Fresno City Councilman Garry Bredefeld says schools should reopen based on the data. Valley Children's Hospital says schools should remain closed, based on the data. In fact, "data" was uttered at least 34 times by the speakers at an hour-plus City Hall news conference organized Thursday morning by Bredefeld. Bredefeld...
Gun Ban Remains in Place at Fresno City Hall
Update, 6/25/2020: Councilman Mike Karbassi pulled his motion to allow elected officials to carry concealed weapons at City Hall. "It was simple. It seems that I didn’t have the votes. I hope my colleagues will reconsider in the future rather than spend $250,000 of taxpayer funds during a recession on...
Unlikely Ally? Bredefeld Proposes Spending $30M in South Fresno
In a surprising move Monday, Fresno City Councilman Garry Bredefeld, who represents the northeast district, made a motion to spend $30 million of federal stimulus funds on southeast and southwest Fresno. "If we are to successfully address the adverse consequences of emergencies, like COVID-19, in more vulnerable populations, then we...
Fresno Rolls Back Shelter-In-Place, Readies for Tuesday Reopen
As soon as the Memorial Day weekend ends, Fresno residents will be free of the city's shelter-in-place order. Mayor Lee Brand announced the rollback — effective 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, May 26 — at a noontime news conference Thursday at City Hall. Listen to this article: However, dine-in restaurants will...
Seniors, Others at Risk Encouraged to Stay Home Under New Plan To Open Fresno Economy
There could be two plans to fully reopen Fresno presented at this week's city council meeting. As he promised a week ago, Councilman Garry Bredefeld is proposing a resolution to immediately repeal all 16 emergency orders made during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also in Politics 101: Will any councilmember second Bredefeld's...
Council Approves $4 Million for Renters, Small Businesses, Farmers
The Fresno City Council voted to take the next step on two grant programs, one for small businesses and one for residents to keep their homes, with a 6-1 vote Thursday. But, ambiguity in the resolution's language could run afoul of federal and state laws when it comes to granting...
Bredefeld Talks Fresno Reopening, Activists’ Confrontation of Arias
Councilman Garry Bredefeld said Wednesday he plans to introduce a resolution at next week's city council meeting to repeal Fresno's shelter-at-home COVID-19 ordinance and emergency orders. None of the other six councilmembers attended Bredefeld's afternoon news conference at City Hall. "We've seen tremendous anger and frustration across our city. This...
Waffle Shop Owner Says He’s Returning to Takeout Only
Update 5/12/2020: Waffle Shop owner Ammar Ibrahim announced he is reverting to take-out only, starting Wednesday. The Waffle Shop had opened for dine-in service three days, racking up $6,000 in fines from the city. The next citation would carry a $10,000 fine. Below is Ibrahim's full Facebook post. Original story:...
Bredefeld Calls for Reopening All Fresno Businesses
Councilman Garry Bredefeld used strong language Tuesday to convey his desire for all businesses to open now. During his hour-long news conference outside the council chambers at Fresno City Hall, Bredefeld used terms like "draconian," "heavy-handed," and "authoritarian" to describe state and local government's reaction to the coronavirus pandemic. And...
Bredefeld Says He’s Looking to Sue to Reopen Fresno
Fresno City Councilman Garry Bredefeld will hold a news conference at 10 a.m. Tuesday to make a "major announcement" that he hopes will expedite the reopening of businesses. As part of Mayor Lee Brand's coronavirus emergency declaration on March 16, City Manager Wilma Quan ordered all "non-essential" businesses to close....