😎Good morning! It’s Wednesday, Sept. 17. This is Rob. Happy Constitution and Citizenship Day!
🤷♀️Weird? More hot weather (upper 90s) today and tomorrow but rain is also apparently on its way.
🏡The City of Fresno is hosting a Mortgage Assistance Program Workshop to walk you through program features, eligibility and how you can support families in accessing safe, stable and affordable housing. The event is set for 4:30 p.m. today (Wednesday, Sept. 17) at the Ted C. Will Community Center, 770 N. San Pablo Ave. More info
👮♀️The Fresno Police Department will conduct a traffic safety operation from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, “targeting driver behaviors that endanger people walking or biking.” GV Wire
1. No applications
Clovis golf star Bryson DeChambeau wants to expand the size of his hometown by 30%, but Fresnoland’s Gregory Weaver reports this morning that DeChambeau has yet to file a single permit application for the ‘mega-project’ with local authorities.
In January, DeChambeau announced that he had “massive amounts of land” for a sprawling golf-centered community in Clovis, but local officials confirmed Tuesday that no documentation has been submitted for the housing portion of the project.
“The speculative mega-project could face substantial regulatory hurdles that could delay it for years,” Greg writes. “If the site is outside Clovis’ sphere of influence, it would require approval from the Local Agency Formation Commission for a boundary change before the city could annex the land – a process that typically takes years in California.”
Clovis spokesperson Chad McCollum: “Currently, there are no applications, and as a result, no timeline to share.”
2. Garnet Fire now 85% contained
As of Tuesday, the Garnet Fire was burning through 59,844 acres in the Sierra National Forest, and was listed at 85% contained, KMPH reports.
Around 2,250 firefighters remained on the line Tuesday, battling the blaze. About 108 people have been forced from their homes since flames sparked Aug. 24, with nearly a dozen injuries reported and around 300 structures remaining under threat.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday afternoon downgraded several evacuation orders as firefighters turned the corner on containing the fire.
Sheriff’s Office: “Despite relaxed restrictions, the public should be aware of continued firefighting activities taking place. Smoldering materials remain an issue along with other hazards. Reduce your vehicle speed and be courteous to equipment moving back and forth.”
3. A ‘polite’ scam?
The Fresno Bee this week took a deeper look at the recent fraud conviction of the former general manager of Dog House Grill, a popular local bar and restaurant near Fresno State.
Matthew Billingsley, 39, pleaded guilty last month to a single count of wire fraud in connection with what the U.S. Attorney’s Office described as a $30 million scam.
Over a roughly five-year stretch beginning in the summer of 2018, federal prosecutors say Billingsley used bogus financial records and phony promises of quick-return investments to bilk investors out of millions.
The former manager of the Dog House Grill is scheduled for sentencing next month in U.S. District Court.
Lawyer Tim Thompson: “Frankly, (Billingsley) was civil, polite and straightforward. At one point he said he felt bad that he couldn’t get those guys paid back. In my business you don’t always hear that.”
