🌞 Good morning! It’s Monday, Aug. 17. This is Rob!
💵 You got my money, yet? “Some summer school teachers and student workers in the Central Unified School District say they have been waiting weeks, and in some cases months, to be paid for extra work.” KMPH
🏫 Costco builder cuts school ribbon: “A new K-8 school named for King Husein, founder of Madera-based Span Construction and Engineering, opened on Madera’s west side this school year — the first new school built in the area in 30 years.” The Business Journal
⚾ Play ball: Have you ever wanted to be a baseball broadcaster? The Fresno Grizzlies have rolled a new contest during the final month of the minor league season and you can enter to win a chance to call an inning of baseball with Grizzlies voice Tim Slack. The contest remains open throughout the month and no entry fee or purchases are necessary. For more information, visit the Grizzlies’ homepage. Chukchansi Park
🐔Eat mor’? Heads up, Fresno State students! As the new semester gears up, Chick Fil-A at the Fashion Fair is giving away free food to students with a valid student identification. The giveaway runs from 8 to 10 a.m. and from 2 to 4 p.m. Aug. 17 to 21. Chick-Fil-A
🍺 Cheers! The Sequoia Brewing Co. plans to celebrate the return of the historic Fresno High pillar that was badly damaged last year by a drunken driver. Now, weeks after the beloved community touchstone was restored, Sequoia is planning a big community party set for Aug. 26. The event includes a special beer created for the occasion: Pillar of the Community Pilsner, which will also be available in a 32 oz. commemorative can. Sequoia Brewing Co
1. Beloved Central Unified leader retires
Nora Ceballos, a teacher who immigrated from Mexico more than 30 years ago, is stepping down after decades of advocacy, CVJC reports.
Dozens gathered to celebrate Ceballos, the program involvement coordinator at Central Unified School District, celebrating her two decades of service with “karaoke, tacos and heartfelt stories.”
“Ceballos’ impact at Central Unified was deep – she heavily advocated for the district to bring Spanish and Punjabi translators to every CUSD school and helped solidify the family liaison network at the district level,” CVJC reports. “She also pushed the district to give more resources for unhoused students, foster youth and families with additional needs.”
Ceballos: “I’m leaving the district with my head held high, knowing I made a difference in many people’s lives. There wasn’t a day I said, ‘today I didn’t do anything important in someone’s life.’ Every day of the school year, I made a difference for someone.”
2. Will Fresno Unified stop paying the bills for Trustee Keshia Thomas’ lawsuit?
Fresno Unified may stop paying Trustee Keisha Thomas’ legal bill in connection with a years-long defamation lawsuit in which Thomas accused a former Bullard High football coach of using a racial slur, but later, under oath, denied making the claim, GV Wire reports.
Adding to the fire, the Fresno Teachers’ Association is now demanding that Thomas resign from her trustee position immediately, according to a post on their Facebook account Sunday.
Thomas’ claims emerged in May of 2022 during an appearance Thomas made on the GV Wire podcast. She accused former Bullard Coach Don Arax of using the “n-word” to one of her sons.
Thomas later backtracked under oath and denied making the publicly published statements.
Now, an unpublished legal declaration appears to further blow up Thomas’ defense.
GV Wire reports that Thomas’ son has now denied ever hearing Arax use the n-word to him or anyone else.
“At no time did Coach Don Arax ever call me the word ‘n—–,’ ‘n—-,’ the ‘N-word,’ or any other racial slur. I never heard Coach Arax use any racial slur or make any derogatory or racially offensive remark about me. At no time did I ever tell anyone, including Keshia Thomas, that Coach Arax used a racial slur against me.”
3. FAX cuts wait times on key route
City Hall says wait times on one of the city’s most critical bus routes should shrink by as much as half after $4.5 million in upgrades to FAX Route 39, YourCentralValley reports.
Mayor Jerry Dyer cheered the improvements during a speech Friday at the Manchester Transit Center.
Upgrades include three new buses, which are expected to cut average wait times from 30 minutes to about 15 minutes.
The additional buses and upgrades should be good news for passengers heading to the airport, Fresno City College or Fresno High. The route runs Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Mayor Jerry Dyer: “Public transportation is critical in the city of Fresno.”
Today’s newsletter was edited by Danielle Bergstrom.
