The Fresno City Council has considered paying for the defense of council president Nelson Esparza, who faces criminal charges of attempted extortion. The details remain shrouded, but discussions over whether to use public funds for Esparza's defense have been included on two recent closed session agendas. Esparza recused himself both...
Fed Up Americans Drive Gas Price Below $4, but It’s Still Above $5 in CA
Americans are fed up with high gas prices and it's showing at the pump. According to AAA, the average price nationally for a gallon of regular dropped to $3.96 on Monday. That's 62 cents a gallon lower than a month ago, but still 78 cents higher than on Aug....
Multiple Challengers Seeking to Unseat FUSD Incumbents in November Election
This story was updated Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, with additional candidates qualifying for Fresno Unified and Central Unified trustee seats. The ballot for Fresno Unified's four trustee races will be crowded with candidates based on the number that had already qualified by Friday morning. The deadline to qualify for...
City Asked to Reimburse $1.4 Million Granite Park Loan After Default
The public costs to run Fresno's Granite Park sports complex may soon increase by more than a million dollars. The city-owned recreation facility featuring multiple sports fields, batting cages, and concessions is leased to a nonprofit group to operate. One of the architects of the lease says because of...
Editorial: Bullard Cellphone Ban Has Merit, but Students, Teachers, Parents Must Weigh in First
A good idea can quickly become a bad idea if it isn't properly vetted and implemented. This is especially true when dealing with a controversial change that begs for stakeholder buy-in and clear communication with the people affected. And that brings us to Bullard High School principal Armen Torigian,...
In Fresno, CA Attorney General Pushes ‘Blueprint’ for Industrial, Neighborhood Balance
In a busy day in Fresno, state Attorney General Rob Bonta held two listening sessions with community members and met with elected leaders at all levels of government. Earlier this year, Bonta waded into the controversy of building industrial sites in parts of the city and Fresno County. He...
Fresno Supervisors Send $720 Million Tax Hike Question to November Ballot
With almost no discussion, the Fresno County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 Tuesday morning to put a sales tax measure to benefit Fresno State on the November ballot. Supervisor Steve Brandau, noting that he represents an "anti-tax" base, said he supported putting the measure on the ballot but emphasized...
Back to School in Fresno and Clovis: What to Know on Masks, Schedules, Campus Changes
The first day of the new school year is rapidly approaching for Valley students and school staffers, and with the new year comes new starting times and bus schedules, a new Fresno elementary, and a new gym at a Fresno high school. Many people will be glad to hear...
Clovis Hospital Expansion Is Exactly What the Doctor Ordered and the Valley Needs
As construction crews approach the finish of the $430 million Clovis Community Medical Center expansion, let's take a moment to appreciate the life-saving impact this marvel of modern medicine will have on Valley residents for decades to come. As we've been reminded again during the pandemic, the Valley desperately...
Cellphone Ban at Bullard High Sparks Brouhaha and Online Petition
Bullard High students won't be able to pull out their cell phones during the school day under a new policy that's causing division in the northwest Fresno community. Principal Armen Torigian, who took the job midway through the last school year, told families in a recent back-to-school letter that...