Valley News

<div class="StoryBlock"> Fresno Unified Superintendent Michael Hanson was one of a few superintendents invited to meet with the Commander in Chief Monday. The meeting was put on by Council of the Great City Schools, a public-school advocacy group.</div>

<div class="StoryBlock"> National Safe Place week kicked off Monday and in honor of it, the Fresno Housing Authority dedicated its Parc Grove Commons complex as a new safe place for troubled teens.&nbsp; The Fresno Safe Place program is getting national recognition.<br /><br /> There are 1,500 Safe Place communities across …

<div class="StoryBlock"> Today two people walked away with no injuries after their medical helicopter made an emergency landing.<br /><br />It happened at Avenue Four and Road 256 in Kings County. Officials say a warning light came on inside the SkyLife chopper and the pilot made the landing, as a precaution. …

<div class="StoryBlock"> We’ll check out the youth sports program organizers say, is growing each year. It’s made possible through the City of Fresno and is teaching more than 100 kids how to play basketball.<br /><br /></div>

<div class="StoryBlock"> Scout Island offers Fresno County students a variety of hands-on learning opportunities, all in an outdoor setting.<br /><br /></div>

<div class="StoryBlock"> Merced Police made a huge drug bust at a home near a middle school Saturday. <br /><br />Police arrested 29-year-old Lindsey Manzanedo for possession of meth, heroin, marijuana and mushrooms. They served a search warrant after receiving complaints about possible drug activity at the home near Weaver Middle …

<div class="StoryBlock"> More than 400 people were busted after a statewide effort to prevent underage drinking. <br /><br />About 100 agencies participated, including police from Fresno, Madera, Tulare and Selma. The &quot;shoulder tap&quot; operation uses an underage volunteer decoy. The decoys ask adults to buy alcohol for them. <br /><br …

<div class="StoryBlock"> A suspect is in custody, accused of robbing two victims at gunpoint. <br /><br />Fresno police say the victims were sitting in a car near Fisher and Thomas Sunday morning when two armed suspects came up, pointed a gun at the victims and demanded their valuables. <br /><br …

<div class="StoryBlock"> Officials are on the hunt for an escaped inmate this afternoon.<br /><br />Officials say 21-year-old Sebastian Gonzales walked away from his job, as a utility worker around 5:15 this morning. It’s a job he’s held since early February. <br /><br />Gonzales was serving time at the Fresno County …

<div class="StoryBlock"> Last night Jose Espinoza fled from a stolen car. Madera Police Officers arrested Jose later in the evening after he fled a second time. This time Jose spray painted his face black in an effort to camouflage himself. The camouflage was ineffective.<br /></div>

<div class="StoryBlock"> Meteorologists say higher-than-normal daily averages have been a trend throughout 2014 and into 2015. They say the high averages could have a negative impact on the already low snowpack.</div>

<div class="StoryBlock"> <p>Visalia police are investigating an Exeter teacher for the alleged sexual assault of a student. Police arrested 36-year-old Matthew Varpness&nbsp;Friday. Varpness is a teacher at Exeter High and Wilson Middle School.&nbsp;</p><p>Visalia police are handling the investigation because they allege Varpness sexually assaulted a student in his Visalia home …

<div class="StoryBlock"> Investigators at the Visalia Police Department say the drug bust and arrest a few blocks from Visalia Charter Independent Study Friday morning was the direct result of a tip from a student at the school. <br /><br />22 year-old Christopher McGowen has worked at Visalia Charter Independent Study …