The Fresno Bee
Fresno airport breaks passenger record for fifth year in a row
For the fifth year in a row, Fresno Yosemite International Airport has broken its own record for passengers flying in and out of the airport. In 2025, the region’s airport served more than 2.7 million travelers, a 2.97% increase over the total in...
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Highway 99 in Fresno has a history of fog-related pileups
The Tule fog has a long history of putting the San Joaquin Valley under conditions ripe for catastrophe, a situation made deadly over Fresno’s history when drivers haven’t taken precautions on Highway 99. The Fresno Bee archives list deadly pileup...
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Rolex dealer, ‘truly healthy’ shake shop open at Park Place
The Park Place shopping center on Palm and Nees avenues in north Fresno has added a health-focused protein shake shop and a luxurious jewelry store that is the only official Rolex dealer in the city. The high-end store, called The Wickersham Company,...
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Coroner identifies Fresno man killed in Highway 99 pileup
A 61-year-old Fresno man has been identified as the sole fatality in a massive pile-up that prompted a mass-casualty/ trauma response along Highway 99 on Sunday. Gustavo Villanueva Vargas was struck and killed in a chain reaction of crashes caused by...
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Minn. officials kept out of ICE shooting investigation
A top state law enforcement official said Thursday that federal agencies were denying Minnesota investigators access to evidence from a fatal shooting by an immigration enforcement officer the day before, preventing them from participating in the...
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County homeowners spend 6 figures to become Clovis residents
A group of Fresno County homeowners set to become Clovis residents will pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to connect to the city’s municipal services amid depleting groundwater resources. Quail Run, a 41-acre neighborhood with 18 homes located at...
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Construction at major intersection creates maze of detours
Construction work at the perennially busy intersection of Shaw Avenue and Golden State Boulevard near Highway 99 has created multiple detours to build a new overpass for the California High-Speed Rail project. The overpass being built along Shaw...
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Sensory gym for special needs children coming to Clovis
For Christopher Reyes, a sensory gym coming to Clovis means more than indoor zip sliding, mountain climbing and other fun for children with special needs. It means those children will have a place without judgment, and where their parents don’t...
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New owners of Bekins building plan ‘modern-day man cave’
Drinks, music, space for cars and car lovers. That’s the vibe that local developer Reza Assemi and his business partner, Jaime Gonzalez, are shooting for in their redevelopment plans for Fresno’s historic Bekins building, known for its Peelz Citrus...
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Arthur’s Toys a beloved memory years after store closes
Want a shot of nostalgia that will bring a smile to almost any longtime Fresnan’s face? Say the words Arthur’s Toys. The now defunct local toy shop was around for about six decades, with multiple locations across the city. Memories exist in the brains...
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‘Massive’ costs stall plans for Bank of Italy building
The future of downtown Fresno’s Bank of Italy building is hanging in suspense after proposed plans to renovate the building have stalled. In October 2022, an agricultural technology coalition led by the Central Valley Community Foundation announced...
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Absentee owners lead to fire risks: Will city crack down?
After a structure built in the late 1800s burned down in Fresno’s Chinatown on Sunday, neighborhood leaders say they wish owners of vacant buildings in the area would work harder to keep their properties properly secured. They say some owners of...
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Plans for new homes in downtown Fresno stalled
Downtown Fresno is no stranger to news about the future construction of apartments. Several projects in the pipeline — some on private property and others on city-provided land with city-approved development agreements — would add hundreds of new...
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Clovis infill building plan stirs traffic, safety concerns
Dozens of Clovis homeowners voiced opposition Thursday to a proposal that would build 1,300 housing units on 20 parcels of infill development to comply with the state’s affordable housing mandate. The proposal to redesignate 20 underutilized parcels...
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Tribe reclaims 900 acres near Yosemite National Park
A Native American tribe that was displaced by the establishment of Yosemite National Park is getting part of its lands back. The land transfer, from Pacific Forest Trust, is considered a major milestone for Indigenous cultural and land restoration in...
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What we know about mass shooting in Stockton
A child’s birthday party in Stockton turned into one of the region’s deadliest mass shootings in years, leaving four people dead — three of them children — and nearly a dozen others wounded. The tragedy unfolded just before 6 p.m. Saturday at a...
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Dozens of Chihuahuas abandoned in Modesto, Ceres
Abandoned dogs were living in ‘unimaginable’ conditions in a Modesto home Original story: A Merced animal rescue organization is looking for foster homes for dozens of Chihuahuas that were left abandoned at homes in Modesto and Ceres. According to...
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Fresno firefighters rank high in city overtime pay
Firefighters rank highest among Fresno city employees raking in overtime hours and pay, and city leaders say they try to strike a balance between OT and hiring more people to reduce spending. Six of the city’s top 10 highest compensated employees for...
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Jobs report shows gains in September, but unemployment rose
Employers notched a very respectable month of hiring in September, ending a slow summer on a positive note, while the unemployment rate edged up to 4.4%. The data, delayed by six weeks because of the government shutdown, is an already out-of-date...
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Clovis widens major road using eminent domain
Clovis has cleared the way for a project to widen Shepherd Avenue by securing a right-ofway acquisition of a property on Fowler Avenue through eminent domain. The parcel is located at the intersection of Fowler and Shepherd avenues, with its...
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DOJ presence quiet in Fresno County for Prop. 50 vote
of California’s special election, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it would deploy election monitors to Fresno polling sites — causing political pushback — but local election officials reported the federal presence on Election Day was minimal...
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Clovis helps struggling casino in hopes of tax payoff
The Clovis City Council has passed new regulations meant to help its financially struggling casino, the 500 Club, expand with the hope it will generate more tax revenue for the city. In November, the city will adopt a new fee structure that shifts...
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Fresno’s medical desert gets its second health center
A new health center will open its doors to patients on Nov. 3 in Fresno’s medical desert west of Highway 99. West Fresno previously had only one clinic serving the historically left behind area’s over 50,000 residents. Now, it has two. Located at 122...
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Fresno plan hopes to combat food, healthcare deserts
West Fresno residents live in what some describe as a food and healthcare desert, which puts residents at increased risk for a number of chronic diseases. A new plan is designed to bring long-awaited resources to the area divided by Highway 99. After...
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After much anticipation, Target opens at Fancher Creek
Target has opened its new store at Fancher Creek in southeast Fresno. It was a big deal, judging by who showed up to celebrate. Fresno Street Eats rolled out half-dozen food trucks and vendors for an outdoor market in the parking lot of the shopping...
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Thousands march in Central Valley’s ‘No Kings’ protests
Lori Pardi, a 56-year-old facilities management staff member at Fresno State, had never attended a protest—until Saturday. Standing among hundreds at the “No Kings” rally outside the Manchester Center in Fresno, she said it was time for her to speak...
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Lotus Pond taps ‘memories lost’ for Asian community
On 20 acres surrounded by farmland a few miles outside of Fresno, a small pond attracted visitors all summer from around California and as far away as North Carolina. They came to Fresno County to see flowers with hues of pink, white, yellow and gold...
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Clovis is building a 12-acre park at Loma Vista
Construction will begin next summer on a 12-acre park and recharge basin in the Loma Vista area of Clovis. Located at the intersection of Barstow and Agua Dulce avenues, Agua Vista Park will feature an adaptive playground, overlook areas, a pedestrian...
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Data shows Fresno making economic, racial inclusion gains
Fresno has historically ranked near the bottom nationally for economic and racial inclusion, but new data suggests the city is reversing its trend of decades of exclusion. The report by the Central Valley Community Foundation shows that while...
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Expansion to Clovis trail system coming soon
A trail expansion project along the Big Dry Creek Canal bank and Letterman Park in Central Clovis will soon begin construction. The project includes grading of the existing canal bank, construction of a new concrete sidewalk from Letterman Park to the...
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Chains, mom-and-pop business coming to Clovis corner
Construction is about to start on what will become a few big popular chains and a locally owned restaurant and coffee shop in Clovis. Near Highway 168 and Temperance Avenue, the strip center will be built just north of Owens Mountain Parkway. It’s a...
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James Dean memorial restored for 70th anniversary
Almost 70 years ago to the date of the fatal car crash that took the life of old Hollywood legend James Dean, the actor’s San Luis Obispo County memorial is set to return with a new look. Since 1977, a memorial erected by Dean superfan Seita Ohnishi...
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Fresno celebrates Mexican Independence Day with flag-raising
The annual Mexican flagraising ceremony held at Fresno City Hall to commemorate the 215th anniversary of the Independence of Mexico drew a smaller crowd than past years, though city and consulate officials said it remains an important tradition. Irma...
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State’s largest ICE detention facility has 500 detainees
California’s largest immigration detention center has already filled up with 500 detainees since it quietly opened two weeks ago, according to a California City official. Immigration advocates and lawyers say Tennessee-based private prison operator...
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Mother nature helps battle fire, sequoias still threatened
The battle against the raging wildfire burning in eastern Fresno County took a turn in favor of firefighters. Officials said Wednesday that the Garnet Fire’s activity decreased due to lower temperatures and higher humidity recoveries Tuesday...
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Farmers accuse raisin packer of failing to pay them
Several Fresno County farmers are accusing a longtime Sanger raisin packer of failing to pay them hundreds of thousands of dollars for raisins they delivered but never got paid for. The farmers allege the Chooljian Brothers Packing Company accepted...
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Needle exchange clinic helped dad turn life around
Douglas Nelson began to turn his life around in March with the help of a needle exchange pilot program that, until recently, operated out of the Fresno County Health Department building. The 26-year-old Fresno father had become addicted to Xanax to...
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Plan to rebuild air traffic control tower draws criticism
Fresno Yosemite International Airport’s air traffic control tower began operating in 1962. A Fresno Bee story from that year noted its “strict, simple” lines and “modern American” materials — hallmarks of inenvironmental ternational-style architecture...
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Restaurateur accused of hiring gang member to commit arson
Well-known Fresno restaurant owner Bobby Salazar has been arrested on arson charges, accused of hiring a motorcycle gang member to torch one of his underperforming restaurants, according to a federal criminal complaint. Salazar, 63, owner of two...
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Former Fresno State and CSU leader Joseph I. Castro dies at 58
Educator and trailblazer Joseph I. Castro, who rose from humble roots in Hanford to become the first San Joaquin Valley native and Latino to serve as president of Fresno State and then later CSU chancellor, died Sunday after battling cancer. He was...
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Belmont Avenue hosts 10 classically Fresno restaurants
If you were to pick a street in Fresno to show off to out-oftowners, it probably wouldn’t be Belmont Avenue. One of the oldest streets in town, it’s covered in miles of sun-baked pavement and security gates, and crammed with every kind of auto...
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Groundwater pumping takes toll on aqueduct
Years of collapsing areas of land in the San Joaquin Valley — caused primarily by the overpumping of groundwater for farming — has taken a toll on California’s largest water delivery system that relies on stable land to work well. A state report...
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Home repair, mold abatement slow for some in Planada
More than two years after flooding ravaged the rural community of Planada, up to 155 of 843 homes impacted are still awaiting repairs, according to Merced County estimates. A UC Merced study found that 83% of Planada households experienced some kind...
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Wine industry downturn forces Valley farmers to mothball vines
If you drive around the San Joaquin Valley these days don’t be surprised if you see vineyards with weeds growing between the rows and bunches of dusty grapes dangling from tangled vines. The vineyards may look abandoned and in some cases they truly...
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Why fewer hummingbirds are visiting area backyard feeders
hummingbird season. For many Fresno and Clovis residents, it’s an annual routine to set up feeders for these little guests with fast wings and slender beaks, and watch them fluttering around backyard and porch. But this year, some longtime bird...
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Judge blocks plans for new Costco in Fresno
Fresno County judge has blocked approvals for a Costco store planned on Herndon Avenue in northwest Fresno, dealing a major setback to a project initially scheduled to be completed this summer. Judge Jonathan Skiles’ 12-page ruling on Thursday sided...
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Zoo rendering hints at expansion into Playland
On proximity alone, Playland seems inextricably linked to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. The historic children’s theme park sits just across the road from the zoo’s main entrance off Highway 99, and shares space inside the city’s 90-acre Roeding Park. That...
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3 chain retailers set for Loma Vista shopping center
The latest phase of the newest shopping center in Clovis is taking shape with exterior construction nearing completion for at least 10 more businesses. Located at the southwest corner of Leonard and Shaw avenues in the growing area of east Clovis, the...
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Dyson designed Clovis Botanical Garden’s new attraction
founders of the Clovis Botanical Garden long envisioned it would include a visitor center to welcome people to one of the region’s most breathtaking attractions when they first presented their idea to the Clovis City Council in 1993. Three decades...
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$10.5M park in southwest Fresno set to open soon
A $10.5 million park that spans 10 acres in southwest Fresno nears completion of its first phase of development — a significant milestone that’s expected to be followed by new housing and businesses in the coming years. Fresno City...
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Fresno targets Tower District eyesores with new law
buildings in Fresno’s Tower District are the target of a new effort by the city, which will use a new law to rouse owners who don’t maintain their buildings. The Vacant Business Ordinance is a pilot project that is being tested in Tower, where...
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Pillow pairings to perk up a space
Ilove the changing of the seasons. One of my favorite rituals as the cold months fold into warm, and back again, is to switch out the accent pillows on my sofa, chairs and bedding. In a few weeks, I will unzip my heavy weight plaids and replace them...
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Fresno DACA recipient ‘self-deports’ to Mexico
The decision to “self-deport” was not an easy one for DACA recipient Patricia Vázquez Topete. After all, California has been her home for the last two decades. “I’ve achieved the American dream, in my perspective. But I started to feel like I was in...
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‘Pokémon cards are like drugs’: Card-collecting takes Fresno
From assaults to break-ins to reoccurring thefts, the craze for Pokémon cards has led some to the dark side of collecting. Videos of Pokémon horror stories can be found all over the Internet, some taking place in Fresno. In April, a Fresno man was...
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‘Noble’ agave plants in Fresno area reaching death bloom
From Clovis to Hanford in Central California, the mature succulents known as agave americana are dying. And there is little anyone can do. But this isn’t a case of errant pesticides, disease or insect infestation, it’s totally natural. The plant has...
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Farmworkers once again in Trump’s deportation crosshairs
An apparent pause in the search for undocumented workers in agriculture has been restarted by President Donald Trump, sending renewed fear and frustration through the state’s multibillion-dollar farming community. Farmers and worker advocates had been...
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Climate report says nearly half of Fresno residents may leave
new risk report from a private firm predicts a large exodus of residents from Fresno County as the effects of climate change exacerbate the region’s issues and costs of living in the next three decades. The risk-assessing firm, First Street,...
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Fresno State professor’s physics toys go viral on Instagram
Every room in Ray Hall’s home features some kind of science toy. Some of the Fresno State physics professor’s vast array of toys are simple, like tippy tops that, when spun, suddenly flip to spin on their narrow stems. Others are more complex,...
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Iconic silos gone from Fresno’s skyline after demolition
The towering concrete silos that stood for decades at Palm Avenue and H Street are gone from the city’s skyline. Well, mostly. A Fresno demolition company has spent the past 10 months clearing the 3-acre site of several 100-foot grain silos and an...
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CHS cuts hundreds of nursing supervisor positions
largest healthcare system discreetly slashed hundreds of nursing supervisor positions in recent weeks as part of a staffing shakeup. Nearly 300 clinical nursing supervisors employed by Comations.” munity Health System were informed that they had to...
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Fresno State notifies Mountain West it will join Pac-12
Fresno State has informed the Mountain West Conference that it will leave the league at the end of 2025-26, according to a university source, a next step in joining a rebuilding Pac-12. Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State and Utah State also...
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Fresno gets new western store with imports from Mexico
Ranchwear smells like leather work. It’s part of the experience of the store, which opened on Fulton Street near the Highway 180 overpass in early May. A full, Spanish-style horse saddle sits in the front window; the black leather straps and skirts...
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Extraordinary Crystal Cave reopens at Sequoia National Park
After a four-year closure due to natural disasters, Crystal Cave in Sequoia National Park reopened to the public this weekend in time for Memorial Day, the unofficial start of the summer. Crystal Cave is located near the Giant Forest area and has been...
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Riverstone in Madera County to get Raley’s supermarket
A 40,000-square-foot supermarket is coming to the Riverstone community, marking a long-awaited arrival of a grocery store to serve the growing neighborhoods of southeast Madera County. The Sacramento-based grocer has announced plans to build a Raley’s...
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With 3rd title, Madera Unified secures robotics team dynasty
It came down to the final minute of game 3. A robot made in Madera zoomed around, picking up plastic tubes and driving them toward a reef-like structure, where it placed the tubes over the reef’s arms to score points. On the other side of the field,...
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New plans for Fig Garden Village after sale to investors
of Fresno’s most prominent shopping centers, Fig Garden Village, has been sold to investors who said they have plans for expansion and new offerings. The deal for the 300,000square-foot shopping center in Fig Garden closed Friday for an undisclosed...
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Cherry growers in area counties are feeling the heat
Last summer’s scorching string of 100-degree days did more than break records in the Valley, it zapped the strength out of many of the region’s prized cherry trees, resulting in a much smaller crop this year. Some cherry growers in Fresno and Tulare...
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Fresno smoke shops face closures under new ordinance
Fresno’s retail landscape is about to undergo a major transformation thanks to new regulations passed by the city council and approved by mayor Jerry Dyer on Tuesday. The Smoke Shop Text Amendment goes into effect June 5 and will shutter dozens of...
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High-speed rail project plans to downsize Fresno station
The California High-Speed Rail Authority plans to downsize its massive Central Valley stations, including the downtown Fresno station, in an attempt to narrow the project’s focus on only building infrastructure essential for Central Valley...
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Judge: Border Control can’t make arrest without warrant
If U.S. Border Patrol plans to carry out any more operations in Central California like the Kern County raid in January, it will be barred from making any arrests unless they have a warrant or suspect a person might flee before they obtain one, a...
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City looks to bring back first-of-the-month street party
Fabio Linares saw the end coming. As a vintage clothing retailer, he saw up close the rapid growth — and eventual implosion — of downtown Fresno’s art gallery open house as it evolved into a full-blown street party. It was the driving force that...
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Experience live concerts at Fresno’s Tower Porchfest
Lara is in full-on go mode prepping for Tower Porchfest. He’s serving double duty, as both a performer (he’ll be playing in two bands) and as a promoter, helping curate a day’s worth of music at one of the festival’s 90 porch/stages. As a...
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Plans emerge for soccer stadium at Blackbeard’s park
Juan Gerardo Ruelas Jr. had been on a real estate hunt for the better part of three years when he stumbled on the perfect location for his family’s next project. He’d seen hundreds of potential sites throughout the central San Joaquin Valley at that...
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Highway 41 in Madera set for major construction
One major road improvement project in southeast Madera County is coming to a close. But two others are looming, so don’t expect the rush hour traffic jams on Highway 41 to end anytime soon. Caltrans said it has a May completion target for the $31.4...
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