Fresno City Council President Nelson Esparza will stand trial for allegedly attempting to extort the city attorney. However, a judge reduced the most serious charge from a felony to a misdemeanor. Judge Brian Alvarez ruled at a Tuesday preliminary hearing there is enough evidence for Esparza to answer the charges...
Judge Rules Council President’s Extortion Case Will Continue
A judge ruled that the attempted extortion case against Fresno City Council President Nelson Esparza will move forward. Esparza, charged in July, is accused of threatening then-City Attorney Douglas Sloan's job if he did not work for the "majority" of the council, believed to be the liberal bloc of four...
Unusual Council Coalition Seeks Alternative to War with PG&E
Less than a week after a discussion, but no resolution, members of the Fresno City Council met with Pacific Gas and Electric on Monday. More meetings are scheduled for later this week. The main complaint from Mayor Jerry Dyer, other councilmembers, and the development community: delays in electrifying housing and...
Some on Fresno Council Question New Finance Chief’s Malibu Gig
With her appointment as interim city controller in Fresno, Ruthie Quinto now holds similar jobs in two different cities. Mayor Jerry Dyer's administration says there is nothing wrong with that. "Regarding Ruthie Quinto’s work for (the city of) Malibu, when she came on board as Assistant City Manager, we...
Councilman’s Plan to End Fresno’s $5 Park Entry Fee Failed. Here’s Why.
Visitors to places like Storyland/Playland, the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, and Woodward Park will continue paying a $5 entry fee for vehicles. More actually, since the kiosks only accept credit cards which charge an additional fee. Councilman Miguel Arias wanted to eliminate those fees, calling it a "double tax" since...
Fresno Developer Lashes Out After Council Kills Major Downtown Project
Mehmet Noyan was in shock. A $32 million housing and retail project he's spent 13 years planning vanished with a Fresno City Council vote. Council supporters could not muster the votes needed to keep the 99-unit South Stadium project in downtown Fresno alive. Needing five votes to extend escrow...
Bredefeld, Pro-Life Leader Speak Out Against Planned Parenthood Grant
Surrounded by a group of civic and religious leaders, Fresno City Councilmember Garry Bredefeld held a press conference Tuesday afternoon to protest a planned $1 million grant to a local Planned Parenthood clinic. The grant was approved as part of the state budget, but is facing staunch opposition from...
Will Fresno Taxpayers Foot the Bill for Councilman’s Criminal Defense?
The Fresno City Council has considered paying for the defense of council president Nelson Esparza, who faces criminal charges of attempted extortion. The details remain shrouded, but discussions over whether to use public funds for Esparza's defense have been included on two recent closed session agendas. Esparza recused himself both...
Fresno City Council Throws Its Weight Behind Measure C Renewal
After several hours of discussion Thursday that followed weeks of controversial meetings and the unexpected intervention of California Attorney General Rob Bonta, the Fresno City Council voted to support the renewal plan for Measure C, Fresno County's half-cent transportation tax. The vote was 5-1, with Councilmember Miguel Arias casting...
Fresno Councilman Drops Defamation Suit Against Colleague
This story has been updated. Fresno City Council President Nelson Esparza announced Monday that he is dropping his defamation suit against fellow Councilman Garry Bredefeld, who has accused Esparza of attempting to extort the city attorney. Esparza said he was withdrawing from the lawsuit to save the city the...