Jump to Results ↓ Perhaps the most joyous person in the room at an election return party was the elder Mike Karbassi. Neither a cane nor a stoop in his walk prevented him to going around from guest to guest telling them how proud he was of his son, the...
Karbassi Takes District 2 Council Seat in Runaway Win
Jump to Results ↓ Perhaps the most joyous person in the room at an election return party was the elder Mike Karbassi. Neither a cane nor a stoop in his walk prevented him to going around from guest to guest telling them how proud he was of his son, the...
District 2 Candidates Aim to Make Fresno More Business-Friendly
OK, let's have a show of hands: Is Fresno City Hall not sufficiently business-friendly? That was the question posed to four men who want to represent northwest Fresno on the city council. All four raised a hand at a July 31 candidate forum presented by GV Wire and CMAC. It's...
Affordable Housing in NW Fresno? Candidates Respond.
Californians are long past the point at which affordable housing can be written off as somebody else's problem. Last year, the Golden State had the 49th lowest ratio of housing units per residents among the 50 states. Fresno is a tranquil harbor for housing when compared to the roiling seas...
Police Chief Dyer Looms Large in NW Fresno Council Race
Fresno's police force is entering a period of significant change, with the man who led the department for 18 years stepping down. That makes the issue of public safety even more pivotal for candidates vying to represent northwest Fresno on the city council. Jerry Dyer will officially retire as chief...
Does NW Fresno Need Homeless Shelter? Council Candidates Weigh In
The pervasive problem of homelessness reaches well beyond the shelters and soup kitchens in downtown Fresno. Four men who want to represent the city's northwest region on the city council agree to that. They disagree sharply over what specifically should be done in District 2 to deal with homeless people....
NW Fresno Council Candidates Clash Over Police, Homeless
Candidates to represent northwest Fresno on the city council sparred over opinions about police protection, the homeless, and the previous seat holder during a candidate forum Wednesday. The four candidates also addressed questions about Fresno business-friendliness, affordable housing, and the balancing act of standing up for northwest Fresno while supporting...
Oscar Sandoval Hopes Progressive Views Resonate in Council Race
Oscar Sandoval believes the traditionally conservative northwest Fresno voters will accept his progressive ideas. “We are about community, people power,” Sandoval said in describing his campaign for the area's District 2 seat on the city council. Last week, around 30 people attended an intimate setting at Intimo Cocktail Lounge in...
NW Fresno Traffic is a Horror Show. How Would Council Candidates Fix It?
In northwest Fresno, "traffic" is a dirty word. Decades of piecemeal planning and years of rapid growth have spawned long lines of vehicles on major avenues during rush hour. There's a release valve planned for the plugged-up traffic surrounding Shaw and Herndon avenues, but it's been on the drafting board...
What Fresno Council Candidates Say About Homelessness
Candidates for the Fresno City Council's empty seat say one issue is consistently among the top concerns expressed by voters: the human suffering and public unease caused by homelessness. The city has more money than ever to spend on the problem, thanks to its share of a one-time injection of...