Imagine Fresno County is like a big playground where everyone’s trying to get around — many kids are running, some are biking, and very few are riding the bus. Measure C is like the piggy bank we all chip into to keep the playground safe and fun. It’s a successful...
Nathan Magsig: Why Our Second Amendment Resolution Matters to the People of the Central Valley
In the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, we take pride in our heritage of self-reliance and respect for constitutional freedoms. From farmers and ranchers to small business owners and families who have called this region home for generations, the right to keep and bear arms is more than an...
From Victims to Perpetrators: Israeli Soldiers’ Nazi Comparisons and the Unfolding War Crimes in Gaza
The Israeli military's ongoing assault on the Gaza Strip has reached a tipping point — not just in terms of human suffering and infrastructural devastation, but also in moral clarity. In a shocking turn, several Israeli soldiers have publicly likened their conduct in Gaza to that of Nazi forces during...
Dear Mayor and City Council, Fresno’s Housing Bottlenecks Are a Modern Form of Redlining
Dear Mayor and Councilmembers, I am writing to respectfully urge you to reconsider and vote yes on the proposed ministerial approval for office-to-dwelling conversions without watering it down. This amendment, as originally proposed, is a necessary step to unlock Fresno’s potential and address our growing housing needs. As President of...
A Path Forward on Immigration Reform That Strengthens America
America cannot continue to rely on a broken immigration system that neither secures our borders nor supports the workforce that drives our economy. Across the country, and especially here in the Central Valley, we are feeling the effects of federal inaction and misguided enforcement. Farmers can’t find workers. Industries are...
Israel’s War of Choice With Iran Puts Trump in a Bind
Israel’s war of choice with Iran is proving far less decisive than President Donald Trump initially believed when he praised Israel’s performance as “excellent,” Responsible Statecraft's Trita Parsi writes. What now appears to be an escalating, inconclusive conflict with no clear end in sight will soon force Trump into a...
Water Scarcity Is Forcing Tough Decisions. This Legislation Can Keep Our Family Farm Afloat
My family is proud of our farm in Kerman. At VF&B Farms, we’ve grown just about everything over the years — cotton, tomatoes, almonds, sugar beets, cantaloupes, barley, and wheat. If it grows in the Valley, we’ve probably had a go at it. Farming here has never been easy, but...
Health Care Is a Lifeline. The Central Valley Deserves Better.
When I talk about health care, it’s personal. My mother is a two-time cancer survivor, fighting a lifelong battle with leukemia. She’s alive today because she had access to quality, affordable health care — something no family should ever have to fight for, and something far too many still lack...
I Applaud Fresno Unified’s New Focus, but the Plan Needs Work
As a general rule, going backwards doesn’t help you make progress. And yet, when it comes to student achievement in America’s public schools, moving in reverse has recently become an acceptable strategy in several states. Jessica Grose spells this out in “Nobody Wants to Be Responsible for Dismal K-12 Test...
The Valley is Driving California’s Economic Growth
California is now the fourth-largest economy in the world. It hasn’t been easy to achieve that milestone. But we’ve done it by seizing new opportunities, investing in our workforce and building an environment that attracts investment in both rural and urban areas of the Golden State. Agriculture is a major...