December 2015 - Lemoore Chamber of Commerce

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE LEMOORE DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
It is the mission of the Lemoore Chamber of Commerce to be the leader in our
community for building sustainable economic growth, advocating for a pro-business climate and
enhancing Lemoore’s working relationships with Naval Air
Station Lemoore, City, Education, Tourism, Business and Agricultural Interests.
December 2015
300 E Street, Lemoore, CA 93245 (559) 924-6401
Article & Photos by: Ed Martin, The Lemoore Leader, http://www.mylemooreleader.com/
The Lemoore Chamber of Commerce announced Tuesday, Nov. 17, the selection of the new Lemoore
Citizen of the Year, Business of the Year and Organization of the Year. Earning a well-deserved honor
as the community’s newest Citizen of the Year is longtime teacher and community leader Tim Wahl.
A group of past citizens of the year met at the Lemoore Chamber of Commerce Monday afternoon
and unanimously selected Wahl as the 2016 Citizen of the Year. The group also selected the popular
Best Western Inn as the Business of the Year and the longtime award-winning Lemoore Future
Farmers of America as the Organization of the Year.
The newest Citizen of the Year as well as Organization and Business will be honored at the Chamber
of Commerce Installation Dinner and Awards Banquet on Friday, January 22 at the Tachi Palace HoTim Wahl, 2016 Lemoore Citizen of the tel and Casino. For tickets contact the chamber at 559-924-6401.
It was a complete shock to Wahl who was informed Tuesday morning by Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jenny MacMurdo.
“I had to laugh,” said Wahl when he got the news. “My initial reaction is that I’m proud of the honor
because of some of the names that are listed as past citizens of the year. It’s a long list of accomplished leaders. I never really looked at myself as community leader. I always liked to stay in the
background.”
Wahl arrived in Lemoore in 1971 from Ventura and took a teaching job at Central Union Elementary
School where he served until his retirement after 36 years in 2007. He taught sixth through eighth
grade social science and was a longtime coach for boys’ and girls’ basketball, flag football and track.
Wahl was the guiding force in organizing the Lemoore Area Elementary Basketball Tournament
which involved most of the local elementary schools.
Wahl is also a longtime member of the Lemoore Kiwanis Club and volunteered every year for the annual Kiwanis Track Meet that brought hundreds of the Valley’s top athletes to Lemoore. He was the
Frances Perkins, GM
head finish judge for 30 years.
Best Western Inn & Suites Lemoore
Wahl was also Kiwanis president and has been the club’s secretary for 15 years. He’s been instru2016 Lemoore Business of the Year
mental in the Chamber’s annual Christmas Parade and assisted in numerous fundraising events that provided scholarships for Lemoore High School and West Hills
College students.
He also volunteered for the West Coast Relays which were once held at Lemoore High
School. The Relays were a two-day event that also included elementary and high
school kids. Wahl always made sure there were Lemoore participants.
On Friday nights during football season he was always seen on the sidelines as a
member of the high school’s chain crew. He has done that for 28 years through rain,
sleet, and of course the Valley fog.
Lemoore FFA
2016 Lemoore Organization of the Year
If you’d like to join the Chamber in recognizing these 3 exceptional honorees, just call the chamber today! 559-9246401. The banquet is on:
Friday, January 22nd, 2016
Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino
Socializing begins at 6pm
Dinner at 7pm
Program at 8pm
Tickets are $55/each or $400 for a table of 8
There are also opportunities for you to advertise your
business by decorating a table, or if you’d simply like to
sponsor the event.
We hope to see you there!
Lemoore Christmas Parade
“The Night Before Christmas in a
Galaxy Far, Far Away”
Sat. Dec. 5 @ 6pm, Downtown Lemoore
Breakfast with Santa
Sun. Dec. 6th 8am-Noon
Lemoore Rec Center
Chamber Holiday Luncheon
Wednesday, December 9th
11:30am-1pm @ Train Depot
Lemoore Chamber Newsletter
PAGE 2— Dec. 2015
Dear Chamber and Community Members,
As is customary at this time of year, I look back on the remarkable amount of things that have happened in what
seems like only a few weeks. Then, I look toward the upcoming year in anticipation of the great things to come!
2015 was a landmark year with the Chamber entering uncharted waters in our ongoing quest to provide value to
our members. Much of the Chamber Boards’ 2015 planning was focused on taking steps to attract and build sustainable economic growth, strengthening our communications, and engaging youth and local policy makers.
Hence, we have developed strong relationships with our
City and local elected officials to facilitate a collaborative
effort to redefine Lemoore’s Vision for the future. We
took a hands on approach to evaluating and virtually overhauling all of our communications, and set in place a
brand new program to engage youth with the entrepreneurial spirit. Although we have come a long way, we still
have a lot of work to do!
I am very proud of the work that our staff has done this
year to realize the Chamber Boards’ vision. I would also be
remiss not to mention the countless hours and dedication
of our group of volunteers who give so selflessly of their
time.
Similarly, I’d like to acknowledge the dedication of our
new and continuing board members and pay tribute to the
one whose term has come to end. Please thank outgoing
board member John Roush, as well as the rest of the board
when you see them.
I wish you all a prosperous 2016 and as always, please
contact us if there is something you’d like to see your
chamber doing for your business!
Sincerely,
Jenny MacMurdo
CEO, Lemoore Chamber of Commerce
BOARD MEMBER
SPOTLIGHT
How does serving on the Chamber Board of Directors benefit member businesses as well as school districts?
Serving on the Chamber Board provides me with critical updates to events and trainings
that benefit me, my staff, and my students. My participation has allowed for countless opportunities for students to gain real world experience on projects and has provided me
with contacts and relationships that I will value for my entire career.
What would you say is the most challenging issue that high school districts are facing today?
I think our biggest challenge, even in this more positive economic climate, is fiscal. We provide amazing, high quality, programs at all three of our high schools, but those programs are not cheap. When many schools across the state made drastic cuts to their career technical, co-curricular, and elective courses, we chose to maintain nearly all of ours. With aging
campuses and the need for improved infrastructure on our sites, we are faced with challenges of where to find the funds
to complete these projects, while maintaining and improving our educational programs.
What has been the most rewarding part of serving as the Chamber Board Chairman?
Victor Rosa
Lemoore Union
High School District
My time as Chairman has been very rewarding. The staff at the Chamber has been wonderful to work with and my fellow
board members are caring, positive, and extremely knowledgeable. I have learned so much about this community and I
have developed lasting friendships with so many people. I thank the Chamber for this opportunity and would recommend
it to anyone!
LEMOORE CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Executive Board
Chairman
Victor Rosa: LUHSD
Chairman-Elect
Frances Perkins: Best Western Inn & Suites
Vice Chairman
William A. Parry: Hammerschmidt Broughton
CFO
Jeff Babb: Agusa, Inc.
Past Chairman
Michele Costa-Ruble: DaCosta Farms
Directors
John Miller: Ramblin’ Rose Florist
John Roush: Lemoore Stadium Cinemas
Dustin Fuller: Civic Minded Individual
Deanna Patterson: Tachi Palace
Johnny Perez: Best Buy Market/IGA
Jody Ruble: West Hills College Lemoore
David Endo: HHSD
Ex Officio Directors
Marlana Brown: NAS Lemoore
Amy Ward: Lincoln Military Housing
CHAMBER STAFF
Jenny MacMurdo
Chief Executive Officer
ceo@lemoorechamber.org
Brenda Martin
Events Coordinator/Office Manager
events@lemoorechamber.org
Phone: (559) 924-6401
Website
www.lemoorechamberofcommerce.com
PAGE 3— Dec. 2015
Lemoore Chamber Newsletter
The Lemoore Chamber of Commerce is excited to introduce our December Chamber Member in the Limelight, Anigem Media
Services. We have used the owner, Casey Cantrell, for our Chamber Banquet videos for 2 years now, and couldn’t be more
thrilled to see him start his own company!
Casey Cantrell has worked in graphic arts and video for over 16 years. Four of those years, he worked locally with Remscape
Films and has been working independently ever since they shut down operations in 2014. Cantrell has been growing Anigem Media Services as a company over the past year.
Cantrell’s family moved to the area 11 years ago for a contractor job on the Navy base. Through involvement with Koinonia
Fellowship, working with Remscape Films and involvement with the Lemoore Chamber of Commerce, his family has become
acquainted with many wonderful friends in the area. “As a media professional, I've had the privilege to be involved in many
exciting events in Kings County, including helping make a local film that was both captured and shown publicly in the Hanford Auditorium,” says Cantrell.
When asked why he decided on this particular career, Cantrell said, “As a kid I always wanted to be an animator. I've worked
in video studios for most of my post-college career. After my first day on set of a commercial shoot, I had the bug in my system. I was hooked. Even when I didn't have videography as a main business, I involved myself with the video teams of
churches we attended. I love to have a camera in my hands and to create beautiful and emotionally moving imagery with it. I
love to be in the moment of the action and capturing it. Whether in video or photos, capturing action and emotion with beautiful composition is what charges me up. It's all about getting the shot!”
Cantrell has done work for many large companies such as AT&T, Eli Lily, Adventist Health, Heinz, etc. His favorite job though
was the summer he spent in 2014 sweating and laughing and creating a film titled “Fovos” with Remscape. “It was truly a labor of love for everyone involved and it was a community rallying project.”
Anigem Media Services offers a wide variety of services including videography, photography, graphic design, animation, motion graphics, live event directing, and web design services. Some examples are: corporate videos and live event video/photo
capture, weddings, concerts,
company branding, portraiture, drone aerial video, and
photoshop artistry.
Currently Anigem Media Services is a home-based business. Some of Cantrell’s future
goals include becoming one of
the top media providers in
Kings County. Cantrell also has
dreams of filming more movies
locally and eventually making
movies that will be seen world
-wide. “Kings County has the
potential to become a great
filmmaking location and we
plan to be one of the companies that help make this a reality,” says Cantrell.
Video can be a very powerful
way to promote your business,
capture a special moment, or
recognize an honoree. If you
are in need of video services,
look no further than Anigem
Pictured left to right: Kasey Atkins & Casey Cantrell
Media Services!
Lemoore Chamber Newsletter
PAGE 4— Dec. 2015
The California Dental Association just published the statistics
for the CDA Cares event in Fresno last month that several of
the employees from Kings Dental Group attended.
2,099 patients were seen and received 14,620 procedures valued at $1.9M.
Of the 1,300+ volunteers, nearly half were good-hearted, nondental trained people in the community. Special thanks from
Dr. O’Hare to all these additional volunteers, AND the business
supporters such as Dental Suppliers, Fresno Hospitals, and
SaveMart, AND to the dental laboratory workers who made the
291 removable partial or complete dentures that gave grateful
people their smile again.
Lemoore Young Entrepreneurs Academy students take their
first business field trip to Ramblin’ Rose Florist!
The 2015/2016 Young Entrepreneurs Academy is up and running! Six
eager, bright students are on their way to becoming CEOs of their own
REAL business. Part of their journey means visiting a number of local
Lemoore businesses. John Miller, pictured above, co-owner of Ramblin’ Rose Florist, opened his doors and gave the students a hands on
tour and great information regarding starting his 26 year old business
from scratch. The students also had the opportunity to ask questions
and further their understanding about what it takes to start their own
business. Not only was this an excellent field trip for our students, it
was also great exposure for Ramblin’ Rose!
If you are interested in getting involved with the Young Entrepreneurs
Academy, call the Chamber today! 559-924-6401.
On November 14th, Downtown Lemoore came alive with holiday lights,
music and décor! The Downtown Merchants Advisory Committee in coordination with the Lemoore Chamber of Commerce hosted their 26th
Annual Holiday Stroll. Merchants competed in a window decorating contest, in which newcomer Lemoore Antiques won the top prize of $200
and a featured article in the Lemoore Leader.
Community members strolled up and down D Street and Heinlen St. listening to choirs sing Christmas music, browsing merchant’s holiday inventory and indulging in some complimentary snacks, getting their picture taken with Santa & Mrs. Claus at the new Kids Barn, taking fire truck
rides, and catching up with family and friends. It is so lovely that Lemoore
has kept the Holiday Stroll tradition alive!
City of Lemoore
Lemoore Dept. of Public Works
Lemoore Volunteer Fire Department
Lakeside Community Church
Riverdale Assembly Choir
Joe & Kathy Neves
Mariela O’Leary, Kids Barn
Sandy Salyer & Jordan Yoakum
Lynda Lahodny
Ed Martin, The Leader
Lemoore Chamber Newsletter
PAGE 5— Dec. 2015
California and Federal Employment Notices Poster for
2016 includes mandatory updates to workers’ compensation and whistleblowers notices. Make sure you are in
compliance and have your posters displayed properly.
Reminder: California minimum wage increases to
$10.00 per hour on January 1. (It was signed into law in
2013, and this is the last mandatory increase from that
law.)
It can be difficult for military veterans to prove they served in the
military. The only federally issued military ID cards are military
retiree ID cards, the Veterans Identification Card issued by the VA
for eligible veterans, and other veterans on a limited basis. Veterans who are ineligible for one of these ID cards are often left without an official ID card that proves they served in the military.
Some veterans get around this by carrying around a copy of their DD form 214, but this presents a several issues: it is not a
photo ID, so many places won’t accept it, it is bulky and difficult to carry in one’s wallet, and it has the veteran’s Social Security number on it, which presents an identity theft risk if it is stolen.
Thankfully, many states are taking notice of this and are including a veterans designation on drivers licenses and state issued
ID cards, and the state of California came on board starting November 11, 2015.
These cards can often be used for military and veterans discounts, or to prove you served in the military. However, it’s important to note that these ID cards are not official military ID cards in the sense that they will allow you to enter a military
post or receive military benefits. You will need to show your DD Form 214 or other official military documents to receive
military benefits.
What does this mean if you are a business that already accepts military and veteran discounts? You can now ask for their
driver’s license for proof! If you are thinking about starting a discount program, contact the Chamber today to help you prepare for implementation.
Santa Clarita Valley Signal, November 24, 2015
By Signal Staff & Wire Reports
Two well-known Republican state lawmakers submitted language
Thursday, November 19th, for a ballot initiative asking voters to redirect about $8 billion in bond money from the state’s high-speed rail
project to build water storage.
Board of Equalization member and former local legislator George Runner, along with state Sen. Bob Huff, San Dimas, said they filed language
for the initiative with the attorney general’s office.
The ballot proposal would also authorize shifting $2.7 billion in unspent water bond money to water storage construction and amend the
state Constitution to give drinking water and irrigation priority from
California’s limited water supply.
“This initiative secures our water future by building long-overdue expansions of existing facilities and new projects to store, deliver and
recycle water for our families, farms and businesses,” Huff said in a
statement.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority did not respond to a request
for comment Thursday.
Whether the initiative actually makes it to the ballot depends on how
much money supporters can generate to collect signatures.
Runner said the campaign would have sufficient money to fund a robust signature-gathering effort. He said the initiative would offer voters a “decision point” on how they want to spend state money.
“To me, this is no different than a family trying to decide its own priorities. A lot of times in a family you have conflicting priorities, but you
have a limited budget,” he said.
Voters in 2008 approved selling nearly $10 billion in bonds for the
project to link Northern and Southern California by high-speed trains.
But many have now soured on it and have questioned whether it will
cost the $68 billion that has been projected.
Project leaders have faced criticism for the train’s planned route, engineering proposals and insufficient federal funding dedicated to it.
A number of other initiatives, from proposals to raise income and sales
taxes to legalizing recreational marijuana, are expected to compete for
attention on the November 2016 ballot.
Sacramento Bee, November 24, 2015
By Alexei Koseff
Proponents of efforts to extend Proposition 30 taxes, abolish
death penalty have 180 days to qualify for November election
California government may break for Thanksgiving, but democracy doesn’t rest. While the Capitol has gone very quiet this
week, several of the most high-profile initiatives aiming for a
spot on the ballot next November are just beginning their qualifying quests.
Last Thursday, November 19, 2015, the Secretary of State’s Office announced that a proposal to fund schools by extending the
Proposition 30 income tax on the wealthy could begin collecting signatures. While popular with many Democratic politicians, the idea has middling support among California voters,
and proponents of the measure – a mix of education and public
employee unions – must contend with the fact that Gov. Jerry
Brown promised in 2012 that the original tax would be temporary. (A competing plan backed by health care interests that
would also put some of the money toward Medi-Cal is expected
to enter circulation this Wednesday.)
A day later, initiatives to abolish California’s death penalty and
require more campaign finance disclosure were also cleared to
gather signatures. The death penalty effort, which is being
pushed by actor Mike Farrell, could be among the most controversial in next year’s election. A similar proposal was narrowly
rejected by voters in 2012, and a federal judge recently upheld
the state’s capital punishment system as constitutional. A
counter measure to speed up executions is due on the streets
by Christmas. Liberals still angry over the U.S. Supreme Court’s
2010 Citizens United decision allowing for unrestricted independent political spending may get excited about the campaign
finance proposal, which attempts to close “dark money” loopholes by compelling nonprofits to reveal anyone who donates
at least $10,000 if that money is used for political purposes.
PAGE 6— Dec. 2015
Veterans Corner
Medical Care vs. Claims
Most veterans have a lot of misunderstanding with how the VA functions
and thus are confused when dealing
with the VA for both compensation
claims and/or getting medical treatment. Hospitals, clinics, Vet Centers
and such provide treatment. They
work under their own guidelines, regulations, and budgets. The Veterans
Benefits Administration (VBA) confers compensation/
service connection for military related illnesses and injuries, and other commonly known benefits such as home
loan guarantees and education. As an example - Going to the
Fresno Vets Center for PTSD does not automatically request
service connection for PTSD, nor does it automatically guarantee service connection and compensation.
A formal claim for compensation and service connection of
a medical problem must be made in order to receive compensation. This is a service our office provides. In order to
have a medical problem service connected and compensation paid, there must be evidence of a chronic medical issue
being linked to a veteran‘s active military service. Evidence
most frequently comes from military service records, especially medical records. When these are missing, evidence
can come from other sources such as witnesses, photos,
news stories, and letters to home.
Generally, a claim for benefits or an increase in benefits specifically must be made by the veteran. A visit to a medical
facility should not be considered by a veteran to be a claim
of any sort, even if a staff member/employee states there is
one. Medical treatment at a VA treatment facility does not
confer the status of service connection on a medical problem. Service connection is the legal status conferred on a
claim that is made only by the VBA and only after a rating
decision has been completed.
The Kings County Veterans Service Office can complete the
DMV Veteran Status Verification Form for the new California Veteran Designation on your driver’s license. We also
issue Veteran I.D. cards to honorably discharged veterans.
Contact Joe Wright if you would like to receive periodic veteran’s information by email. There are many state and federal benefits and programs available to veterans and their
dependents. To find out if you are eligible for any of these
benefits, visit or call our office. We can and will assist you
in completing all required application forms. You can get
information on the Web from the Kings County Veterans
Service Office webpage at www.countyofkings.com/vets.
Joe Wright, retired Navy Master Chief Petty Officer, is the Veterans Service
Officer for Kings County. Send your questions to the Veterans Service Office: joe.wright@co.kings.ca.us.
Lemoore Chamber Newsletter
Lemoore Chamber Newsletter
Sunday
Monday
PAGE 7— Dec. 2015
Tuesday
1
Wednesday
2
YEA! Class
4-7pm, LMCHS
6
Breakfast with Santa
8am-Noon
Lemoore Rec. Center
7
Senior Center Lunch
11:30am-Noon
Mooney Museum
Open Noon – 3:00 p.m.
13
Mooney Museum
Open Noon – 3:00 p.m.
2nd Sunday Seminar
Senior Center Lunch
11:30am-Noon
Joint Chamber Board/
City Council Study
Session 5:30pm
City Council Meeting
7:30 p.m
8
Senior Center Lunch
w/ Bingo
11:30am-1pm
15
Senior Center Lunch
w/ Bingo
11:30am-1pm
City Council Meeting
7:30 p.m
20
Mooney Museum
Open Noon – 3:00 p.m.
27
21
Senior Center Lunch
11:30am-Noon
28
Senior Center Lunch
11:30am-Noon
3
Senior Center Lunch
w/Bingo
11:30am-1pm
YEA! Class
4-7pm, LMCHS
14
Thursday
22
.Senior Center Lunch
w/ Bingo
11:30am-1pm
29
Senior Center Lunch
w/ Bingo
11:30am-1pm
9
CHAMBER HOLIDAYLUNCHEON
11:30am-1pm
Train Depot
Senior Center Lunch
w/ Bingo
11:30am-1pm
4
Vets/Seniors
Breakfast
7:30-9am Vets
Memorial Bldg
10
Senior Center Lunch
11:30am-Noon
BINGO
6:00 p.m.
Senior Center
16
Senior Center Lunch
11:30am-Noon
BINGO
6:00 p.m.
Senior Center
Friday
Saturday
5
Lemoore Christmas
Parade @ 6pm
Downtown Lemoore
Kings Lions Club
Canned Food Drive &
A Movie, Doors Open
@9:30am
11
12
Vets/Seniors
Breakfast
7:30-9am
Vets Memorial Bldg
Sweets with Seniors
8am, Civic Auditorium
17
Senior Center Lunch
w/ Bingo
11:30am-1pm
18
19
Vets/Seniors
Breakfast
7:30-9am VetsMem Bldg
Community Breakfast
23
24
Senior Center Lunch
11:30am-Noon
BINGO
6 p.m. /Senior Center
Senior Center Lunch
w/ Bingo
11:30am-1pm
30
Senior Center Lunch
11:30am-Noon
BINGO
6:00 p.m.
Senior Center
31
Senior Center Lunch
w/ Bingo
11:30am-1pm
Chamber Office
Closed
Chamber Office
Closed
Tachi Bingo Hall
8:30-10am
CHRISTMAS
Chamber Office
Closed
25
26