When it comes to the state legislature, November’s elections contained only a handful of surprises, but one of the few occurred right here in the San Joaquin Valley: Sanger City Councilmember Melissa Hurtado will be the next State Senator to govern District 14, which encompasses parts of Fresno, Tulare, Kings …
Read More »With Measure H Approval, A New Era Begins For Tulare Regional Medical Center
About a month ago, in mid-October, Tulare Regional Medical Center was in the middle of a makeover. In less than a week, it was due to reopen, after closing abruptly a year earlier due to mismanagement. New pavement was still drying and workers in forklifts were painting the whole building …
Read More »Californians Have Passed Nine Water Bonds In A Row, So Why Not Proposition 3?
This year’s ballot included a lot of bonds, but one of the most expensive ones had to do with water. Proposition 3 would have authorized nearly $ 9 billion for water projects. Early ballot counts showed it passing in Fresno County, but failing across the rest of the state. Sacramento …
Read More »Frazier Park Author Gives Voice To Family Of Those Caught Up In Substance Use Disorders
We’ve become more familiar with stories and reports about how widespread the opioid crisis has become, but what about the loved ones of those caught in addiction — their family and friends? In her first book, Central Valley author Tina Hogan Grant writes about this from her own perspective. Her …
Read More »Over A Hundred Organizations And Community Leaders Endorsed It, So Why Didn’t Measure P Pass?
If Measure P had passed, it would have created a 3/8 cent sales tax to fund parks and trail maintenance, and arts programming over the next thirty years. The “Yes on P” campaign was advocating for safe, clean parks. But in one advertisement from a Measure P opposition group , …
Read More »“Peace Is The Real Objective Of Warfare” – Words From Fresno Veterans
In honor of Veterans Day, we went to the Veterans Home of California in Fresno to hear stories from residents. We spoke to three vets about their experiences in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Listen to the audio above hear an audio postcard from Fresno veterans Jim Appleton, Elsa …
Read More »Her Grandparents Worked With Cesar Chavez, Now She’s Running For Kingsburg City Council
You’ve heard a lot about who’s running for office this election day — and that includes a record number of millenials. In some districts, the California Voting Rights Act is making it easier for young people of color to be on the ballot. That’s the case in the small town …
Read More »“An Exploration Of How We Move Through Our Fears:” A Conversation With Makers Of “Free Solo”
In June of 2017, a young rock climber named Alex Honnold broke a world record in Yosemite National Park, becoming the first person ever to free solo the iconic granite wall towering over Yosemite Valley. He climbed all 3,200 feet of El Capitan without a partner and without any ropes …
Read More »Fresno Has The State’s Largest Hmong Population. This Group Is Making Sure Their Voices Are Heard
To get the “I Voted” sticker, you have to understand how the voting process works. And for some refugees in the Valley, it can seem really complicated. Take the Hmong community: Many of the elders fought for the U.S. in the CIA’s secret war in Laos. When they resettled in …
Read More »Donald Munro Celebrates A Year Of Independent Arts Reporting On “The Munro Review”
Donald Munro is kind of a legend among arts lovers in Fresno. For 16 years, he covered theater, visual art, dance, classical music and more for the Fresno Bee. Now, he’s keeping his arts reporting alive with a member-supported website called The Munro Review . It’s kind of like public …
Read More »Work And College: Students Take On Both, But Research Says That’s Putting Them Behind
College has become more expensive over the years, but students have managed by taking out loans or working in addition to their studies. Recent reporting from Larry Gordon at Edsource, an online media outlet that focuses on education in California, says that working too many hours can make it even …
Read More »Latino USA Reports That Warehouse Jobs Are Expanding, But Are They Solid Middle-Class Jobs Yet?
There’s an industry here in the Central Valley that’s not particularly new, but has grown significantly in recent years, especially with an Amazon fulfillment center on it’s way to Fresno. That industry is in warehouses, where employees fulfill online orders. Latino USA reporter Sophia Paliza-Carre got a firsthand look at …
Read More »Some Rural Fresno County Towns Have A Local Newspaper, But They’re Still News Deserts
In small towns, news travels fast. But it’s usually based on word of mouth, not verifiable facts. More and more rural places in the San Joaquin Valley are becoming news deserts — even the local newspapers are mostly ads and press releases.We traveled to western Fresno County to find out …
Read More »