is back open in both directions after a big rig crashed The Coalinga Fire Department says it happened Thursday afternoon just south of Jayne Avenue and caused a high-tension power line to come down They say the crash caused both directions of Highway 198 to Lassen to be closed (FOX26) — A dirt bike accident claimed the life of a Coalinga man Sunday night The solo vehicle crash happened around 8 p.m According to the California Highway Patrol the man was riding a 2006 Suzuki RM250 dirt bike westbound on the north shoulder of the highway at around 50 mph He was ejected from the bike and was pronounced dead at the scene CHP believes the man did not see the wire because of the dark conditions on the county road Alcohol and drugs are not suspected to have played a role in the crash Welcome, Mickeymickey@disney.comManage MyDisney AccountLog OutMan killed in crash on dirt bike in Fresno County, CHP saysMonday 2025Officers say he crossed over onto a road near an orchard drove through a wire and sustained fatal injuries.FRESNO COUNTY (KFSN) -- A motorcyclist is dead after a violent collision in Fresno County The California Highway Patrol says 31-year-old Louis Maciel was riding a dirt bike around 8 pm on the shoulder of the westbound lanes of Highway 33 near San Joaquin Avenue -- just outside of Coalinga Officers say Louis Maciel crossed over onto a road near an orchard drove through a wire and sustained fatal injuries but alcohol or drugs are not believed to be factors SALARY RANGE:  $186,337.10 – $205,436.64 Annually The City Manager is the Chief Executive Officer of the City and serves at the pleasure of the City Council The City Manager is responsible for planning and managing all activities and operations of the City ensuring that all public services are delivered in an efficient and effective manner This position is responsible for coordinating City activities with other agencies and organizations; facilitating the development and implementation of City goals and objectives; implementing policy decisions made by the City Council; and providing highly complex administrative support to the City Council The Office of the City Manager is responsible for a wide range of activities including managing and directing budget and operations The new City Manager will work closely with the City Council and a stable professional staff to promote a culture of learning and communication that ensures Councilmembers and residents are well informed while providing a high level of transparency and confidence in local government Key responsibilities of the City Manager include The ideal candidate will be a motivated and collaborative leader with high integrity communication and interpersonal skills; with a focus on effective customer service who can naturally create positive working relationships with community leaders and business partners The successful candidate will demonstrate strong technical and business acumen understanding the need to provide efficient public service by being a role model while developing a supportive and responsive city staff and embracing the opportunities and challenges of a diverse and involved community The ideal candidate will have a solid track record leading and successfully managing municipal service initiatives in areas of urban planning The next City Manager will be required to manage the City as it moves to improve its infrastructure and build and maintain effective and collaborative relationships with regional and national business partners A passion for public service and desire to work with and build a high performing staff focused on customer service are required as is a willingness and openness to understand the heritage and local dynamics of the community The ideal candidate will possess the following strengths and attributes: Nestled in the Pleasant Valley at the eastern edge of California’s Coastal Mountain Range Coalinga is 10 miles west of I-5 and 60 miles southwest of the City of Fresno Coalinga is a full-service city that provides a wide range of services to approximately 18,000 citizens and enjoys affordable housing and a low level of crime through law-abiding citizenry The City celebrated its 100th birthday in 2006 For more details about this opportunity, please visit the job brochure at: https://koffassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Coalinga-CM.pdf To be considered, please electronically submit your resume, cover letter and a list of five professional references (references will not be contacted in the early stages of the recruitment) to: https://koffassociates.com/coalinga-city-manager/ Resumes should reflect years and months of positions held as well as size of staff and budgets you have managed Frank_Rojas@ajg.com Website: https://koffassociates.com/ 2025-05-05T07:41:43-07:00May 5 2025-05-02T09:39:58-07:00May 2 2025-05-02T08:40:53-07:00May 2 2025-05-04T09:32:06-07:00April 30 2025-04-30T17:06:48-07:00April 30 Man rescued after falling down ponding basin in Coalinga (FOX26) — A man had to be rescued after falling into a ponding basin in Coalinga It happened early Thursday morning near Highway 33 and Gale Avenue they found a man who fell about 60 feet down the embankment [RELATED] Woman rescued after hanging on other side of HWY 99 overpass A technical rescue team was then called out They were able to use the Arizona Vortex to lower a rescuer to the man and then raise them both to safety The man was taken to a local hospital for evaluation Fresno County Fire is reminding people to be mindful of their surroundings especially when taking in the views on your walks (FOX26) — A man on parole was arrested and then released following an investigation in Coalinga the Coalinga Police Department served a search warrant to a home on Polk Street and Alfred Street as part of an ongoing investigation Police say the investigation follows reports about a man caught running towards the C-Town Smoke Shop pointing a firearm at another person Officers were able to identify the suspect as Juan Mendoza Jr. who is currently on parole for a previous conviction He is also an active member of a criminal street gang [RELATED] 4 arrested in Reedley police operation targeting violent gang members it was revealed that he was chasing after rival gang members He was eventually found and taken into custody before he was transported to the Fresno County Jail where he was booked on the warrant and a violation of parole he was released from the Fresno County Jail after Parole dropped the parole hold as a result of a Federal Overpopulation Order 2025After leading the Coalinga High School's drama department for more than two decades students helped celebrate their teacher's ''final curtain call.''COALINGA (KFSN) -- After leading the Coalinga High School's drama department for more than two decades students helped celebrate their teacher's ''final curtain call.'' about 100 students got together to congratulate Tom Lucero His sons put together a medley of all the musicals he's done throughout the years and his past and present students performed it They celebrated his many years of productions with cake and stories from students but this is his last year leading the cast Heavy police presence on North Maroa and E Fedora Avenue (FOX26) — A man has been arrested in Coalinga accused of trying to break into a home on Monday morning The Coalinga Police Department says Monday at 8 a.m. officers were called to the 100 block of Hoover St after receiving reports about a man armed with a knife attempting to get into a home Officers say Maya was standing on the sidewalk near the intersection of Hoover St [RELATED] Armed robbers break into Richard Sherman's home with his family inside Officers demanded in both English and Spanish for Maya to drop the shovel and to sit on the curb Maya refused to comply with the commands and continued to speak about unrelated topics expressing that he would not drop the shovel assuming a fighting stance when officers attempted to apprehend him In response to Maya's continued resistance officers used their tasers in an effort to get him to surrender and at one point was able to remove the probes from one officers taser before falling to the ground after a successful deployment of another officers taser Maya continued to resist by kicking officers and attempting to fight The taser was again utilized to overcome his resistance A search then revealed Maya had a fixed-blade knife in his pocket Maya was booked into the Coalinga City Jail and later transported to Fresno County Jail for charges including Threatening an Executive Officer in March in connection with stolen vehicle investigations within the City of Coalinga the Coalinga Police Department was notified by U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that an active ICE detainer was in place for Maya and that means another edition of Friday Morning Football!FRESNO COUNTY and that means another edition of Friday Morning Football It's been nearly two months now that students have been getting up early to show off their school spirit for us This week is no different as we're coming to you from Coalinga High School The Coalinga Horned Toads (6-0) will host the visiting Avenal Buccaneers (2-4) on Friday For news updates, follow Ana Torrea on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Recruitment opportunities available Detectives with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office have arrested 18-year-old Nicholas Banales of Coalinga and 20-year-old Damian Aguilera of Coalinga Banales has been booked into the Fresno County Jail on a charge of murder who was already in jail for other unrelated charges now faces a new charge of conspiracy to commit murder detectives with the Sheriff’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (ViCAT) located and arrested Banales in Coalinga  The arrest was the result of a 3 ½ month long investigation where homicide detectives with the Sheriff’s Office worked with Coalinga Police to try and solve a murder  They eventually developed information that identified Banales and Aguilera as suspects  A warrant was authored for Banales arrest Coalinga Police officers responded to a report of shots fired on the 200 block of E  He was transported to Coalinga Regional Medical Center where he later passed away Due to this incident being ruled a homicide Coalinga Police requested the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office utilize its extensive resources to handle the investigation  Homicide detectives and members of the Crime Scene Unit with the Sheriff’s Office responded to Coalinga to gather evidence and speak with potential witnesses The investigation shows Banales approached a home on E Houston Street and fired multiple rounds into the house  Detectives later learned this was not a random act; the suspects and victim knew each other  The motive for the killing is still under investigation Although an arrest has been made, if you have additional information about this case, please contact Detective Jesse Gloria at (559) 600-8217, Detective Aurelio Flores at (559) 600-8208 or Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-7867, www.valleycrimestoppers.org  You will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward Tony BottiPublic Information Officer(559) 600-8137Tony.Botti@fresnosheriff.org The Fresno County Sheriff's Office | 2200 Fresno Street 93721 | Records (559) 600-8400 | Non-Emergency Dispatch Line (559) 600-3111 Calif (FOX26) — An earthquake shook portions of Coalinga and Avenal on Thursday afternoon Preliminary reports indicate it was a 4.4 magnitude No damage or injuries have been reported at this time This was one of several quakes across California today The USGS also confirmed that at least 4 earthquakes one of them being a magnitude 3.3 struck near Hayward on Thursday morning and afternoon A 3.1 around 2:00 AM and a 2.9 around 11:40 AM also hit near Petrolia Two brothers from Coalinga are battling Leukemia at the same time The family is now asking for any type of donations of new and used items to sell at yard sales to help raise funds to cover medical and travel expenses [RELATED]St. Jude Stories: Abraham The Benitez family has been in a long fight with cancer since their 12-year-old son Bryan was diagnosed at the age of 3 with Leukemia "This last time is when they told her there was nothing they could do for her," said Selena Ramirez [RELATED]Travel nurse from Tulare passed away after contracting MRSA infection they say they received the news from doctors that all Bryan's treatments have failed Ramirez says Bryan's health had been deteriorating in the past several months and he is losing his battle Bryan's mother LuzMaria learned that her oldest son 24-year-old Charlie was diagnosed with Leukemia too He is now at CRMC and in the early stages of his fight “Being the oldest of his other four siblings...he's worried he wants to make sure mom's going to be ok He wants to make sure that his little brother's going to be ok that his other siblings are going to be ok that expenses are still going to be able to get paid," Ramirez said With both parents now out of work to focus on their children's health the Benitez's extended family is doing everything they can to help them out One way they are doing that is by collecting donations of new and used items to do yard sales The family is planning to have that yard sale in about three weeks from now They will keep the community informed through Facebook posts they say you can leave the items on the front porch Ramirez is more than happy to pick up donated items She says you can get ahold of her through Facebook. Ramirez wants to thank the 'Coalinga Filipino and Friends Community' for putting on a fundraiser for the family They are selling pork pozole for $15 dollars a plate All proceeds will be going towards the Benitez family Two other fundraisers are in the works for next month A GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up for the family. You can click here to get redirected to the fundraising page (FOX26) — Coalinga hosted its first-ever state playoff football game Friday night welcoming the Highland Bulldogs from Palmdale The Central Section D4 champion Horned Toads carried a perfect 14-0 record into the evening yet the Bulldogs raced to a 14-7 lead on a pair of touchdown runs After Coalinga senior Jaden Pena tied the game at 14 before halftime and the Horned Toads took a 31-27 lead with 6:20 remaining Highland jumped ahead on a 68-yard touchdown catch by LeBron Green A long completion from Noah Tasi to Dylan Teixeira set up Coalinga for a potential game-winning field goal but the Bulldogs blocked the attempt in the final minutes where neither team led by more than a touchdown Highland defeated Coalinga 33-31 in the CIF State Division 4-AA SoCal regional championship 4 - The Fresno County Sheriff's Office has issued evacuation orders and evacuation warnings for the Boone Fire burning near Coalinga in Fresno County The Booin Fire that started on Tuesday is now over 11,000 acres and is just 5% contained which features a lot of open land and few homes Evacuation orders have been issued to those living in Zones P12 Click here for the latest evacuation map A portion of Highway 198 has been closed near Coalinga due to a wildfire CAL FIRE Fresno County says the Boone Fire has spread to 400 acres at a moderate rate The fire is located just 10 miles to the west of Coalinga There are currently ground and air resources helping fight the fire The highway is closed in both directions at Boone Lane CAL FIRE says one firefighter has been injured and is being taken to a local hospital Crews say they expect to be on at the location battling the fire for several days Two men were killed in a head-on collision on State Route 33 near Coalinga on Sunday night According to the California Highway Patrol A man driving a Lexus sedan was traveling northbound in the southbound lane at a high rate of speed when he collided head-on with a Honda sedan traveling southbound The impact of the crash ejected the Honda driver from his vehicle CHP officers are investigating the cause of the collision Car accidents can have devastating consequences affecting the victim’s overall quality of life Sustaining and recovering from physical injuries not only means dealing with pain and suffering but also financial ruin Arash Law can help you obtain fair compensation Our trusted Fresno County car accident lawyers will evaluate your case, discuss the next steps, and consider all factors that could impact your settlement amount they can help you obtain additional information or a police report if needed Our attorneys, specializing in speeding-related crashes and reckless driving accidents, have a proven track record of securing justice for victims, having recovered more than $750 million in compensation Our Fresno County car accident lawyers strongly recommend that you follow these steps to protect your rights after a car accident: I HAD AN ACCIDENT According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) speeding has been a significant factor in motor vehicle fatalities for over two decades accounting for approximately one-third of all traffic deaths speeding contributed to 29% of all traffic fatalities underscoring its persistent impact on road safety Data from the OTS Crash Rankings Results show that 907 speed-related crashes caused injuries or fatalities in Fresno County in 2022 Six people were injured following a five-vehicle crash on the northbound 15 Freeway near Highway 138 in the Cajon Pass A bicyclist sustained serious injuries after being hit by a vehicle in Sacramento on Saturday evening According to the Sacramento Police Department and another woman and two children sustained injuries following a two-vehicle head-on crash in El Dorado Hills A motorcyclist was killed following a suspected DUI crash in Merced on Saturday afternoon Two young men were killed following a suspected DUI crash in Fresno on Friday night and two others sustained non-life-threatening injuries following a multi-vehicle collision in the Westlake community of Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon California’s Powerhouse Accident Lawyers With a consecutively proven track record Disclaimer: Not every one of our firm’s attorneys has received the recognitions stated here Visit the attorneys’ specific profile page under the ‘Our Firm’ tab for specific attorney recognitions (888) 488-1391 Do I Have A Case? Let’s Chat 2960 Wilshire Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 9001024hr Local Line: (213) 277-587824hr Local Line: (310) 277-7529Available by appointment only 333 University Ave. #200Sacramento, CA 9582524hr Local Line: (916) 414-9552Available by appointment only 505 Montgomery St. #1000San Francisco, CA 9411124hr Local Line: (415) 969-7799Available by appointment only 15233 Ventura Blvd. #500Sherman Oaks, CA 9140324hr Local Line: (818) 696-4440Available by appointment only 99 South Almaden Blvd. #600San Jose, CA 9511324hr Local Line: (408) 766-3161Available by appointment only 11801 Pierce St. #200Riverside, CA 9250524hr Local Line: (951) 530-4659Available by appointment only 8880 Rio San Diego Dr #800San Diego, CA 9210824hr Local Line: (619) 431-4840Available by appointment only 185 N. Hill Ave. #201Pasadena, CA 9110624hr Local Line: (626) 723-3933Available by appointment only This website is for informational purposes only and does not provide legal advice Please do not act or refrain from acting based on anything you read on this site Using this site or communicating with the law offices of arash khorsandi through this site does not form an attorney/Client relationship Copyright © 2025 The Law Office of Arash Khorsandi Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Accessibility | Careers WE’VE RECOVERED OVER $750 MILLION FOR OUR CLIENTS (FOX26) — UPDATE: A shelter has been opened by the Red Cross Central California at the Coalinga College Gym at 300 West Chery Lane The shelter is for people and small pets who have been evacuated Friday morning the fire is 17,328 acres and remains 5% contained A wildfire that started west of Coalinga on Tuesday has spread to 16,948 acres as of Thursday night The Boone Fire is in the Los Gatos Creek area which features a lot of open land and scattered homes The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office has identified around 75 structures in the fire's path Evacuation orders are in effect for those living in Zones P11A P21 & 22A of the Fresno Couty mapping system The area is lawfully closed to public access P22B & P23 are under evacuation warnings An evacuation warning means there is a potential threat to life and/or property Those who require additional time to evacuate and those with pets/livestock should leave now Click here to get the latest information on evacuations Cal Fire is actively fighting this fire and a command post is set up off of Hwy between Lucille and Firestone Avenues in Coalinga Calif (FOX26) — A fire that started at one home in Coalinga quickly spread to two more homes on the same side of the street on Wednesday and Kings County firefighters to put out all three fires [RELATED] Fresno family of seven lose everything in devastating house fire A woman who had suffered a seizure at the scene was taken to a local hospital to be checked out but her condition isn't known at this hour Two shiatzu ran away from firefighters as they tried to catch one of them for one of the homeowners The cause of the fire is currently under investigation (FOX26) — Two people were arrested on Thursday during a drug bust in Coalinga Officers served a search warrant in the 300 block of West Pleasant Street where they uncovered approximately 1,000 suspected fentanyl pills with an estimated street value of $20,000 to $25,000 [RELATED]CHP finds $720,000 worth of cocaine in traffic stop on I-5 53-year-old Cheryl Bailow of Coalinga was arrested and booked into the Fresno County Jail where she faces charges related to possession of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance for sale The Coalinga Police Department also announced the arrest of Maria Luisa Rodriguez They say Rodriguez was charged with interfering and obstructing the investigation due to her actions attempting to impede officers (FOX26) — FOX26 News Reporter Mayra Franco told you about the inspirational story of two brothers from Coalinga battling Leukemia at the same time Their family was asking for donations of new and used items to sell at yard sales to help raise funds to cover medical and travel expenses [RELATED]Two Coalinga brothers battle leukemia at the same time, family asks for item donations The family is now asking for donations to help with Bryan’s funeral while his 24-year-old brother Charlie continues with his Leukemia treatment Click here if you would like to contribute to the GoFundMe The family is also holding a car wash fundraiser to raise funds for the family during this time 2025 – Fresno County Sheriff's Office officials report that Cesar Oropeza Velasquez of Coalinga is booked in the Fresno County Jail on a charge of murder Coalinga Police contacted Cesar Oropeza Velasquez and discovered he had an active arrest warrant for murder Officers arrested him and turned him over to homicide detectives with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Huron Police received calls of shots being fired at the Encino Motel located at 36885 S Officers found 27-year-old Javier Merino Perez of Huron under a carport EMS arrived and transported Perez to the hospital Perez would remain in critical condition until passing away four days later.  Huron PD requested the Fresno County Sheriff's Homicide Unit take over the investigation sheriff’s detectives identified Cesar Oropeza Velasquez as the primary suspect Although an arrest has been made, you can report additional details about the suspect or this case by contacting Detective Juan Galindo at (559) 600-8215. You may also contact Valley Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-7867 or www.valleycrimestoppers.org You will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward Source & photo: Fresno County Sheriff's Office People in northern San Luis Obispo County may be able to see the smoke plume from a large brush fire burning in Fresno County The Boone Fire broke out at about 12:10 p.m on Tuesday in the area of Highway 198 and Boone Lane near Coalinga Fire officials said the fire was burning at a moderate rate of spread and that firefighters were faced with limited access and steep terrain The cause of the fire is under investigation (FOX26) — A one-year-old boy died after the car he was riding in crashed into a tree Thursday morning The California Highway Patrol says a woman driving a KIA Forte was traveling southbound on Interstate 5 when she took the off-ramp for the rest stop at the Coalinga/Avenal cutoff Officers say she was not speeding and may have fallen asleep The one-year-old boy and his three-year-old sibling were in the backseat in properly riding in car seats A witness saw the crash and stopped to help The citizen began CPR on the toddler until emergency medical arrived and took the child to the hospital but he died on the way The mother and other child were taken to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno The mother suffered major injuries while the three-year-old had only minor injuries The Fresno County Sheriff's Office identified the baby asAmante Williams who would have been two years old in three days (FOX26) — Nitro suffered a medical emergency in the early morning and was rushed to the emergency veterinarian by his handler in Fresno K-9 Nitro has been with the police department since March 2022 He was certified in handler protection and narcotics detection The Coalinga Police Department is hosting a memorial service for the late K-9 Nitro on Monday The CPD would like to invite members of the community to join us in remembering Nitro the Police Department will bring K-9 Nitro back into town via a small procession from Visalia to Coalinga It will conclude at the Faith Fellowship Church Elm Avenue where the services will be held Arrangements have been made for Nitro to be cremated and brought home The city has no current information as to how K-9 Nitro passed (FOX26) — A wanted felon was arrested in Coalinga after officers received an anonymous tip about illegal narcotics Police arrested Daniel Diaz Aguilar Wednesday around 2:30 p.m police found Aguilar was wanted on three outstanding Fresno County warrants including a no-bail felony Post Release Community Supervision (PRCS) violation warrant officers found approximately 1 ounce of crystal methamphetamine Aguilar now faces additional charges related to multiple narcotics violations Calif (FOX26) — Two suspects have been arrested after being accused of murdering a Coalinga Teenager according to Fresno County Sheriff's office FCSO says that at 9:20 on the night of April 16 2024,Coalinga Police officers responded to a report of shots fired on the 200 block of E Officers say that when they arrived they founda 16-year-old boy FCSO says that Andrade was transported to Coalinga Regional Medical Center where he later died FCSO says that because this case was ruled a homicide Coalinga police requested them to utilize their resources to handle the investigation detectives with FCSO arrested two suspects18-year-old Nicholas Banales of Coalinga and 20-year-old Damian Aguilera of Coalinga FCSO says that detectives with the Sheriff’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (ViCAT) developed information that identified Banales and Aguilera as suspects A warrant was authored for Banales's arrest FCSO says that the investigation shows Banales approached a home on E They say detectives later learned that this act was not random as the suspects and victim knew each other According to FCSOBanales and Aguilera are gang members They say Andrade was not a gang member and the motive for the killing is under investigation The UC Davis Fire Department announced today (Sept 6) it is sending five staff members to assist with the fight against the Boone Fire near Coalinga Paul Rush will serve as a strike team leader trainee and four others from the department will serve aboard Brush Truck 34: Capt Derek Carthy; Engineer Michael Cullen; and Firefighters Johnita Cradit and Chris Hay and is now 17,000 acres with 5% containment Cody Kitaura is the editor of Dateline UC Davis and can be reached by email or at 530-752-1932 University of California, Davis Copyright © The Regents of the University of California Gavin Newsom is fast-tracking a clean energy project in western Fresno County.FRESNO COUNTY Gavin Newsom is fast-tracking a clean energy project in western Fresno County The "Cornucopia Hybrid Project" will provide solar and battery storage along Highway 33 between Coalinga and Avenal Newsom announced the certification of the project which helps streamlined the process for legal challenges that can otherwise cause long delays The facility is expected to power up to 300,000 homes while also creating jobs and advancing the state's clean energy goals (FOX26) — The Coalinga Police Department is mourning the loss of one of its beloved K-9s The department announced that K-9 Nitro died on Monday while at home after suffering a medical emergency Nitro was rushed to the emergency veterinarian in Fresno by his handler early in the morning but did not survive [RELATED]Fresno Sheriff's mourn the loss of beloved retired K-9 hero, Arco K-9 Nitro has been with the department since March 2022 and was certified in handler protection and narcotics detection K-9s and their handlers go through hundreds of hours of training and develop a close relationship of trust in one another "Our thoughts and prayers are with the handler and his family during this tragic loss." SURVEY: It’s election season. Tell us what you want the candidates to know. – Ohio Senator and GOP vice presidential hopeful JD Vance addressed a room full of around 150 supporters earlier this week in the San Joaquin Valley promising to bring attention to agriculture and the border The running mate chosen for former President Donald Trump’s presidential run spoke at a private fundraiser at Harris Ranch — a resort and group of restaurants adjacent to a massive cattle farming operation near Coalinga Though California swings reliably blue in presidential elections parts of the agriculture-rich Valley run a deep red Harris Ranch has a history of hosting fundraisers for major Republican figures Ranch owner John Harris reportedly even met privately with Trump during his first bid for the presidency back in 2016 Executive Vice President of Harris Ranch and one of the hosts of the luncheon tickets for the Vance event ranged from $3,300 to $50,000 and the private banquet room was filled to capacity Bourdeau said that Vance showed an understanding of local issues including the importance of agriculture and farmers’ concerns about the water supply “We had an opportunity to talk to him and then he was able to take some of our comments and incorporate them into a speech.” who also brought his teenaged son to the fundraiser described Vance as inspirational and impressive “He grew up in an impoverished area that has adversity much the same way the San Joaquin Valley does,” he said Bourdeau was also excited for an Iraq War veteran to appear on a national ticket Vance was spotted jogging and walking through downtown Fresno He strolled past the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office according to District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp Smittcamp said she was impressed with Vance’s attention to public safety — in particular securing the southern border with Mexico to staunch an influx of illegal immigrants and drugs “Something that he spoke very passionately about was the influx of the copious and ridiculous amounts of fentanyl that are coming into our nation over the southern border,” she said Vance has been exchanging barbs with Democratic presidential hopeful Kamala Harris, and recently received considerable public attention for comments he made in the past about people without children. Smittcamp said Vance brought none of that fiery language to the Coalinga event, and said she didn’t hear any of the “immature and childish things” sometimes said by other prominent politicians. “I didn't see that from him. I hope he doesn't go down that road,” she said. Congressman Vince Fong, who also attended the event, posted a photo with Vance afterward, to social media platform X. “He intrinsically understands the importance of our communities and the critical need for secure water supplies,” Fong wrote. Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. (FOX26) — Highlights for Week 6 of high school football in the Central Section: Matilda Torres at Roosevelt Coalinga, CA –A catastrophic head-on collision on State Route 33 near Coalinga led to the tragic loss of two lives two men were killed in a catastrophic head-on collision on State Route 33 The crash occurred at approximately 8:40 p.m. A man driving a Lexus sedan was traveling at a high rate of speed in the wrong direction This reckless maneuver resulted in a violent head-on collision with an approaching Honda sedan moving southbound The impact was so severe that the driver of the Honda was ejected from his vehicle trapping its driver inside and leading to his untimely death The California Highway Patrol (CHP) was dispatched to the scene and has initiated an investigation to uncover the factors leading to this tragic event Head-on collisions like the one on State Route 33 are tragically common and often result in severe consequences with investigations needing to determine fault potentially leading to wrongful death claims According to the Federal Highway Administration head-on collisions are among the deadliest accounting for a significant portion of traffic fatalities with reduced reaction times and longer stopping distances exacerbating the situation The California Highway Patrol is tasked with gathering evidence Such detailed investigations aim to provide clarity and legal recourse for the victims’ families ensuring that justice is pursued and preventative measures are highlighted In the aftermath of such a devastating incident the role of experienced legal representation becomes paramount Families impacted by the tragic crash on State Route 33 near Coalinga need guidance through the complexities of legal proceedings with over 50 years of experience helping accident victims and over $1 billion recovered for our clients offers crucial support to families during such difficult times With a deep understanding of both the emotional and financial repercussions of fatal accidents, our car accident lawyers are dedicated to delivering compassionate legal aid and ensuring fair compensation If you or a loved one have been affected by a similar accident reach out to the Scranton Law Firm for expert legal assistance Let us help secure the justice and peace of mind you deserve in this challenging period Don’t navigate the aftermath of a head-on collision alone Let the Scranton Law Firm stand by your side With over 50 years of experience as personal injury lawyers we’ve helped thousands recover from their losses If you or a loved one are affected by a Coalinga head-on collision Secure your rights and seek the justice you deserve Call us now for a free consultation – The Scranton Law Firm your trusted ally in these challenging times Welcome Mickeymickey@disney.comManage MyDisney AccountLog OutSenior Success Stories: Coalinga senior fulfills promise of graduating after having babyMonday 2024Fabiola Solis promised her parents she'd graduate high school despite what could've been a major setback her sophomore year.COALINGA -- Fabiola Solis won't be walking the halls of Coalinga High School much longer "I'm feeling nervous and excited for the fact that I'm going to be out of high school," she said Her freshman year started at home - during the pandemic "I feel like that year was the hardest," she said Students were invited back to campus her sophomore year and she started getting back into the groove of things on a Saturday night toward the end of her sophomore year "I had told my sister I might be pregnant so one of her sisters went to get her a pregnancy test - and it was positive She says she was scared to tell her parents so imagine really strict parents finding out their teenage daughter got pregnant," Solis said Fabiola says her father took it hardest and their relationship was strained and several teachers and administrators were there to assist along the way Love was also one of my number-one supporters," Solis said says she initially didn't know Fabiola was pregnant she asked Fabiola how she could support her "She really didn't want any special treatment," Love said Fabiola gave birth to a beautiful little boy she named Xavier "I don't know how to explain it - my heart just like grew," she said She says her mom is her biggest supporter and her dad has since come around Fabiola tried independent study for a few months but it wasn't working they take turns helping me take care of him," she said Her sister even brought Xavier by during our interview Fabiola hopes her story will speak to other young mothers who are facing the same obstacles "I hope it inspires them," she said (FOX26) — A wildfire is burning Friday morning north of Coalinga the fire is near Highway 33 and Highway 198 but firefighters are having challenges with the limited access to the area and steep terrain The cause of the fire is still under investigation –The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today awarded $1.2 million to the City of Coalinga for an emergency water transfer to supply the community through the winter months Though rain is in the forecast for some parts of the state The City of Coalinga, located in Fresno County, had previously notified the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation that it could run out of water by December without additional supplies. In coordination with Reclamation, which supplies water to the city via the Central Valley Project Coalinga was able to purchase 600 acre-feet of water for approximately $1.1 million from the Patterson Irrigation District To support the city, DWR is providing $1.2 million to cover the cost of the water purchase plus additional expenses through its Urban Community Drought Relief grant program This funding will eliminate the financial strain on the city and provide water for the community through February 2023 when further allocations from Reclamation will be available “Funding from DWR’s drought relief grant programs is available for this exact purpose to ensure that no one goes without water during this extended and extreme drought The City of Coalinga will receive immediate relief from this program for its residents,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth “The State will continue to work with the city and other communities throughout the Central Valley and California to provide available grant funding opportunities for long-term water resilience projects as we adapt to a hotter “The City of Coalinga appreciates the funding support from DWR and the coordination of all our local and federal partners in ensuring that our community continues to have access to a safe clean water supply during this extreme drought,” said Marissa Trejo Earlier this fall, DWR announced $300 million in available financial assistance through the 2022 Urban Community Drought Relief Grant Program to support water infrastructure improvements Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis and grant awards will be made in multiple phases DWR expects to announce the second phase of awards later this fall DWR is administering the Urban Community Drought Relief Program using funds authorized by the Budget Act of 2021. Last year, the program successfully awarded $268 million to 126 projects over three phases of funding For information about other DWR and State drought response efforts and funding programs, visit drought.ca.gov A one-year-old child was killed, and a driver suffered major injuries following a single-vehicle crash near Coalinga early Thursday morning the incident occurred shortly after 5:00 a.m Officers reported that a woman driving a Kia took the rest area exit when she claimed to have fallen asleep at the wheel causing the vehicle to veer off the road and crash into a tree a one-year-old child in the car died from their injuries A three-year-old child was also in the vehicle but was not hurt The driver sustained major injuries and is currently receiving treatment Officers do not believe drugs or alcohol were involved in the crash at this time No further details were immediately available If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident Consult with one of our personal injury attorneys Our legal team has a well-established reputation for advocating for accident victims, with clients receiving over $750 Million in compensation Keeping a car accident checklist in your glove box can help you stay organized and calm after a crash Whether you are the injured party or a family member of a deceased victim, here’s what you should do following a car accident: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data from 2021, motor vehicle accidents were responsible for 21% of preventable injury-related deaths in the US approximately 19,515 traffic-related deaths were recorded a 3.3% decrease from the 20,190 deaths reported in the first half of 2022 the NHTSA reported 2,061 motor vehicle fatalities in California The state recorded a total of 160,819 fatal and injury crashes in the previous year LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio a plane full of Mexican laborers crashed in the hills near Coalinga in Central California. The disaster grabbed national headlines and even inspired a Woody Guthrie song.  Hernandez was digging through old newspapers at the Fresno County library when a dramatic headline from the late 1940s captured his attention ‘100 people see a ship plunge to the earth’ or something like that I instantly realized after reading it that it had to be tied into Woody Guthrie’s song,” says Hernandez.  That song is called ‘Deportee.’ The folk musician wrote the lyrics after hearing of a harrowing plane crash that occurred in Fresno County in 1948 was transporting 28 Mexican nationals from Oakland to El Centro The plane's wing caught fire and broke off scattering body parts through Los Gatos Canyon near Coalinga “The plane was headed east about a mile high I was watching it when I noticed a streak of smoke trailing off the left motor The left wing then separated from the body of the plane and the fuselage and the right wing began to spiral down toward the earth. As I watched I could see bodies separating from the wreckage as they either jumped or were thrown clear,” said Childers including the flight crew and an immigration officer But an Associated Press article that ran in the New York Times the day after the crash only named the crew It simply referred to the passengers as “28 Mexican deportees.” As Hernandez reflected on the news accounts of the tragedy and the song lyrics he instantly knew he had another book idea and looking at these 28 lives that had perished in this plane crash in 1948 and didn’t have the dignity of their names afforded to them in the media at the time was something that I think just felt compelled to want to find their story or put their story back,” says Hernandez “That's really was captured my attention. How can I not only find their names piecing the story back together – 65 years later – has become a multi-year journey and the lives of the people impacted by it It’s about capturing the ripple effect of all the lives that this one tragedy touched That journey took him to the site of the crash we had to step over the cow pies on the way out here but it’s a very famous crash site right here His mother was just a child when she saw the wing of the plane fall off and land just steps from her grandmother’s home but he was willing to show me where it happened We climbed under some barbed wire and walked through a field to reach the site and barely made it over this little ridge we see right here to our right and it crashed head on into this creek bank who was almost 10 years old when the plane crashed near her home in the canyon after it was down and they were still pulling the bodies out and all the things were happening,” says Austin She recalls that parts of the passenger’s bodies were strewn across the canyon I don’t know that there were any bodies totally intact There were mainly just bits and pieces,” says Austin remembers the incident like it was yesterday “It was a horrendous thing and I don’t know if it was worse on me as a child or not but it certainly stayed with me all my life it affected all of our family,” says Austin But Hernandez says a major component of this story is still missing Hernandez combed through records to properly identify He recites the names in this version of ‘Deportee,’which he recorded with Fresno musician Lance Canales He has learned a little about them: He’s determined that some were braceros or guest agricultural workers.  One person had a laundry workers union card in his back pocket are the voices of the 28 people who died on board,” says Hernandez about how to locate the surviving families of these plane crash victims – 28 deportees I’m not satisfied with moving forward with this book at this point until I feel like I’ve exhausted every resource to find that family,” says Hernandez That’s where this historical event becomes a modern-day Rebecca Plevin: “If you were reaching out to those families what would the message be?” Tim Hernandez : “Uh Hernandez acknowledges that any survivors of the crash victims could be several generations removed or a survivor has even a photo of one of the victims just seeing a photograph can speak volumes putting a face to their names.  It’s going beyond a step beyond just their names,” says Hernandez.  There’s another way that Hernandez is breathing new life into this story and its characters He learned that the 28 Mexican citizens were buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Fresno Their graves are marked with one headstone ’28 Mexican citizens who died in an airplane accident near Coalinga He is the director of cemeteries for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno was moved to learn that the 28 people were buried without their names inscribed on a headstone “There are people that are buried here that are John Does And if you had a family member that went missing and later on you find out that they’re actually at a cemetery and they have no names it’s almost like it’s unfinished,” says Rascon They are raising $10,000 to establish a memorial to the victims of the plane crash The memorial will include the names of each of the 28 Mexican citizens is to have one leaf represent each of the 32 people ‘they were scattered like dry leaves on our topsoil,” says Rascon Hernandez encourages people to embrace this part of our history “We want the community to feel that this is part of their history as well as Woody Guthrie told us. At the end of the day our names are really what we have,” says Hernandez Only one state-run facility reported a higher death rate: the California Medical Facility which cares for California’s sickest prison inmates an analysis of state data reveals that the state-run psychiatric hospital earned that grim distinction for a second year in a row a sum that equates to 1.6% of the hospital’s population That death rate was 60 percent higher than the average across all state hospitals and nearly five times the average within the entire state prison system Martin says little has changed from year to year “The only thing that surprised me is there wasn’t more” deaths patients have pointed to inadequate preventive care as one culprit for their high death rate With the help of medical records and state documents KVPR confirmed last year that CSH doctors had in at least a handful of cases skipped patients’ quarterly and annual physical exams Martin claims the problem has not improved and that he spends an inordinate amount of time advocating for his fellow patients to be seen by a doctor in which a routine problem evolved into an emergency “they spend thousands and thousands of dollars on something that they could have solved for a lot less money,” he said The facility’s ultimate purpose is to treat and rehabilitate men who have been determined by a judge or jury to be mentally unfit to live in free society Nearly all of them have been charged with a crime and three-quarters have been designated sexually violent predators Martin and many other patients also claim the men are not receiving the psychiatric care required by law which KVPR has not independently confirmed Regardless of the care that is or is not being provided nearly 1,300 men are confined there at a cost approaching $300,000 per patient per year – a price tag that is footed by taxpayers the California Department of State Hospitals cited patient age and high rates of psychiatric and chronic diseases as risk factors for death have a higher concentration of patients with these medical and behavioral health challenges than would be represented in the overall inmate population within non-DSH state operated facilities 67.9 percent of the patients had at least one COVID-19 medical risk factor (age over 60 years “age should not be discarded or ignored when evaluating death rates DSH-Coalinga has a much older population compared to both other state hospitals and the average prison population in California Individuals housed at DSH-Coalinga arrive after serving long prison sentences and they generally remain in this facility for many years.” The agency also wrote that the hospital has taken corrective action in response to a citation from the state Department of Public Health in 2021 related to the hospital’s medical care “A few examples of actions taken include but are not limited to the following: hospital-wide patient charts were reviewed to ensure compliance with history and physical completion per hospital policy DSH-Coalinga now generates a monthly list of patients who are due for their annual and quarterly visits patient chart audits are performed to monitor compliance.” Martin and other patients continue to call for a state audit of the hospital This story was updated to include comment from the Department of State Hospitals 2024Three mountain lion cubs were spotted roaming around a neighborhood in Coalinga on Tuesday.COALINGA (KFSN) -- Three mountain lion cubs were spotted roaming around a neighborhood in Coalinga on Tuesday A video from an ABC30 Insider shows the cubs wandering through yards along Echo Canyon near Longhallow Way Crews from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife were able to tranquilize the cubs and move them safely out of the area Officers say the cubs will be put back into the wild or into rehabilitation (AP) — Coalinga Horned Toads are in the running again for the best mascot in America contest SBLive Sports hosts the contest each year and allows visitors to cast their votes in the online poll The contest is a bracket system like the NCAA basketball system that eliminates mascots until there is just one winner Coalinga won the contest last year and is in the Finals right now — but needs your help The Horned Toads are facing theMiami Wardogs of Oklahoma for the championship Click here to cast your votes — A Coalinga family is now mourning the loss of their loved one who was shot and killed Tuesday night while he was playing video games inside his home The family has identified the victim as 16-year-old Julian Andrade They took him away from her so young when he was just starting to live and we just want justice," saidClaudia Barquero Claudia Barquero says her baby brother was murdered Thursday night near Houston and Louisiana Street in Coalinga His 18-year-old brother was sitting right next to him when it happened and saw it all with his own eyes "It appears somebody fired multiple shots into this home It struck the 16-year-old boy who was inside," said Tony Botti with the Fresno County Sheriff's Office Barquero says the bullets made their way through a window and struck Julian who was playing video games with his older brother [RELATED]Second suspicious playground fire within a week alarms Madera police and they have gotten away with it so far and we're just hoping that to serve justice for what they did," she said Investigators are now trying to find out who did it and how they arrived and left the scene there is no trace and are hoping that maybe someone who lives in the area captured the suspect's movement Julian would have turned 17 years old on the 29th of this month Barquero says the month of April is already hard enough for the family as is She says he was Julian was the youngest and goofiest of the family He just stayed to himself for the most part Deputies believe this was not a random act and say it is possibly gang related They are encouraging anyone with information or footage in the neighborhood where it happened to please contact Valley Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-STOP Link to GoFundMe fundraiser: click here. — Three men are behind bars in connection to a shooting in Coalinga earlier this year The Coalinga Police Department in partnership with other law enforcement agencies served a search warrant at six different locations [REALTED]Murder suspect dead following exchange of gunfire with SWAT in Madera County They say this was due to a shooting that happened on February 14 and Julian Perez-Reynoza of Coalinga were arrested for multiple charges either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content Federal water supplies in the California city of Coalinga could be all used up by the end of 2022 due to pressure from drought conditions and it could push the city's budget to the brink Coalinga is a city in Fresno County with a reported population of around 17,000 Its sole source of water is the federal Central Valley Project—a complex network of dams canals and reservoirs that extends 400 miles through central California it is designed to hold 12 million acre-feet of water with one acre-foot being the amount of water needed to cover an acre of land with a foot of water This may sound like a lot of water, but the U.S. Southwest is experiencing a so-called megadrought that has persisted for over two decades. It has been considered the driest 22-year period in the area in around 1,200 years Coalinga was allocated 2,500 acre-feet of water according to The Washington Post—far short of the 10,000 acre-feet it normally gets residents have been living with various restrictions on how water may be used Watering lawns is only permitted on certain days and restaurants are only allowed to give customers water if they specifically ask for it city officials estimated their federal supply was going to run out by November and so they were forced to purchase more on the open market at eye-watering prices told non-profit water news outlet SJV Water that the city had struck a deal to secure the water supply it needs to see it through the rest of this year for a price of $1,800 per acre-foot the city normally pays $130 per acre-foot for the federal supply it is unclear how the city's budget will cope assistant professor in the Department of Geography at Dartmouth College told Newsweek the ongoing western drought was in "frightening territory" and "has revealed how poorly adapted our systems of water provision are." "The impacts of climate change disproportionately hurt the most vulnerable and poorest communities," Mankin said "Coalinga Canal sits as an offshoot of the Central Valley Project and it is not getting renewed allocations But while the drought is the proximate cause this drought is playing out on a landscape of water rights where senior rights holders are able to price out low-income communities something like 53 percent of the historical average during this time of year coupled with forecasts of below-average precipitation this winter implies that this protracted state of crisis will continue "If Coalinga could pull together the funds but it has to pay and this is why the impacts associated with this drought are manifesting first in the communities that both need that water most and have the fewest resources to seek alternate supply." Jay Lund, vice-director of the Center for Watershed Sciences and distinguished professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California told Newsweek it is "very rare for a well-run modern U.S "There usually are many emergency water conservation actions a city can take to reduce use by up to 30 to 60 percent in California where there is often connection to a large aqueduct cities often have made contingent contracts or other arrangements for additional supplies from others Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all