The Fresno Bee The Fresno Bee

tool name

close

tool goes here

Similar stories:

• Faces of Christmas: Vicki Cooksey

  Faces of Christmas: Vicki Cooksey

  The basics: Vicki Cooksey, 59, of Fresno is a part-time reading tutor. She and her husband, Jerry, have three grown children.

  What she does: Cooksey co-founded a group through her church, Calvary Chapel Fresno, that makes scarves and hats for Fresno's homeless. She and Jerry also coordinate the local branch of Operation Christmas Child that collects shoeboxes filled with Christmas gifts for children around the world.

  Why she does it: "We like to do things for the community, to reach out to people," Cooksey said. "Every person has value. God knows them."

• RI considers 'Homeless Bill of Rights'

  RI considers 'Homeless Bill of Rights'

  Eddie Vega has been homeless for a year. He was waiting for a bus one day last week when a police officer rolled up to ask what he was doing and where he was headed. Vega said it's the kind of subtle harassment that happens all the time.

• Homeless told to vacate private property in Fresno

  Homeless told to vacate private property in Fresno

  Joe Weirick sympathizes with the homeless people who have set up camp on property he owns that's tucked near a central Fresno canal and highways 180 and 99. Many homeless showed up on his vacant land after the city and other agencies cleared them out of downtown camps late last year.

• Faces of Christmas: Sereniti Scott

  Faces of Christmas: Sereniti Scott

  The basics: Sereniti Scott, 17, is a senior at Clovis West High who takes morning classes at the Center for Advanced Research and Technology. She is a track athlete who finished eighth in the Central Section last year in the 300-meter hurdles competing for Central High, and plans to compete this spring for Clovis West. She plans to attend San Francisco State next fall and major in theater.

  What she does: In September, Scott founded the Rock Your Socks Foundation. The goal: To distribute 999 pairs of socks to Fresno homeless by Christmas.

  And not just any socks. Scott prefers colored socks with patterns. "I absolutely love socks, and colorful, bright socks make you bright and happy," she said.

• Valley news of the week -- March 24-31

  Valley news of the week -- March 24-31

  City and county officials need to find another agency for animal control after the CCSPCA calls it quits, the owner of private property in central Fresno wants the homeless who are squatting on his land to find a new place to live, Fresno County doesn