Stories from January, 2026
Stories from January, 2026
Patients seeking primary care services have a new option, thanks to Kaweah Health. A new primary clinic will open in a 7,000-square-foot space on the first floor of the Cigna Building at 5300 W. Tulare Ave., Suite 100, Visalia, after signing a 10-year lease agreement with the County of Tulare, which owns the building. And Marc Mertz, the newly named CEO of Kaweah Health, couldn't be more excited. "This is going to give us a tremendous advantage in the recruitment of...
Westgate Gardens Care Center in Visalia has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report for being among the best nursing homes for short-term rehabilitation. Westgate Gardens is a 140‑bed, skilled nursing facility dedicated to providing high‑quality, compassionate care in a warm and welcoming environment. It specializes in a wide range of rehabilitative and clinical therapies, including pulmonary therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech...
The Kaweah Health Board of Directors selected Marc Mertz, a strategic healthcare executive with national consulting expertise, as the organization's new chief executive officer. Mertz, who started his new role as CEO on December 22, succeeds Gary Herbst, who previously announced his retirement. Mertz, who previously served as Kaweah Health's chief strategy officer, joined the organization in 2018. Prior to that, he served as vice president and physician services practice...
Dr. Jatinder Chopra, M.D., an internal medicine specialist with 47 years of experience in caring for the Tulare community, has officially joined Family HealthCare Network (FHCN). As part of this transition, FHCN has acquired Dr. Chopra's long-standing practice, ensuring that patients will continue to receive care at the same Tulare location. The health center, located at 858 N. Cherry St., Suite D, Tulare, will offer annual wellness visits for adults, walk-in appointments,...
About a third of all people over the age of 80 suffer from age-related macular degeneration (AMD), with an estimated 20 million Americans age 40 and older currently living with AMD. The majority of cases are the dry form of the disease, which progresses slowly, eventually resulting in sufferers losing the ability to see objects directly in front of them. Yet despite its prevalence, there is no effective treatment for dry AMD. Now, Aalto University researchers have reported uncovering a promising way to treat the dry form of...
On Nov. 25, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a net savings of 44%, or $12 billion, from last year's negotiated Medicare spending on 15 drugs used widely to treat cancer and other serious chronic conditions. The Maximum Fair Prices (MFPs) for these 15 drugs will become effective January 1, 2027, bringing the total number of negotiated drugs to 25 when combined with the 10 previously negotiated drugs with MFPs that took effect January 1, 2026....
Question: The holidays have left me in a bit of depression. It is not a good way to start the year. What are some things I can do to get past this feeling? The holidays often leave us feeling either overwhelmed or underwhelmed. Focus on a plan to engage in activities like an old hobby, reconnecting with friends and family, or an exercise program. Getting the structure back into your life routine might help you to shift your focus and get excited for the new year. Set realistic goals for yourself and acknowledge any grief...
Low cholesterol can reduce the risk of dementia, a new University of Bristol-led study with more than a million participants has shown. The research, led by Dr. Liv Tybjærg Nordestgaard, found that people with certain genetic variants that naturally lower cholesterol have a lower risk of developing dementia. The study, which is based on data from more than a million people in Denmark, England and Finland, has been published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association. Some people are born with...
Planning for the potential for expensive healthcare at the end of our lives is one of the least exciting parts of retirement. However, it's a real and significant part of financial planning. According to the Administration for Community Living, a federal agency, almost 70% of people turning 65 years old today will eventually need some type of long-term care (LTC). Even a few years of long-term care can be a major financial burden. Genworth Financial, one of the larger...
The word earthquake sends shivers down the spine of even the bravest of adventurers. And it's understandable! They are unpredictable, out of our control, and can cause death and destruction. Rarely, if ever, has Visalia been at the epicenter of an earthquake, but the town has felt many of Mother Nature's tremors. One of the earliest recorded earthquakes felt in Visalia happened on January 9, 1857. It was a big one and widespread hitting shortly after 8 a.m. Much of...
Sun-soaked, safe, and surprisingly attainable - Greece claims the top spot in International Living's 35th Annual Global Retirement Index, emerging as Europe's new value leader for retirees seeking culture, comfort, community, and easy access to Europe. The guide evaluates the world's top destinations for retirees across categories, including cost of living, healthcare, housing, visas, climate and ease of integration. "Greece's rise to number one marks a shift in Europe's...
RetroEscapes is a groundbreaking theme park experience proposed for Las Vegas that celebrates the iconic moments, cultural touchstones, and beloved memories that shaped generations. The park will transport guests through carefully crafted lands representing different eras, each capturing the magic, music, design and spirit that defined those unforgettable decades. From the neon-lit diners of the 1950s to the arcade wonderlands of the 1980s, every detail is designed to spark...
The Visalia Senior Games are now the Visalia Games, with competitions open to more age groups. (Registration for the games opened on January 1, but the dates of the competitions were not announced before this issue went to press.) "The additional generations will not impact senior competitions," said City of Visalia Recreation Supervisor Holly Ellis. "The Visalia Games will continue to honor the legacy of the Visalia Senior Games by keeping dedicated senior age divisions....
January in the Central Valley is the month of (hopefully!) rain, mountain snow, freezing temperatures, fog and wind. Growth slows down in winter, but it does continue. Even plants that are dormant are still growing, often only underground, and they are preparing for spring. Some plants, like many bulbs and wildflowers (and annuals we consider weeds) are actively growing now. Winter and early-spring blooming shrubs, bulbs and perennials love frosty, damp, or foggy weather....
In More to Life, the new book by local author Janet Lynch, retired school teacher Colette Corbyn goes kicking and screaming into assisted living, when she has already planned to live out her days in the privacy of her own home. As she begrudgingly settles into Shady Meadow, she makes an unlikely friend, Margaret, who claims the Women's Movement demeaned women. A loud, obnoxious neighbor, Dottie, seems to be off her rocker, but she's actually addicted to opioids and has an...
The 11th Annual Heart of Seniors event, where seniors, along with their families and caregivers, can learn about the continuum of care resources that are available locally, will be held at the Visalia Wyndam Hotel, on Thursday, February 12, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature a lunch, fashion show, entertainment, raffles, informational speakers, and informational booths. Dr. Donya Ball, international keynote speaker and best-selling author, will be the keynote...
The booming cruise industry is expected to kick off another record year in 2026, following a 2025 that turned out to be better than expected. AAA projects 21.7 million Americans will go on ocean cruises in 2026 and 20.7 million this year, a higher number than AAA originally projected for 2025. AAA is forecasting that the year-over-year increase will be an 8.4% jump from 2024 to 2025 and a 4.5% bounce from 2025 to 2026. "These numbers highlight the growing popularity of ocean...
"Killer Grannies," a new true-crime series on the Oxygen network, hosted by Oscar-nominated actress June Squibb, chronicles shocking cases involving a killer no one would suspect: Grandma. In every self-contained episode, a rollercoaster ride of a case unfolds as investigators dig deep and chase every lead until they finally catch their unexpected killer. Through gripping archival footage, selective recreations and cinematic imagery, and in-depth interviews with...
Community Services Employment Training (CSET) is recruiting local volunteers to assist with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. VITA provides tax preparation and electronic filing services at no cost to Tulare County households with less than $69,000 annual income. In 2025, VITA preparers helped file 4,217 tax returns for low and moderate-income residents, returning more than $5.4 million to Tulare and Kings County residents. For the 2025 VITA tax season, approximately 100 volunteers will be needed to serve...
