WHAT’S ON tap

THURSDAY

A Foodlink food giveaway for families who have lost jobs or hours from work due to the drought is held each Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon at the old General Tire store at 416 S. Main Street, Porterville. Bring ID and proof of residency such as a rental agreement or power bill. the Porterville Historical Museum is presenting its 33rd Annual Model Trains and Antique Toys Exhibits beginning Nov. 25 and continuing through Jan. 7. There are 14 layouts with a total of 29 trains in the exhibit. Train gauges will start from the smallest Nano gauge — cars no bigger than ants — to the largest S gauge. The museum will have antique toys from the collection of Bill Warner, and Joe Sanchez will exhibit his hand-made art collection of tanks, airplanes, motorcycles and more. The museum, 257 N. D St., is open Thursday–saturday from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $1 for students, and children ages six and under are free. There is no charge for Friends of the Museum and Sponsors. For more information, visit www.portervillemuseum. org, email portervillemuseum@gmail.com or call 784-2053. valley Oak Quilt Guild will meet from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 8 at Tulare Community Church, 1820 N. Gem, in Tulare. There will be installation of officers for the coming year, drawing of this year’s opportunity quilt and a Christmas luncheon. For more information, call Nanette at 625-2541 or visit www.valleyoakqg. org. the Porterville Chamber of Commerce’s Business After Hours Thursday will be hosted by Sierra View Medical Center at 465 W. Putnam Ave. This “Jingle Bell Mingle” begins at 5:30 and concludes at 7 p.m. The Business After Hours gathering is open to all Chamber members and is free of charge. Opportunity drawing tickets will be available for purchase for items donated by various members.

FRIDAY

a weekly meet-andgreet with residents will be held at the Lindsay City Park from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. each Friday. Lindsay interim city manager Bill Zigler and staff members will attend. the Barn Theater’s production of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,

Junior” is at 7 p.m. on Dec. 9 and 10. Cost of each performance is $10 for adults; $8 for seniors and students; and $5 for children 11 and under. Season ticket holders may use their passes for this event as well. “Beauty and the Beast, Jr.” takes place once upon a time in a faraway land. An Enchantress turns a cruel, unfeeling Prince into a beast. To break the spell, the Beast must learn to love another and earn her love in return before the last petal falls from an enchanted rose. Reservations can be made by calling 310-7046 or by going to the Barn’s website at barntheater.porterville.com. Although reservations are recommended, walk-ins are welcome. The Barn Theater is located at 42 S. Plano St., at the corner of Olive Avenue and Plano Street across the street from the Eastridge Plaza, in Porterville. the Zalud House Museum will be hosting its annual “Old Fashioned Christmas” Candlelight Tours on Dec. 9, 10, 16 and 17 from 6–8 p.m. The Zalud House will come alive with the holiday spirit during the candlelight tours by featuring special seasonal displays and vintage decorations. The guided tours and refreshments are sure to provide an enjoyable evening for the whole family. For those of you that haven’t visited the local historic site, or it has been some time since you have taken a tour, this is definitely a great time to visit. Built in 1891, it is one of the few houses of that era that has not undergone remodeling and only the Zalud family ever lived in the home. Admission is only $2 for adults and $0.50 for children.

SATURDAY

the Springville Farmers’ Market is held each Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon in downtown Springville. Fresh, local fruits and vegetables, home-cooked foods, hand-crafted articles and collectables are offered. For booth space or information, call Ralph at 544-4069. the Porterville City Library holds introductory computer classes on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. For more information on services and programs, go to the Library at 41 W. Thurman Ave., call 784-0177, or visit www.portervillelibrary.org and www.facebook.com/ portervillelibrary. a field trip to Sunset Park is set for Dec. 10.

Sunset Park has had a variety of migrant birds as well as numerous residents such as Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Belted Kingfisher and even a Merlin. This residential park provides easy walking and viewing. This is a great trip for beginners and children, lasting a half day. Bring lunch, water, binoculars, bird book, layered clothing, family and friends. Meet in the Porterville Sears parking lot at 7:45 a.m. or at Sunset Park, located at West Monte Verde Avenue and West Lisendra Drive, Visalia, at 8 a.m. santa Claus is coming to the Porterville City Library for photos with children. Those coming to the city Library Community Room will get a 4x6 color photo with Santa if they donate a non-perishable food item or an unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots. People can also bring their own camera to take a free picture with Santa Claus. There will be several opportunities to take a photo with Santa Claus. The dates and times with Santa are Saturday, Dec. 10: 10 a.m.-1

p.m. and 3-5 p.m. Santa visit for special needs children. By appointment, call 7827494 or 782-7491, space is limited; Tuesday, Dec. 13: 10:30 a.m.-noon; Thursday, Dec. 15: 4-6 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 17: 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. For more information, visit the Porterville City Library at 41 W. Thurman Ave., call 784-0177, or go to www. portervillelibrary.org and www.facebook.com/portervillelibrary. the Barn Theater’s final showing of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast, Junior” is at 7 p.m. on Dec. 10. Cost of the performance is $10 for adults; $8 for seniors and students; and $5 for children 11 and under. the Zalud House Museum will be hosting its annual “Old Fashioned Christmas” Candlelight Tours on Dec. 10, 16 and 17 from 6–8 p.m. The Zalud House will come alive with the holiday spirit during the candlelight tours by featuring special seasonal displays and vintage decorations. The guided tours and refreshments are sure to provide an enjoyable evening for the whole family. For those of you that haven’t visited the local historic site, or it has been some time since you have taken a tour, this is definitely a great time to visit. Built in 1891, it is one of the few houses of that era that has not undergone remodeling and only the Zalud family ever lived in the home. Admission is only $2 for adults and $0.50 for children. the River Ridge Institute will plant a variety of native trees, shrubs and grasses in its oak restoration site in Springville from 9 a.m. to noon on Dec. 10. Participants should plan on meeting in the lower parking lot at River Ridge Ranch, 37675 Balch Park Road, Springville. Attendees should wear shoes designed for

wet and damp pastures and encourages everyone to bring a jacket and a water bottle. People interested in participating should RSVP by e-mailing the River Ridge Institute at info@riverridgeinstitute.org in which they will need to identify how many people will be present and provide a phone number. For more information, call 539-0207 or 361-7453. tthe Porterville High School Drama Department presents another

Night of Improvs this Friday at 7 p.m. This single performance will take place in the Choir Room (U-6) on the PHS campus, 465 W. Olive Ave. Admission price is $2 per person, and allows the ticketholder to witness the mad cap antics of some of PHS’S finest improv artists as they compete for the comedy crown. Tickets are available at the door starting at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call director Craig Caven at 782-7279.

SUNDAY

the Tule River Historical Museum is open to the public from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays with no admission charge. The museum houses a collection of vintage lumber mill and farm equipment. Antiques from local families are on display in the

1860 Murphy House and in the main museum. For more information, contact Betty Harding at 539-6314. three Rivers Historical Society is celebrating its 25th year during a reception from 1-4 p.m. on Dec. 11. There will be food, refreshments, a silent auction and live auction. For more information, call 561-2707 or visit www.3rmuseum.org. The reception will be held at 42268 Sierra Dr., Three Rivers.

the Olate Dogs Santa Paws Holiday Show will appear at 2 p.m. on Dec. 11 in Visalia at the Visalia Convention Center. Tickets are $50 for VIP, $30 and $20, with $10 off the $30 and $20 tickets for children 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased at the Visalia Convention Center Box Office, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., or online at www.visaliatix.com. For more information, call the Visalia Convention Center Box Office at 713-4040.

TUESDAY

santa Claus in the Park, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 13, the beloved, white-bearded man dressed in red, will make a stop at Porterville’s Centennial Park to take free pictures with kids and write up a list of what they want for Christmas. Over 30 bikes and candy canes, donated from Walmart, will be raffled off to all kids at the event. The Pioneer Middle School Jazz Band will be playing and kids can take a ride around the block on horses and mules — compulsively rummage through a gift bag filled with literature from the police department, and other city businesses and organizations, and gaze at the picture they took with Santa.

a free workshop will be held by Porterville College Tuesday, Dec. 13, from 5-6 p.m. at the Porterville Adult School in room 101. The workshop, titled “Debt”, is designed to provide practical tips for students to help resolve their financial issues. The workshop will help students prevent financial issues from becoming too overwhelming that they cannot manage them.

WEDNESDAY

mothers United Against Gang Violence (MUAGV) will hold a

candlelight vigil from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 14 at Centennial Park. Mary Martinez, the founder of MUAGV, said the program is focused on uplifting surviving families and law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty through prayer and Christmas and Christian music. Martinez said Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux will be the guest speaker and Pastor Frankie Olmedo and Pastor Eddie Ramos will be present to provide support to families. She said the Remnant Shout Christian Band from New Life Church will perform live along with singers Heather Bates from Monache High School, Cheryl Freeman and others. She said candles and refreshments will be provided. santa Claus is coming to town at the Lindsay Branch Library. On Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 11 a.m., children of all ages are welcome to enjoy this special visitor from the North Pole. Come join Santa as he reads stories about the holidays in English and Spanish. After the story time, pose with Santa for pictures. He’s bringing his sack full of candy canes for the girls and boys.