Quote of the Week
“Access to gender-affirming care is life-saving—it removes barriers and allows us to experience joy and happiness.”
—Alejandro Sanchez, speaking with Fresnoland about a new LGBTQ+ inclusive medical clinic in Fresno
This Week in Fresnoland
Vang’s past? Fresno’s future? Tuesday election looms
Writer Hunter S. Thompson once characterized the television industry as a “cruel and shallow money trench.”
And though Thompson died 20 years ago, he could’ve easily been describing American politics in 2025.
A mailer from a shadowy political action committee in Tuesday’s special Fresno City Council election is the latest local entry in this ugly and frustrating national tradition.
The mailer accused candidate Brandon Vang of “alleged statutory rape” in connection with the birth of Vang’s child 32 years ago — an allegation strenuously denied by both Vang and his wife.
It cited a (supposedly confidential) child support lawsuit filed by the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office in 1993. How the political action committee — Fresno Future Forward — got its hands on a civil case marked “confidential” remains a mystery that probably won’t get solved before Tuesday.
And like all the best shady-as-hell propaganda, the misleading mailer was just truth-adjacent enough that Vang couldn’t dismiss it outright. He also had to explain.
Vang and his wife acknowledged he was 20 and she was 15 years old when their first child was born more than three decades ago — but, they insist, nobody ever accused Vang of any crime; he did nothing wrong, and they have no regrets.
In various interviews this week, Vang claimed he never even heard of the 1993 lawsuit until it emerged in the mailer earlier this month. In an email to Fresnoland’s Julianna Morano this week, a DA spokesperson confirmed: “Our office does not have a record of any criminal, civil, or family law matters involving Mr. Vang.”
He also said voters “don’t care” about any of this. Fortunately, we’re about to find out.
Will this matter more to voters than Vang’s positions on issues like SEDA, project labor agreements, rent control, or Measure C?
And what about the policy positions of the other candidates — Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas, Jose Leon Barraza, and Paul Condon?
Vang’s camp insists the dirty politics of personal destruction won’t work this time. It will backfire, they say, and unite his supporters on his way to victory.
And maybe that’s true — Vang has been called a frontrunner because he has outraised his opponents. And that’s usually how you win in any cruel and shallow money trench like politics.
— Rob Parsons, senior editor
Medicaid cuts would hurt more in Fresno
Fresno County could feel more than a pinch if lawmakers in Washington approve cuts to Medicaid to make room for tax cuts President Donald Trump is trying to usher in, Fresnoland’s Omar S. Rashad reported this week.
While exact impacts of the cuts are unclear, experts say it would be harmful to both patients and health providers — from hospitals to rural health clinics.
About 52% of Fresno County residents — more than half a million people — are insured by Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program. According to a Fresnoland review of state health data, Fresno has the third highest Medi-Cal enrollment rate out of all 58 California counties.
An act of defiance
Amid efforts by the Trump administration to restrict LGBTQ+ rights, including bans on gender-affirming care for trans youth, a new LGBTQ+ medical center will offer services in Fresno and the central San Joaquin Valley, Fresnoland’s Gisselle Medina reported this week.
Dr. Julie Nicole and other local providers are preparing to open Fresno Collective for Inclusive Medicine, Fresno’s first LGBTQ+ health clinic and all-inclusive medical center, designed to provide affirming care. In February, Fresno Inclusive began to take telehealth appointments and their temporary location is set to open March 17.
LGBTQ+ rights also remain a major target, with the ACLU tracking 511 bills nationwide that aim to restrict them in this year’s legislative session, as of March 11. The current number is just 22 bills shy of last year’s total of 533.
‘We can’t fund all of our priorities’
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors wants to expand its code enforcement department, but faces a projected budget deficit of at least $15 million next year, Fresnoland’s Diego Vargas reported this week.
“The challenge we have [is] this board has made clear that we have priorities for new buildings, staff departments, wages,” said Supervisor Nathan Magisg, adding “at some point…we’re gonna have to say: ‘We can’t fund all of our priorities, so what is most important to us?’”
Lower-than-expected tax revenues have also plagued the City of Fresno over the last year, with city leaders projecting at least a $20 million budget deficit in the coming fiscal year.
Immigration detention impacts in the Central Valley
ICE detention centers might soon expand in the Central Valley despite years of complaints and lawsuits over conditions, Fresnoland’s Gisselle Medina reported this week.
Documents revealed by an ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed by the ACLU in September 2024 suggest that two Central Valley detention facilities—one in Bakersfield and another in McFarland—are “likely under consideration by ICE” for construction.
The expansion will increase the number of people in pretrial custody, and immigration attorneys argue that this rapid growth is part of a broader strategy to instill fear in the community. Several ongoing lawsuits from former detainees, including José Rubén Hernandez, have criticized ICE custody and its practices for poor conditions.
Outside the Lines
One year after controversy erupted around Valley Children’s Hospital, the Madera County nonprofit has decided to reevaluate its long-standing Kids Day fundraiser. Hospital officials stopped short of saying the annual Kids Day fundraiser was canceled, but did not say when, where or how the once-beloved fundraiser might return. Fresnoland
The Fresno City Council on Thursday moved forward with amending a city ordinance to begin issuing fines for street vendors in the Tower District. The original ordinance, which the council approved in December, only permitted fines for Tower District street vendors who had violated two prior city policies. But the amendment now opens up fines for any vendor in Tower who doesn’t follow city code or the new ordinance. Fresnoland
For years, residents of East Orosi have been unable to drink their own tap water. Efforts to bring clean water to the tiny community in Tulare County have been marred by political bickering and internal divisions. Fresnoland
The Fresno City Council threw the city’s last eviction protection program a lifeline that will keep the lights on for until at least mid-summer, but the future of the program remains uncertain. Fresnoland
Fresnoland’s Omar S. Rashad sat down with KVPR to discuss the City of Fresno’s $20 million budget deficit, which city leaders will have to tackle in the coming months. Check out Omar’s full interview with KVPR here.
The Fresno City Council this week deadlocked on a proposal that, if approved, could force dozens of smoke shops in the city to close over the next two years. The Fresno Bee
A Fresno County resident is one of five known cases of Measles currently in California. Before showing symptoms, the unnamed resident — who health officials said was not vaccinated — attended an event in Madera County with about 200 other people. Officials say the threat to the general public remains low. ABC30
“A group of Senate Democrats are demanding answers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture after it gutted two programs aimed at providing produce to food banks and schools.” The Fresno Bee
Central Unified School District is now seeking a new superintendent after Ketti Davis stepped down. KMPH
Block Beat
Roeding Park: “Fresno’s cherished Playland amusement park is scheduled to close its gates permanently at the end of March.” KMPH
Fresno County: The county is now accepting applications to serve on the Civil Grand Jury. The application deadline is March 31. Fresno County Superior Court
Northwest: Nearly $10 million has been approved for the construction of a new park in Fresno that Councilmember Annalisa Perea says will bring tribute to “a civil rights icon who has dedicated her life to justice and empowerment.” KSEE
Clovis: The new Letterman Dog Park, Clovis’ second dog park, has opened. The City of Clovis invites community members and their dogs to attend a Ribbon Cutting Celebration at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 22 at the park, located at 908 Villa Ave. in Clovis.
Sunnyside: Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula will host the first of four Community Health and Resource Fairs in Fresno County, beginning Saturday, March 15 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Fresno Center, 4879 E. Cesar Chavez Blvd. The fairs offer a “one-stop” approach to providing basic health services, health screenings, and resources information to people in underserved neighborhoods and rural communities. The information section covers immigration resources, education, legal services, social services, and more. The March 15 event also features additional services: free tax filing and financial literacy courses.
