The city could be on the hook for millions in taxpayer dollars to update its vehicle fleet to comply with state clean air mandates. That was the bad news during a presentation from General Services department director Brian Barr. A new rule approved last month would require medium and heavy-duty...
With Aviation Academy, ‘The Sky Is Not the Limit Anymore’ for FUSD Students
Fresno Unified has unveiled plans for a new STEM Aviation Academy & Exploration Center at Chandler Airport in west Fresno, where students will learn how to become a pilot or aircraft mechanic or take on any of a number of aviation-related jobs. Wednesday's presentation at the School Board meeting was...
Who Voted Down Measure E in 2022? Voter Map Tells the Story
Data obtained by GV Wire suggests that if organizers of a new Measure E sales tax to benefit Fresno State are to succeed in 2024, they'll need to win over voters in north Fresno, Clovis, and rural communities. In November 2022, 52.86% of voters opposed the Fresno Couty measure, which...
Fresno Teachers Tell Union: If No Contract by Sept. 29, Call A Strike Authorization Vote
Fresno Teachers Association leaders spelled out their frustrations with ongoing contract negations with Fresno Unified and then asked teachers to show their support for a strike authorization vote in October if there is no agreement by Sept. 29. Hundreds of educators, nearly all clad in bright blue T-shirts, raised their...
Dyer Says Improved Public Safety & More Housing Make Fresno a ‘City on the Move’
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer's State of the City on Wednesday was light on news, but heavy on citing his accomplishments. Dyer repeatedly told the audience of 950 — a sellout for the Fresno Chamber-hosted luncheon — that Fresno was a "city on the move." In his 40-minute speech at the...
Bitwise Hasn’t Paid Its Taxes, but CEO Optimistic About the Future
Seven years ago, Bitwise Industries had ambitious goals. In a 2016 letter to the community, the Fresno-based technology and real estate company unveiled a vision of 1,000 tech companies employing 250,000 workers in downtown Fresno. A light-rail train would help speed workers from outlying communities to the tech hub. "I...
Fresno Teachers Seek 27% Raises, $27,500 Bonuses, COLAs & Other Perks Over 4 Years
A wide chasm still remains between what the Fresno Teachers Association want in their new contract and what Fresno Unified is willing to provide, even as the clock on the current contract is winding down. According to a document supplied to GV Wire by a district official, the teachers union...
4-Year-Old’s Body Recovered From Kings River. Sister’s Body Recovered Sunday.
Rescuers recovered the body of a 4-year-old boy from the Kings River at about 11 a.m. Monday, authorities said. Fresno County Sheriff's Office spokesman Tony Botti said in an email that county fire personnel on a boat saw the boy beneath the water caught against a tree. A firefighter was...
Fresno Cyclists Will Get Protected Bike Lanes on Four Streets
Good news is on the way for Fresno bike riders. Mayor Jerry Dyer announced Monday morning that the city will build protected bike lanes on four busy Fresno streets. Construction will begin in the coming weeks. The project will cost $1.5 million — not including the engineering design, the mayor's...
New Wave of Budget Demands Add Pressure to California’s ‘Big Squeeze’
One could call it the “big squeeze.” It’s the ever-increasing conflict between the state government’s current and projected tax revenues, which are drifting downwards, and the demands for billions of additional dollars for vital services, such as health care, homelessness and mass transit. In January, when Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled his initial budget for...