Top stories: Fresno’s #1 fries; Hospitalists 'takeover’; Accused getaway driver update

Friday’s top stories from The Bee covered from a beloved neighborhood bar’s top-tier fries, a major shift in local hospital staffing and an update on the high-profile Caleb Quick murder case.

Here are the top stories for Friday:

• The best french fries in Fresno are at this bar. Some people don’t know it exists: Little Leaf Bar & Restaurant, tucked between Kuppa Joy and D Hou Chinese restaurant at Bullard and Palm avenues, was voted best french fries in Fresno by Fresno Bee readers. Owner George Widjaja says six or seven out of every 10 customers order the kimchi fries, topped with pickled cabbage, Sriracha mayo, gochujang aioli and furikake.
• Private equity-backed doctor firm takes over some services at Fresno hospitals: Community Health System will partner with Sound Physicians, a private-equity-backed physician staffing firm, for hospitalist services beginning September 1. Sound Physicians is co-owned by Summit Partners and OptumHealth, part of UnitedHealth Group. Doctor-influencer Will Flanary called the deal a “massive healthcare private equity takeover.”
• No plea deal offered to Clovis girl accused in Caleb Quick killing. Murder trial set: Prosecutors declined to offer a plea deal to Cassie Michael, the accused getaway driver in the April 2025 killing of 18-year-old Caleb Quick outside a Clovis McDonald’s. Michael, who was 16 at the time, is scheduled for a July 28 murder trial expected to last 10 days. Because she was a minor during the alleged crime, a judge rather than a jury will determine guilt.

Original stories by Bethany Clough, Melissa Montalvo and Thaddeus Miller.

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.