Renewable America Dos Palos Solar Project Comes Online One of California’s first community solar projects will save millions on electric bills for disadvantaged communities through new emission-free power CA – The Dos Palos Clean Power project in Merced County one of California’s first community solar projects is now online and providing emission-free power to residents in disadvantaged communities A joint project from Peninsula Clean Energy and Renewable America, Dos Palos will generate 3 megawatts of solar power as part of Peninsula Clean Energy’s Green Access Program which is providing income-qualified customers in San Mateo County and the City of Los Banos with a 20 percent reduction to their electric bills “This additional solar power has the dual advantage of providing emission-free power to our grid and saving millions of dollars in electricity costs for some of our most disadvantaged customers,” Peninsula Clean Energy CEO Shawn Marshall said “We are also delivering further benefits to the residents of San Mateo County and the City of Los Banos including sourcing this carbon-free power for our Los Banos customers from their home county.” “Positive economic and environmental impacts for local communities are at the core of everything we do,” said Ardi Arian we’re not only helping California meet its clean energy goals—we’re proving that renewable energy can be a force for equity—ensuring that all communities who traditionally have been unable to gain access to distributed solar power can receive power from the project and receive 20 percent off their power bills More than 2,600 customers have already been selected to receive power from the project selected Peninsula Clean Energy customers will cumulatively save more than $700,000 annually from the project over the next two decades secured financing for and constructed the Dos Palos project Peninsula Clean Energy’s Green Access program is part of a statewide effort from the California Public Utilities Commission to help income qualified residents with their energy bills in communities that experience higher levels of economic The California Community Choice Association’s mission is to create a legislative and regulatory environment that supports the development and long-term sustainability of locally-run Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) electricity providers in California We serve our members and strengthen our collective voice through education technical guidance and regulatory and legislative advocacy Sign up for our mailing list to stay current on CCA in California (FOX26) — An employee in Dos Palos has been placed on administrative leave after being arrested twice in one week for multiple charges The Los Banos Police Police Department says Jerry Warren was first arrested on Monday [RELATED] Fowler city councilman accused of assault, faces battery charge in Florida incident with Dos Palos-Oro Loma Joint Unified School District released the following statement: The California Department of Public Health is reminding Californians to be cautious around wild or unfamiliar animals following identification of rabies in a Fresno County resident and Dos Palo teacher who died after being bitten by a presumably rabid bat in Merced County approximately one month earlier Deaths from rabies are rare in the United States with fewer than 10 cases identified each year thousands of people receive preventive treatment for rabies following a bite or other direct contact with an animal with possible rabies The Fresno County Department of Public Health and the Merced County Department of Public Health worked with CDPH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate rabies as a possible cause of the patient’s illness in mid-November Samples collected at the hospital where the patient was being cared for were submitted to the state’s Viral and Rickettsial Disease Laboratory (VRDL) where evidence of rabies was confirmed The individual was hospitalized in a Fresno County hospital after experiencing symptoms and died late last week “Bites from bats can be incredibly small and difficult to see or to detect It is important to wash your hands and look for any open wounds after touching a wild animal and to seek immediate medical care if bitten,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer “It is always safest to leave wild animals alone or try to feed any animals that you don't know." CNN reported that the patient was Leah Seneng a teacher at Dos Palos’ Bryant Middle School A friend of Seneng’s told CNN that the teacher had found a bat on the floor of her classroom in October but didn’t start feeling symptoms until a month later What Should You Do If You Come in Contact with a Bat CDPH urges residents to take the following precautions: Even if you aren't sure whether you've been bitten it is recommended to seek medical attention particularly in areas where people were sleeping should discuss rabies treatment with their health care provider even if they are not aware of any bites or other contact with the bat if you find a bat near a person who can't report a bite such as a small child or a person with a disability Rabies is a viral disease that is deadly in people if medical care is not received before symptoms appear; symptoms usually appear about 3 to 8 weeks after exposure but can occur earlier or months later Rabies is spread to humans and pets primarily through bites from an infected animal bats and skunks are the animals that most often get rabies thousands of people in the United States receive medical care following a possible rabies exposure including widespread vaccination of pet dogs have significantly reduced rabies as a public health threat An animal with rabies will have strange or unnatural behavior because the rabies virus attacks the brain Because there is no treatment for rabies once symptoms begin it is very important to prevent rabies exposures vaccinate pets against the rabies virus and keep them up to date on their shots Talk to a healthcare provider immediately if you think you may have been bitten by an animal The Merced County Board of Supervisors has approved cost-sharing agreements to continue fire services in Merced and Livingston. The agreements are necessary since Measure R, the countywide sales tax ballot measure for public safety, failed and because the county was not awarded federal grant money for firefighter positions.  Back in May, the board had voted to close and consolidate a number of fire stations throughout the county because it couldn’t afford to maintain minimum staffing levels required by the state. On Tuesday the board unanimously approved a cost-sharing agreement with the city of Livingston for $1.16 million to fund fire services for the next 18 months, or through June 2026, at the Livingston station.  That will keep the Livingston fire station open while the city of Livingston establishes its own fire service once it begins collecting the 1% sales tax voters approved in November. The tax, known as Measure L, is projected to raise $2.3 million annually. The board also approved a cost-sharing agreement with the city of Merced to provide joint fire service to the McKee fire station area for two more years.  Under that agreement, the county will pay the city $315,000 annually, with a 4% inflationary projected cost, for the city to provide primary fire and emergency service out of the county’s McKee Road station beginning in 2025. Under the agreement, the city will send a fire squad to calls first until it’s determined whether county firefighters should respond as well. The Merced City Council will vote on the contract during its Dec. 16 meeting.  Supervisor Josh Pedrozo said he’s optimistic Merced leaders will approve the contract, saying he’s had months of discussions with city officials plus staff at UC Merced. Pedrozo also attended the Merced City Council meeting on Dec. 9 to answer any questions about the proposal. “It’s something that I know we worked really hard on to make sure that we would be able to continue the protection out there,” Pedrozo said Tuesday, referring to the McKee station. Supervisor Daron McDaniel credited Pedrozo with trying to find solutions for the McKee station. “I know this was very exhausting, it’s been a lot of time,” McDaniel said. “Our offices are right next to each other, and the majority of his time has been spent working with the city (of Merced) … So I appreciate that effort very much.” But some in the community have not been as complimentary on the fire stations issue. During public comment on the item, former Merced Mayor Mike Murphy told the supervisors that once the agreement is up, he hopes the process to find a future solution is better, saying so far it’s been “a failure.” Murphy has been among one of the board’s staunchest critics since plans emerged to close the stations earlier this year. During Tuesday’s meeting, Murphy warned that the agreement is not a “forever fix.” “The city’s giving you a good deal, but we’re going to do this again, and let’s not do it in this manner,” Murphy said. Dos Palos to consider sales tax ballot measure for fire Officials with the city of Dos Palos recently notified county officials that they intend to hold a special election in 2025 for the city’s own public safety sales tax measure.  If a half-cent tax measure passes in Dos Palos, it is estimated to generate around $250,000 annually. That money could go toward fire services.  However, county staff said the cost to maintain minimum staffing at fire stations is $1.5 million, so the county would still need to bear the brunt of that cost if a similar agreement was considered with Dos Palos. Dos Palos Station 76 and Station 75 at the Dos Palos Wye had originally been slated to merge into a single unified station at the Dos Palos Wye. Those plans are on hold, but contingent upon what happens with the sales tax proposal in Dos Palos.  Supervisor Scott Silveira, whose district includes the Westside, said he’s optimistic a half-cent sales tax to support fire would pass in Dos Palos. “They are making an effort and it’s not lost on me that through all of this discussion Dos Palos has been a good partner,” he said. “They have always tried to work with us as best as possible.” Supervisor Lloyd Pereira said he struggled with approving the agreements and doesn’t see a viable solution when it comes to Dos Palos. “When we get to the City of Dos Palos, it’s a lot of money and there is no solution down the road,” Pereira said. “If that (sales tax) measure doesn’t pass in the spring, then we’ve got to close the station.” Show Search Search Query Submit Search Don't Miss Its rice was a finicky crop that sprouts slow and heads that can sag below the reach of the thresher and end up in the mud Its land lies more than 100 miles south of the Sacramento Valley, where 97% of the state’s rice crop is grown. Its soil is a clay-heavy mixture that doesn’t absorb water well creating environmental challenges that prompted the farm’s founder to pioneer a planting process in which the fields are flooded before the seeds are scattered by low-flying planes They live in a house just down the street from the rice mill he used to own within eyeshot of the homes that were taken from them and never given back which is winding down operations this year and licensing its trademarks to another family-run company exists in no small part because of her grandfather’s optimism about America It persisted because of the family’s willingness to accept thorns to grow roses — or in this case lightly sweet with a pearlescent sheen and a supple chewy texture never lost his enthusiasm for America,” Robin said Keisaburo was born in Fukushima prefecture in 1882 to a family of samurai turned rice farmers He worked as a school principal before immigrating to California in 1908 He was inspired by the book “Kings of Fortune,” which detailed the achievements of American businessmen such as Cornelius Vanderbilt and Eli Whitney The preface made the following claim about the United States: “Neither class distinctions nor social prejudices can prevent the man of true merit from winning the just reward of his labors in this favored land.” Food Its brown and white rice is available at the Torrance farmers markets Keisaburo sought success with the single-minded intensity of a second son excluded from the family business and forced to make his own way in the world Upon arrival he launched a tuna fish cannery opened a chain of laundries in the Coalinga area and even spent some time wildcatting for oil starting a farm with his sons Bill and Ed north of Sacramento It became so successful that the Japanese community back then called him “the Rice King.” Keisaburo knew Californians resented the financial success of early Asian immigrants He gave his businesses innocuous names such as State Farming Co. and Golden West Canning to avoid racism and xenophobia It’s also why his children have biblical names who was the innovative mind that helped develop the family farm after Keisaburo and his family were forced into a Colorado incarceration camp by the U.S the only piece of his empire left was the 1,000 acres where Koda Farms stands today it’s hard to know exactly why Keisaburo rebuilt his life so close to the reminders of all that was taken from his family But what’s evident is that Keisaburo prized his American identity and eventually became a naturalized citizen exchange programs and other institutions to help Japanese Americans rebuild their lives after war and incarceration he was known to drive around the state with a pressure cooker in the back of his sedan so he could demonstrate the merits of brown rice on demand He pursued the return of his stolen assets in court until the day he died in 1964 the United States government settled the family’s case for just $100,000 believe their grandfather’s decision was more pragmatic than defiant There was always going to be postwar prejudice,” Robin said Koda Farms lies in the town of South Dos Palos a rural outpost of fewer than 2,000 people and sheriff’s deputies might take 45 minutes to show up to a call Robin had to personally chase a home intruder out of her front door She recalls emptying the clip of her handgun into the night sky and screaming at the top of her lungs so they know a crazy lady lives here,” she explained They were the only Asian family in town when her grandfather moved in a century ago and the 2020 census puts the town’s Asian population at 12 football-loving town where a lot of people grew up hunting The company’s offices sport a large collection of mounted deer heads Bags of rice and barley from past quality inspections act as paperweights for stacks of files and manuals When Ross and Robin rejoined the business full-time in 1998 Koda Farms was an aging operation at a time of rapid modernization faced the impossible task of matching the legacy left by his grandfather who dominated California’s rice trade in his day But Koda Farms has shipped its flour product, Mochiko Blue Star Rice Flour, in a wholesale package of 36 boxes since the 1940s, which naturally takes longer to turn over. And the box, also unchanged since the beginning, features a punch-out spout that can cause a bit of a mess. In my pantry, my own box is sealed with tape. It’s no surprise that both siblings took some time away from the business. Ross left the farm for a few years and worked in finance in Chicago. Robin became an artist who showed her work in galleries and lived in France and Los Angeles. But in the end, the call of blood and soil was too strong. Climate & Environment A third year of severe drought forced California farmers to leave an estimated 752,000 acres of farmland idle this year, according to a new report. As their ancestors had before them, they set about making the best out of a tough situation. In an age in which water efficiency had become an asset, their clay-heavy soil helped them conserve water. Ross oversaw a shift to organic farming methods. Robin’s ambassadorship of Koda Farms rice helped place it on fine dining menus across California and the nation. But the economic and environmental realities of farming in California eventually made it too challenging to continue, Ross said. Licensing their rice trademark to Western Foods was a difficult decision, but it means the crop will continue to be grown to the family’s specifications and stay on grocery store shelves, Robin said. Western Foods Chief Executive Miguel Reyna, a Central Valley native whose parents were farm laborers, has worked with the family for nearly a decade. “That’s how we can sleep at night, because we keep all the specifications that we produce to,” Robin said. The family owns the trademarks in no small part because of Tama Koda, their mother, who persuaded the family to formalize their trademark licensing of Kokuho Rose and encouraged them to tell their story. One of their early licensees was the Nomura Co., which spread their rice, Kokuho Rose, to Asian supermarkets all over the U.S. Kokuho means “national treasure,” in Japanese. The rice’s red logo — an eight-sided mirror with a heavenly sword — looked familiar to me, so I texted a picture of the bag to my mom in Fremont. It turns out I’ve been eating it all my life. It’s the rice we used when I was growing up in Tennessee, purchased at the small Asian grocer at the farmer’s market in Nashville. I has assumed it was an imported product like everything else in that store. But it was an American rice, created by an American family. Frank Shyong is a former columnist for the Los Angeles Times who wrote about diversity and diaspora in Los Angeles. California Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Solar Power World By | August 1 Renewable America (RNA) has announced new milestone achievements toward the commercial operation dates of two key California solar sites The West Tambo Clean Power II site (WEST-II) a 2.93-MWDC development located in Livingston a 4.29-MWDC project in Dos Palos are set to advance carbon reduction targets in designated low-income and disadvantaged communities WEST-II is projected to achieve its commercial operation date (COD) in early August 2024 San Jose Clean Energy will purchase the power generated by WEST-II to provide energy to the San Jose community while Peninsula Clean Energy will purchase the power produced by DOSP to supply energy to Los Banos residents “Climate change mitigation and energy resilience in local communities are core components of RNA’s mission,” said Ardeshir Arian “These developments are contributing to California’s renewable energy targets while making a difference in the lives of San Jose and Los Banos residents and we’re thrilled to see the projects’ progress.” The projects were awarded an additional 20% ITC through the U.S Department of Energy’s Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit Program under its Qualified Low-Income Economic Benefit Project category The sites are officially categorized as disadvantaged communities by the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) The designation applies to communities within the top 25% of census tracts identified by CalEnviroScreen statewide as well as 22 census tracts in the highest 5% of CalEnviroScreen’s Pollution Burden Renewable America performs end-to-end project development with in-house resources Its subsidiary RNA Services acts as the EPC and O&M partner for both WEST-II and DOSP “Distributed solar generation allows local communities to produce their own energy preventing over-dependence on centralized power sources,” Arian said “In addition to the benefits of cleaner energy sources San Jose and Los Banos will have greater energy independence and autonomy.” Kelsey Misbrener is currently managing editor of Solar Power World and has been reporting on policy Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media Privacy Policy | RSS Learn how to describe the purpose of the image (opens in a new tab) Leave empty if the image is purely decorative We're working on a visual shortcode editor until then please follow these instructions Email us to support@plugin.builders for any problems "I don't know if she thought it was dead or what," Laura Splotch A California teacher died a month after contracting rabies from a bat that bit her and now health officials are warning the public about the extremely deadly disease A Fresno County resident died after being bitten by a "presumably rabid bat" in Merced County last month according to the California Department of Public Health Multiple local health departments worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate rabies as a possible cause of the illness in mid-November and samples collected at the hospital confirmed the rabies diagnosis Laura Splotch told KFSN-TV that her friend is the woman who contracted rabies and died on Nov Seneng was a teacher at Byrant Middle School in Dos Palos FDA: Popular asthma drug Singulair could be linked to mental health side effects, suicides While speaking with KFSN-TV, Splotch said that her friend of 15 years "was a lover of life." "She spent a lot of time in the mountains where her mother lived," Splotch said Seneng found the bat that possibly bit her in her classroom around mid-October "I don't know if she thought it was dead or what 'cause it was laying around her classroom and she was trying to scoop it up and take it outside I guess it woke up or saw the light or whatever it swooped around a bit and it took off," Splotch said Seneng began feeling ill and her daughter had to take her to a hospital where she was put into a coma Splotch organized a GoFundMe for Seneng's funeral expenses with less than 10 cases identified each year thousands of people receive preventive treatment for rabies every year after a bite or other direct contact with an animal possibly carrying the disease and to seek immediate medical care if bitten," Tomás Aragón the agency's director and state public health officer said or try to feed any animals that you don't know."   the agency recommends residents take the following precautions: According to the CDC called "prodrome," could feel like the flu and include weakness prickling or itching sensation at the site of the bite adding that these symptoms can remain for several days severe sickness appears within two weeks of the first symptoms when the rabies virus causes brain dysfunction Rabies symptoms in humans may include one or more of the following This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Brad Shamp was installed as Postmaster of Dos Palos Postmaster General Louis DeJoy administered the Oath of Office to Shamp alongside 49 other Postmasters throughout California “It is a great honor to serve Dos Palos as your new Postmaster In my years with the United States Postal Service I have seen firsthand the role the Postal Service plays connecting neighbors and our community to the nation Our Post Office serves as a lifeline for our small businesses to reach customers no matter where they are “Under Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s leadership and Delivering For America we are maintaining universal six-day mail delivery and spurring innovation to meet the needs of our modern customers,” said Shamp “Postmaster” carries with it both a Noble Heritage and a Vital Responsibility the word Postmaster was referred as the one who provided post horses postmaster means “master of the posts the officer who has charge or direction of the posts.” William Penn established Pennsylvania’s first post office in 1683 the real beginnings of a postal system in the colonies dates from 1692 when Thomas Neale received a 21-year grant from the British Crown authorizing him to set up post roads in North America the British Government bought the rights to the North American postal service consolidated the postal service into one establishment The principal offices of the new British Postal Service were in London Benjamin Franklin was appointed Postmaster at Philadelphia helped expand mail service from Canada to New York and instituted overnight delivery between Philadelphia and New York City Franklin was dismissed from office because of his efforts on behalf of the patriots When the Continental Congress met in May 1775 they named Franklin as postmaster general for the 13 American colonies Postmasters were appointed by the postmaster general postmasters were appointed by the president but this of course changed whenever a new party was elected with the signing of the Postal Reorganization Act that the patronage system was finally removed from the postal service once and for all Postmasters began being appointed on merit alone The act also permitted upward mobility for line employees allowing them to be promoted to the position of Postmaster there have been several famous individuals Abraham Lincoln was appointed postmaster of New Salem Other notable individuals who served as postmaster included abolitionist John Brown The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage restore long-term financial sustainability dramatically improve service across all mail and shipping categories and maintain the organization as one of America’s most valued and trusted brands Copyright© 2025 United States Postal Service 2024The man who died after officers say he crashed his car into a canal in Fresno County has been identified.FRESNO COUNTY (KFSN) -- The Fresno County Coroner's Office has identified the man who officers say died after crashing his car into a canal He's been identified as 26-year-old Robert Monreal of Dos Palos The California Highway Patrol says the crash happened before 2:45 am Thursday on Russell Avenue near Althea Avenue Witnesses told officers they saw the car go into the canal and didn't see anyone get out A water rescue team arrived and pulled Monreal's body from inside the car Officers are still investigating what led up to the crash (FOX26) — A homicide investigation was launched near Dos Palos Friday afternoon Merced County sheriff’s deputies were called to the area of W Denton and Leak Rd and Palm Ave Once Deputies arrived on the scene they found a man's body lying on the ground with several gunshot wounds The Sheriff’s Investigations Bureau was called out and began a homicide investigation The victim has been identified as 27-year-old Christian Castillo from Dos Palos If anyone has any information regarding this crime please contact the Merced County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Bureau at 209-385-7472 The information you provide can remain anonymous and could help solve this crime A solar project designed to provide power to disadvantaged customers in San Mateo County and the city of Los Banos Peninsula Clean Energy and Renewable America are the developers partnering on the Dos Palos Clean Power project the Dos Palos Clean Power project is planned to be capable of generating 3 MW of solar power as part of the clean energy firm’s Green Access Program The program is part of the state’s efforts to help low-income residents with their energy bills in places where there is high environmental pollution “This project checks several important boxes for us including helping us get closer to our central goal of providing all-renewable power to all of our customers at nearly all hours of the day and evening,” Peninsula Clean Energy CEO Jan Pepper said “Sourcing this carbon-free power for our Los Banos customers from their home county also further shows how we are helping produce and deliver clean and affordable power beyond the coastline and into the heart of our state.” The project is expected to offset over 6,100 tons of carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to taking over 1,317 vehicles off the road annually and maintaining the operation of the project which is expected to come online in August 2023 Read more of EnergyTech's full coverage of everything Renewable in the C&I Energy Transition Our complete lineup of stories on Microgrids and Distributed Energy Subscribe to ET's free email newsletter “Our team is thrilled to partner with Peninsula Clean Energy to provide locally sourced solar electricity to their members,” Renewable AmericaCEO Ardi Arian said “This project is unique because it will directly benefit the residents of the surrounding community in Los Banos through local investment and job creation Peninsula Clean Energy is again showing leadership on how community choice aggregation agencies can make clean energy affordable and accessible for more Californians.” 1 among states for installed and utility-scale solar capacity at close to 18 GW Some forecasts expect the state to add another 10 GW by 2030 Peninsula Clean Energy is a Community Choice Aggregation agency which is the official electricity provider for San Mateo County and for the City of Los Banos Founded in 2016 with a mission to reduce greenhouse gas emissions the agency serves a population of 810,000 by providing more than 3,600 gigawatt hours annually of electricity that is 50 percent renewable Renewable America LLC has more than 255 MW of solar and 590 MWh of energy storage under development throughout California Rod Walton is senior editor for EnergyTech.com He has spent 14 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist Walton formerly was energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World he spent six years covering the electricity power sector for Pennwell and Clarion Events He joined Endeavor and EnergyTech in November 2021 He can be reached at [email protected] EnergyTech is focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals These include the commercial and industrial sectors Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies and mission-critical users such as military bases shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids digitalization and building efficiency upgrades 2016A gang shooting that left a woman dead north of Dos Palos is under investigation.FRESNO (KFSN) -- A gang shooting that left a woman dead north of Dos Palos is under investigation Authorities say 21-year-old Jadira Bridget Torres Fuentes of Firebaugh was shot and killed in a car-to-car gunfight north of Dos Palos It happened just before 4 p.m on Monday near Highway 33 and Cypress Avenue Deputies arrested 19-year-old Juan Antonio Gonzalez Sheriff's deputies say 22-year-old Enrique Najera of Dos Palos He was treated for his injuries at Los Banos Memorial Hospital Deputies are now searching for 19-year-old Jose Garcia Diaz Jr of Dos Palos who was riding in a car with Najera Merced College Faculty Association (MCFA) President Patrick Mitchell (right) and Dos Palos Oro Loma Teachers Association (DPOLTA) President Marty Thompson Merced College Faculty Association (MCFA) President Patrick Mitchell and Dos Palos Oro Loma Teachers Association (DPOLTA) President Marty Thompson understand the importance of electing quality citizens to local boards of education Their two unions are linked by geography and by necessity They discovered some of their school board members and trustee candidates overlap and are now working together The Advocate asked them about the college–K-12 partnership We understand community college and K-12 leaders are working together and sharing information heading into the June primaries our plans call for exchanging information about candidates and issues to help educate members about who to vote for and why We look forward to working with our local K-12 brothers and sisters in the 2018 elections Thompson: We are sharing with our members which candidate the community college chapter endorsed Why is it important for K-12 members to care about who is on the community college board Mitchell: The issues that affect K-12 students eventually become our issues when students come to community college after they graduate high school We serve many of the same students at the same time as many students take classes at the community college while they are still in high school Thompson: We help students choose a career path many of our students are from families that are in the low socioeconomic percentage so the community college is a great option They can still live at home while attending school We need to make sure that the community college is meeting the needs of our students and is a viable option for them Thompson: One way is by voting for college board members who understand the value of offering our students a chance to receive a college education We need people who understand our students and the needs of the community and who support the beliefs and values we have as K-12 educators The college board makes decisions that determine what classes are offered and what the cost will be to attend the college We want all our students to have opportunities to pursue their dreams and we need the right people in positions to help make that happen In 2016 Merced College had serious leadership issues When two of our board members drew challengers in the 2016 election our political action committee (PAC) interviewed all the candidates and in each case unanimously voted to endorse a challenger who we felt would effect positive change at Merced College and our faculty were active in supporting them by attending fundraisers Much of the credit for our success in the 2016 elections goes to Charlie Schlinger who was recognized for his efforts with a CTA Member-in-Politics Award in 2017 It sounds like you each have a similar process when it comes to determining which candidates to support We meet with our members and discuss the issues we are facing and why it is important to get involved as a chapter in electing good school board members We form a five-member PAC team to interview the candidates and score their answers to choose one we would endorse We then let our members know who we choose and why and ask for their support and help getting them elected Our list of questions is based on the climate and issues at the time Sometimes questions relate to recommendations from the accreditation report or their understanding of the role of board and honoring the expertise of faculty Many of our members don’t attend board meetings and they put a lot of trust in those of us who do pay attention The committee’s recommendation about who to endorse is voted on at a membership meeting Mitchell: Our PAC consists of three officers and eight to 10 volunteers from different departments and then ask for volunteers to help post signs we’ll have a system of sharing our endorsements with our K-12 colleagues Thompson: We applied for donations from the Merced/Mariposa UniServ PAC fund to help our candidate We walk door-to-door in neighborhoods on Saturdays and get help printing door hangers and postcards that promote our candidate We have after-school mailing parties where our members meet at a local pizza place and write short messages supporting our candidate on postcards which are mailed out to registered voters in our community but we got a longtime incumbent who did not support teachers voted off Any advice for those forming similar partnerships Mitchell: It’s important for members to know no dues dollars are used for our political activities Not a single penny comes out of our general fund to subsidize PAC activities for elections and Get Out The Vote (GOTV) activities Thompson: My advice is this: Educate your members on why we need to be involved Take the time to meet with your members and ask for their help and website in this browser for the next time I comment We appreciate your interest in California Teachers Association Our Privacy Policy explains how information is collected you agree to receive text messages from California Teachers Association — The Merced County Sheriff's Office confirmed five people died after a fire broke out at a house in Dos Palos early Thursday morning Firefighters with Cal Fire and Merced County Fire Sheriff's Office and ambulances were called to a house on Julip Ave First responders said they found heavy smoke coming from one of the two homes on the property and they tried performing CPR on people they found unresponsive inside Officials said confirmed at least one of the five who died was a child and two others were taken to hospitals for treatment but their conditions weren't immediately released Detectives said one person was seen going in and out of the house while it was on fire trying to possibly rescue the people inside and speaking with investigators early Thursday Fire investigators said their preliminary investigation showed this fire was accidental in nature Grief counselors were brought to the scene for family members who arrived later in the morning The Merced County Sheriff’s Office continues to work with CALFire on investigating the cause of the residential fire that occurred in the area of Batten Road and Julip Avenue in the rural area of Dos Palos It has been confirmed that two adults and three children have died as a result of the fire the fire appears to be an accident and has found no evidence of foul play The two adults have been identified as 40-year-old Ruben Andrade and 35-year-old Juana Yanez the children have been identified as 1-year-old Hector Andrade Merced County Mental Health and the American Red Cross is currently with the family and helping them with this tragic loss Recruitment opportunities available Property crimes detectives with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office have arrested 53 year old Matthew Ebner of Dos Palos He has been booked into the Fresno County Jail on numerous charges of vandalism detectives discovered at least 35 vehicle owners experienced flat tires while driving through the parking lots of Table Mountain Casino and on nearby Millerton Road  The victims all discovered they had driven over caltrops (homemade metal spikes) Detectives worked with Table Mountain Police and identified a possible suspect vehicle  Detectives found Matthew Ebner was the owner of such a truck detectives served a search warrant at Ebner’s home in Dos Palos The motive behind these crimes is that Ebner has an ongoing feud with the casino and he took out his frustration by sabotaging the property thus damaging the vehicles of casino visitors If you believe you were the victim of Ebner’s criminal actions, please contact the Sheriff’s Office at (559) 600-3111 or Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-7867, www.valleycrimestoppers.org You will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward Tony BottiPublic Information Officer(559) 600-8137Tony.Botti@fresnosheriff.org The Fresno County Sheriff's Office | 2200 Fresno Street 93721 | Records (559) 600-8400 | Non-Emergency Dispatch Line (559) 600-3111 2019kfsnStudents in the North Valley earned a fun reward on Thursday for a successful fundraiser The children at Dos Palos Elementary School were allowed to help tape their principal The kids raised an incredible $21,000 through their "Stallions Walk-a-Thon" which was organized by the parent club The money will be used toward renovating the playground The goal is to partner with the district to purchase new equipment and add paintings and activities that will help the children learn outside of the classroom as well Staff members say Thursday's reward was a big hit with all of the students (KFSN) -- A 37-year-old Dos Palos woman has died after being hit by a car while crossing Highway 33 near Valeria Street Officers say the man driving the vehicle was headed north on the highway when he saw the woman Authorities say the woman was pronounced dead at the scene California Highway Patrol Los Banos is investigating the crash but do not believe drugs or alcohol were a factor The name of the woman has not been released at this time 2015A small child is recovering after being brutally beaten by a Dos Palos man.LOS BANOS (KFSN) -- A small child is recovering after being brutally beaten by a Dos Palos man 29-year-old Aaron Burns is facing multiple child abuse charges Los Banos Police say the alleged crime happened at the Economy Inn on Pacheco Boulevard sometime between late Sunday night and early Monday morning Police say Burns became angered with the 10-month-old boy and broke both of his legs and caused bruises to his upper body "We are very satisfied that he is in custody and he is not going to be anywhere near this child," said Los Banos Police Commander Ray Reyna The child was brought to Memorial Hospital in Los Banos before being transferred to Valley Children's in Madera County where he's since been released and is expected to make a full recovery The boy is now under the care of Child Protective Services saying she had left her son with a man she had just met and came back to the motel room to find her son had been hurt But police say the two were in some kind of relationship and are still investigating whether the mother was present when the child was injured "It is certainly a possibility that there could be additional charges or additional suspects in the future," Reyna said Burns is at the Merced County jail without bail and while they now know how he broke the child's legs they're not releasing those disturbing details The case is already hard enough for anyone to hear "It's very sad that this did occur and it's hard to believe that someone could do this to a small child," Reyna said He says Los Banos Police are still aggressively working the case giving the heinous nature of the crime.