Quote of the Week

“This meeting is an insult. What did they expect? For us to leave the house rotting there for a year?”

– Planada resident Saul Calderon, who learned at a community meeting that Merced County may not reimburse residents for already completed home repairs after this year’s devastating funds.

This Week in Fresnoland

Residents at La Hacienda trailer park have been facing eviction for three years

Fresnoland has been reporting on this issue for a while.

Pablo Orihuela has compiled the complete timeline, from the lost operating permit in 2021 and the approval of the sale of Trails End to Harmony Communities in 2022 to the Fresno City Council’s rejection of Harmony Community’s proposal to close the park on Nov. 17 and the $24.92 rent increase on Nov. 21.

Most striking to me are the residents whose efforts of resistance in the face of an existential threat have been nothing short of tenacious.

They formed the Trails End United for Change community group to take legal action in the face of neglect; they voted to become the first mobile home community to form a rent control committee in more than a decade; later still, Trails End residents signed a petition to stop the sale of their park to Harmony Communities and instead form a cooperative to purchase the park – a proposal that a judge ultimately rejected.

Unfettered, the residents had their day before the The Mobilehome Park Rent Review and Stabilization Commission, which eventually averted Harmony Communities’ efforts to raise rent by $350. 

Fresnoland’s anti-gift guide, locally sourced

Writing for Fresnoland, Holly Clinard developed a comprehensive list of “gifts” (mostly services) for the person in your life who needs a little something extra – or rather, doesn’t really need any more stuff.

 Are they artistic? Consider Arte Americas $50 membership fee.

Maybe coding classes at Root Access?

Are they a bit of a lush but it’s still a quirky personality trait rather than a problem, so we’re still encouraging it? Consider Marechal Vinyard’s delectable wine tasting experiences.  

As longtime caffeine addict, Component Coffee’s subscription service was of special interest to this newsletter writer.

Planada residents were angered when Merced County officials failed to present a spending plan for $20 million in state flood relief. 

Instead, residents were surveyed about the environmental study, home and vehicle repairs, and small businesses as part of 19 “decision points,” Brianna Vaccari reports for the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative.

The community meeting featured several proposals but few answers. One proposal would spend $1.75 million on an environmental study; another suggested that residents wouldn’t receive aid for lost wages. Another said that already completed home repairs would not be reimbursed either.

I quoted Saul Calderon at the beginning of this letter and want to return to him here. “This was not a natural disaster,” he said, “It was man-made. Merced County should be responsible to pay for all the damages.”

At a prayer vigil, demonstrators called for an end to the Israel-Hamas violence. 

More than 100 people attended Monday’s vigil at Eaton Plaza, Nic Garcia at ABC30 writes. The speakers asked their audience to contact their representatives to call for a long-term ceasefire. There have been recent, brief pauses in the fighting to allow for the exchange of hostages between Hamas – the militant terrorist organization that massacred 1200 people in Israel on Oct. 7 – and the Israeli government, which has so far killed 15,000 Palestinian people in its indiscriminate bombing campaign of the Gaza strip. 

In Hanford, U.S. Rep. David Valado’s office was vandalized. Activists plastered the windows with the images of Palestinian children killed in the bombing raids. Also, FOX26 has a story about Brandeis Center and Jewish Americans for Fairness in Education’s lawsuit against the University of California system that alleges a “longstanding, unchecked spread of antisemitism” on campuses like UC Berkeley.

A bit scammy? The FBI says yes.

I’ll never get tired of the “Bit” bit with these Bitwise stories – listen, so the tea is that the disgraced former co-founders of the Fresno-based tech firm were engaging in fraudulent real estate chicanery: specifically, The Fresno Bee reports, they claimed to own five buildings in Fresno, Bakersfield, and Oakland even though they had a mere 5% stake in each. The FBI says the buildings were used as collateral for loans. Now, as you can imagine, you can’t really use something for collateral if you don’t really own it. The whole point of collateral is that the loaner could snatch the collateral if the debtor doesn’t pay their dues. An FBI affidavit also says that Bitwise listed some of these partially owned buildings for sale.
The Bee has an additional legal analysis story about a potential plea deal, allegations of nepotism, possible jail time, and whether or not the co-founders are solely at fault.

Outside the Lines

KVPR has an interesting interview about how two California prisons ended up being built in the Tulare Lakebed – you know, the one that refills with water every so often. Also, from NPR: the ongoing tug-a-war between local librarians and the parents that would censor their books, recall that the Fresno County Board of Supervisors just voted to create a parental committee to identify “problematic” (i.e., queer) library books in the children’s section.

City Manager Georgeanne White announced the appointment of two new Assistant City Managers: Nick Mascia and Michael Rogers. They start Dec. 4.

Rural schools are facing leaky roofs, dry rot, broken air conditioners, and crumbling infrastructure, Carolyn Jones reports for CalMatters.

Block Beat

NORTH FRESNO: A toy drive and tree lighting ceremony are scheduled for Dec. 6. Your kids can get a picture with Santa and, in exchange for entering, you can bring an unwrapped gift for someone else’s kids. Instagram 

FRESNO CITY COLLEGE: As part of Giving Tuesday and with your help, FCC is raising $40,000 for the Ram Pantry, a resource to combat student food insecurity. I’ve actually benefited from the pantry indirectly, back when I dated a guy who got his produce from there. Instagram

HALL OF RECORDS: Residents and retired librarians wore yellow to the Fresno County Board of Supervisors Meeting in an act of solidarity with the LGBTQ community and readers everywhere. Instagram

Department of New Construction

SOUTH FRESNO: A development permit has been issued to build five industrial warehouses on vacant land in the 2600 block of South Cherry Avenue.

Around Town

If you’re a community college student interested in acting, FCC’s theater department is holding auditions for Two Gentlemen of Verona and PUFFS on Nov. 29-30 and Dec. 1. Callbacks are on Dec. 2. Instagram

Your periodic reminder that Fridays are a Drag at Splash Fresno. Hosted by Cara Coronado and Lucy Vale and featuring special guests Joeey Marie Leeazon, Trance Former and Whorechata. Instagram

Fresno PARCS runs a co-ed junior basketball league. Register before Dec. 15. Instagram

Next Week in Public Meetings

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Tommy is the author of Toplines, the Fresnoland newsletter curating the top stories in the Central Valley. He thinks he's very funny.