Man Injured During Fight in Fresno Post Office

November 14, 2013, 11:28 am

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Two men armed with a knife and a bat got into a fight at a Fresno post office Thursday morning causing quite a scene.

Police say it started outside the post office on Hughes south of Dakota. Two men were fighting nearby before taking the fight inside.

Investigators say one of the men pulled out a bat while the other pulled out a knife. One of them was hit in the head with the bat and taken to the hospital but he is expected to be okay.

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Be a Santa to a Senior Programs Kicks Off in the Valley

November 14, 2013, 12:27 pm

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Many of you have already started Christmas shopping. You have your list and you've checked it twice, but we're hoping you have room for a least one more person.

There are many seniors in the Valley who might otherwise go without a gift this holiday season if it weren't for the program, "Be a Santa to a Senior."

It's put on by Home Instead Senior Care. Christmas trees will go up at CVS and Walgreens stores in Fresno and Madera counties where generous residents can take an ornament with a wish list, purchase the items for a senior and return it to the store. 

The program runs through December 14.

Watch the video in its entirety. 

Camel On Campus at Fresno State

November 14, 2013, 1:48 pm

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        Fresno State celebrated its weekly hump day hangout with a special guest named Tia. The event takes place on Wednesdays at the Smittcamp Alumni house. There is usually free food and games, and Tia the camel was there too.
       
        Tia was invited to help welcome current Fresno State students and alumni.
        
        This isn't Tia's first visit to campus. She was on campus a few weeks ago to star in the creation of a youtube video featuring hump day hangouts.

Valley Native Trying to Get Home After Deadly Typhoon

November 14, 2013, 2:04 pm

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        As conditions in the Philippines continue to grow worse some are trying to get out.

        American and Valley native Michelle Agagon is among the thousands trying to get back to the United States.
        
        Jack Highberger shows us her family in Atwater is working to get her home.
        
        For the family of Michelle Agagon, Facebook has been their window into the disaster. Agagon lives with her husband and kids on Cebu Island not far from where the storm made land-fall.

        Her sister Virginia Swafford hopes Michelle and her five kids will soon be evacuated. Their island was largely spared but an earthquake last month nearly collapsed a local call center, leaving them unemployed.
        
        Watch the above video for more information.

Mattress Land Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

November 14, 2013, 2:13 pm

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        A Clovis mattress store is now a prototype store to help you get the perfect night's rest. Mattress Land says it will measure your body and spine to find which mattress is right for you.
        
        The company had a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Clovis store. It's one of two on the West Coast that offers a custom mattress fitting.

Police Chief Says Violent Crime is Dropping

November 14, 2013, 2:57 pm

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The Fresno Police Department released statistics on violent and property crime in the city on Thursday.

The department says year to date statistics for the city reveal that violent crime is down 8.3% while property crime has decreased 12%. They say the most notable decrease was seen in auto thefts. Since November 1st, there has been an average of 9.14 cars stolen per day, or a reduction of six cars per day. In comparison, the lowest number of cars stolen in the past 10 years was 8.9 cars per day which occurred in 2009.

Police say during the past 14 days, there has been a 30.1% reduction in auto theft as compared to the previous 14 days.

“This decrease can be directly attributed to pro-active police work and a cooperative effort between the police department and the sheriff’s ensuring the most prolific thieves are remain behind bars,” said Police Chief Jerry Dyer.

The city recently came to an agreement with Fresno County in which they have leased jail beds at the county jail which are currently occupied by five of the top ten auto thieves in Fresno.

City Bill to Combat Sex Trafficking Targets Massage Parlors

November 14, 2013, 5:41 pm

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 The Fresno City Council is tackling the problem of sex trafficking.

During a press conference Thursday, Councilman Clint Olivier, who represents Fresno's seventh district, introduced an ordinance that would require massage parlors to be licensed by the state.

He cited a recent explosion of massage parlors in the city. City officials believe there may be hundreds of massage therapists who use those businesses for human sex trafficking.

At the press conference was a 24-year-old Fresno woman, who didn't want to be identified by name, who said she is a survivor of human trafficking.

"At one point, he had tried getting me to get into the massage parlors to work undercover as a masseuse, but it really--for the means of prostitution."

For four years, she said she was controlled by a man who made a profit off her, by coercing her into sexual acts with other men.

She was able to escape, but so many others live in the shadows of this hidden crime.

In 2010, the Fresno Police Department began their task force against human trafficking. This is one of nine task forces in the state.

"We've been able to identify in excess of 200 victims of human trafficking. In the massage parlors, we've identified five of those businesses that have been closed in that time," said Sgt. Curt Chastain, who heads the Coalition Against Human Trafficking at the Fresno Police Department.

The bill is titled ETHIC of Fresno Act: Ending the Trafficking of Humans in the City.

Under the ordinance, massage parlors would have to be licensed by the state instead of through the city. Hours of operation would be limited from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.   

"There are perhaps hundreds of women and men in our community that are being trafficked against their own will, forced to work in massage parlors, and also other establishments that have no voice," Olivier said.

According to Olivier, the city is currently out of compliance with state standards for massage parlors.

These new rules would hold massage parlor owners responsible for what happens in their business, and the City could shut down the business for using unlicensed massage therapists.

Next Thursday at the Fresno City Council meeting, council members will vote on whether to adopt the ordinance.

One Year Extension on Affordable Care Act

November 14, 2013, 7:20 pm

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        The one year extension on insurance plans is drawing a lot of mixed reaction.

        Some are skeptical that the damage is done....and that it's too late to undo millions of already cancelled insurance policies.
        Angela Greenwood has more on the local impact of this latest fix.
        
        Watch the above video for more information.

        Alan Thaxter....a Fresno employee benefits consultant knows the ins and out of the Affordable Health Care Act.
he says he's not even sure the president's newest fix is possible.
        "I don't know that they can just flip a switch and take all of those people back," said Thaxter.
        
        And even if insurance companies can, Thaxter says it would only apply to individual plans....not group plans.

        President Obama admitted this latest fix won't solve every problem...but he said today i twill help a lot of people.

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Cy Young Award Winner has Valley Roots

November 14, 2013, 7:29 pm

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        This year's Cy Young winner has valley roots. Detroit's Max Scherzer has become the second Visalia alumnus to win the award.
       
        Barry zito who pitched in 2002 was the other.
       
        Scherzer pitched for Visalia in 2007. He made a rehab start on opening day of 2009, which happened to be the first game of the Rawhide era.

Kai the Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker Indicted on Murder Charges

November 14, 2013, 7:36 pm

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        Kai the man who became known as "Kai the hatchet-wielding hitchhiker" was indicted on murder charges in New Jersey.
        
        The Fresno Bee reports 25-year-old Caleb McGillvary is accused of killing 74-year-old Joseph Galfy. His body was found May 13th in his Clark home.

        Authorities say the two met in New York City and that McGillvary stayed at Galfy's home.
        
        McGillvary gained recognition after intervening in a February assault on a PG&E utility worker in Fresno. He described using a hatchet to fend off a further attack.

Valley Air Quality Shows Improvements

November 14, 2013, 8:06 pm

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        Some good news for residents. The Valley Air District reports we're now in compliance with air quality standards.

        A 29-million-dollar penatly issued from the Federal Government has businesses and residents footing a portion of the bill. If you own a vehicle, you'll see the charge on your vehicle registration.
        
        Claudia Rodarte shows us that could be a thing of the past.
        
        Watch the above video for more information.

        The steep penalty which was implemented back in 2010 for poor air quality could very soon be lifted. For the first time in history, the San Joaquin Valley is in compliance with the one hour o-zone standard in place by the Federal Clean Air Act.

        The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District said we've been striving to meet this goal for the past two decades.
       
        In 2004, the Environmental Protection Agency classified the Valley as "extreme non-attainment" for this standard. Because we weren't in compliance, the Federal Governemnt cited us with a 29 million dollar penalty.

        That penalty's being paid by businesses and it's also being paid by a $12 fee on all registered vehicles. The next step would be getting a compliance for the 8-hours ozone, which is a more health protective standard.

        It could take up to a year for the EPA to make a decision on whether or not to lift the penalty.

Fresno Pacific Fees Will Increase

November 14, 2013, 8:21 pm

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        Fresno Pacific University is laying out a plan for tuition and fee increases for the 2014 - 2015 school year.
       
        The University said undergraduate tuition will remain well under the national average.
        
        Fresno Pacific plans to charge $26,250 dollars for the 2014 - 2015 school year. That's up 3.6% from the current tuition of $25,334.

Traffic Delays in Madera

November 14, 2013, 8:29 pm

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        Part of Freeway 99 will be closed in Madera Friday night. It's because of a street widening project.

        The Northbound and Southbound lanes will be closed at 4th street.

        They'll be shut down from 9 p.m. tomorrow night through 9 a.m. Saturday. And again from
10 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday.

        Detours will be in place.

Vigil Held for Foster Care Children

November 14, 2013, 8:36 pm

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        A four hour vigil was held at the State Capitol in Sacramento.

        It recognized 33,000 California children currently in foster care awaiting permanent families.

        Childcare advocates want people to know the adoption process is not as difficult as many people may think.

Traffic Stop Leads to Drug Bust in Porterville

November 14, 2013, 9:15 pm

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        Two Porterville men are facing a list of charges after a traffic stop lead to a drug bust.

        Officers pulled over 20 year old Jorge Arellano and found he had meth. Then they served a warrant at his home on Brown Avenue, near Avenue 144 and Highway 65 in Porterville.

       Detectives found a loaded AK-47 assault rifle, over 14 pounds of marijuana, a half a pound of meth, and four grams of heroin.

       They also arrested 28 year old Alana Ornelas.

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Teens Arrested For Beating, Robbing WWII Vet

November 14, 2013, 10:02 pm

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Fresno County Sheriff's Deputies have arrested three people for a violent
home invasion. The suspects are accused of robbing and pistol whipping WWII
Veteran Joseph Martin last month.

But the most shocking is who deputies arrested.

The suspects are all teens. The youngest is twelve years old. 

CBS47's Lemor Abrams is live at the Sheriff's Dept. with the latest on the
arrests.

Vet Speaks Out on Arrest of Juveniles Accused of Beating Him

November 14, 2013, 10:16 pm

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The incident is still fresh in Josef Martin's memory.

"They shoved a gun in my rib. He goes to my mouth and wanted me to open my mouth, and then he hit me in the side with the back of the pistol, and then shoved it again, and hit me in the back of the head again."

Martin says they took $200, which was going to get him to his next social security check.

They took jewelry, rings, and other mementos from his 91 years.

"But i'm glad they got caught, and I hope they put them away for a long time."

Sheriff Margaret Sims says the suspects, two 15 year olds, and a 12 year old, are gang members.

She says there were at least 4 robberies committed in one night by this group in October in the olive and willow area.

In one incident, they're accused of stealing a rifle and jewelry, and trading those for marijuana.

"They were cowards because when they were confronted with someone they thought would put up significant resistance they left but when they found somebody they saw as vulnerable they attacked," said Sheriff Mims.

The sheriff says detectives are still trying locate some of what was stolen during the suspects' robbery spree, including martin's world war two ring.

But martin says he's just glad to be alive, and that the suspects won't be able to hurt anyone else now.

"I'm not angry, I just feel sorry for these kids nowadays. Why did they choose to beat up a man? Why?"

Alleged Serial Rapist Arrested

November 14, 2013, 10:26 pm

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Fresno Police say 35-year old Carlos Ramirez raped at least five women between July and September of this year. Investigators are still looking for another man they think may have also played a role in at least two of the alleged rapes. 

Hit & Run Driver Kills Man

November 14, 2013, 10:45 pm

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A hit and run crash has left one man dead and police are now looking for the driver responsible.

It happened downtown around 8 p.m. on G Street.  Investigators have it closed down from Ventura Street to Church Avenue.

Police say the driver hit the victim and dragged him a mile south on G street, so it created two scenes.  The impact occurred near the Poverello House.

We don’t know much about the victim other than it is a 64 year old man.

Police know that a pickup truck hit him and now they need the public to help find it.

“It’s described as an older 70s ford pickup, red and white in color.  It possibly will have some front end damage to it.  It has oversized wheels.  It may be lifted a little bit.  One witness said it was lifted, the other said it was not.  Also on the tailgate, it has the word “Ford” painted in white letters,” said Lt. Joe Gomez of the Fresno Police Dept.

Valley Air in Compliance for First Time in Decades

November 15, 2013, 9:12 am

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The Valley Air District reports the San Joaquin Valley is in compliance with air quality standards for the first time in decades. Now its asking that a $29 million penalty against residents be lifted.

Jamie Holt with Valley Air joined KSEE Sunrise' Carina Corral to talk about how the "huge accomplishment" was reached and the likelihood of the federal government lifting the fine that has increased registration fees for valley residents.

Watch the video for the interview in its entirety.