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Just 5 years after the Creek Fire, Giant Sequoias planted by hand by Jemmy Bluestein already tower over him | Gregory Weaver<\/p>\n
Many know the story of the Sweet\u2019s Mill folk music camp scene<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Never miss the top stories in Fresno \u2014 sign up for our free, daily newsletter.<\/p>\n Jemmy Bluestein grew up around the extraordinary community of singers and poets and musicians that emerged in the 1960s in the Sierra Nevada foothills east of Fresno.<\/p>\n The son of Fresno-area folk singer Gene Bluestein, Jemmy\u2019s family has a rich history among the region\u2019s artists.<\/p>\n But it was Jemmy\u2019s scientific interest \u2014 and stunning success \u2014 battling California\u2019s devastating megafires that caught Gregory Weaver\u2019s attention over the summer.<\/p>\n No matter what\u2019s happening in Sacramento or Washington, we will continue to do what we\u2019ve always done: hold our local officials accountable and report the stories that shape daily life in Fresno. <\/p>\n Become a monthly member today during our crucial end-of-year campaign so that we can continue to tell hyperlocal stories you won’t find anywhere else. All donations are matched through December 31.<\/p>\n Read the full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2018Weird art stuff\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n Fresno has more than a few uniquely-local traditions and characteristics and one of our favorites this year was the Sweded Film Festival<\/a>, also known as Fresno\u2019s Swede Fest.<\/p>\n Back in May, Julianna Morano sat down with festival co-founder and Firebaugh native Roque Rodriguez to talk about the history of the now-almost 20-year-old Fresno festival.<\/p>\n The fun, cheap and aggressively creative short films Swede Fest has spawned are Fresno\u2019s anti-Marvel movies. They show how a community network can democratize moviemaking in the central San Joaquin Valley and beyond.<\/p>\n Read the full story here.<\/a><\/p>\n Home-cooking from the heart<\/a><\/p>\n The intersection of Blackstone and Shaw is literally the center of Fresno. Blink and you could miss a food gem tucked away inside a furniture store parking lot \u2014 Fresno\u2019s only Cuban food truck slings some of the region\u2019s best lunches.<\/p>\n Opened in 2022, Lazaro Santana\u2019s Havana Cafe has built up a steady following of loyal regulars who frequent the truck at Shaw and Blackstone for Cubano sandwiches, steaming bowls of piccadillo or arroz con pollo and Cuban coffees.<\/p>\n Becoming Fresno\u2019s favorite Cuban chef was a long road for Santana, a retired Marine and paramedic who began his professional food journey because he missed his mother\u2019s cooking.<\/p>\n Read the full story here.<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018When we lean into curiosity\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n Among the many local artists and creators that caught our eye over the year, NeFesha Ruth\u2019s summertime ArtHop performance inspired a lot of different conversations that felt harder to have in 2025.<\/p>\n She named her project \u201cThe Paint + Punch Project: An Exploration of Sexuality + Spirituality through Art + Athleticism\u201d.<\/p>\n Gisselle Medina spoke with NeFesha and reflected on the performance that drew from the artist\u2019s identity as a queer Black woman raised in Baptist churches and influenced heavily by a Pentecostal preacher grandmother.<\/p>\n Read the full story here.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/barbarians.jpg\")
Roque Rodriguez, co-founder of Fresno\u2019s Swede Fest, poses with a homemade prop from a sweded trailer for the Netflix series \u201cBarbarians.\u201d Rodriguez and friends did the project with Netflix, leading a team of other video producers from around the world on the art of sweding. Credit: Julianna Morano | Fresnoland<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/HavanaCafe1.jpg\")
Lazaro Santana opened Havana Caf\u00e9 in 2022. Credit: Rob Parsons | Fresnoland<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/64639493-418A-45FA-8095-089AE675D720_1_201_a.jpeg\")
NeFesha Ruth taking a dance break during her performance. Gisselle Medina | Fresnoland <\/p>\n
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Richard Sloan and his dog, Lily, stand next to their canoes near the San Joaquin River. Credit: (Diego Vargas \/ Fresnoland)<\/p>\n