Blog Archives
May 12, 2013 Local Pitch, Hit & Run Competition
Competitions like Pitch, Hit & Run are the perfect opportunity to engage children and teenagers with their fellow community leaders and peers. Studies have shown that the formation of strong community ties helps reduce violence among our youth. Team sports as well as volunteer work are great ways to keep our kids involved and also reinforce the importance of team work and giving back to our communities.
If you live in the Kerman, CA area and would like to volunteer for this event please contact Michelle Thompson at 559-681-1185. To find a local Pitch, Hit & Run Competition in your area please follow this link http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/kids/mlb_pitch_hit_run.jsp and click the “Find a Local Competition” button.
Pitch, Hit & Run!
Together Against Violence and Kerman Cal Ripkin League will host a free Major League Baseball® Pitch, Hit & Run™ Competition for area youth.
Date: Sunday, May 12th Time: 1:00pm
Location: Rotary Park on West ‘D’ Street and Vineland Avenue in Kerman, CA
Pitch, Hit & Run™ is the official skills competition of Major League Baseball®. This grassroots program is designed to provide youngsters with an opportunity to compete, free of charge, in a competition that recognizes individual excellence in core baseball/softball skills.
Boys and girls are divided into four age divisions: 7/8, 9/10, 11/12, 13/14, and have the chance to advance through four levels of competition, including Team Championships at Major League ballparks and the National Finals at the 2013 MLB™ All-Star Game®.
The individual Pitching, Hitting and Running Champions, along with the All-Around Champion in each age and gender group at the Local Competition will be awarded and advance to the Sectional Level of Competition.
All participants must bring a copy of their birth certificate and have their parent or guardian fill out a registration/waiver form prior to the start of the competition. For questions concerning the competition, please contact your Local Coordinators, Michelle Thompson at 559-681-1185 or Roxanne Ochoa at 559-348-7003 and Hugo Rios at 559-473-3169, email inquiries may be sent to: 2getheragainstviolence@gmail.com.
Calling All Anti-Violence Advocates!!!
Did you know 40% of the Prosecutors in the Fresno County DA’s Homicide Division have resigned their positions since receiving a 9% pay cut in 2011? This is important to all of us because these Prosecutors are the people responsible for putting murderers behind bars. The reason there have been pay cuts is because of the budget imposed by the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. Yet, according to this insightful report “…current County contracts give higher salaries to Public Defenders than to Prosecutors.” An attorney working in public service is already taking a huge pay cut compared to what they could make in the private sector. Paying for college after law school is a huge expense; the dedicated Prosecutors who choose to represent “the People” rather than defending scum do so because they want to what is right by all of us.
If you think the Fresno County Board of Supervisors should reconsider their position on this matter and or raise the salaries of Prosecutors, let them know. Express your concern to them in the name of public safety, their failure to reconsider is a danger to all of us. Criminals can and will find the loophole in the system and exploit it.
Here is a list of the Supervisors, including the areas they represent and an email address. We urge you to email the Supervisor in your District and tell them how you feel about this situation. Remember through our combined efforts we can make our communities safe for one and all!
~Together Against Violence
Fresno County
- Supervisor Phil Larson
Western Fresno County (Firebaugh, Kerman, Mendota, San Joaquin and Neighboring Communities)
- Supervisor Debbie Poochigian
Eastern Fresno County (Clovis, Sanger, Prather, Auberry and Neighboring Communities)
- Supervisor Henry Perea
Central Fresno (Tower District, Mayfair, Calwa)
- Supervisor Andreas Borgeas
Fresno and Clovis (Fig Garden, Fashion Fair, Fresno State, Riverpark and Neighboring Areas)
- Supervisor Judy Case
Southern Fresno County (Selma, Coalinga, Kingsburg, Fowler and Neighboring Communities)
Justice for Sarah Roberts
We wanted to revisit the story of Sarah Roberts, Sarah was a young mother from Kerman, CA and the victim of a random act of violence on New Year’s Eve 2011. Over six months have gone by without any arrests and leads are few and far between. Police believe she was the unintended victim, caught in the crossfire of a nearby shooting in Fresno, CA.
As with many other crimes this case remains unsolved due to of a lack of witnesses willing to come forward with information. Valley Crime Stoppers has issued a $2000 reward for information leading to an arrest in this case. Anyone with information is urged to call Valley Crime Stoppers at 559-498-STOP (7867) or Detective Chris Serrano at 559-621-2452.
This crime is a reminder that anyone can be a target, there are far too many innocent victims to turn a blind eye. It is of the utmost importance to report any suspicious activity in your neighborhood. Many people these days allow apathy to take over and adopt the “I just don’t want to get involved” mentality. It is sad and dangerous, reporting a possible crime before it happens could mean the difference between life and death.
The habit of reporting crime and suspicious activity needs to be ingrained into the hearts and minds of our communities. Don’t ever hesitate to call police if you think someone needs help and make an effort to find out the non-emergency numbers for your local law enforcement officials as well. These elements are key in achieving peaceful communities
for you and your families.
Together Against Violence 