This is a collection of local news concisely presented to provide a quick overview of what you might otherwise have missed.
2026 Visalia Games to be held April 16-19
Registration is now open for the 2026 Visalia Games, which will be held at various venues in the city April 16-19.
Known in previous years as the Visalia Senior Games, the annual athletic competitions for those 50+ are now the Visalia Games, and are open to adult athletes of all age groups.
“The changes were made so that we can expand the clientele, the community that we’re going to be serving,” Recreation Manager Laurissa RoggenKamp said. “Adults don’t have as many opportunities to play, but we did make sure that the essence of senior games was still held by maintaining division age categories for older players to be able to play against like-aged participants.”
This year’s games will offer competitions in five different sports: track and field, table tennis, fishing, golf, and the most popular event at recent games, pickleball.
“We have been getting people contacting us about other events to introduce in 2027,” Roggenkamp said. “We’re already working on bringing more events for 2027.”
Candeeland coming to Visalia Mall
Plans are moving ahead to open Candeeland, a children’s play space, in the former Forever 21 location in the Visalia Mall.
“The city has approved our site plan,” said Ed Viser of Cafe Design and Architecture, who submitted the company’s application to the city. “We are starting the design and the layout of the interior.”
Candeeland play spaces offer a variety of climbing, jumping, and crawling activities, and include a cafe for kids and adults, as well as a candy store. The venue also has a place to hold children’s parties.
There are currently 10 Candeeland play spaces in the U.S., one in Arizona, two in Texas, and seven in California. There are seven more locations “coming soon,” according to the company website.
Town Hall scheduled in Springville
Tulare County Supervisor Dennis Townsend will conduct a town hall at the Springville Veterans’ Memorial Building on Thursday, Jan. 15 at 4 p.m. to present an update on issues affecting the community and to receive input from area residents.
For more information, contact Board Representative Patrick Burks at pburks@tularecounty.ca.gov.
Family HealthCare Network’s PACE Program reaches milestone
Family HealthCare Network announced on Jan. 2 that its Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) at 500 E. School Ave., Visalia, completed its first year in operation, welcoming more than 100 participants in Tulare and Kings counties.
PACE assists participants and their families by providing transportation, physical therapy services, care coordination, social services, meals, and opportunities to connect with their peers.
GameStop rapidly closing locations
GameStop, the national gaming merchandise retailer, has been forced to close many of its stores.
The GameStop in Dinuba closed last year, and the Porterville store is among the locations scheduled to close this year. This leaves the Tulare store at 1212 E. Prosperity Ave., and the two Visalia locations, 2038 S. Mooney Blvd. and 3318 N. Dinuba Blvd., as the last survivors in the county.
Since June 2021, the company has either closed or is in the process of closing 1,325 of its stores. An additional 58 stores will reportedly also be closing this year.
Dave Stamey to kick off Colorado Cowboy Gathering
On Jan. 25, Dave Stamey, who lives in the Sierra Nevada region of Tulare County, will take the stage at Stadium Arena on the National Western Stock Show campus in Denver. His appearance will be a prelude to the annual Colorado Cowboy Gathering, which features five shows and other attractions at the Buffalo Rose Event Center in Golden, Colo.
Stamey is a popular and respected performer in Western music. Western Horseman magazine described his “Vaquero Song” as “one of the great Western songs of all time.”
Farmersville Fire Station ribbon-cutting ceremony planned
California State Senator Melissa Hurtado and Farmersville city leaders, families, partner organizations, and Tulare County officials will attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Fire Station 83 at 376 W. Front St. on Friday, Jan. 16.
Hurtado secured $7 million in funding from the 2022 state budget to make the construction of the new station possible, enabling it to serve the city of Farmersville for generations to come.
The Farmersville Fire Department has been stationed at Farmersville City Hall, 909 W. Visalia Road. The new station will be its first independent facility.
“We are able to expand our apparatuses and we are more centrally located within the city, so our response time is cut down to most parts of the city,” Farmersville Fire Capt. Brandon Saefong said.
National Park Service announces park road closures
Generals Highway is closed between Wuksachi Lodge and Montecito Lodge for the winter season, the National Park Service recently announced.
“It is not possible to drive between Grant Grove/General Grant Tree in Kings Canyon National Park and Giant Forest and General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park,” parks officials stated. “The closed section usually opens in late March, depending on snow conditions.”
The NPS also announced that chain restrictions are in effect on some park roads, and that all vehicles must carry chains or cables, including 4WD and AWD vehicles, and drivers must be prepared to install chains when required.
For current road information, call (559) 565-3341.
Save Mart to expand Amazon return program
After successfully testing a program allowing customers to return their Amazon purchases in kiosks in 15 of its stores, The Save Mart Companies plan to expand the program to all its Save Mart, Lucky, and FoodMaxx stores in California and Nevada by the end of February.
“The reality is, returning an item has become a routine part of the online shopping experience, especially after the busy holiday season,” said Tamara Pattison, chief digital officer of The Save Mart Companies. “With this rollout completing just in time for the post-holiday return rush, our stores throughout California and Western Nevada are positioned to make returns as easy and convenient as possible for the millions of online shoppers we both serve.”
The Amazon return kiosk service includes free bags and labels when customers scan a QR code.
Construction on Caldwell Avenue enters new phase
Phase 3 of the Caldwell Widening & Improvement Project began on Jan. 5, changing the temporary road for drivers on Caldwell Avenue between Santa Fe Street to Lovers Lane.
“Traffic will be shifted to the newly constructed southerly half of Caldwell Avenue to allow for this next phase,” Senior Civil Engineer Eric Bons said. “The roadway improvements for the northerly half of Caldwell Avenue, along with the reconstruction of the major intersections, will be constructed in segments to minimize the impact to the flow of traffic.”
Phase 3 will include the construction of underground utilities, curbs, gutters, and the installation of a center median, streetlights and new pavement.
“Lane shifts and lane closures with flaggers may occur,” Bons said. “Traffic lane shifts will be posted on the roadway with crews directing traffic, as necessary. Major intersections will be constructed in halves with one lane of travel in each direction being maintained on Caldwell Avenue.”
The Caldwell Widening & Improvement Project is part of a larger Avenue 280 corridor widening project sponsored by the cities of Visalia, Farmersville, and Exeter; the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG); and the county of Tulare.
Kaweah Health seeks applicants for board vacancy
Kaweah Delta Health Care District announced that Board Member Lynn Havard Mirviss, RN, Ed.D., resigned effective Dec. 31, 2025. As a result, the board needs to fill the vacancy by appointment.
Qualified residents who are registered voters in Zone 2 are encouraged to apply by Feb. 5 by submitting a confidential letter of interest via email to Board Clerk Kelsie Davis at kedavis@kaweahhealth.org or by postal mail to Kaweah Health Executive Offices, Kelsie Davis, 400 W. Mineral King Ave., Visalia, CA 93291.
For more information, call Davis at (559) 624-2330. More information, including board duties and answers to frequently asked questions, can be found at KaweahHealth.org/Board.
Tulare County Supervisors begin ‘Pet of the Month’ program
At its Jan. 13 meeting, the Tulare County Supervisors launched a “Pet of the Month” program by introducing Birdie, one of the many animals currently in the care of Tulare County Animal Services that is waiting to be adopted.
According to her biography, “Birdie is a pint-sized little lady with tiny short legs and a giant heart. At a year old and only 30 pounds, she is the perfect fit for almost any family. Birdie is outgoing and eager to please, and she gets along just fine with other dogs, big and small. Birdie is spayed, vaccinated, microchipped, and ready to head home with her new family. Her adoption fee as Pet of the Month is $25.”
“Each month, a pet ready to find their forever home will visit the board of supervisors meeting and will be highlighted on social media,” Tulare County Public Information Officer Jennifer Fawkes said.
If residents would like to meet the Pet of the Month, they can attend the meeting. Residents can also visit Tulare County Animal Services at 14131 Ave. 256 in Visalia, during normal operating hours, to visit pets ready for adoption. Animals ready for adoption at the shelter can also be seen online at tinyurl.com/tcpetofthemonth.
Teacher Recruitment Fair set for March 6
Tulare and Kings counties school districts will be hosting the 41st Annual Tulare & Kings Counties Teacher Recruitment Fair to find teachers and other professionals for the 2026-2027 school year.
The event will be held in Building C at the International Agri-Center, 4500 S. Laspina St., Tulare, from 4-7 p.m. on March 6.
School districts are seeking credentialed multiple-subject, single-subject, and career technical education teachers. Candidates in all subject areas are encouraged to attend, as are those seeking classified positions, such as teaching assistants, record clerks, cooks and custodians.
Candidates are encouraged to register online.
Comedy night fundraiser to feature Tulare County supervisor
An evening of PG-13 stand-up comedy is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 23, at the Ice House Theater, 410 E. Race Ave. in Visalia. The event is a fundraiser to support local live theater.
Tulare County Board of Supervisors Chair Amy Shuklian will perform, along with Colton Irvine and Johnny Osburn.
“The Ice House Theater is a special place for creativity in our community, and hosting a night of comedy here is a fun way to support local performers and the arts,” Shuklian said.
Tickets are available online.
4Creeks wins three ACEC Engineering Excellence Awards
The American Council of Engineering Companies, California announced the 2026 recipients of its annual Engineering Excellence Awards on Jan. 7. Companies were judged on innovation, complexity, achievement and value.
4Creeks, based in Visalia, won Merit Awards for its work on two projects, the Riggin Avenue Widening – Mooney to Conyer, and the Viscaya Park Project. The company also won a Commendation Award for its work on the Kamm Avenue and Alta Avenue Roundabout.
“What was once a vacant 7.2-acre detention basin is now a vibrant public park designed for recreation, connection, and community pride,” said 4Creeks in a Facebook post about the Viscaya Park project. “The park features sports courts, playgrounds, shaded pavilions, walking paths, restrooms, a butterfly garden, dog parks, and upgraded utilities, lighting, and landscaping.”
SoCalGas proposes closing its public offices
Last May, SoCalGas filed its Branch Offices Closure Proposal Application with the CPUC to close its remaining 43 branch offices, which includes two Tulare County offices, 1305 E. Noble Ave., Visalia, and 239 E. Tulare St., Dinuba.
SoCalGas’s branch offices have allowed customers the ability to pay their bills in-person, inquire about their accounts, and complete other service transactions.
“SoCalGas’s branch offices have become an increasingly under-utilized service channel,” a SoCalGas notice states.
The utility company has scheduled six meetings to receive comments from the public about its proposal to close its branch offices. Four are in Los Angeles County, and two are online (at www.adminmonitor.com/ca/cpuc/) and also accessible by phone (at 800-857-1917, passcode: 1673482#) at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Feb. 6.
For more information, call (415) 703-1584, email PublicAdvocatesOffice@cpuc.ca.gov, or visit PublicAdvocates.cpuc.ca.gov.
Lindsay recognized as a friendly town to retire
When WorldAtlas.com decided to name eight friendly towns to retire to in California, it found one in Tulare County – the city of Lindsay.
The website described Lindsay as, “a tight-knit community with breathtaking landscapes. Lindsay is a fun place to live and retire, especially because there always seems to be something going on in the community, whether at the Lindsay Community Theatre, which styles itself as the Biggest Little Theatre in Central California, Lindsay City Park, a safe place for grandkids to play and get tired, or McDermont X, a family-friendly entertainment center with a full arcade and a rock-climbing area.”
Los Banos was the only other Central Valley city named. The other friendly California cities were Oroville, Palm Springs, Placerville, Sonora, Susanville and Ukiah.
VUSD receives ASBO Meritorious Budget Award for 2025-26
Visalia Unified School District has received the prestigious Meritorious Budget Award from the Association of School Business Officials International.
The award recognizes the district’s ongoing efforts for clear, transparent, and high-quality budget presentation and its dedication to responsible financial stewardship.
“We know that financial transparency is vital to building trust with our community,” Visalia Superintendent Kirk Shrum said. “This distinction is a result of intentional work over the last few years on presenting a clear and accurate budget to our board and community. I am proud of our commitment and growth in earning this distinction.”
Visalia influences Riverside Convention Center expansion
The city of Riverside, which saw its Riverside Live project stall during the pandemic, is looking to resume the project and spend $350 million to triple the size of its existing convention center to 150,000 square feet, with two new hotels, a 15-story office building, and outdoor venue space.
In a presentation to the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce, Riverside City Manager Mike Futrell gave a convincing dollars-and-cents argument about why the city should expand its convention center.
He included what may or may not have been a left-handed compliment when he added, “But I will tell you, Visalia, California, has a bigger convention center than Riverside.”
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Visalia Games, new Candeeland, GameStop closure top Tulare County news
Reporting by Steve Pastis, Visalia Times-Delta / Visalia Times-Delta
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
