Good morning! Today is Thursday, September 10. This is Rob.
‘Picture of hell’ Six years after the Creek Fire erupted survivors say the memories of the devastating wildfire remain vivid as communities continue to recover. ABC30
Job losses: Ruiz Foods plans to permanently lay off 176 workers at its Dinuba facility. The Business Journal
RIP: Retired Fresno Police Chief Ed Winchester died after serving the department for more than three decades. GV Wire
Backlash: Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias’s $12,550 a month part time gig as a spokesperson and lobbying-adjacent consultant comes to an end. The Fresno Bee
That old Medicaid vote? If Latino voters turn on President Donald Trump, is David Valadao in trouble? AP via KVPR
Strength in numbers: Public school enrollment is down statewide, including in Fresno Unified, but two neighboring cities are trending the other direction. Sanger Unified continues to show enrollment gains. KMPH
New allegations: Another survivor has come forward accusing the late civil rights leader Cesar Chavez of sexual assault in Kern County. Several women, including fellow civil rights icon Dolores Huerta, came forward this year with allegations of abuse. ABC30
Never forget: Here’s how Central California will pay tribute on the 25th anniversary of 9/11. YourCentralValley
‘Bigger story’ The remains of an Exeter airman who disappeared in 1943 when his bomber was shot down over Italy will be returned home. U.S. Army Air Forces Sgt. Adolph Aguirre will soon return home to Tulare County more than 80 years later. ABC30
They’re back! The Fresno Chaffee Zoo reopens its reptile house, returning the snakes and lizards to public view. ABC30
‘Never Ordinary’: Tickets go on pre-sale Thursday for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Dec. 3 “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve” show at Fresno’s Save Mart Center. YourCentralValley
1. Can Fresno Unified save money on its police contracts?
Fresno Unified is already looking ahead at another year of tough financial choices and on Wednesday, trustees expressed frustration with the district’s police contracts.
As part of the budget process for the 2025-26 school year, the FUSD board of education reviewed and approved its unaudited financials from the previous school year, which included a presentation by the district’s chief financial officer, Patrick Jensen.
Jensen explained that while the district originally projected a loss of 1,100 students this school year, it announced last week that it now expects to lose 1,800 students this year. According to Jensen, the district receives around $17,000 per student, and because of the increase in enrollment decline projections, the district may need to cut over $11 million in its next budget cycle.
“We have tons of inflation in our system right now; we’re paying more for everything from parts for our laptops to fuel,” Jensen said, adding, “and our federal funding scenario is not favorable as far as what we think we’re going to be getting from the federal government over the next couple of years, so that’s kind of the the economic reality that we’re underpinning the district right now.”
Jensen said the district has already identified at least an $11 million hole in the budget, an estimate he described as “conversative.”
Additionally, the board unanimously voted to put a contract with the Fresno Police Department on hold in order to review the district’s spending and needs for school resource officers.
Multiple community members and parents in attendance on Wednesday spoke against the $5.6 million contract, arguing that as taxpayers, they shouldn’t have to pay the school to subsidize the salaries of multiple officers. They also pointed to the need to save money amid the district’s financial situation.
The contract itself would only cover the 2026-27 school year. Board members did not specify which upcoming board meeting the contract would come back for a vote.
Trustee Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas noted that the board had faced similar issues in the past with high-priced contracts and concerns with the district’s subsidizing of police vehicles they would never own and supervising sergeants that don’t step foot on school sites.
“Our neighboring school districts have a better deal and,” Rosas said, “they’re not paying for what we’re paying for.”
-Diego Vargas, Fresnoland education reporter
2. Ex-Fresno judge gets a new trial date
A federal judge on Wednesday set a trial date for the ex-Fresno County judge accused of sexually assaulting at least one courthouse staffer, The Fresno Bee reports.
Ex-Fresno County judge Adolfo Corona has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts, including three counts of making false statements and a count of altering documents.
Judge Erica P. Grosjean set the tentative trial date for 11 months from now, on Aug. 10, 2027.
Corona was represented by public defender Christina Corcoran on Wednesday, a new attorney who replaced his private counsel earlier this year.
If convicted, Corona could be sentenced to 40 years in prison for sexual assault and 20 years each for the obstruction charges.
The Fresno County judge was accused of sexual assault of two victims. Court records show the FBI accused Corona of lying to agents and attempting to change documents to supply himself with an alibi after he knew he was under investigation for sexual assault.
Prosecutors say Corona lured a 32-year-old court staffer into a Fresno County Superior Court hallway with the promise of a gift before sexually assaulting her. He was 64 at the time, and retired from the bench the following month.
3. Marjaree Mason sees climb in services
The Marjaree Mason Center reported a 33% spike in services provided so far this year and said “participation in our community group has doubled.”
“The need for immediate support has also remained significant,” the center said in a recent newsletter. “Our Crisis Helpline has been averaging nearly 900 calls per month, and in July alone, nearly 200 individuals accessed our in-person crisis walk-in services needing immediate support.”
If you or someone you know needs our services, please call our confidential 24/7 Helpline at (559) 233-HELP (4357). All Helpline services are confidential and safe for individuals seeking support and information.
The Marjaree Mason Center invites you to the 43rd annual Top Ten Professional Women Awards from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 21 at the Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center. Marjaree Mason Center
Today’s newsletter was edited by Danielle Bergstrom.
