Mayor Lee Brand released the following statement on the passing of longtime Central Valley reporter George Hostetter:
“George Hostetter was the consummate journalist – tough, dogged, curious and always fair. His passing is a gigantic loss not just to journalism, but to Fresno as well. Not much escaped George’s keen eye in his pursuit of the story, and I always knew that in the end, he would not just get to the bottom of whatever he was investigating, but also get it right.
“George was quirky, be it his never-ending walks around all of Fresno or channeling the famous TV detective Columbo in his questioning. As the saying goes, ‘they don’t make them like that anymore.’ Reporters are not supposed to be friends with those they cover, but I can honestly say a day won’t go by when I won’t miss George. I know he is at peace – and almost certainly enjoying a Kit Kat bar.”