The name of a Fresno City Council candidate is now a campaign issue. Brian Whelan sent a mailer to voters, comparing himself to opponents Nelson Esparza and “Veva Islas-Hooker.” Except, Veva Islas doesn’t go by that name. She made a point to chastise Whelan on Facebook. According to the county...
Collusion? Bias? State Responds After Temperance Flat Vote.
Although never mentioned by name, Kristal Davis Fadtke became the villain in the eyes of a roomful of ticked-off politicians. Last Friday (May 4), a bipartisan group of Central Valley politicians lined up at the podium to let the world know how angry they were about the paltry funding...
Fresno Unified Has Attendance Problem … On Bond Oversight Committee
Voters in Fresno Unified have entrusted the school board with more than a half-billion dollars in bond money. Measure Q passed in 2010 for $280 million. Measure X passed in 2016 for $225 million. Both bonds have an oversight board to make sure the construction funds are spent appropriately. The...
Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down Tonight for Proposed Clovis Charter School?
A proposed Clovis charter school based on the principle of “mindfulness” could be DOA before getting off the ground if Clovis Unified trustees follow a staff recommendation. One of the school's goals is to provide a safe space for Sikh students who are subjected to bullying and harassment in public...
Come 2050, Californians Will Wish They Had More Dams
A new University of California report forecasts kick-to-the-gut climate-change realities for California farmers, especially those who grow permanent crops in the Central Valley. In a nutshell, the report anticipates big trouble ahead for crops such as almonds, peaches, table grapes, corn and rice. Scorching summer heat and longer periods of...
Another Harry Armstrong? If We Could Only Be That Lucky
They teach you right away in the news business to never say "never." But I write with complete confidence that there will never be another politician like William "Harry" Armstrong. Most of that is because of Harry. A little of it is because of changing times. Armstrong took the long...
Another Harry Armstrong? If We Could Only Be That Lucky
They teach you right away in the news business to never say "never." But I write with complete confidence that there will never be another politician like William "Harry" Armstrong. Most of that is because of Harry. A little of it is because of changing times. Armstrong took the long...
Patterson's High-Speed Rail Audit Request Approved
At long last, Assemblyman Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) is getting his High-Speed Rail audit. The Joint Committee on Legislative Audit voted unanimously to move ahead with an examination on the estimated $67 billion project. That estimation for the first 119-mile segment, from Fresno to San Jose, increased earlier this month by...
Patterson's High-Speed Rail Audit Request Approved
At long last, Assemblyman Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) is getting his High-Speed Rail audit. The Joint Committee on Legislative Audit voted unanimously to move ahead with an examination on the estimated $67 billion project. That estimation for the first 119-mile segment, from Fresno to San Jose, increased earlier this month by...
Stop the Spin. Give Us the Truth on High-Speed Rail.
Gov. Jerry Brown likes trains. And, as he said Thursday in his final State of the State address, he likes "high-speed trains even better." Fine. I like trains, too. But I like facts even better. Since workers turned the first shovel of dirt on California's High-Speed Rail project, nary a cost...