Is Fresno ready to honestly talk about race with willing ears and open minds? If not, the economy of our metropolitan region will never truly hum and scores of residents in poor neighborhoods will continue to be left behind. That was the bottom line emanating from the kick-off meeting Wednesday...
United Fresno Council Opposes Release of 'Tower Rapist'
All six Fresno city council members signed a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, expressing concern about the potential early release of Rudolph Acosta. As reported by others in the Fresno media, Acosta was known as the “Tower District Rapist” and sentenced to 78 years in prison. He was initially charged...
Water Returns to Fresno Splash Pads, For Now
The sounds of summer finally returned to two broken splash pads in Fresno. Kids giggled and screamed as a giant bucket dumped cool, refreshing water on them. Water cannons quelled the heat as the temperature climbed into the high 90s. Despite signs nearby that said it was closed, the splash...
Council Increases Fire Fees on New Fresno Construction
A week after balking at raising fire impact fees for residential and commercial construction, the Fresno City Council approved a plan that will raise them 143%. The impact fees, which would help the fire department build new stations, are currently $779 for a single family home. That would climb to...
Got a Beef With Code Enforcement? A New 'Sheriff' Is in Charge.
Cars parked in the front yard, broken-down RVs seemingly anchored to the street, and junk stockpiled by hoarders have driven residents and Fresno City Council members bonkers for years. On Thursday, the council finally decided to do something about code enforcement's apparent inability to get such complaints — and many...
Advance Peace Isn't About Paying Gang Members Not to Shoot People
A renewed effort to convince gang members to become law-abiding citizens is coming Fresno's way. What that initiative looks like, how much it costs, and who funds it, however, will be decided over the next three months. That was the compromise hammered out by the Fresno City Council at Thursday's...
Audit Finds Timecard, Permit Problems With Police Teaching at FCC
A much-anticipated city of Fresno internal audit reveals that police officers taught classes at Fresno City College while on city time. However, those instances may have been more of a timecard issue than double-dipping. City Manager Wilma Quan called for the audit after receiving (along with Mayor Lee Brand) an...
The Miguel And Garry Show Continues At City Hall
Sometimes, Fresno councilmen Miguel Arias and Garry Bredefeld can’t help trolling each other live on the dais or on Twitter. Whether it is battles over policy or personal potshots, the Miguel and Garry Show has been one of more entertaining parts of the council’s legislative year. This week, the two...
Is Mayor Brand Free to Lead, a Lame Duck, or Both?
Last year produced the election that knocked City Hall off of its right-leaning political axis, propelled it sharply left, and made "patience" a word for a bygone era. Deliberative, consensus-building Mayor Lee Brand saw the handwriting on the wall and decided not to seek a second term. His thinking? By taking...
Future Parks Tax Could Be in Hands of Fresno Council
Fresno councilman Miguel Arias doesn’t want to wait on the mayor to figure out a successor plan to Measure P. So, he wants the council to take the next step. Now Arias wants to establish a parks and public safety committee, with a focus on determining a new tax proposal...