While they say art is in the eye of the beholder, there are few classical artists whose work would not be appreciated by the masses. One would be hard pressed to harshly criticize Monet or Da Vinci, or speak ill of Michelangelo’s work. Even Pablo Picasso, while his style may be too abstract for some, created images that most would agree, draw the viewer into his world, evoking emotion and contemplative thought.
There’s a new place in town to grab a pizza and a few other savory treats on a Friday night—or any day of the week for that matter. The Pirate’s Den opened its doors recently this summer and is welcoming patrons who want to satisfy their hunger pangs with delicious pizzas, sandwiches or sizzling chicken wings. I stopped by recently to take home a pizza and wings, and had a chance to chat with owner Victor Villacaña about the new restaurant venture.
One of the many great things about immigrants is that when they come to the United States, they bring with them a little of their home culture; if we are lucky, they share it with us. Of course, with that comes language and food, two of my favorites, not necessarily in that order. On a recent visit to one of Reedley’s newest eateries, I learned that both language and food are an integral part of their quick success. I learned a Finnish word – sisu – which like many deeply-rooted cultural words in another language, does not have one, straightforward English counterpart. The Finnish concept of sisu roughly means strength of will, determination, perseverance, all in the face of likely failure. It seems just the concept that one might need to understand and employ when deciding to open a restaurant in a very competitive market and during a pandemic.
If you love the settings of movies like The Horse Whisperer or A River Runs Through It, you have likely dreamt of living in the wilds of one of the most beautiful states in the U.S.A.: Big Sky Country—Montana. At least during the summer months, it seems like an idyllic place to live, be a kid, and experience rural life to the fullest. No one would argue that growing up in suburban towns, urban centers, and even the mega metropolis of a place like New York City don’t give folks these unique opportunities and perspectives.
school district existed, and even before the town had a name, a schoolhouse was erected on the Thomas Law Reed ranch; it was known as the Smith Ferry School. In what some called a twist of bad luck (which others may have deemed arson), an attempt to move that schoolhouse into the burgeoning city of Reedley came to an abrupt halt when the school burned to the ground in February of 1890.
If you’ve attended any local sporting events in the last few years, or been to a birthday party with some amazing cupcakes, or taken a Communication class at Reedley College anytime within the last 25 years, you may very well have made the acquaintance of Jenny Peters. Peters is an exuberant sports fan, especially when one of her kids is on the field or in the pool representing Reedley High School and Reedley College.
When Alicia, a single mom of two exuberant boys, found herself in need of some basic items for her new apartment, she didn’t know where to turn. Alicia, because of some family issues, needed to strike out on her own with her boys. She was eventually able to get an apartment, but had exhausted her financial resources doing so. While they had a roof over their heads, they didn’t have much else.
Holiday traditions around Reedley are many and varied: from tamales to turkey dinners, house decorating to cookie baking, caroling to care package giving, and so many more. One tradition that hasn’t faltered in our quaint little town is the display of our community Christmas tree. Even in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, the custom continues. By most accounts, the city has displayed a community tree since before 1920, and for most of those years it has been right downtown, smack in the middle of G Street, serving as a beacon of light and cheer in the heart of our little town.
Once upon a time, long, long ago, before most of us had ever heard of Zoom, I made a visit to Grant Middle School in Reedley, home of the Grizzlies, to check out the controlled chaos that middle school often is. Anyone in K-12 education knows what I mean; the transformation that kids make from childhood to adolescence during the middle school years tests even the most dedicated, seasoned teachers.
It was just over a year ago that the 20th president in Reedley College history took the reins, ready to guide our local gem of a school into the ‘20s of the 21st century. After a short talk with him, it became readily apparent that, at least for this president, leaders are not necessarily born, but are molded by life’s experiences. This president speaks in a strong, steady tone, not brash or hasty, about his long and varied professional career that prepared him for his current job. He had no early sights on leading a college.
