Fresno has seen a decline in violence. We must invest to sustain peace | Opinion
Fresno’s progress
“Fresno County CA city among most affordable, safest in US,” (fresnobee.com, Aug. 8, 2024)
Jesuit Priest Greg Boyle delivered a powerful message to Fresno: No one is beyond redemption.
Speaking at the Saroyan Theater, he shared intimate stories of “homies” leaving behind addiction, gang life and incarceration. He talked about his organization, Homeboy Industries, a nonprofit that helps more than 10,000 people annually reclaim their lives through employment, therapy, mentorship, vocational training and tattoo removal.
His visit comes at a pivotal moment. If trends hold, 2025 could mark Fresno’s safest year on record. The city hasn’t seen annual murder counts in the twenties since the turn of the century, when its population hovered near 400,000.
Precisely because violence has receded, now is the time to invest in sustaining peace. Fresno can build systems designed to reach the most vulnerable before desperation takes hold. Boyle buried his 263rd young person, yet the number he has pulled back from the brink is far greater.
David Pyrooz
Professor of sociology, University of Colorado Boulder
No to privatizing air traffic
“Privatizing air traffic control would protect travelers from political drama | Opinion,” (fresnobee.com, Nov. 13)
This call to privatize air traffic control would result in far more problems than it sets out to solve. Failures in public management are not the primary reason for long wait times and overall negative traveling experiences; government shutdown politics is.
Government shutdowns are the primary reasons for low hiring rates and the lack of efficient and sufficient training, according to reports from the Department of Transportation Inspector General. The solution is not to abandon the public model altogether, but ensuring stable funding by giving airports protection from the negative effects of government shutdowns.
The Federal Aviation Administration’s extensive oversight and the government’s operation of air traffic control keeps regulations and oversight in the hands of elected representatives instead of profit-seeking board executives.
Ansley Strand
Clovis
Tobacco-free future for Fresno youth
“Court allows Fresno to enforce Smoke Shop Ordinance,” (fresnobee.com, Sept. 16)
As a college student in Fresno, I see how easily tobacco reaches our youth. Many of my peers can walk just a few minutes from home and reach a store that sells tobacco. A survey of Fresno County 10th and 12th graders found that one in five were illegally sold e-cigarettes by a local retailer.
Nov. 20 was the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout, a day encouraging people to quit. This year, I’m thinking about kids and young adults struggling with addiction to e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches and tobacco products. Many never had a fair chance against the marketing tactics tobacco companies use to hook young people early.
That’s why I support the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network’s VALLE project. It brings Fresno residents together to push for stronger protections for kids and to help anyone who wants to quit. I hope our city leaders choose health and a safer future for Fresno’s youth.
Gisel Cabrera
Fresno
Comprehensive permitting reform
“Advocates push for energy bill to aid Central Valley residents,” (sacbee.com, Sept. 1)
America’s energy permitting system, designed to protect communities and the environment, has become one of the biggest barriers to progress. Today, building a new transmission line can take more than a decade, and federal environmental reviews often stretch over four years.
Outdated rules, duplicative reviews and constant litigation are slowing innovation and driving up costs at the very moment we need more affordable, reliable and clean energy. Permitting reform is essential to keep energy prices stable for families and businesses. More than 92% of pending energy projects are solar and wind — exactly the investments needed for a cleaner future. Streamlining approvals would unlock billions in private investment and protect consumers from volatile prices.
America must also modernize its grid. Transmission infrastructure has expanded by only 1% per year, far short of what’s needed to meet growing demand. Faster permitting would strengthen grid capacity and reliability, helping prevent blackouts.
Our energy future — and global competitiveness — depend on comprehensive permitting reform.
Susan Atkinson
Durango
Time for Trump to go
“Judge halts Trump administration cuts to disaster aid for ‘sanctuary’ states,” (fresnobee.com, Sept. 30)
President Donald Trump is withholding disaster aid from blue states. When did we become residents of blue states and not just American citizens?
To preserve our democracy, it’s time for Trump to go!
Stephen Sacks
Fresno