Good morning! It’s Monday, Nov. 24. This is Rob.

Tule fog back: Fresno expects dense early-morning fog throughout the holiday week, including a hazardous dense fog warning that remains in effect until 11 a.m. Highs in the upper 50s today. NOAA

The coffee kingdom expands: Coffeehouse Kuppa Joy announced they will be moving into Sunnyside — the corner of Belmont and Fowler —- opening the company’s ninth local shop. CBS47

Thousands made their way to the Fresno Mission’s City Center in Central Fresno on Saturday morning for the “One Table” banquet — a free steak meal and week’s worth of food — hosted in collaboration with the Central California Food Bank. ABC30

Fresno Chaffee Zoo announced the death of Baba, a 31-year-old female giraffe, who was euthanized on Friday due to declining age-related health issues. The Business Journal

1. Trump team still wants to cancel Fresno’s federal funding

The Trump Administration isn’t quite ready to give up their fight with Fresno over federal funding tied to compliance with executive orders.

Fresnoland’s Omar S. Rashad reports that the U.S Justice Department will ask the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to review a federal lawsuit filed against the Trump administration by 11 local jurisdictions, including Fresno.

The funding was threatened after federal agencies determined local jurisdictions weren’t following President Donald Trump’s executive orders attacking diversity programs. 

Fresno and a number of other local jurisdictions received temporary relief from federal agencies seeking to pull funding for not following Trump’s executive orders.

However, the Constitution only gives Congress power over federal funding and grants, not the White House, federal agencies or executive orders.

2. Is this a ‘new era’ for confronting homelessness in Fresno?

Fresno city and county leaders have announced a ‘new era’ of partnership to tackle regional challenges around homelessness, a significant policy shift for two groups with a long history of clashes on the issue, Fresnoland’s Pablo Orihuela reports.

The 2020 Fresno County Grand Jury reported a detrimental lack of coordination across the multitude of agencies working to serve the area’s thousands of unhoused residents.

Friday’s news conference was held inside the recuperative care facility on 4080 N Blackstone Ave — the former Fresno campus of SOUL Housing, a service provider that left town “without an exit strategy,” leaving hundreds of residents and dozens of employees in the lurch.

The legality of their exit has been under investigation by the Fresno City Attorney since last month.

Supervisor Luis Chavez: “What we were doing was essentially reshuffling folks around. I think with this new era of collaboration, that’s going to end.”

3. Madera County facing bankruptcy?

credit: Pexels

Madera County supervisors fear cuts to sheriff’s patrol and fire departments as the county scrambles to head off a looming multi-million dollar deficit that has already raised the specter of bankruptcy, The Fresno Bee reports.

Authorities point the finger at rising county expenses, which are expected to climb 11.6% to $477.5 million by 2030, and declining revenue.

The county is preparing to launch a public safety services and funding study. Madera County voters shot down a local sales tax to pay for public safety in 2017. 

Authorities are also discussing raising fees and other taxes, like the transient occupancy tax paid by travelers staying at local hotels.

Supervisor Jordan Wamhoff: “Our piggy bank has run dry. We could be potentially having these same conversations in a year or two.”

Today’s newsletter was edited by Fresnoland’s Danielle Bergstrom.

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