One of Fresno’s most revered athletes returned home on Thursday.

Derek Carr, star quarterback at Fresno State and four-time Pro Bowler in the NFL, along with wife, Heather Carr, received a proclamation from Mayor Jerry Dyer at the Fresno City Council meeting Thursday, declaring “Derek and Heather Carr Day.”

Carr recently announced his retirement after an 11-year career with the Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints. After suffering a serious shoulder injury, he left football saying he could not “just take the Saints money.”

Dyer honored the Carrs not just for football excellence, but for work off the field. The DC For Kids charity helps families at Valley Children’s Hospital.

Carr Comes Home

Carr played four seasons at Fresno State, becoming a second-round draft pick for the Raiders in 2014. Carr and his family moved back to the Fresno area.

“The Valley means to me. It’s home and home is definitely where my heart is. Where our hearts are. We could live anywhere in the world because we played a game that allowed us to do that for over a decade. There was really no decision, we’re coming back home,” Carr told the media after the ceremony.

While Carr was at Fresno State, his oldest son Dallas needed emergency care at VCH, endearing Carr to the area.

“Dallas asked us. He’s like, do we have to keep moving? And it was at that moment we started talking for a few weeks every night about actually just coming back home to Fresno,” Carr said.

“You can just see the whole community and they come together. And I think that’s just what draws us and we love it,” Heather Carr said.

Fresh food is one reason the Carrs love the area. And the restaurants, especially Teriyaki Don.

Now in retirement, Carr and Heather plan to homeschool their children — Derek will teach PE. He plans to remain active in his church, play golf, and keep tabs on Fresno State football.

“I’ve been taking full advantage (of retirement). I’ve been sleeping in until at least eight. And I haven’t done that in 20 years. And so that’s been actually nice to do that for a little bit. And (my kids) actually see me at breakfast now,” Carr said.

Watch the Carr Announcement

Rodriguez Also Honored

The city also honored longtime Fresno TV journalist Rich Rodriguez with a proclamation. After 49 years, mostly in Fresno, Rodriguez retired in May.

The Central Valley native made stops at KMJ radio, Channel 30, a three-year stint in Los Angeles at KABC-TV, KSEE24, and since 2009, KMPH Fox26.

He once ran for one of the Valley’s seats in Congress in 2000, losing to Democratic incumbent Cal Dooley in a competitive race.

Immigration a Council Topic

The news of immigration rallies and enforcement came up several times during the city council meeting.

Delivering the invocation, Jason Locke, Senior Minister, College Church of Christ of Fresno, referenced the ongoing issue.

“In these days of division, we see the shadow of militarized might looming over the streets of Los Angeles, sent forth by a presidential order that has stirred deep divisions. We do not come to cast stones, Lord, but to ask you to stay the hand of violence from every side. We remember that peace is not the absence of tension, but the presence of justice,” Locke said.

He asked prayers for Fresno, “A city where immigration is not merely a political issue, but a living story etched in the faces of our neighbors, teachers, farm workers, and business owners.”

Dyer said he will be at the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting next week in Tampa, Florida, and expects the issue to be discussed.

Miguel Arias mentioned the rally in Fresno this week, thanking some of his colleagues for attending. He also criticized federal congressmembers for their inaction, including Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno.

“You have my own Congressman Jim Costa attending baseball games with a congressional delegation instead of standing with the residents that voted him to represent them,” Arias said.

Arias also criticized David Valadao, R-Kings County, accusing him of cutting Medicaid, and Adam Gray, D-Merced, of “announcing legislation to protect water instead of residents.”

Congressmembers Respond

After this story first published, Costa sent this response.

“From the start, I’ve pushed to hold this administration accountable from targeting innocent, hardworking families, including those I represent here in the Valley. When President Trump pushed to let federal agencies weaponize taxpayer data to track undocumented immigrants, I signed an amicus brief to challenge it,” Costa said in an email to Politics 101.

Costa said he supported legislation such as the Farm Workforce Modernization Act and Dream and Promise Act.

“I’ll keep fighting to fix our broken immigration system and hold President Trump accountable for his abuse of power, because defending our values and protecting the people of our Valley has always been my first priority,” Costa said.

Gray did not care for Arias’ comments.

“I will not apologize for standing up for the needs of our Valley community,” Gray said about introducing the Valley Water Protection Act.

“If Councilman Arias want to spew misinformation and blatant lies about my record or what’s going on here, maybe he should join Kristi Noem’s press team. I hear they might be looking for folks who have a flexible relationship with the truth.”

Gray said he too has supported pro-immigrant bills, the same as Costa mentioned, as well as the American Dream and Promise Act.

“In the six months that I’ve been in Congress, the GOP majority and the president have spent a lot of time focusing on the small number of undocumented immigrants who commit crimes and who should be held accountable. Each time we’ve voted on these measures, I’ve called on my Republican colleagues to address our larger immigration system and the need to protect the vast majority of undocumented immigrants who work hard, take care of their families and follow our laws,” Gray said.

“Go back through my public comments and legislative record since January and you’ll see that I’ve been working to protect and support law-abiding, hardworking immigrants —the backbone of the Valley— since day one,” Gray said.

Other City Council Notes

The city approved receiving hand-me-down furniture from a state agency. The State Compensation Insurance Fund has an office in north Fresno, and recently subleased space to a new tenant. That new tenant had its own furniture. SCIF then offered to donate “very high quality office furniture” to the city at no cost. The only catch — the city has to pick up the chairs, desks, and pencils.

The item passed 6-0 on the consent agenda, with no discussion.

Although the city council is in the middle of budget hearings, no budget items were on the agenda. The city plans to meet next Tuesday for a final vote.

Because the meeting ran long, the city council tabled a presentation from Measure C on an update on the transportation sales-tax renewal; and a vote on changing zoning rules in the city to allow office buildings to be converted to housing. Both items return June 19.

Reyes Retires

Sarah Reyes, a one-time state legislator and longtime community activist, retired. She most recently worked as the communications officer with The California Endowment.

Reyes represented Fresno in the state Assembly from 1998 through 2004.

Her resume also includes TV news reporter on KSEE24, CEO of the Community Food Bank, and chief of staff to Assemblymember Juan Arambula.