Coate Tales: Inside Sports: Top cop South outlasts To subscribe to The Madera Tribune, email [email protected] had a Madera forgiving heart in rivalry The Madera Tribune | 2591 Mitchell Ct. See Page 4 See Page 7 Open 8am-5pm | 559-674-2424 Weekend Edition, Saturday, April 17, 2021 | VOL 130 - ISSUE 6 | 50 Cents The Madera Tribune Visit us online: www.maderatribune.com Organization Drug trafficking investigation reduces casino yields seizures, 38 arrests debt by nearly For THe MADerA TrIBUNe In July of 2020, the Made- ra County Narcotic en- 70 percent forcement Team launched For THe MADerA TrIBUNe an investigation into a drug CoArSegolD — The Chukchansi eco- trafficking ring led by Juan nomic Development Authority (CeDA), Jimenez, operating primari- operator of the Chukchansi gold resort & ly in the la Vina community Casino (CgrC), announced the completion of Madera County, and it led of a historic debt restructuring with its exist- to the arrest of 38 individu- ing creditors and completion of a new credit als, in addition to seizure of agreement with Western Alliance Bank, set- various illegal drugs. ting the course for increased economic inde- “This is a tremendous day pendence for the tribe. for public safety in Madera The settlement, as agreed to by a major- County,” said Madera Coun- ity of stakeholders, significantly reduces ty Sheriff Tyson Pogue. “The CeDA’s debt from $350 million, including substantial seizure of drugs principal and accrued and unpaid interest, and firearms will no doubt to approximately $110 million — a reduc- make a significant impact to tion of nearly 70 percent, as announced by FOR THE MADERA TRIBUNE the safety of our community. Madera County Sheriff Tyson Pogue speaks about a combined-effort drug bust that yielded 38 arrests and CeDA Thursday. We are thankful for the col- more than $400,000 worth of illegal drugs at a press conference Monday. This major reduction comes in part due to laboration between our al- the successful reopening of the Chukchansi lied agencies to successfully gold resort & Casino following its closure navigate and conclude this due to the CoVID-19 pandemic. CgrC took investigation. This operation extraordinary efforts to reopen safely for its would not have yielded such patrons and team members — employing positive results without the cleaning crews, increased spacing, reinvested teamwork among the Made- in its exciting and safe food and beverage of- ra County Sheriff’s office, ferings, and due to enthusiastic player partici- Madera Police Department, pation, added more games. Chowchilla Police Depart- “Since being elected to office in 2015, I’ve ment, Madera County Pro- prioritized working with stakeholders to strat- bation, the California High- egize and implement a comprehensive agree- way Patrol, the California ment that would significantly reduce CeDA’s FOR THE MADERA TRIBUNE FOR THE MADERA TRIBUNE FOR THE MADERA TRIBUNE debt,” said Claudia gonzales, Chairwoman Department of Justice, and Alexis Jimenez. Juan Jimenez. Maria Hidalgo. the Madera County District CeDA. “Today, our Tribal Community has Attorney’s office. let this and the criminal activity they Jimenez was both acquiring and fornia. Additionally, they dis- reached a major milestone in our efforts to be an unmistakable remind- provoke, in Madera County.” distributing methamphetamine, covered Jimenez was procuring secure financial independence. This debt re- er to all that we take a strong During the course of the in- heroin and cocaine throughout methamphetamine from Mexico. structuring complements our overall econom- stand against drugs, gangs, vestigation, detectives learned various locations within Cali- SEE ARRESTS, PAGE 3 SEE CASINO, PAGE 2 Madera student receives $180K scholarship By Tyler A. Takeda made my final decision yet THe MADerA TrIBUNe because there’s more oppor- While waiting to see about tunities to come.” his acceptance to the Unit- Martinez has a letter of ed States Naval Academy, assurance from the academy Madera High School stu- that should turn into an ac- dent Scott Martinez received ceptance. the Naval reserve officer “I have a letter of assur- Training Corps scholarship ance, which means as long from the United States Ma- as I get my medical cleared, rine Corps. it turns into an acceptance,” Martinez is one of three he said. “I’m just waiting Central Valley students to for word from that. I should receive the award. He will have everything cleared.” be able to use the scholar- Martinez isn’t sure when ship to any college or uni- that letter will come, but he versity with an roTC pro- is hoping soon. gram and once he graduates, “If it turns into an accep- he will be commissioned as tance, the Naval Academy is a second lieutenant in the my Plan A,” he said. Marine Corps. He was honored Wednes- “I wasn’t expecting it to day by the Madera Unified happen,” Martinez said. School District and U.S. Martinez said he will use Marine Corps captain Mi- the scholarship to attend chael Czyrnik with a check Tuskegee University in Al- presentation for the scholar- abama if his Plan A doesn’t ship. come to fruition. “That was an amazing ex- “This was what my back- perience,” he said. “To see up was going to be,” he said. all my teachers, coaches and “It’s just a different path. I’m friends supporting me, it excited for everything that I was nice. It was a good re- have received. It’s just nice minder of who have helped to have other opportunities.” me along the way.” Martinez’s Plan A is still In order to be considered to attend the U.S. Naval for the scholarship, Martinez Academy. He is just waiting had to score 1,000 or high- for the acceptance letter to WENDY ALEXANDER/THE MADERA TRIBUNE er on the SAT, a 74 or bet- come in. Madera High senior Scott Martinez shows off a check for a Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) scholarship from ter on the Armed Services “I’m not sure where I’ll be the United States Marine Corps. Martinez was recognized in a ceremony at Madera High on Wednesday. From left are Capt. Vocational Aptitude Battery going,” he said. “I haven’t Michael Czyrnik, parents Mike and Stefanie Martinez, Scott Martinez and Sgt. Joseph Guerrero. SEE MARTINEZ, PAGE 2 Weather Forecast Air Quality Index INDEX Sports……………….. 7 Opinion..…………….. 6 Sunny MAD: 54 Moderate (O3) Classifieds………….. 11 High 82 Low 49 FRE: 61 Moderate (O3) Crossword…………. 9 See Weather, Page 2 Features…………….. 4 Page 2MADERA TRIBUNE Saturday, April 17, 2021 Local Weather Forecast Sunday night…Clear, with a low Local Rainfall and around 50. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the eve- Weather Almanac ning. Provided by Monday…Sunny, with a high near National Weather Service 89. Calm wind becoming west WENDY April 15, 2021 around 5 mph in the afternoon. ALEXANER/THE MADERA TRIBUNE High 70 Monday night…Mostly clear, with Low 42 a low around 52. Northwest wind Cattle Rain 0.00 around 5 mph. gather near Normal 0.03 Tuesday…Sunny, with a high near a trough Total (Since Jan. 1) 0.78 83. West northwest wind around 5 in Madera mph. County. Forecast for Madera Tuesday night…Mostly clear, with Today’s a low around 49. West northwest forecast is and surrounding area wind 5 to 10 mph. Saturday…Sunny, with a high near Wednesday…Sunny, with a high sunny, with 82. West northwest wind 5 to 10 near 81. Northwest wind around 5 a high of mph. 82 and low Saturday night…Clear, with a low mph. around 49. Northwest wind around 5 Wednesday night…Mostly clear, of 49. mph becoming calm in the evening. with a low around 48. Northwest Sunday…Sunny, with a high near wind 5 to 10 mph. 87. Calm wind becoming west Thursday…Sunny, with a high near northwest around 5 mph in the af- 83. West northwest wind around 5 ternoon. mph. Sugar ray’S BBQ holdS riBBon-cutting ceremony COVID-19 Update WENDY ALEXANDER/THE MADERA TRIBUNE New cases: 14 RIGHT — ray barragan, Total cases: 16,136 owner of Sugar ray’s BBQ, Active cases: 323 (2 hospitalized) third from left, is joined by Recovered: 15,574 (11 released from isolation) Deceased: 239 deceased his staff following the official Female — 70s -- underlying conditions ribbon cutting on Thursday. Female — 60s — underlying conditions The business is at 720 Rob- Male — 70s — underlying conditions ertson Blvd. in Chowchilla. Tests given: 235,396 Positive tests: 18,313 The hours are Thurs-Sun Negative tests: 217,083 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Case Rate: 5.9 positive per 100,000 (Orange) Adjusted Case Rate: 5.7 positive per 100,000 belOW — ray barragan, (Orange) County Positivity Rate: 2.5 percent (Orange) owner of Sugar ray’s BBQ, Healty Equity Postitivity Rate: 5.2 percent (Orange) holding scissors, is joined by local dignitaries and officials, As of April 15. Reported by the Madera County Department of Public Health. Madera County has moved to reporting deaths on a weekly members of the Chowchilla basis. As always, reported deaths have COVID-19 listed as a cause of Chamber of Commerce and death and have a confirmed positive COVID-19 PCR test result. Case staff as he cuts the ribbon rate data from March 28-April 3 Testing was above the state median for his new business in leading the rate to trend downward. Chowchilla on Thursday. Madera Police Log The Madera Police De- Clinton Street. partment reported the fol- 9:12 a.m. — Civil dis- lowing incidents. pute in the 2300 block of Jonathan Way. 10:52 a.m. — Anmal March 6 found dead near James 1:09 a.m.