District 1: Supervisor Larry Micari

In the last six months, the CHP reports there have been 95 DUI crashes in Tulare County. Four were fatal.

The top three reasons for crashes in our area are unsafe speeds, improper turning, and DUIs. We can all keep our community safer by slowing down, looking one more time, and choosing not to drive when impaired.

We can’t just hope for better outcomes, so we’re taking action. The CHP, Caltrans, and the California Office of Traffic Safety has created the Regulate Impaired Driving Effort (RIDE) Task Force to reduce DUI fatalities and reduce DUI injuries. We’ll do this four ways: Education, Enforcement, Engineering, and Emergency Medical Services.

Follow CHP – Visalia on social media for educational opportunities, and to see examples of enforcement. Follow Caltrans to learn how they are engineering better traffic patterns and alerts to keep drivers safe. And remember to always pull over for emergency medical services with their lights on – the first hour of injury is the “golden hour” to help save a life.

But most of all, please slow down, look before you turn one more time, and never drive when you are under the influence. Keep everyone safe out there!

District 2: Supervisor Pete Vander Poel

I’m proud to call Tulare County home, but I’m not proud of the illegal dumping we see on our roadsides and in our orchards. The Sheriff’s Office and Solid Waste work together to address waste dumped in our unincorporated communities, but the number of tires and appliances being found requires a different solution.

Starting April 1, 2025, Tulare County is waiving disposal fees for appliances and tires at county landfills. On each trip to the dump, you can now dump four (4) passenger car tires and two (2) appliances per load at no cost.

We know this won’t fix all illegal dumping, so if you see an issue, please report it using the Illegal Dumping Reporting Tool.

Let’s all do our part to clean and beautify Tulare County!

District 3: Supervisor Amy Shuklian

In honor of Women’s History Month, I wanted to highlight some women’s history being made right now in Tulare County.

Cub Scout Pack 1920 is California’s first all-girls pack and is in Visalia. As of 2017, Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America) began accepting girls into the Cub Scouts program. After reviewing program activities with his daughter Maeve, local father Rodney Blaco approached local Scouting officials about creating a Cub Scout Pack for girls. The group has been going strong ever since.

This month, I was the speaker at Pack 1920’s promotion ceremony. These young ladies are inspiring! They named their Pack in honor of the year the 19^th Amendment was ratified, and women gained the right to vote in the United States. Maeve, one of their original members, just became an Eagle Scout. They are growing skills, becoming leaders, and having fun. Strong communities start with strong young leaders!

District 4: Supervisor Eddie Valero

Spring has officially arrived—and with it, a fresh wave of outdoor fun, community connection, and memorable moments. This season has already brought incredible opportunities to be out and about, giving back and growing closer to our neighbors.

From helping paint over graffiti and pick up litter during the Ivanhoe Clean Up event, to reading with young students at the Parenting Network Book Festival—where every child left with a book in hand—spring has been all about uplifting our community. I also joined our Tulare County RMA Signs Crew to help change speed limits in unincorporated areas, making our roads safer and slower for everyone.

The Dinuba Women’s Club also put together a fantastic Spring Luncheon and Showcase, complete with delicious food and stylish local clothing making its way down the runway. The best part? The event raised funds for student scholarships—an investment in our future leaders.

And what better way to kick off the season than with the opening ceremonies of Cal Ripken Dinuba Baseball? I had the honor of sharing a message: Baseball is like life—you’ll hit homeruns and strikeouts, but the most important part is to enjoy the journey of fun, family, and togetherness.

Make sure to take some time to enjoy this beautiful weather with your loved ones. There’s so much to celebrate in our communities this spring!

District 5: Supervisor Dennis Townsend

I was asked to speak at the annual Porterville Exchange Club Public Safety Recognition Dinner this month. I have been a speaker in the past and the Board always provides recognition certificates to each honoree. It is a special privilege to speak and express my admiration and respect for all these men and women who have willingly chosen a career path which has its focus on protecting every member of our society…whether they know them or not. Jesus said, “greater love has no man than this…that he would willingly lay down his life for his friends.” The interesting part of public safety is that most of the people they serve are likely not their friends or even known by them. They serve them anyway. Some of the people they encounter may actively disagree with them. They serve them anyway. Some of the people they meet may harbor ill feelings and even hatred towards them. They serve them anyway. The people who have chosen to serve society in this way are worthy of our recognition and our wholehearted support. We also need to remember their families and loved ones. They also need our support and our prayers as they are partners in service.