Reedley grower Cesar Mora is giving away nectarines after a contract dispute halted his harvest this season.
GARY KAZANJIAN
Special to The Bee
Friday brought a mix of business, legal, community and tragic news to the central San Joaquin Valley. From a wave of restaurant closures across Fresno and Clovis to a Reedley farmer’s courtroom victory, here are top stories of the day from The Fresno Bee.
The Fresno Bee’s top stories from Friday to catch you up 
Samantha Xiongnhiathao and Gisselle Diaz were killed in a crash in Madera County on July 18. GOFUNDME Eight restaurants closing in Fresno and Clovis. Is your favorite on the list? Eight local restaurants have shuttered or are preparing to close, including Figaro’s Mexican Southwestern Grill, Mirchi Massala, La Jacka, Hummus Republic and S21 Sushi & Sake. Owners cited rising rents, wages, food costs and energy bills, along with customers pulling back on spending. Figaro’s Fresno location was paying about $12,000 a month in rent before facing another increase, an employee told The Fresno Bee.Reedley farmer says he won’t be silenced in battle with major fruit company. Nectarine grower Cesar Mora won a small courtroom victory Thursday when Judge Steven Crass ruled against Giumarra Brothers Fruit Co.’s motion to split his case into two parts. Mora has been locked in litigation with the Los Angeles-based company for more than three years over 7.5 acres of specialty nectarines. He alleges Giumarra deceived him into signing a licensing agreement and blacklisted him from other packing houses, according to reporting on the case.Fresno mother, daughter killed in Hwy 152 crash remembered for faith and kindness. Samantha Xiongnhiathao and her daughter Gisselle Diaz were killed July 18 when their Honda Clarity struck the rear of a slow-moving Freightliner on eastbound Highway 152. Diaz had graduated as valedictorian of Fresno High in June with a 4.2 GPA. Their family described Xiongnhiathao as a woman of deep faith and Diaz as an extraordinary young woman with a kind heart, in a statement released this week.Empty lot on Fresno’s Ventura Ave gets $40M project. ‘We’re building opportunities’. Construction began Friday on the Ventura Family Apartments, a $40 million project with 54 affordable apartments and a community center on Ventura Avenue in south Fresno. The housing is primarily intended to serve farmworker families and marks the first time Fresno city government has been involved in providing farmworker housing. The city is leasing the land to Integrated Community Development for $1 annually for 55 years, with an option to extend to 75 years.
Original stories by Bethany Clough, Robert Rodriguez, Anthony Galaviz and Erik Galicia
This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence based on our own originally reported, written and published content. Before publishing, journalists reviewed this content in compliance with McClatchy Media’s AI policy.
This story was originally published July 24, 2026 at 7:20 PM.