News

FRESNO  -  Denis Barrera-Palma, 25, of Mendota, pleaded guilty today to assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

Barrera-Palma was the leader in Mendota of La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), a violent criminal street gang that engages in racketeering activity, including murder, kidnapping, extortion, and drug trafficking.

FRESNO – California State University, Fresno President Joseph Castro announced Monday that all “in-person” classes would be temporarily suspended effective Monday, March 16 to transition to a virtual instruction next week. This will also affect the school's Visalia campus.

According to Castro this decision was made with an abundance of caution and care for the campus community and after deliberation with the CSU Chancellor’s Office, the Academic Senate, the Joint Labor Council, local K-12, and community college leaders and local public health officials, while keeping student success in mind.

MADERA – In order to keep patients, families and healthcare providers as safe as possible from the spread of respiratory viruses – including COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) – additional screening precautions, visitor restrictions, and program changes are in effect at all Valley Children’s Healthcare locations – including Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera, and our specialty care, primary care and urgent care practices throughout Central California. It is important to note that as of today, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in any of the 12 counties we serve.

“In all we do at Valley Children’s, the safety of our kids – and the safety of our staff who care for them – are our top priorities,” says Valley Children’s President and CEO Todd Suntrapak. “We are committed to creating the safest environment possible for children to receive care and keeping our own staff safe is essential to ensure that we can continue to provide the care needed by so many Valley families.”

MADERA – After nearly two months of delays, Madera County welcomes its latest truck stop to the area.   Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores is now open. The nation’s industry-leading travel stop network, Love’s is located off Highway 99 at Avenue 17.  With the Pilot Truck Stop open at Avenue 20, Madera County will soon be the truck stop capital of Central California with two more truck stops scheduled to open on Highway 99 at Avenue 12 this month and at Avenue 7 within the year.

Love’s opened their doors last Wednesday to the public adding 94 jobs to the community and 95 truck and 57 car parking spaces. “We’re excited to add another location on the West Coast and our 12th location in California,” said Tom Love, founder and executive chairman of Love’s. “Professional and four-wheel drivers now have another safe, clean and well-maintained stop in this vital corridor to help get them back on the road quickly.”

MADERA - Madera County elected it’s third female supervisor in the county’s 126 years history yesterday. Leticia Gonzelaz, the chief of staff for current district four supervisor Max Rodriguez, was a head all evening and right now sits with a two to one lead of her closest opponent Ric Arredondo with 25.19% of the votes counted.

Both Gonzlaez and Arredondo moved into District Four from Madera County’s District Three to run for this seat. Arredondo also resigned his seat on the Madera Unified Board of Trustees.  In District Three, incumbent Supervisor Robert Poythress ran unopposed and scored over 3500 votes, more votes that all of the candidates in District Four received. 

FRESNO -  On Feb. 20, a federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment against Heather Christiansen Stanley, 47, of Bakersfield, charging her with five counts of wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, and one count of attempt to evade and defeat the assessment of a tax, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. The indictment was unsealed following Stanley’s arraignment on Wednesday.

According to court documents, Stanley, a divorce attorney in Bakersfield, represented to her clients that she could hold funds for them in a bank account for safekeeping during the pendency of their divorce proceedings. These monies were her clients’ funds and were not owed to Stanley for legal fees or otherwise.