In the waning days of the 2020 election, the two local school board candidates are sparring over accusations about a clean campaign pledge. All three candidates vying for the State Center Community College District Area 2 trustee seat signed a voluntary document pledging to campaign fairly. Administered by the Secretary...
School Board Candidates Report Fundraising Totals in Home Stretch
In Fresno, with the absence of city or countywide races, most of the attention in the local election is on school boards. Candidates reported their final pre-election fundraising totals, through Oct. 17. State Center Area 2 Is the Most Costly Race For the State Center school board — which governs...
Is This Campaign Ad Racist? Or Does It Just Call a Candidate Corrupt?
The incumbent in a race for a college trustee seat says a campaign attack ad against him, mailed to voters, is racist. The flyer in question depicts Eric Payne, who is Black and is running for his third term on the State Center Community College District board, in less than...
Anti-Payne Website Is ‘Opening Act’ of Election Circus, Says Trustee
It's political season, which means attacks come in all forms. A new website has launched against State Center Community College District Trustee Eric Payne and his re-election bid. Aside from the grammatical errors and ALL CAPS, the site mentions the negative aspects of Payne's eight years on the board. It...
Will City Settle High Profile Police Shooting Case? Fresno Council Considers Next Move.
A Fresno police shooting death that has received more attention in the era of George Floyd is on the Fresno City Council's agenda this week. The 2017 shooting of 16-year old Isiah Murrietta-Golding as he ran away from police officers rankled social justice advocates then and now. With the renewed...
Price Gouging Ordinance on Tap for Emergency Fresno Council Meeting Today
The Fresno City Council has a tentative emergency meeting today at 1:30 p.m. to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a news release from Council President Miguel Arias, the council will discuss declaring a state of emergency and an anti-price gouging ordiance. As of time of publication, no agenda has...
Janz Casts His Vote, Warns About 'Rejected' Ballots
Give Andrew Janz credit. He answered the question of whether you can vote one-handed with a baby on your shoulder. The Fresno mayoral candidate appeared at the voting center at the Central California Blood Center this week with his wife, Heather, and newborn, Wilhelmina. Janz was able to fill out...
Now With Lawyer, Former Clovis Student Revises N-Word Suit
Andy Castro, who has engaged Clovis Unified in a First Amendment lawsuit, appears to have learned a valuable legal lesson: Listen to the judge. Heeding the advice of federal judge Dale Drozd, Castro — a former Clovis High School student — hired professional counsel when filing his amended suit against...
Tateosian Challenges Embattled Payne for Trustee Seat
State Center Community College District Trustee Eric Payne will have competition for reelection. Payne, a two-term trustee, said he intends to run again on the November 2020 ballot. Sevag Tateosian, a longtime Fresno County employee, filed his intention to run for the District 2 seat, which covers much of Fresno...
Requested Probe of Trustee Payne Falls One Vote Short
The State Center Community College District board decided — for the second time this year — not to investigate trustee Eric Payne over allegations of misconduct. Payne was accused of misuse of a rental car paid for by the district and failing to show up on time for conferences in...