Brandi Orth, the Fresno County election clerk, is stepping down. Her last day is Feb. 28. "On December 17, 2020 my mother’s sudden illness required my personal attendance in North Carolina.  As a result of her health condition, she is in need of my aid and care.  It is, therefore, regretfully...
Clovis Mayor to Gov. Newsom: Don’t Shut Down Gun Stores
Clovis Mayor Drew Bessinger is asking Gov. Gavin Newsom not to restrict sales of guns and ammunition during the COVID-19 shelter-in-place order. "I am writing you to strongly oppose any such action,"Â Bessinger wrote in a letter sent to Newsom on Wednesday. Bessinger Concerned About Release of Inmates In his one-page...
Girl's Attempt to Fly Plane at Fresno Airport Ends in a Crash
Police arrested a 17-year-old girl after she crashed an airplane into a building Wednesday morning at Fresno Yosemite International Airport. Officials said in a news release that the girl breached the airport's fence, commandeered a Beechcraft King Air 200 propeller-driven plane and started one engine. The airplane moved a short...
Basgall Will Retire. Clovis Hunts for New Police Chief.
Clovis Police Chief Matt Basgall announced Thursday — one day after telling his staff — that he will retire on Aug. 2. “It has been an honor and privilege to serve the citizens of the city," Basgall said in a news release. "The police department staff does amazing work every...
Brusseau Apologizes, Takes Grief Over Clovis Housing Comments
For Terra Brusseau, it was a "grin and bear it" moment. In the first Fresno Housing Authority board meeting since she made controversial comments about a public housing project in Clovis, her colleagues let her know how they felt. Brusseau apologized, somewhat, Tuesday night for her March 26 comments that...
Clovis Mayor Answers Housing Commissioner: We Welcome All
Clovis leaders are pushing back against comments made by a Fresno Housing Authority board member who questioned the agency's first-ever project in their city. Terra Brusseau serves on the 14-member Fresno Housing Authority board. Brusseau's remarks, made during a March 26 discussion about a 60-unit housing authority project at Willow...
Incumbents Headed Toward Clovis Re-Election
Three Clovis city council incumbents appear headed for re-election, preliminary results show. With 100% of the precincts reporting, Bob Whalen (32%), Drew Bessinger (31%) and Jose Flores (29%) appear to be headed back to City Hall. Challenger Maeketah Rivera drew 8% of the 20,633 votes counted thus far. In the...
Face-Off for Clovis City Council: Growth Is Hot Topic
The four candidates for three spots on the Clovis City Council have two things in common: They all work in law enforcement or the criminal justice system, and they are all Republican. But, that’s where the similarities end. Three of the four are experienced incumbents in a city where turnover...
Face-Off for Clovis City Council: Growth Is Hot Topic
The four candidates for three spots on the Clovis City Council have two things in common: They all work in law enforcement or the criminal justice system, and they are all Republican. But, that’s where the similarities end. Three of the four are experienced incumbents in a city where turnover...
Four Candidates Run for Three Spots in 2019 Clovis Election
Four candidates will vie for three positions in the Clovis City Council election this March. Incumbents Drew Bessinger, Jose Flores, and Bob Whalen are seeking re-election, while Maeketah Rivera hopes to unseat one of them. Clovis elects its members-at-large, meaning for this election that the top three vote-getters win. There are five...