Update, 10:40 a.m.m, Monday, Aug. 30: The raging Caldor Fire forced nearly all residents in the city of South Lake Tahoe to evacuate on Monday morning. The order came at 10 a.m. as officials upgraded the warning to a mandatory order for the neighborhoods of Tahoe Keys, Tahoe Island, Al...
RIP, John Lawson, 81, Fresno’s Unforgettable ‘King of the Road’
Editor's Note: With the passing of Fresno trucking company owner and former state Transportation Commission member John Lawson on Tuesday, GV Wire is republishing Bill McEwen's March 6, 2018, column. At the time, Lawson was to receive an honorary diploma from Fresno High 60 years after dropping out of school....
Trustee’s Filibuster Shuts Down Fresno School Board Meeting
The Fresno Unified School Board meeting came to an abrupt halt Wednesday evening when Trustee Terry Slatic refused to stop talking after being told that he was disrupting the meeting and no longer had the floor. It appeared to be the first time in the history of California's third-largest school...
Where Do Local Leaders Stand on Newsom Recall?
Gov. Gavin Newsom's job is at stake. More than 22 million recall ballots were sent to voters. And, completed ballots are trickling in ahead of the Sept. 14 deadline to vote. So GV Wire asked local politicians where they stood on the recall — up or down — and the...
Fresno’s Central Schools Chief Resigns Following Leave, Investigations
Andy Alvarado, who was placed on paid leave as Central Unified School District's superintendent earlier this summer after his arrest in a domestic violence case, resigned Tuesday, board president Yesenia Carrillo announced at Tuesday evening's board meeting. Alvarado's resignation and a settlement agreement were unanimously approved by the board in...
After Initial Rejection, Fresno Sikh Temple Gets Approval
The Sant Zora Singh Lopon Charitable Trust wanted to build a Sikh temple and community center on the outskirts of Fresno. They sought a place where 50 families could meet and pray. Things seemed to be on the way for a routine approval. Staff reports supported the project. There was...
Recall Candidate Elder Packs the House With His Brand of Conservatism
Republican gubernatorial recall candidate Larry Elder drew a standing-room crowd on his visit to Fresno on Sunday, dishing out his views on race, poverty, vaccines, and Gavin Newsom's shortcomings. About 1,100 supporters — nearly all maskless amid the pandemic — greeted the talk-radio host turned politician and showered him with...
New Fresno County Recorder’s Office Will Feature Free Parking, Drive-Thru Service
Fresno County Assessor-Recorder Paul Dictos is proud of what's coming to downtown Fresno early in 2022. The Recorder's operations are moving into a remodeled 19,000 square-foot building the agency bought for $2.4 million in 2018. Funds to buy and overhaul the former Noble Credit Union building came from a trust...
Valley Air District Gets $178M to End Ag Burns Once and for All
Armed with $178.2 million in new state funding, the Valley Air District is expanding aid to farmers to end ag burning by 2025. "The District and the California Air Resources Board have approved a strategy that will result in a near-complete phase-out of all Valley agricultural burning by Jan. 1,...
Translator Who Told Fresno ‘You Guys Are My Last Hope’ Exits Afghanistan, Reaches U.S.
An Afghan man who provided translation services for since-retired Marine Maj. Terry Slatic during his tours in Afghanistan, as well as other U.S. troops, told Slatic and PowerTalk 96.7 radio host Trevor Carey on Tuesday that he feared for his life if he had to remain there now that the...