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Fresno's unique culture and community shine through 7 engaging stories

The curated articles highlight Fresno's cultural vibrancy and community spirit by showcasing a range of unique experiences, from highly-ranked places to live to distinctive culinary offerings. Collectively, they reveal a city that thrives on tradition, innovation, and a strong sense of community. Stories of unique dining, mushroom hikes, chivalrous manners, and new local businesses weave a tapestry of a community that straddles both the modern and traditional. Fresno's dining scene impresses with its farm-to-table offerings, like the tri-tip sandwich at Heirloom, a local favorite that embodies the city's flavorful simplicity. Clovis stands out in livability rankings as a welcoming place with its charming Old Town and vibrant local amenities, placing 22nd in Livability's list of top 100 places to reside in the U.S. A new deli in downtown Fresno offers hearty sandwiches and discounts for local workers, reflecting the area's community-focused business ethos. Meanwhile, the city's outdoor culture shines through explorations like mushroom hikes in the Sierra foothills, where scholars and residents alike gain fresh perspectives on the natural world.

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UC Merced mycology grad student Chris Bivins digs for truffles while leading a Sierra Foothill Conservancy mycology hike to look for mushrooms and fungi in the McKenzie Preserve in the foothills near Millerton lake on Saturday, March 1, 2025. By CRAIG KOHLRUSS

NO. 1: MUSHROOM HIKE IN SIERRA FOOTHILLS PROVES MIND-EXPANDING. ‘WITHOUT FUNGI, NOTHING WOULD GROW’ | OPINION

Opinion by Marek Warszawski: “Mushrooms range from the highly edible to the highly toxic.” | Published March 6, 2025 | Read Full Story by Marek Warszawski

The Chef’s Special version of the Reuben Sandwich at Akram Mohsin’s new Expressry Deli & Market features chopped pickles and jalapenos. Photographed Monday, April 14, 2025 in Fresno. By ERIC PAUL ZAMORA

NO. 2: NEW DELI IN DOWNTOWN FRESNO OFFERING THICK SANDWICHES, DISCOUNTS FOR NEIGHBORS

The owner of this new downtown Fresno deli produced several viral videos on his TikTok account. | Published April 28, 2025 | Read Full Story by Bryant-Jon Anteola

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Heirloom is a north Fresno restaurant serving seasonal, local farm-to-table food from one of the best chefs in town.

NO. 3: HEADING TO YOSEMITE? HOW TO EAT LIKE A FRESNAN ON YOUR WAY THERE

Whether it’s the popular Heirloom restaurant or tri-tip at the Dog House Grill, we have suggestions. | Published May 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Bethany Clough

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Exterior of Storybook Tudor cottage at 304 E Simpson Ave, Fresno

NO. 4: ‘STORYBOOK TUDOR COTTAGE’ FOR SALE IN FRESNO. SEE ‘INSANELY ADORABLE’ HOUSE

Highlights include lush gardens, a fully restored kitchen and a living room with limestone floors and a quartz rock fireplace. | Published May 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Fernanda Galan

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Fresno has the most chivalrous men in California, according to DatingNews.com. The dating news website surveyed single people across the United States about desirable traits in potential partners including old-fashioned manners such as politeness, respect and patience. By CRAIG KOHLRUSS

NO. 5: FRESNO NAMED NO. 1 CITY FOR CHIVALRY IN CA. WHAT MAKES IT TOP SPOT FOR MANNERS?

DatingNews.com surveyed singles to find the U.S. cities with the best-behaved men. | Published May 20, 2025 | Read Full Story by Fernanda Galan

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Kids twirl on rope swings on the American River at Discovery Park in 2004. The swings are banned on the parkway and rangers will issue citations for their installation. By Anne Chadwick Williams

NO. 6: MUSIC FESTIVALS, LONG TRAILS, FOOD: HOW FRESNO COULD ENERGIZE ITS RIVERFRONT

Fresno leaders can look to Bakersfield and Sacramento for popular attractions as they consider future access to the San Joaquin River. | Published June 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by Erik Galicia

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A couple strolls along Pollasky Ave. Wednesday, March 26, 2025 in Old Town Clovis. Cowboy Cleanup will bring one hundred volunteers together to clean the streets, shops and intersections of Old Town Clovis on Saturday, March 29 in preparation for rodeo events in April. By ERIC PAUL ZAMORA

NO. 7: FRESNO COUNTY CITY RANKED AMONG TOP 100 PLACES TO LIVE IN THE US. HERE’S WHY

Only two California cities made Livability.com’s list. | Published June 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by Fernanda Galan

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.