Free Republic

In perhaps one of the only unscripted moments during Tuesday’s news conference announcing massive new investments in education, Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged visiting Fresno, at least in part, to send a message. “I want folks here in the Valley, no matter where you were in the recall, you could have been 80% pro recall, just (to know) you matter. And we got to do more to demonstrate that,” Newsom told reporters Tuesday while speaking at Fresno’s Sunset Elementary School. “And so, I’m going to be back here until they kick me out, many, many times to make that point.” With...

A major construction team on the California bullet train project notified the state rail authority this month that it will not complete a 65-mile section of the future route in Kings County until at least April 14, 2025 — nearly two years after the date that the state included in a business plan adopted Thursday. The additional delay could again boost costs and jeopardize the state’s funding plan to complete a partial operating system between Bakersfield and Merced by 2030. The project’s rising price tag has forced the state to repeatedly scale it back and delay indefinitely a goal to...

Eighteen-year-old Marshall Hutchings’ lawsuit filed Monday alleges his father, Dana Hutchings, was not made aware of the risks and danger involved in an eating competition... The 41-year-old died after choking on tacos while competing in the contest during a Fresno Grizzlies game on Aug. 13, 2019. Participants competed to devour as many tacos as possible during a certain amount of time.

A California sheriff says she will not enforce Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new coronavirus curfew, according to reports. Newsom announced a number of measures on Thursday, including limited stay-at-home orders and overnight curfews for nonessential work between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. every Saturday until Dec. 21. Fresno Sheriff Margaret Mims, however, said she wouldn't be penalizing residents who didn't follow the curfew, FOX 26 reported.

When Daisy the bulldog showed up at the doorsteps of a North Central Fire Protection District Station 58 in Fresno, California in late April, she was extremely dehydrated and skinny. The bulldog camped out at the back of the station for about a week, sleeping on the doormat that leads right into the fire station. Although suffering from poor health, the dog made sure to greet the firefighters as they left for their calls. Eventually, the firefighters realized they had to help their new friend find a home... but it became difficult to find the dog a permanent home with...

A scary situation for a Fresno Police officer was caught on camera after a suspect on the run fired several shots at his police car. The department has identified the officer as Sgt. Ezequiel Suarez, a veteran officer with Fresno police. Suarez was responding to a call of a man who ran into the road along Cedar near Shields and fired a round in the direction of a driver nearby. Police say that same suspect decided to fire several more rounds, this time at one of their officers. The officer's body-worn camera footage shows the moment the rounds hit the...

FRESNO, Calif. — Liodam Gonzalez, 28, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to unlawful possession of a machine gun and possession of an unregistered firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.According to court documents, on Aug. 30, 2019, Liodam Gonzalez fired a fully automatic handgun in a residential neighborhood in Bakersfield. At the time of his arrest, Gonzalez was a convicted felon and was member of the West Side Baker criminal street gang. Police officers found and seized the machine gun in Gonzalez’s residence.This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bakersfield Police Department....

FRESNO, Calif. — Tommie Thomas, 37, of Bakersfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Tuesday to 20 years and six months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.According to court documents, on Dec. 14, 2017, after a 10-month investigation, more than 35 members and associates of the West Side Crips, a local criminal street gang, were arrested on federal and state charges including burglary, illegal gun possession, drug sales, and murder. On April 4, 2019, a second superseding indictment charged Thomas, a West Side Crip member also known as “Tapp,” and...

FRESNO, Calif. — Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered the closures of certain businesses across 19 counties in California Wednesday, in response to the growing daily number of novel coronavirus cases (COVID-19) in recent weeks. Those counties included Fresno, Kern, Kings, Merced and Tulare in the Central Valley. The closures included restaurants, wineries and tasting rooms, movie theaters, family entertainment centers, zoos and museums, cardrooms, and bars. Gov. Newsom's winery and tasting room in Napa Valley remained open as of the July 1, 2020 order.

California Democrats are building a wall of money to defend the congressional seats they took from Republicans in 2018, new Federal Election Commission financial reports show *** In the Central Valley, Rep. Josh Harder, D-Turlock (Stanislaus County), took in $789,093 in the quarter that ended March 31, leaving him with $3.5 million in campaign cash. His Republican opponent, veterinarian Ted Howze, raised $71,147 in the first quarter, leaving him with $100,575 in the bank. *** Brian Maryott, a San Juan Capistrano city councilman, is challenging Democratic Rep. Mike Levin in a district that bridges San Diego and Orange counties. But...

<p>A man who said he was fed up with racism against black people was convicted of killing four white men in a race-related rampage in California’s Central Valley, prosecutors announced Friday.</p> <p>Kori Ali Muhammad was convicted by a Fresno County jury Wednesday of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, attempted murder and other crimes, the Fresno County district attorney’s office said.</p>

The cinnamon roll craze continues in Fresno. Long lines formed yet again on Saturday after Country Fair Cinnamon Rolls set up shop at the fairgrounds in the morning. It was a chance for people to take home hot rolls to enjoy. The company's Facebook page kept people updated while they were in line, even noting a 4-hour wait at one point. They had to cut off sales at five but plan to hold more events like this in the future. If you are looking for a place to buy the rolls year-round, you can head to the Chowchilla Chevron off...

Mullis killed his friend, Sgt. Rod Lucas, on Oct. 31, 2016. The two were part of the sheriff’s Special Investigations Unit and were at their office near Fresno Yosemite International Airport when Mullis took his gun from his holster to show Lucas how well it held the gun, witnesses testified. A shot rang out and Lucas was struck in the chest. He died at a hospital. “There was no animosity there, Jared loved Rod,” defense attorney Roger Wilson said in his closing statement. “This was just a horrible tragedy and no one was to blame.” The jury...reached a verdict after...

Now the community must plan funerals, prepare for the upcoming New Year and try to make sense of the tragedy as police work to identify who is responsible for the latest deadly shooting. Fresno is now home to the second largest Hmong community in the United States, with more than 30,000 people living within the city. Its population is second only to Minneapolis. They recently reached several milestones, including opening a museum celebrating Hmong heritage and getting their first council member elected. Arias describes the neighborhood as the “heart of the community,” only blocks from the Hmong shopping center referred...

Police in the central California city of Fresno were searching Monday for suspects and trying to determine a motive for the killing of four people at a backyard party and the wounding of six as dozens were watching football on TV. Fresno Police Lt. Bill Dooley said “unknown suspects” sneaked into the backyard at about 6 p.m. Sunday and fired into the crowd. Fresno Deputy Police Chief Michael Reid told the Fresno Bee newspaper and the KSEE/KGPE TV stations that 10 people were shot and that three were found dead in the backyard . . .

FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — "Several" people are dead and multiple others injured after a shooting in South Fresno. The shooting happened around 7 o'clock Sunday evening on Lamona Avenue, near Sandau Avenue. That is in the area of Peach and Olive Avenues. Police say that a family gathering was taking place at the home and multiple people were in the backyard watching a football game. An unknown suspect came into the backyard of the home and began firing...

The surveillance camera footage, provided by attorney Stuart Chandler, shows 16-year-old Isiah Murrietta Golding climb a fence and enter a small yard as he is being chased by two officers. Murrietta Golding, wearing a gray sweater, lands on his feet and starts to run. One officer climbs the fence while the other gets into a crouching stance and fires through the fence, the video shows. Murrietta Golding then stumbles and falls to the ground. In the police body camera footage, also provided by the attorney, someone off camera can be heard saying "good shot." The bullet went through the back...

With a stroke of his pen, California Governor Gavin Newsom has redirected part of the money you pay at the pump with the state’s gas tax to the railway system and other projects. Governor Newsom signed Executive Order N-19-19. It calls for leveraging billion in annual state transportation funds to reduce green house gases and emissions. The order directs money away from fixing local highways, stalling important projects here in the valley. Valley Assemblyman Jim Patterson (R)-Fresno, is upset and wants Republicans and Democrats in the state to speak out. Assemblyman Patterson says, “One of the very first things Governor...

[Catholic Caucus] Accused Fresno Priest Sues Roman Catholic Faithful Stephen Brady: 'I'm looking forward to the discovery process' FRESNO, Calif. (ChurchMilitant.com) - A California priest facing multiple allegations of homosexual abuse is suing a decades-old Catholic watchdog group Roman Catholic Faithful (RCF). On Friday, RCF and its president, Stephen Brady, were served with a lawsuit from Msgr. Craig Harrison, a priest of the troubled diocese of Fresno, California.  A statement by RCF acknowledges that Harrison is seeking "unlimited" damages for Brady's "appearance at a press conference in Bakersfield" that addressed "allegations of sexual misconduct" made against Harrison. During the May conference, adds the statement, Brady "also discussed RCF's 2004 investigation of...

After two days of budget hearings on Fresno Mayor Lee Brand’s proposals for fiscal year 2020, now the Fresno City Council has its turn to pitch funding proposals. The proposal, floated by Council member Miguel Arias, would fund $75,000 for “the administrative element” of a local version of the Advance Peace initiative.