64,480 to $66,560. Gail Zurek, president and CEO of the Visalia Chamber of Commerce, said that while beneficial in some aspects, the increase brings about additional challenges for local businesses.
The increase, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2024, will impact all businesses regardless of staff size, and the minimum annual salary for full-time exempt employees will also increase from $64,480 to $66,560. Gail Zurek, president and CEO of the Visalia Chamber of Commerce, said that while beneficial in some aspects, the increase brings about additional challenges for local businesses.
The father, and fiancé, of two victims in the January Goshen murders has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the County of Tulare, as well as 11 individuals working for the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office and Tulare County Child Welfare Services.
Attorneys Wyatt Vespermann and David Rudorfer filed the lawsuit on behalf of plaintiff Shayne Maupin on Aug. 4, claiming that Child Welfare Services (CWS) and the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) “failed to abide by their mandatory duties, causing the tragic deaths of Nycholas Parraz and Alissa Parraz.” Maupin sued the county individually and as the successor-in-interest to Nycholas Parraz, the 10-month-old son of Maupin and Alissa Parraz.
A month into their strike, transit workers rallied at city hall on Monday evening to demand the city take action and help end the Transdev work stoppage in Visalia.
Striking Transdev employees and their community allies filled the Visalia City Council meeting Aug. 7 after holding a demonstration that drew dozens of people outside the council chambers prior to the meeting. The public comment portion of the council meeting lasted nearly an hour as 21 people spoke on the transit stoppage, urging the city council to step in and expressing their frustration with the ongoing situation.
Striking Transdev employees and their community allies filled the Visalia City Council meeting Aug. 7 after holding a demonstration that drew dozens of people outside the council chambers prior to the meeting. The public comment portion of the council meeting lasted nearly an hour as 21 people spoke on the transit stoppage, urging the city council to step in and expressing their frustration with the ongoing situation.
Due to a state mandate that goes into effect next year, the city of Visalia must join other local jurisdictions in adapting their ordinances so they allow for delivery-only medical cannabis businesses to operate in the city.
In order to comply with California Senate Bill (SB) 1186, also known as the “Medicinal Cannabis Patients’ Right of Access Act,” the city will need to update its zoning ordinances that currently prohibit the operation of any cannabis business in Visalia. During a work session July 17, Visalia City Council authorized city staff to begin drafting the zoning ordinance updates and hire a consultant to assist in cannabis regulation revisions and the creation of a potential tax measure for cannabis sales.
Residents found flyers for a white supremacist group on their driveways over the weekend of July 8.
The flyers, which were weighted down with rocks and placed in plastic bags, appeared in a neighborhood northwest of Walnut Avenue and Lovers Lane in Visalia. They included a symbol that is not clearly tied to any well-known white supremacist group pictured above the words “a call to action” and had a message on the backside addressed to “all men and women of the European race.