Former Fresno area congressman TJ Cox pleaded not guilty to over two dozen fraud charges in federal court on Tuesday, hours after his arrest by the FBI. The arraignment, in front of U.S. Magistrate Sheila Oberto, was held virtually. Attorney Mark Coleman represented Cox during the brief hearing. Cox's...
Fresno Developer Criticizes District Attorney as Council Delays Granite Park Vote
One day after Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp sounded a warning about a Fresno City Council vote on settling a lawsuit about Granite Park, Terance Frazier criticized the move. The City Council was scheduled to vote on settling a lawsuit Frazier and his nonprofit Central Valley Community Sports Foundation...
Fresno DA Probing Allegations Over City’s Granite Park Deliberations
The Fresno City Council is scheduled to settle a lawsuit stemming from an audit of the nonprofit that operates Granite Park. A vote in closed session and open session is scheduled for the council's Thursday meeting. Terance Frazier, president of the nonprofit Central Valley Community Sports Foundation, sued the city and several...
Fresno COVID Contract Awarded Despite Objections Over Tweet, Lawsuit
The Fresno City Council approved more contracts to help the COVID-19 effort, but two councilmen objected to awarding $2 million to a community-based organization. The council voted 5-2 to award the contract to Fresno Building Healthy Communities for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing. Councilmen Garry Bredefeld and Paul Caprioglio voted...
Granite Park Lawsuit Accuses Fresno of Racism, Retaliation
Terance Frazier, the Fresno developer who has had a long-running disagreement with the city over Granite Park, filed a federal lawsuit Friday night. In the suit, Frazier claims the city of Fresno — which owns the facility — failed to live up to its obligations when he leased the Granite...
Deal Would Transfer Granite Park to New Foundation, Increase City Subsidy
(UPDATE — 4/23/2020: the City Council postponed a discussion and vote on the Granite Park lease to a future, unspecified date. Councilman Mike Karbassi removed himself as a sponsor. Original story Granite Park, the city-owned central Fresno sports facility operated by the Central Valley Community Sports Foundation, is expected to transfer...
Will Fresno Council Support DACA? Vote at Next Meeting.
The Fresno City Council will weigh in on an issue of nationwide importance at Thursday's meeting. Councilman Miguel Arias wants his colleagues to support filing a friend of the court brief on behalf of the DACA case at the U.S. Supreme Court. President Donald Trump is trying to end DACA,...
On a Gorgeous Weekend, Granite Park Is Big Hit With Families
The cooler weather complemented perfectly with two big activities taking place at Granite Park this past weekend — The Big Bounce America and a memorial softball tournament. Both drew sizable, yet manageable crowds, with a $3 cover charge to enter the facility. Each event had its own entry fees as...
What's Granite Park's Future? Letters Offer Clues.
Terance Frazier, the real estate developer and president of the nonprofit that runs a city sports park, says his public partner isn't doing all it can to help him. Right now, Frazier is preparing the Granite Park sports facility operated by his nonprofit — the Central Valley Community Sports Foundation...
What's That Smell? 'Stench' of Incompetence, Says Bredefeld
A Fresno councilman says a key piece of information was missing when a vote was taken on providing public money to the downtown South Stadium project. What was the withheld info? One of the developers had filed a claim for damages against the city on another project. Because of that, Garry...