A Northern California group called Defend Rural America will host an event Sept. 27 at the Clovis Memorial Building to discuss the problems facing the Valley.

Speakers at the free event include Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims and Madera County Sheriff John Anderson.

The event starts at 5:15 p.m. Details: Carole Jacoby at (559) 448-0200, Carole@CaroleJacoby.com; or Kay Errotabere at (559) 970-6777, KayErrotabere@hotmail.com.

2 candidate forums today for Nov. races

Two public forums are scheduled today for candidates seeking office on the board of trustees for Fresno Unified School District and State Center Community College District.

Fresno City College will host a candidate forum for the State Center Board of Trustees at 7-9 p.m. in the Old Administration Building. Community members are invited to attend and ask questions.

Also today, Communities for a New California -- a statewide voting-rights group -- will host a forum for candidates running for Fresno Unified's District 2. The event, which will be held in Spanish with English interpreters, is 6-8 p.m. at the Mosqueda Center, 4670 E. Butler Ave.

The forum will explore community efforts to increase graduation rates, and ways to improve the relationships between school staff and immigrant parents and better meet the needs of poor families in southwest Fresno.

With the departure of Larry Moore, three candidates are vying for a chance to represent the Roosevelt High area: Daren Miller, NAACP leader and a high school counselor in Madera; Luis Chavez, chief of staff for City Council Member Sal Quintero; and Esmeralda Diaz, a parent who in the past has unsuccessfully run for the Fresno school board.

17 charged in home care program fraud

Seventeen people have been charged with defrauding a county-run in-home care program, the Fresno County District Attorney's Office said Wednesday.

The charges, involving four different cases, allege the defendants defrauded the In-Home Supportive Services program by filing false claims to collect money from the state-federal Medi-Cal health insurance program for the poor, or other health programs. The complaints allege the fraudulent payments date as far back as 2006.

In-Home Supportive Services helps elderly and disabled Fresno County residents by providing cleaning, cooking and other services.

Madera Co. will hold drug-disposal event

The Madera County Sheriff's Department has announced its first Take Back Drug event to take place Sept. 29 at two locations.

Madera County residents can dispose of unused, unwanted or expired medications. The event will last from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Madera County Sheriff's main office at 14143 Road 28 and at the Oakhurst office, 48267 Liberty Drive.