Good morning! It’s Friday, May 22. This is Rob.
Summer(y): Sunny skies with highs in the 90s throughout the holiday weekend. NOAA
Valley Power: You’re invited panel conversation during Arte América’s “Arte, Pero Later”, moderated by Fresnoland founder and editor-in-chief Danielle Bergstrom and featuring affordable housing developer Betsy McGovern-Garcia, Fresno County Public Health Director Joe Prado, and “Shaan Punjab Di” and Fresno Planning Commissioner Gurdeep Shergill. Fresnoland
No Place Like Home: Fresno County secures $28 million for an affordable rental project in Sanger. YouCentralValley
Again? Bobby Salazar’s shuttered Blackstone location caught fire early Friday for the second time in two years. ABC30
Happening today: Swede Fest kicks off at 6:30 p.m. at Fresno High School. Swede Fest
Town Hall: Join Fresno County leaders at 5:30 p.m., June 4 at a Community Town Hall at the Clovis Transit Center, 785 Third St., Clovis. X
Cheers! The Fresno City Council on Thursday took its first steps toward creating three entertainment zones in downtown, clearing the way for attendees at permitted events to consume alcohol outdoors. ABC30
Summer meals: Fresno Unified will provide free meals across the city during the summer, helping children maintain good nutrition even while school is out. Fresno Unified’s free summer meals program begins on Monday, June 15. More information
1. Costco relocation approved — but the fight may return to court, again
The Fresno City Council took shots at critics and media questions Thursday before approving the relocation of the Shaw Avenue Costco to a new location at Herndon and Riverside in northwest Fresno.
They disputed claims by attorney Daniel Brannick that they were “exempting” the project from about $40 million in owed fees through the city’s new Vehicle Miles Traveled program, saying it wasn’t in effect when permits for Costco were filed.
Brannick represents the Herndon-Riverside Coalition for Responsible Planning, who successfully won a lawsuit against the city over their first version of approvals for the Costco relocation.
He told the council the coalition plans to take the project back to the courthouse. Councilmember Mike Karbassi, who represents the area where Costco is relocating, was dismissive.
Karbassi: “I don’t see pitchforks, I don’t see my residents here protesting. Where’s the coalition? I see one person.”
2. Democratic Party in-fighting heats up
Many Central Valley Democratic Party leaders are fuming after the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee abruptly reversed course with a buzzer-beating endorsement in a race with national implications.
CalMatters notes the committee’s “last-minute endorsement of moderate state Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains”, “triggered” an angry reaction from local Democratic leaders.
Kern County Democratic Central Committee chair, who endorsed Bains’ opponent, progressive college professor Randy Villegas, slammed the committee’s endorsement, calling it “a slap to the face of the local parties.”
3. Fresno greenlights red-light cameras
The Fresno City Council on Thursday OK’d the early stages of a new effort to reduce and eventually eliminate traffic deaths in California’s fifth-largest city.
ABC30 reports that city leaders hope to advance the project before the end of the year and no specific timeline was available this week.
The council said intersection would be evaluated based on need, including known problem areas like the area of Friant and Shepherd.
Today’s newsletter was edited by Danielle Bergstrom.
