Join Fresnoland on Thursday, 9/25 at the Tioga-Sequoia Beer Garden for a moderated panel discussion about what Fresno can learn from LA’s public transit expansion. Panelists include: Antonio Villaraigosa, former Los Angeles Mayor and current California gubernatorial candidate; Denny Zane, former Santa Monica Mayor and founder of Move LA; and Tyler Maxwell, Fresno City Councilmember. The event begins at 6 p.m.
Quote of the Week
“While Mr. Kirk was someone who I agree with on hardly anything, what happened to him yesterday is not something I wish upon anyone in this country, in this world. It was wrong, and we as leaders need to denounce the political violence, of any kind, domestic terrorism, of any kind.”
— Fresno City Councilmember Nelson Esparza on the murder of Christian nationalist Charlie Kirk
This Week in Fresnoland
‘Open dialogue and debate’
The day after Christian nationalist Charlie Kirk was killed at a Utah college event, city and county leaders in Fresno hosted a news conference denouncing the killing of the high-profile conservative.
Fresno-area leaders called for peace and respectful debate and decried social media posts that appeared to celebrate the killing, Fresnoland’s Omar S. Rashad reported.
Supervisor Garry Bredefeld said he was “angry” over Kirk’s murder and praised the 31-year-old MAGA influencer and father for having “open dialogue and debate” with people he disagreed with.
Fresno’s local leaders, however, did not acknowledge Kirk’s contributions to the current political climate in the U.S. Kirk was a Christian nationalist and the CEO of Turning Point USA who repeated bigoted claims, including about Black people, LGBTQ people, Muslims and preserving a white, Christian America.
Paying for truck damage on Fresno roads?
As Fresno County scrambles to shore-up road and transportation project funding, a Fresnoland story this week raised new questions about who should shoulder the relentless burden of street and road maintenance.
The story, co-written by Fresnoland’s Gregory Weaver and Julianna Morano, cites a 2023 analysis that found the U.S. trucking industry should pay about $50 in road maintenance for every dollar contributed to that by residents.
In reality, the industry actually pays only about 50 cents for every resident dollar, despite causing much greater damage to roads than residential vehicles.
The industry could pay higher fees, but, with surging gas, energy and food prices, the cost of transporting goods across the nation is also climbing — and it’s a potential strategy that has never been tried here before.
‘No way to represent all’
The summer-long effort to curb Fresno County government participation in celebrations and holidays ended Tuesday with a divided Board of Supervisors narrowly approving the contentious new rules.
Fresnoland’s Pablo Orihuela was on hand Tuesday at the county’s Hall of Records when the supervisors passed down the 3-2 vote formally recognizing the federal government’s holiday schedule, as well as Cesar Chavez Day, Columbus Day and the Friday after Thanksgiving.
But to formally participate in other events — like the Pride Day celebrations that sparked the issue earlier this summer — county staffers will need to seek board approval beforehand.
Supervisor Nathan Magsig voted in favor of the policy, saying in part: “I think we’ve just shown right now how we have different beliefs, and there’s no way to represent all.”
Budget transparency
Fresno County’s budget process looks a whole lot different this year, Fresnoland’s Pablo Orihuela reported.
On Monday, the Fresno County Board of Supervisors will hold the first of its budget hearings, bringing up department heads to present their financial needs for the upcoming year.
This year’s hearings will also see a slight change in procedure, as eight of the 20 county departments are scheduled to give presentations on their budget in front of the board.
Supervisor Garry Bredefeld: “That, to me, is the important part of any budgetary process. I think the City of Fresno historically has done that in a very lengthy process, which is good, and the board is doing that now as well.”
Eviction protection
Fresno won’t restrict the Eviction Protection Program based on a specific household’s income or require income verification, Fresnoland’s Omar S. Rashad reports.
The decision was made during the Thursday city council meeting without debate. Councilmember Tyler Maxwell brought forward a resolution that would ensure the Eviction Protection Program, which protects Fresno tenants from illegal evictions, would be exempt from program restrictions.
City Council President Mike Karbassi made a special note to register a “no” vote on the resolution. Consent agenda items are all approved with a single vote, and the council did so shortly before breaking for lunch at noon on Thursday.
Outside the Lines
Improving Fresno’s crumbling roads was the top priority for residents polled recently in connection with the county’s effort to renew Measure C transportation funding. Fresnoland
A day after the U.S. Supreme Court OK’d anti-Latino discrimination in federal immigration cases, protesters rallied outside Fresno’s federal courthouse to denounce the ruling. Fresnoland
The City of Clovis raised its rates for everything from senior center classes to picnic sites. The Fresno Bee
Portland expats find community in Fresno through coffee: After leaving the tech life, Raj and Nishi Gautham have found a new way to build meaning in their adopted home — through the Supri cafe at Copper and Maple. The Business Journal
Madera County is now the only county in the central San Joaquin Valley — and one of just nine California counties statewide — where expecting mothers have no access to labor-and-delivery services at a local hospital. The Intersection
A Fresno coalition is coming together to try and thwart Democratic Party plans to gerrymander California in response to Republican gerrymandering in Texas. ABC30
The City of Fresno is hosting a Mortgage Assistance Program Workshop to walk you through program features, eligibility, and how you can support families in accessing safe, stable, and affordable housing. The event is set for 4:30 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Ted C. Will Community Center, 770 N. San Pablo Ave. Office of Community Affairs
State Sen. Anna Caballero, D-Merced, announced her transnational repression bill passed through the Legislature and is headed for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk. Earlier this summer, Fresnoland’s Gisselle Medina spoke with Fresno-area leaders about the need they see for such legislation. Check out that story here.
Dolly, the Fresno Chaffee Zoo’s Andean condor chick, has been venturing out of her nest box for the first time since hatching in May. The Fresno Bee
Monday marked the first day of the 32nd trip that brings veterans from around the region on a trip to the nation’s capitol. KSEE
This week on an episode of KVPR’s Central Valley Daily podcast, Fresnoland’s Omar S. Rashad broke down the ongoing lawsuit between the City of Fresno and the Trump administration over threats to pull federal funding. KVPR
Block Beat
SUNNYSIDE: Southeast Fresno’s long-awaited Fancher Creek shopping center appears poised to open with hiring already underway for at least three stores. The Fresno Bee
WOODWARD PARK: Mr. Worldwide is in Fresno this weekend. A new successor of sorts to north Fresno music festival Boots in the Park, called Party in the Park, will come to Woodward Park this weekend. Day one (Saturday) Blake Shelton will headline Boots, while none other than Pitbull will start the inaugural Party. The Business Journal
DOWNTOWN: Members of Living Legends, a collective of emcees and DJs, will reunite at Fulton 55 Sunday, Sept. 14, to celebrate the life of the late Fresno MC Derrick “Aesop” McElroy. The sold-out, free event will feature performances from Planet Asia, Fashawn and others starting at 5 p.m. Legendary Music
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
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
DOWNTOWN: Have you seen the papel picado strung up at a couple of intersections downtown? They’re the colorful harbingers of the daylong celebration of Mexican independence and honoring Fresno’s Latino community! Returning Sunday, Sept. 14 on Fulton Street, Fresno’s free Fiestas Patrias event features a parade, food, music and more. City Council District 3
This newsletter was edited by Fresnoland’s Julianna Morano.
