Local News

MADERA -  At the Madera County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, county elected officials were sworn in, beginning with County Clerk-Recorder Rebecca Martinez. Ms. Martinez was also honored with a plaque denoting her 45 years of service and is the longest serving elected official in Madera County.

Also sworn in was District 1 Supervisor Brett Frazier, District 2 Supervisor David Rogers, District 5 Supervisor Tom Wheeler as well as Assessor Gary Svanda, Auditor-Controller Todd Miller, Sheriff Jay Varney, Treasurer-Tax Collector Tracy Kennedy and District Attorney Elect, Sally Moreno. “As the husband, son, grandson, son in law and nephew of strong amazing women I am so proud of our first female District Attorney in Madera County. We all look forward to working closely with her not only during this transition period but for many years to come” said Frazier.

MADERA COUNTY - Beginning in November of 2018, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office received several reports of victims being pulled over by an adult male subject driving a white truck in various locations in Madera County, including the areas of Avenue 14 and Road 23, and CA-145 and Avenue 7. 

The vehicle was described as a white single cab pickup, possibly a Ford, with front and rear facing red and blue flashing lights, and a blue stripe along the side.  On January 3, 2019 and January 4, 2019, MCSO Deputies responded to several calls for service with similar circumstances. 

FRESNO - Early on the morning of December 17, 2018 the Fresno Police Department received a 911 call regarding a single vehicle traffic collision at the intersection of Third/ Mono.  Officers arrived and discovered 25 year old Steven Anthony Banda of Fresno in the back seat of the vehicle suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Banda was transported to CRMC where he was pronounced deceased hours later.   

Homicide Unit Detectives Manny Romero and Loren Kasten responded to the scene and took over the investigation.  Detectives later discovered that Banda was shot in the area of Butler/ Third in Southeast Fresno.  Detectives worked diligently on the case and were able to identify 24 year old Matthew Gonzales as the person responsible for the murder of Steven Banda. A Ramey Warrant was issued for Gonzales’s arrest on Thursday, December 27, 2018.   

FRESNO COUNTY - Gerardo G. Alvarez (56) of Fresno has been charged in a Felony Complaint with charges related to the embezzlement and misappropriation of funds from the Parlier Unified School District’s “Sunshine Club” account, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office has announced.

The alleged criminal conduct came to light after a Fresno County Grand Jury report in 2015, as well as an audit that was requested by the Fresno County Office of Education in 2016. A nearly two year investigation by the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office’s Public Integrity Unit culminated in the filing of criminal charges and the arrest of Gerardo Alvarez at his home without incident today, January 4, 2019. Mr. Alvarez was employed as the Superintendent of the Parlier Unified School District from 2013-2015.