Quote of the Week
“This was a law passed in 2001. So we’ve done a pretty good job of putting it off for 23 years.”
— Clovis Mayor Lynne Ashbeck, referring to the city’s decision to begrudgingly begin the process of moving from citywide, at-large council districts to district-based elections, after the threat of a lawsuit over the California Voting Rights Act.
Join Fresnoland, The Maddy Institute, KVPR, the League of Women Voters Fresno, and The Merced Focus as we host California state Assembly candidates Joanna Garcia Rose and Esmeralda Soria (incumbent) for a candidate forum at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18 at CMAC. The event will also be livestreamed on the CMAC and Fresnoland Facebook pages. Reserve your spot today!
This Week in Fresnoland
Our 2024 General Election Voter Guide is here!
With the November election looming, Fresnoland’s fall voter guide began rolling out this week, featuring the deepest local dives into everything from tense races for the Fresno County Board of Supervisors, Fresno City Council, and Fresno Unified to school bonds and special taxes.
Fresnoland’s Gisselle Medina analyzes the race to represent northeast Fresno on the city council in a race between two political newcomers.
Omar Shaikh Rashad highlights the commonalities and (few) differences in the race between incumbent Sal Quintero and challenger Luis Chavez to represent central Fresno County on the Board of Supervisors.
Julianna Morano takes readers inside three Fresno Unified races that will likely affect who the school board will ultimately hire to fill the role of superintendent in the coming year.
Gregory Weaver dissects Measure H, the $500 million Fresno Unified school bond district leaders hope will fund much-needed repairs to decades-old schools. Weaver also examines the Board of Supervisors race that one candidate compared to “Reagan vs. Trump.”
In Clovis, Danielle Bergstrom breaks down Measure Y, the city’s proposed 1% sales tax they say would beef up police and firefighter staffing.
Those races and much more can be found (for free!) on Fresnoland’s website.
Changes coming for the Clovis way of life?
In a contentious decision that has divided the community, the Clovis City Council voted Monday night to abandon its at-large voting system, a practice that has defined local elections for over a century, Fresnoland’s Gregory Weaver reported.
The move comes in response to a Malibu-based law firm’s allegations that the city was violating the California Voting Rights Act of 2002.
Starting in November 2026, the Clovis City Council will transition to district-based elections, a change that will not affect the upcoming 2024 ballot. The decision marks a significant shift in the political landscape of the city of approximately 120,000 residents.
The catalyst for this transition was a letter in August from the law firm Shenkman and Hughes, which alleged that Clovis’ existing system potentially violated the CVRA by causing elected officials “to ignore minority interests without fear of political repercussions.”
The firm pointed out that while Latinos comprise 30.5% of the city’s population, their representation on the Clovis City Council has been “sparse to non-existent.”
A ban on book bans?
A new California law will dismantle Fresno County’s controversial book review committee unless the Board of Supervisors opts to fight back.
Speaking with Fresnoland’s Julianna Morano, Supervisor Steve Brandau said the legislation he spearheaded last year laying the groundwork for the committee should be allowed the stand. He described the new California law as an example of California government overreach.
“It’s a direct hit at Fresno County,” Brandau said. “It’s, to me, sad when they can’t let local government make any decisions.”
Brandau said he had yet to speak with the other supervisors, and it’s unclear whether he can get the support needed to take the case to court.
Fresno County’s controversial resolution narrowly passed on a 3-2 vote last year, with Supervisors Brian Pacheco and Sal Quintero refusing to support the effort. Before voting to reject the committee, Quintero confirmed Fresno County already had procedures in place for community members to lodge formal objections and complaints to any library materials.
Does anyone like the new warehouse laws?
New regulations on where warehouses can be built are coming to California in 2026, and Fresno’s economic and environmental groups are already bracing for impact.
Assembly Bill 98, which received the governor’s signature Sept. 29, establishes new minimum distances between warehouses of at least 250,000 square feet and “sensitive receptors” like homes, schools, parks and hospitals.
That includes buffer zones of between 300 and 500 feet, depending on how the land is zoned where the warehouse is located.
The law has made strange bedfellows of local economic development leaders and environmental advocacy groups, with both sides slamming the new standards, though for different reasons.
The new law also requires cities and counties to update their general plans to specify truck routes to these warehouses that are away from homes, schools, hospitals and other sensitive sites.
That could spell tens to hundreds of millions of dollars in total one-time costs across the state, according to an analysis from the Senate Appropriations Committee.
‘The first time we have ever done this’
The Fresno City Council this week chose who on the council will get to vote on the Tower District Specific Plan — but it was complicated, Fresnoland’s Julianna Morano reported.
The council resorted to drawing lots in a process Council President Annalisa Perea said was “the first time we have ever done this.”
The council was forced to use that process because most councilmembers own real estate in the Tower District.
Five of seven council members reported owning property within the bounds of the Tower District Specific Plan, a conflict of interest that would usually force them to recuse themselves from the vote, according to state law.
Arias and Esparza drew green paper slips, allowing them to join councilmembers Tyler Maxwell and Garry Bredefeld – the only two members without conflicts in the Tower District – in deciding on the plan.
Outside the Lines
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution clarifying their priorities in the enforcement process of its anti-encampment ordinance. Fresnoland
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed to repeal the county ban on speed humps, as well as introduce a two-year pilot program to allow residents to partner with the city to introduce them in their communities. Fresnoland
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors also unanimously approved to initiate the process of building new libraries in Clovis and Reedley on Thursday. The vote was 3-0, with Brandau and Quintero recusing themselves from the vote. Fresnoland
Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno) introduced a bill that would create specialized training for code enforcement officers, with a focus on public health threats linked to building code violations. David Valadao (R-Hanford) cosponsored the bill, which comes more than a year after the discovery of an illegal medical lab in Reedley. Fresno Business Journal
The candidates for Fresno County Board of Supervisors District 3 seat, Luiz Chavez and incumbent Sal Quintero, talked about policies, plans and changes they seek to make during a candidate forum on Oct. 7. Fresnoland
The City of Fresno hired an independent firm to conduct a nationwide search for candidates to take over the city’s police department. City leaders also announced four online public meetings in the coming weeks to allow residents input on what they’d like to see in the search for a new police chief and said details on those upcoming meetings would be released in the coming days. Fresnoland
New restrictions next month will force Fresno residents to cut outdoor water use down to a single day each week. From Nov. 1 to March 31, homes with odd-numbered addresses will be allowed to water on Saturdays before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m., while even-numbered homes will water on Sundays during those same times. City of Fresno
Over the last roughly three months, the City of Fresno issued more than $3 million in citations and seized more than 3,000 illegal cannabis plants from four separate cultivation sites. Fresno’s new revenue stream came to light during a quarterly update from Chief Assistant City Attorney Erica Camarena. Fresnoland
Block Beat
SOUTHEAST: Fresno city leaders announced a $9.6 million contract to build an initial 10 acre phase of the first regional park in southeast Fresno. Fresnoland
TOWER: Ragin Records is moving to a new location and has already closed the River Park location, but the Tower District location (on Fulton street next to Vini Vidi Vici) will remain open until the new spot is ready. That is expected to be sometime after Nov. 1. The Fresno Bee
FRESNO CITY COLLEGE: FIL FIESTA 559 is a free event, open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 at Fresno City College.
HANFORD: Superior Dairy, the 95-year-old Hanford ice cream shop and community staple, is up for sale for $2.5 million. The Fresno Bee
DOWNTOWN: The former Fulton Street Coffee in downtown Fresno changed ownership and rebranded itself — Sacred Heart Coffee — and moved to a new location at 2011 Tuolumne St. Fresno Business Journal
Around Town
PFlag Fresno invites the public to its Trans Allyship Panel at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13. The panel discussion can be viewed online via Zoom or in person at the Wesley United Methodist Church, 1343 E Barstow Ave.
The public is invited to an evening birding walk from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, Sumner Peck Ranch. The free event is hosted by SJ River Parkway Trust. River Parkway Trust
“What do bootleggers, the Fresno police, the KKK, and a big trial have in common?” Fresno historian Sarah Lee will host a presentation on Fresno in the 1920s. The event is free, open to the public, and runs from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16. at Fresno City College’s Forum Hall 101. More information
