Rising water from heavy rains and snowmelt knocked out a culvert that trapped three elderly women, including a 104-year-old, in their Squaw Valley area home until Fresno County sheriff's deputies could rescue them Friday, Sheriff John Zanoni told reporters. And it wasn't the only rescue. CalFire Capt. Dustin Hail said...
Latest Storm Puts Mother Nature’s Awesome Power on Display in Valley
After three years of drought, the skies are showering the Valley — and all of California — with an abundant supply of rain and snow. Here are images from GV Wire's videographers, as well as from social media posts, of the moisture-laden warm storm that began Thursday, March 9, 2023,...
Balderrama Responds to Activist’s Critical Tweets: ‘I’m the Chief’
Criticism from a Fresno nonprofit leader about how the city is implementing police reform was a topic at Thursday's city council meeting. Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama told the Fresno City Council that most of the reforms suggested by a post-George Floyd police commission have been implemented. The 40-member commission...
Winter Storm Brings Road Closures, Flash Flood Watches, Surging Rivers
The rain-rich storm drenching Central California had flooded some roadways by early Friday morning, and the foothills in eastern Fresno, Madera, and Tulare counties were under flash flood warnings through 11 a.m. Friday. The National Weather Service extended the flash flood warning for northern Fresno County, including the city of...
Fresno County Expands Flood-Zone Evacuation Warning: ‘Be Ready for Unrivaled Flood Event’
Fresno County officials renewed their dire warnings Thursday about the winter storm that's forecast to drop 2 to 3 inches of rain on the Valley floor and as much as 8 inches in the Sierra starting Thursday afternoon. The minimum stream flows that have been predicted are at the upper...
How Much Will Cesar Chavez Boulevard Cost Fresno Taxpayers?
An 11-mile stretch of prominent south Fresno roads will be renamed for late labor leader Cesar Chavez. But several members of the Black community objected to a portion of a road in west Fresno from being part of the change. Honoring Chavez with a street name change in Fresno has...
Storm Could ‘Push Limits’ of San Joaquin Valley’s Flood Protection
If the coming storm hits as predicted starting late Thursday, San Joaquin Valley flooding hot spots — and some new ones thanks to subsidence — could be swamped. It’s not because reservoirs above the valley floor are full. The culprits are likely to be much the smaller and typically dry...
Possible Flooding, High Winds Put Local Officials on Alert
A moisture-laden storm arriving Thursday with heavy rains could create localized flooding on the Valley floor and at elevations up to 4,000 feet in the foothills. The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for the region starting at 4 p.m. and continuing until 10 a.m. Sunday. Highway 168,...
$250 Local Campaign Donation Cap Challenged in Court
A business coalition is challenging a recently enacted state law that limits how much developers and other business interests can contribute to local politicians. Senate Bill 1439 limits anyone with business before a local government agency from contributing more than $250 to a political campaign of a member of the...
Latest Storm Forecast: ‘We Are Now Closer to the Bull’s-Eye’
Fresno County's preparations for the atmospheric river storm bearing down on Central California include issuing an evacuation warning for foothills residents stretching from the Madera County line on the north to Tulare County on the south. The seriousness of Thursday's storm cannot be overstated, National Weather Service meteorologist Kristian Mattarochia...