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Simultaneous Peaceful Protests At Fresno City Hall
David Taub Website photo 2024
By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 5 years ago on
May 15, 2020

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Simultaneous peaceful protests took place at Fresno City Hall on Friday.

About 15 protesters with Power California, gathered wanting more federal support for workers left behind during the pandemic.

Photo of GV Wire's David Taub

David Taub

Politics 101


Also in Politics 101:

  • City starts first process of bus route change.
  • Council approves Fresno EOC contract.

Jasmine Leiva, one of the organizers, wants support for the families of farmworkers, packing plant employees, and grocery clerks.

“Our families bear the brunt of being the essential workers,” Leiva said. “We acknowledged they are heroes. They need that economic support. … The stimulus check was a good one-time solution. But how do we have support that helps people weather this storm?”

One Fresno police officer arrived, checking in with both groups to keep the peace. Seeing that peace was being kept, the officer left the plaza.

Three anti-Miguel Arias protesters also demonstrated, including Jason Phillips — who was involved in an alleged scuffle with Arias earlier in the week. Phillips and two others filed battery charges against the Fresno City Council president. The case is scheduled for court in September.

They were later joined by conservative activist Ben Bergquam.

City Council Approves First Step to Change Bus Route

Over the objections of the city’s bus union, the Fresno City Council approved 7-0 to accept a study that could change a bus route to take riders to the new Fresno County Department of Social Services campus at the former Pelco facility in Clovis.

The county has planned the move for at least three years to move its operations to one central location. Based on the discussion, some city staff and the council were surprised.

“It caught us off guard,” assistant city manager Jim Schaad told the council.

ATU, the bus employee union, is concerned that changing Route 28 will cause a disruption of service on the line that connects west Fresno to Fresno State through the Manchester Transit Center.

Transportation officials told the council the goal is to connect city residents to social services.

Councilman Luis Chavez agreed to support the study, with a vote on the actual change at a later date. He said he wants the county to chip in for the change in bus service.

“I don’t think its OK at this point,” Chavez said.

No public services have moved to Clovis yet, according to county spokesman Jordan Scott.

“We have roughly 460 administrative staff at Pelco now with no public services at the facility at this time. Additional buildings are expected to open later this year, but no word on expected dates quite yet,” Scott said.  “The Pelco site will consolidate all the DSS locations in the Fresno metro area. Our rural sites should remain open. That would include field offices in Coalinga, Reedley, and Selma.”

Public counters are closed now because of COVID-19 precautions. Online services remain available.

Council Awards Contracts to Fresno EOC

The council approved $562,400 in four separate contracts with the Fresno Equal Opportunities Commission to help get the word out about the Transformative Climate Change Program.

The city is in the midst of spending the $66 million the state awarded the city for various environmental-themed projects in southwest Fresno.

Fresno EOC will be tasked with creating videos, radio spots, and holding informational meetings about the Transform Fresno program.

Chavez recused himself from the 6-0 vote. His wife, Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas, works for Fresno EOC.

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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

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