Enforcement of Fresno’s water conservation rules is moving into the big data era. Critics wonder if “Big Brother” might be a better description. The Fresno City Council approved a pilot program Thursday that uses data from residential water meters to assess fines for violations of the city’s outdoor lawn watering...
Judge Cans Controversial Fresno Recycling Ordinance
Recycling in Fresno parking lots will continue — despite an attempt to regulate the centers out of existence. A Fresno County Superior Court judge has invalidated a city ordinance that would limit, if not outright close, numerous recyclers operating in the city. Last year, the Fresno City Council voted 7-0...
Villaraigosa Makes His Case to Valley Voters
Gubernatorial candidate Antonio Villaraigosa likes to visit the Central Valley — again, again and again, as he says. This past week, the former Los Angeles mayor made two stops to Fresno and the surrounding area. He even picked up the endorsement of California Citrus Mutual, the non-profit trade association that...
Mangano Says Prosecutor Experience is Ticket to the Bench
Robert Mangano hopes to parlay his 15 years working in the prosecutor’s office to working on the other side of the courtroom bench. He is running for Fresno County Superior Court judge against Brent Woodward. Mangano sat down for a GV Wire Take 5 video interview to talk about his...
Central Wants to Hire New Superintendent by July
Central Unified could hire a new superintendent by July. The school board will vote on a timeline to hire the full-time education chief at its Tuesday (April 24) meeting. The trustees are moving ahead with the process despite calls to wait until after the November election. There is community discontent...
Is Temperance Flat Dam Proposal Down to Its Last Strike?
A proposed dam at Temperance Flat on the San Joaquin River above Friant is eligible for $171.3 million in funding, California officials announced today. But while that's a lot of money, it's well short of what's needed — along with federal and local financing — to make the $2.6 billion,...
Can You Reduce the Risk of a Mass School Shooting in Fresno?
The Parkland, Florida, mass school shooting that claimed 17 lives in February ignited student-led protests — including one at Fresno High School — as well as debate and concern nationwide. According to the latest Public Policy Institute of California poll, 73 percent of adults and 82 percent of public school...
Will Elizabeth Heng Reach Her Next Big Goal of Beating Jim Costa?
There's no question that Elizabeth Heng is an achiever. Raised in Fresno, the 33-year-old Republican — and former Capitol Hill staffer — seeks to replace Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno) in the 16th Congressional District seat. Heng is the daughter of refugees from Cambodia. She attended elementary, middle and high school...
Take 5: Congressman Lieu on Valley Ag, Trump Impeachment
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Los Angeles) is an outspoken critic of the Trump administration. Take 5 met Lieu during his "Adopt-a-District" town hall Thursday night (April 5) at Clovis West High School in Fresno. Topics Covered in Take 5 Video We asked Lieu his thoughts on: — Valley agriculture, and how President...
Central Valley Holocaust Survivor Shares His Story
This Thursday (April 12), the world recognizes Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. For Ephraim Hadjis of Madera, it is a time of horror he will never forget. Hadjis was born in Greece. He thinks it was 1943, making him 75 years old today. But, in truth, he may be a...