The city of Fresno hired a prominent criminal defense attorney to defend the City Council president in a criminal case, records show. Nelson Esparza faces two criminal counts based on an alleged conversation in April with then-City Attorney Douglas Sloan. The Fresno District Attorney’s Office charged Esparza with one felony...
Farmworkers Impacted by Drought Will Get $1,000 a Month if Newsom Signs Bill
Gov. Gavin Newsom will decide on a bill that would give supplemental aid to farmworkers affected by a drought that is taking a heavy toll on farms. Senate Bill 1066, introduced by Valley Democrat Melissa Hurtado, passed the Legislature and went to Newsom's desk on Sept. 6. "As California...
Labor Peace, New Water Wells Highlight Fresno County’s Record $4.5 Billion Budget
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors passed a record $4.5 billion budget in a 95-minute hearing on Monday by a 5-0 vote. The fiscal year finds the county with an 8% increase ($343 million) from last year. "Very little blood was drawn," Supervisor Nathan Magsig said at the close...
Fresno State President Talks Football, Family, Valley and His Love of Cooking
Tending to 30 guests at a time, does Fresno State president Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval have a chance to watch the football game? "I don't get to watch a lot of the game, but I do get to watch the touchdowns. When the crowd goes wild, then I go and see...
Feds Remove ‘Squaw’ From 650 Place Names. Is Squaw Valley Next?
Making good on a promise to replace the word “squaw” from America's landmarks and places, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names has announced the renaming of at least 650 geographic features. “Squaw,” which originated from the Algonquian language, was once used to refer to a native woman, but...
Fresno Police Drop the Ball on Probe of Principal Striking Student
Even though Fresno police received a video in June depicting then-Wolters Elementary principal Brian Vollhardt striking a student, the case didn't move to the Fresno County District Attorney's Office until Tuesday, officials said Thursday morning. Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama attributed the delay to “system failures” within the police...
Fresno Taxpayers Are Paying for Esparza’s Criminal Extortion Defense
Fresno taxpayers will pay for the criminal defense of city council president Nelson Esparza, according to documents obtained by GV Wire. Meanwhile, the Fresno City Council's maneuvers to cover up its decision to fund Esparza's defense contradicts the advice of outside counsel hired by the council. An opinion from...
Fresno Survives Record-Breaking Heat. Will Weekend Cooldown Bring Rain?
California's merciless heat wave delivered record-breaking temperatures on Tuesday, but the state's stressed electrical grid withstood the demand without rolling blackouts. Today's forecast calls for a drop in temperatures, and the California Independent System Operator, which oversees the grid, is indicating it will have sufficient power at peak demand...
Newsom Feels the Heat on Farm Labor Measure
Gov. Gavin Newsom will soon write a new chapter in California’s decades-long conflict over the unionization of workers in the state’s huge agricultural industry — and what he does could affect his obvious quest to become a national political figure. Assembly Bill 2183, a measure that would make it...
Salas, Valadao Trade Gas Tax Charges as TV Ad War Launches
Expect thousands of TV ads in the David Valadao-Rudy Salas congressional campaign race. Both sides launched today. Valadao, R-Hanford, is the incumbent congressman. Election analysts have called his Congressional District 22 race versus state Assemblyman Salas, D-Bakersfield, one of the tightest in the country. Each side released a new television...