It’s the dawn of a new school in Clovis Unified and the district has completed most of the groundwork. The land is under construction; the school boundaries are set; and the school will be named for former superintendent Janet Young, a very fine choice. But, the hardest decision with repercussions...
Is Clovis Unified Science Teacher the World's Best Dunker?
Jonathan Clark, an All-American track and field performer, teaches eighth-grade science at Granite Ridge Intermediate School in Fresno. However, he is probably best known for his prowess slam-dunking a basketball. Wrote Alex Myers of The Loop in November: Clark "describes himself as a 'pro dunker' in his Twitter bio, spent time as...
New Medical School Offers Peek at Its State-of-the-Art Technology
Greater Fresno's first four-year medical school is looking to make a dent in the Valley's chronic shortage of doctors. The privately funded College of Osteopathic Medicine will open its Clovis campus to students in 2020. Dr. John Graneto, the school's dean, believes that many future physicians who earn their degrees at...
How to Honor David McDonald? Clovis Wants to Rename a Park.
Children and pets could soon be playing at David McDonald Park. McDonald, the businessman, and philanthropist, died last month at age 69. His family said he passed away from natural causes. The former CEO of security camera-maker Pelco operated one of the city’s largest companies. At its peak, Pelco employed...
Battle to Curb 'Epidemic' Teen E-Cigarette Use Ramps Up
Although rates for smoking traditional cigarettes are at an all-time low, there is a new player in town and it's taking over the market: electronic cigarettes. First introduced in 2003 in China, electronic cigarettes are becoming so popular with teens that U.S. health officials call the problem an "epidemic." And,...
How Nunes 'Magazine' Got Quote From Clovis Unified Trustee
A campaign mailer from Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare) created plenty of buzz locally and nationally. Residents in the district recently received a 40-page magazine. The mailer featured Nunes' point of view on what he calls negative coverage from The Fresno Bee and also Nunes' attacks on his opponent, Fresno County prosecutor...
Clovis Unified Funding Is Low, But It Excels Just the Same
For the second consecutive year, Clovis Unified recorded the highest English Language Arts score of any large school district in California. And the district again had the second-highest math scores of school districts in the state testing 20,000 or more students. That's saying a lot given that Clovis Unified receives...
Not All Get to Hear LA Congressman Lieu’s Views
Congressman Ted Lieu (D-Los Angeles) spoke at a Fresno town hall Thursday night (April 5) intended to deliver access to a constituency that can’t speak with their own congressman. A Central Valley Indivisible representative said the group invited Lieu to bring his “Adopt-a-District” event because local Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare)...
Beware of the Open Mic! Clovis School Board Member Calls Councilman 'Obnoxious'
An open mic and elected officials are never a good mix. Ask George W. Bush. Or Clint Olivier. Now, some Clovis Unified school board members can join the list of saying things not meant to be heard, but picked up when the microphone remained hot. The latest case happened at...
Clovis Unified Denies 'Mindfulness' Charter School. What's Next?
It’s back to the drawing board for a group that wanted to form a "mindfulness" charter school in Clovis Unified School District. The school board followed staff recommendations and voted 7-0 to deny the One & Only Academy a charter Wednesday night. The staff report said, among other things, that...