Top stories: Man faces life for child sex crimes; no-prison deal in fatal crash; urban farm expanding
The Fresno Bee covered a range of top stories on May 5, 2026, including a federal child exploitation conviction, a plea deal in a fatal Clovis crash and a federal grant boosting urban farming in southwest Fresno. Here’s a quick look at what readers need to know about each.
We assemble this list each evening, so you can get caught up on the top Fresno Bee stories of the day
Former professor convicted in FBI child sex sting
Rodger Githens, a 48-year-old former University of the Pacific professor, was convicted of attempted enticement of a minor and receipt and distribution of sexual abuse material after seeking to travel to Fresno to abuse a fictitious 7-year-old. He used Grindr and Telegram to communicate with an undercover FBI agent. Githens faces 10 years to life in prison and is scheduled for sentencing July 20. Click here for full story.
Driver avoids prison in fatal Clovis crash
Wallowa Bates, 25, agreed to plead no contest to vehicular manslaughter in exchange for probation and 90 days in work release for the May 2023 crash that killed 45-year-old Jennifer Ellis, a Valley Children’s Hospital pharmacist, and injured her two children. The court indicated it would consider reducing the offense to a misdemeanor if Bates completes probation. Sentencing is set for June 23, 2026. Click here for full story.
Federal grant to expand southwest Fresno farm incubator
The Yo’Ville Community Garden, a joint project of Metro Ministries and Fresno Housing, received a $500,000 USDA grant to expand its small farm incubator and gardening program in southwest Fresno. The funding will support six farming businesses, increase staffing and launch the Yo’Ville Farmers Market on the first and third Sundays of each month. The community garden, launched in 2014, offers small plots to neighborhood residents for a small fee. Click here for full story.
This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence based on our own originally reported, written and published content. Before publishing, journalists reviewed this content in compliance with McClatchy Media’s AI policy.
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