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Good morning! It’s Monday, June 22. This is Rob.
The usual: Clear skies and a high of 95 today. NOAA
Insiders fighting: Fresno’s city manager fired back at Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria after the former city councilmember publicly slammed City Hall over its longstanding business dispute with Soria’s husband over Granite Park. YourCentralValley
Wild reading: The Fresno County Public Library is inviting residents of all ages to Go Wild for Reading this summer through its annual Summer at Your Library program, presented in partnership with the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. Instagram
1. JD Homes doesn’t want to pay the fines
JD Home Rentals has filed a string of lawsuits against the city of Fresno in an effort to have code enforcement citations voided by the court, The Fresno Bee reports.
JD’s related business entities have filed more than half a dozen lawsuits against the city this year in Fresno County Superior Court challenging fines issued against them in recent years for various alleged violations found mostly at their south Fresno properties.
The company argues that it shouldn’t have to pay the citations for a variety of reasons ranging from claims that inspections were conducted without consent along with claims that officers violated promises to give the corporate housing giant more time to pay.
Fresno City Attorney Andrew Janz told The Bee: “We’ve seen JD (Home Rentals) and their representatives go to great lengths to delay any proceedings that would allow tenants to receive some semblance of justice and safe living conditions.”
2. A Taste of Tradition in Fresno
Taste of Tradition is a year-long, monthly class open to local youth led by Kristy Xiong across two sessions, one for younger chefs from ages 8-11 and for older chefs from 12-18, CVJC reports.
When Xiong emigrated as a child from Thailand to the United States in the early 90s, she learned about her cultural roots through food.
Xiong and her father spent hours preparing meals, experimenting with foods and sharing stories.
Kristy Xiong: “My teacher was always my dad. When it comes to food, I like to be creative just like him.”
3. Horn BBQ under investigation — again
The Fresno City Attorney’s Office has launched an investigation into the shuttered Horn BBQ restaurant that recently closed, KMPH reports.
City Attorney Andrew Janz told the television station that state officials referred the case to his office recently and said the investigation was ongoing.
The California Department of Industrial Relations has had nearly a dozen claims filed against Horn Barbecue across its Oakland, Sacramento and Fresno locations.
Chef Matt Horn, the owner of Horn B-B-Q, grew up in Fresno before gaining national attention with his success in Oakland and the publication of his cookbook.
Today’s newsletter was edited by Fresnoland’s Omar S. Rashad.
