![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FRS_Fresno_move07.JPG\" "\\"The")
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The moon rises above the downtown Fresno skyline on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. Personal memories of downtown Fresno highlight San Francisco Floral, Newberry\u2019s and Woolworth\u2019s counters and nostalgic shopping trips.<\/p>\n
CRAIG KOHLRUSS<\/p>\n
ckohlruss@fresnobee.com<\/p>\n
A stroll down memory lane<\/p>\n
\u201cReimagining downtown Fresno by taking a look into the past | Opinion<\/a>,\u201d (fresnobee.com<\/a>, March 1)<\/p>\n I enjoyed reading this article that remembers Fresno\u2019s downtown past, and the memories of my own it invoked. My favorite memory is walking past San Francisco Floral\u2019s shop and breathing in the wonderful fragrances coming from inside.<\/p>\n Shopping excursions downtown always included lunch at the counter of either Newberry\u2019s or Woolworth\u2019s, and their club sandwiches were a treat to look forward to. When I bought a new coat for college, it was on layaway for a long time until I finally made enough payments to take it home.<\/p>\n Other girls with more generous allowances were buying Bonnie Doon socks to wear with their Spaulding loafers; and when I started my first job downtown, George Zenovich came into our office wearing Spaulding saddle loafers. Those were such happy days.<\/p>\n Karen Ramsden<\/p>\n Fresno<\/p>\n Tax alcohol to generate revenue<\/p>\n \u201cCity of Fresno faces $20M budget deficit. Here\u2019s what could be on the chopping block<\/a>,\u201d (fresnobee.com<\/a>, Feb. 20, 2025)<\/p>\n The current city and state budget crisis could easily be addressed by taxing alcohol sales at the same rate as cannabis is taxed statewide. Not only would the price increase help minors resist the temptation \u2014 as it has done for tobacco use \u2014 but it would also immediately overflow city and state coffers with cash.<\/p>\n Given the well-established costs to society from alcohol abuse, it should be considered.<\/p>\n Joe Messer<\/p>\n Fresno<\/p>\n Let\u2019s hope this ends quickly<\/p>\n \u201cTrump says U.S. military operations in Iran likely to last at least a month<\/a>,\u201d (fresnobee.com<\/a>, March 2)<\/p>\n Iran is the third most powerful military force in the Middle East, trailing only Israel \u2014 our sole partner in this venture. This is not a country you rattle with a strongly-worded tweet and a gunboat.<\/p>\n The strategy \u2014 bombing campaign plus wishful thinking \u2014 has a poor track record for toppling governments. By declaring regime change as our goal, we\u2019ve told Iran this is a fight for its survival. They\u2019ll act accordingly. A classic quagmire.<\/p>\n None of this should surprise anyone. This is a president who governs by ego and gut instinct, mistakes bravado for strategy and has the attention span of a gnat \u2014 with access to the nuclear codes.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s hope this ends quickly. And let\u2019s hope our traditional adversaries don\u2019t take our military adventurism as license to do whatever they want.<\/p>\n Brad Fournier<\/p>\n Homewood<\/p>\n Treat manufacturers the same<\/p>\n \u201cCalifornia air board OKs first rules for corporate climate disclosures<\/a>,\u201d (fresnobee.com<\/a>, Feb. 27)<\/p>\n The California Air Resources Board recently ratified the state\u2019s initial greenhouse gas emissions reporting and climate risk disclosure regulations. These regulations are intended to support the state\u2019s target of carbon neutrality by 2045, but have a critical flaw that will undermine their effectiveness.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, for American manufacturers and the jobs we support, the regulations apply only to U.S.-based companies, not to foreign manufacturers, giving foreign manufacturers a free pass to import higher-emissions products at the expense of cleaner American-made products like steel.<\/p>\n American steel is the most energy-efficient in the world, produced with a smaller carbon footprint than foreign (often government-subsidized) steel. California\u2019s leadership should correct course and advance regulations that treat all manufacturers similarly.<\/p>\n Kevin Dempsey<\/p>\n President and CEO, American Iron and Steel Institute<\/p>\n Related Stories from Fresno Bee<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The moon rises above the downtown Fresno skyline on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. 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