Responding to the announcement that the state DOJ was investigating Saturday's killing of a suspect by Fresno police, Chief Paco Balderrama said Monday evening that two guns 'were found in or near the decedent's vehicle, and freshly spent casings were found inside his car.' 'I am confident that DOJ's thorough investigation will reveal all specific actions leading up to the shooting. Additionally, there is body-worn video which is being reviewed by DOJ, and cannot be released at this time.' — Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama Balderrama's comments came in a statement to GV Wire.

https://gvwire.com/2023/03/07/two-guns-found-in-or-near-dead-suspects-vehicle-balderrama/

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For far too long, our Valley has struggled with disparities in health and access to healthcare, employment, wealth, basic technology, and education. We have experienced rising racial tensions while simultaneously aligned with rising racial consciousness.  These challenges have been exacerbated by the impact of the pandemic and political divisiveness.  And all these challenges stand a greater chance at resolution with an educated citizenry.  State Center Community College District (SCCCD) is central to that resolution.

https://gvwire.com/2023/04/02/local-community-colleges-reflect-legacy-of-educational-innovation/

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Gadflies – people obsessed with righting some perceived wrong and pester politicians and journalists to take up their causes – are a constant feature of politics. One of the state's more persistent gadflies these days is Thomas Carter, an accountant in Sherman Oaks who sends out almost daily barrages of emails about truancy in public schools, demanding that authorities recognize and address what he regards as a crisis. 'From what school will come the next ignored student to commit crimes, including a mass gun shooting, or be an ignored child abused at a school or in a home, or to become homeless, if a dropout?' is a typical heading on one of Carter's lengthy emails.

https://gvwire.com/2023/04/09/school-truancy-crisis-creating-dire-consequences-for-california/

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A 23-year-old used a rifle to kill four people — including a close friend of the governor — Monday at the Louisville bank where he was an employee, authorities said. The shooting, the 15th  mass killing in the country this year, comes just two weeks after a former student killed three children and three adults at a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, about 160 miles to the south. That state's governor and his wife  also had friends killed  in that shooting. Police in Louisville arrived as gunshots were still being fired inside Old National Bank and exchanged fire with the shooter, who died, Louisville Metro Police Department Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey said at a news conference.

https://gvwire.com/2023/04/10/bank-employee-kills-4-in-louisville-bank-shooting-police-say/

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Amid widespread concerns about public safety in San Francisco, Whole Foods closed its flagship downtown market on Monday with no word on when it might reopen. The closure follows the shocking murder of tech executive Bob Lee in downtown San Francisco last week. 'To ensure the safety of our Team Members, we have made the difficult decision to close the Trinity store for the time being,' a Whole Foods Market spokesperson said in a written statement to USA Today . 'All Team Members will be transferred to one of our nearby locations.

https://gvwire.com/2023/04/11/sf-flagship-whole-foods-market-closes-as-doom-loop-rolls-on/

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When  Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed  a  2023-24 budget  in January, he acknowledged that the revenue estimates made six months earlier were way too optimistic and that the state had evolved from a nearly $100 billion surplus to a $22.5 billion deficit. Never mind. Nine months into the current fiscal year, it's evident that revenue, principally from personal income taxes,  will fall well short  of that downward revision. The deficit could hit $30 billion as he and legislative leaders begin to focus on a final version for adoption in June.

https://gvwire.com/2023/04/16/will-newsom-tap-rainy-day-fund-to-backfill-growing-budget-deficit/

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WASHINGTON — The House passed a sweeping defense bill  Friday that provides an expected 5.2% pay raise for service members but strays from traditional military policy with Republicans add-ons blocking abortion coverage, diversity initiatives at the Pentagon and transgender care that deeply divided the chamber. 'Our national security should never be politicized for culture wars and partisan games.' — Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno) Democrats voted against the package, which had sailed out of the House Armed Services Committee on an almost unanimous vote weeks ago before being loaded with the GOP priorities during a heated late-night floor debate this week.

https://gvwire.com/2023/07/14/house-gop-passes-defense-bill-limiting-abortion-access-halting-diversity-efforts/

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Once this current blast of triple-digit temps accompanied by elevated humidity ends on Thursday or Friday, get ready for perfect summer weather in Fresno through the end of August. Forecasting the weather more than a couple of days ahead is always a roll of the dice. But The Channel forecast through Aug. 29  calls […] The post It's Hot and Sticky Now, but What's Ahead for Fresno ? first appeared on GV Wire - Explore. Explain. Expose .

https://gvwire.com/2023/08/15/its-hot-and-sticky-now-but-whats-ahead-for-fresno-weather/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=its-hot-and-sticky-now-but-whats-ahead-for-fresno-weather

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The ongoing legal battle over the estate of Senator Dianne Feinstein's late husband, Richard Blum, has put the spotlight on Feinstein's only daughter, Katherine. The former San Francisco Superior Court judge alleges that her stepfather's trustees were improperly appointed and are conspiring to increase the inheritance of her stepsisters at her expense. Katherine Feinstein, who […] The post Family Feud: Feinstein's Daughter Battles Stepsisters Over $1 Billion Inheritance first appeared on GV Wire - Explore.

https://gvwire.com/2023/08/31/family-feud-feinsteins-daughter-battles-stepsisters-over-1-billion-inheritance/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=family-feud-feinsteins-daughter-battles-stepsisters-over-1-billion-inheritance

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A bipartisan congressional group from Nevada and California asked the Biden administration Monday to fast-track federal funds for a private company to build a high-speed rail line between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area. All six of Nevada's elected federal lawmakers and four House members from California said in a letter to U.S. Secretary Pete Buttigieg that they're on board with a proposal from a private company, Brightline West, to spend more than $10 billion to lay tracks for trains that would whisk passengers generally along the traffic-clogged Interstate 15 corridor.

https://gvwire.com/2023/04/24/high-speed-train-from-vegas-to-california-gets-bipartisan-backing/

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The old Buena Vista Lake bed in Kern County will remain mostly dry and continue being farmed by the J.G. Boswell Company despite the coming, epic snow melt. But unlike in Kings County where Boswell has been  taking heat for continuing to farm parts of the old Tulare Lake bed while others have been flooded out, there likely won't be much controversy over Buena Vista. Lois Henry That's because back in 1964 the famed Miller & Lux company paid big money to keep a vast slice of Buena Vista Lake bed dry in perpetuity.

https://gvwire.com/2023/04/21/longtime-pact-keeps-j-g-boswell-land-dry-in-kern-countys-buena-vista-lake-bed/

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The nation's largest public four-year university is presently incapable of affording itself. Mikhail Zinshteyn CalMatters A 70-page report nearly a year in the making by leaders of the California State University details the massive gulf between the money the system currently generates from tuition and receives in state support and the actual costs of educating its nearly 500,000 students and employing 60,000 workers. All told, CSU's revenues account for only 86% of the system's overall costs — a gap of nearly $1.

https://gvwire.com/2023/05/26/new-report-csus-have-1-5-billion-funding-gap-tuition-hikes-suggested/

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With Memorial Day weekend coming up, Tulare County officials said Thursday that there won't be public access to Balch Park and the Mountain Home State Demonstration Forest. There are locked gates on Bear Creek and Balch Park roads due to unsafe conditions created by heavy snowfall and rain this winter and spring. 'The closure applies to motor vehicles as well as pedestrians, cyclists, and the public in general,' the county said in a news release. 'The closure will remain in effect for an undetermined period while crews assess damages and create a schedule for repairs.

https://gvwire.com/2023/05/26/bear-creek-and-balch-park-roads-in-tulare-county-closed-for-repairs/

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Investigators cordon off the homicide scene at Princeton and Valentine avenues on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Fresno County SO/File) Homicide detectives have arrested a suspect in the April 15 slaying of a Sunnyside High School student near the Fresno Cambodian Buddhist Temple. Tyvanh Sysaknoi is charged with voluntary manslaughter. (Fresno County SO) The Fresno County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of Tyvanh Sysaknoi, 20, of Fresno, on Wednesday morning in an apparent gang-related shooting.

https://gvwire.com/2023/05/16/gang-rival-arrested-in-shooting-death-of-sunnyside-high-student/

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CARSON CITY, Nev. — Republican Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo announced Wednesday a tentative agreement between his office, legislative leaders in the state and the Oakland Athletics for a stadium funding plan after weeks of negotiations over how much public assistance the state will contribute to a $1.5 billion ballpark in Las Vegas, according to a joint statement. The tentative agreement indicates a funding bill will be introduced in the Nevada Legislature in the coming days with less than two weeks until the legislative session's end.

https://gvwire.com/2023/05/24/as-ballpark-on-vegas-casino-site-gets-closer-with-tentative-funding-deal/

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A new lawsuit filed Wednesday seeks $33 million from Bitwise Industries for a failed business venture. This is the latest negative financial news for the Fresno-based tech/real estate company, which furloughed its staff of about 900 employees on Monday. Filed by Texas-based NICbyte LLC, the lawsuit alleges that Bitwise and several of its subsidies 'concealed from Plaintiff their intentional breaches of the joint venture agreement and self-dealing to the tune of tens of millions of dollars, in violation of their duties under the joint venture agreement, wherein — among others — Defendants encumbered the assets of the joint venture with unauthorized loans accruing to their personal benefit.

https://gvwire.com/2023/05/31/bitwise/

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The  Supreme Court  on Thursday issued a surprising  5-4 ruling  in favor of Black voters in a congressional redistricting case from Alabama, with two conservative justices joining liberals in rejecting a Republican-led effort to weaken a landmark voting rights law. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh aligned with the court's liberals in affirming a lower-court ruling that found a likely violation of the Voting Rights Act in  an Alabama congressional map with one majority Black seat out of seven congressional districts in a state where more than one in four residents is Black .

https://gvwire.com/2023/06/08/supreme-court-rules-in-favor-of-black-alabama-voters-in-unexpected-defense-of-voting-rights-act/

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposed judicial reforms have sparked widespread protests in Israel and raised concerns among Palestinians. The reforms, which aim to limit the powers of the Supreme Court, have been met with opposition from Israelis who fear the erosion of democracy and human rights. Palestinians, on the other hand, worry that a weakened Supreme Court could lead to an expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank and a potential annexation of the territory. The proposed overhaul has been described as a 'judicial coup' by Sawsan Zaher, a Palestinian human rights lawyer.

https://gvwire.com/2023/09/25/netanyahus-judicial-reforms-spark-protests-and-fears-of-west-bank-annexation/

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Local fast food operators say a new $20 an hour minimum wage could drastically affect business, including the closure of stores. 'Surely, lower performing stores will need to make a business decision as to the viability of continuing or not,' said Ali Nekumanesh, executive vice president of Del Delicious. However, a local labor leader says the fast food industry is painting a false narrative about the impacts of a higher minimum wage. 'I think it's pretty common for industry leaders to criticize efforts to bring people out of poverty in their particular industries as job killers,' said Dillon Savory, executive director of the Central Labor Council representing the Fresno region.

https://gvwire.com/2023/09/26/local-operators-say-californias-20-fast-food-minimum-wage-could-bring-restaurant-closures/

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The Fresno Grizzlies begin their 25th anniversary baseball season with high expectations and are guaranteed to deliver a bang in their home opener. That's because there will be a fireworks show following the team's California League game on Tuesday, April 11, against the Stockton Ports. There's an accent on the new for the Grizzlies, whose roster includes some of the Colorado Rockies' top prospects. The old grass at Chukchansi Park and been ripped out and replaced with a new field. And, the Grizzlies will have new promotions, including Pajama Night, on Saturday, June 10.

https://gvwire.com/2023/04/03/new-players-promotions-and-field-await-grizzlies-fans/

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Israel has faced criticism for years from various entities, including accusations of apartheid policies and comparisons to Nazi Germany. Interestingly, according to Gideon Levy of The Haaretz news outlet, the bulk of this criticism comes from the liberal left, who usually focus on human rights and humanitarian concerns. However, the selective nature of this outrage raises questions about whether the suffering of Palestinians is the real concern. For example, Israel's actions against Iranian and Hezbollah forces in Syria do not receive the same scrutiny as its conflicts with Palestinian territories.

https://gvwire.com/2023/04/07/selective-outrage-do-they-care-about-palestinian-lives/

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While the Fresno City Council changed a 10-plus mile stretch of road in south Fresno to Cesar Chavez Boulevard, the county is saying no way. David Taub The city's 6-1 vote last month , includes parts of California Avenue, Ventura Street, and Kings Canyon Road. But, several stretches are controlled by Fresno County. Supervisors Steve Brandau and Brian Pacheco have an item on Tuesday's agenda opposing the name change. 'There was no consultation with affected residents; there was an overreach into County areas and west side portions of the city where residents oppose the name change.

https://gvwire.com/2023/04/10/two-fresno-supervisors-erect-a-roadblock-to-cesar-chavez-blvd/

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AUSTIN, Texas — Facing new pressure over gun violence in Texas after two more mass shootings, Republicans on Monday unexpectedly allowed a bill that would raise the purchase age for semiautomatic rifles from 18 to 21 to advance out of a House committee — even though the proposal has almost no chance of becoming law. The surprise move revealed faint momentum for gun control advocates  after a weekend mass shooting at an outdoor mall near Dallas , but at the same time underscored how Texas Republicans are so resistant to gun restrictions that even clearing a small legislative hurdle caused supporters to celebrate.

https://gvwire.com/2023/05/09/stalled-gun-bill-advances-in-texas-after-new-mass-shootings/

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State lawmakers plan to require that all students be tested for dyslexia and other reading challenges, but the hurdles ahead point to a bigger problem with how California's public schools teach reading. Joe Hong CalMatters Before teachers can screen their students, they themselves need to be trained both in how to use the screening tests and how to help the students who get identified as struggling readers. Many experts and educators say most public school teachers in California weren't adequately trained to teach students how to read.

https://gvwire.com/2023/05/22/why-the-science-of-reading-may-be-the-next-dyslexia-battleground/

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Gov. Gavin Newsom won't term out until 2026, but at least three Democrats already are eying gubernatorial runs. Last month, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis and former state Controller Betty Yee announced that each wants to become the first woman to lead the Golden State. And, it appears that state Attorney General Rob Bonta has designs on becoming the first Filipino American to serve as California governor. Bonta told The San Francisco Chronicle's Emily Hoeven on Friday that he is 'seriously considering' a bid for the seat.

https://gvwire.com/2023/05/22/would-you-vote-for-rob-bonta-as-governor-californians-may-get-their-chance/

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When Monita Porter moved from Atlanta to Fresno to help the  Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce  run a program investing in Black-owned businesses, many in the community worried there wouldn't be enough Black entrepreneurs and business owners in Fresno to participate. Nicole Foy CalMatters New to the Central Valley, Porter wanted to prioritize listening to community members. But she treated those particular concerns with a healthy dose of skepticism —  that paid off. More than 80 entrepreneurs and business owners applied to be in the program's first cohort – and the program has grown since.

https://gvwire.com/2023/05/23/can-fresno-bridge-its-economic-divide-a-look-at-drives-4-billion-effort/

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A federal appeals court dealt a legal setback to the Biden administration on guns Tuesday in a lawsuit challenging  tighter regulations on stabilizing braces , an accessory that has been used in several mass shootings in the U.S. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily blocked the Biden administration's rule from going into effect for the gun owners and groups who filed the lawsuit. The order came shortly before a deadline that would have required people to register stabilizing braces and pay a fee, or remove the braces from their weapons.

https://gvwire.com/2023/05/23/court-blocks-rules-on-gun-stabilizers-device-used-in-multiple-mass-shootings/

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Tina Turner, the unstoppable singer and stage performer who teamed with husband Ike Turner for a dynamic run of hit records and live shows in the 1960s and ‘70s and survived her horrifying marriage to triumph in middle age with the chart-topping 'What's Love Got to Do With It,' has died at 83. Turner died Tuesday, after a long illness in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland, according to her manager. She became a Swiss citizen a decade ago. Few stars traveled so far — she was born Anna Mae Bullock in a segregated Tennessee hospital and spent her latter years on a 260,000 square foot estate on Lake Zurich — and overcame so much.

https://gvwire.com/2023/05/24/tina-turner-unstoppable-superstar-whose-hits-included-whats-love-got-to-do-with-it-dead-at-83/

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Ahead of the Memorial Day weekend, lawmakers bulldozed their way through a bunch of bills. Which ones will become law? ( File) Just in time to go home for Memorial Day weekend, legislators bulldozed their way through a bunch of bills at the end of this week to beat the even bigger deluge next week, when there's a Friday deadline to pass remaining bills through the house where they were introduced. Lynn La Some of the bills that passed include: Concealed carry : When the U.

https://gvwire.com/2023/05/26/will-newsom-ceqa-reform-package-be-among-cas-next-new-laws/

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The city of Fresno's solid waste pickup services is not only out of money, leaders say, but they must soon comply with costly new state and federal environmental mandates. And, while a fee hike may not be proposed until late July, Operation Clean Up, the city's once-a-year bulky item pickup program, could be offered to people living in apartments. Fresno Department of Public Utilities Director Brock Buche told the city council on Thursday that the department needed $12.1 million more to finish the year in the positive.

https://gvwire.com/2023/06/09/fresno-public-utilities-puzzle-rate-hikes-old-pipes-new-state-federal-mandates/

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