Update: Board President Susan Wittrup said Friday evening that the weekend workshop has been cancelled because of weather delays on the presenters' flights to Fresno. The workshop will be rescheduled to a later date, she said. Fresno Unified trustees will spend part of their Memorial Day weekend at a two-day...
Dolores Huerta, Mayors Dyer and Ashbeck Oppose Tax Protection Measure. What Does it Do?
Famed civil rights activist Dolores Huerta rallied at Fresno City Hall, opposing a proposed state ballot measure that would make it more difficult to raise taxes. "It takes away the right of citizens to be able to vote for the things that they need because it's so difficult," Huerta told...
Fresno State Faculty: Stop Diverting Money from Academics to Athletics
The Fresno State Academic Senate says the university and CSU system need to reverse the trend of putting more general fund and student tuition money into athletics at the expense of academics. The Senate voted unanimously last month for a resolution that says spending on Athletics from the state general...
Newsom Says No New Taxes, Yet His Budget Has Billions in New Levies on Businesses
When Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a much-revised 2024-25 state budget this month, he became visibly irritated when reporters pressed him about raising taxes to cover a $44.9 billion deficit, particularly the corporate tax hikes that left-leaning groups have suggested to avoid spending cuts in health, welfare and education programs. “When...
A Radical Lesson From El Salvador to Solve Fresno Housing & Homeless Crisis
Several months ago, I sat on a bench for 24 hours and had conversations with people about all kinds of topics but mostly about the needs surrounding housing and homelessness. The interaction that touched me the most was with a young mother with her very young daughter who brought me...
Will Becerra Run for Governor? He Tours UCSF Fresno With Costa
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra is rumored to be a candidate for California governor in 2026. During a visit to Fresno on Monday, he didn't tip his hand. "What I can say there is I am thrilled that the president gave me a chance to be Secretary...
What Drives California’s Budget Decisions? A Lot of Politics, Not as Much Data
Frustration came through loud and clear as legislators hurled question after question at the head of the state’s homelessness interagency council: Why, after years of planning and billions of dollars invested, is there so little to show for the effort? “You come into a budget committee and there’s no numbers,”...
California Wine Squeezed Dry: What Does It Mean for Valley Grape Growers?
A problem has been fermenting in the wine industry and an industry insider says the cure is pulling out tens of thousands of acres of vineyards across the state. In the 1990s, when Baby Boomers were in their 30s and 40s, coming into their own, the "French Paradox" health fad...
Deadly Deer Disease Found in Madera County: What Does It Mean for Humans?
For the first time on the West Coast, a deadly deer disease appeared, alarming researchers and raising questions about how the disease jumped. On May 7, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced they had found two deer with chronic wasting disease — one in Yosemite Lakes in Madera...
Innovative Foster Youth Housing on Fast Track to Opening in Fresno
Valley Teen Ranch broke ground Wednesday at Herndon and Polk avenues on a 96-unit campus they say will break the cycle of homelessness for Fresno County foster youth. The organization says youth could move in as early as December. The Welcome Home Campus from Valley Teen Ranch will offer modular...