Good morning! It’s Thursday, Oct. 9. This is Rob.
☀️ Sunny skies and highs in the upper 70s today!
🕯️ A traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is in Clovis this week. KSEE
🏓 Plans are in the works for a new indoor pickleball court in the Central Valley. The Business Journal
📚 Residents are invited to celebrate the release of a new children’s book at 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9 at San Pablo Park (511 N. San Pablo Ave). Award-winning author Edward Dennis will come by to sign copies of his new book, “The Boy from Mexico Becomes a U.S. Citizen.” Instagram
1. Chaos and questions as Fresno shelter suddenly closes
At least 200 Fresno residents remain in limbo over their housing situations this week after a Blackstone-area shelter apparently caught City Hall off guard late Tuesday by abruptly laying off its dozens of employees.
Fresnoland’s Pablo Orihuela broke the story early Wednesday, as Fresno-based RH Community Builders rushed in to take over Soul Housing operations at least temporarily, keeping the 250 or so tenants at the shelter at Blackstone and Ashlan off the streets, at least for now.
Mayor Jerry Dyer told Fresnoland he was “shocked” by the closure, which he described as “abrupt and unplanned.” Dyer credited RH Community for attempting to step in, along with Poverello House and CalViva Health, for what the mayor described as “swift action, compassion, and leadership.”
And at least some of the people charged with trying to reorganize the sudden chaos left by the LA-based company’s abrupt departure had no problem acknowledging the frustration and anger felt by everyone from residents and patients to former employees and advocates.
Katie Wilbur, executive director at RH Community Builders: “This is Soul Housing’s fault. They’ve known for a long enough period that their contract was being terminated. They continued operations and then decided at the eleventh hour that they were going to make it somebody else’s problem.”
2. Mendes to retire, endorses former Fresno County sheriff
Fresno County Supervisor Buddy Mendes on Wednesday endorsed former Sheriff Margaret Mims to replace him when he retires in 2027, which he announced at a joint news conference with the retired sheriff.
The 69-year-old farmer and politician told reporters he supported Mims because of her time and experience in Fresno County. Mendes has represented rural southern and southwestern Fresno County communities since 2015.
Mims retired as sheriff in 2022 after four decades in law enforcement, including 16 as sheriff. The Republican politician, who made national headlines several times during her tenure, told reporters that public safety and roads were two of the most significant issues facing Fresno County going forward.
3. Rooster ordinance on hold for now
Fresno County supervisors put the brakes on a new law that would cap the number of roosters allowed on county properties, GV Wire reported this week.
The supervisors cited a need for ordinance language that would allow space for farmers and cultural traditions while also limiting noise and cracking down on animal cruelty, like cockfighting.
The ordinance has been opposed by many in Fresno’s large Hmong community, with the Fresno Center telling KSEE that the law would restrict many traditional practices.
As Fresnoland reported earlier this year, the proposal would have allowed residents to apply for up to 24 total roosters, a number that many say is simply too low.
The supervisors agreed to form an ad hoc committee to work out the details of the more inclusive ordinance language and return at a future meeting for a vote.
Today’s newsletter was edited by Julianna Morano
