Quote of the Week
“It’s about us getting that metaphorical foot in the door. It’s about us being able to say, ‘OK, we have a starter library.’ We need to use all of it, all of the time.”
— Library super-supporter Brooke Payton, speaking to Fresnoland on the yearslong charge for a Tower District library
This Week in Fresnoland
More State Center drama
State Center attorneys are defending trustee Rob Fuentes against an anonymous complaint filed with the California Fair Political Practices Commission in July.
The complaint, signed by the anonymous group the SCCCD Avengers, suggests Fuentes violated the Levine Act, a state law designed to prevent elected officials from weighing in on decisions involving major campaign donors, also known as “pay to play.”
The issues hinge on discussions around the settlement of a lawsuit involving one of Fuentes’ major donors to his city council campaign, Richard Spencer of Harris Construction and his wife, Karen Spencer.
SCCCD attorneys are defending Fuentes, but one ethics expert says that while there may be gray areas under the law, it’s still a bad look
“Regardless of what the technical legal points actually are,” said Fresno State political science professor Thomas Holyoke, “public officials should be aware that, when trying to decide between recusal and non-recusal, should always take the safe route.”
Read the full Fresnoland story here.
Fresno law enforcement shells out $10M in death settlement
Nearly a decade after Fresno-area emergency responders caused the death of a 41-year-old man whom they detained for his own safety, the family of the late Joseph Perez secured more than $10 million in settlements.
According to Perez family attorneys, the City of Fresno agreed to pay $6 million, while Fresno County cut a $4 million check. The family also reached a confidential settlement with the ambulance company in a deal that didn’t identify the company by name.
In previous court filings, the company has been identified as American Ambulance.
In a statement late Thursday, Fresno police acknowledged that Perez’s 2017 death triggered changes inside the department.
“Following Mr. Perez’ death, the Fresno Police Department updated policy and provided additional training to officers regarding positional asphyxia.”
Read the full Fresnoland story here.
The Tower District gets a library
Just days after chatter around possibly privatizing Fresno County libraries appeared to die without support, the city’s most walkable neighborhood is about to finally get its own branch.
And its doors could open just in time for Christmas.
In an interview with Fresnoland’s Julianna Morano, Supervisor Luis Chavez confirmed plans to convert the Ted C. Willis Center into a new temporary “starter library.”
For hardcore library backers like Brooke Payton, who helped lead the yearslong charge for a Tower District library, the news of a new location and the possibility of a larger, permanent space in the works is just the beginning.
Payton: “It’s about us getting that metaphorical foot in the door. It’s about us being able to say, ‘OK, we have a starter library.’ We need to use all of it, all of the time.”
Read the full Fresnoland story here.
‘People don’t really know history around here’
This week, Vince Mancini took us inside one of Fresno’s oldest, most storied bars.
Uncle Tom’s sits near the intersection of First and Tulare and even closer to the intersection of weird history and dive-bar gem.
From the local couple who fell in love there decades ago, to the old men fiercely loyal to their favorite water hole and regulars who carried their own bar stools to the bar’s new location, Vince discovered a more than century-old history of one of the city’s uniquely Fresno institutions.
As Vince put it: “Because as it turns out, Uncle Tom’s isn’t just an arresting name; it’s legitimately one of the oldest bars in Fresno. That we have so much history hiding behind an edgily-named, somewhat foreboding bar in a non-descript strip mall whose anchor tenant is an Autozone feels like Fresno in a nutshell.”
Read the full Fresnoland Food story here.
Rearview mirrors
Advocates from multiple communities joined Fresnoland reporter Julianna Morano to discuss how highway construction in Fresno forced out multiple communities, transforming both the city and the people.
Facing Fresno is an initiative by the Central Valley Community Foundation and Fresno DRIVE to engage with the community to explore racism and its history within Fresno. Julianna, who serves as Fresnoland’s labor and economy reporter, hosted Thursday evening’s event and was joined by panelists Gwendalynn Morris, Van Der Mugrdechian and Kathy Omachi.
“They got rid of the housing and the businesses long before they put the freeways in,” Morris explained, “so, the blight happened before the freeways came, and then, the destruction of the communities.”
The event was co-hosted by Fresnoland and explored the before-and-after of highways built on top of communities in Fresno.
Outside the Lines
Back to work? Dozens of Roman Catholic dioceses across the U.S. face tough choices and brutal cuts after finding out their employee retirement plans managed by Christian Brothers Services, a Catholic financial services firm stare down an $800 million shortfall. KVPR
Inside reporting: New York Times journalist — and Fresno State alum — Manny Fernandez shared his experience into the yearslong investigation that resulted in a bombshell March 18 report exposing labor leader César Chávez’s sexual abuse. KMPH
Let’s get it started: The first annual Central Valley Blackeye Pea Festival and Cook-Off will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. Blackeye Pea Fest
Is Stockton ahead of Fresno? We don’t normally share news about our friends up in the north valley, but it seemed notable that residents of the delta city might be getting an ethics commission soon. Stocktonia
Exit interview: State Sen. Anna Caballero reflects on her decades of service and barrier breaking in the state legislature. ABC30
Is California behind? Parent and early childhood advocates are wondering why free childcare policies haven’t gained traction in our unaffordable state. CalMatters
Landfill lawsuit: Avenal residents have filed a lawsuit alleging that gases and odors from a nearby landfill are causing health problems. YourCentralValley
High-speed fail: The California High Speed Rail Authority lost more political battles than it won last year in Sacramento. CalMatters
Bad data? A new analysis suggests Fresno County averages 27.6 heat deaths annually, while the CDC data estimates an average of only 4.2 a year. KVPR
Pave more now: Shaw Avenue set for a massive repaving from Highway 99 all the way to the 41. Fresno Bee
Rebate: Fresno beefs up its Expanded Lawn to Garden program by increasing rebate funding to $4 per square foot. ABC30
Block Beat
Shaver Lake: Residents of the Shaver Springs have updated instructions on how to deal with the murky water sputtering out of their faucets. The Fresno Bee
East-central: The California Wrestling Association is celebrating its 13th anniversary with an action-packed event at 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3 at the Iron Office Gym on Fowler Avenue in Fresno. ABC30
Downtown: A spooky 21-and-over horror festival, kicks off at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3 at the Warnors Theatre in Fresno. The event includes local vendors, beer tasting and two feature films, including the 2015 flick “The Gallows,” that was filmed inside the theater, followed by the 2012 Ethan Hawke film “Sinister.” YourCentralValley
Woodward: The Fresno Bully Rescue is hosting the 2026 Bully BOO Walk at Woodward Park on Oct. 4. The event features a 1-mile walk, along with vendors and an 80s-themed costume contest. Entry is $25 per person. YourCentralValley
Downtown: Mark your calendars for the Great Valley Gathering this weekend on Oct. 2-4 at Courthouse Park, bringing together people, traditions and stories that make the Central Valley unique through live music and dance.
West Central: Just weeks into implementing a new cellphone ban, Central Unified leaders are reporting that the overall school climate has improved significantly. ABC30
Fowler: Zamora’s Carnitas on Belmont near the zoo has a near cult following. Now residents in Fowler will soon be able to benefit, too. KMPH
Tower: Judging by the Cover is hosting a ‘Banned Books Read-In’ on Saturday, Oct. 10 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Website
