Jim Mulligan

Sep 2020 12

Reedley College Instructor Spotlight: Dr. Kirk Kawagoe

2020 Articles, Education, Jim Mulligan, Reedley News

by Jim Mulligan

As the Tutorial Coordinator, my paid job, I have the pleasure of working with many of the instructors at Reedley College. The relationships I have with the instructors are essential to finding qualified and interested students to become peer tutors. A side benefit is the opportunity to get to know these hardworking, dedicated individuals who help students discover the joy of learning. As a Reedley College alum myself, I know and remember the influence that instructors had on me and my motivation to achieve my academic goals.

Aug 2020 15

Mineral King: Tucked Away in the Sierras

2020 Articles, Arts & Entertainment, Jim Mulligan

by Jim Mulligan

I’m always a little taken aback when I learn that someone who lives in the Central Valley has never visited Yosemite, or has never seen, in person, the majestic Giant Sequoias that have grown in the Sierras so near to us for over 3,000 years. Of course, people actually flock from all corners of the Earth to visit these natural wonders. All the more reason to question why us local residents wouldn’t take advantage of a quick trip to enjoy these amazing locations right in our backyard. I guess sometimes it’s just hard to see the forest for the trees. What I mean in this case is, there is so much nature to explore so near to us, sometimes we just don’t notice what we might be missing.

Jul 2020 11

Mark Luzania: A Dentist, A Thespian

2020 Articles, Jim Mulligan, Reedley News, Theatre

by Jim Mulligan

Mark Luzania, D.D.S. (last name rhymes with Tanzania) spent his whole childhood romping among the fruit trees and vineyards outside of Reedley, as well as riding his bike around town, having as much fun as a kid could have. As a little guy, his family lived north of town on their ranch. He remembers the times he and his siblings spent swinging from a rope tied to a tree out into the cold, swift-moving Kings River, having to swim like the dickens to get across to the other side.

Jun 2020 13

The Equine Faculty of Reedley College

2020 Articles, Education, Jim Mulligan, Pets, Reedley News

by Jim Mulligan

We all know that Reedley College is the gem of the Valley when it comes to programs for everyone from students right out of high school to grandmothers who want to hone their ceramics skills. Students choose the beautiful, rural setting of Reedley College to get a start on their bachelor’s degrees, to learn highly technical and sought after job skills such as welding or diesel mechanics, to learn how to maintain and fly planes, and to increase their knowledge base in order to make a career change.

May 2020 9

The Voice of the Reedley High School Pirates

2020 Articles, Education, Jim Mulligan, Reedley News, Sports

by Jim Mulligan

I’ll be honest; I wasn’t the most fanatical of sports fans when I was a youngster. Don’t get me wrong, my neighborhood friends and I played baseball in the street, football at the local elementary school, and basketball at any number of homes that had a hoop. But not everyone lives and breathes sports. I didn’t. That being said, even I and other non-aficionados of sports would recognize the Wide World of Sports introduction by Jim McKay, or the welcoming tones of Vin Scully. And, please don’t even tell me that if you close your eyes and think about it, you can’t hear the calculated, halting, and sometimes arguably annoying voice of Howard Cosell? Just take a moment and try it.

Apr 2020 11

Reedley Elks Promote Community

2020 Articles, Community, Jim Mulligan, Reedley News

by Jim Mulligan

If you dig back into your memory bank, you might be able to remember that Fred Flintstone and his friend Barney Rubble were members of the Loyal Order of Water Buffaloes, Lodge No. 26. At the very least, you can probably picture their funny, fuzzy headgear. Can you remember the title of the lodge leader? If you can recollect the hijinks portrayed by the members of that fictional organization in Bedrock, you might have a skewed understanding of what actual fraternal organizations do in the United States.

Mar 2020 14

An Altar, a Work of Art

2020 Articles, Jim Mulligan, Reedley News

by Jim Mulligan

Even if one is not a Catholic Christian, or even religious for that matter, a trip to Europe or Latin America would certainly include a visit to the prominent Catholic church of the city or region. One may argue that a visit to Rome is not complete without a visit to St. Peter’s Basilica, a trip to Paris not complete without seeing Notre Dame, and a trip to Mexico City is only whole after visiting the Metropolitan Cathedral.

Feb 2020 8

Reedley Lumber Co.

2020 Articles, Hometown History, Jim Mulligan, Reedley News

by Jim Mulligan

At 7:20 on a crisp, clear Saturday morning in January, just as the sun began to makes its presence known east of the Sierras, three pick-up trucks sat idling, keeping the occupants toasty warm in the parking lot of one of the oldest businesses in Reedley. At 7:23 the lights inside Reedley Lumber Co. popped on in sections, indicating to the outside world, namely the aforementioned men huddling in the warmth of their vehicles, that the day was officially beginning. At 7:26 the doors were unlocked, and like moths to a flame, the gentlemen who had been so patiently waiting, exited the comfort of their trucks and made a beeline for the entrance.

Jan 2020 11

Reedley College Alumni and Friends Reunite in Dominican Republic

2020 Articles, Education, Jim Mulligan, Reedley News

by Jim Mulligan

On October 26, 2019 at Restaurante Il Cappuccino in the Dominican capital of Santo Domingo, a contingent of over 40 people met to celebrate a long history and connection to Reedley and to some of its residents. Those in attendance included a small delegation from our Valley town of Reedley, and from four Central American and Caribbean nations.

Dec 2019 14

Christmas Traditions Great and Small

2019 Articles, Community, Jim Mulligan, Reedley News

by Jim Mulligan

As a child, I didn’t realize that our family Christmas traditions were not everyone’s Christmas traditions. I thought everyone went to mass on Christmas Eve, then gathered at their grandparents’ house, ate hotdogs and potato salad, and opened gifts (insert the screeching sound of a car coming to a halt here). This was the ritual that happened annually and that my siblings and I longed for each year. Hotdogs and potato salad!?