Valley Solutions

Fresno murder rate falls

Fresno Bee. Murder cases hit 50-year low; Fresno ‘has turned the corner,’ mayor says.
Synopsis: Fresno had 22 intentional homicides in 2025, the fewest since 1974. In 2020 and again 2021 there were 74 people killed in Fresno, meaning this is a 70% reduction from that high-water mark. Last year there were 30 homicides, meaning this was a reduction of 26%. “We are a much safer city today than we have ever been in the history of the city,” said Mayor Jerry Dyer. Across the nation, murder numbers have been falling for four years, falling 19.8% nationwide in 2025. “Fresno’s reductions are far more dramatic than anywhere else than I’ve heard of in the entire country, and not just violent crime, property crime as well,” said Dyer. Chief Mindy Casto said her detectives cleared 105% of all investigations, meaning they also closed some old cases. Robbery fell 7%, assault 5% and property crime 24%. Rape rose 2%. Police also handed out 7,000 more traffic tickets.
MAD Note: Mayor Dyer, proud of the 26% reduction in homicides, says he knows of no other city anywhere with such a decline. Huh. Just 90 miles up Hwy 99, Modesto’s murder number fell to zero. As a percentage, that’s a 100% drop.

Mom convicted in death

Turlock Journal. ‘Danielle got justice today’: Brassart found guilty of murder in drowning of daughter.
Synopsis: Tuesday a jury convicted Kelle Anne Brassart of second-degree murder in the drowning of her 2-year-old daughter in Turlock. The child drowned in a backyard pool. Brassart showed no emotion as the verdict was rendered by eight women and four men. “Danielle got justice today,” said family friend Julie Jean. Brassart faces 15 years to life. She had been ordered to attend alcohol abuse counseling at the time of her daughter’s death.

$$$ falls through city loophole

Fresnoland. Did Fresno city leaders find a ‘loophole’ to avoid oversight?
Synopsis: Omar Rashad reports the Fresno city council “quietly passed a major policy change without any public discussion” that allows the city to pay consultants up to $100,000 without council approval or public discussion. That doubled the old threshold for no-bid contracts. Since 2020 the city has spent “just under half a million dollars” on such contracts. It doesn’t stop there. Consultants often tack on charges, pushing the total past the threshold. Among those receiving such contracts was local political consultant and Valley Sun website publisher Alex Tavlian. He was paid $131,042 over six months, including $16,000 a month for “constituent outreach” by former councilmember and current County Supervisor Luis Chavez. Neither Chavez nor Tavlian offered a response. Current council members, however, said they would consider changes to the contracting rules for the council.

Does MID care about its water?

Valley Citizen. Byrd investigation: Stinky fish, conclusive inconclusions and other oddities. 
Synopsis: Publisher Eric Caine continues his examination of MID Director’s Larry Byrd’s appropriation of water for land outside the district, putting it all into an historical context. Caine also looks at the “bizarre theory” promoted by former congressman John Duarte to justify Byrd’s use of surface water on a “fringe parcel.” The very term admits that water was used outside the district. MID allowed a sitting director to vote on a matter “in an obvious conflict of interest,” making it “starkly evident they wanted the investigation to end.” Bottom line: “MID doesn’t know how much water it released onto Byrd’s property, nor does it know where it went. … When public officials and authorities fail their missions to fairly and accurately administer one of the most precious resources of the public trust, it’s up to the public to demand better.” 

2026: It’s an election year

Merced County Times. Looking forward to 2026 and what a new year will bring. 
Synopsis: Editor Jon Whitaker looks at what will likely be a year dominated by election politics. Adam Gray, a first-term Congressman from Merced, represents one of the largest districts in the state, stretching across 5 counties from Stockton to Fresno. He’s not the only one who will be on the ballot. Supervisors Daron McDaniel and Scott Silveira will be facing challengers. Former CHP officer Luis Lara has filed for McDaniel’s seat and Miguel Alejandro of Los Banos is running against Silveira.

New threats to water, fish

SJV Water. Invasive critters “musseling” in on Valley waterways as managers struggle to stop spread. 
Synopsis: The dreaded golden mussel has become an “urgent topic” at water agencies across the South Valley. The fast-reproducing mussels clog pipes and destroy pumps and were found at the Arvin-Edison Water Storage District last month. That sparked a top-to-bottom inspection of the Friant-Kern Canal. So far, no filtration or screening process has been found that can keep the larvae out of water systems. “It is absolutely a big problem,” said Jeevan Muhar, Arvin-Edison’s GM. “We need a little more urgency.” The only cure is treating water with copper sulfate. But when moving high volume of water, the treatments are less effective.

Maven. From roadways to waterways: The environmental toll of 6PPD-quinone.
Synopsis: A chemical used to harden tire rubber is toxic to salmon. With every wheel rotation, a tiny amount of the chemical is shed into the environment and eventually works its way into waterways. It’s also toxic to trout and other aquatic species. The study terms the chemical “ubiquitous.”

Fresno limits sex-offender housing

Fresnoland. Why it just got harder for sex offenders to live in Fresno County.
Synopsis: Supervisors voted 5-0 to limit the number of sex offenders who can occupy a single-family home used as a half-way house. The action brings Fresno into line with state regulations, limiting the number of offenders to six. Violations can result in fines, loss of a business license or even jail time. Two long-standing homes in the Old Fig Garden district are out of compliance. Between them, the homes hold 34 offenders. The owner of the homes said the men could become homeless.

Huge solar project OK’d

GV Wire. Westlands board vote moves huge solar project forward. 
Synopsis: The Valley Clean Infrastructure Plan – an enormous solar-panel farm -- got a big boost last month when Westlands Water District approved the environmental report. The report can be challenged through Jan. 17. If VCIP moves forward, up to 136,000 acres could be fallowed and converted to solar projects, generating 21 gigawatts of electricity by 2040. That’s enough to power 9 million homes, but the power is more likely destined for data centers. The district says fallowing the land, and adding recharge pumps, will increase groundwater capture and storage. “Even with the repurposing of this land, we’re still going to have land sitting idle because of lack of secure water supply,” said a Westlands official.

Merced’s new businesses

Merced Sun Star. 5 new businesses set to open in Merced soon.
Synopsis: Mostly, this story lists new chain outlets. The exception is Ambition Vintage, a second location for a Modesto “queer-owned” consignment store. Megan Knoll’s second store will open on West 18^th Street on Feb. 13. Others: Starbucks is opening at 1285 West Yosemite later this spring; Ulta Beauty, on R Street, opens next month; Five Below is moving into the Marketplace on R Street; Rack Room Shoes will open at the Shoppes at Merced (aka, the old mall) in February.

KSEE24 / CBS47. New burger joint to replace Long John Silver’s in Merced.
Synopsis: Fancy Burger is already serving up rather large burgers, corndogs, Philly cheesesteaks and ice cream sundaes to drive-thru customers on West Olive. The dining room is expected to be open by the end of January.

Fair horse shows canceled

Turlock Journal. The show won’t go on. 
Synopsis: The Stanislaus County Fair Board has canceled all junior horse events for 2026, saying the events at the Diamond Bar Arena in Ceres have been operating at a loss and are sparsely attended. Fair CEO Kim Williams said the events had gotten “kind of stagnant.” The events were moved to Diamond Bar several years ago because the fairgrounds arena didn’t meet show standards. The cancellation angered parents on social media. One called the board “a complete disaster.” Abigail Cahoon of River Oaks 4-H said her group got zero notice of the board’s plan.

El Cap inaugurates stadium

KSEE24 / CBS47. ‘A place to call home’: Merced El Capitan High opens new stadium.
Synopsis: After a decade of playing “home” games at the Merced College stadium and other fields, El Capitan football and soccer players finally have their own stadium. Head coach Xavier Ramirez says it’s more than just new turf: “You know, we finally have a place to call home. This place is beautiful. … And now we have a homefield advantage.” The stadium seats 3,000. The first game is a soccer match tonight against Atwater.

Wolves kill calves, family horse

Modesto Bee. CA wolves hunt down family horse; Lassen sheriff begs state for help. 
Synopsis: Wolves killed a family horse and a newly weaned calf in Lassen County, leaving community members shaken, sad and scared. Rancher Wyatt Hanson was forced to put down his family’s horse, Smoke, after the attack. “It makes me choke up even thinking about it,” he said. Hanson is selling off the 100 calves he has been raising but can’t keep safe from wolves despite patrolling his ranch with his brother at night. Sheriff John McGarva said wolves killed from 42 to 45 calves in the county last year, and he is demanding the state do something about depredation. He is extremely worried that wolves are no longer afraid of humans and will someday attack a child.