Community Corner
🌱 How a Porterville wrestler battled to a Mann Classic finals berth
Spotted on the Porterville calendar: Project Fatherhood – Men In Relationships Group (Porterville)
Greetings Porterville! Your go-to source for what's happening in town is here. Stay in the loop and read on. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
- How a Porterville wrestler battled to a Mann Classic finals berth
- Why Porterville’s state hospital can’t keep critical health jobs filled
- How a Porterville graduate helped write Garth Brooks’ biggest hits
Also on today's calendar: Summit Charter Collegiate Bears vs Laton and 5 more events.
Find out what's happening in Portervillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
📸 Have a great pic of holiday decorations from around Porterville? Post it to Porterville photos of the day! ☃️ 🟢-🟠-🟣-🔴-🟡-🔵 ☃️
Today's riddle: Can February March? 🤔 (Answer below!)
Find out what's happening in Portervillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Tuesday: Low clouds, with a high of 54 and low of 41 degrees.
- Wednesday: Cool with clouds and sun, temps: high: 51, low: 44.
- Thursday: Cool with clouds and sun, with a high of 52 and low of 44 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
• Redondo Union girls wrestling wins Carla Esparza Invitational (modbee.com) — Porterville is on the wrestling map as Andrew Gomez reached the 126‑pound finals at the Mann Classic before falling 4‑0 to South Torrance’s Caden Garriott. The tournament capped a strong showing for several Southern California programs, including Redondo Union’s girls team, which captured the Carla Esparza Invitational title with three individual champions and a deep roster of placers. 
• Prison health workers are among the best-paid public employees. Why are so many jobs vacant? (kvpr.org) — Porterville residents should know that Porterville Developmental Center is struggling to fill more than a third of its health care jobs, despite some of the highest public-sector medical pay in California. A new state audit found chronic vacancies, heavy reliance on costly contract workers, and severe regional shortages of mental health professionals, especially in the Central Valley. Unions argue the state should boost permanent staff pay and improve working conditions instead of leaning on temporary hires.
• Country music rocked as 4 more stars die. Here's what we know (pennlive.com) — Porterville gets a poignant mention as the hometown of legendary songwriter Larry Bastian, who was born here in 1934 before penning Garth Brooks hits like “Unanswered Prayers” and “Rodeo.” A wide-ranging tribute piece recounts Bastian’s life and many other country and roots music figures who died in 2024–25, underscoring how deeply their songs shaped the genre. It’s a reminder that one of country’s great creative voices started in Porterville.
📸 Around Porterville
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Porterville
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- Project Fatherhood – Men In Relationships Group (Porterville)
Porterville Office, 633 N Westwood St, Porterville
4:00 pm
Thursday December 18
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- City Council Meeting
City Hall , 291 N. Main St. , Porterville
6:30 pm - Coffee with the CEO
Staffords Chocolates
9:00 am - Imagine Arts Center Senior Social
Imagine Art Center , 63 S. Main Street , Porterville
1:00 pm - 40th Annual Model Train Show
Porterville Chamber of Commerce , 93 N Main St a , Porterville
10:00 am - Santa at the Station – Hosted by Porterville Police Department
Porterville Police Department , 350 North D Street , Porterville
5:00 pm - Summit Charter Collegiate Bears vs Laton
Summit Collegiate High School , 15550 N Redwood Rd , Porterville
5:00 pm - Zalud House Museum Candlelight Tours: An Old Fashioned Christmas
Porterville Chamber of Commerce , 393 N. Hockett Street , Porterville
6:00 pm
Tuesday December 16
Wednesday December 17
Thursday December 18
Friday December 19
📣 Porterville Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
- Project Fatherhood – 24/7 Dad (Porterville)
Porterville Office , 633 N Westwood St , Porterville
10:00 am - Kids 2 Dentist
Porterville Chamber of Commerce , 1150 W. Henderson Ave. , East Porterville
4:00 pm - Summit Charter Collegiate Bears vs Immanuel Christian Crusaders
Summit Collegiate High School , 15550 N Redwood Rd , Porterville
5:00 pm - City Council Meeting
City Hall , 291 N. Main St. , Porterville
6:30 pm
Tuesday December 16
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Has anyone else on 4th street gotten their packages stolen?
I had one stolen out of my mailbox yesterday, woke up this morning to mine and my neighbors mailboxes being wide open as well. (Nextdoor Central Porterville)
- Home Depot (Retail) posted a job opening for Freight/Receiving in Porterville. Apply here.
- Salvation Army Western Territory posted a job opening for Sales Associates /Material Handler - Porterville in Porterville. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Porterville here.
🗞 Nearby News
Exeter
- BOYS BASKETBALL: Aden Plyman breaks Monarchs' all-time scoring record (thesungazette.com)
Tulare
- BOYS SOCCER: Aztecs ready to battle in East Sequoia (thesungazette.com)
- Contractor hired for $13.5 million water system but East Orosi residents waiting for state to pull trigger (sjvwater.org)
Delano
Ok Porterville! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don't know, but April May!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
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