{"id":149949,"date":"2026-01-26T13:29:38","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T13:29:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/149949\/"},"modified":"2026-01-26T13:29:38","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T13:29:38","slug":"city-hall-increasing-oversight-after-fresnoland-probe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/149949\/","title":{"rendered":"City Hall increasing oversight after Fresnoland probe"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Quote of the Week
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\u201cIf it wasn\u2019t for Fresnoland\u2019s reporting, the full city council and the public wouldn\u2019t have known about contracts that were signed and exceeded the contracts limit, in violation of the municipal code as confirmed by our legal counsel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014 Councilmember Miguel Arias commenting on a string of beefed-up transparency policies he\u2019s seeking in the wake of Fresnoland\u2019s major investigation earlier this month<\/p>\n

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This Week in Fresnoland
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Fresnoland investigation triggers City Hall policy overhaul<\/p>\n

Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias plans to bring forth a new city policy that addresses several transparency and accountability loopholes exposed in a recent two-part Fresnoland investigation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Fresnoland investigative reporter Omar S. Rashad uncovered loopholes earlier this month in a city policy that allowed at least one councilmember to award thousands of dollars in contracts to a campaign insider without ever seeking council approval or public scrutiny.<\/p>\n

Arias\u2019 plan directs city staffers to create an online transparency page on the City of Fresno\u2019s website, where all contracts worth $100,000 or less would be listed, along with their amounts.<\/p>\n

Originally, Arias said he\u2019d support reforming the city\u2019s transparency policy, such that all no-bid contracts, not just those worth $100,000 or less, are accessibly listed on the city\u2019s website. Four other councilmembers also told Fresnoland that. The current draft of the policy does not require that level of transparency.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am confident these changes will reduce the likelihood of a recurrence of the actions identified through Fresnoland\u2019s reporting, and addressed by the City Attorney,\u201d Arias said.<\/p>\n

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Filling up vacant buildings in Fresno\u2019s Tower District<\/p>\n

How do you fill up a building that\u2019s been vacant since the height of the Vietnam War?<\/p>\n

Over the last year, Fresno\u2019s city council has tried a variety of carrots and sticks to inspire absentee property owners to renovate their buildings.<\/p>\n

And while there\u2019s been little improvement over the last year or so, city councilmembers representing the Tower District say it\u2019s still too soon to know whether the new approaches will work, Fresnoland\u2019s Julianna Morano reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Last year, the council launched a one-year pilot program pushing vacant building owners to rehab their properties on tighter deadlines. Then, six months later, the council OK\u2019d a second program, a sales tax rebate incentive for small businesses to move into vacant properties.<\/p>\n

But whether carrots and sticks will be enough to breathe new life into dilapidated buildings remains to be seen and likely hinges less on policy and more on commercial demand.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe real question is,\u201d\u00a0said Alan Mallach, a senior fellow with the Center for Community Progress, \u201cis there demand there for all of this space?\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2018Vulnerable\u2019<\/p>\n

Around four dozen protesters rallied in front of ICE\u2019s downtown Fresno office this week, speaking out against the federal agency\u2019s aggressive tactics across the nation as the Trump administration completes its first full year back in power, Giselle Medina reported for Fresnoland<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Local protesters said they were attempting to get more Fresno residents engaged in a planned strike on Jan. 23, led in Minneapolis.<\/p>\n

The protest comes as immigrant advocates worry about federal immigration officials escalating enforcement operations, similar to what has been deployed in Minnesota since early January. They said multiple people have been detained in Fresno and Clovis by ICE since the MLK-holiday weekend.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout more people, without more eyes on the scene in our community,\u201d Roman Rain Tree, organizer with Faith in the Valley, \u201cwe are just left vulnerable.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Much-needed doctor\u2019s office opens in West Fresno<\/p>\n

For the second time in the last three months, a new medical center has opened west of the 99 freeway, marking the latest effort to chip away at Fresno\u2019s longstanding doctor shortage, Julianna Morano reported for Fresnoland on Friday<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But even with the new health center that will add four primary care providers, the city\u2019s west side neighborhoods still remain short of recommended physician-to-resident ratios<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Community organizations like the Highway City Community Development, Inc.<\/a> have tried to fill the gap. April Henry, the organization\u2019s president, said their community needs between 30 and 40 doctors to fully meet the need.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo matter how many sites we open and services open up,\u201dsaid UHC CEO Justin Preas, \u201cwe\u2019re just so terribly underserved here in the Valley.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Malaga residents need to boil their tap water<\/p>\n

Malaga-area residents received warnings early Friday from water district officials urging them to boil their tap water until further notice after E. coli bacteria was detected in the water system, Rob Parsons reports for Fresnoland<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Water samples tested positive for contamination on Jan. 20, but the potentially deadly bacteria was not found in the supply one day later.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will inform you when tests show that water is safe to drink, and you no longer need to boil your water,\u201d authorities said in Friday\u2019s notice. \u201cWe anticipate resolving the problem within one week or sooner.\u201d<\/p>\n

Malaga, a community of fewer than 700 people southeast of Fresno, has struggled with water quality issues, including contamination, for years. It was one of 13 small local districts identified in a 2020 report as a candidate to consolidate its water system with the City of Fresno.<\/p>\n

Outside the Lines<\/p>\n

On Fresnoland\u2019s podcast this week, Danielle and Jordan spoke with housing policy expert Jennifer LeSar to help us better understand why it\u2019s so difficult to build denser housing in places like Fresno, even when the demand exists for it. Fresnolandia<\/a><\/p>\n

County residents relying on public assistance for basic needs have a new opportunity to connect with jobs. Fresnoland<\/a><\/p>\n

Nighttime bus riders are in for major relief as the city\u2019s bus agency, FAX, announced last week that they\u2019re cutting wait times in half. Fresnoland<\/a><\/p>\n

State officials are ramping up new requirements for cities and counties to meet in order to receive millions of dollars to address homelessness. CalMatters<\/a><\/p>\n

The recent string of deadly fog-related car accidents has spiked the need for blood donations. ABC30<\/a><\/p>\n

Fresno\u2019s international airport saw more than 2.75 million passengers in 2025, up 3% from 2024. The Business Journal<\/a><\/p>\n

Since the early 2000s, Fresno Unified has lost some 13,000 students, part of a yearslong trend that is now forcing California\u2019s third-largest school district to make deep cuts. KVPR<\/a><\/p>\n

Federal authorities seized an unidentified Clovis man, described only as \u201ca gardener,\u201d on Monday morning. The Fresno Bee<\/a><\/p>\n

A lawsuit filed last month accuses Clovis Unified School District of negligence and failing to protect high school students from two sexual predators in the Clovis North High drama department more than 15 years ago. YourCentralValley<\/a><\/p>\n

The Fresno City Attorney\u2019s Office has never been more powerful. The Fresno Bee<\/a><\/p>\n

A major investment \u2014 partially backed by Measure P dollars \u2014 seeks to expand access to youth sports across Fresno. ABC30<\/a><\/p>\n

Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias is serving as the temporary spokesperson for Madera Community College. GV Wire<\/a><\/p>\n

A Fresno State professor has returned to the classroom after serving a suspension in connection with comments made about the shooting of activist Charlie Kirk. KMPH<\/a><\/p>\n

The Foundation for Fresno Unified Students has expanded its suit drive initiative to ensure a year-round supply of professional attire for students preparing for interviews, internships and post-secondary opportunities. Foundation for Fresno Unified<\/a><\/p>\n

Adventist Health Physician Network will end its contract with Sant\u00e9 Community Physicians on Feb. 15, affecting health insurance coverage for patients in Fresno and Kings counties. The Business Journal<\/a><\/p>\n

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Block Beat
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NORTHWEST FRESNO: Jingle Bao, featuring Chinese dumplings, soft-opened in the former Boston Market location on Bullard and Highway 41 this past weekend. YourCentralValley<\/a><\/p>\n

MAYFAIR: This is Fresno\u2019s pho capital. The Fresno Bee<\/a><\/p>\n

FRESNO HIGH: The Fresno City College Social Justice Institute and the Central Labor Council\u2019s Empowerment Institute are hosting a Working Class History workshop on Thursday, Jan. 29 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the college\u2019s Old Administration Building, Room 114. Dinner is provided.<\/p>\n

NORTHEAST FRESNO: Starving Artist Bistro, a popular Fresno restaurant that closed in September of 2024, is officially back in business under new management. YourCentralValley<\/a><\/p>\n

CLOVIS: If you love the hit Netflix show \u201cStranger Things\u201d and have around $300 for the night \u2014 you can stay in this fun AirBnB operated by two local filmmakers in Clovis. The Fresno Bee<\/a><\/p>\n

ALLENSWORTH: The historic community of Allensworth celebrated the upcoming construction of a new well, along with a 500,000-gallon storage tank and an arsenic treatment system that the community\u2019s 500 or so residents will help their town grow. SJV Water<\/a><\/p>\n

HANFORD: Meet the new city manager. Hanford Sentinel\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

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