Good morning! It’s Thursday, Oct. 1. This is Rob.
High-speed fail: The California High Speed Rail Authority lost more political battles than it won last year in Sacramento. CalMatters
Failing water? The State Water Resources Control Board lists Shaver Lake’s spring water quality as “failing” and recommends using “alternative drinking water supplies” due the presence of, among other things, uranium and other radioactive particles, but stops short of calling the water undrinkable. KVPR
Casino fight: The Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians wants a federal judge in Fresno to halt operations at the newly constructed North Fork Mono Casino and Resort which is scheduled to open later this month. The hearing is set for Friday. The Fresno Bee
Bad data? A new analysis suggests Fresno County averages 27.6 heat deaths annually, while the CDC data estimates an average of only 4.2 a year. KVPR
1. Tower’s new ‘starter library’
Just days after chatter around possibly privatizing Fresno County libraries appeared to die on the vine, the city’s most walkable neighborhood is about to finally get its own branch.
And its doors could open just in time for Christmas.
In an interview with Fresnoland’s Julianna Morano, Supervisor Luis Chavez confirmed plans to convert the Ted C. Willis Center in a new temporary “starter library.”
For hardcore library backers like Brooke Payton, who helped lead the yearslong charge for a Tower District library, the news of a new location and the possibility of a larger, permanent space in the works is just the beginning.
Payton: “It’s about us getting that metaphorical foot in the door. It’s about us being able to say, ‘OK, we have a starter library.’ We need to use all of it, all of the time.”
👉 Read the full Fresnoland story here.
2. ‘That story needed to be told’
New York Times journalist — and Fresno State alum — Manny Fernandez shared his experience into the yearslong investigation that resulted in a bombshell March 18 report exposing labor leader César Chávez’s sexual abuse, KMPH reports.
The report this spring triggered a wave of name changes, statue removals and a reckoning with Chávez’s place in the history of the labor movement.
Fernandez interviewed more than 60 people as he worked to investigate the allegations and Chávez’s broader legacy over more than five years.
Fernandez: “And that’s why that story needed to be told, to tell these women’s stories of, yes, it’s in the past. Yes, he’s no longer alive, but for them, it is a very real painful thing.”
3. Five things to do in Fresno this weekend!
Let’s get it started: The first annual Central Valley Blackeye Pea Festival and Cook-Off will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3. Blackeye Pea Fest
Oh yeah! The California Wrestling Association is celebrating its 13th anniversary with an action-packed event at 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3 at the Iron Office Gym on Fowler Avenue in east-central Fresno. ABC30
Boo-Fest! A spooky 21-and-over horror festival, kicks off at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3 at the Warnors Theatre in downtown Fresno. The event includes local vendors, beer tasting and two feature films, including the 2015 flick “The Gallows,” that was filmed inside the theater, followed by the 2012 Ethan Hawke film “Sinister.” YourCentralValley
Bully BOO: The Fresno Bully Rescue is hosting the 2026 Bully BOO Walk at Woodward Park on Oct. 4. The event features a 1-mile walk, along with vendors and an 80s-themed costume contest. Entry is $25 per person. YourCentralValley
Scavenger hunt: “Two hours. One epic Fresno adventure.” That’s the pitch for you and your friends and family to come together to explore Fresno in a fun, app-based scavenger hunt available whenever you’re ready to start exploring Fresno’s arts, culture and history. Complete challenges. Solve puzzles. Compete for the top spot in the city. More information here
And a bonus event: don’t miss the Great Valley Gathering, a three day celebration of the diversity of culture, food, and dance found across the region, co-hosted by the Smithsonian (yes, that one) and the Alliance for California Traditional Arts this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Courthouse Park. Website
Today’s newsletter was edited by Danielle Bergstrom.
