Major news events in Kings County

Another year, another stream of headline-grabbing news, events, dramas, challenges, advances, winners and losers.

Unusual storm rips through Avenal. Drought effect worsens. Controversy costs an incumbent Kings County supervisor her re-election. County closes its animal shelter drop boxes. Lemoore and the naval base clash over growth. Kings retains enterprise zone. Budget woe continues. Farmers fear the end of property tax breaks.

A variety of topics and people filled the pages of The Sentinel in 2008.

Here's a summary of some of the stories that shaped and affected our lives in Kings County the past 12 months:

Re-entry facility

Desperate for money to expand its overcrowded county jail, the county competed for a state grant and won $30 million on the condition that the county would find a home for a prisoner re-entry facility.

But officials faced one big challenge: Selling the idea to residents. It was a challenge they could not overcome.

Pressed by a deadline, the county leaders in September began focusing on an east Hanford property. That's when the controversy erupted.

In one memorable event, residents of rural Hanford packed the cafeteria of Kit Carson School on Sept. 4. Supervisor Alene Taylor was frequently lambasted by those who voiced their opposition to the county planning process that zeroed in on the location for a facility that would have housed offenders during the last 12 months of their sentences. Inmates would have been provided drug treatment, counseling and vocational training.

Taylor's district includes the proposed site near Highway 43 and Lacey Boulevard. Taylor had previously expressed support for moving forward with the plan, but after that tumultuous community meeting, she changed her mind.

And so did her colleagues.

Supervisors were eventually told to consider a property within the government center in the middle of Hanford, but that proposal also drew criticism.

Rather than angering citizens further, the board of supervisors eventually took a political gamble -- requesting more time to look for a better location at the risk of losing the $30 million funding altogether.

On Sept. 18, state prison officials denied Kings County's request, essentially killing the county officials' hope of getting the $30 million needed to expand its jail.

But residents, especially those who live east of Hanford, were left with a bitter aftertaste. And they would make clear their discontent on Nov. 4.

Fagundes, Valle win

Controversy is never good.

That was the assessment Supervisor Alene Taylor gave about her own loss in her bid for a fourth term in office.

On Nov. 4, the 12-year incumbent was decisively beaten by challenger Richard Fagundes, who received 61.62 percent vote over her 38.31 percent.

Taylor and Fagundes both agreed the election result was partly due to the controversy surrounding the re-entry facility.

In the District 2 race, Richard Valle, Hanford district office manager for Assemblywoman Nicole Parra, swept to victory over opponent Terry Kwast, who was favored by outgoing Supervisor Jon Rachford. Rachford is retiring from his post this month after 12 years.

Drought continues

This year shaped up to be what some say is the worst drought year in modern state history, and the long-standing dry spell -- coupled with a court ruling and skyrocketing fuel costs -- hit hard the state's biggest industry: agriculture.

And agriculture means everything to Kings County.

But news wasn't all bad this year for the region's ag industry.

Despite the worst drought since the Great Depression, the value of Kings County's crops -- partly driven by extremely strong commodity prices -- hit a record high of $1.76 billion in 2007.

However, the prolonged drought this year kept growers in survival mode, forcing them to change their crop patterns, pumping out more groundwater, fallowing acres or abandoning crops.

By the end of October, Kings County officials estimated the drought had claimed more than 6 percent of the county's farmland totaling more than 37,000 acres, resulting in damage topping $28.5 million. The officials at the time said the numbers would continue to climb toward the end of the year.

Animal drop boxes

A surprise move by the county to close the after-hours "drop boxes" at the animal services shelter came in October.

The county had previously fought to maintain this practice, which was highly criticized by animal advocates. The county maintained it serves a purpose by keeping the animals that would otherwise be let loose and pose danger to the public.

In response to numerous concerns, the county did pump in money to improve the operation of the shelter, including hiring a civilian shelter manager. But the drop boxes remained one sticking point that lingered.

Kara Johnson of California Animal Rescue and Education sued the county for that, claiming the drop boxes are illegal and inhumane because it allows owners to abandon their cats and dogs without presenting identification.

The lower court ruled in favor of the county.

The county decision to discontinue the drop boxes came in the middle of the appellate process.

County officials say the closure of the drop boxes has nothing to do with the lawsuit.

On Dec. 2, a three-judge panel of the Fifth Appellate District court upheld the lower court decision denying the animal advocates' appeal.

Enterprise Zone

This June marked the end of the old enterprise zone, a 26,641-acre parcel of land designated for state-subsidized incentives for businesses.

The good news is, the status was renewed for another 15 years.

The new designation gives Kings County businesses another 15 years to enjoy tax breaks and credits, which officials say are crucial to creating jobs, attracting private investment and supporting the overall growth of the local economy.

Over the last three years, the enterprise zone generated more than $50 million in state tax breaks for new and expanding Kings County businesses, according to the Economic Development Corp., the agency behind the program.

Avenal storm

Avenal residents withstood a tough start to the new year.

A fierce freak storm smashed through the town of 17,000 nestled in the rolling Kettleman Hills on Jan. 4, damaging more than 1,000 homes and destroying the roofs of public buildings.

Gusts blowing at a hurricane speed -- exceeding 70 mph -- causes tire shingles to fly off roofs, lifted a high school auditorium roof, knocked over an airport hanger and cut off electricity to the area for hours.

City officials estimated the property damage topping $4.4 million two weeks later, prompting county leaders as well as the governor to declare a disaster.

Lemoore controversy

Lemoore found itself at odds with the Navy this spring over the city's future growth area west of Highway 41 because it is under a fighter jet flight path.

Through the base is still well-buffered by farmland, the approach of city growth is evident. In another 20 years or so, the 1,000 acres that spread from the highway toward the base could be populated by houses, while the Navy continues to spread its wings.

Navy officials argued training and suburbia don't mix.

City officials said that's an overreaction, maintaining that the Navy's complaint is 11 years too late. When the area was annexed and earmarked for housing in 1997, the Navy showed no concern. The Navy argued the situation has dramatically changed since then.

Meanwhile, efforts to limit development in the area 5 1/2 miles from the base runways displeased landowners who hoped to cash in on their long-term investments.

In the end, the land-use debate ended in a compromise.

Lemoore approved a westside land use plan that brings 7,000 more people to the area with two conditions:

First, the city declared 21st Avenue just west of West Hills College as the farthest west the city could ever grow in the future and eliminated an area designated for a business park.

Second, the city adopted a policy to postpone land-use decisions on 500-700 acres until the Navy completes its new noise study.

County budget woe

A record delay in the adoption of the state budget caused Kings County leaders to adopt their final budget two weeks into October.

The county adopted a $239 million spending plan for this fiscal year -- $23 million more than the original projection of $215 million.

While maintaining the "no-growth" policy, supervisors restored one firefighter's position and two animal shelter positions pegged for elimination after much discussion. But they kept three deputy sheriff's positions frozen.

The budget debate is far from over.

Supervisors last month declared an impasse in contract negotiations with sheriff's deputies. But they took no immediate action to resolve the stalemate, saying that they want to wait until the state's troubled budget picture clears.

In Sacramento, more budget cuts are being sought as the deficit hit $11.2 billion.

Meanwhile, county officials are fearing that $2.5 million in annual funding could be lost if state lawmakers decide to cut a program that gives a property-tax break to farmers.

Williamson Act aid to counties has already been reduced by 10 percent this year. If the discounts are completely eliminated, the county would be forced to consider ending the program -- forcing farmers to pay the full property-tax value -- or continuing the discounts by absorbing it.

County officials expect the state budget picture to clear by February.

(Jan. 3, 2008)