The Fresno Chaffee Zoo has moved to defend itself against a lawsuit after a nonprofit group, the Nonhuman Rights Project, filed a civil action against the popular venue. The group claims the zoo's three African elephants — Amahle, Nolwazi, and Vusmusi — have been unlawfully imprisoned and restrained of...
US Drone Operation Killed Al-Qaida Leader Al-Zawahri. Local Islamic Response
Story has been updated with reaction from Imam Seyed Ali Ghazvini of the Islamic Cultural Center of Fresno. WASHINGTON — A CIA drone strike has killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri in Afghanistan, according to five people familiar with the matter. Current and former officials began hearing Sunday afternoon that al-Zawahri...
Boswell-Vidovich Water War Could Bring State Control of Region’s Groundwater
The latest blow in an ongoing water war between two Kings County agricultural titans may put control of the entire region’s groundwater into state hands. The J.G. Boswell Farming Company and Sandridge Partners, controlled by John Vidovich, have been scuffling over water in court, on ditch banks, and even in the...
Fresno Council President ‘a Little Pissant Millennial,’ Ex-City Attorney Reportedly Fumed
Concerned that he may have been a victim of extortion by the president of the Fresno City Council, then-city attorney Douglas Sloan told Mayor Jerry Dyer and other key city staff of the allegations. The information comes from documents filed in the criminal case against Nelson Esparza, accused of...
Fresno County Detectives ‘Desperately’ Need Tips in Four 2022 Teen Homicides
Nothing frustrates detectives more than when leads are in short supply or dry up completely. That's the situation Fresno County homicide investigators face in the shooting deaths of four teenagers this year — two in Orange Cove and two in Parlier. "No arrests have been made in these cases,...
BBQ Throwdown Comes to Fresno Fairgrounds. Pitmaster Secrets Revealed
Jesse Marquez wanted to create a barbeque competition for guys like him — everyday grillers who love to feed family and friends. "I'm just a barbecue guy. I just like cooking in my backyard, my front yard, you know? I mean, I started off with the kettle grill, just like...
Major Investment Breaks ‘Cycle of Neglect’ in SE Fresno With More on the Way
A plot of land in southeast Fresno, vacant for 50 years, will receive a $76 million makeover. BDM Builders, San Jose-based developer, is making a major investment for its first series of projects in Fresno. The company revealed plans to turn the northeast corner of Jensen and Maple avenues into...
Riley’s Brewing Owner: ‘It’s Total Ash From One Side to the Other’
"The worst day of my life," said Madera County brewery owner Dan Riley on Wednesday morning. "It's a total loss. The brewery is total ash from one side to the other." Multiple explosions and a fire erupted at about 8 p.m. Tuesday night at Riley's Brewing. Small fires continued...
Veteran Clovis Councilmember Shakes up Election With Retirement News
The longest-serving councilmember in the city of Clovis will not for re-election in November, leaving the seat he's served in since 1999. "I think it's time," Jose Flores, currently serving in the mayor's role, told Politics 101 of his 24 years in office. "That is enough, I think, for me...
Auditor Blasts State’s Slow Response to California Drinking Water Crisis
The state agency charged with helping provide safe drinking water is endangering the health of nearly 1 million Californians, the state auditor said Tuesday. "Nearly a million Californians face possible long-term, negative health outcomes — including an increased risk of liver and kidney problems, as well as cancer —...