The Fresno club promising Michelin-level food, service, and entertainment held a red-carpet affair Thursday as part of its three-day opening weekend. To celebrate the inaugural night, The PM Lounge brought on basketball icon Shaquille O'Neal, who deejayed the event. "Last night was truly special. DJ Diesel, also known as Shaq,...
Fresno Homeless Shelters Closing. Nonprofits Scramble as More Could Shutter
Fresno will lose more than a hundred much-needed homeless shelter beds by year's end, GV Wire has learned. In addition, another 331 shelter beds could close by June 2026 as state and federal funding sources dry up. That means finding beds for people in need will fall more and more...
California Democrats Secretly Steer Hundreds of Millions Into Pet Projects
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Despite facing a $12 billion deficit this year, California’s Legislature still managed to spend at least $415 million for local projects to help lawmakers win their next elections. CalMatters found close to 100 earmarks inserted into just one...
Weeds Grow Free on Reedley Farm That Redefines Organic
The knee-high grasses growing between the rows at Blossom Bluff Orchards in Reedley might be reminiscent of a bad neighbor letting their yard become an eyesore. But the grasses and vegetation are all part of farmer Bryce Loewen's approach to organic farming. He says letting nature take its course has...
Fresno Approves Tax on New Homes and Shopping. Even Experts Don’t Know How it Works
The Fresno City Council on Thursday approved a hotly disputed tax on new homes and apartments even as city staff worked out the complex rules on the dais. While the first city council meeting about the vehicle miles traveled (VMT) tax surrounded how home prices would be affected, the meeting...
His Students Suddenly Started Getting A’s. Did a Google AI Tool Go Too Far?
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. A few months ago, a high school English teacher in Los Angeles Unified noticed something different about his students’ tests. Students who had struggled all semester were suddenly getting A’s. He suspected some were cheating, but he couldn’t...
Fresno Families, Veterans, and Federal Workers Turn to First Fruits Market for Help
Friday morning at Fresno Mission's City Center, First Fruits Market reached capacity almost immediately. Families, veterans, furloughed government workers, and others in need shuffled through the doors, looking for something basic — eggs, bread, fresh produce, frozen meats — but leaving with something more: a moment of dignity in a...
Gov. Newsom Pardons Detained Immigrant Fresno Restaurant Manager
Federally incarcerated Fresno restaurant manager Psalm "Sam" Behpoor's case for being released from a Kern County immigrant detention facility received a big boost Friday. Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a "full and unconditional pardon" for a residential burglary Behpoor committed when more than two decades ago when he was 18 years...
Sanger Teachers Say They’re Underpaid. District Says It’s Hamstrung by Archaic CA Law
Sanger Unified teachers say they were blindsided when district officials reversed course and applied for an exemption to a state law that requires unified school districts to devote 55% of their budgets to classroom teacher salaries. However, the district says that an outdated California law doesn't reflect the services and...
Clovis Lawmaker Sues Over CA’s New Congressional Maps After Prop. 50 Passes
The morning after California voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 50, a state Assemblymember from Clovis filed a federal lawsuit, alleging constitutional violations. California voters approved the measure amending the state constitution to allow redrawing congressional maps six years ahead of schedule. As of Wednesday morning, Prop. 50 was passing with 64%...