State Center Community College District Trustee Eric Payne will have competition for reelection. Payne, a two-term trustee, said he intends to run again on the November 2020 ballot. Sevag Tateosian, a longtime Fresno County employee, filed his intention to run for the District 2 seat, which covers much of Fresno...
Requested Probe of Trustee Payne Falls One Vote Short
The State Center Community College District board decided — for the second time this year — not to investigate trustee Eric Payne over allegations of misconduct. Payne was accused of misuse of a rental car paid for by the district and failing to show up on time for conferences in...
State Center: Payne Rented Cars Early, Was Tardy to Conferences in Tahoe, SF
State Center Community College District trustees next week will consider whether to further investigate allegations of misconduct against trustee Eric Payne, who has been fined by the state Fair Political Practice Commission for candidate filing violations and who now is accused of misusing district travel expenses and failing to show...
Land Bought For First Responders Center, Opening Pushed to 2024
Thirty-nine acres of farmland at the northwest corner of Willow and North avenues southeast of Fresno will be the site of Fresno City College's new $46.1 million First Responders Training Center. But the opening date for classes, originally set for late 2022, now is scheduled for the 2024 spring semester,...
State Center College District Adds $10 Million to 2019-20 Budget
The State Center Community College District board will consider a $10 million boost to the proposed final budget for the 2019-20 school year, raising the unrestricted general fund budget to $224.9 million and the total budget to $366.5 million. District staff are recommending using $5.5 million from reserves funds for...
State Center Ready to Hire Architect for First Responders Campus
The same Fresno architectural firm that designed first responder campuses at other California community colleges has been tapped to design Fresno City College's new training center for police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians. A State Center Community College District selection committee is recommending that trustees hire SIM-PBK Architects on...
Free College Tuition? Learn More at State Center's 'Extreme Registration'
If you're a first-time, full-time community college student who doesn't qualify for California's tuition waiver for low-income students, you could still get some help with tuition or other college costs. State Center Community College District employees can supply information about how to get money from the California College Promise program...
State Watchdog Drops Hammer on Fresno-Area Politicians
The state agency in charge of campaign finance enforcement has detailed its case to justify $66,000 in fines against community college board trustee Eric Payne. Payne, a two-term trustee of the State Center Community College District, faces 21 counts ranging from failing to report campaign finance paperwork to misusing funds,...
As Temperatures Rise, Splash Parks Are Dry. City Works on Fix.
Kids hoping to cool off Sunday at several Fresno splash parks got the hot shoulder. The water wasn’t working at Inspiration Park in west Fresno. Youngsters and their parents fared no better at Figarden Loop Park or Todd Beamer Park. Meanwhile, temperatures peaked in the low 90s. The city said an...
State Center Trustee Payne Faces $66,000 in Election Fines
The state agency in charge of campaign finance is proposing $66,000 in penalties for a Fresno community college trustee, citing numerous infractions over the years. The Fair Political Practices Commission said Payne, a trustee with the State Center Community College District, failed to file numerous reports, misused campaign funds, failed...