SACRAMENTO — California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a $213 billion state budget Thursday that boosts spending on K-12 education, wildfires and homelessness while putting more money toward state reserves and debt. The revised budget is up $4.5 billion from his first proposal in January and maintains a $21.5 billion surplus, the...
Janz Will Kick Off Mayoral Bid at Radio Park
Andrew Janz invites residents to attend the announcement of his 2020 Fresno mayoral campaign 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Radio Park. “Fresno needs someone who is attuned to the needs of its people. Throughout my campaign for Congress and my time as a local prosecutor, I have met thousands of Fresnans...
Walters: Poll Underscores California’s Housing Crisis
Two months ago, when the Public Policy Institute of California asked the state’s residents to name the top issues that newly inaugurated Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature should address, immigration was No. 1. Jobs and environmental issues followed, with “homelessness” a distant fourth, cited by just 6 percent of...
Kaiser Permanente Accelerates Efforts to End Fresno Homelessness
Kaiser Permanente says it will provide $3 million over three years to an initiative that will use real-time data to help 15 communities nationwide — including the Fresno-Madera area — better understand the dynamics of local homelessness. The nonprofit health-care giant is partnering with New York-based Community Solutions on the Built...
The KMJ Measure P Debate: Both Sides Square Off
Leading figures on both sides of the Fresno parks sales tax proposal debated their positions this week on KMJ580 in a conversation moderated by talk-show host Ray Appleton. No on P advocate and housing developer Darius Assemi squared off with David McDonald, former CEO of Pelco and a Measure P...
Millions in Homeless Funds Available. When Will Fresno Apply?
Aggressive panhandlers and human waste on the sidewalk are tarnishing San Francisco’s image as America’s most beautiful city. Dumping homeless patients on the street sullied Los Angeles’ reputation as the "City of Angels." Critics bashed Fresno’s ordinance banning outdoor camping as cruel and heartless. The homeless issue is central to...
Whelan, Esparza Compete to Represent the Heart of Fresno
The ideological balance of the Fresno City Council hangs in the district carved out of the city’s center. Brian Whelan is a Republican. Nelson Esparza is a Democrat. Many of their views are consistent with their party ideology. Both want to succeed termed-out Republican Clint Oliver to become the District...
America's Top Homeless Expert Says Fresno Is on Right Track
When it comes to homeless people, we all have our stories and our thoughts on what to do. Our recommendations on how to make things better typically reflect our personal experiences and mindset. Often our proposals do little to reduce homelessness, and sometimes they make things worse. That is where...
Busting Three Big Myths About Homelessness
As a young psychologist in the 1980s who had researched treatment of the mentally ill, I was concerned by many reports suggesting that the growing number of homeless people may be due to deinstitutionalization. Over the past 30 years, my research group and I have conducted a wide range of...
Mayor Lee Brand's 2018 State of the City Address
Fresno Mayor Lee Brand gave his 2018 State of the City address on June 20 at the Fresno Convention Center. The luncheon event is organized annually by the Fresno Chamber of Commerce. Brand talked about a variety of issues including water, homelessness, public safety, fiscal challenges and economic development. You...