Quote of the Week
“It’s very unfortunate what’s going on in America in that respect, especially with some of the tactics that are being used (by ICE) that are somewhat archaic.”
— Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer on this week’s ICE raids in Fresno County
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This Week in Fresnoland
Misfire or hang fire? Effort to mine blast the San Joaquin River isn’t dead
A marathon daylong hearing ended Thursday before the Fresno County Planning Commission deadlocked on a proposal to use explosives to mine construction gravel for the next 100 years along the San Joaquin River.
Fresno County commissioners questioned why the CEMEX company never looked at other locations for the mine, which sits 200 yards from the San Joaquin River and were essentially told that nobody can force the company to look elsewhere for the gravel — which isn’t rare or unique to that portion of the river.
At least three commissioners thought the company’s explanation was soft enough to oppose the application, but three other commissioners remained unswayed.
Additionally, one of the company’s main arguments for using explosives to continue mining one of the most polluted and extracted rivers in the nation has been that Fresno County needs the gravel for future construction.
But as Fresnoland’s Gregory Weaver has reported, Fresno County already has a 200% surplus of construction-grade gravel.
Read the full Fresnoland story here.
Voter suppression?
More than 70 people were detained by federal immigration agents this week around Fresno and Madera counties as part of the Trump Administration’s latest widely witnessed anti-immigrant crackdown in California.
Witnesses, residents and politicians flooded social media pages with videos of ICE agents stopping farmworkers, pulling vehicles over and taking people away.
Furious critics, from local watch groups and politicians — from both sides of the aisle — condemned the actions as an ugly, racist and politically-motivated abuse of federal government power.
They noted the timing of the raids, which come after major harvesting has concluded and weeks before next month’s hotly contested midterm election as the Trump administration scrambles to avoid losing control of Congress to avoid another record-breaking presidential impeachment.
“This is basic voter suppression and intimidation of the Latino voter base,” Fresno Councilmember Miguel Arias said at City Hall this week. “This is trying to convince those of us in our community to stay home and to not participate and engage in civic responsibility and constitutional right.”
Off-duty ‘intoxicated’ ICE agent shot while attacking Tower District residents, police say
And farmworkers, truck drivers and grocery store clerks going to and from work weren’t the only ones dealing with menacing encounters with federal agents.
An off-duty ICE agent from Texas, described by Fresno police as “intoxicated and agitated,” was shot early Friday after reportedly attacking a 72-year-old Tower District man and his adult daughter outside the family’s home.
Fresno police said David Gonzalez, 32, was shot around 3 a.m. Friday after a confrontation outside the family’s home in the area of East Dudley Avenue and North Broadway Street, after the off-duty immigration cop reportedly fell asleep on the family’s lawn.
The Tower District man and his adult daughter suffered minor injuries during the scuffle. Gonzalez received medical treatment for the gunshot wound and faces possible felony assault changes.
Police said the 72-year-old resident fired the shot defending himself and his family, the gun was legally registered and the man has been cleared of any wrongdoing in connection with the confrontation outside his home.
Read the full Fresnoland story here.
Good news for Fresno Unified?
Fresno Unified has long struggled with declining enrollment and chronic absenteeism and the district’s future looks anything but bright.
But, about one year ago, California’s third-largest school district joined forces with the Fresno Teachers Association to provide housing to about 20 local families as part of an experiment at the Crossroads Village Housing, next to Fort Miller Middle School.
On Friday, Fresno Unified said students in those homes showed big gains in school attendance and fewer disciplinary problems over the last year.
“When students face housing instability, teachers see the impact in the classroom through missed school, added stress, and difficulty focusing,” said union President Manuel Bonilla. “This pilot program and the support provided at Crossroads gives families greater stability and helps students attend consistently, stay engaged, and arrive at school ready to learn. Investing in families is an investment in student success.”
Read the full Fresnoland story here.
‘What’s with the throne?’
Fresnoland’s Food Editor Vince Mancini sat down with Kuppa Joy founder Zack Follett to learn more about the inspiration behind popular coffee shop’s ostentatious design and the owner’s heartfelt faith behind the wildly successful business model.
Kuppa Joy is the popular, Fresno-based coffee with a phenomenal origin story and a throne on the wall.
Amid a yearslong rise of Christian-based coffeehouses, Fresno’s Kuppa Joy stands out not just for its unique throne-based interior decor, but it’s also one of the oldest such java stops in the community.
Check out the full Fresnoland Food story here.
Outside the Lines
Check out Fresnoland’s full election guide here, from city council to local school board races. We’ll keep updating the page through election week.
Election Guide Fresno City D7: Candidates Nav Gurm and Ariana Martinez Lott are heading into the homestretch of the race for the Fresno City Council D7 seat in what so far has been one of tightest contests on the local fall ballot. Fresnoland
Election Guide Clovis City D4: As Clovis voters face their first district elections, the newly minted northeast Clovis District 4 features a former police chief and an ex-firefighter trying to take the seat representing the area that stretches roughly north of Bullard Avenue and east of Sunnyside Avenue, out along Highway 168 past Harlan Ranch. Fresnoland
Election Guide Measure S: A countywide half-cent sales tax replaces Measure C and emphasizes fixing old roads and safety projects near schools. Opponents say its fix-broken-roads-first approach is too strict, slowing down growth of building new and wider roads at the fringe of town. Fresnoland
Utility rate hike delay: With four councilmembers on the upcoming November ballot where affordability has been a key talking point, the Fresno City Council kicked the can down the road Thursday on a plan to increase water and sewer rates. Fresnoland
In the works: Fresno city residents aren’t the only ones looking at potential changes to their monthly bills, either, as Fresno County weighs trash rate changes. Fresnoland
Defamation case: A Fresno judge delivered a substantial victory to former Bullard Coach Don Arax and a major loss to Fresno Unified and FUSD Trustee Keshia Thomas. The case remains ongoing, but Monday’s order, as expected, formally strikes down the defense claims made by the district and by Thomas. ABC30
Honoring a true legend: John Rich, a longtime Fresno Bee editor and highly influential Central Valley journalist, died last week following an illness. He was 64. The Fresno Bee
Golden parachute much? Another severance payment under the microscope at Fresno Unified. This time the pay out landed in the hands of the superintendent’s cousin. GV Wire
Fresno homicides climb: After hitting record lows in homicide cases in recent years, Fresno police acknowledged an uptick in violent death cases over the last year, but said overall crime remains down. YourCentral Valley
Rorschach test? It’s been two years since the Fresno City Attorney’s Office added local wage theft case prosecutions to its caseload and success depends on perspective. The Fresno Bee
Halloween time! Where to find pumpkin patches across the Central Valley ABC30
Block Beat
Fresno High: Fresno police have turned case details over to the U.S. Postal Service in connection with a now viral video that appears to show SCCCD candidate and prominent developer Terrence Frazier caught red handed snooping through his political opponent’s mailbox. The Fresno Bee
Downtown: Dad’s Cookies celebrates its Fulton Street grand opening. ABC30
Woodward: Northwood Village shopping center adds a dumpling spot and coffee shop with pastries as part of several changes at the center. The Fresno Bee
Downtown: Libelula announces plans to reopen inside the old Tokyo Garden location on Fulton. YourCentralValley
Downtown: Dinner theater takes you back to Prohibition Era Fresno with a five course meal, cocktails and a chance to solve the crime. The first show is set for Oct. 22. Fresno City & County Historical Society
