Quote of the Week
“If I’m willing to absorb that fine for a small little ethics violation or legal violation, then why not do this again?”
Lisa Bryant, chair of Fresno State’s political science department, speaking in an interview with Fresnoland about campaign finance laws
This Week in Fresnoland
Dark money in Fresno politics
A Fresnoland investigation this week highlights the presence of dark money in local elections, the difficulty in tracing influential money and why experts think issues that plagued a recent special election are likely to become a recurring problem unless something is done.
Led by Fresnoland’s Omar S. Rashad, the story examines how campaign finance laws failed to keep Fresno voters informed about who was behind disparaging campaign mailers that became the key issue of March’s special city council election. The dark money PAC behind the mailers did not file proper disclosure forms ahead of the March 18 election, earning the scrutiny of the Fresno City Attorney’s Office.
The penalty for disclosure violations ahead of a special election? $1,000.
Lisa Bryant, chair of Fresno State’s political science department, said these issues are likely to reemerge in future elections.
“I do think it could be repeated,” Bryant said. “In fact, it might be likely because once people use a play like this, it exposes the fact that it’s possible for others to do it.”
Rough roads ahead?
The messy saga of the countywide Measure C steering committee twisted and turned this week when the panel reinstated Fresno rep Brooke Ashjian less than a week after dismissing him for what the panel chair said were misleading media statements and personal attacks against other panel members.
The panel chair says she was not pressured to reinstate Ashjian and only agreed to the move after Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer reportedly told her that Ashjian would follow the panel’s decorum rules.
But Fresnoland’s Pablo Orihuela found conflicting accounts of exactly how Ashjian returned (or maybe never left?) the panel. Increased scrutiny around the newly formed panel comes as local leaders make one last desperate attempt to save the critical transportation tax before it expires in 2027.
Judge blocks Costco relocation
Plans to relocate the Shaw Avenue Costco to West Herndon stalled after a Fresno judge said the city’s approval relied improperly on a 2021 environmental review the courts threw out last year, Fresnoland’s Gregory Weaver reported this week.
Judge Jonathan Skiles, a Schwarzenegger appointee, also said “the city failed to follow their own zoning laws.”
The setback highlights Fresno’s ongoing struggles to meet state environmental and housing requirements.
It’s unclear whether the city plans to find a new zoning solution or appeal the ruling. Costco representatives did not respond to a request for comment this week.
An attorney for the group behind the lawsuit said the city has a chance to move the project forward after revising the environmental review.
Good news for bicycle safety in Fresno
A national bicycle safety coalition says Fresno made significant gains in 2024, jumping 7 points on the People for Bikes rating system, Fresnoland’s Gregory Weaver reports.
While the progress is headed in the right direction, nobody is ready to declare victory. Fresno remains among the nation’s most dangerous cities for cyclists and pedestrians.
“It was great to see that Fresno stood out among cities over 300,000 for improving so much,” said Laura Gromis, the current chair of the city’s Active Transportation Advisory Committee. “But we still have a lot to go to make our city streets safe for bicycles and pedestrians.”
The new bike lane additions on Dakota, Teague and Gettysburg were given credit by People for Bikes. The next three city areas that will get more bike protections: First Street, and the new Downtown Loop of Olive, Belmont, H Street and Cesar Chavez Boulevard and Clinton Avenue.
The Fresno-area folk singer who outsmarted the Creek Fire
When the Creek Fire — one of the largest wildfires in California history — raced through the dead and dry Sierra National Forrest, Jemmy Bluestein was ready.
The Fresno-area folk singer had, in a way, been planning for the Creek Fire for years.
He and his friends stopped the 2020 Creek Fire near Shaver Lake in its tracks.
“It was coming in through here like a fire hurricane. It scorched us in minutes,” says Bluestein, a Shaver Lake-area folk singer, about the 2020 Creek Fire. “But then it slowed down and halfway across the property, we stopped the Creek Fire. Basically, this didn’t happen virtually any place else.”
Fresnoland’s Gregory Weaver spent some time with Bluestein recently to learn more about the lessons of the Creek Fire.
Outside the Lines
A Planned Parenthood facility in Madera is one of five locations that has been forced to close due to federal funding cuts. ABC30
The Adventist Health hospital in Reedley could lose millions in funding as a result of the Trump Administration’s effort to gut $1 trillion from Medicaid over the next 10 years. The Fresno Bee
Fresno County’s real estate tax assessment roll grew more than 6%, to $123.3 billion for 2025 , adding nearly $7.4 billion in additional value. The Business Journal
Some Clovis-area leaders are calling for a new voter ID law in California. KSEE
The Fresno County Farm Bureau is sounding the alarm about what they say is a rise in abandoned farmland in the central San Joaquin Valley. ABC30
A major road project launched this week in Madera County following a groundbreaking ceremony for the long-awaited Highway 41 bypass. KMPH
Cockroaches have been a problem for some Fresno County restaurants this summer. The Fresno Bee
Block Beat
SOUTH TOWER: City leaders will formally unveil 20 new murals honoring local cultures, legends and landmarks at 11 a.m. today (Saturday, July 26) at San Pablo Park, 511 N. San Pablo Ave. And, in case you missed it, Fresnoland’s Julianna Morano recently spoke with many of the local artists about the project and the park’s troubled history.Fresnoland
CHINATOWN: Judging by the Cover teams up with Alice Lorraine to launch the Radical Craft Club at 1 p.m. today (Saturday, July 26) at 1029 F St Fresno. “Feel free to bring supplies to share or trade! No pressure. Low-stakes. Just pure crafty fun!” More info
SOUTHWEST: Seventeen families in southwest Fresno celebrated their new affordable housing this week after the completion of two infill developments bringing affordable housing to a historically underserved part of Fresno. The Business Journal
RADIO PARK: The Fresno Arts Museum will host an opening reception on Friday, Aug. 8 at 5 p.m. for their newest exhibitions. The exhibition features multiple exhibits that will be on display into 2026. The event is free for members of the museum, and $20 for non-members. Fresno Art Museum
TOWER DISTRICT: Bee reporters tracked down updates on some of the neighborhood’s biggest and most depressing eyesores — and it wasn’t all bad news. The Fresno Bee
YOKUTS VALLEY: A Fresno County animal rescue is no longer allowed to rescue animals. KSEE
ROEDING PARK: The Fresno Chaffee Zoo says both the Stingray Bay and the African Adventure savannas will be closed during the month of August, and the giraffe feeding station. KSEE
HOOVER: The Hello Kitty Cafe truck returns to Fresno next month. KSEE
