News

SACRAMENTO -  McClatchy (NYSE American: MNI) today named Ken Riddick as president and publisher of The Fresno Bee, The Tribune in San Luis Obispo and Merced-Sun Star. He will assume his new role November 6. Riddick succeeds Tom Cullinan, who is retiring November 3.

"Ken has demonstrated great digital leadership at The Modesto Bee, as evidenced by digital-only growth of 44 percent over two years," said Gary Wortel, McClatchy's west regional publisher. "Modesto has been one of the company's leaders in audience growth as well, and he recently completed the Bee's move to a new location that beautifully reflects the future workspace of a digital media company.

SAN FRANCISCO - California's 2017 wine harvest wrapped up early this fall following summer heat spurts and a growing season that saw significant rain throughout the state ending a five-year drought.  While October wildfires in North Coast wine communities made international headlines, the state's vineyards and wineries were not significantly affected.  Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties, the regions most impacted, grow 12 percent of California's winegrapes, and 90% percent of the harvest in Napa and Sonoma and 85% in Mendocino were already picked and in production at wineries before the fires.

"The vast majority of California's 2017 winegrape harvest was unaffected by the wildfires and the vintage promises to be of excellent quality," said Robert P. (Bobby) Koch, president and CEO of Wine Institute. "The outpouring of support locally and from around the world for people in the impacted communities has been phenomenal.  We are saddened by the loss of lives and homes and this will truly be remembered as a harvest of the heart. Wineries are at work making their 2017 wines and welcoming visitors during this beautiful late fall/early winter season."

SAN FRANCISCO - Today, United Airlines flew – for the final time – a Boeing 747 aircraft, the jumbo jet with the unmistakable silhouette that once represented the state-of-the-art in air travel. Serving as the ultimate throwback, the airline recreated the first 747 flight operated by United in 1970 for today's historic farewell journey. Flight UA747 departed from San Francisco with service to Honolulu with more than 300 customers, employees and distinguished guests onboard.

From a 1970s-inspired menu to retro uniforms for flight attendants to inflight entertainment befitting of that first flight, the "Queen of the Skies" is being sent off in style. Seats for this flight sold out in less than 90 minutes when this farewell celebration was announced in September.

FRESNO - On Wednesday, July 5, 2017, at approximately 4:30 p.m., officers from the Fresno Police Department were sent to 2232 E. Tyler Avenue regarding a shooting victim.  Officer’s arrived and made contact with the shooting victim later identified as Ernie Gonzalez Jr. 39 years.  Gonzalez was transported to CRMC where he was pronounced deceased.

While at CRMC, a second male victim later identified as Shedrick Brown 42 years arrived suffering from a gunshot wound to his head.  It was learned Brown was with Gonzalez and a second victim of the Tyler shooting.  Brown survived and is recovering from his injury as Gonzalez leaves behind 11 children.

SACRAMENTO - McClatchy announced today that three newsrooms will join an innovative initiative to strengthen news literacy, credibility and public trust. The Telegraph, in Macon, Georgia, and The Modesto Bee, in central valley California, will join The Kansas City Star as part of News Co/Lab, a collaborative project developed by Arizona State University's Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and supported by the Facebook Journalism Project and the News Integrity Initiative.

The three local newsrooms will launch a variety of experiments to improve the public's ability to understand how news works, build public trust in reporting, increase transparency in how news is produced, improve community engagement with newsrooms and gather feedback. The Cronkite School will track the success of these steps and share best practices and models that work.

FRESNO - On Monday, October 30, 2017, Detectives from the Career Criminal Auto Theft Team (CCATT) located a 2001 Chevrolet van, belonging to a local plumbing company, in the driveway of a residence in the area of Hayes and Clinton. The van was a reported stolen vehicle out of Northeast Fresno. Detectives began surveillance.

During the surveillance, several subjects were seen in and around the stolen van. Detectives eventually approached the residence and detained multiple people. One male fled on foot and was apprehended after a foot pursuit with the assistance of the Fresno Police Department’s helicopter air crew.