Quote of the Week
“It’s not just a Nightcrawler. It’s the Fresno Nightcrawler. I think it’s something the city could be proud of, like, hey, we have this weird little story. It’s our own local myth or urban legend. Even if it’s not real — who cares?”
— Michael Banti, the blogger behind Weird Fresno that documents supernatural sightings and stories from Fresno and the greater San Joaquin Valley
This Week in Fresnoland
The mayor changes his tune on SEDA
For the last two years, a 45,000-home megadevelopment in southeast Fresno (SEDA) has been the centerpiece of the Dyer Administration’s efforts to address the city’s relentless housing crisis.
But city leaders have also resisted questions about the project’s funding.
That changed on Thursday when a frustrated Mayor Jerry Dyer told the Fresno City Council he now supports developing only a small portion of the project during initial construction phases and attributed his change of heart to the project’s gargantuan cost estimates.
Dyer shared that city residents would have to take on about $1.5 billion in debt just to build the water and sewer lines on the project’s north side.
Check out the full story from Fresnoland’s Gregory Weaver.
Why there might be three versions of Measure C on the ballot next November
In 2022, clashing political factions helped fuel the botched effort to renew Measure C, Fresno County’s key transportation tax for nearly four decades.
Now, as officials scramble to restart those efforts before Measure C expires in 2026, the same political rivalries are currently on a collision course that could see Fresno voters asked to consider as many as three transportation taxes on the same ballot next year.
It’s unclear whether the groups — a coalition of Fresno County elected officials and a group of nonprofit community advocates — will be able to come together, even with the Central Valley Community Foundation dangling $400,000 to foot the bill for the signature gathering if the sides reach an agreement.
Danielle Bergstrom has the full breakdown for Fresnoland here.
What does the Fresno Nightcrawler mean to you?
If you live in Fresno, chances are you’ve seen at least an image of the city’s famed Nightcrawler – maybe on a sticker or T-shirt, probably in a YouTube clip.
Fresno’s favorite cryptid was the subject of a recent PBS Digital Studios docuseries, and Fresnoland’s Gisselle Medina took this opportunity to talk about what the urban legend means to its staunchest disciples in Fresno.
“Queerness is depicted as monstrous. That’s why we’ve attached ourselves to the Fresno nightcrawlers. They’re a representation of Fresno, and through them, other people can recognize how special Fresno really is,” said Alexandra Carrillo, who sells Nightcrawler stickers with her sister Veronika.
Read more about what the Nightcrawler means to Fresnans in Gisselle’s story.
If you’ve ever come face to face (if it has one?) with the Nightcrawler, please send Gisselle a line: gisselle@fresnoland.org.
Arambula’s bill to stop a blast mine gets shot down
Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula’s attempt to shut down a controversial blast mine proposal along the San Joaquin River got blocked this week in the state legislature, Fresnoland’s Gregory Weaver reported.
The Natural Resources Committee rejected the assemblymember’s proposal with just a 2-1 vote, with most committee members abstaining.
Several workers for CEMEX, the company proposing the blast mine, attended the committee hearing to advocate for their jobs, while others spoke out to protect the river.
The fate of the mining operation now rests in the hands of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors.
The DEI backlash – and how leaders are still fighting for Black families in Fresno
On this week’s Fresnolandia, co-hosts Dani and Jordan discussed the backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion (or DEI) initiatives with local leaders working to close opportunity gaps for Fresno’s Black residents.
“Fresno is a really bad place to live for Black people. We heard some of our experts say that, we heard residents say that,” guest Eric Payne said. His organization, the Central Valley Urban Institute, convened a hearing last month to discuss how affordable housing and educational investments could advance racial equity in the city.
Fellow podcast guest Keshia Thomas, a Fresno Unified trustee, shared some of the questions the district now faces with the threats to DEI, including the preservation of its special commencement ceremonies for Latinx and African American graduates.
Hear the rest of their discussion, wherever you get your podcasts.
Outside the Lines
Fresnoland reporters took home multiple honors at the 37th annual George F. Gruner Awards for the second year in a row, including first place in the best news story category and honorable mentions in the best feature and best writing categories. Fresnoland
The High-Speed Rail Authority’s board of directors voted Thursday to approve contracts for the development of Central Valley station designs and to solicit and approve construction bids for the Fresno station. Los Angeles Times
“President Trump issued an executive order late Thursday directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s board of directors to ‘cease federal funding for NPR and PBS,’ the nation’s primary public broadcasters, claiming ideological bias … It is not clear that the president has the authority to make such orders to CPB under the law.” KVPR
A federal court issued a preliminary injunction, prohibiting U.S. Border Patrol from conducting warrantless immigration stops throughout California. “You just can’t walk up to people with brown skin and say, ‘Give me your papers,’” U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer L. Thurston said during a hearing in Fresno. CalMatters
Speaking to the Rotary Club of Fresno on Monday, Downtown Fresno Partnership CEO Elliott Balch said about 60% of participants in a recent online survey favored returning food trucks to a first Thursday night event, the same night when ArtHop takes place. The Business Journal
“A gun violence reduction program credited for making a noticeable impact in Fresno has suddenly lost its federal grant funding.” The Fresno Bee
Fresno County’s chief probation officer says law enforcement has seen a recent “uptick” in serious violence involving teenagers. ABC30
Fresno City Councilmember Annalisa Perea launched her bid for California State Assembly District 31. ABC30
So-called safety net hospitals – defined as facilities “that provide care in underserved communities regardless of patient financial, insurance or immigration status” – worry they’ll be pushed to the brink if potential Medicaid cuts happen as planned. The Business Journal
“Trump’s 100-day approval rating is the lowest in 80 years, according to a new ABC News poll. But both sides claim their parties are energized like never before.” Fresno-area leaders shared mixed reviews of the president’s time in office. ABC30
Block Beat
FRESNO CITY COLLEGE: The San Joaquin Valley Bookfest will return this Saturday, May 3, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Fresno City College. The full day of programming will include the cream of the crop of Valley poets, novelists, nonfiction writers, children’s authors and more. SJV Bookfest
CLOVIS: Mujeres Market is teaming up with Vendor Village to celebrate Cinco de Mayo weekend with a pop-up market at Sierra Vista Mall this Saturday, May 3, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Vendors will set up at the corner of Clovis and Santa Ana avenues, behind Target. Mujeres Market
TOWER DISTRICT: “Fresno city and business leaders showed support for a Tower District café targeted Thursday by an animal activist group. PETA stopped in Tower with its ‘Hell On Wheels’ national truck tour calling out eateries that serve pork and other animal products.” The Business Journal
RIVER PARK: “On May Day, a traditionally labor-focused day of action, dozens of protestors marched through the city as part of a nationwide protest against the Trump administration’s policies. Locally, the march started at Blackstone and Alluvial and ended at the Tesla dealership on Henderson Avenue.” KMPH
DOWNTOWN: “A new deli that offers a variety of high quality sandwiches and drinks has opened in downtown Fresno, and it’s offering a discount for many who live and work in the area.” The Fresno Bee
CLOVIS: The Clovis Cemetery District is working to make sure Hmong Veterans who fought in the Secret War in Laos are not forgotten and is asking for the community’s help in identifying the graves of those who served. KSEE
