Measure C, the Fresno County half-cent sales tax for transportation projects, expires in 2027. Voters will need to approve a renewal next year, or billions could be lost. Although there are no formal proposals, two groups are working to place items on the ballot. The official Measure C committee is...
Trump Is a Revolutionary. Will He Succeed or Fail?
The hyperactive first 100 days of Donald Trump’s second term have been the most consequential of any president this century, and perhaps since the time of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Before the inauguration Americans wondered what sort of government they were getting. That debate is now over. Mr. Trump is leading...
What’s Next for Fresno Smoke Shop Ordinance: Lawsuit, Veto, Override?
The city of Fresno is bracing for a lawsuit after passing tighter regulations on smoke shops and vape stores. The 4-1 vote — with one abstention and one absence — by the city council on Thursday means only 49 of the approximate 170 tobacco shops will be legally allowed to...
Lights, Camera, Board Vote: Fresno Unified’s Carefully Choreographed Production
I’m not here to talk about the superintendent pick negatively. This isn’t about the qualifications or the contract. This is about the theatrics. Because when you reserve front-row seats, pack the room with family members of the yet-to-be-officially-named appointee, and then ask the public to believe the decision wasn't already...
Newsom Commutes Sentence in 2009 Tulare County Gang Killing
Gov. Gavin Newsom has commuted the sentence of a man convicted in a 2009 gang-related murder in Orosi, granting clemency to Richard Miguel Garcia, 39, the Tulare County District Attorney's Office said in a statement Wednesday. Garcia was convicted in 2011 for his role in the shooting death of 18-year-old...
Secret Search or Meet the Finalists? Debate Rages as Fresno Nears Its Superintendent Pick
Fresno Unified trustees will meet Wednesday to discuss superintendent finalists. What's not clear is whether trustees will announce the next superintendent or whittle the list. Fresno Unified Board President Valerie Davis previously told GV Wire they would likely select the new superintendent Wednesday. After GV Wire published the names of...
Outrage Grows to Assembly Bill That Would Slash Solar Contract Benefits
When Ramon Torres was considering buying a $23,000 solar system for his Madera home in 2017, he calculated the cost of the system and the projected utility costs savings he'd get under the net energy metering contract, or NEM 2.0, over its 20-year lifespan. But now Torres and other California...
Will Fresno Unified Sacrifice Another Generation of Students? The Choice Is Ours
I love Fresno and want to see it prosper — just like many of you do. The only way that happens is when we force Fresno Unified to finally get its act together and provide our community’s children with the quality of education they need and deserve. Sadly, Fresno Unified...
Fox News Host? A Sheriff? Is There a Republican Who Can Finally Win Statewide in CA Again?
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. After more than a decade being exiled from the governor’s office in California, Republicans are eyeing growing voter frustration with the dominant liberal politics of the state as a launching pad for a comeback next year. Though lacking...
Special Interests Pour More Than Half a Billion Into CA Lobbying
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Lobbying groups spent more than half a billion dollars to influence the state government in 2024, the most ever, according to a CalMatters analysis of data recently filed with the secretary of state. Lobbying by Google, oil companies and...