
Justin Sacher
On-air hostJustin Sacher is a fill-in on-air host for KVPR. Justin has been on Fresno's airwaves since 2008.
A journalist and meteorologist, you've probably watched him anchor the weather or seen his news stories on CBS47.
Prior to Fresno, Justin spent plenty of overnights tracking storms on live TV in the tornado alley cities of Des Moines, Iowa and Peoria, Illinois.
After graduating with a B.S. In journalism at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, his first on-air job was reporting news and anchoring weather at KECI-13 in Missoula, Montana. Justin remembers getting his Montana driver's license and seeing a moose near his car in the parking lot. The moose was much larger than the car. Justin decided to spend more time in the DMV.
He recently furthered his weather and climate expertise by earning basic wildland firefighting and fire behavior certifications at Reedley College.
Justin's interests include local history and architecture. He's a real estate agent and co-founder of Modernism In Fresno, a group that showcases overlooked notable building designs in Fresno.
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Before President Joe Biden left office, he was urged to designate a large area of the central Sierra Nevada as a national monument. But the proposed “Range of Light National Monument” was not among those actually established in Biden’s last days. Advocates for outdoor recreation say this is a win. In this episode, a leader of a group who opposed the monument shares her reasons and what’s next. Plus, the latest news headlines, including farm leaders proposing solutions for immigrant workers and mass layoffs coming to a Valley tomato plant.
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Oil production in California is in decline. But oil producers don’t show signs of going away any time soon. Some are looking to build on a new technology known as carbon capture. But as they move on, they leave behind what are known as idle wells – or wells no longer in production. And those wells could still leak dangerous chemicals. We speak with reporter Emma Foehringer Merchant about a recent investigation into how one company is dealing with this problem. Plus, the latest news headlines, including an emergency being declared in California over bird flu, and what former Bitwise Industries workers say about their former bosses.
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In his new book, Central Valley native and author Fitz Cahall explores the stories of people who weren’t afraid to try something new. And he takes an up-close look at the outdoors. On today’s show, we talk with Cahall about what inspired him to do this work. Plus, the latest news headlines, including the prison sentence for the Bitwise founders and Fresno workers go on strike.
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In 2017, Tulare Regional Medical Center declared bankruptcy and closed its doors. In the years leading up to the closure, the hospital had been run by Healthcare Conglomerate Associates (HCCA). After the bankruptcy, Dr. Benny Benzeevi, who was CEO of HCCA, was accused of a long list of financial crimes that led the hospital to its fate. He was eventually charged with 40 felony counts and, just this month, was sentenced after pleading no contest to some of the charges. We speak with Reggie Ellis from The Sun-Gazette newspaper, who gave us an overview of the case. Plus, the latest news headlines, including, why a Valley high school volleyball team skipped out on a match, and a Bitwise Industries settlement is approved.
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What does it take to be a top lumberjack? Madera County resident Nate Hodges recently traveled to France to compete in an international timbersports competition that featured top talent in wood cutting. Earlier this month, Hodges defeated woodcutters from countries like New Zealand and Canada to become the 2024 Stihl Timbersports Individual World Champion. In this episode, we speak with him about his victory and how he got into this unique sport. Plus, the latest news headlines, including a report card on a decade-old state water law and why voter turnout may have been lower this year.
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Earlier this month, the California Air Resources Board approved a revision to a state climate program known as the Low Carbon Fuel Standard. The program tries to encourage cleaner transportation fuels with financial incentives. But the change had one side effect that raised eyebrows among many: it could raise already high gas prices. We spoke with CalMatters reporter Alejandro Lazo about this decision to learn more about the program. Plus, the latest news headlines, including a professional diver joining the search for a missing Kern County woman and a warning for the Merced City Schools District.
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The City of Tehachapi in Kern County is a major thoroughfare for trains getting to or from the Central Valley. But what happens during a major disaster? Tehachapi officials have also been wondering about this and are pushing for more precise communication to be prepared. We speak with Tehachapi City Manager Greg Garrett about his concerns. Plus, the latest news headlines, including an E. coli outbreak hitting a Valley carrot producer and Fresno County seeing its first case of bird flu in a human.