The Central Unified School Board will feature three new faces at Tuesday's meeting, all of whom have no plans on changing superintendents. "As a school board, we are going to make sure the community's concerns, demands, and goals are front and foremost on his agenda," Area 7 Trustee-elect Naindeep Singh...
Did Voters Oust Central Unified Trustees Over Sutton Firing?
Tuesday's election results in Central Unified School Board races were welcomed by community members who see the outcome as a rebuke over the firing of district Superintendent Mark Sutton last February. Board chair Cesar Granda and trustee Ruben Coronado both lost their bids for re-election. Incumbent Rama Dawar is barely holding...
Now It's Granda's Turn to Face a Challenger for Central Seat
Four years ago, Cesar Granda unseated incumbent Phil Rusconi from the Central Unified School District Board, saying it was a time for a change. It was an extremely tight race, with Granda prevailing by just 11 votes over Rusconi in a three-candidate field. Granda ran as part of the "Four Horsemen" slate, which...
Can New Central Superintendent Alvarado Heal the District?
Central Unified didn’t have to look far to fill its superintendent position. The school district announced the hiring of Andy Alvarado, currently the superintendent of Golden Valley Unified in Madera Ranchos. The board approved his hiring on 5-2 votes in closed and open sessions Tuesday night. Board President Cesar Granda...
It's Now Looking Good for Kepler Charter School
In a reversal of fortune, it appears that Kepler Neighborhood School in downtown Fresno will live to teach another day. Meanwhile, things aren't looking good for One & Only Academy proposed within Clovis Unified's boundaries. Fresno County Board of Education trustees will officially decide the fate of the two charter schools...
Nunes Attacks Fresno Bee. Paper Stands By Its Reporting.
Devin Nunes took to YouTube to launch an attack ad on The Fresno Bee. The congressman representing parts of Fresno and Tulare counties is upset over a May 24 story about a winery he invested in, Alpha Omega. According to The Bee, Alpha Omega was subject to a lawsuit over...
Will New Central Unified Superintendent Be Hired Saturday?
Central Unified could hire a new superintendent as soon as Saturday (June 9). The school board will hold a special morning meeting with a sole item: discussing the superintendent in closed session. A source with knowledge of the situation tells GV Wire that approximately five candidates will be interviewed, and...
What's in a Name? City Council District 7 Race Gets Down & Dirty
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...
Central Unified Secrets Revealed In Superintendent Firing
The Central Unified School District board, in closed session, voted against offering a one-year contract extension to its superintendent in January. Six weeks later, the trustees fired Mark Sutton. That is just one revelation found in nearly 1,000 pages of documents the district provided in response to a California Public...
Help Us, Trump! No State Gas Tax Aid for Veterans Boulevard
Advocates for building the Veterans Boulevard interchange in northwest Fresno have suffered a $23 million setback. Staff from the California Transportation Commission did not include the project among 27 proposals recommended for a total of $308.8 million in Senate Bill 1 funding Wednesday (April 25). “We are very disappointed. We thought...