Juanita Stevenson

On this week’s Valley Edition we discuss the future of animal control across California's Central Valley. Host Juanita Stevenson takes the listener into Fresno County where the city and county no longer work together when it comes to Animal Control since the SPCA six months back announced it would no longer provide services to either agency.   

It’s a Saturday morning and they are serving up pancakes at the Central California SPCA in Fresno.

It’s a fundraiser to help support one of the organizations new programs called “Snip N’ Chip.” It’s a low cost spay and neuter service for low-income pet owners.  Central California SPCA Executive Director Linda Van Kirk is happy with the turnout.

“Well, look at the crowd out there. It’s going absolutely fantastic. We are expecting a crowd of 500 to 600 this year versus the 300 we had last year, so we are ecstatic,” says Van Kirk.

This week on Valley Edition we take a hike into the foothills of Fresno County. Valley Public Radio’s Ezra Romero takes the listener on a journey through the McKenzie Table Mountain Preserve run by the Sierra Foothill Conservancy. Jeannette Tuitele – Lewis, executive director of the Sierra Foothill Conservancy, joins host Juanita Stevenson in a discussion surrounding the Valley locale, its ties to the community and future dates for preserve exploration.

This week on Valley Edition we look into an airplane disaster that took place in the hills near Coalinga 65 years ago. The accident grabbed national headlines and even inspired a song by Woody Guthrie titled 'Deportee.' Valley Public Radio reporter Rebecca Plevin explores the tragedy with the help of local author Tim Z. Hernandez and his quest to ensure that those who died in the crash are not forgotten. Hernandez, along with the Fresno Diocese and Holy Cross Cemetery are working together to erect a memorial headstone with the full names of all 28 passengers. 

This week on Valley Edition: The Affordable Care Act is expected to expand health insurance coverage to millions of Californians. But with those newly insured patients will come a dire need for more primary doctors. FM 89.3’s Rebecca Plevin reports on a new type of medical residency program that’s intended to train primary doctors who will remain in the Central Valley and work in local community health centers.

On this week’s Valley Edition, host Juanita Stevenson takes a look into whether a tax to pay for public safety is right for the City of Fresno. Stevenson begins with a report from the South Valley discussing the City of Visalia’s decision to implement a public safety tax and whether Fresno should follow suit.

Joining a conversation about a possible public safety tax and the state of Fresno’s finances are Fresno City Manager Mark Scott and Fresno Bee Editorial Page Editor Bill McEwen.  

This week on Valley Edition we venture into the topic of the future of downtown Fresno. Valley Edition host Juanita Stevenson explores the differing opinions on how Fresno should invest time, effort and funds into downtown, whether the Fulton Mall should be renovated and the vibe that could be cultivated in the region of the city. Joining Stevenson are Director of Downtown Community Revitalization for the City of Fresno Craig Scharton, Chair of the Downtown Fresno Coalition Kate McKnight and Fresno Brewing Company owner Ephiram Bosse.

This week on Valley Edition, Rebecca Plevin reports on the California Air Resources Board's approval of a plan intended to bring the Valley's particulate pollution into compliance with federal standards. But residents and health advocates expressed concern that the plan doesn't act quickly enough to protect public health.