And there she was.
Almost exactly twenty-four hours after nine-year-old Esther Lee Lewis went missing on her walk to the school bus the morning of Tuesday, March 11, 1947, there she was. They found her beneath a weeping willow in a dry creek bed near the Kings River, blanketed in blackberry vines—dress torn, skull crushed.
Here is one of many Earth Day related articles up in this issue! You can check out all of our going green articles here.
Recently we interviewed the new Executive Director of the Kings River Conservancy, Mindy McClurg, about the conservancy and herself.
More than 360 pounds of refuse and more than 60 pounds of recyclables were picked up by more than 200 volunteers during the recent Earth Day Celebration Kings River Clean Up, organized by the Sanger Boys & Girls Club. The number of community groups participating in the third annual event has increased each year, according to the Unit Director of the Sanger Youth Center Boys & Girls Club, Tammy Tucker. "I spoke to the Kings River Conservancy and we both agreed there was more people this year compared to last year."
Cleaning up along the Kings River and boosting the river's rainbow trout population are projects which are being worked on collaboratively by the Kings River Conservancy (KRC) and the Kings River Fisheries Management Program (KRFMP), along with help from local volunteer groups like the Fresno Fly Fishers for Conservation (FFFC) and the Tenaya Middle School Wildlife Club.
In 1850 California became the 31st state, and Reedley was in Mariposa County. Back then, if you wanted to cross the river, you either found a shallow place and "forded" across or found a ferry, paid the fee and crossed while staying nice and dry. At one time there were half a dozen ferry crossings over the Kings River, from the foothills to Tulare Lake. In just two years, the Reedley area was in Tulare County and could claim two operating ferries.
What better way to celebrate the second anniversary of Kings River Life, than to celebrate the lives of those who lived along the Kings River. Some may be familiar and some you may not have heard of, but all of them were a part of the bountiful life along the Kings River.
There is a great new attraction in Kingsburg, and if you are anything like me and have heard something about this already, you might have come away with the wrong impression. I know that I did. You may have seen a post on Facebook; or heard some talk about a new bar, loud live music or a “hotspot” being on the river at a place called “Bullfrogs”. If so, allow me to tell you that it is those things, but only if you want it to be.
The tule fog hangs over the Central Valley like a shroud of gray. It’s cold. It’s damp. It’s a typical January. But we have something to look forward to: A harbinger of spring that is particular only to our part of the Valley—the Fresno County Blossom Trail.
Before going to bed, I spent a long time in prayer, knowing I’d need all the strength and wisdom I could get for the next day.
After a restless night, I awoke Sunday morning feeling like I had a plane full of luggage under my eyes. I showered and got dressed for church, then peddled on over.
With a determined look on his face, Miguel set out to find Eddie. He didn’t have to go far because Eddie strolled through the door as we entered the front of the shop.
“Sit,” barked Miguel as he pointed to a table near us. He hadn’t asked me to leave, so I took a seat, too. Eddie looked confused.
