Latest news with #Fresno
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Adult or juvenile murder charges? Here's latest in Clovis teen killing trial
In the Spotlight is a Fresno Bee series that digs into the high-profile local issues that readers care most about. Story idea? Email tips@ Two 16-year-olds in Fresno County were recently accused of the premeditated killing of Clovis teen Caleb Quick and many, including District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, have called for the teens to face an adult trial. Whether they will be charged as adults is a significant undertaking that will not likely be decided quickly, according to experts. Fresno attorney Kathy Bird is the defense attorney for Byron Rangel, who was accused of being the gunman who sought out the 18-year-old Quick on April 23 before shooting him in the head outside of a McDonald's near Willow and Nees avenues. The teen faces a charge of murder and an enhancement for lying in wait. Also charged in the case was Cassandra Michael, 16, who police said was the getaway driver. She also faces an enhancement as a co-participant in a crime involving a gun. The two 16-year-olds were dating. The Bee is naming the juvenile defendants after Judge Amythest Freeman on May 14 denied requests from their attorneys to withhold their names, entering them into the public record. Two-and-half weeks after the fatal shooting, the two Clovis Unified students turned themselves into police in Clovis on May 9. Rangel's next hearing is June 4, and Michael's is June 18. The Fresno County District Attorney's Office has made the request to try them as adults, but it's up to a judge to decide. Multiple attorneys who spoke with the Fresno Bee laid out the process for how the judicial system weighs that request. The teen must be at least 16 to face an adult court under Proposition 57, which voters passed in 2016. Two years later, Gov. Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 1391 to move the minimum age up to 16 from 14. The alleged crime must also be an 'enumerated offense,' which basically means a more serious alleged crime like murder, rape, carjacking or robbery at gunpoint. A judge will hold a transfer hearing in which the prosecutors and defense attorneys make their arguments on why the teen should be moved to an adult court or stay in the juvenile system. The transfer hearing in juvenile court is much more similar to a juvenile criminal proceeding than a preliminary hearing in adult court is to an adult criminal trial, according to Michael McKneely, a veteran Fresno attorney with experience in homicide trials in both juvenile and adult courts. 'They hear evidence, they hear witnesses and things like that,' he said. 'A transfer hearing is a lot like an actual juvenile trial, because although there are is a focus on the five key criteria, there's also a focus on the factual basis as well.' He was referring to the five factors a judge weighs in a juvenile transfer hearing: Totality of the circumstances and seriousness of the crime. The degree of sophistication of the crime. The likeliness of rehabilitation of the teen. Previous history of delinquency. Success of previous attempts at rehabilitation. Both Rangel's attorney and Jeff Hammerschmidt, Michael's attorney, described their clients as teens from decent families who had no previous delinquency. As part of the transfer hearing, juvenile probation officials will be asked to make a recommendation on the transfer. The judge can use it in their decision but is not required to follow the recommendation. The defense will have the teens evaluated by psychiatrists, including looking into whether they had adverse childhood events that may have led them to act out differently than a well-adjusted teen. None of this happens quickly. All of the factors in the case would likely come out during many court hearings over months or longer. A case involving a 17-year-old accused of quadruple homicide in Reedley in January 2024 is ongoing, and the court has not yet determined if he should be tried as an adult. A decision has also not been made on a 17-year-old accused of killing and dismembering a man in Mendota in April 2024. Members of the community can grow impatient in the process, and show frustration that the decision takes so long. McKneely stressed that the public should be patient and allow the system to work to come to a full determination. 'I don't know anybody, outside other than the police or the prosecutors or the defense attorneys, who knows enough about the circumstances of the offense to be able to knowledgeably say whether you know this kid or the girlfriend really are irredeemable,' McKneely said. The most glaring difference a teen faces in adult court is the severity of the punishment. As adults, Michael would face 26 years to life for participating in the slaying while Rangel would potentially be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, prosecutors said. As juveniles, they each face up to seven years of confinement or up until they turn 25, prosecutors said. Hammerchmidt said the difference between how the courts handle a juvenile case and an adult case are 'absolutely huge.' The courts in juvenile cases lean heavily on diversion, when the court prescribes treatment or programs to correct a person's actions rather than a jail sentence. 'The purpose of the juvenile court is rehabilitation rather than punishment,' he said. 'Sometimes punishment is part of it but it's less of an emphasis.' There has been an evolving perspective in California of how the courts treat young people who commit crimes. Prop. 57 and SB 1391 are examples of that. In 2020, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office took the additional step of not sending any minors to adult court as part of their own policies. Even 18 can be seen as too young to handle adult consequences. Some science shows that a person's brain does not finish developing until mid- to late 20s, and the Supreme Court made note of that in its decision in Graham vs. Florida in 2010 in which the justices ruled life sentences cannot be given to minors who commit 'non-homicide crime.' California also holds youth offender parole hearings for anyone younger than 26 when they committed a crime, a law that went into effect with Assembly Bill 1308 in 2018. 'Courts are catching up with brain science,' Bird said.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Presidents Clinton, Obama and Biden did tariffs, deportations as well
Clinton did it, Obama did it and Biden did it, and not one Democrat complained or filed a lawsuit to overturn a tariff or the deportations — not one. It was because their guy did it and it fit their narrative. But when Trump did basically the same thing, OMG, the outrage from the left. We all know that our governor has blamed all of California's budget issues on Trump; it could not have been the last six years of total mismanagement by our left-leaning politicians. It was that first 100 days, the terrible 100 days; instead of admitting there are problems, let's deflect to the easy target —Trump — as it will get him on TV and get clicks to satisfy his ego. Spend more time governing and less time campaigning. Let's concentrate on balancing the budget and less time on filing numerous lawsuits that the possibility winning are slim. The most important outcome is him advancing his campaign for higher office. Just how many of those lawsuits will we win I doubt we will ever know; that would lead to showing just how frivolous they truly are. Be like your constituents and live within your spendable tax income. Duane Opie, Fresno Fresno's planned southeast expansion, aka SEDA, will happen — maybe it should. But not right now. At Every Neighborhood Partnership, we've spent years working in the neighborhoods left behind during Fresno's last big growth wave. Back then, all growth was seen as good. But we've learned that unchecked expansion without reinvestment leads to lasting harm. We need smarter growth — expansion that strengthens our core while building on the edges. Think of SEDA like hitting the gym and only working your biceps. Outward growth — new homes, shiny roads — looks great. But if we ignore our core, we risk collapse. That's what Fresno has experienced. The current SEDA plan is another big bicep. But we need to finish what's already on the table — and repair what's been ignored. We're asking for: 1. A realistic cost analysis for SEDA — not just a map. 2. Completion of long-delayed specific plans. 3. A structure that prioritizes infill and reinvestment in Fresno's core. SEDA must not drain resources from neighborhoods that have already waited too long. Growth isn't bad — but unbalanced growth is. Let's not repeat our past. Let's grow wiser. Andrew Feil, executive director, Every Neighborhood Partnership, Fresno It's a simple question: How has Mr. Trump increased his personal fortune by $3 billion from the time he took office to benefit the country? Daniel Lea, Fresno PG&E insists it has turned a corner, but recent developments suggest otherwise. We now know that Teresa Alvarado, a top executive at PG&E, was involved in campaign activities supporting a San José City Council candidate, according to emails obtained by San Jose Spotlight. At the same time, Alvarado played a central role in negotiations aimed at preventing the city of San José from creating its own public utility. Alvarado's actions paint a troubling picture of a utility company deeply entangled in political maneuvering — fighting to protect its monopoly, even if it means undermining local self-determination. This should serve as a wake-up call for Fresno. A few years ago, Fresno leaders considered studying the feasibility of forming a municipal utility — an idea that quickly lost traction, in part due to PG&E's political sway and lobbying. If the city had moved forward, it could have gained more control over rates, reliability, and clean energy investments. Instead, PG&E continues to dominate the energy landscape with little accountability and even less transparency. Let's be clear: these are not isolated incidents. They reflect a pattern of behavior — using back-channel influence to suppress competition and maintain control. John Williams, Fresno Congressman Fong claims the GOP budget will benefit congressional District 20, but the district's demographics tell a different story. His talking points may be technically accurate, but they reflect the priorities of wealthy donors and national party leadership, not working families in the Central Valley. Most households in CA-20 earn under $88,000, with over 30% relying on Medicaid or SNAP. Yet this bill trades modest tax cuts for deep cuts to health care, food assistance and school funding. Many families will lose more in services than they gain in tax relief. Estate tax changes and business deductions benefit the ultra-wealthy, not the small farms, sole proprietors and local laborers that drive our economy. Agricultural and trade investments sound promising, but specialty crop growers in CA-20 rarely see these federal dollars, and tariff hikes will make exporting even harder. Massive spending on defense and border enforcement may appeal to donors, but it won't fix our roads, schools, or clinics. Taxing EVs and expanding 529 plans helps the affluent, not working families trying to get ahead. We need targeted investment, strong infrastructure, public health funding, and fair immigration policy, not symbolic tax breaks. Mr. Fong's vote reflects party politics, not local needs. Rebecca B. Camarena, Lemoore The federal Clean Water Act became law more than 50 years ago with the goal of making sure all public waters are safe for people and wildlife. This law was needed because water pollution had become a widespread problem that was threatening public health and natural areas. Every living creature needs clean water to survive. Protecting water from pollution is common sense. The only way to make sure our water stays clean in an industrialized world is to regulate it, plain and simple. The bad news is that decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court and President Trump have weakened these protections in recent years. The good news is that California has a chance to pass the Right to Clean Water Act (SB 601), which would restore essential clean water regulations for our state. Please join me in sending a clear message to Sen. (Anna) Caballero. We are counting on our state leaders to right this wrong. Jahari Garcia, Sanger
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Fresno State defers chunk of Save Mart Center debt. Could students feel the pain?
The Fresno State Association made a reduced annual debt payment on the Save Mart Center, effectively pushing down the road some of the pain in owing more than $30 million on an aging arena in need of refurbishment and upgrades. The Association was facing a principal and interest payment of more than $10.2 million in 2024-25, but the university said it deferred more than $4 million to maximize cash flow and establish a consistent payment schedule over the next four years. In doing so, it increased pressure on other units within the non-profit auxiliary organization that capture student revenue, such as the dining hall, to cover capital lease obligations and operating losses. With the deferral, payments will increase by $1 million a year over the next three fiscal years and by $1.1 million in 2028-29. The revised payments on arena debt are now $4.8 million in 2025-26, $5 million in 2026-27, $4 million in 2027-28 and $4.1 million in 2028-29; interest accounts for between 18.1% and 24.2% of those payments, not including the deferral amount. The debt still is scheduled to be paid off Nov. 1, 2031. The Save Mart Center capital lease payments are a general obligation of all Fresno State Association revenues, which include student housing, the residence dining hall, campus bookstore and the student union. 'Auxiliary operations cover both the facility's debt service and ongoing expenses, assuming full liability for the debt,' said Bob Brown, interim vice president of administration and chief financial officer. 'As a result, the university's operating budget remains unaffected.' Fresno State students, already hit with a tuition increase across the California State University system and an increase in a mandatory instructionally-related activities fee approved last month, are likely to feel the pinch. Revenue generated by student housing rent, as an example, was budgeted at $7.6 million in 2024-25, up from $6.5 million the previous year, according to the Fresno State Association budget. In actual dollars, rent revenue was reported at $6.5 million in 2022-23 and $6.3 million in 2021-22. With the increase, stemming in part from turning some double rooms into triple occupancy units, rent revenue is expected to generate a net surplus of $1.5 million in 2024-25, according to the budget. The university dining hall has had a net surplus of as much as $1.6 million in recent years, and its surplus was budgeted at $1.3 million in 2024-25. Any net surplus from units within the Association is directed by board policy to reserve accounts that are used to fund long-term capital lease obligations, as well as things like facility improvements and deferred maintenance. The decision to defer payments was made by former vice president of administration and chief financial officer Deborah Adishian-Astone prior to her departure at the end of 2024, according to the university. Adishian-Astone, who served as chair of the Fresno State Association, retired from the university. The Association is due to make principal and interest payments of about $3 million in 2029-30 and 2030-31 and $6.4 million in 2031-32. After making its payment this fiscal year it still owes $30.3 million on an arena that was opened in 2003 at a cost of $103 million, and since has been a drain on Fresno State basketball and volleyball teams that practice and play there. The Bulldogs' athletics department receives no cut of revenue from suite leases, signage, parking or concessions sales, which go to pay off the capital lease and to cover operating losses. Athletics also is charged for its use of the building, paying for floor changeovers to put the basketball floor down or take it up for another event, as well as on game days security, housekeeping and liability insurance.
Daily Mail
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Masked flag-wielding trans protestor arrested for attacking activist at California state track championships
A masked pro-trans protestor was arrested at the California state high school track-and-field championships this weekend after allegedly using a Progress Pride flag to attack an activist journalist who had been demonstrating at the controversial meet. Ethan Kroll is identified as the 19-year-old man booked Friday for assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm, obstructing public officer and vandalism under $400, according to the Fresno County Sheriff's Office website. Kroll was released on Saturday evening. The arrest was first reported by local media after viral video of the incident was recorded by Josh Fulfer, a crowd-funded reporter protesting in support of 'the female athletes that were having to compete against a male,' as he told Fresno's Fox affiliate. This weekend's meet outside Fresno was the latest front line in the ongoing debate over trans athletes in female sports. In defiance of Donald Trump and his executive order, trans athlete AB Hernandez claimed gold in the girls high jump and triple jump at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state finals. 'We were out there for a couple of hours, had no incident whatsoever,' Fulfer told Fox 26 of his protests on Friday. After seeing the masked protester, Fulfer admittedly said something amounting to: 'If you're so proud of your cause, why do you have a mask on?' I was targeted and violently assaulted today by transtifa when me and my family were leaving the CIF State Championship @ Veterans Memorial Stadium This person called me out by name before striking me multiple times with their flag pole. Fortunately I was able to pepper spray… — Oreo Express (@OreoExpress) May 30, 2025 Ethan Kroll is identified as the 19-year-old man booked Friday for assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm, obstructing public officer and vandalism under $400 'Next thing I know, that person is darting out across the intersection and I hit 'record' when they're about 10 feet away. And they started assaulting me with the flagpole through my driver's-side window.' Fulfer said he reached for his pepper spray at the urging of his wife and sprayed the protestor in the face. 'That got the flagpole out of the vehicle, and then they started vandalizing the car, hitting the top of the roof of the car and the door of the car.' After running a red light and finding a safe place to park, Fulfer said he got out to witness Clovis (California) police jumping the fence to make the arrest. Fufler said he suffered some bruises and scrapes as a result of the attack. Police have said an investigation is ongoing. Daily Mail's attempts to reach Kroll have been unsuccessful. An attorney for Kroll was not listed on the Fresno County Sheriff's Office website. As for the meet, Hernandez competed under a new rule, allowing for the possibility of multiple winners in events in which she competed. Hernandez finished the high jump with a mark of 5-foot-7 (1.7 meters), with no failed attempts. Co-winners Jillene Wetteland and Lelani Laruelle also cleared that height after each logged a failed attempt. The three shared the first-place win, smiling as they stepped together onto the podium. Hernandez wrapped up the night with a first-place finish in the triple jump, sharing the top spot with Kira Gant Hatcher who trailed by just over a half-meter. Earlier in the afternoon, Hernandez placed second in the long jump. The CIF announced the new policy earlier this week in response to Hernandez's success heading into the championships. Under the policy, the federation allowed an additional student to compete and medal in the events where Hernandez qualified. The two-day championship kicked off Friday in sweltering heat at a high school near Fresno. Temperatures reached the triple digits during Saturday's finals. The atmosphere was relatively quiet despite critics - including parents, conservative activists and President Donald Trump - calling for Hernandez to be barred from competing. Some critics wore pink bracelets and T-shirts that read, 'Save Girls' Sports.' During Friday's qualifying events, an aircraft circled above the stadium for more than an hour with a banner: 'No Boys in Girls' Sports!' Two groups that oppose transgender athletes participating in women's sports - the Independent Council on Women's Sports and Women Are Real - took credit for flying the banner. The federation's rule change reflected efforts to find a middle ground in the debate over trans girls' participation in youth sports. 'The CIF values all of our student-athletes and we will continue to uphold our mission of providing students with the opportunity to belong, connect, and compete while complying with California law,' the group said in a statement after announcing its rule change. A recent AP-NORC poll found that about 7 in 10 U.S. adults think transgender female athletes should not be allowed to participate in girls and women's sports at the high school, college or professional level. That view was shared by about 9 in 10 Republicans and roughly half of Democrats. The federation announced the change after Trump threatened to pull federal funding from California unless it bars trans female athletes from competing on girls teams. The federation said it decided on the change before then. The U.S. Department of Justice also said it would investigate the federation and the district that includes Hernandez's high school to determine whether they violated federal sex discrimination law. California law allows trans students to compete on sex-segregated sports teams consistent with their gender identity.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Shakeup in Fresno radio as KMJ host retires, public radio host dies
E. Curtis Johnson is a stalwart of local radio. For nearly five decades he's been on the air and behind the scenes at some of Fresno's most popular and innovative stations, including news talk station KMJ, where he co-hosts the Afternoon Drive. Johnson retires on Friday, after two years with the station. 'There are many places in the Valley where E. made his mark,' co-host Philip Teresi said, in a statement announcing the retirement. 'The entire industry is better for his contributions.' Johnson came to Fresno radio in the late 1980s and launched well-known rock station KRZR. While at the station, he hired several long-time radio personalities, including Teresi and Chris Daniel (who hosted KMJ's afternoon show for nearly a decade). Johnson also helped break a then-unknown metal band named Tool in the Fresno market and was also on hand for some of the station's wilder promotional stunts — like offering a free trip to Bagdad (Arizona) at the start of the Gulf War and having its morning DJ make 'irreverent, on-the-air calls to the Iraqi Embassy in Washington, D.C.,' according to a story in The Bee. In 1994, a woman tried to win a $10,000 radio contest by riding a white horse along Blackstone and Shaw avenues in a G-string and cowboy hat, with two KRZR bumper stickers across her breasts. She was arrested on suspicion of indecent exposure, but remained eligible for the prize money, pending the outcome of the case. 'KRZR was an outrageous part of Fresno's radio history: a party that spilled into the streets and refused to quiet down for 21 years,' Johnson told the newspaper in 2010 when the station underwent a format change. At the time, he was program director at K-Jewel and KYNO, where he hosted his 'Daily Rant' segment. Johnson said his retirement cuts short his stint with KMJ. 'I thought I'd be here longer, but some unexpected health issues made the decision to retire the right choice for me.' News of Johnson's departure comes as another host announces his return to KMJ. Ray Appleton has been on hiatus from the show since late April. According to posts on his social media, Appleton spent his 75th birthday in the hospital, where he was admitted with an immune condition known as CVID. He also had pneumonia and a heart issue that required surgery. KMJ' program director Blake Taylor has been filling in for the first hour of Appleton's show, with the syndicated Fox News host Guy Benson running from noon to 2 p.m. Appleton teased his return in a Facebook post on Wednesday. The post shows a steaming cup of coffee with a caption overlay: 'Monday, June 2. Me! Where? KMJ!!!' But Appleton's return to the airwaves was never in question. 'He will return to KMJ,' Taylor said on the show in mid-May. 'He's on the mend. He's getting better every day. He's getting stronger every day.' On Tuesday, KVPR announced the death of longtime show host Marv Allen Moore. Known as Marv Allen to listeners, Moore joined the public radio station in 2005 and became the voice of several of its signature shows, including Morning Edition, Clearly Classical and, most recently, All Things Considered. Moore had been dealing with health issues for several years, according to the station, but continued to work until his retirement on May 18. Four days later, Moore died from complications from bone marrow cancer, according to KVPR. He was 80. Moore started his career in radio following his military service in Vietnam and worked at several Fresno stations, including KFIG (now ESPN Radio). But for years, he was a well-known advertising rep with a successful production company called Studio B. He did voice work on advertisements for La-Z-Boy Furniture Gallery and Gibbs International Trucking, among others. In 2010, he narrated the New Testament for the online Bible study Logos. Moore was inducted into the Central California Advertising and Marketing Hall of Fame in 2000. 'Marv was truly one-of-a-kind, and a local broadcasting legend,' said KVPR President and General Manager Joe Moore. 'His voice will be missed by thousands.'
