What you need to know Fresno City Council President Tyler Maxwell announced the repaving of a street at Chestnut & Weldon that was last repaved 57 years ago. The majority of funds for street repairs in Fresno actually come from state and federal grants. Fresno hMeasure hopes to obtain additional...
Councilmen Big on Ideas, Short on Details for Eviction Defense
Two Fresno city councilmen made their pitch Tuesday for providing taxpayer-funded attorneys for residents facing eviction. But, the city legislators did not have answers on how much the plan will cost or what types of evictions will be covered. Councilmen Nelson Esparza and Tyler Maxwell said at a news conference...
Mrs. Mims Goes to Washington (Virtually)
Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims testified at a U.S. Senate subcommittee on Thursday, talking about police interactions with people experiencing behavioral health issues. Mims participated remotely for the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism. She testified that responding to calls can be "very dynamic and, in some cases, dangerous" because deputies...
Fresno Will Make Bus Service Free Until Pandemic Ends
The city of Fresno will no longer charge bus fare starting March 1. By a 5-2 vote, the city council approved suspending fares until the end of the city's emergency order. In a debate that lasted more than two hours, the council discussed how to offset the revenue loss as...
A Fare Proposal? Councilman Wants to Make Fresno Buses Free.
In his first major piece of municipal legislation, Fresno City Councilman Tyler Maxwell wants to remove fares from the city's bus system. Maxwell will introduce the Zero Fare Clean Air Act at next Thursday's council meeting. He already has two co-sponsors — Nelson Esparza and Esmeralda Soria. "Unprecedented times call for...
Dyer Promises No More Homeless Along Freeways. Council Moves Toward Parks Tax Collection.
Tensions heightened during the first meeting of the new Fresno City Council session on Thursday. The council voted to support the passage of Measure P, leading to an argument about north vs. south funding priorities. With a 5-2 vote, the council started the process to recognize that the sales tax...
Valadao Skips Swearing In for House Seat Following Positive COVID Test
While his colleagues were being sworn in, Congressman David Valadao stayed home in Hanford, waiting out a COVID-19 diagnosis. "I received a rapid antigen COVID-19 test that showed a positive read. I am now waiting for the results from my PCR test, which takes longer and is more accurate. I...
Maxwell Distances Himself From Young Dems’ Police Chief Criticism
Fresno City Councilman-elect Tyler Maxwell is also president of the Fresno County Young Democrats. A statement by the group criticizing police chief Andy Hall led Maxwell to walk a fine line between the two constituencies he serves. Last week, the Young Dems issued a statement about police accountability after the...
Voting Update: Dyer Over 50%, but His Lead Shrinks
The latest update of election results Friday showed that the race for Fresno mayor has tightened. After counting 50,000 of the approximately 80,000 outstanding countywide ballots, Jerry Dyer leads at 52.17%, a much slimmer margin than on election night. Tyler Maxwell's bid for the Fresno City Council remains on target,...
Specialty Drinks in a Vault: Inside Election Night Party
Progressives packed a party celebrating election night returns Tuesday for Andrew Janz for Fresno mayor and Tyler Maxwell for city council District 4. At The Vault inside the iconic Pacific Southwest building, hundreds partied for an apparent Election Night split decision — Maxwell was winning his race, while Janz was...