KVPR News Headlines

The City of Bakersfield

Gov. Gavin Newsom this week announced a “crime suppression partnership” to take down crime in Bakersfield.

Officers with the California Highway Patrol are partnering with personnel from the Bakersfield Police Department, and going after crimes related to vehicles, retail and traffic enforcement.

The region caught the state's attention because Kern County has higher rates of arrests related to those crimes than the state average.

The enforcement is already underway, and the state says officers will continue to patrol what they call “high crime” areas.

This follows a $6.2 million state grant to help the Bakersfield Police Department respond to organized retail and motor vehicle theft.

The state previously directed similar operations in Oakland and San Francisco.

University of Phoenix and its parent company Apollo Education Group Incorporated have settled with the state over aggressive recruitment practices.

Attorney General Rob Bonta says these tactics violated state competition and advertising laws when they targeted students in the military from 2012 through 2015.

The university must pay $4.5 million in penalties. Part of the settlement will be distributed to organizations that provide interest-free loans and financial counseling to military families.

University of Phoenix has campuses in Fresno and Bakersfield.

The founder of local TV station KMPH FOX 26 has died.

Harry Pappas was 78. The station announced his death Thursday.

Pappas founded Pappas Telecasting in 1971 in Visalia, according to the TV station.

He’s behind the vision for the station’s flagship morning program “Great Day.”

Merced County school officials say an analysis by Newsweek over dropout rates doesn’t tell the whole story.

The analysis claimed the county had more than a quarter of dropouts, one of the highest in the state.

Officials told KVPR Friday, the Merced Union High School District saw a 2% dropout rate last school year.

Newsweek used Census data that showed adults 25 and over without a high school diploma to make its claim.

Officials say numbers from the Census may be higher due to the frequency of immigrant or seasonal workers.

Kern County

Kern County Supervisor Zack Scrivner is at the center of a law enforcement investigation, Sheriff Donny Youngblood announced Thursday.

Youngblood said deputies were tipped off on Tuesday night that Scrivner may have been suicidal and in possession of a gun. When they arrived at his Tehachapi house, they found he had been stabbed, allegedly by one of his four children.

Youngblood says investigators are also looking into allegations of sexual assault involving Scrivner. Deputies seized 30 firearms from the home as well as electronic devices.

Scrivner was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Kern Medical. His current whereabouts were not released.

Local News

Kern County supervisor stabbed by own child, under investigation for alleged sexual assault

Joshua Yeager

A taxpayer advocacy group is accusing the City of Fresno of misappropriating funds to a waste disposal company.

According to local news outlets, the Central Valley Tax Protection Group is accusing Caglia Environmental of overcharging the city by $3 million for its garbage pickup services.

The group further alleges city officials raised utility rates to cover the costs. The group has asked the county’s district attorney Lisa Smittcamp to investigate.

Starting on Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is requiring cattle moving between state lines to first test negative for avian influenza, or bird flu.

That’s because the virus, which has resulted in deaths of more than 90 million U.S. birds, has been shown to also infect livestock.

Although California has one of the country’s highest caseloads in birds, it is not one of the eight states where the virus has been detected in livestock.

Growers are disappointed in updated water allocations to the Central Valley Project from the federal government.

Earlier this week, the Bureau of Reclamation bumped its allocations to water contractors in our region from 35 to 40% of their annual supply.

That is despite contractors in Northern California receiving 100% of their supply.

Rep. David Valadao, the Westlands Water District and the San Luis-Delta Mendota Water Authority all called the allocation disappointing.

An analysis by Newsweek found some of the state’s lowest high school graduation rates can be found in the San Joaquin Valley — specifically, Merced and Madera counties.

The news outlet crunched its numbers from U.S. Census data on adults 25 and over with and without a high school diploma.

According to previous reporting by KVPR, the Merced County Office of Education most recently reported higher high school graduation rates than the state average.

Lance Cheung

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USDA via Flickr

A report released this week shows almond acreage in California dropped last year for the first time in nearly three decades — and some growers actually hoped the drop would be bigger.

According to the Almond Board of California, the state’s total almond acreage fell by 600 acres. It’s a drop in the bucket compared to the 1.3 million acres in production.

Margaux Hein is a Kern County farm manager. She said this number came as a surprise.

"I honestly think industry wide everyone was hoping for more acres to be pulled out," she said.

That isn't because growers want others to fail, but because the value of the nuts has tanked. Prices are the lowest they’ve been in 20 years, meaning many growers can’t cover their operating costs.

"We are overplanted as an industry. We have oversupplied almonds. The only way that we can increase our revenue and increase our prices is with less acreage," Hein said.

Almonds have long been one of the state’s biggest cash crops. But shipping disruptions and other challenges have left hundreds of millions of pounds stockpiled from last year.

Bureau of Land Management

Last year, a supercharged water year meant the hills between Kern and San Luis Obispo counties were met with dramatic swatches of orange, blue and yellow.

While a so-called "superbloom" didn’t materialize this year, Valley residents can still get a taste of wildflower season — if you hurry.

Average rainfall has meant the hillsides aren’t quite as vibrant across Carizzo Plain National Monument this year.

Despite that, Gabe Garcia with the Bureau of Land Management says, "It’s still a fairly spectacular bloom."

Though, as temperatures rise, Garcia says the window is closing to see the goldfields, blazing stars and thistle sage that cause the landscape to explode with color.

"We expect that to continue over the next week here, and pretty much be out of wildflower season in the next week or two," he says.

Meanwhile wildflower watchers can chase the remaining blooms northward to the Merced River Recreation Area.

Soreath Hok

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KVPR

A new report from the American Lung Association shows cities in the San Joaquin Valley remain at the very top when it comes to pollution.

Bakersfield, Visalia and the Fresno area ranked in the top five for the most ozone pollution and in the top three for particle pollution.

Levels of particle pollution (also known as soot) are often caused by wildfires, wood burning stoves or diesel engines. Bakersfield saw high pollution year round as well as in the short term.

Particle pollution is dangerous for people. It can result in asthma attacks, heart attacks or even lung cancer.

While some progress has been made to improve air quality, 4 in 10 people in the U.S. live in areas with a failing grade on pollution.

Ethnic studies classes at Fresno Unified are at risk of being cut despite a plan to make them a graduation requirement.

The Fresno Bee reports a staff position that would expand the program and provide mentorship for teachers could be slashed in June.

The cuts come as a result of the new agreement with the union to reduce class sizes and increase pay.

UC Merced students are joining nationwide protests in support of Gaza by writing letters to university officials.

Students at various U.S. colleges have been gathering at encampments to call for divestments from companies in support of Israel’s war on Gaza.

The strongest push has come from students at Columbia University. But other California universities have since joined.

A half mile section of Golden State Boulevard between Olive and Belmont avenues in Fresno is now permanently closed.

The closure is due to construction of the California High Speed Rail line.

An overpass will eventually carry traffic over the existing railroad and future High Speed Rail instead.

Drivers can use alternative routes going south and north that include Highway 99 or Marks Avenue.

Another road closure is scheduled in south Fresno in May.

GOOGLE MAPS

Congressman Jim Costa unveiled new legislation on Tuesday in Reedley, where authorities uncovered an illegal medical lab last year.

The bill is trying to close loopholes in the regulation of labs that handle infectious material, and would require those labs to keep records of all sales for at least five years.

It would also appoint a single federal official to inspect and oversee high-containment labs that deal with dangerous pathogens.

Costa’s proposal follows the arrest of Jia Bei Zhu. He’s accused of running an unauthorized lab in Reedley after first operating in Fresno.

Zhu was at the center of an investigation led by Costa and the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.

They allege Zhu, a Chinese citizen with a prior arrest warrant, had transported infectious diseases across borders, and conspired to steal intellectual property from western companies.

The Fresno Fire Department is offering $2,000 for any information leading to the arrest of an alleged serial arsonist targeting cemeteries.

While an Armenian cemetery has suffered the most damage from the fires, officials say there’s no evidence to suggest they’re hate crimes.

Since January, firefighters say 30 trees have been set ablaze with dumpsters and other structures also damaged.

Lois Henry

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SJV Water

In 2016, country icon and Oildale-native Merle Haggard recorded an update to his classic tune “Kern River.”

It was the last song he released before his death, and its lyrics lamented the river’s fate.

"Well, they used to have Kern River / Runnin’ deep and wide / Then somebody stole the water / Another politician lied..."

Now, local musicians from a variety of genres are giving their own spin to the folk song. It’s all to support the nonprofit Bring Back The Kern and their efforts to revive the river.

The group recently won a victory in court that requires water managers to set minimum flow levels for the Kern River.

The litigation is ongoing however and could take years to fully resolve.

The California Garlic Festival has found a new home in Los Banos.

The fest – formerly held in Gilroy – will take place at the Merced County Spring Fairgrounds this year. It starts August 30.

Central California farmers grow more than half of the nation’s garlic crop.

Visit Fresno County

Giddy up for the one hundred and tenth Clovis Rodeo! The family friendly event returns to Fresno County Wednesday.

The country’s top cowboys will compete in bull-riding events, while younger riders can have fun mutton bustin’. That’s where children race around the stadium riding sheep.

The rodeo runs through Sunday, and a parade through Old Town Clovis is scheduled for Saturday.

Live music will also be featured throughout the week.

No word yet on whether singer Beyoncé will attend the rodeo. The pop star recently earned an invitation after she gave Clovis cowboys a shout on her song “Just For Fun."

Friends of the Fresno Fair

Wednesday is Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.

Fresno State will commemorate the victims of the genocide that claimed the lives of one point five million Armenians during World War I.

Descendants and families of survivors will lay flowers at the Armenian Genocide Monument on campus.

Organizers say the event is to raise awareness and prevent future genocides from happening.

State water officials announced Tuesday farmers and agencies will get more water than originally expected from the State Water Project.

The allocation is now 40% of the requested amount — up from a forecasted 30% last month.

State officials credit the increase to late spring rain, which boosted the state’s snow pack.

Local agencies that rely on water from the State Water Project include Kings County and the Kern County Water Authority.

Water allocations are updated monthly with final determinations announced in May or June.

Larry Valenzuela

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CalMatters / CatchLight Local

Big plans are ahead for downtown revitalization in Fresno, as the city hopes to expand businesses, housing and parking, along with other major infrastructure investments.

The projects would be funded by a nearly $300 million grant from the state.

Some of the top priorities identified by officials lately include upgrading water and sewer systems, adding new parking facilities for residents and visitors, and cleaning up the downtown area.

That includes a new project that replaces all dumpsters downtown with trash compactors over the next two years.

The news website Fresnoland and the Urban Institute will hold a conversation about the future of downtown Fresno Tuesday.

It will take place at the Sun Stereo Warehouse building at 5:30 p.m.

Fresno is one of the best places to own an electric vehicle. That’s according to a study from the news website Business Insider.

The report gathered home-listings from Realtor.com to find the top housing markets for EV drivers.

It considered how many homes included charging stations along with the density of available public charging stations.

Fresno ranks 19th on the list, beating out Las Vegas. Also highly ranked were Los Angeles and San Francisco.

San Jose made the top spot.

California State Parks

For the first time in 10 years, California is getting a new state park — and it’s in the San Joaquin Valley.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday “Dos Rios State Park” will open near Modesto in June.

The park is a restored flood plain by the San Joaquin and Tuolumne Rivers.

Visitors will be able to hike in the area that spans nearly 1,600 acres. Additional activities like fishing and swimming in the rivers may be possible after a formal public input process is completed.

Crescencio Rodriguez-Delgado

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FACEBOOK

The death of a guinea pig in the city of Reedley is causing online shock, and may lead to charges for a juvenile.

Surveillance video posted to Facebook shows a young boy chasing a chicken around a front yard.

Moments later, the boy walks over to a cage where at least two guinea pigs are resting.

Then, one guinea pig is kicked – twice – and thrown across the yard.

Owners of the guinea pig told local news outlets their pet died. And on Friday police said they identified the boy in the video.

A local school district was contacted and the Fresno County District Attorney’s office is looking at appropriate charges in the case.

The Fresno City Council has approved Costco’s move to a new, massive location on West Herndon Avenue.

The decision came Thursday over objections from some residents about traffic the new store could bring.

Costco will pay millions to expand nearby roadways and install traffic signals.

The location is set to be the warehouse chain’s largest ever, spanning more than twenty acres.

New legislation aims to bring more accountability to the California State University system.

A pair of assembly bills would require applicants to disclose if they committed sexual misconduct.

Faculty terminated for sexual misconduct would also be barred from receiving positive recommendation letters.

Lawmakers say the initiatives are needed in the wake of multiple scandals affecting the nation’s largest public university system.

Former Fresno State President Joseph Castro resigned as CSU chancellor after an investigation revealed his failure to investigate complaints against an administrator.

Fresno Yosemite International Airport

Food trucks are a common sight across Fresno. Now some of them are getting to park just outside the Fresno Yosemite International Airport.

The airport has seen record passengers in the last year – and officials are even working on terminal expansions as well as more food options inside the airport.

The food truck program is temporary, and will feature well-known trucks that offer tacos and other local favorites.

You can find these trucks daily from 8 p.m. until the last flight.

And for travelers on the go, don’t worry: TSA-approved containers will be offered so you can munch on your favorite Fresno foods in the air.

Did you feel it? The U.S. Geological Survey reported a small earthquake hit Kern County Thursday morning.

The epicenter was near Lake Isabella, and registered at a 4.3 on the Richter scale. Small earthquakes like that are common and typically don’t produce much damage.

Joe Moore

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Valley Public Radio

Fresno County is one of the most challenging places for small business investment. That’s from a new report by the Urban Institute.

The news website Fresnoland reports the study surveyed 100 of the largest cities and counties in the country, and found the county and the city of Fresno ranked second and third from last in small business lending.

The findings aren’t a surprise to local experts, who see a lack of community banks in the southern part of the city and limited business coaching resources in diverse languages.

City of Wasco police officers officially reported for duty Thursday.

The Kern County city re-established its police department after four decades. It began staffing its police force and preparing for the return in 2022.

The city had previously contracted with the Kern County Sheriff’s Department for law enforcement services.

Tesla is reportedly building a “megacharger” in Kern County.

It’s for electric big-rigs and could be the first of nine such stations across California and Texas.

The Bakersfield Californian reports Tesla recently closed escrow on the property at the intersection of Stockdale Highway and Interstate 5.

The company already operates a charging station for its electric cars at the location.

The county has now approved permits for 90 new stalls capable of charging semi trucks.

Rachel Livinal

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KVPR

Local young people are being enlisted into community service work as part of a state program.

Just a short walk from UC Merced, college students recently slipped on gloves and took a paintbrush to the park’s benches and curbs at Yosemite Lake.

They were doing work as part of the California Service Corp. Sarahi Castaneda has been doing it for two years.

"When I was a little girl, I always dreamed about like bettering the communities that I came from," she said.

Castaneda loves it so much, she plans to continue this work after graduation. And the Service Corps hopes more young people sign up.

The state wants to get 10,000 new volunteers, and hopes to find 1,000 of them in the Valley.

The California Service Corps pays students $10,000 for about 450 hours of service.

Two programs are for young people or college students, while two others are for anyone interested.

Fresno County said Wednesday it’s allowing growers to use special pesticides on their crops, due to a bug infestation.

The County Agricultural Commissioner is allowing the use of neonicotinoid pesticides to combat what are known as beet leafhoppers.

The insect carries a virus that causes serious harm to tomato crops.

They target fresh market and processing tomatoes – which are both grown on the west side of the valley.

Tomatoes drive a significant share of the county’s crop revenue.

And California is the largest producer of processing tomatoes and the second largest producer of fresh tomatoes in the country.

A Kern County judge reduced the bail for a protester who was arrested last week over alleged threats.

Riddhi Patel faced a $1 million bail for 18 charges related to the incident that happened at the Bakersfield City Council meeting.

The Bakersfield Californian reports the judge in the case was willing to reduce bail in half. Though, the judge said the charges are serious.

An attorney for Patel told the newspaper a defense of Patel centers on free speech rights.

Fresno-based Realty Concepts has purchased Guarantee Real Estate – and is forming the largest real estate agency in the Fresno area.

Company officials said the merger means Realty Concepts will oversee nearly 700 realty agents. They will all work under the Realty Concepts brand.

The purchase brings Guarantee Real Estate back to local ownership.

The company is famously behind the “G” sign that stood over the downtown Fresno skyline. The sign was recently taken down for remodeling.

Crescencio Rodriguez-Delgado

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Cal EPA website

The California State Water Resources Control Board voted unanimously Tuesday to place the Tulare Lake Subbasin on probation over concerns with subsidence that come from excessive groundwater pumping.

It was a first-of-its-kind hearing, and the decision came after a nearly 10-hour meeting. Several growers and residents from the San Joaquin Valley attended the hearing in Sacramento.

Read the full story here.

Media personality Paris Hilton is supporting a bill that would require youth facilities to notify parents and state government when restraint or seclusion is used as discipline.

The bill is authored by State Senator Shannon Grove, who represents the San Joaquin Valley.

Hilton urged lawmakers to support the bill in a press conference Monday as she told of her own abuse at a facility in Utah as a teenager.

The Fresno Fire Department says in the past two months, they’ve had to respond to a number of arson fires.

All of them have been set near cemeteries along Belmont and Parkway avenues. That’s west of the Chaffee Zoo.

The most recent fire happened on Sunday afternoon. Now Fresno police are increasing patrols around the area.

Officials say the fires are dangerous and could impact nearby residents. Anyone who sees suspicious activity is encouraged to call 911.

City of Bakersfield

A protester who allegedly threatened to murder Bakersfield council members is due back in court Tuesday morning.

Riddhi Patel pleaded not guilty to more than a dozen felony charges on Friday.

The charges stem over comments Patel made at last week’s council meeting.

A Kern County judge set bail at $1 million and ordered Patel to stay 500 yards away from council members.

Patel and other demonstrators had criticized new security measures at Bakersfield city buildings while calling on city leaders to approve a Gaza ceasefire resolution.

A Kern County landowner hopes to put his desert property to work — storing nuclear waste.

His idea for a spent fuel storage site would be located near the tiny community of Randsburg, in the western Mojave Desert.

A website promoting the project says it could create hundreds of jobs.

It also points to the site’s remote location and lack of a groundwater table as benefits.

But residents of the small town told local news outlets they don’t want nuclear waste in their backyard. No formal proposal has been submitted to planners.

California Department of Water Resources

In an unprecedented move, the State Water Resources Control Board could place San Joaquin Valley growers on probation for groundwater over-pumping.

The board will hold a probationary hearing for growers in the Tulare Lake Basin Tuesday morning.

If the basin is put on probation, growers and other big pumpers would have to pay a fee per acre-foot of water they use, among other restrictions.

The state could take authority over all pumping in the region if groundwater agencies can’t agree on a plan to voluntarily rein in their use of the dwindling resource.

The California State Board of Trustees will be visiting Cal State Bakersfield next week in search of a new president for the campus.

The search comes after the legacy president Lynette Zelezny retired in December.

The board will hold a forum for community members to voice their thoughts and learn about the search process.

The chosen candidate will be announced at a Board of Trustees meeting in September.

Fresno will soon get its own, official, themed version of the board game Monopoly.

And Top Trumps, the division of Hasbro that makes the classic game, has asked for the public’s input on which local landmarks to include on the board.

You can send suggestions to fresno@toptrumps.com.

The game should be ready for purchase by November.

An internal poll from Assemblymember Vince Fong’s campaign shows the candidate remains the frontrunner in the 20th District Congressional race.

The poll shows Fong leading Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux by 16 points. Meanwhile, 24% of likely voters are still undecided.

This is for the special election next month to fill the remainder of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s term.

A separate election for the next Congressional term will happen in November.

Esther Quintanilla

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KVPR

Most Californians would likely agree that healthcare costs are soaring.

But a new survey suggests the financial burden of healthcare is disproportionately high in the Central Valley.

Among residents in Mariposa, Madera, Fresno, Kings and Tulare counties, three-quarters report they’re worried about affording healthcare.

Nearly half report having medical debt.

Those rates are significantly higher here than statewide, according to a new health policy survey by the California Health Care Foundation.

What’s more, the majority of respondents report skipping or delaying care because of the cost, and nearly half of those say that decision harmed their health.

The survey also found challenges in accessing care.

In particular, a quarter of Valley residents said they’ve lost a local hospital in the last year.

The City of Bakersfield has granted $50,000 to the Downtown Business Association to beef up security across the district.

The association says it will use the money to add foot and car patrols from a private security agency.

It says additional security measures are needed to address a spate of burglaries and vandalism targeting downtown businesses.

The money comes from leftover pandemic funding under the American Rescue Plan Act.

A long-running charity drive supporting Bakersfield’s homeless residents says it has collected more than 100,000 pairs of shoes.

The non-profit Open Door Network, which runs the city’s only emergency shelter, is hosting the 32nd-annual “Shoes For Our Homeless Shoe Drive.”

Donations of gently used shoes and clothing are being accepted at Guarantee Shoe Center on Chester Avenue through April 29th.

City of Bakersfield

A protester who allegedly threatened to murder members of the Bakersfield City Council faces 18 felony charges.

Riddhi Patel, who uses them/them pronouns, was arraigned Friday afternoon on charges that stem from a comment they made during Wednesday’s city council meeting.

Several residents, including Patel, had attended the meeting to criticize new security policies at city buildings.

Tensions at city hall have been high in recent months with protesters also calling for the Bakersfield council to approve a ceasefire resolution in Gaza.

Five other protesters were arrested during a March council meeting.

Oil and gas producers will have to pay more to drill on federal lands under a new rule finalized Friday by the Biden administration.

The new mandate raises royalty rates for oil and gas companies to nearly 17 percent. For the last century, companies paid 12.5 percent of royalties to drill on federal lands.

As part of the rule, companies will also have to satisfy stronger requirements to clean up old or abandoned wells. The Interior Department expects the change to cost oil and gas companies an estimated $1.8 billion. The new federal drilling rate will remain in place until 2032.

Soreath Hok

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KVPR

A hearing scheduled for next week as part of the reopening process for Madera Community Hospital is likely to be busy.

At a hearing Thursday, the judge had the option to dismiss an objection raised by a community group, but he declined to do so.

That means the next hearing, which was slated to revolve around the finances of reopening, will also involve discussing community concerns.

The hearing is scheduled for next Tuesday morning.

A new survey by the Public Policy Institute of California shows most Central Valley adults believe their public school system is headed in the wrong direction.

Statewide, disapproval in public education was highest in the Central Valley and the Inland Empire.

About 53 percent of people surveyed said they were dissatisfied.

Most Valley residents reported students fell behind academically during the pandemic. More than half also said they would support a school construction bond.

The results come amid a tumultuous search for a new Fresno Unified superintendent.

Kern County has also replaced four of its educational leaders in less than a year.

A woman convicted of killing a Fresno teenager in a hit and run crash has been sentenced to five years in prison, according to the Fresno Bee.

Lisa Spoors was convicted of hitting and killing 15 year old Rashad Al-Hakim outside of Hoover High in 2022 while intoxicated, and driving away before returning for a police interview.

Spoors reportedly faced up to 15 years in prison before accepting a plea deal.

A Valley lawmaker’s vision for a new medical school in Kern County is advancing.

Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains’ proposal for a “UC KERN” medical school cleared the assembly’s higher education committee.

The proposal aims to address health care shortages across the San Joaquin Valley by training doctors locally.

The bill must clear several more legislative hurdles before it could become a law, and funding is likely to be a challenge.

UC Merced was the last UC school built in the Valley 17 years ago.

City of Bakersfield

A public speaker was taken into custody Wednesday night after allegedly threatening council members.

It came as the Bakersfield City Council voted unanimously to beef up security across most public buildings with metal detectors, bag-checks and other policies.

Those measures were met with some resistance.

"The only thing I’ve seen change during these past few meetings is you don't like the criticism you're getting from the community, and you want to find ways to get them to not come back," Lance Mac, a resident, told the council.

City leaders say the move will bring Bakersfield in line with California’s ten other largest cities.

The vote took place at a tense moment for the council, as pro-Palestinian demonstrators have regularly pushed the city to approve a Gaza ceasefire resolution.

Last month, five demonstrators were arrested following a confrontation with police in the chambers.

The Environmental Protection Agency unveiled the first nationwide limit on forever chemicals in drinking water on Wednesday known as PFAS.

An analysis from CalMatters shows Fresno, Visalia and Bakersfield have PFAS in excess of the new federal standard.

The chemicals don’t break down and have been linked to illnesses, including cancer.

Water agencies will need to test for the chemicals and have five years to comply with new limits.

Some water district officials told CalMatters this could increase costs for customers as agencies figure out how to pay for testing and treating water.

Esther Quintanilla

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KVPR

The Fresno County Republican Party has endorsed two candidates for the same seat on the Fresno City Council.

Roger Bonakdar and Nick Richardson are both running to represent District 6 in north Fresno.

During the March primary, neither candidate garnered enough votes to secure the seat, and they’re both heading toward a runoff in November.

Whoever wins would replace outgoing councilmember Garry Bredefeld, who is running for a seat on the county Board of Supervisors.

Pro-Palestinian activists are demonstrated in downtown Fresno this Wednesday.

For months, advocates have been pushing local politicians to support a ceasefire in Gaza.

This time — they were calling on U.S. Senator Alex Padilla to join their efforts.

Although Padilla urged the Biden Administration to send aid to the Gaza Strip in October, activists say they demand a stronger position from him.

The protest comes days after congressman Jim Costa joined calls for a ceasefire.

J. Scott Applewhite

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AP

More than six months have passed since Bakersfield Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy lost the speaker’s gavel in Congress.

Now, he says one colleague – Florida Representative Matt Gaetz – plotted his removal, and made a strong accusation.

"I'll give you the truth why I'm not speaker. It's because one person, a member of Congress, wanted me to stop an ethics complaint because he slept with a 17 year old," McCarthy said during an interview on Tuesday at Georgetown University.

Gaetz responded shortly after by calling McCarthy a liar. The Department of Justice has previously declined to charge Gaetz for similar accusations.

Gaetz was one of eight Republicans who joined Democrats on the vote to remove McCarthy. McCarthy resigned from the House in December.

Two Republicans will face off to fill the vacant 20th District seat next month.

A Nigerian business leader — Abimbola Ogunbanjo — died in a helicopter crash in the Mojave Desert earlier this year, and his family is now suing the flight company.

Family members say the helicopter had no business being in the air on Feb. 9. A winter storm should have kept the chopper grounded.

That’s the claim in a new lawsuit against charter company Orbic Air LLC. The company could not be reached for comment by the Associated Press.

The National Transportation Safety Board says it’s still investigating the crash in remote San Bernardino County. It killed six people, including Ogunbanjo, who formerly chaired the Nigerian stock exchange.

The group was headed from Palm Springs to Las Vegas to see the Super Bowl.

Joshua Yeager

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KVPR

Assemblymember Vince Fong can remain on the ballot in the race for a congressional seat formerly held by Kevin McCarthy.

An appeals court unanimously ruled in the candidate’s favor on Tuesday.

The California Secretary of State had argued Fong was ineligible to run for Congress because he’d already filed for reelection to his seat in the state assembly.

Fong cruised to first place in both primary contests for the congressional seat last month.

A new bill introduced Tuesday could expand access to clean drinking water.

The legislation, co-authored by Congressman David Valadao, amends the Safe Drinking Water Act.

It aims to provide federal grants for reducing nitrate and arsenic contamination in small, rural communities.

Both pollutants have been long-standing concerns for many communities in the San Joaquin Valley.

Fresno State has a new men’s basketball coach following the resignation of Justin Hutson in March.

The news outlet GV Wire reports Vance Wahlberg took the position over the weekend.

Wahlberg spent much of his career coaching basketball at Clovis West High School. He has also coached at Fresno City College.

Fresno State is still searching for an athletic director after Terry Tumey also left the university.

A renewable energy company has pulled the plug on a large project near McFarland, following a discrepancy in the plans.

San Joaquin Renewables sought to convert almond orchard waste into renewable natural gas to power big rigs and other vehicles. It would have been the company’s flagship biofuel plant, according to a 2021 press release.

But regulators noticed discrepancies in the company's application on whether or not it would store carbon dioxide deep underground.

McFarland residents voiced concerns that climate benefits were overstated and local air pollution could be worsened.

Meanwhile, other projects to capture carbon dioxide are moving along.

The EPA is processing permits for a number of sites across Kern County.

Soreath Hok

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KVPR

Madera Community Hospital has cleared yet another hurdle in its path to reopening, as the state approved a $57 million, interest-free loan.

The funds come from the state’s Distressed Hospital Loan program.

The loan was first announced last summer, but the hospital needed a concrete reopening plan in order to officially qualify.

It’s the latest step to get the facility back open later this year, under new owners.

Elected leaders and the prospective owner, American Advanced Management, praised the loan announcement.

Next week, a judge is set to review the hospital’s restructuring plan. He is also likely to hear arguments against it.

Hospitals in Visalia, Ridgecrest and Mariposa also received Distressed Hospital Loans.

Congressman Jim Costa is joining calls for a ceasefire in the Middle East.

In a press release Friday, Costa called for a “immediate ceasefire, the return of all hostages, and accountability for the Hamas militant group.”

The congressman in recent months has been criticized for reportedly not taking meetings with pro-Palestinian adovates.

Costa is the second representative from the Central Valley to call for a stop to the Israel-Hamas War, after Stockton Congressman Josh Harder.

Congressman Jim Costa

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FACEBOOK

It’s been a year since flood waters devastated neighborhoods in two small Tulare County communities, but residents in the cities of Woodlake and Lindsay are suing.

More than 100 plaintiffs are taking legal action against a host of agencies, including the City of Woodlake, Tulare County and its Flood Control District, and the state of California.

The complaint alleges the agencies failed to maintain infrastructure that would have mitigated the flood disasters.

The lawsuit seeks relief for property damages and lost wages for impacted residents.

The firm leading the case also previously filed a similar lawsuit on behalf of more than a thousand residents in Planada in Merced County and Pajaro in the Bay area.

See KVPR's coverage of last year's floods.

Dozens of BMX riders – including a former Olympian – spoke out at a Visalia City Council meeting this week after the city demolished an unofficial BMX park.

Visalia officials said removing the park was necessary to shield the city from liability in case of any injuries.

BMX riders said they were caught off guard by the demolition.

"Where in town is there a place for BMX riders?" asked Brooke Crain, who rode for the US Olympics team in 2012 and 2016, where she placed fourth.

"I hope this city understands the importance of all of us standing here today trying to find a place we fit in at," Crain added.

She asked the city to work with BMX riders to build an official bike park.

Correction: This story has been updated with a correct spelling of Brooke Crain's name.

Rachel Livinal

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KVPR

Fresno State unveiled mobile health units Friday morning that will provide free health care services and screenings to underserved Fresno communities.

College officials say the units will be run by the university’s nursing students and include all the latest technology.

The units were made possible by $4 million from state and local funds.

On Monday, the total solar eclipse will cross North America. While the San Joaquin Valley is not in its direct path, a partial eclipse will still be visible.

If you plan to see the phenomenon, just make sure you have the right eyewear before you look up.

"You need to wear special eclipse glasses that block out the light from the sun. Even if one percent of the light from the sun is still reaching us on earth, it's too much, it will damage our eyes," UC Merced Astrophysics Professor Anna Nierenberg said.

Regular sunglasses do not provide protection. If you’re planning to get some solar eclipse glasses, make sure they are "ISO" certified. That designation means they are correctly formulated to protect your eyes.

Those glasses are still available for purchase online. The total solar eclipse will start about 10 am local time? Monday. Peak viewing time is expected to be around 11:15 am.

Local News

What Valley residents can expect during the total solar eclipse

Elizabeth Arakelian

Listen • 4:06

The Biden Administration is investing in installing solar panels over irrigation canals, including one in Merced County.

An announcement made Thursday said $15 million will go toward installing floating solar panels along the Delta-Mendota Canal, which runs along the outskirts of Merced County.

The project will test if the technology is a viable source for renewable energy and land savings. It may also reduce evaporation loss and algae growth.

It will be managed by UC Merced, the San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authority and the Bureau of Reclamation.

Another $4 million from the Inflation Reduction Act will go toward canal solar panels in Oregon and Utah.

KVPR

A draft permit for a hazardous waste landfill near Kettleman City is open for review and acknowledges long-standing health concerns.

The permit by the Department of Toxic Substances Control lays out conditions for how the landfill should operate for the next 10 years.

Some conditions include better environmental monitoring and stricter requirements for the material it can accept, in order to protect workers and surrounding communities.

The landfill on the western edge of the San Joaquin Valley accepts some of the state’s most toxic waste, including carcinogenic compounds that are banned from most other facilities.

Kettleman City is one of the state’s most polluted regions, and residents have long sought relief from water and air pollution. They still don’t know what caused a string of birth defects first detected in 2007.

Public comments will be accepted until early July. Community meetings will be held on May 9th and 15th.

The Merced fire chief is leaving, adding to high turnover for the city.

Derek Parker has led the Merced Fire Department since 2021. Last fall, Merced welcomed a new police chief, city attorney and city manager – all in the matter of weeks.

City officials said they will conduct a search for a replacement. No word yet on the timeline.

California State Assembly

A Sacramento appeals court began hearing oral arguments on Thursday over Assemblymember Vince Fong’s eligibility to run for Congress.

The Bakersfield representative has repeatedly placed first in the race to fill Kevin McCarthy’s 20th District seat.

A Sacramento judge previously ruled in Fong’s favor while expressing concerns that voters could be disenfranchised if Fong won both contests. It would leave his Assembly district without a representative.

The appeals court is expected to decide the case by April 12th, the legal deadline to certify the election.

FUSD

The Fresno Unified Board of Trustees voted Wednesday to restart its search for a new superintendent.

The decision came quickly before a packed meeting room, and followed multiple statements from trustees calling on the search to be expanded from within the district to nationwide.

Dozens of community members took to the podium to ask for more transparency during the board’s process.

Current superintendent Bob Nelson is leaving the district in July. Fresno Unified is the state’s third-largest school district.

The North Kern South Tulare Hospital District received a scathing review by the Kern County Grand Jury on Tuesday.

The jury reportedly found alleged instances of excessive spending, conflicts of interest, and open meeting law violations within the district.

The hospital district has yet to formally respond to the report. But its CEO tells local media the findings contained “factual inaccuracies.”

The district operates a nursing home and clinic in Delano.

State education officials are recognizing schools with excellent services for students of military families.

Only one San Joaquin Valley school made the top list: Richmond Elementary in Kern County earned the purple star designation.

Students from military families tend to move a lot and can face more social and educational barriers, according to the state.

Purple heart schools are honored for having transitional support services for these students.

Richmond Elementary is just minutes from the Naval Air Weapons Station in China Lake.

Larry Valenzuela

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CalMatters

Fresno State and Fresno City College are making improvements to their student transfer program.

Officials say they want to strengthen a partnership that makes Fresno City College a “feeder” school for Fresno State.

Officials also say the improvements will hopefully increase transfer rates among Black, Latino and LGBTQ students.

An investigation revealed Fresno State basketball coach Justin Hutson was not discriminated against despite his claims.

The Fresno Bee reported Hutson claimed his race played a factor in financial resources and support provided to him and the team.

Both Hutson and the athletic director, Terry Tumey, are Black.

Tumey reportedly said the claims were “reprehensible."

The Bee also reported Hutson was meant to be fired last year, but the investigation delayed his termination. 

FRED GREAVES

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CDWR

California’s snowpack is almost perfectly average this year. It’s an increasingly rare outcome in a state known for its weather whiplash.

Governor Gavin Newsom and the state’s Department of Water Resources completed the measurement Tuesday near South Lake Tahoe.

The measurement – called a snow survey – is used to make important water forecasts as the weather warms up and that snow begins to melt.

Last year’s snowpack nearly broke records, flooding towns and causing the resurgence of Tulare Lake.

National Park Service

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AP

The probability of significant wildfires in central California is forecast to be below average until at least July. That’s according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

Why? The last three months have been wetter than usual, and shrubs that may eventually dry out and become wildfire fuel are still full of moisture.

Plus, all of California is currently drought-free.

However, El Nino is predicted to transition into La Nina by late summer, which could make the region drier and hotter than usual.

The agency will release its next forecast on May 1st.

Federal water officials have boosted allocations to some San Joaquin Valley water users.

The Bureau of Reclamation announced cities and districts who get their water from Millerton Lake will get 95% of their annual allocation. That’s up from 65% announced last month.

The CEO of the Friant Water Authority praised the decision, saying this will help reduce the loss of water as snow melts and flows into Millerton Lake.

A new superintendent could soon be decided for Fresno Unified — the state’s third-largest school district.

District trustees plan to interview candidates when they meet on Wednesday, and could make a decision that night.

Current superintendent Bob Nelson is leaving the district in July for a teaching position at Fresno State.

Some news reports say Deputy Superintendent Misty Her appears to be a favorite for the job.

The meeting is open to the public, and starts at 5 p.m.

Valley Children’s Healthcare hospital has told local media it has hired security detail for its CEO.

The move comes more than a week after news reports highlighted a $5.1 million salary paid to Todd Suntrapak in 2021.

The hospital says the high salary is the result of a one-time accounting adjustment.

It’s unclear what caused the security detail to be placed at Sundrapak’s home.

Two Fresno city council members have led the charge in criticizing high salaries at Valley Children’s.

Esther Quintanilla

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KVPR

There's a new 10-acre park in southwest Fresno. City officials broke ground on it Monday morning.

"What's going to happen on this park are families that come and socialize, that recreate, that bring their children here who are able to build memories," said Mayor Jerry Dyer at a press conference.

The park is located at what will be the new West Creek Village Development.

Dyer says it’ll be filled with lots of greenery, walking paths and a playground inspired by the Sierra Nevada mountains.

"It's a place that is going to send a message to the West Fresno community that they're forgotten no more," he said.

The park is one of the city’s latest projects to develop the west Fresno area. The first phase of the park project is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

FUSD

Students at a dozen Fresno Unified schools will learn how to grow, cook and sell their own food as part of a new initiative by the White House.

The district will work with the Fresno Metro Ministry in a White House challenge to end hunger and build healthy communities.

The Fresno Metro Ministry will lead classes in cooking and gardening at Fresno schools.

Nationwide, the White House selected 141 stakeholders to take part in its challenge.

The saying April showers bring May flowers is ringing true in Central California so far. But we have to get through the wet first.

Sunny days ahead will turn to rain and snow by the end of the week. Temperatures in the 80’s will drop to about 20 degrees on Thursday.

Forecasters in Hanford predict an unseasonably cold storm system will be moving in.

Snow in the Foothills is forecast to drop as low as 2,500 feet.

There’s also a strong chance of winds up to 65 miles an hour in eastern Kern County on Thursday and Friday.

State water officials will conduct their monthly snow survey Tuesday at Phillips Station near Lake Tahoe.

Officials measure the water content in the snow to help predict future water supply.

April’s survey is considered the most important as it is typically the peak of seasonal snowpack.

But, there is still a chance for more snow.

Forecasters with the National Weather Service say an unseasonably cold storm is moving in later this week.

That will bring upwards of a foot of snow to the Sierra Nevada, from Lake Tahoe down to Sequoia National Forest in Tulare County.

FILE

Beyonce’s newest album “Cowboy Carter” dropped Friday night.

True to its name, the pop superstar says the album is heavily influenced by country music. Its cover features a red, white and blue-clad Beyonce riding a horse and holding an American flag.

No big surprise, then, that one San Joaquin Valley city gets a shoutout on the album.

"From the cowboys in Clovis, and the rodeo circus, I came here for a reason but I don't know the purpose. It’s all under the surface...," Beyonce sings.

Clovis High School graduate Ryan Beatty wrote the song called “Just for Fun” and two others on the album.

He confirmed the lyrics are an homage to his Fresno County hometown in an Instagram post.

Esther Quintanilla

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KVPR

Dozens gathered Thursday night at a downtown Madera park for a small candlelight vigil to remember seven farmworkers killed in a crash last month.

Flowers, fruit and sweet bread joined portraits of the men on a small altar. Rich aromas of incense, sage and palo santo filled the air.

But for Giovanni Ruiz, who was a longtime friend of Roberto Flores, one of the men who died, feelings of sadness and disbelief are still present in his mind.

In Spanish, he told KVPR he has a candle lit up at home just like those at the vigil. But he still can’t believe his friend is gone.

Kerman resident Martha Alvarado helped raise more than $10,000 for the families by selling tamales.

She said she’ll never get tired of saying the men were like angels on earth, planting seeds of love within the community.

The men were laid to rest in their hometowns in Mexico earlier this month, much of the costs paid through fundraisers.

Local News

Why a Central Valley funeral home helps farmworkers return to their native country after death

Esther Quintanilla

Listen • 4:07

Local News

Kerman farmworkers killed in crash are returned to Mexico as friends, family grieve

Esther Quintanilla

Listen • 1:18

Local News

‘I hope God receives them well.’ 7 Central Valley farmworkers remembered as hardworking, cheerful

Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado

Barnes and Noble will be closing its Merced location in May.

City officials told the Merced Sun Star the store has often been seen as a pillar in the community.

The store has been around for 20 years, and almost closed in 2013 before a deal was reached with the landlord for a reduced lease.

City officials say the store manager is looking to find another location for the store in Merced.

A road closure will cause delays along Generals Highway into Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

Park officials say repairs are needed where winter storms last year caused significant damage.

The construction will last about a month starting in April, but traffic delays are expected to last less than half an hour.

Damian Dovarganes

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AP

Wildflower season is arriving over the next several weeks and state parks officials are reminding visitors to enjoy the views responsibly.

Visitors should stay on marked trails, and avoid picking wildflowers. If you’re bringing your dog, be sure to keep it on a leash.

There’s been enough rain this year to bring some good blooms in areas like the Carrizo Plain National Monument.

If you’re planning to head out this weekend, be mindful there is rain in the forecast for much of Central California, so check weather conditions before you go and plan for roads to be slick.

Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado

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KVPR

The artist of the original Fresno State bulldog logo officially became a college graduate.

Joseph Guadalupe Garcia was handed an honorary certificate in the arts this week.

Garcia attended the university in the 50s, but cut his education short to serve in the military and support his family.

Garcia worked for the university newspaper and later created the iconic bulldog logo.

Garcia is the father of a KVPR employee.

A former Delano police chief was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of contacting a minor for sex.

According to local officials, Mark Derosia was booked into a Kern County jail on suspicion of posing as a teen online.

According to news reports, Derosia was abruptly fired as Delano police chief in 2017, but the details of his removal were not announced to the public.

Following financial revelations regarding Valley Children’s Hospital, two Fresno City Councilmembers are requesting a state investigation.

Councilmembers Miguel Arias and Garry Bredefeld co-signed a letter to Attorney General Rob Bonta expressing their “deep concern and dismay” over some elements of the hospital’s finances.

Tax forms released last week show hospital executives took home tens of millions of dollars in 2020 and 2021.

They also appear to show considerable offshore investments as well as a forgivable loan issued to the CEO to help him purchase a home.

The hospital responded on Wednesday to say that salaries it reported in 2021 were higher than normal due to a one-time accounting adjustment.

On a local radio program earlier this week, Bredefeld said trust had been broken between the hospital and its donors.

City of Bakersfield

A Bakersfield City Council meeting turned chaotic Wednesday night when pro-palestinian demonstrators were forcibly removed and arrested.

Mayor Karen Goh ordered police to clear the chambers as demonstrators chanted “free Palestine.”

"We do not allow that, outbursts from the audience are disruptive … officers please clear the chambers," Goh shouted.

That’s when police say some of the demonstrators became combative and allegedly assaulted officers. A glass door was also reportedly shattered during the incident.

For weeks, demonstrators have pushed Bakersfield city leaders to pass a ceasefire resolution, often resulting in a clearing out of the chambers.

On Wednesday night, city leaders in the small city of Kerman – in Fresno County – approved a ceasefire resolution.

Mark Schiefelbein/AP

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AP

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) will hold a fundraiser in Fresno on April 4, as part of his fundraising effort to boost the number of Republicans in the House through his Grow The Majority committee.

Three Valley Republicans are running to keep seats in GOP hands this year, including David Valadao. He’s locked into another election with Democrat Rudy Salas and it’s expected to be a close race.

At the fundraiser, Johnson will talk about his priorities for 2024. He’ll visit an area formerly represented by Kevin McCarthy – the former House Speaker and also one of the party’s best fundraisers.

Tickets range from $1,000 to $6,000.

Esther Quintanilla

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KVPR

The Kerman city council narrowly passed a Gaza ceasefire resolution on Wednesday night.

The community is the second city in the Valley, and the first in Fresno County, to call for a stop to the war in the Middle East — following the city of Madera.

Pro-Palestinian advocates in the region have been pushing elected officials to support ceasefire efforts since October.

Governor Gavin Newsom has also made calls for a ceasefire.

The vice chancellor for students affairs at University of California, Merced, is leaving for the Midwest.

Charles Nies has been named the chancellor of University of Minnesota in Duluth.

Nies has worked for the UC in various roles since 2006.

His wife, Emily Langdon, has also worked for the university for 14 years.

Nies will assume his new role in July.

The California State University Board of Trustees also appointed a new Stanislaus State president on Wednesday.

Britt Rios-Ellis will be coming from Oakland University where she serves as president of academic affairs.

Rios-Ellis is the university’s 13th president and will take interim president Susan Borrego’s position. She will start in July.

The state’s labor commissioner says a Fresno restaurant underpaid over two dozen employees, and ordered the company to pay $2 million dollars for the violations.

The settlement was reached with Lin’s Fusion, an Asian-inspired buffet restaurant.

The state says workers were regularly paid in cash and didn’t receive proper overtime or contract wages.

The violations affected at least 32 workers, many of whom are immigrants. Affected workers are eligible for claims.

Valley Children's Hospital

Valley Children’s Healthcare hospital responded Wednesday to outcry over compensation given to executives, and said news reports of a $5 million dollar CEO salary have been misleading.

In a press release, hospital officials claim that a change in accounting methods means that one tax statement actually included two years of bonuses for its CEO and other executives.

This comes after the hospital’s 2021 tax filings showed one of the highest CEO salaries of any children’s hospital in the country.

The revelations prompted calls for an audit from lawmakers and the public.

According to hospital officials, in 2021, the hospital changed the time of year when performance bonuses are paid.

That reportedly prompted CEO Todd Suntrapak’s 2021 salary to appear millions of dollars higher than it actually is.

The hospital said it is in a strong financial position and will continue providing “quality care.”

Kerry Klein

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KVPR

As Easter and Passover approach, egg prices are at near-historic highs in many parts of the world.

According to the Associated Press, prices around the globe are lower than they were at this time last year, but are still elevated.

One major culprit is avian influenza, or bird flu, which has killed more than 131 million poultry worldwide.

More than four million of those were in the San Joaquin Valley. Higher chicken feed costs due to weather and inflation are also to blame.

A prominent Bakersfield filmmaker died from an accidental fentanyl overdose.

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office says Nate Berg was found outside a downtown business in January.

Berg had just screened the second part of his Highway 58 series looking at the history of the Bakersfield Sound.

He had hoped to expand on it. His family says they’re combing through footage to see if they can complete the project posthumously.

Joe Moore

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Valley Public Radio

California saw the lowest job growth in the country in 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The agency found some of the highest rates of unemployment were in the Central Valley.

Fresno, Merced, and Tulare counties saw an unemployment rate of up to 8%.

The rate in Imperial County in Southern California was nearly double that the same year.

The analysis attributes the weak job growth to industry layoffs in tech, finance and insurance.

Federal water authorities recently announced San Joaquin Valley farmers will be receiving more water than originally planned.

But, the Westlands Water District — which covers parts of Fresno and Kings counties — says what they’re getting is not enough.

Their allocation was bumped up from 15 percent to 35 percent.

Westlands is the largest irrigation district in the country and heavily reliant on surface water from the feds.

Groundwater pumping has historically been a problem in its region.

Rain and snowfall levels around the state in March have totaled around 6 inches, which is more or less average.

That’s according to UC Davis’s California Water Blog.

So far this month, the San Joaquin Valley has received about 80% of its average precipitation.

However, a late-season storm in the coming week could shift those tallies.

Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp is defending high salaries at Valley Children’s Hospital, after tax returns made public last week showed executive pay is among the highest of any children’s hospital nationwide.

Smittcamp is a board member at Valley Children’s. On Friday, she responded to the revelations on the "Ray Appleton Show" on radio station KMJ.

She said employee compensation is determined by a different healthcare board than the one she serves on.

However, she added that if she did vote on salaries, she would have approved the $5.1 million dollars that hospital CEO Todd Suntrapak took home in 2021.

Her comments came after two Fresno City Council members criticized her and the board because of the high salaries, and called for an audit of hospital finances.

Joshua Yeager

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KVPR

Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux has clinched the No. 2 spot for a May 21st special election to fill Kevin McCarthy’s seat in Congress through January 2025.

While either Boudreaux or Assemblymember Vince Fong — both Republicans — will only serve a few months, the stakes are high for Republicans. They have a razor-thin margin in Congress during a volatile period.

Whoever wins the runoff will also enjoy an incumbency advantage inNovember.

Boudreaux and Fong are competing for a full term that runs through early 2027.

So far, the numbers are looking good for Fong. He was the top vote-getter in this month’s primary and special election by a wide margin.

Fresno State’s athletic director, Terry Tumey, is leaving after six years at the university.

The Fresno Bee reports his leave comes despite the extension of a contract that was to remain into next year.

University president Saul Jimenez-Sandoval said in a statement he appreciates Tumey’s service as he leaves to pursue other opportunities.

An interim athletic director has not been appointed.

Noah Berger

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AP

State Farm announced this week it will discontinue coverage for more than 70,000 homes and apartments in California starting this summer.

The insurance giant said it's been pulling back on insuring Californians partly because of rising costs and wildfire risks.

The state Department of Insurance says State Farm will have to answer questions about the decision, but it's not clear if there will be an investigation.

The company is the largest insurer in the state. This week’s announcement comes less than a year after the company said it would not issue any new home policies in the state.

The City of Fresno is looking at a possible $37 million deficit next fiscal year.

City officials say rising costs of labor, utility bills and pension plans are impacting the budget.

The Fresno Bee reports city officials say they are looking at a number of ways to turn that number around, but right now are not considering layoffs.

Noah Berger

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AP

The federal government has bumped up its water allocations to the San Joaquin Valley.

Farmers and cities in our region who rely on the Central Valley Project are now due to receive 65% of their water allocation, up from 60% announced last month.

The increase from the Bureau of Reclamation is due to higher water reserves following recent winter storms.

The Central Valley Project, which is different from the State Water Project, is the state’s largest source of irrigation water.

Fans of musicals, rejoice: Broadway in Fresno has announced its lineup for the upcoming season.

The four shows coming to the William Saroyan Theatre are Come From Away, Annie, Six, and TINA – the Tina Turner Musical.

The season begins in November and ends in May 2025.

The U.S. Department of Labor announced Wednesday it fined dozens of contractors hired to repair earthquake damages at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.

The agency says the contractors underpaid more than 400 workers on the Ridgecrest project by $1.5 millon

Damages at the facility totaled nearly four billion in the aftermath of two huge earthquakes that rocked the Kern County desert in 2019.

Merced College is introducing virtual reality to the classroom.

Later this year the college plans to offer biology courses using the technology. Its through a partnership with virtual reality company Dreamscape.

The courses will feature cinematic experiences in place of traditional coursework.

College officials say students will use the tech to investigate and solve scientific problems.

California Office of Spill Prevention and Response

The California Department of Conservation has reached a $5.6 million settlement with oil giant Chevron.

It’s for a Kern County oil spill that spread more than a million gallons of crude near the community of McKittrick in 2019.

Regulators say it’s the largest penalty assessed in the department’s history.

The money will be used to help finance the state’s well-plugging operations.

Chevron also agreed to pay $7 million to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for more than 70 oil spills documented between 2018 and 2023.

Former Congressman TJ Cox has received a plea deal related to financial crimes he was charged with two years ago.

The federal court document released this week reveals few details of the potential deal, other than that Cox has until May 22nd to accept or reject it.

In 2022, federal attorneys indicted Cox on 28 counts of wire fraud, money laundering and campaign contribution fraud.

Cox served in Congress from 2019 to 2021, when he was ousted by challenger David Valadao.

California State Assemblymember Vince Fong will head to a runoff election to decide who will fill Kevin McCarthy’s vacant House seat until January.

But the second place spot in this special election is still undetermined.

Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux is currently edging out Democrat Marisa Wood by three percentage points.

Alex Tavlian, Boudreaux’s campaign manager, argues the sheriff’s law enforcement experience would serve constituents in Washington, DC.

"This is a guy who has 38 years of actual experience getting his hands dirty keeping the Valley safe … I think right now voters are recognizing if you want to solve public safety problems, it’s best to go with the guy who has public safety experience," he said.

If Boudreaux clinches the No. 2 spot, he and Fong will face off in May’s runoff and the November General Election.

Fresno State has established a new honor society for first generation students.

The society is named Tri-Alpha and will provide support to students who are the first in their families to attend college.

Almost two-thirds of students at the university fall under that category.

Stanislaus State also has a Tri-Alpha chapter.

A memorial service will be held for the seven farmworkers killed in a crash last month.

The Pan Valley Institute will hold a candlelight vigil to honor the lives of the immigrant workers.

The event will be held March 28 at the Madera Courthouse Park at 6 p.m.

All men have been repatriated to Mexico.

Local News

Kerman farmworkers killed in crash are returned to Mexico as friends, family grieve

Esther Quintanilla

Listen • 1:18

Two Fresno city councilmembers are calling on the state to audit Valley Children’s Hospital for “excessive pay” of its CEO.

The calls for audit come after news reports highlighted the hospital’s tax filings that show the CEO was paid more than $5 million in 2021. In addition, the CEO received a $5 million loan for a home in the Bay Area, according to news reports

At a press conference Wednesday, Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias said the findings were concerning.

"Valley Children's has benefited from having an amazing level of public trust. And that public trust has been violated," Arias said.

State Assemblymember Jim Patterson said Tuesday any audit by the state only would focus on “programs and funding the hospital receives from the state.”

Polling sites were sleepy Tuesday as voters decided who should replace Kevin McCarthy in a special election.

Bakersfield resident Sharon Haynes said she had a lot of research to do with nine candidates vying for the job of District 20 representative.

I wasn’t real familiar with any of them … I did look them up and see who they were and stuff. So yeah, I think I made the best choice," she said.

For Haynes, the choice was Assemblyman Vince Fong. He has the former House Speaker’s endorsement.

His challengers include Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux and Democrat Marisa Wood.

If no candidate gets more than half of the vote today, a runoff election happens this may. The winner will fill the remainder of McCarthy’s term through the end of this year. Polls close at 8pm.

The Mexican Consulate in Fresno is extending its hours and improving appointment access to elderly and disabled people.

The changes follow nearly a month of protest by Fresno residents over appointments and customer service issues.

A representative of the Mexican government visited this week to announce the changes, which are being made at consulates across the U.S.

The Mexican consulate in Fresno is the only office for Mexican citizens between the Bay Area and Los Angeles, and provides services such as issuing Mexican ID’s and passports.

Larry Valenzuela

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CatchLight Local / CalMatters

More than 13,000 construction jobs have been created as work on California’s High Speed Rail continues.

The Rail Authority celebrated the milestone on Tuesday.

The authority reports more than 70 percent of those jobs have gone to Valley residents.

That breaks down to more than 4,000 jobs in Fresno County, 2500 in Kern County and 1200 in Tulare County.

There are currently more than 25 active construction sites in the Valley for the high speed rail project.

The California Lottery has revealed the name of a Kern County man who won a Powerball drawing last October.

Theodorus Struyck of Frazier Park reportedly represents a group of winners of roughly $1.8 billion dollars.

According to the Associated Press, local TV news outlet KGET found no one home at Struyck’s house after his name was released, though a neighbor described him as an adoring grandfather.

Growers are scaling back the amount of tomatoes they’ll be planting this year.

Tomato growers are planting 10% fewer acres, facing a drop in demand and also a significant amount of carryover from last season.

California is the country’s leading producer of processing tomatoes.

And according to the California Farm Bureau, last winter’s rains led to a bumper crop that yielded nearly 13 million tons of canned tomatoes.

Larry Valenzuela

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CalMatters / CatchLight Local

The Fresno region is one of the fastest-growing areas of the state.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports U.S. census figures show more people lived in the area last year compared to the previous year.

Population growth generally was about 0.4%. Meanwhile the state’s own population fell by about 0.2%.

Fresno is among only three metropolitan areas with one million residents or more that saw growth between 2022 and 2023. The other two are Riverside and Sacramento.

An 8-year-old boy and a 6-year-old girl died in a house fire in Kingsburg on Sunday.

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office says the mother of the children tried to rescue them.

They say she tried to ram her vehicle into the house to create an opening, but those efforts were unsuccessful.

A case of the measles was confirmed in Merced County.

The county’s public health department said on Friday it is working with those who were exposed.

Measles is spread easily when an infected person talks, coughs, or sneezes. Health experts say the best defense against the disease is through vaccination.

Cases of measles have been reported in at least 17 states this year.

Rachel Livinal

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KVPR

Allegations made against the Fresno State basketball coach that he and his staff engaged in abusive and demeaning behavior were found to be unsubstantiated by a law firm.

The Fresno Bee reports the investigation into the claims began last February.

While the claims were unfounded, The Bee reports coach James Hutson and the university did part ways after last Thursday’s loss to Utah State.

It was a season-ending loss in the quarterfinal round of the Mountain West Conference Tournament.

Voter turnout in the March 5th primary was generally low across the San Joaquin Valley.

According to an analysis from the news outlet The Merced FOCUS, Merced County saw one of the lowest turnouts, at just under 29 percent.

Madera County saw one of the highest at 37 percent.

On average, 33 percent of voters across the state turned out for the most recent election.

Read the full story from The Merced FOCUS here.

The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office announced it has taken down a massive drug trafficking operation that had been bringing in meth from Mexico.

Authorities say an investigation that started in October resulted in 85 arrests and the seizure of meth, cocaine, fentanyl pills and guns.

Sheriff’s officials said just on Thursday they arrested individuals in Tulare and Kings counties allegedly involved in the trafficking.

The alleged traffickers reportedly have ties to the Sinaloa Mexican Drug Cartel.

Former candidates in the race for Fresno City Council District 6 are consolidating behind one of two who will advance to a runoff election in November.

Marine reservist Nick Richardson is going up against attorney Roger Bonakdar.

On Thursday, Richardson announced he secured the endorsement of his former fellow candidates: Molly Fagundes-Johnston and Raj Sodhi-Layne.

All were on the ballot in the primary, but only Richardson and Bonakdar will face off in November.

Candidate Forum: Fresno County Board of Supervisors District 2 and City Council District 6

California City appointed a new acting city manager and council member this week. It’s the 7th manager the city has hired in a little over a year.

Extreme turnover is one problem Kern County Grand Jurors identified in a recent scathing report on the desert city. Other issues include a lack of transparency from the council and big delays passing a budget.

The newly appointed city leaders said they are committed to addressing concerns outlined in the report.

Lance Johnson

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Creative Commons via Flickr

UC Merced is becoming more competitive.

The university reports that nearly 33,000 first-year and transfer students applied this year for fall admission, which represents an increase of 12% over last year’s total applications.

The greatest increase came from out-of-state and international students. The school also received the highest ratio of low-income and first-generation applicants of any in the University of California system.

Graduate student applications also increased.

Students who wish to enroll have until May 15^th to submit their statements of intent to register.

Joshua Yeager

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KVPR

In California, much of the last decade has been marked by protracted drought and rising temperatures. Not only has that meant less water available to farms, it’s also increased the amount of water that crops need.

This so-called “invisible water surcharge” has driven up crop water demand by 4% in the last decade compared to the 30 previous years, according to a study by a team of UC Merced engineers that was published this week in the peer-reviewed scientific journal PLOS Water.

The authors calculated an annual increased water use of roughly 582 thousand acre-feet of water—slightly larger than the capacity of Millerton Lake.

This uptick in water demand will likely be important as the state grapples with balancing its groundwater use into the future, the authors contend.

Leaders of The Source LGBT+ Center were recognized this week with a James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award. The competitive grant delivers $350,000 dollars to the nonprofit that serves residents and youth across the central San Joaquin Valley. More than 400 applicants competed for the award.

Co-founder Brian Poth says the funding will help close gaps in services that disproportionately hit rural LGBTQ+ residents.

“It used to take up to four months to see a provider in our area if you were newly diagnosed with HIV,” he said. “Now, with The Source, we can get someone in in one to two days.”

The center is the largest of its kind between Los Angeles and Sacramento, and served some 24,000 people last year. An open house celebrating the announcement takes place at 5 p.m. today at The Source’s downtown Visalia campus.

Flights at Fresno Yosemite International Airport were delayed Thursday morning after police responded to a report of a suspicious device.

Airport staff discovered the item at 5 a.m. in the front terminal area, and soon after travelers and staff in the ticket and baggage areas were evacuated as a precaution.

The Fresno Police Department Bomb Squad was called in to examine the item, and resolved the call.

By 6:30 a.m., the terminal and ticketing area was reopened, and the first flights out of the airport were released on time.

Six other flights were delayed.

Joshua Yeager

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KVPR

Two Republicans will face off on the November ballot to replace Kevin McCarthy.

Assemblymember Vince Fong and Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux took the top two spots out of a field of nearly a dozen candidates.

The AP called the race on Wednesday.

Boudreaux edged out Democrat Marisa Wood to advance to the General Election.

The three-term sheriff trails far behind Fong, who overcame a legal challenge to lead the race by 16 points.

All three candidates will get a rematch of sorts next week, when voters return to polls for a special election.

That’s to fill the remainder of McCarthy’s term.

Rudy Salas overcame fears of a Democratic lockout to clinch a spot on the November ballot for District 22.

The Associated Press made the call on Wednesday.

It will be a rematch between Salas and Republican incumbent David Valadao.

Valadao beat the former assembly member by three percentage points in 2022 and leads the primary.

The race is considered to be among the nation’s most competitive, and the winner could determine which party controls the House next year.

Central Valley Journalism Collaborative

Six Merced County school districts have been victims of cyber criminals in the last three years.

That’s according to a new investigation by nonprofit news outlet The Merced FOCUS.

The outlet reports in some cases cyber criminals threatened to leak compromised data to the public unless a ransom was paid.

School administrators say the attacks cost the district a combined $1 million.

Read the full investigation by the Merced FOCUS here.

Local News

Cyber criminals infiltrated Merced County schools, costing districts thousands of dollars. Here’s how officials responded

Victor A. Patton, The Merced FOCUS

A prominent Fresno sculptor has died at 98.

The Fresno Art Museum says Chris Sorenson was loved by many and ran Sorenson’s Art Studio in downtown Fresno.

Local officials say he was inspirational and helped many local artists start their career.

If you’re seeking to visit a hospital in the Community Health Systems network, you may need to check before you go.

Hospitals like Community Regional Medical Center are facing a high volume of visitors.

This is affecting capacity at emergency departments.

The hospital system released a guide to help patients determine whether to visit the emergency room, go to urgent care or talk to a primary care physician first.

Community Health Systems

Community Health Systems

A Hanford man accused of filing fraudulent sleep studies to Medicare will serve 19 months in prison.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District says the 45-year-old man was found guilty of identity theft, as well as submitting thousands of fraudulent sleep study claims to Medicare totaling nearly $1 million.

The sleep studies that were sent to Medicare were not actually performed on patients, but the D-O-J says they falsely included referrals from physicians.

Republican Assemblyman Vince Fong will move on to the general election this November.

On Monday, the Associated Press declared Fong the top vote-getter in the March 5 primary for U.S. House District 20. The seat was formerly held by Kevin McCarthy.

California’s top two primary system means the runner up candidate will also proceed to the November election.

As of Tuesday morning, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux is in second place, but it’s still too close to call.

If Boudreaux does get the runner up slot, two Republicans will go head-to-head in November.

Bakersfield College’s new president officially started the job on Monday.

Jerry Fliger comes to the Bakersfield campus from Texas City, Texas.

He helped another community college there begin offering bachelor degrees and boosted workforce development programs.

In the San Joaquin Valley, he’ll lead the Kern County institution and its Delano campus, which together serve more than 30,000 students.

He’ll also oversee the launch of a new Arvin campus, expected to open later this year.

Esther Quintanilla

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KVPR

Hundreds gathered in downtown Kerman Sunday night to honor the seven farmworkers who were killed in a crash last month.

In a candlelight vigil, residents also helped raise funds for their families. The mayor of Kerman said it was a “beautiful moment for the community.”

According to organizers of the event, nearly half of the men have been repatriated to Mexico for funerals.

Jobs cuts could be coming to Fresno Unified.

The Fresno Bee reports the district is preparing to potentially cut up to 100 positions as it looks to save on costs.

The school district trustees voted on a resolution last week that ensures it can meet a March 15 state-mandated deadline to notify employees if there will – indeed – be layoffs.

For now, the district says it has until June to negotiate its budget.

The city of Kerman will consider a Gaza ceasefire resolution next Wednesday.

If passed, the largely agricultural community would be the second city in the San Joaquin Valley to call for a stop to the war in the Middle East — following the city of Madera.

Pro-Palestinian advocates in the region have been pushing elected officials to support ceasefire efforts since October.

Local News

Why a largely Latino, farmworking community in the middle of California is calling for a Gaza ceasefire

Esther Quintanilla

Listen • 1:04

Fresno City College instructors have created another petition to remove an instructor from his academic senate president position.

The professor has faced backlash since news outlet Ed Source reported he was investigated for alleged sexual violence in 2015.

The petition cited the professor’s involuntary administrative leave as reason for his removal.