Quote of the Week
“I’m this close to reaching that next step. I’m on this stool, teetering just to reach for it and grab it. But it feels like that stool is getting pulled away from under me and I’m about to face plant on concrete.”
— Fresno resident Dennis Jeppson, a recipient of a federal housing voucher, on his uncertain future with potential cuts coming to the voucher program under President Trump’s budget proposal
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This Week in Fresnoland
Fresno housing voucher recipients fear the impact of federal budget cuts
Fresno residents who rely on the biggest rental assistance program in the country to keep a roof over their heads are waiting with bated breath for Congress’ budget reconciliation process to play out.
That’s because the future of the federal housing voucher program, known as Section 8, is uncertain under President Donald Trump’s budget proposal, Fresnoland’s Pablo Orihuela reported.
Congress routinely engages in a reconciliation process ahead of the next fiscal year, and while the House of Representatives is largely aligned with Trump’s proposal to gut vouchers, the Senate is seeking an increase to the funding.
But if cuts are ultimately approved, that would deal a huge blow to Fresno residents like Dennis Jeppson, who told Pablo he would likely have to drop out of college if he loses his voucher.
Fresno gets temporary win in lawsuit over federal funding
Hundreds of millions in federal funding for Fresno could be at stake, Fresnoland’s Omar S. Rashad reported.
City officials were notified mid-August that they needed to strip a city plan of specific DEI language — and if they didn’t, they’d lose millions in federal grants.
Two days later, the City of Fresno, along with 6 other plaintiffs, filed a lawsuit against the federal government, alleging the Trump administration does not have the power to unilaterally place conditions on federal funding via executive orders.
During a Tuesday afternoon court hearing, a federal judge hit pause.
In lieu of the active lawsuit, Judge Richard Seeborg granted a temporary restraining order, preventing the Trump administration’s funding cuts from taking place over the next 28 days (only for the seven plaintiffs involved in the lawsuit).
“I think the uncertainty that has been injected into the (federal funding) process is significant, and I think they’ve shown a likelihood of success on the merits,” said Judge Richard Seeborg in court.
It’s very early in the case, as legal arguments have yet to take place in court. It’s possible it can be decided in the next month.
Can Fresno become ‘prohousing’ again?
Back in May, the City of Fresno lost its Prohousing designation from the State of California for not complying with a number of housing-related state guidelines.
Now, the city is trying to get the designation back, especially because it would make Fresno eligible for a number of state housing grants, Fresnoland’s Pablo Orihuela reports.
Planning and Development Director Jennifer Clark said during a city council meeting that losing the status was actually a good thing because it led to a back and forth between state and city officials.
According to Clark, the city will soon outmatch every other city in California in one of the state’s housing scoring systems.
“This designation will reinforce our commitment to tackling the housing crisis and bring resources to help build more homes,” Dyer said in a press release shared Thursday.
Also on the housing front, Fresno city leaders approved the purchase and eventual demolition of the 115-year-old Peacock Hotel building in Chinatown to make way for a new four-story housing project.
AI data centers and the future of high-speed rail
California high-speed rail executives have been looking for more public-private partnerships to increase the financial viability of the $120 billion bullet train, and a new report combined with recent remarks from the rail authority’s CEO suggests AI data centers could be a part of the solution.
But it’s an open question whether the central San Joaquin Valley’s water supply could sustain them, Fresnoland’s Danielle Bergstrom reported.
The recent report also suggested Merced’s high-speed rail station could get cut from the route to save costs, a move that one state lawmaker condemned in a statement to Fresnoland.
These reevaluations come after the Trump administration made good on its promise to yank billions in federal funding from the project.
Fresno Unified still falling short of literacy goals
Fresno Unified is falling short of literacy goals for early learners, including kindergarteners and first-graders, Fresnoland’s Diego Vargas reported.
That’s according to a presentation from Superintendent Misty Her at Wednesday’s school board meeting regarding district-administered tests like iReady and the Foundational Skills Assessment.
Her shared that kindergarteners fell about 1.7% short of a goal for 56.5% of students to meet proficiency levels. For first graders, the district was about 2.1% shy of a goal for 53.4% of those students to be proficient.
These goals are part of a six-year plan through 2030 that the school board adopted in January.
Also at the meeting, board members criticized reports on inadequate evaluation processes for teachers whose students are not meeting these literacy standards.
Outside the Lines
On this week’s episode of Fresnolandia, Diego Vargas, Fresnoland’s education reporter, and Abby Arii, Fresno Unified School District’s Director of Student Services, unpacked the growing challenge of chronic absenteeism in Fresno schools. Fresnolandia
The 16,000-acre Garnet Fire in the Sierra National Forest was caused by lightning, according to officials. The now five-day-old blaze is still at 0% containment. ABC30
A new app will allow Fresno Unified parents to keep track of their student’s school bus in real time. Fresnoland
The Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission named Steven Lewis as its new CEO during a Tuesday night board meeting. The Business Journal
Joseph I. Castro, whose mishandling of Fresno State sexual harassment cases eclipsed his historic rise to the top of the nation’s largest public university system, died last weekend after battling cancer. The Fresno Bee
A Fresno restaurant manager detained this summer by federal immigration authorities over a 20-year-old green card issue is asking for help from the Fresno community that has been his home. KSEE
Block Beat
MANCHESTER MALL: Have you ever driven past the boarded-up Bobby Salazar’s on Blackstone south of Shields? Well, that’s the location that Salazar allegedly enlisted a local motorcycle gang to burn down, according to a federal criminal complaint. The Fresno Bee
HIGHWAY CITY: A Mexican restaurant off of Shaw and Barcus avenues — known for its “generous servings of avocado” — serves up only the freshest mariscos, including one pre-hispanic specialty called pescado zarandeado. The Fresno Bee
TOWER DISTRICT: A Cat Video Fest is set for Saturday, Sept. 13, at Fresno’s Tower Theatre. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the show — which “benefits local cats in need” — begins at 7 p.m. Tickets, about $11 each, are available online. Tower Theatre
CHINATOWN: On Saturday, Sept. 13, bookstore Judging by the Cover will host Latine Bookfair, “celebrating the power, stories, and resilience of local Latine authors.” The celebration will last from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 1029 F St. Judging by the Cover
MCLANE: The Fresno Greek Festival is set to run Sept. 19 through Sept. 21 at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 2219 N. Orchard St. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for seniors (65+) and children (12 and under) and active military with an ID get in for free. Fresno Greek Fest
