2 days Ago By Sentinel Staff Report
The following is a rundown of 10 of the most popular local news stories on the Sentinel's website in the past year. They are listed here chronologically. To read the full stories and to follow next year's top stories, visit www.
hanfordsentinel.com . Feb.
8 Unique coffee shop sparks outrage The Hanford City Council hosted a regular meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 6, where it heard numerous complaints opposing Bottoms Up Espresso, a new business proposed for north Hanford. In spite of the display of opposition, the business is set to open this spring at the Fargo and 10th Avenue intersection.
The Modesto-based chain of coffee shops is known for its scantily-clad baristas. “As a drive-thru coffee company, we strive to serve our customers with quality drinks made from our custom blend of espresso beans,” said Stacy Call, vice president of Bottoms Up Espresso. “We also aim to build strong relationships with our communities, promote positive growth, and create an empowering environment for our customers, employees and the community as a whole.
” June 27 Cheese maker plans major new plant east of Hanford Marquez Brothers International makes a variety of dairy products, including Hispanic-style cheese, at their crowded square-block plant on 11th Street in Hanford that clearly has no room to grow. Now Marquez Bros. is planning what will be one of the largest manufacturing plants in Kings County behind Leprino in Lemoore.
The company has filed environmental documents with the City of Hanford to build a 50-acre dairy product manufacturing campus along Lacey Boulevard next to the high-speed rail elevated track just beyond the traffic circle and the Pemex gas station east of town. Before construction can start, the city will need to annex the land. The plan calls for a nine-phase expansion at the former cherry orchard that would result in 730,000 square feet of buildings built over a decade.
Once all phases are done, the plant could employ 200 and be visited by 120 trucks a day. July 25 Garrett Leyva sentenced to life in prison for double murder A murderer was sentenced to two life sentences with no chance of parole after being convicted of killing two young people in Hanford. Garrett Leyva was convicted of stabbing to death his ex-girlfriend, Ryan Hulbert, 20, and her brother, Zachary, 18.
Leyva was angered by the break-up which led him to kill the siblings in 2021, according to police. He admitted to the killings in a 911 call shortly after committing the crimes. Leyva had previously been convicted and was sentenced on July 25.
July 25 Renaissance Fair to charge admission for the first time The Hanford Renaissance Fair will charge admission for the first time in its 45-year history when it opens later this year. Hanford Parks and Community Services Director Brad Albert said there were several reasons for the decision to add an entrance fee for this year's event. The fee is $5 for admission, an amount Albert called "modest" in light of the rates charged at other fairs in the surrounding communities.
"This year, for the first time, we are working with a production company called C Squared Productions and they have over 30 years’ experience putting on Renaissance Fairs," Albert said in a telephone interview with The Hanford Sentinel. "Because this is the 45th annual Renaissance Fair, and the longest running Renaissance Fair in the State of California, and the fact that we were the last remaining free fair in the State of California, and we are going to be increasing our entertainment, vendors and guilds, we felt that it was time to charge admission." July 29 Details emerge on murder-suicide Hanford Police have released new details in a suspected murder-suicide that happened this weekend.
Police dispatch received a call from a male at about 8:40 a.m. on July 28 who identified himself as Roger Hedrick, 64.
Hedrick provided his address to the police and stated that he had killed his wife. Hedrick said she had pulled a gun on him during a dispute and that was why he had shot his wife. Hedrick said he was leaving the front door unlocked and advised that he would be gone when police arrived.
Officers arrived at the residence and gained entry. They report there was no sign of forced entry. The couple were found in the master bedroom dead.
Two handguns were found near the bodies. The deceased woman has been identified as Teresa Bennett-Hedrick, 62. Oct.
4 Superior Dairy for sale: Iconic ice cream store listed for $2.5M Superior Dairy is on the menu. Hanford may be best known for the iconic downtown ice cream shop, which has drawn in generations of customers over the years, but a sign in its window advises that the store currently only offers take-out orders as dine-in hasn’t been available since the pandemic.
However, that may change as Superior Dairy is being listed for sale for the first time in its 95-year history. Local real estate agent Ryan Portugal will be handling the $2.5M listing and is excited to take on the sale of the famed building.
Portugal said Tim Jones, the owner of Superior Dairy, decided to sell because he is ready to enter into retirement and has no one willing to take ownership of the business. Oct. 25 Mourners gather in memory of slain Hanford man Cruz Avalos Over 200 friends and relatives of Cruz Avalos came together on Friday evening to remember, mourn and pray for the man killed in a shooting Wednesday afternoon.
Candles were lit in his honor as hugs and tears were shared on the corner of 10th Avenue and Lacey Boulevard, where the shooting occurred. His mother, Veronica Parker, greeted mourners as they approached the makeshift altar in front of the Sinclair gas station. Nov.
8 Homeless residents prepare for eviction from encampment A large portion of the homeless population in Hanford will find themselves looking for a new place to stay, after a notice was served on Wednesday to those living in encampments on Hanford Armona Road enforcing the city’s new encampment ordinance. Troubles arose after several of the residents on the property alleged that officers handing out the notices demanded that everyone living on the grounds gather their belongings and leave by Friday afternoon. They also claimed they were told that if they failed to leave by Friday they would be arrested, although the claim could not be confirmed through the Hanford Police Department.
Scott Silkwood and his wife, along with their son Journey, live in one of the encampments on the property that used to house the old COS building. Silkwood said that he and his family fell into homelessness during the COVID pandemic when they were evicted from their home three years ago. He said that the notice to move is extremely frustrating because they have nowhere to move to.
Nov. 14 Leprino’s Lemoore East facility set to close in 2026 Leprino Foods announced on Thursday that it will close the Lemoore East facility in 2026. The Lemoore East facility has been open for more than a century and employs roughly 300 people.
The facility, which has been open since 1910, will remain open and operational until 2026 and all of the employees of the Lemoore East plant have been notified of the future closure, according to a company spokesperson. “We are announcing this decision now, more than a year in advance, as part of our commitment to supporting the Lemoore East team through a cooperative, thoughtful transition,” said a spokesperson for Leprino’s. “This choice in no way reflects the hard work of our approximately 300 Lemoore East employees, who contribute to Leprino’s success every day.
” Nov. 14 Operation Royal Flush nets over 70 arrests: Three county homicides solved as result The Kings County Sheriff’s Office announced on Thursday that “Operation Royal Flush,” a multi-agency gang bust, netted over 70 arrests which connected local gang members to several unsolved homicides within the county. While KCSO has not released further information on which homicides have been solved, they did recover multiple firearms and various amounts of drugs during the gang-related investigation.
In June of 2023, the Kings County Major Crimes Task Force recognized a rise in local gang violence associated with the Norteno criminal street gang, according to a release. Based on the results of a joint investigation by the Kings County Major Crimes Task Force and the CA DOJ Special Operations Unit, the Norteno criminal street gang members have been identified as being present in Hanford, Kettleman City, Lemoore, Avenal, Stratford, Corcoran and Armona..
