It’s Monday, August 11. Danielle, here.
☀️ A return to normal August weather: high of 104 today.
🔥 Firefighters stopped progress of Gun Fire near Millerton: The fire, which started Sunday morning near Sky Harbor Road and Millerton Road, was held to just 12 acres by Sunday afternoon, with no structures threatened.
🏫 Happy ‘Back to School’ for those who celebrate: Fresno City College students start the fall semester today, and Central Unified schools kick off their semester this Wednesday.
Listen up: I’m super late to the K-pop party, but have finally arrived. My kids watched “KPop Demon Hunters” on Netflix this weekend, and we can’t get the viral soundtrack out of our heads this morning.
1. South Fresno gets a long-awaited crosstown bus route
Route 29, the Church Avenue crosstown bus route, officially launched today, Gregory Weaver reports for Fresnoland.
The new route — the 19th for FAX — connects over 44,000 residents and 8,000 jobs between southwest and southeast Fresno, from Walnut Avenue to Fowler Avenue.
It also connects several schools, including Fresno City College’s West Fresno Center campus, three middle schools — Computech, Gaston, and Terronez — and Sanger West High School.
It’s part of a $51.1 million state investment in transforming FAX’s fleet to clean, zero-emission vehicles.
Fresno Director of Transportation Gregory Barfield: “I’ve even got folks in our office that are excited because now their son or daughter can take public transit to the new Sanger West campus.”
2. Clovis is looking at municipal reform
Could Clovis become a bit more like Fresno?
The city plans to discuss few municipal reforms that have been in place in Fresno for decades: term limits for city councilmembers, and the possibility of becoming a charter city, at their city council meeting this evening.
Currently, there are no limits on how many terms a city councilmember can serve in Clovis. In Fresno, councilmembers (and the mayor) can serve up to two consecutive terms. Most major cities have term limits.
Charter city status tends to allow cities more flexibility and local control — to an extent.
According to the staff report prepared by City Clerk Brianna Parra, charter city status could help Clovis get more flexibility around paying prevailing wages for construction projects, allow the city to set its own municipal fines, and have more flexibility in how the city handles elections.
Any reforms would require voter approval via a ballot measure.
The council is set to discuss the policy changes at the Clovis City Council meeting this evening at 6:00 p.m.
3. Schools celebrate bond-funded upgrades
Fresno-area schools are proudly announcing their latest upgrades as students start to return for the fall semester this week.
The first project from Fresno Unified’s successful November bond, a $21 million, two-story cafeteria and campus maintenance building at Fresno High, is under construction, reported The Fresno Bee.
And Sierra Unified leaders just cut the ribbon last week on major upgrades to the library, classrooms, and restrooms on the Sierra High School campus, funded by the Measure U bond.
In Clovis Unified, leaders cut the ribbon today on a new, 27,000 square-foot facility for the Clovis Online School, which was previously housed out of portables.
Sierra Unified Superintendent Dr. Lori Grace: “This is more than just a facilities upgrade — it’s an investment in our students and our community.”
Today’s newsletter was edited by Julianna Morano.
