Bullard High football coach Don Arax, left, and FUSD trustee Keshia Thomas, right, are shown.
Fresno Bee file photos
The Fresno Bee published several notable reports Friday covering local courts, food and media. From a defamation case update involving a Fresno Unified trustee to previews of buzzworthy restaurants and shakeups at local TV stations, here are the top stories of the day.
Here are Friday’s top stories to catch you upFresno schools trustee’s racial charge against coach ‘wasn’t true,’ her son says — Albert Alford Jr. told The Fresno Bee that the 2013 story of former Bullard High football coach Don Arax using a racial slur never happened. His mother, Fresno Unified Trustee Keshia Thomas, repeated the allegation in a 2022 podcast, prompting Arax to sue for defamation. Arax’s attorney says Alford’s press statement contains inconsistencies with a court declaration filed under penalty of perjury.These four restaurants will have the most buzz in the Fresno area in 2026 — Michelin-recognized Tijuana taco shop Tacos El Franc is aiming for a mid-September opening on Shaw Avenue near Highway 41. Hibachi Burger, a locally owned burger and hibachi concept, plans to open in September at the former S21 Sushi & Sake Bar spot. EggBred debuts in Clovis the first week of September, and a dual Mayd Modern Mediterranean and Butterfish California Poke location is slated for late October or early November.Why one ABC30 reporter was off the air + more changes to Fresno’s TV news scene — ABC30 anchor Jessica Harrington explained in a social media video that she had been away from AM Live to freeze her eggs and attend a journalism conference in New Orleans. Former anchor Cory James is returning to the station Monday to anchor AM Live and Midday. Meanwhile, KSEE24/CBS47 is losing reporters Ben Morris and Brian Dorman, with more changes expected.
Original stories by David Taub, Bethany Clough and Joshua Tehee
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.
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