The unemployment rate in the Fresno-Clovis area rose slightly in June but continued to show historically healthy job numbers, extending a record streak of rates less than 10%. The June unadjusted unemployment rate for Fresno County was 7.1%, higher than the 6.4% posted in May but a few ticks less...
California’s Struggle to Get Food Stamps to the Hungry
California, a state with the nation’s highest poverty rate, consistently ranks near the bottom when it comes to enrolling low-income people in CalFresh, the state’s name for the federal food stamp program. That translates to a lot of federal money that California forsakes each year. Low-income Californians would have received...
Valley School Disguises Janitor as Gunman for Active-Shooter Drill
The superintendent of a one-school district in Fresno County defended using a janitor disguised as a gunman in an active-shooter drill, saying he wanted to "make sure this was realistic." A teacher at Raisin City Elementary School told TV station KSEE that the drill, which happened before the summer break,...
DA Smittcamp Talks Gangs, Stolen Guns, Sentencing Reforms
Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp is calling for a community-wide effort to prevent children from joining gangs. She also has a message for otherwise law-abiding citizens: Lock up your guns! If you don't, they could end up used in robberies and murders. Here is what Smittcamp has to say...
Accused Deputy Shooter Congdon Charged With Attempted Murder
Michael James Congdon, who is accused of shooting a Fresno County deputy with a semi-automatic rifle on Tuesday, faces a sentence of 64 years to life, the Fresno County District Attorney's Office said Friday morning. Congdon, 57, is scheduled to make his first court appearance at 8:30 a.m. Monday for...
Reported Hate Crimes Doubled in Fresno in 2018, State Says
While the number of reported hate crimes decreased last year in California, the number more than doubled in the city of Fresno, according to data released Tuesday by the state's attorney general. There were 27 hate crimes reported in Fresno in 2018, compared to 13 in 2017. The 27 events...
Fresno Deputy Shot in Leg While Responding to Property Dispute
A Fresno County Sheriff's deputy who was responding to a call about two neighbors arguing over a rural property boundary was shot Tuesday in the leg by one of the men. Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims said the suspect is holed up in his home in the foothill community of...
Late on Licensing Your Dog? Fresno County Cuts You a Break.
Dog owners who live in unincorporated parts of Fresno County are catching a break: County officials are waiving penalties for those who haven't licensed their pooches. Under state law, owners are required to secure a license for a dog within 30 days of ownership. Anyone found owning an unlicensed dog...
Man Rescued from Kings River – Which is Closed to Swimmers
A man in his late 20s was hospitalized after nearly drowning Friday afternoon in the Kings River, which has been closed to recreational use since early June. Authorities were notified about 1:45 p.m. that a man was in trouble in the river, and that he wasn't wearing a life jacket,...
Is Historically Low Unemployment Near in Fresno County?
Could Fresno County soon see its lowest monthly unemployment rate in more than a generation? In data released Friday by California's Employment Development Department, Fresno County had an unadjusted unemployment rate of 6.4% in May. In state records that date back to January 1990, the county's jobless rate dipped that...