The biggest development in Fresno-area school board races perhaps is who won't be on the November ballot. Longtime Central Unified trustee Terry Cox tells GV Wire℠that she won't run for a sixth term. Cox says that after 20 years on the board she wants to focus on her job as...
Central Unified Pays Tribute to Porterfield Ahead of Monday Funeral
Central Unified staff and board members were visibly saddened Tuesday evening when remembering Kelly Porterfield. The assistant superintendent was killed July 16 while riding a motorcycle struck by a mini-van on Highway 168 near Shaver Lake. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, board president Terry Cox asked the public to remain...
Campaign Watchdog Hits Payne With $54K in Fines
The state agency in charge of enforcing campaign finance law gave State Center trustee Eric Payne a break on Thursday. Facing 21 counts for various infractions, including failures to file paperwork in a timely manner and improperly spending campaign funds on himself, the Fair Political Practices Commission reduced Payne’s fine...
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,...
Terry Cox Named President of Central Unified School Board
The Central Unified School Board unanimously voted in Area 5 veteran incumbent Terry Cox as board president at its meeting Tuesday at Central East High School. "It is a big responsibility, but I am glad to take it on," said Cox, who has served on the board for 18 years....
Divisions of Labor? Reports of Heated Debate on Parks Sales Tax.
Is there a split among city labor organizations over Measure P, the 3/8 of a cent sales tax initiative for parks that Fresno voters will decide next month? A mini-debate broke out at a recent city labor function, that multiple sources told GV Wire became heated. The Coalition of Organized...
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...
Snag in the Darling Plant Move. New Neighbors File Lawsuit.
Last October, many in the Fresno community celebrated. A rendering plant that had long been a subject of scorn in southwest Fresno would move to a new location. The city had an agreement with Darling Ingredients to relocate. Neighbors of the plant, who put up with foul odors and air...
Central Unified Recall Battle Grows. Terry Cox Is New Target.
There are now two separate recall efforts in Central Unified School District. While an advocacy group awaits the OK from the county clerk’s office for a recall of two Central Unified trustees associated with the firing of Superintendent Mark Sutton, a third trustee, Terry Cox, is the target of a...
Central Unified: Sutton Wants to Return, Parents Agree
Mark Sutton wants his job back. An active group of Central Unified School District stakeholders wants the former superintendent back as well. About 50 parents and other community members met at the LoMac Winery, west of Fresno, to discuss their next steps. Sutton made a cameo appearance to greet well-wishers. He...