Good morning! It’s Wednesday, Aug. 26. This is Rob.
Deputy charged: Fresno County sheriff’s Deputy Alejandro Gabriel Apodaca, 31, of Lemoore, is accused of committing sexual offenses against one woman and falsely imprisoning a second woman. He was arrested in May. The Fresno Bee
Brown Act lawsuit: “A Sanger Unified trustee is suing the district for violating California’s government transparency laws.” GV Wire
Happening today! 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
Honoring a legend: “She was such a good person and did things like donate money… I think that is such a huge part of what made her such a pop culture icon,” said Nick Navarro, owner of Tower District Records. ABC30
Dark Sky Fest: The 13th annual Dark Sky Festival will be returning to the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and, for the first time, to Three Rivers beginning Sept. 11. YourCentralValley
Blood Drive: The Big Fresno Fair and Central California Blood Center have joined forces for the “Pint for a Pass” Blood Drive, between Aug. 25 and Oct. 18, all blood donors will receive a “Buy One, Get One Free” admission voucher redeemable for the 2026 Big Fresno Fair. YourCentralValley
Oktoberfest: It’s just around the corner so, mark your calendars for Saturday, Sept. 19 for a day of “ice-cold beer, live music, delicious food, and unforgettable Good Times” at Barrel House Brewing at the River Park Shopping Center. Barrel House
1. Fresno Unified cuts 6th grade camp, other trips
Mayfair Elementary School Principal Faviola Perez says recent district budget cuts have drastically cut into student field trips, with sixth graders facing the possibility of having to cough up big bucks to attend an annual camping trip later this year.
As part of Fresno Unified’s budget cuts, field trips for TK-6 students were eliminated for the 2026-27 school year, leaving it to schools and families to figure out how to fund trips many students look forward to.
The roughly $2.2 million field trip cut helped address the district’s then $55 million projected budget deficit.
Mayfair sixth-graders typically take their camping trip late in October.
Perez estimated that she would need to raise roughly $50,000 to cover the costs of the trip for her sixth graders within two months and said Mayfair does not have extra funds for field trips.
Perez: “I know for a fact that I cannot fund sixth grade camp, and because we were told so late, I need some time to plan; do I start working with my fifth graders for next year? This is going to be the first year, and these parents are not happy, but I don’t think that most of my parents can pay $300 a kid.”
Read the full Fresnoland story here.
2. Ruling in the works for Fresno County’s contentious transportation fight
A Fresno County Superior Court judge expects to hand down a critical ruling as late as next Monday, potentially determining whether countywide voters could see a transportation tax measure on the November ballot.
The issue needs to be settled before the Sept. 3 deadline for ballot printing. Judge Jonathan Skiles acknowledged the likelihood of an appeal in the case regardless of the decision, with both sides expected to dispute any legal losses or setbacks.
“The fight has seen groups of local elected officials and community organizers fiercely argue over how much the new measure should prioritize investments in existing roads and infrastructure,” Fresnoland’s Pablo Orihuela writes, “with an emphasis on public transportation — and how much it should look to expand and create new highways and communities.”
Skiles is the fourth judge assigned to the case after the two sides disqualified three other judges, alleging bias without presenting evidence.
Read the full Fresnoland story here.
3. The major Fresno-area water board election that’s (probably) never on your ballot
Serving some 700 farms across more than 1,000 square miles of western Fresno and Kings Counties, the powerful Westlands Water District is also on the verge of becoming the home of that nation’s largest solar installation.
But as SJV Water reports, general voters in Fresno County aren’t allowed to participate in the election of the board of directors that controls the pursestrings of the nation’s largest ag water district.
“That’s because Westlands was formed in the 1950s under a special Water Code designation that only allows landowners with water contracts in the district to vote on its board of directors,” Allison Hunter writes for SJV Water this week.
“And even then, not all landowners have an equal say, with some holding many more votes than others.”
Today’s newsletter was edited by Danielle Bergstrom.
