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☀️ Good morning! It’s Wednesday, April 16. This is Rob, wishing you a happy National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day, with highs in Fresno today in the low 70s.
The future of high-speed rail? Join Fresnoland and CalMatters on April 22 in conversation with state and local leaders to talk about what’s next for the beleaguered project. Details and RSVP here
❓Racism at River Park? River Park banned Asian food trucks this week, in a controversial move that ABC30 reports was triggered by other complaints from other businesses, apparently tired of competing with the trucks. Food trucks and their supporters have slammed the north Fresno market and, in statements published by The Fresno Bee, some called the move racist.
💵New deal: About 25,000 in-home healthcare workers could soon have a new three-year contract — and a pay raise — after two years of labor talks finally ended with a tentative agreement, Fresnoland’s Julianna Morano reports.
🤷♀️Huh? Republicans called Valley Democrat Adam Gray a “terrorist sympathizer,” apparently for not responding to McClatchy questions in a 2024 article on campus protests. When asked for evidence of their claims, the GOP also didn’t respond, The Fresno Bee reports.
🏡A tiny solution: Madera County this week unveiled a $1.2 million project that built six “tiny homes” for local residents experiencing homelessness, the Fresno Business Journal reports.
🍩Hey, you gonna eat that? Randy’s Donuts, the iconic Inglewood landmark made famous by its enormous doughnut sign, opened its first doors in Fresno this week and even city leaders are lining up for its apple fritters and classic glazed treats. Instagram
And new this morning: Fresno’s contentious anti-camping law has been called cold-hearted and cruel with critics pointing to the recent botched prosecution of an unhoused senior citizen as evidence of a misguided policy run amok. BUT, business owners in downtown Fresno say the law is also working — meaning less trash outside their stores, fewer uncomfortable or even potentially dangerous confrontations, and more time to focus on running their business. But while the law might be working basically as intended for storefronts, some business owners still feel conflicted about how the law punishes the homeless.
Check out the full story below from Fresnoland’s Pablo Orihuela.
Fresno’s business owners say the anti-camping law works — but many don’t feel great about it
It’s been a little over six months since Fresno’s city and county leaders passed anti-encampment ordinances to tackle the rise of homeless campsites. The move was largely seen as a win for local homeowners, small businesses and schools — all of whom leaders say comprised a silent majority of constituents […]
Fresno County’s 25,000 care workers set to get raise under new deal
SEIU Local 2015 has reached a tentative agreement with Fresno County to boost thousands of home care workers’ wages and benefits, potentially putting a cap on strenuous negotiations that dragged on for over two years. If approved by union membership and the Fresno County Board of Supervisors, the three-year deal […]
With women’s sports on the rise, Fresno Fuego expands with new soccer team
Brian Easler says the early buzz around Fresno’s new women’s soccer team has been overwhelming. “My phone went crazy. People are still asking questions. Honestly, the buzz is stressful.” Over the next month, Easler, president of Fresno Fuego, will be assembling a new women’s soccer team to fill a 4,000-seat […]
