Fresno Unified schools used to throw away millions of pounds of leftover food every year that students didn't eat. Now, much of that surplus is going to food pantries, homeless shelters, and other sites that feed the hungry across Fresno. The shift has been made through the efforts of Fresno...
Will Alonzo's Establishment Support Help Him in Council Run?
Nathan Alonzo officially announced his 2020 campaign for Fresno City Council District 4, covering the east-central part of town. The political establishment stood in support of Alonzo’s run — the mayor, the incumbent, the police chief, the sheriff, the chamber of commerce, and the police union, among others. Yet, the...
Forbes Talks Deregulation, Supports Trump at Fresno State
Steve Forbes believes Donald Trump is on the right economic track. But, sometimes, Forbes adds, the president gets in his own way. The chairman of his eponymously named financial media empire talked to reporters before his lecture Monday evening at the Save Mart Center. The lecture was to be followed...
Fresno State Art Exhibit Rings in Persian New Year
The Persian New Year, or Nowruz, celebrates the vernal equinox, which is Wednesday or Thursday, depending upon which part of the world you live in. It is celebrated as a secular holiday in Iran, the Caucasus, the Balkans, and the Black Sea Basin. But, for Zoroastrians, it is a holy...
Filmmaker Knew ‘Right Away’ Ilhan Omar Was a Political Star
Filmmaker Norah Shapiro explained how and why she made "Time for Ilhan" recently during Fresno State’s Cineculture series. The award-winning documentary captures the political rise of Ilhan Omar, who won a seat in the Minnesota Legislature before becoming the first Somali American elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Click on...
Loss of Local News Hinders Ability to Watchdog Government
One of the last investigations Jim Boren oversaw before he retired as executive editor of The Fresno Bee was a four-month examination of substandard housing in the city at the heart of California's Central Valley. The multimedia project revealed the living conditions imposed on many of the city's low-income renters,...
Maker of 'Time for Ilhan' Will Be at Fresno State on Friday
By virtue of her background and a flair for visual story-telling, Norah Shapiro has emerged as an award-winning (and crowd inspiring) maker of independent documentaries. Valley residents will have the opportunity to hear in Shapiro's own words how “Time For Ilhan” was made Friday evening as part of Fresno State's Cineculture series....
Can the Valley Balance People, Water, Ag, and Environment?
The San Joaquin Valley can overcome big challenges facing agriculture, the environment, and rural public health if major stakeholders embrace creative solutions to relieve stress on its water system. However, forging agreement on these solutions won't be easy as they will involve significant changes in land use and water management. And...
'Dogs Fall at Home to Air Force for 1st Time Since Clinton Presidency
The Air Force Academy hadn't won a men's basketball game in Fresno since Bill Clinton's first term in the White House. The Falcons had lost nine straight times in Fresno and came into the Save Mart Center on a two-game losing skid and with a 10-15 record. But Caleb Morris...
Has $56 Million BRT Investment Reversed Bus Free-Fall?
Nearly a year after the launch of Bus Rapid Transit, what conclusions can be drawn about the $56.2 million upgrade to Fresno's mass transit system? For starters, frequent riders praise it. So does Mayor Lee Brand. "It's a great compliment to our overall transit strategy, especially because it provides a...