Local Politics · Fresno County
Fresno County Registrar of Voters James Kus said his office is coordinating with the California Secretary of State after receiving a letter from the Trump Administration demanding evidence that suspected noncitizens were registered to vote, with a 48-hour response deadline. Acting Deputy U.S. Attorney General Trent McCotter signed letters threatening prosecution of election officials who fail to cooperate, including demands that California set aside ballots of 20,000 voters identified as noncitizens. Secretary of State Shirley Weber refused the demand, citing timing and lack of explanation for how the list was compiled, prompting a DOJ lawsuit that Kus said his office is awaiting before acting. Three Fresno County residents among 11 Californians were arrested Oct. 19 in a federal voter-fraud operation that prompted its own lawsuit from voters-rights groups.
Local Politics · Fresno, CA
Fresno City Council District 1 candidate Naindeep Singh was arrested Saturday on suspicion of DUI during a traffic stop and received two citations: driving with unregistered tags and allegedly driving under the influence of drugs. Singh, who passed field sobriety and breathalyzer tests before being taken to Community Regional Medical Center for a blood draw, held a Monday news conference insisting on his innocence and shared an independent toxicology report showing no drugs in his system. The Fresno Police Department confirmed the arrest but declined further comment, and the Fresno County District Attorney's Office had not yet received a police report as of Monday afternoon. City Council candidate Rob Fuentes initially called for Singh to withdraw from the race before backing off pending official toxicology results. A city councilmember has called for an investigation into how City Attorney Andrew Janz reportedly disclosed arrest information to a journalist.
Local Politics · Fresno, CA
SEIU Local 1000, representing over 100,000 California state employees including nurses, educators, and engineers, staged its first-ever strike on Wednesday, with tens of thousands picketing across the state including in Fresno. Workers are seeking a 20% wage increase over three years after their contract lapsed June 30, while protesting health care plan changes that could raise monthly premiums by up to $500 starting January 1, 2027. The switch from UnitedHealthcare to Sutter Health Plan has raised concerns about provider access in rural Central Valley communities, where some members live 30 miles from the nearest Kaiser facility. State officials said they are participating in good-faith mediation, with contract negotiations expected to continue before the end of the month.
Public Safety · Fresno, CA
Two Fresno police officers were injured at approximately 10:15 p.m. Sunday night when a truck driver allegedly failed to stop at the intersection of Tulare and A streets and sideswiped their patrol vehicle, sending it into a fence. Fresno police Lt. Alfonso Castillo said the officers' injuries are not considered serious and both were taken to Community Regional Medical Center for treatment. The suspected DUI driver was also transported to the hospital. Police are investigating the crash.
