Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer's State of the City on Wednesday was light on news, but heavy on citing his accomplishments. Dyer repeatedly told the audience of 950 — a sellout for the Fresno Chamber-hosted luncheon — that Fresno was a "city on the move." In his 40-minute speech at the...
Bitwise Hasn’t Paid Its Taxes, but CEO Optimistic About the Future
Seven years ago, Bitwise Industries had ambitious goals. In a 2016 letter to the community, the Fresno-based technology and real estate company unveiled a vision of 1,000 tech companies employing 250,000 workers in downtown Fresno. A light-rail train would help speed workers from outlying communities to the tech hub. "I...
Fresno Teachers Seek 27% Raises, $27,500 Bonuses, COLAs & Other Perks Over 4 Years
A wide chasm still remains between what the Fresno Teachers Association want in their new contract and what Fresno Unified is willing to provide, even as the clock on the current contract is winding down. According to a document supplied to GV Wire by a district official, the teachers union...
4-Year-Old’s Body Recovered From Kings River. Sister’s Body Recovered Sunday.
Rescuers recovered the body of a 4-year-old boy from the Kings River at about 11 a.m. Monday, authorities said. Fresno County Sheriff's Office spokesman Tony Botti said in an email that county fire personnel on a boat saw the boy beneath the water caught against a tree. A firefighter was...
Fresno Cyclists Will Get Protected Bike Lanes on Four Streets
Good news is on the way for Fresno bike riders. Mayor Jerry Dyer announced Monday morning that the city will build protected bike lanes on four busy Fresno streets. Construction will begin in the coming weeks. The project will cost $1.5 million — not including the engineering design, the mayor's...
New Wave of Budget Demands Add Pressure to California’s ‘Big Squeeze’
One could call it the “big squeeze.” It’s the ever-increasing conflict between the state government’s current and projected tax revenues, which are drifting downwards, and the demands for billions of additional dollars for vital services, such as health care, homelessness and mass transit. In January, when Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled his initial budget for...
GV Wire Honored As California’s Best Mid-Sized Digital News Site
GV Wire captured one of the California News Publishers Association's most prestigious awards on Friday, winning for General Excellence among mid-sized digital news sites. "GV Wire delivers a lively and frequently updated mix of news framed for local readers, drawing on its own staff-produced local journalism ((including video, podcast, and...
Fresno Schools May Lose Social Workers Over Teachers Union Complaint
Students at some Fresno Unified high schools could have fewer social workers on hand next year to help them with their social and emotional problems after the teachers union raised an objection because the workers were hired by contract and not directly by the district. The issue arose during the...
Measure E Redux: Neglected Facilities, $1.4 Billion Wish List, Higher Sales Tax
Details are rolling out on the second effort to pass a county-wide sales tax that would raise $1.4 billion for new facilities and deferred maintenance at Fresno State. In 2022, proponents told voters that Measure E would help pay for new facilities at Fresno State, devoting two-thirds of the income...
Garbage Rate Hikes Proposed in Dyer’s $1.85 Billion City Budget
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer proposed an increase in garbage collection rates as part of his $1.85 billion 2024 budget on Thursday morning. However, he declined to estimate how big the potential increase might be. Residents currently pay $25.37 monthly for garbage pickup (gray bin), as well as $3.87 for green...