The $1.9 trillion federal American Rescue Plan is so big, it could fund Fresno's $1 billion a year budget for approximately 1,900 years. Fresno's current share, city officials say, is $155 million. The city council discussed the item at Thursday's meeting, and several members had plans how to spend the...
Mayor, Council Appear Split on Hazard Pay for Local Grocery Workers
Luis Chavez wants to make sure businesses are treating their workers fairly. He wants to start by mandating hazard pay for grocery workers. Chavez's plan is to require larger grocery stores to pay their workers an extra $3 an hour. They can't Zoom to work, and they have limited access...
Karbassi Says He Can’t Trust Arias Anymore After Committee Vote
Harsh words and hard feelings emerged as the Fresno City Council discussed assignments for 33 different committees on Thursday. "I tried my best to avoid a food fight out here," Councilman Mike Karbassi said at the start of discussion. He initially sought to remove the entire item from the agenda, but was...
Council Hopeful Rakes in Nearly 75 Times More Than Opponent for 2022 Race
If politics were a horse race — as it is often compared to — Annalisa Perea has lapped the field and nearing the finish line. Perea pulled in six figures worth of contributions last year for her 2022 run for Fresno City Council in District 1. That is 73 times...
New Fresno Council to Hear PLA, Measure P, Right to Counsel
The new Fresno City Council begins Thursday with discussions on issues that may have not been considered in previous years. After the pomp and circumstance of ceremonial oaths of office and speeches in the morning session, the council will get to work in the afternoon. On the agenda — the...
Valley Lawmaker Seeks Medi-Cal for More Undocumented Residents in First Week Bill Flurry
The new California legislative session started a week ago in Sacramento. Already, members of the Assembly have introduced 99 bills, while 74 have been initiated in the state Senate. Among them is "#Health4All" (AB 4), introduced by Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno), which would expand Medi-Cal health care coverage to undocumented...
Policing Changes Coming to Fresno. Implementation is Next Step.
Policing in the city of Fresno is about to change. The Fresno City Council voted to formally accept 73 recommendations from the Commission on Police Reform. However, more steps need to take place before such recommendations become policy. "It's an issue that has been simmering for years," Mayor Lee Brand...
Even Without Alcohol Sales, Proposed Neighborhood Store Faced Council Hurdles
For decades, Fresno has battled with the proliferation of liquor stores across the city. In response, the City Council last month enacted new development rules aimed at reducing the number retailers that sell beer, wine and spirits in Fresno. But even after developers of a proposed 7-Eleven store in central...
Amazon Lock Boxes are a ‘Blight to the Area,’ Says Councilmember
A City Council discussion Wednesday about the approval of a new Johnny Quick convenience store in northwest Fresno resulted in the ban of Amazon lockers from the site after a councilmember said they have attracted a "criminal element" at other locations. Council President Miguel Arias said outdoor Amazon lock boxes...
‘Corruption’ or ‘Pure Politics’? What’s Behind Heated Charges Over City Trash Contract.
Garry Bredefeld's colleagues didn't think much of his vociferous complaints about a no-bid contract. The Fresno City Council on Thursday approved a contract with Olympic Property Services to clean up the Chinatown section of the city, near downtown. Bredefeld objected on many fronts, namely the no-bid nature of the contract,...