Since its inception in 2015, the Public Integrity Unit of the Fresno County District Attorney's office has charged 15 individuals. Three of them were publicly elected officials. The most recent is possibly the most high-profile case — charging Fresno City Councilman Nelson Esparza with two counts related to allegations of...
DA Smittcamp: ‘I Will File as Many Murder Cases Against Drug Dealers as I Can’
With fentanyl killing Americans in alarming numbers, Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp is pursuing justice for victims with an iron fist. On Tuesday, Smittcamp's office filed murder charges against Cassidy Mairie Gonzalez, 21, who allegedly sold fentanyl-laced pills that killed Jade Alexandra Dreith in January. "This is murder...
Fresno Suspect in 3 School Shooting Threat Calls Arrested
A 23-year-old Fresno man was arrested Tuesday in connection with multiple phone threats about shootings at Bullard, Edison, and Fresno high schools on Monday. Police said the suspect, Jose Luis Casteneda, attempted to conceal his identity and phone information, but detectives were able to identify him. He was taken...
Fresno’s ‘Stumpdog’ Races Into National BMX Hall of Fame
A Fresno area BMX racing legend is headed to the sport's National Hall of Fame. Randy "Stumpdog" Stumpfhauser, 45, will be inducted at the National BMX Hall of Fame and Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday, Oct. 29. Stumpfhauser, who was born in Fresno and raced out of Sanger,...
Hotly Contested Valley Race Draws Former VP Mike Pence to Fresno
Former vice president Mike Pence stumped for Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, at a fundraising event in Fresno Monday morning. Winning kitchen table issues such as the economy and public safety will return Valadao to Washington, Pence said. Valadao is being challenged by Assemblyman Rudy Salas, D-Bakersfield, in the Valley's...
Fresno State Coach Broke Window That Rained Glass on Football Fans, Officials Say
A Fresno State football coach has been placed on leave after glass from a broken window from the coach's booth landed on fans, injuring at least two. The university made the announcement Sunday morning. "Unfortunately, some fans were injured during last night’s football game as a result of glass that...
Vacant for 50 Years, Bank of Italy Building Could Rise Again
Could an iconic downtown Fresno building, vacant for 50 years, find new life? Several elected leaders, highlighted by Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, held a news conference Friday morning touting $88 million in federal funds for Central Valley agriculture programs. The location was the Bank of Italy building at the...
Pazin Touts His Credentials, Calls Soria a Credit Grabber.
In what could be a tight state Assembly race, two political veterans are running to represent parts of Merced, Madera and Fresno counties in Sacramento. For months, Esmeralda Soria and Mark Pazin have been touting endorsements, raising money, and airing ads on TV in the 27th Assembly District election....
Pence Returns to Valley Monday to Campaign for Valadao
When then-Vice President Mike Pence visited near Lemoore in July 2019, it wasn't an official campaign event for David Valadao. But, it was close. Pence, in town to push the Trump administration's agricultural policy, introduced Valadao to the audience. At the time, Valadao was between congressional terms. Monday morning,...
State AG Bonta Tells Fresno to Halt Southwest Industrial Rezone
State Attorney General Rob Bonta told Fresno officials to halt their plans to rezone an industrial site in a southwest neighborhood because of concerns about negative environmental effects on a marginalized community. “Southwest Fresno contains some of the most over-burdened and under-invested environmental justice communities in all of California,” Bonta...