Friday morning at Fresno Mission's City Center, First Fruits Market reached capacity almost immediately. Families, veterans, furloughed government workers, and others in need shuffled through the doors, looking for something basic — eggs, bread, fresh produce, frozen meats — but leaving with something more: a moment of dignity in a...
Gov. Newsom Pardons Detained Immigrant Fresno Restaurant Manager
Federally incarcerated Fresno restaurant manager Psalm "Sam" Behpoor's case for being released from a Kern County immigrant detention facility received a big boost Friday. Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a "full and unconditional pardon" for a residential burglary Behpoor committed when more than two decades ago when he was 18 years...
Sanger Teachers Say They’re Underpaid. District Says It’s Hamstrung by Archaic CA Law
Sanger Unified teachers say they were blindsided when district officials reversed course and applied for an exemption to a state law that requires unified school districts to devote 55% of their budgets to classroom teacher salaries. However, the district says that an outdated California law doesn't reflect the services and...
Clovis Lawmaker Sues Over CA’s New Congressional Maps After Prop. 50 Passes
The morning after California voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 50, a state Assemblymember from Clovis filed a federal lawsuit, alleging constitutional violations. California voters approved the measure amending the state constitution to allow redrawing congressional maps six years ahead of schedule. As of Wednesday morning, Prop. 50 was passing with 64%...
Weeds Grow Free on Reedley Farm That Redefines Organic
The knee-high grasses growing between the rows at Blossom Bluff Orchards in Reedley might be reminiscent of a bad neighbor letting their yard become an eyesore. But the grasses and vegetation are all part of farmer Bryce Loewen's approach to organic farming. He says letting nature take its course has...
California Promised Insurance Relief But Delivered Loopholes
LOS ANGELES — Even before the devastating wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles this year, companies that insure the ever-growing number of homes perched in California’s fire-prone foothills were threatening to abandon the state, declaring that the risks were becoming unsupportable. The prospect of uninsurable homes was an existential threat for...
Fresno Is Nation’s Top Ag County at $9 Billion. But What Does Future Hold?
Fresno County reclaimed the title of top ag-producing county in the nation with reported 2024 values exceeding $9 billion for the first time. The record amount comes as Kern County, which held the top spot in 2023, fell to $7.96 billion while Tulare County recovered last year, climbing to $8.3...
How Do Some Bills Become Law in California? By Leaving Pages Blank
Lawmakers had only a few days to review one of California's most consequential housing bills in recent years. And, with almost no deliberation, lawmakers approved Assembly Bill 130 despite the fact that housing advocates and environmental attorneys say two important sections of the law could greatly increase the cost of...
Under Trump, Becoming a US Citizen Gets Harder
WASHINGTON — A harder civics test. Stricter social media vetting. Neighborhood investigations into people’s “moral character.” The Trump administration is erecting new hurdles for lawful permanent residents applying for U.S. citizenship, part of a broader effort to tighten an immigration system that federal officials say has become too lax. Officials...
Clovis Botanical Garden Harvests Its Newest Feature: the Evert Family Visitors Center
A project that was years in the making was unveiled this week at the Clovis Botanical Garden, and this one needed a lot of green to grow. About $2 million dollars' worth of green, that is. The new 2,460-square-foot Evert Family Visitors Center will give the volunteer-led Clovis Botanical Garden,...