Fresnoland

Clovis Planning Commission clears way for mandatory affordable housing in new developments The Clovis Planning Commission unanimously approved a new policy that aims to help the city build more affordable housing by leaning on developers of market-rate housing to include it in their developments. Among the biggest commitments that the new Mixed Income Zoning Ordinance asks of Clovis developers will be in making at least 5%of new developments with 11 or more housing units be set aside for lower-income residents.

Clovis Planning Commission clears way for mandatory affordable housing in new developments

The Clovis Planning Commission unanimously approved a new policy that aims to help the city build more affordable housing by leaning on developers of market-rate housing to include it in their developments.…

‘They don’t have a lot of options left.’ Fresno projects $23.3 million budget deficit The City of Fresno expects another tough budget year where they’ll have to plug at least a $23.3 million hole — higher than the shortfall the city projected around this time last year. The estimated deficit for the upcoming fiscal year was shared in an annual mid-year budget presentation during Thursday’s Fresno City Council meeting. Mayor Jerry Dyer’s administration has already put the call out to departments to come up with plans to accommodate roughly 5% cuts.

‘They don’t have a lot of options left.’ Fresno projects $23.3 million budget deficit

The City of Fresno expects another tough budget year where they’ll have to plug at least a $23.3 million hole — higher than the shortfall the city projected around this time last year. The estimated deficit for…

‘Threats from the mayor’? Fresno Unified board stalls effort to fight southeast megadevelopment plan The Fresno Unified Board of Trustees voted 4-3 on Wednesday night to indefinitely table a resolution that would have made the district the first public agency to formally oppose the Southeast Development Area (SEDA) — Mayor Jerry Dyer's plan to open 9,000 acres on the city's southeastern fringe for up to 45,000 homes. The district's own financial team has estimated the project could force the closure of as many as…

‘Threats from the mayor’? Fresno Unified board stalls effort to fight southeast megadevelopment plan

The Fresno Unified Board of Trustees voted 4-3 on Wednesday night to indefinitely table a resolution that would have made the district the first public agency to formally oppose the Southeast…

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Fresno Unified students must turn their phones off during class. Breaking down the new cellphone rules

The FUSD Board of Education approved a new districtwide phone policy without discussion on Wednesday, the first in over two decades,…

https://fresnoland.org/2026/02/26/new-fusd-phone-rules/

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’Unfortunately.’ Fresno Unified moves ahead with lay-off process. More than 200 jobs on the line

The Fresno Unified Board of Education moved forward with a process that is expected to trigger job cuts and layoffs, with more than 200…

https://fresnoland.org/2026/02/26/fresno-unified-cuts-layoffs/

Fresno weighs another deadline extension for a decade-old downtown housing project still stuck in limbo The Fresno City Council will consider another financial lifeline for a downtown housing development that has already been stuck in limbo for more than a decade. The project, known as The Park At South Stadium Apartments, is a proposed eight-story apartment building just south of Chukchansi Park on a parking lot at Fulton and Inyo Streets. The development will include a mix of affordable and market rate studio, two- and three- bedroom apartments for student housing.

Fresno weighs another deadline extension for a decade-old downtown housing project still stuck in limbo

The Fresno City Council will consider another financial lifeline for a downtown housing development that has already been stuck in limbo for more than a decade. The project, known as The Park At…

Preschool teachers and Spanish-speaking workers among potential layoffs at Fresno Unified schools More than 250 jobs — including teachers —- could face the chopping block this week as the Fresno Unified Board of Education grapples with a multi-million dollar budget deficit. On Wednesday, the board will consider whether to reduce, discontinue or eliminate 190 full-time equivalent positions for classified employees. It’s unclear if that figure includes another 63.94 classified vacancies that are also on the chopping block.

Preschool teachers and Spanish-speaking workers among potential layoffs at Fresno Unified schools

More than 250 jobs — including teachers —- could face the chopping block this week as the Fresno Unified Board of Education grapples with a multi-million dollar budget deficit. On Wednesday, the board…

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Will taxpayers be on the hook for the missing Fresno Arts Council money?

Fresno city officials shared more details of their plans to make whole the Measure P arts grants recipients missing…

https://fresnoland.org/2026/02/24/will-taxpayers-be-on-the-hook-for-the-missing-fresno-arts-council-money/

Whistleblower social worker says Fresno County is mishandling cases and kids are being ‘reabused’ In 2021, the Fresno County Department of Social Services made national headlines following the revelation of poor living conditions for its foster children. First reported by The Fresno Bee, whistleblowers described children sleeping on tables inside the department’s office building, relieving themselves in water bottles, and other subpar living conditions. Now, five years later, one of the same social workers who helped expose those unhealthy conditions is speaking out again, and says the department forces too many children to return to abusive homes — and she’s had enough.

Whistleblower social worker says Fresno County is mishandling cases and kids are being ‘reabused’

In 2021, the Fresno County Department of Social Services made national headlines following the revelation of poor living conditions for its foster children. First reported by The Fresno Bee,…

Layoffs and classroom cellphone bans on the table for Fresno Unified schools Fresno Unified’s school board debates worker layoffs this week — which is just one of several major decisions the board faces Wednesday. The district’s trustees will also vote on a new districtwide phone policy, and formally declaring their opposition to the city’s Southeast Development Area (SEDA) plan. The FUSD board of education will vote on possible job cuts and layoffs for…

Layoffs and classroom cellphone bans on the table for Fresno Unified schools

Fresno Unified’s school board debates worker layoffs this week — which is just one of several major decisions the board faces Wednesday. The district’s trustees will also vote on a new districtwide phone policy, and…

‘This is dirty.’ Fresno City Council erupts over corruption allegations and legal threat  Fresno City Councilmembers threw accusations of backdoor dealing and inappropriate decorum at one another Thursday in a case of mudslinging that also resurrected an old debate around a controversial city rezoning plan. Thursday’s testy council argument erupted during a hearing to adopt the Central Southeast Area Specific Plan. Specific plans are roadmap documents that City Hall uses to map out the future of land use and investment in a given region.

‘This is dirty.’ Fresno City Council erupts over corruption allegations and legal threat 

Fresno City Councilmembers threw accusations of backdoor dealing and inappropriate decorum at one another Thursday in a case of mudslinging that also resurrected an old debate around a controversial city…

A rival group unveils plans to replace Fresno County’s transportation sales tax, Measure C A group of consultants unveiled rival plans this week for replacing Fresno County’s soon-to-expire transportation sales tax on the November ballot, setting the stage for a showdown at the polls over what the next few decades of transportation spending will look like locally. On Tuesday, the coalition of transportation and political consultants unveiled the “Fix Our Roads” plan, a 20-year initiative that sets aside 50% of an anticipated $3.9 billion pot of money for local road repairs, 16% for major streets and highways, 16% for a flexible category for local jurisdictions to allocate as they see fit and 18% for public transit.

A rival group unveils plans to replace Fresno County’s transportation sales tax, Measure C

A group of consultants unveiled rival plans this week for replacing Fresno County’s soon-to-expire transportation sales tax on the November ballot, setting the stage for a showdown at the polls over what the…

‘The wrong message.’ Five Fresno Unified trustees dodge pay-raise questions amid ugly budget outlook As Fresno Unified retirees scrambled this winter amid stalled healthcare negotiations, the district’s elected trustees doubled their own pay. The vague language that the Fresno Unified Board of Education used during a January board meeting frustrated workers and union leaders, who fear looming layoffs and pay cuts as the district tries to balance a projected $59 million deficit.  “It is so easy for you all to talk about cuts for frontline workers,” veteran groundkeeper Albert Ross told the trustees on Feb.

‘The wrong message.’ Five Fresno Unified trustees dodge pay-raise questions amid ugly budget outlook

As Fresno Unified retirees scrambled this winter amid stalled healthcare negotiations, the district’s elected trustees doubled their own pay. The vague language that the Fresno Unified Board of…

Fresno-area leaders, Hobby Lobby CEO gather for annual prayer breakfast Residents and community leaders gathered on Tuesday morning for the annual Fresno Clovis Prayer Breakfast. The event, which began in the 1940s, was held at the Fresno Convention Center and was attended by more than 2,000 people, including elected leaders from both the cities of Fresno and Clovis, and the county Board of Supervisors. “As Christian leaders in our position, I pray that, as leaders, we would avoid the political rhetoric that we see in our nation's capital today,” said Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer.



Fresno-area leaders, Hobby Lobby CEO gather for annual prayer breakfast

Residents and community leaders gathered on Tuesday morning for the annual Fresno Clovis Prayer Breakfast. The event, which began in the 1940s, was held at the Fresno Convention Center and was attended by more than 2,000…

Fresnolandia Podcast: Digging into the Measure P arts grant scandal On this week's Fresnolandia podcast, Jordan and Danielle speak with Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias about the fallout from the alleged embezzlement of $1.5 million in Measure P arts funding from the Fresno Arts Council. They dive into what's known about the case so far, why it's been slow to learn more facts about the case -- including an arrest, whether the right internal controls were in place for both the city and the Arts Council, and what local arts organizations and artists can expect in the third round of grants, starting this spring.

Fresnolandia Podcast: Digging into the Measure P arts grant scandal

On this week's Fresnolandia podcast, Jordan and Danielle speak with Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias about the fallout from the alleged embezzlement of $1.5 million in Measure P arts funding from the Fresno Arts Council.…

Fresno businesses feel immigration enforcement impacts fight back with compassion Amid nationwide immigration enforcement, small businesses in Fresno have both informed the community about available resources and experienced the impact firsthand.

Fresno businesses feel immigration enforcement impacts fight back with compassion

Amid nationwide immigration enforcement, small businesses in Fresno have both informed the community about available resources and experienced the impact firsthand.

These Fresno artists still don’t have a dime of their promised Measure P funds. How they’re coping amid scandal The night before artist Jennie Guerrero found out that $1.5 million in Measure P arts dollars had been stolen from Fresno’s arts community — leaving all the grant money she’d been awarded in limbo — she was already sitting down to start on her next Measure P application. Now, she’s not sure if she’ll ever even see the $38,000 she was promised more than seven months ago.

These Fresno artists still don’t have a dime of their promised Measure P funds. How they’re coping amid scandal

The night before artist Jennie Guerrero found out that $1.5 million in Measure P arts dollars had been stolen from Fresno’s arts community — leaving all the grant money she’d been…

Fresnoland event sparks discussion, question about dark money in local elections Over pints at a downtown brewery on Thursday night, a political science professor, a city council member and the county's top elections official described for a standing-room-only crowd how money from powerful interests flows into Fresno's local races to shape political outcomes -- often without leaving a trace. The question that kept coming up for everyone was why the leaders of California’s fifth-largest city have given themselves so few tools to do anything about it.

Fresnoland event sparks discussion, question about dark money in local elections

Over pints at a downtown brewery on Thursday night, a political science professor, a city council member and the county's top elections official described for a standing-room-only crowd how money from powerful…

‘I’m not an alien.’ Fresno Unified anti-ICE protests continue, but this time they stay on campus Following weeks of student walkouts in protest of ICE and the Trump Administration, Edison Computech Middle School organized its own student forum in Fresno on Thursday, allowing students a space to speak up in front of the media. Thursday’s “We are Young, Not Silent” forum was organized by students alongside Nicole Vargas, the school’s campus culture director. Superintendent Misty Her, Trustee Keshia Thomas and other community leaders attended the forum.

‘I’m not an alien.’ Fresno Unified anti-ICE protests continue, but this time they stay on campus

Following weeks of student walkouts in protest of ICE and the Trump Administration, Edison Computech Middle School organized its own student forum in Fresno on Thursday, allowing students a space to…

‘Valleycrat’ or Mamdani wannabe?: California Democrats are split on how to win swing votes This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. California Democrats, hungry to retake the U.S. House, all agree they must defeat Central Valley Republican incumbent Rep. David Valadao. But they can’t agree on who his challenger should be. Months out from a critical primary election, there’s a sharp divide among liberal activists over which Democratic candidate could be capable of toppling Valadao in a conservative-leaning, working-class district where a significant portion of Hispanic voters flipped from supporting former President Joe Biden in 2020 to backing President Donald Trump in 2024.

‘Valleycrat’ or Mamdani wannabe?: California Democrats are split on how to win swing votes

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. California Democrats, hungry to retake the U.S. House, all agree they must defeat Central Valley Republican incumbent Rep.…

The messy inside story of how City Hall discovered embezzlement allegations at the Fresno Arts Council It happened during an urgently scheduled Friday noon meeting between the Fresno Arts Council and Fresno City Manager Georgeanne White. Lilia Gonzalez Chávez, the executive director of the Arts Council, told White herself that at least $1.5 million had been embezzled by a now-former Council employee. All of the missing $1.5 million were Measure P funds, Chávez told White during that Feb.

The messy inside story of how City Hall discovered embezzlement allegations at the Fresno Arts Council

It happened during an urgently scheduled Friday noon meeting between the Fresno Arts Council and Fresno City Manager Georgeanne White. Lilia Gonzalez Chávez, the executive director of the Arts…

Community members call on Fresno Unified to avoid layoffs and hiring freezes At Fresno Unified’s board of education meeting on Wednesday, community members and leaders criticized the district’s response to student protests and looming job cuts for classified workers. Members of SEIU Local 521, a labor union which represents classified workers for FUSD, filled the board room to urge the district against layoffs and hiring freezes for classified employees. Manuel Bonilla, president of the…

Community members call on Fresno Unified to avoid layoffs and hiring freezes

At Fresno Unified’s board of education meeting on Wednesday, community members and leaders criticized the district’s response to student protests and looming job cuts for classified workers. Members of SEIU Local 521, a…

Fresno Unified student protests continue near downtown ICE office. Police called to break up altercation Students from multiple Fresno Unified schools walked out of school Tuesday afternoon, converging on City Hall in downtown Fresno. According to a student interviewed by Fresnoland, the walkout was organized through an Instagram post that included the names of more than 15 middle schools and high schools. Martha C., a high school junior, took part in the downtown protest. She and three of her peers from Duncan Polytechnical High School caught a central Fresno bus and made their way to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office on L Street.

Fresno Unified student protests continue near downtown ICE office. Police called to break up altercation

Students from multiple Fresno Unified schools walked out of school Tuesday afternoon, converging on City Hall in downtown Fresno. According to a student interviewed by Fresnoland, the walkout…

Fresno City Hall pledges to pay art groups affected by theft scandal but timing remains unclear New details of an ex-Fresno Arts Council employee’s reported embezzlement of at least $1.5 million in public arts grants — and the future of that grant program — were revealed in a joint statement from the Fresno City Council and Mayor’s Office on Tuesday afternoon. Those details covered timeline clarifications, including that the embezzlement of $1.5 million was first reported to the City of Fresno on Thursday, Feb.

Fresno City Hall pledges to pay art groups affected by theft scandal but timing remains unclear

New details of an ex-Fresno Arts Council employee’s reported embezzlement of at least $1.5 million in public arts grants — and the future of that grant program — were revealed in a joint statement from…

Should Fresno County tax out-of-towners staying local hotels? Everyone else does The board of supervisors unanimously agreed to direct county staff to work on getting a Transient Occupancy Tax in the works in Fresno’s unincorporated areas, a move that could see the region gain over $5 million in revenue.  A Transient Occupancy Tax is a fee imposed on guests of hotels, short-term rentals and other lodgings for stays of about 30 days or fewer.

Should Fresno County tax out-of-towners staying local hotels? Everyone else does

The board of supervisors unanimously agreed to direct county staff to work on getting a Transient Occupancy Tax in the works in Fresno’s unincorporated areas, a move that could see the region gain over $5 million in…

Fresno artists question city leaders over millions in arts funding reportedly embezzled Two top city officials made a surprise appearance at a community meeting on Monday, called in the wake of at least $1.5 million reported embezzled at the Fresno Arts Council — which administers public Measure P grants to local arts organizations.  The community gathering went from bringing together aggrieved local artists and arts organizations in a moment of strife to also giving them a rare, direct opportunity to openly ask two high-ranking city officials about the scandal over public arts grants unfolding in real time.

Fresno artists question city leaders over millions in arts funding reportedly embezzled

Two top city officials made a surprise appearance at a community meeting on Monday, called in the wake of at least $1.5 million reported embezzled at the Fresno Arts Council — which administers public Measure P…

‘Chinga la Migra.’ Inside Fresno’s most artistic anti-ICE protests As protests over rising ICE activity ripple through Fresno and beyond, artists are turning their fear and anger into art.

‘Chinga la Migra.’ Inside Fresno’s most artistic anti-ICE protests

As protests over rising ICE activity ripple through Fresno and beyond, artists are turning their fear and anger into art.

 An ex-Fresno Arts Council employee is under investigation in $1.5 million embezzlement case, city sources say The Fresno Police Department is investigating a report alleging that $1.5 million was reportedly embezzled by a now-former employee of the Fresno Arts Council, according to three high-ranking city sources. The matter was reported to local authorities this week. On Friday, Fresno City Manager Georgeanne White sent a letter to the Fresno Arts Council, officially terminating the city’s contract with the nonprofit organization, which has been tasked with administering public Measure P grants.

 An ex-Fresno Arts Council employee is under investigation in $1.5 million embezzlement case, city sources say

The Fresno Police Department is investigating a report alleging that $1.5 million was reportedly embezzled by a now-former employee of the Fresno Arts Council, according to three…

SEIU Local 2015 rallies outside of Fresno nursing home as statewide contract talks come to a close Service Employees International Union Local 2015, a statewide union representing dozens of nursing home workers in Fresno and thousands across California, rallied to finalize a new contract outside Keystone Post Acute in Fresno on Thursday. A group of about a dozen organizers, participants and elected officials who made an appearance at Fresno’s rally described the demonstration as an effort to bring Bayshire LLC — the Southern California-based health care company that supports the local facility — back to the table to finalize non-economic aspects of the new contract.

SEIU Local 2015 rallies outside of Fresno nursing home as statewide contract talks come to a close

Service Employees International Union Local 2015, a statewide union representing dozens of nursing home workers in Fresno and thousands across California, rallied to finalize a new contract outside…

Fresno High unveils new auxiliary gym in time for senior’s final basketball season Fresno High senior Kai Alfa will play out his final varsity season with a shiny, new homecourt advantage. Fresno High School held a ribbon-cutting on Thursday for its new 15,500 square-foot gymnasium. It includes team rooms, restrooms, a snack bar and eight new tennis courts next to the new facility. It was constructed by Davis Moreno Construction, Inc. Funded through Measure M, a bond measure passed in 2020, the $13 million project broke ground two years ago.

Fresno High unveils new auxiliary gym in time for senior’s final basketball season

Fresno High senior Kai Alfa will play out his final varsity season with a shiny, new homecourt advantage. Fresno High School held a ribbon-cutting on Thursday for its new 15,500 square-foot gymnasium. It includes…