Mayor Lee Brand released the following statement on the passing of Judge Armando O. Rodríguez:

“I am saddened by the passing of Judge Armando O. Rodríguez. He was a titan in Fresno County history, a man who didn’t just serve in multiple public capacities, but also did so as the first Latino in many of those roles. Being the first is never easy, but Judge Rodríguez was more than up to the task, and in the process paved the way for other Latinos to follow.

“At Fresno State’s State of the University event in January, I had the honor of sitting at the same table as Judge Rodríguez, as well as one of his relatives, Louie, who I count as a childhood friend. While I mourn Judge Rodriguez’s passing, I also know that he is at peace, reunited with his wife, Betty, who passed in 2012. My prayers are with him, as well as family and friends who mourn the loss of this great man.”

Photo Credit Daniel Casarez Vida Staff Photo

This Earth Month, the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is collaborating with The Walt Disney Company, including Disney Citizenship, Disney|ABC Television Group and ESPN, to revitalize parks across the U.S. for the third year, including a park right here in Fresno. Through Meet Me At The Park, an initiative that gives back to these places that shape so much of our lives, one of three local parks will receive a $20,000 grant and Fresno residents get to choose which one.

Our local parks make Fresno a better place to live. Parks are essential to our community’s health and wellbeing as they provide safe places to get active, enjoy nature, preserve the environment and bring people together. That’s why from April 1 to April 30 Fresno residents will have the opportunity to help one of three park projects receive $20,000 in grant funding to make improvements. The projects are:

• Highway City Science Center: Meet me at the Park for Science in the Neighborhood.  You can vote for this project starting April 1 by texting highway to 35350..*
• Ted C. Wills Community Center: Community Garden. You can vote for this project starting April 1 by texting tedcwills to 35350..*
• Holmes Neighborhood Center – Healthy Lifestyle Fitness Program. You can vote for this project starting April 1 by texting holmes to 35350..*

By visiting NRPA.org/BeInspired, park supporters can vote daily for their favorite park project. At the end of April, the park project with the most votes will receive grant funding. New this year, everyone who votes will be entered into a drawing for a tablet outfitted for the outdoors.

“These projects are just a small part of the community-based programming our PARCS team provides for residents of all ages,” noted Fresno Mayor Lee Brand.  “We have made a commitment to improve our parks and this campaign provides much needed funding to renovate and revitalize our greenspace.”

“Supporting local parks is essential to the health and vitality of communities everywhere,” said Lori Robertson, NRPA Director of Conservation. “That’s why we are proud to collaborate with The Walt Disney Company to help fund critical park improvement projects in communities in need. We encourage everyone to join us in giving back to the places that shape so much of our lives by voting in this year’s Meet Me at the Park campaign.”

During April, a public service announcement (PSA) supporting the Meet Me at the Park campaign will be shared with audiences across Disney, including ABC Television Network, ABC-owned and affiliate stations, Freeform, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior, the ABC app and other digital platforms. The PSA will also be available to view on the voting site at www.nrpa.org/beinspired. Additionally, Radio Disney will support the campaign with an on-air radio spot.

Last year, Fresno voted for Highway City Science Center to win $20,000. With that funding, the Science Center was improved and we served over 534 children and youth. This year, your vote will help improve another one of Fresno’s great parks. Nationally, more than $600,000 has been awarded to help fund local park improvement projects as part of the Meet Me At The Park campaign.

This Earth Month, show how parks revitalize your community and vote to improve local parks right here in Fresno.  Encourage your friends to vote too by taking a selfie in your favorite park and using the hashtags #MeetMeAtThePark, #Parkies and #BeInspired.

For more information and to vote, visit NRPA.org/BeInspired.

*Message and data rates may apply. Text STOP to 35350 to opt out and to discontinue further participation in the Promotion.  Text HELP for information. If you enter via text messaging, you will receive four (4) text messages in response to your entry from an automated system. Consent is not required to buy goods and services.  To view the Sponsor’s Mobile Privacy Policy, http://www.nrpa.org/About-National-Recreation-and-Park-Association/the-fine-print. To view Mobile Terms and Conditions, visit http://www.helloworld.com/terms.

About The National Recreation and Park Association

The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all Americans have access to parks and recreation for health, conservation and social equity. Through its network of nearly 60,000 recreation and park professionals and advocates, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation initiatives and equitable access to parks and public space. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.

[vc_row bg_color=””][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]Mayor Lee Brand today announced that both Standard and Poor’s Global Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service have significantly upgraded the City of Fresno’s investment ratings, a decision which was based on strong leadership in combination with strong fiscal policies and budgetary performance over the past few years. The improved ratings mean better interest rates on the city’s upcoming bond refinancing, which is anticipated to result in over $35 million in savings over the next 22 years, with a savings of $26.4 million for the General Fund alone.

In the most dramatic news, S&P Global Ratings raised Fresno’s issuer credit rating (ICR) to ‘A+’ from ‘BBB-‘, a five level increase. At the same time, S&P raised its long-term rating and underlying rating (SPUR) to ‘A’ from ‘BB+’ on the city’s existing lease revenue bonds and pension obligation bonds (POBs), and assigned its ‘A’ long-term rating to the Fresno Joint Powers Financing Authority, Calif.’s series 2017A and taxable series 2017B lease revenue refunding bonds, issued on behalf of the city of Fresno.

“It’s a testament to the work that former Mayor Swearengin, City Manager Bruce Rudd and I did to pass legislation that addressed short- and long-term budget challenges and facilitate citywide economic expansion,” said Fresno Mayor Lee Brand. “The experts have seen our improved financial performance and they’ve just given us a standing ovation.”

According to Standard and Poor’s, the rating upgrades reflect substantial improvements in the city’s financial management practices and policies, elimination of its structural operating deficits in the general fund, restoration of its available general fund to strong levels, and maintenance of a clean auditor opinion without any going concern in the city’s comprehensive annual financial reports in each of the past three fiscal years.

Mayor Brand added, “This news will have a tremendous impact for Fresno taxpayers and ratepayers. It lowers rates for city services and frees up millions of dollars for priorities like hiring more police officers.”

In related news, Moody’s assigned a Baa1 rating to the City of Fresno (CA) $89 million Series 2017A (tax-exempt) and $31.6 million Series 2017B (taxable) lease revenue refunding bonds for Master Lease Projects. They also upgraded the city’s outstanding master lease revenue bonds and lease-backed Series 2004 A & C bonds to Baa1 from Baa2, upgraded to Baa2 from Baa3 the rating on the city’s 2006A Convention Center bonds, and upgraded to Baa2 from Ba1 the rating on the 2002 Pension Obligation Bonds.

According to Moody’s, the upgrades reflect continued, meaningful improvement in the city’s fundamental economic profile, with ongoing growth in taxable property values, sales tax collections and employment.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][ish_image image=”1212″ size=”theme-fourth” link_type=”image” align=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The City of Fresno and Ulta Beauty, the largest beauty retailer in the United States and the premier beauty destination for cosmetics, fragrance, skin, hair care products and salon services in the nation, announced today that the company has officially chosen Fresno as the location of its new 670,000 square foot distribution center at the northeast corner of East and Central Avenues.

The distribution center, which is planned to service 400 stores and fulfill internet orders throughout the western United States, would employ an initial workforce of 542 full-time workers and could grow to over 1,000 employees on site. This will be Ulta Beauty’s sixth distribution center and its first and only facility in California.

The announcement comes just three months after Fresno City Council approved an incentive package which includes partial rebates on property and sales taxes. An economic analysis commissioned by the City estimates that even after paying the incentives, Fresno stands to realize $42 million in additional sales and property taxes over the next 25 years.

“This is exactly the shot in the arm that Fresno needs to energize our economy and keep our momentum headed in a positive direction,” said Fresno Mayor Lee Brand. “It’s also a direct result of the Economic Expansion Act that I wrote to make our city more attractive to business. We’re pleased that Ulta Beauty recognizes the value of our location, and we look forward to their continued success in Fresno.”

“We are pleased to be expanding in Fresno with a new distribution center that supports our company’s growth strategy and brings additional jobs to the community,” said Mary Dillon, chief executive officer at Ulta Beauty. “This will allow us to continue to grow our stores and e-commerce business and help us meet the evolving needs of our guests.”

Ulta Beauty is the largest beauty retailer in the nation with more than 900 stores in 48 states and the District of Columbia. The company’s stock is publicly traded on Nasdaq under the stock symbol ULTA and its net sales in 2015 totaled almost $4 billion. It distributes its products through the company’s website: www.ulta.com

Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) conducted a comprehensive review of the City of Fresno and the State of California’s oversight of the City’s drinking water treatment and testing program. By letter dated January 19, 2017, the USEPA concluded that the City has historically complied with the USEPA and State of California Lead and Copper Rule for providing safe drinking water to its residents. The City continues to work with the State of California to ensure optimized corrosion control treatment is in place.

“We’re happy with this review because now the City, the State Water Resources Control Board, the Fresno County Department of Health, and the EPA are all on the same page,” said Thomas Esqueda, Director of Public Utilities. “Our promise to provide a clean, safe, reliable water supply to our customers is just as strong today as ever.”

The City recognizes there have been reports by certain homeowners about discolored water within their homes. The primary problem with the water discoloration issue appears to be sourced from galvanized piping within certain homes in which the interior zinc coating may have worn away, and iron from the pipe is causing discoloration within the home. Fortunately, sampling results of the discolored water indicate that the water delivered to City customers meets all primary drinking water standards and does not appear to present any health risk.

For residents experiencing discolored water, the simplest and most cost-effective way to address the issue is to allow the tap to run until the discoloration is no longer observable. Additional testing is being conducted on galvanized piping from residential homes to determine whether further water treatment measures can be taken to reduce water discoloration within galvanized piping. If the testing is successful, additional water treatment measures may be implemented that could reduce the discoloration caused by the galvanized piping.

The City of Fresno Department of Public Utilities (DPU) announces that the Northeast Surface Water Treatment Facility (NESWTF) will return online on March 1, 2017. The treatment facility was taken offline in September 2016 to allow the Fresno Irrigation District to conduct its annual maintenance period.

During the shutdown period, the water provided to our customers in Northeast Fresno was supplied from local groundwater sources. In switching back to surface water, customers in the area may observe some discoloration in their water. DPU advises customers to allow the tap to run until the discoloration is no longer observable.

For additional information regarding this notification, customers are encouraged to contact the Department of Public Utilities’ Customer Service Center by calling (559) 621-6888.

Fresno Yosemite International Airport has been advised of a Family Emergency Scam involving scammers posing as a relative or friend contacting individuals urging them to wire money immediately for help with an emergency situation.

Scammers pose as a relative or friend claiming they are being held by authorities at the Fresno Airport Yosemite Airport and are in need of a money wire to authorize their release.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, the goal of Family Emergency scams is to trick people in to sending money before they realize it is a scam.  To make the story seem legitimate, another individual may join the call claiming to be an authority figure such as a lawyer.

If someone calls or sends a message claiming to be a relative or friend in need of money to help their situation, the Federal Trade Commission advises:

• Resist the urge to act immediately, no matter how dramatic the story is.
• Verify the person’s identity by asking questions that a stranger couldn’t possibly answer.
• Call a phone number for the family member or friend that is known to be genuine.
• Check the story out with someone else in the family or circle of friends, even if told to keep it a secret.
• Don’t wire money — or send a check or money order by overnight delivery or courier.
• Report possible fraud at ftc.gov/complaint or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP.
• Report possible fraud to local law enforcement authorities.

Fresno Yosemite International Airport currently offers Valley passengers daily non-stop flights to Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Guadalajara, Mexico on domestic and international carriers.  Fresno Yosemite International Airport is a municipally owned entity operating as a self-supporting enterprise. No City of Fresno general funds are used to operate Fresno Yosemite International Airport or Fresno Chandler Executive Airport.

Like us on facebook.com/FresnoYosemiteInternational or follow us on Twitter @FresnoAirport

City of Fresno offices will be closed in observance of the Presidents Day holiday on Monday, February 20. The delivery of some City services may be affected by the holiday as well. Please see the list below for details.

Here is the schedule for City of Fresno operations for the holiday:

Airports: Administrative offices closed; Terminal, concessions and airlines normal operations otherwise.

Business License: Office closed. The Business Tax Web Renewal will be available for TOT payments only all day Monday.

City Clerk’s Office: Closed.

City Hall Offices: Closed.

Development and Resource Management:  Closed.

Dog License Division: Closed.

Finance Offices: Offices closed. Business Tax TOT (only) Web Renewal and new business tax online application submittals may be made throughout the President’s Day holiday.

Fire/Police Departments: Administrative offices and public counters closed. Normal operations otherwise.

Fresno Area Express: Administrative offices closed; Weekend bus routes/schedules in effect. Call 621-7433 for details. FAX route maps and schedules are available on the City’s website.

Parking Division: No enforcement at parking meters and City parking facilities on Monday. Office closed for citation payments on Monday, February 20.

Parks and Recreation (PARCS): Administrative offices closed. Park facilities and recreation centers operating with normal schedule;

Personnel:  Closed. Online applications accepted at www.fresno.gov/jobs.

Public Utilities:  Offices closed.

Public Works:  Offices closed.

Purchasing: Office closed; Bids Online available for bids and vendor registration;

Residential Solid Waste: Administrative offices closed. Normal residential and commercial collection schedule; for questions regarding residential solid waste collection, please call the Solid Waste Management Division at (559) 621-1452.

Utility Payments/Business Tax: Payment counters closed (Fresno City Hall and Manchester Center.) Online and phone transactions will be available for utility payments.

For urgent matters during the Presidents Day holiday, please call (559) 621-CITY (2489) or use our FresGO mobile app.

Mayor Lee Brand released the following statement on the death of Joe Williams, Fresno’s first elected African-American city councilman:

 “Joe Williams was a pioneer in our community, a true visionary who overcame discrimination to become Fresno’s first African-American councilmember. He dedicated his career to transforming our city into a place where opportunity is available to everyone.

 “I didn’t know him well, but I was very much aware of his sterling reputation as a businessman and civic leader, and a guiding force at the Fresno County Economic Opportunities Commission for decades. My deepest condolences go out to his family and friends. He helped our city dream and he will be missed.”

Passenger traffic for Fresno Yosemite International Airport reached a historic new level in 2016 with 1,540,623 departing and arriving passengers. The milestone year represents a 10 percent increase in travelers served in 2016 compared to 2015 totals and significantly outperforms the previous record held in 2014 by nearly 100,000 passengers.

Airline transitions to larger jet aircraft fleets combined with extra flights during peak travel seasons resulted in an 8.5 percent growth in domestic passengers and an impressive 21 percent growth in international passengers over 2015. Fresno Yosemite International Airport is currently ranked fourth in the nation for carrying passengers between Fresno and Guadalajara, Mexico.

“Fresno Yosemite International Airport has a robust mix of airline choices and popular destinations, and is easy and convenient to use,” said Director of Aviation Kevin Meikle. “The Airport’s historic year of passenger traffic is the result of our airline partners’ continued confidence in the Fresno market as well as travelers from our community and the Central Valley choosing Fresno Yosemite International Airport as their gateway to the world.”

A number of customer service programs and facility upgrades were initiated and completed over the past year to enhance the travel experience including:

• Launch of a Customer Service Ambassador Program to assist passengers with the travel process, making contact with their airline, and navigating the airport
• Construction of an expanded cell phone waiting area to provide convenient parking just seconds from the airport terminal to accommodate family and friends who are picking up arriving passengers
• Installation of Electric Vehicle charging stations in the public and employee parking lots, and in the operations area for airline ground support equipment
• Increased the capacity of the long term parking lot
• Delivery of a new Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting vehicle to support airport public safety emergency response
• Reconstruction of the commercial aviation ramp on the west side of the terminal, including the installation of in-ground power and other infrastructure to enhance airline operational efficiency
• Launch of a restaurant and wine bar concept by HMSHost with a new John Muir Grille menu inspired by wines and beers produced in the Central Valley region

The recent launch of a Fresno Yosemite International Airport Master Plan Update is timely following sustained growth since the Great Recession and the 2016 record-setting year. The Master Plan Update will evaluate how the airport will accommodate passenger demand over the next five, ten, and twenty years.

Fresno Yosemite International Airport currently offers Valley passengers daily non-stop flights to Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Guadalajara, Mexico on domestic and international carriers. Fresno Yosemite International Airport is a municipally owned entity operating as a self-supporting enterprise. No City of Fresno general funds are used to operate Fresno Yosemite International Airport or Fresno Chandler Executive Airport.

Like us on facebook.com/FresnoYosemiteInternational or follow us on Twitter @FresnoAirport .