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...
With Board's Blessing, Kepler Neighborhood School Stays Open
The educational mission of Kepler Neighborhood School continues. By a 4-1 vote Thursday, the Fresno County Board of Education granted the school’s appeal to continue operations for another three years. Last month, the Fresno Unified school board denied Kepler’s request for its charter renewal, based mainly on poor test scores....
Who Will Arias Face in November? It's Too Close To Call
Every vote counts. That is the takeaway in Fresno City Council District 3, where just 14 votes separate three contenders for a ticket to the run-off against top vote-getter Miguel Arias. Seven candidates entered the race to select termed-out Oliver Baines' successor in the seat that encompasses parts of downtown,...
Run-offs Likely in Fresno Council Races. Madera DA Ousted.
UPDATED AT 12:18 A.M. The three Fresno City Council seats up for grabs in Tuesday's primary appear headed to November run-offs. With 91% of precincts reporting in District 7, Brian Whelan was capturing 39% of the vote — well below the 50% plus one vote needed to avoid a run-off....
Democrats Dominate Early Fresno District 7 Voting
Veva Islas, one of three candidates vying for the Fresno City Council District 7 seat, sent out a campaign email Wednesday morning stating that "Democratic mail ballots in District 7 so far are outnumbering those of Republicans by almost 3 to 1!" As the race, which is officially nonpartisan, involves...
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...
Temperance Flat Blocked. No Help to Salmon, State Rules.
To say that figuring out the state funding formula for the proposed Temperance Flat dam is complicated is an understatement. But the reason for the state's decision to award just $171 million for the $2.6 billion project is crystal clear. The California Water Commission determined that the dam wouldn't help spring-run Chinook...
District 7 Candidates Press for Advantage at Voter Forum
Comparatively, they are left, right and center. The three candidates for Fresno City Council District 7 faced off in a forum Tuesday (May 1) night at the Islamic Cultural Center of Fresno. Veva Islas offered the most politically liberal approach to addressing the city's issues. Brian Whelan took more conservative...
Follow the Money: Whelan Flexes Fundraising Muscle
Financial figures are in for the first 111 days of the year of the Fresno City Council campaign. Candidates have released their Form 460, which lists how much money they raised, plus who made donations greater than $100. Certain political committees can donate more. The period covers Jan. 1 to...
Is Dyer Opening the Door to a Political Future?
Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer is not ruling out a future in politics. “I’ve never shut a door on anything. But I do know at the present time, I’m very happy serving as the police chief," Dyer told GV Wire. "There is a lot of work left to do. I...