Visalia Times-Delta from Visalia, California • 17

NEWS ON YOUR PHONE VISALIA lMs-DELTA FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2009 To get local breaking news updates sent to your cell phone, send a text message with "tcnews" to 44636. DELIVERY PROBLEMS Subscribers: If you have not received your paper by 6 a.m., call (888) 487-9565. Obama administration unveils plan to strengthen marine protection, 4C State news, 2C CALL: 735-3265 FAX: 735-3399 E-MAIL: newsvisaliatimesdelta.com Lid Mm Highway 198 will be closed 4 nights friend, and setting her on fire after cornering her in her bedroom on Aug. 7, 2007. Family members put out the flames, but not before the fire had damaged much of Rico's body.

She was in a coma for three months after the incident and has undergone several surgeries to treat the burns. In the courtroom, burns to Rico's hands and arms friends beside her, Rico sat Thursday morning in aVisalia courtroom while Tulare County Superior Court Judge Gerald Sevier sentenced Gomez to two life sentences, along with an additional three years for attempted murder and aggravated mayhem. A jury convicted Gomez of the charges last month. Gomez was sentenced on separate charges. But were visible while burns to her chest, neck and the lower part of her face were partially covered by a blouse and scarf.

Her thick hair hid what was left of her left ear, which was badly burned by the flames. Rico, 54, is a former packinghouse worker who no longer can work because See SENTENCE, 3C 2009 TULARE COUNTY FAIR Rock and rope Candidates discuss rowth because both convictions resulted from the same crime, only one of the life sentences can be imposed, prosecutors said. Sevier also sentenced Gomez to eight, years for arson and 16 months for child endangerment, of which he also was convicted. Gomez, 42, was accused of pouring a flammable liquid on Rico, his girl tit 7 -J Petting Zoo area during Day Two of the "'4s A Farmersville woman was set on fire in her home in 2007 BY DAVID CASTILLO dcastellvisalia.gannett.com Rosalba Rico was afraid to again face Severo Gomez, the man who set her afire in August 2007 inside her Farmersville home. But with family and Brooklyn Limas, 6, plays a tune on Fair on Thursday in Tulare.

Jake Horner, 9, of Tulare attempts to second day of the Tulare County Fair. m. if h.y Mi- I. I L'hih the VALERIE GIBBONS vgibbonsvisalia.gannett.com more stores to Mooney Boulevard, downtown vibrant and managing growth were the key issues morning as seven candidates for City Council squared off at a Jesus Gamboa and Greg candidates Warren Gubler, Mike Lane, Paul Fry and are all vying for three at-large the council in the November people attended the event, joint effort of the Visalia Commerce and the Tulare Hispanic Roundtable and cost person. This was the first promised to be several election throughout the city du month.

congenial session found of agreement. All of the candidates that the city should explore mixed-use commercial projects along Mooney Each candidate pledged to do keep downtown vibrant and presence statewide. All needs to take a conservative its budget process in order to economic downturn. to encourage more tourism message that Visalia is back See FORUM, 3C t- Staff reports Construction of an overpass at Santa Fe Avenue and Highway 198 will once again close the freeway through Central Visa-lia overnight Monday and Tuesday. Caltrans began posting warning signs along Highway 198 this week to warn motorists about the closure.

All eastbound lanes of Highway 198 will be closed from 1 1 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday and Tuesday nights between the Central Visalia offramp and the Ben Mad-dox on-ramp. All westbound lanes will be closed 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Wednesday and Thursday nights between the Ben Maddox offramp and the Central Visalia on-ramp. In addition, a single-lane closure is planned for one eastbound lane between the Central Visalia offramp and the Ben Maddox on-ramp from 8 p.m. to 1 1 p.m. Monday. This closure will include the east-bound on-ramp at Court Street.

This is the second time the highway has been closed because of work on the overpass. In May, planned overnight work, took five hours longer than expected, and the freeway was closed until 10 a.m., after workers ran into problems removing the 1930s-era railroad trestle that once bridged the freeway. Morning-commute traffic was backed up for miles east of Visalia and along Mineral King Avenue, which runs parallel to the highway. IN BRIEF Staff reports Reward offered in Visalia bomb case Officials with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced Thursday a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people behind a mailed pipe bomb that exploded at aVisalia business last week, injuring an employee and causing property damage.

Tips and information called into the Postal Inspection Service will be dispatched to the agency's lead inspector, according to an agency press release. Federal investigators and Visalia police continue to pursue leads in the case, but a spokeswoman for the Postal Inspection Service said she could not provide any details on the investigation's progress. Aaron Mustin, the 31-year-old employee and co-owner of Cal-Air Cooling and Heating at 116 N. Valley Oak Drive was treated at Kaweah Delta Medical Center for burns to his arms and upper torso after the Sept. 8 explosion.

He was later released from the hospital. U.S. Postal Inspection Service tipline: 1-877-876-2455. Reference case number 1797512. Callers will remain anonymous.

CORRECTIONS The Times-Delta promptly acknowledges and corrects errors. To report an error in a news story, please call the executive editor, 735-3268, or the senior editorlocal news, 735-3276. 2009 FAIR INFORMATION The Tulare County Fair runs through Sunday. See Choices for the complete honors POW si 7 city i It 'I Ji Tulare County schedule of UUsli Hanfnnf Carmel Plaza HanfordMaH UA9. IWnimita fdfti, lAeyorw.

559-732-5905 559-583-8393 I BY Bringing keeping future Thursday the Visalia breakfast forum. Incumbents Collins and Steve Nelsen, Dominic Prado seats on election. About 60 which was a Chamber of County $20 to $40 per in what is panels scheduled ing the next The mostly several areas agreed ways to develop and residential Boulevard. his best to increase Visalia's said the city approach to weather the "We need and send the Plaque Today is National "Freedom Tree" reads "Dedicated Terry Lee Boyer, 1967-1973, and to men missing in peace, will be a gave of their freedom ours." The tree is Plaza Park in Visalia. events.

COMING TODAY Look for video online at www. VisaliaTimesDelta.comvideo. NOW ONLINE 4 vv- 'a guitar in the Musical Instrument rope a steer in the AgVentures! area year-old Angel Medrano to a 50-year-to-life sentence. The judge can't impose any other sentence on the charges, prosecutors said. Those charges include two counts of kidnapping, as prosecutors say Medrano forced two people one of them an accomplice to the murder at gunpoint to drive him to Mexico.

Medrano let them go but was arrested in March 2004 by Mexican police who recognized him in Ensanada from wanted posters Tulare County sheriff's investigators had distributed in See a gallery of photos online at www. VisalioTimesDeka. comphotos. RON HOLAMN Local students take part in Physics Day Nearly 650 students from 14 different schools attended the Tulare County Office of Education's Physics Day on Thursday at the Tulare County Fair. This is the fourth yearTCOE has held Physics Day at the fair.

Activities were hosted by College of the Sequoias physics classes and Dr. Larry Owens. Students were able to move among booths that include paper-airplane throwing, egg-drop contests, tug-of-war, g-force testing, and gravity experiments. POWMIA Recognition Day. The plaque at the base of an olive tree in honor of Air Force Captain prisoner of war in North Vietnam, all other prisoners of war and action.

This olive tree, a symbol of living memorial to these men who so we might continue to enjoy just south of the tennis courts at Man accused of fatally shooting Earlimart teen in 2002 pleads guilty STEVE R.FUJIMO110 Thursday, the the area, Assistant District Attorney Shani Jenkins said. In a 2005 preliminary hearing, Tulare County sheriff's investigators recounted witness statements that Medrano entered a home in the 600 block of North Market Road with three accomplices, attempted to rob the people inside and shot at some. Sgt. Michael Rubalcava testified that Medrano, of Earlimart, put a gun to the back of 16-year-old Henry See SHOOTING, 3C Per send itnrice our top priority! Hearinq detricesjvr ttmy butytt. PartttrVrtl Putnam ViHa Pro Compiax 7391 Pafcn foil.

I 559-784-0662 559-244-6060 0. Prosecutors: Two people forced to drive suspect to Mexico BY DAVID CASTELLON dcastellvisalia.gannett.com A man accused of fatally shooting a teenage boy and shooting and wounding a man nearly seven years ago in an Earlimart home pleaded guilty Thursday to counts of murder, attempted murder and other charges. Today, just a day after the plea, Tulare County Superior Court Judge Paul Vortmann will sentence 32- II tt1 L.a. a. a.

t..