News

CLOVIS - The dedicated volunteers who make sure the Clovis Rodeo tradition remains a part of the community’s future are hard-at-work putting the finishing touches on this year’s 105^th Clovis Rodeo to be held April 25-28, 2019.  The same group of volunteers are also busy planning for next year’s rodeo.  Always making sure the rodeo grows and gives back to others, while still maintaining the community’s western traditions and the “Clovis Way of Life.”

Kicking things off right for 2020 will be a new entrance for the Clovis Rodeo grounds that will still be off of Clovis Avenue but more in line with 7^th Street and where the Centennial Bronze statue stands.  On Friday, March 29 Clovis residents will see the old gas station building in front of the grounds raised to make-way for the new entrance that will include four traffic lanes into the rodeo parking lot, creating a more accessible, safer entry and exit for rodeo guests.  A new digital message board along Clovis Avenue will be a part of the improvements.

FRESNO - On Friday morning after a four month investigation, Justin Deger of Fresno was arrested for felony identity theft and mail theft. Deger came on the Fresno Police Department's Northwest District Investigation Unit radar after several arrests for burglary. Each time during those arrests, Deger was found in possession of large amounts of mail not belonging to him.

Northwest Investigation Unit detectives and staff at the district station began receiving information from the public regarding a silver Ford Mustang being captured on Ring video surveillance system cameras. The vehicle was either seen driving through neighborhoods in the early morning hours or seen stopped in front of mailboxes removing mail. Information was provided via the Nextdoor.com social media site regarding the same suspicious vehicle.

FRESNO - Officers from the Fresno Police Department will be out tonight looking for drivers suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. DUI saturation patrols will take place in areas with high frequencies of DUI collisions and/or arrests. In 2017, 1,120 people were killed in alcohol-involved crashes on California roads. In 2017, the Fresno Police Department investigated 360 DUI collisions which have claimed 15 lives and resulted in another 121 injuries.

SANTA NELLA – Late last week the Merced County Sheriff Tactical and Reconnaissance (STAR) Team along with Merced Police Department's Disruptive Area Response Team (DART) and Gang Violence Suppression Unit (GSVU) conducted a prostitution/sex trafficking sting operation.

The operation took place at a motel in the Santa Nella area. STAR Team investigators worked with DART members in advance to make arrangements with the suspects through online dating sites and other forums used for the sex trade.

FRESNO - Detectives with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Ag Task Force (ATF) have arrested 75 year old Manuel Hernandez of Fresno. He has been booked into the Fresno County Jail for possession of stolen property, as well as outstanding warrants for driving on a suspended license. His bail is set at $11,000.

On March 25th, ATF detectives received a tip through Valley Crime Stoppers stating some recently stolen goats were being kept at a ranch located at 1279 W. North Ave. in Fresno. Detectives arrived at the property and found 18 goats in pens. They identified five of them as belonging to members of the Kingsburg 4-H club, which had a March 11th theft report on file with the Sheriff’s Office.