Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

West Bank Town Becomes ‘Big Prison’ as Israel Fences It In

1 day ago

Trump Says He’s Willing to Let Migrant Farm Laborers Stay in US

1 day ago

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

2 days ago

Eyeing Arctic Dominance, Trump Bill Earmarks $8.6 Billion for US Coast Guard Icebreakers

2 days ago

Trump’s Sweeping Tax-Cut and Spending Bill Wins Congressional Approval

2 days ago

Americans Celebrate Their Independence With Record-Breaking Travel Numbers

2 days ago

US Supreme Court to Decide Legality of Transgender School Sports Bans

2 days ago

Nvidia Set to Become the World’s Most Valuable Company in History

2 days ago

Poll: 41% in US ‘Extremely Proud’ to Be American, Near Historic Low

2 days ago
United Fresno Council Opposes Release of 'Tower Rapist'
David Taub Website photo 2024
By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 6 years ago on
July 1, 2019

Share

All six Fresno city council members signed a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, expressing concern about the potential early release of Rudolph Acosta.
As reported by others in the Fresno media, Acosta was known as the “Tower District Rapist” and sentenced to 78 years in prison. He was initially charged with 29 sex and robbery crimes. He began serving his time in 1992.

Photo of GV Wire's David Taub
David Taub
Politics 101
The council members noted that if released, Acosta plans to return to Fresno where many of victims still reside.
“We urge you to take a stand against his early release,” the letter states.
The parole board will hold a hearing for Acosta on July 30 at Avenal State Prison. According to the Board of Parole Hearings website, a two or three member panel will conduct the hearing, withe the board normally making its recommendation the same day.
[tnc-pdf-viewer-iframe file=”https://gvwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/City-letter-to-governor.pdf” width=”800″ height=”700″ download=”true” print=”true” fullscreen=”true” share=”true” zoom=”true” open=”true” pagenav=”true” logo=”true” find=”true” current_view=”true” rotate=”true” handtool=”true” doc_prop=”true” toggle_menu=”true” language=”en-US” page=”” default_zoom=”auto” pagemode=””]

Arias Lets Circle K Have It

At last week’s Fresno council meeting, developers for convenience store chain Circle K gave a presentation outlining their plans for additional locations.
Councilman Paul Caprioglio praised the company for a Circle K in his east-central district.
Not everyone was equally enthused. Councilwoman Esmeralda Soria said the Circle K at Olive & Palm had generated 500 calls to police. Company representatives said they would work with the neighborhood to make any fixes.
Councilman Miguel Arias also took exception to concerns expressed by Circle K’s representatives about pending regulations restricting new liquor sale licenses in the city.

“(It) is frustrating to sit here and to spend time valuable time on the council hearing a corporate presentation on an item we fully vetted publicly months ago,” Miguel Arias said at the start of his four-minute attack.
Arias blasted them for Circle K’s complaints. He refuted their contention that buying an additional liquor license to operate a store is a financial hardship.
“Your current establishment is a blight and a nuisance to the Tower District. It has been for years,” Arias said of the Olive & Palm location. “If the small businesses in Fresno, that are family owned, can afford to maintain their properties, you shouldn’t have any trouble with it.”
Arias’ critique continued.
“You’re not and you haven’t been a good corporate citizen to the city of Fresno,” Arias said.
I can’t imagine Fresno’s business community being happy with those statements.
Nelson Esparza followed, with a more gentle criticism of Circle K.
“I don’t think any of here are begging Circle K to come into our district as the grand prize development,” Esparza said. He then joked that Caprioglio should be their commercial pitchman.
Maybe Arias and Esparza prefer shopping at AM/PM. The two recently joined their council colleagues in rejecting a liquor license for a proposed 7-Eleven near Roosevelt High.

Will Soria Run?


Fresno councilwoman Esmeralda Soria says she has made no plans regarding her political future. That hasn’t stopped the rumor mill spinning that she wants to run for Congress against fellow Democrat Jim Costa in 2020.
The latest turn came from one-time council colleague Steve Brandau, now a county supervisor. He floated the idea (heard previously by Politics 101 and just about anyone in this town who follows politics) on Twitter.
Soria says she did not meet with Emily’s List, a group that helps Democratic women run for office, when she recently visited Washington, D.C. The Sun’s Alex Tavlian has reported that she did.
For the record, Soria has not opened any federal fundraising committee.
Costa already has a pair of challengers, Republican and former educator Kevin Cookingham and Merced Democrat and educator Kim Williams.
The latest numbers (through the first quarter of 2019), show Costa with $121,000 cash on hand; Williams with none; and Cookingham yet to formally file financial reports.
Soria’s most recent financials from her 2018 city council reelection campaign show $113,000 cash on hand (through the end of 2018).

Trustee Saved By the Bell?

The Fresno Unified school board held a special meeting last Thursday (June 27) to ratify its labor contract with the teachers’ union.
According to video posted on the district website, the scheduled 8 a.m. meeting lasted only seven minutes. Five members showed up on time (Trustee Terry Slatic sat down just as the video started).
Trustee Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas showed up a minute later. Veva Islas was not there when the board approved the teachers’ contract, 6-0.
Islas then showed up at the literal last minute of the meeting, just in time to cast her vote to change wages and health benefits for management and other employees.  It passed 7-0.
Islas’ timing didn’t go unnoticed by former trustee Brooke Ashjian on Twitter.


Islas on Twitter replied that “No one gave me 40K. The contract didn’t need my vote to pass because we had already reached an agreement,” and “The real question is why you voted against the contract when you were in office.”
She is partly correct. In her 2018 campaign, the PAC for the Fresno Teachers Association contributed $37,345.02.
I wonder if the trustees had tardy slips.
[Note: the above story has been corrected to reflect Islas missed one vote, but cast a vote on the second item at the meeting.]

Clovis Development Fees Increasing

The city of Clovis hasn’t raised the fee it charges new development for police services in 20 years. That’s about to change.
The council will vote Monday (July 1) to increase police fees from $100 to $726, or 647%. That is just one fee that will increase.
Charges for everything from water, sewer, and even bridges will go up for those who want to build new homes, apartments and commercial buildings. Parks fees will increase by 33% (which will be implemented over three years), and fire fees will rise by 28%.
The city estimates the average fee overall will increase up to 11% for residential projects. The actual increase depends on the acreage size.

Raises for Clovis Employees

Checks will be getting a little fatter for many Clovis municipal employees.
The city council on Monday (July 1) will vote for 2% yearly raises over the next three years for most management and other employees. The raises cover units representing engineers, public safety and many other positions.
The price tag to the budget — $3.6 million in raises over the next three years.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

How Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ Will Make China Great Again

DON'T MISS

What’s Caitlin Clark Worth to the WNBA? A Lot More Than Her $78,066 Salary.

DON'T MISS

Trump to Sign Tax-Cut and Spending Bill in July 4 Ceremony

DON'T MISS

Madre Fire Spurs Evacuations Across 3 Counties, Grows to More Than 70,000 Acres

DON'T MISS

Clovis, Sanger, Madera, and Bass Lake Will Light the Sky With Fireworks Shows Tonight

DON'T MISS

Oil Dips Ahead of Expected OPEC+ Output Increase

DON'T MISS

613 Killed at Gaza Aid Distribution Sites, Near Humanitarian Covoys, Says UN

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Authorities Investigating Suspicious Death of Transient Man

DON'T MISS

West Bank Town Becomes ‘Big Prison’ as Israel Fences It In

DON'T MISS

Israeli Military Kills 20 in Gaza as Trump Awaits Hamas Reply to Truce Proposal

UP NEXT

Fresno Crash Involving Unlicensed Teen Driver Sends Woman to Hospital

UP NEXT

Madre Fire Burns More Than 52,000 Acres in San Luis Obispo County

UP NEXT

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

UP NEXT

Trump Impounds Billions in Education Funding. For Fresno Unified, It’s $7.1 Million

UP NEXT

Americans Celebrate Their Independence With Record-Breaking Travel Numbers

UP NEXT

San Luis Obispo’s Madre Fire Grows to 35,000 Acres, More Evacuations Ordered

UP NEXT

Poll: 41% in US ‘Extremely Proud’ to Be American, Near Historic Low

UP NEXT

Who is Running for Fresno Area Offices in 2026? An Updated Look

UP NEXT

Poorest Americans Dealt Biggest Blow Under Senate Republican Tax Package

UP NEXT

Check Out Newest Downtown Mural. It’s a Spectacular Tribute to Fresno Artisans

David Taub,
Senior Reporter
Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email

Madre Fire Spurs Evacuations Across 3 Counties, Grows to More Than 70,000 Acres

1 day ago

Clovis, Sanger, Madera, and Bass Lake Will Light the Sky With Fireworks Shows Tonight

1 day ago

Oil Dips Ahead of Expected OPEC+ Output Increase

1 day ago

613 Killed at Gaza Aid Distribution Sites, Near Humanitarian Covoys, Says UN

1 day ago

Fresno County Authorities Investigating Suspicious Death of Transient Man

1 day ago

West Bank Town Becomes ‘Big Prison’ as Israel Fences It In

1 day ago

Israeli Military Kills 20 in Gaza as Trump Awaits Hamas Reply to Truce Proposal

1 day ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Rachelle Maria Blanco

1 day ago

Russia Pounds Kyiv With Largest Drone Attack, Hours After Trump-Putin Call

1 day ago

Boxer Chavez Jr Expected to Be Deported to Mexico to Serve Sentence, Mexican President Says

1 day ago

How Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ Will Make China Great Again

Can you hear it — that loud roar coming from the East? It’s the sound of 1.4 billion Chinese laughing at us. Thomas L. Friedman The New Yo...

9 hours ago

Solar Farm in Riesel, Texas
9 hours ago

How Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ Will Make China Great Again

Caitlin Clark Signs T-Shirt
9 hours ago

What’s Caitlin Clark Worth to the WNBA? A Lot More Than Her $78,066 Salary.

President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 12, 2025. (Reuters File)
1 day ago

Trump to Sign Tax-Cut and Spending Bill in July 4 Ceremony

The Madre Fire burning near New Cuyama has scorched 70,801 acres as of Friday, July 4, 2025, afternoon, making it California’s largest wildfire of the year, with only 10% containment and multiple evacuation zones in place. (CalFire)
1 day ago

Madre Fire Spurs Evacuations Across 3 Counties, Grows to More Than 70,000 Acres

1 day ago

Clovis, Sanger, Madera, and Bass Lake Will Light the Sky With Fireworks Shows Tonight

A pumpjack operates at the Vermilion Energy site in Trigueres, France, June 14, 2024. (Reuters File)
1 day ago

Oil Dips Ahead of Expected OPEC+ Output Increase

Palestinians gather to collect what remains of relief supplies from the distribution center of the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 5, 2025. (Reuters File)
1 day ago

613 Killed at Gaza Aid Distribution Sites, Near Humanitarian Covoys, Says UN

Billy Wayne Sinisgalli, a 54-year-old transient known locally as Wayne, was found dead along a rural Fresno road Wednesday in what authorities are investigating as a suspicious death. (Fresno County SO)
1 day ago

Fresno County Authorities Investigating Suspicious Death of Transient Man

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend