Fresno Unmasked: Police Reform Reveals Loyalties

[This article first appeared in the August 2020 issue of Community Alliance.]

By Kevin Hall

(Editor’s note: As of our deadline, the Fresno Police Reform Commission was next scheduled to meet on August 10.)

Like it or not, Fresno is about to take a deep dive into community policing. Count among those who don’t like it the Fresno Police Officers Association (FPOA) and a bevy of right-wing interests. Their tactics include a smear campaign against one advocate, legal objections to necessary information requests, accusations of conflicts of interest and—as usual—playing the race card.

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Right-wing opponents of police reform have been using their private online platforms at GV Wire and SJV Sun and working through local media to attack advocate Sandra Celedon.

The union is furiously working both sides of the political aisle to block any change, and the FPOA president is said to have been caught on video, no surprise, in a recent public meeting displaying scorn and disrespectful behavior toward advocates.

Continue reading Fresno Unmasked: Police Reform Reveals Loyalties

Podcast: Climate Politics 2.14.20

Show: Climate Politics
February 14, 2020 ~ Broadcast on KFCF 88.1 FM Fresno
Host: Kevin Hall ~ Sound Engineer: Joey Hall
Theme music: Double Knuckle Shuffle by Kila www.kila.ie/
01:30 Fresno Sunrise – Luis, Pedro, Madeline, Juan
23:00 Dairy Digester Campaign – Erica Martinez, Policy Advocate, Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability
36:30 Democratic Socialists of America – John Beynon, Emily Cameron

 

Jim Costa’s Primary Concern

July 3, 2019

By Kevin Hall

FRESNO-Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the 29-year-old political wunderkind who introduced the Green New Deal congressional resolution earlier this year, made a telling candidate endorsement in late May.

The Democratic Socialist from Queens, who a year ago successfully primaried long-time incumbent Rep. Joe Crowley, announced she is backing a fellow progressive Latina. Like Continue reading Jim Costa’s Primary Concern