Local News

Chowchilla City Council Votes to Place Public Safety Tax on the Ballot

CHOWCHILLA - In response to a strong demand by the community, the Chowchilla City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to place a 1 percent public safety sales tax measure before its voters this November. This measure is in response to concerns raised by the public during a recent survey that, while a majority of Chowchilla residents say they feel save in the City, there is a widespread perception that crime is increasing.

Sixty-one percent of the public stated in the survey that residents are safe in Chowchilla, but 80 percent say that crime in the City is on the rise. Additionally, gangs and drugs rank among the City’s most serious problems. The Public Safety Transaction and Use Tax will be dedicated solely for the needs of the Police and Fire Departments.

Freno Officer Involved Shooting Leaves One Suspect Dead

FRESNO – Friday evening the Fresno Police Department Dispatch received three different 911 calls at The Parkway Inn located at 959 North Parkway near Freeway 99, regarding a man threatening people and pointing a scope rifle at at least three different people in the parking lot, to include a child.

It was later determined that the suspect, a Hispanic male adult with a shaved head, wearing dark clothing was indiscriminately firing the weapon at windows of other rooms, cars and other objects within the parking lot area. Patrol officers and special response team officers arrived within two minutes of the call.

Fresn DUI Checkpoint Nets 5 Arrests

FRESNO - The Fresno Police Department Traffic Unit conducted a DUI/Driver’s License checkpoint on 7/14/18, at First St./Tulare Ave. between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. Checkpoints are placed in locations that have the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence and provide the greatest safety for officers and the public.

In recent years, California has seen a disturbing increase in drug-impaired driving crashes. Fresno PD supports the new effort from the Office of Traffic Safety that aims to educate all drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.

Tulare County Men Indicted for Series of Armed Robberies in Tulare and Kern Counties And In Nebraska

FRESNO - A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment Thursday against Javier Beltran, 34, of Strathmore, and Ulises Medina, 24, of Earlimart, charging them with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, interference with commerce by robbery, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Beltran and Medina were members of a conspiracy that committed a series of armed robberies of gas stations, convenience stores, and liquor stores from May 19, 2016, until July 22, 2017.

Guilty Plea in Multimillion Dollar Movie Studio Construction Scam in Northern California

SACRAMENTO - Carissa Carpenter, 55, formerly of Malibu, pleaded guilty today to two counts of mail fraud and one count of lying to a federal agent, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. According to court documents, from 1997 until October 24, 2014, Carpenter represented to investors and others that she had a project to build a movie studio in Northern California. As a result of the scheme, investors, firms who did work for Carpenter, and municipalities collectively lost millions on the project.

According to the factual basis in support of the plea, Carpenter claimed that her projected movie studio complex was supported by well-connected people in the entertainment industry and that she had invested hundreds of millions of dollars of her own money in the project and that she had arranged financing for the project but needed investment or bridge loans until the alleged financing was complete.