The Sun-Gazette Newspaper

EXETER – The Exeter Flower Company and Book Garden have been iconic businesses in the downtown Exeter district for 25 years, and as new ownership steps in, the businesses will continue the legacy of community involvement established by founders Chris and Sally Brewer. “My intentions are to become more present in the community,” new owner Becky Harlien said in an interview with The Sun-Gazette. Her husband Paul is also stepping in as a new owner. Harlien described her desire to get more involved with the community. She said she and her husband plan to join the Exeter Chamber of Commerce and get involved with the town’s fall festivities, as well as sponsor activities such as local sports. You can read the rest of this article and more at thesungazette.com // https://loom.ly/Gwfa2EE

TULARE COUNTY – Now that the Coffee Pot Fire near Three Rivers is almost fully contained, fire agencies are focusing on cleaning up the community before leaving the fire in the past. “Then they do what’s called suppression repair after the incident, and will go in and try to mitigate some of the issues that things are damaged by dozers, fire equipment, etc.,” Norman said. Although the majority of the cleanup responsibility falls to the National Park Service, as most of the affected land is within their jurisdiction, Norman noted that the County of Tulare will be handling repairs on county roads like South Fork Road and parts of Mineral King Drive. He suggested that any resident who has concerns of remaining debris call the National Park Service for help, but noted that the county is always open to answer questions regarding the fire cleanup as well. You can read the rest of this article and more at thesungazette.com // https://loom.ly/eq_TdCY

VISALIA – Eighteen residents were recently celebrated at the county level for achieving a milestone not reached by many, which is to see themselves crowned a centenarian. The Tulare County Board of Supervisors recognized the group of residents, all of whom are a hundred years of age or older, on Oct. 1. Dayna Wild, the adult services division manager for the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency, was the one to present the 18 individuals to the board. “I absolutely love serving the older adult population,” Wild said. “Each one of you (centenarians) who is part of this celebration holds a very special place in my heart. Thank you for giving us all a glimpse into your amazing life.” You can read this article and more at thesungazette.com // https://loom.ly/Q5jf2hE

VISALIA – The California Citrus Research Board (CRB) has provided funding to bring an Israeli company’s prototype citrus harvester, which is powered by artificial intelligence, to the Central Valley to demonstrate its abilities. On Oct. 1, it was announced the California Citrus Research Board (CRB) signed a $900,000 non-dilutive funding agreement with Israeli AgTech startup company Nanovel, which includes the delivery of the citrus-harvesting robot to the CRB after it runs through a series of field trials. Nanovel is expected to begin testing the prototype in California fields in Spring 2025, which will be conducted in cooperation with citrus growers. You can read this story and more at thesungazette.com // https://loom.ly/DWusaYU

COS Theatre Director Chris Mangels joins the podcast today. Chris and Paul talk about what it was like to grow up in the ultra-insular town of Exeter. Chris shares how people would worry about whether he was doing well having taken theatre as his profession. But in reality he was getting a lifetime's worth of experience on sets in San Diego, New York and Chicago before becoming a theatre professor at College of the Sequoias. Together Paul and Chris talk about the grind of being a young actor, the stress about where they will get their next meal and the anxiety of whether another job might be arou the corner -- or not. Then they talk about the writers strike from 2023, and Artificial Intelligence creeping it's way into the classroom. Listen on Apple or Spotify: https://loom.ly/8aISJOw

We're BACK with Paper & Pastries ???? Join us on COS campus to meet the Publisher, Editor and staff of The Sun-Gazette Newspaper over free coffee, pastries, and a hot-off-the-press newspaper. October 16th, 8AM-10AM The Grind Coffee House COS Campus 915 S. Mooney Blvd

MANCHESTER, NH – Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) recently announced the awardees of both the Dean’s List and the President’s List, including awardees from Lemon Cove and Woodlake. Patrick Teixeira was named to the 2024 Summer Dean’s list by SNHU. The Dean’s List is an award for students who achieve a grade point average of 3.500 to 3.699 over a specific period of time and with a minimum enrollment of 12 units. The President’s List is even more exclusive and requires a 3.700 or higher GPA with full-time enrollment. Lemon Cove’s Teresa Farfan was named to the list for the Summer 2024 period. The summer term is from May to August. You can read this article and more at thesungazette.com // https://loom.ly/2y2mB1c

SPRINGVILLE – Springville has broken ground on a brand-new library that will bring enhanced services to the community and will replace the aging facility while adding significant space. The groundbreaking ceremony on Sept. 16 was attended by Supervisor Dennis Townsend, the Springville Chamber of Commerce and Tulare County Librarian Darla Wegener. The new location will be down the road from the existing facility and will add 1,000-square-feet of space, an outdoor patio area and enhanced internet connectivity, computers and meeting rooms essential for the community to take advantage of modern technology. You can read this article and more at thesungazette.com // https://loom.ly/rwtIm9Y

FARMERSVILLE – This November, contests for city council races, school board elections and local bond measures will be listed lower on the ballot, but they are not any lower in importance. Local elections are often decided by just a handful of votes, highlighting the impact of each individual’s voice in the community. In Farmersville, residents who want to see change in their cities, be that improved roads, increased public safety or more commercial and residential development, will have the chance to vote on city council candidates promising to bring something new to the area. Read this article and more at thesungazette.com // https://loom.ly/0JQQ6KM

VISALIA – Visalia Code Enforcement has begun cracking down on massage parlors that don’t meet the standards of a recently passed ordinance, which establishes new health and safety standards. The city hired a proactive conditional use permit inspector last year and the result of that hire is the increase in inspections, leading to an increase in scrutiny. An emergency ordinance also added teeth to the Health and Safety codes, allowing inspectors to take a more harsh approach to dealing with certain violations. You can read this article and more at thesungazette.com // https://loom.ly/iVGKmFs