Roberts, alongside 30 student volunteers from Hoover High School’s Science Enrichment club, celebrated Earth Day by planting trees.

The students worked together from 12:30p.m. to 3p.m., placing five trees on Hoover’s campus.

“It’s pretty awesome that we all got to work as a team to do something that will benefit us for a long time,” said John Banuelos, a member of the Science Enrichment club.

The club also celebrated Earth Day by guiding students through planting wildflowers to take home.

Five valley oaks, a species endemic to California, were planted on Wednesday, a number the group hopes will grow.

How the Effort Came Together

Robert worked with Fresno Unified for close to a year to get the project underway.

The University High student pitched presentations to trustees, the site principal, and maintenance managers.

His presentation detailed the benefits of planting valley oaks and spreading environmental education.

“Over 90% of these trees (valley oaks) have been chopped down since the city’s founding, and I believe that we shouldn’t accept that for what it is,” Roberts said.

Roberts is working to restore planting sites and integrate valley oaks back into the community, aiming to plant trees at Free State next, he said.

He hopes that students will take pride in their campus and their contribution, while also cultivating an understanding of the importance of trees.

This project is an opportunity to begin doing just that.

“I think today went really smoothly,” said Favour Amobi, a senior at Hoover. “Everybody was working very hard. It was nice to see everything come together”

Why Plant Valley Oaks?

Valley oaks are native and exclusive to California making them best suited for its ecosystem.

The trees’ size and lifespan allow for a massive intake of carbon, efficiently converting CO2 into oxygen, while needing less water than grass.

Additionally, these trees house native species, so their removal caused “native ecosystems to start to vanish,” Roberts said.

Roberts hopes that bringing valley oaks back into the community will prompt more native species to return.

Two weeks prior to planting, a drilling company pierced through the site’s hardpan.

Drilling through the hardpan, a dense layer that water and roots cannot permeate, allows the tree to reach subsoil. This provides crucial water retention and essential resources for the plant.

Also, the tree’s roots will be able to grow down instead of out, ensuring that roots will not interfere with infrastructure or cause tripping hazards.

Environmental Education

Climate anxiety is rising amongst youth, but a lack of knowledge and education regarding the environment is prevalent.

That fear was shared by the students, who also reiterated a sense of responsibility.

“I think us, as a generation, need to make sure that we care about it (the climate),” Amobi said. “If we don’t care about it more then we’re going to lose our chance of being able to solve this. And that’s what I’m scared about.”

Despite widespread worries about climate change, a 2021 survey indicated that students ages 14 to 18 had large gaps between their conceptualization of Earth’s systems and reality.

“Here at school is one way to learn it and get the correct education about climate change, because it’s real,” said Aaliyah Miles, a junior at Hoover.

There are environmental science courses offered at Fresno Unified high schools, but the classes are not mandatory, the Hoover students said.

“I think it’s very important to emphasize how climate change is going to affect us. And how we can prevent that, even little steps within the community we can take to help,” Roberts said.

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The house is a “home away from home” for families of critical-care patients at Community Regional Medical Center. In other words, it’s a place where they can eat, sleep and recharge, helping them stay strong for their loved one in the hospital.

The amenities include full-sized rooms with bath and shower, community kitchen, washer and dryer, cleaning services, and around the clock staffing.

Terry’s House has provided comfort and support to more than 9,000 families from 34 countries and all 50 states, Community Health System officials said.

The donation is for an endowment hat will help with operational costs. The donation is the largest ever for a CHS endowment, said CEO/president Craig Wagoner.

Terry’s Legacy

The 20-room facility bears the name of Terry Richards, who was 5 years old when he was seriously injured in a car accident. For nearly five months, his mother traveled almost 80 miles a day to be at her son’s side while he recovered.

Gifts from Terry’s brother, Tom Richards, and many other donors made Terry’s House a reality in 2011 after Terry’s passing.

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Related Story: Supervisors May Go Big With Vote on Clovis, Reedley Libraries

The board of supervisors approved a new procedure for sponsorship: informal bidding for “naming rights.”

The board will conduct a competitive bidding process, awarding naming rights to the highest bidder.

The winners will be able to name the exterior after themselves, their business or organization, family, or someone whom they wish to honor.

A naming rights agreement will outline the term of this naming, allowing individuals to leave a long-term legacy in the community.

Additionally, the document will provide terms and conditions of the sponsorship. This includes the fee payment schedule and specific requirements the sponsor must meet.

Related Story: Supervisors Pick Contractor for New Clovis, Reedley Libraries. Is Highway City ...

How the Funds Will Be Used

The funds will allow Fresno County’s library system to make the most of Measure B sales tax dollars, focusing on library facilities and operations. Measure B is in effect through 2029.

Meanwhile, the sponsorship will help maintain current services and ensure the community has continued access to valuable resources.

Those interested can get more information about the major sponsorship opportunities and the bidding process here.

The web page provides details on how to participate, criteria for selection, and in the future, a timeline.

Related Story: Grand Jury Asks, When Will the New Clovis Library Open?

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According to Sandy’s manager, Wilson Samaan, the man, described as a loyal customer, initially thought he’d won $100,000. “Bro, you hit the jackpot,” Samaan told him after confirming the $1 million prize.

The ticket, a Triple Red 777 scratcher, has odds of 1 in 2,047,423, according to the California Lottery. The winner first bought two of the scratchers on April 6, one of which immediately yielded $200. He discovered the $1 million win the following morning.

 

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Samaan has been assisting him in verifying the prize with lottery officials, even offering to drive him personally to Fresno to claim his prize securely.

“I was so excited, I believe more than him, because he deserves it,” Samaan said. “It’s gonna change his life forever. I hope for the good.”

Adam Kemp, owner of the Thrifty Beaches store nearby, confirmed in an Instagram video that the man and his wife had long been experiencing homelessness. In the video, the winner says, “I just can’t wait to get off the streets.”

Lottery officials are processing the claim, a step that may take up to eight weeks.

Read more at MSN News.

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The second-grade students were able to geta a hands-on experience and bring their environmental commitment to life.

Tree Fresno representatives welcomed the energetic GCA scholars to the planting site with inspiring words. Staff emphasized the importance of environmental conservation and community involvement.

In kind, the second graders delivered a heartfelt poem that highlighted their passion for the environment and hope for a greener future.

Working Side by Side

The pupils and staff worked side by side: digging, planting, and nurturing three Keith Davey trees and two Redbud trees.

This opportunity allowed the pupils to play an active role in their community, promoting tree equity and sustainability.

The blending of hands-on learning and dedication to sustainability prepares pupils to become responsible and engaged global citizens, ready to make lasting contributions.

Additionally, the event served to reinforce Golden Charter Academy’s core values. The academy is committed to installing environmental stewardship into curriculum.

This partnership exemplifies that mission, teaching students about the impact of direct action and importance of caring for the environment.

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Michael Sill has been a pivotal member of the department’s Air Support Unit since its formation in 1997, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

To mark his final flight, members of the Fresno Fire Department’s Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Team honored Sill with a water cannon salute as he landed at Fresno Yosemite International Airport aboard EAGLE One — a service helicopter.

Over the course of his career, Deputy Sill accumulated more than 10,000 flight hours, participating in high-risk operations, search and rescue missions, and critical patrols.

Authorities said his contributions have been instrumental in the apprehension of dangerous suspects, the rescue of individuals in life-threatening situations, and the overall enhancement of public safety in Fresno County.

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Although it’s still experimental, they hope the brain-computer interface could someday help give voice to those unable to speak.

A new study described testing the device on a 47-year-old woman with quadriplegia who couldn’t speak for 18 years after a stroke. Doctors implanted it in her brain during surgery as part of a clinical trial.

It “converts her intent to speak into fluent sentences,” said Gopala Anumanchipalli, a co-author of the study published Monday in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

Other brain-computer interfaces, or BCIs, for speech typically have a slight delay between thoughts of sentences and computerized verbalization. Such delays can disrupt the natural flow of conversation, potentially leading to miscommunication and frustration, researchers said.

This is “a pretty big advance in our field,” said Jonathan Brumberg of the Speech and Applied Neuroscience Lab at the University of Kansas, who was not part of the study.

How the Brain Chip Works

A team in California recorded the woman’s brain activity using electrodes while she spoke sentences silently in her brain. The scientists used a synthesizer they built using her voice before her injury to create a speech sound that she would have spoken. They trained an AI model that translates neural activity into units of sound.

It works similar to existing systems used to transcribe meetings or phone calls in real time, said Anumanchipalli, of the University of California, Berkeley.

The implant itself sits on the speech center of the brain so that it’s listening in, and those signals are translated to pieces of speech that make up sentences. It’s a “streaming approach,” Anumanchipalli said, with each 80-millisecond chunk of speech – about half a syllable – sent into a recorder.

“It’s not waiting for a sentence to finish,” Anumanchipalli said. “It’s processing it on the fly.”

Decoding speech that quickly has the potential to keep up with the fast pace of natural speech, said Brumberg. The use of voice samples, he added, “would be a significant advance in the naturalness of speech.”

Though the work was partially funded by the National Institutes of Health, Anumanchipalli said it wasn’t affected by recent NIH research cuts. More research is needed before the technology is ready for wide use, but with “sustained investments,” it could be available to patients within a decade, he said.

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If you listen closely along Route 66, you can hear stories of great women echo through the kitchens of roadside diners, the front desks of family-run motels and the foundations of southwestern architecture. Here are some of the women who helped turn a simple stretch of asphalt into America’s most beloved road trip, one pie, motel room and fearless decision at a time.

The Inspiration Behind an Iconic Song

Cynthia Hare Troup may have grown up in Philadelphia’s high society, but she left her most enduring mark on a dusty stretch of highway far from the glitz and glamour of home. In 1946, she and her songwriter husband, Bobby Troup, packed their car and set off for California along Route 66.

Somewhere between the neon lights and roadside diners, Cynthia casually sparked magic with the words: “Get your kicks on Route 66.” Bobby spun that roadside inspiration into the song that Nat King Cole transformed into an American anthem. Although she never received official credit, Cynthia helped immortalize the Mother Road in pop culture.

A Fearless Entrepreneur on the Open Road

Joy Nevin wasn’t the kind of woman to sit still – unless it was behind the wheel of her truck, barreling down Route 66. A trained WWII pilot, self-taught rancher and fearless entrepreneur, she carved her own path on the open road.

After working as a cattle hand, Joy retrofitted a truck and launched Stockmen’s Supply Service, a traveling sales company that became a lifeline for ranchers along the route. She drove Route 66 countless times, delivering supplies with a pilot’s precision and a rancher’s grit. One of her most legendary moments? Halting traffic on Route 66 to help a pilot make an emergency landing.

The Heart of the Midpoint Café

In Adrian, Texas, where the prairie wind whistles stories of travelers past, Fran Houser transformed the Midpoint Café into a beacon for hungry souls along Route 66. From 1990, when she took ownership, until her retirement in 2012, she filled the 1928 establishment with warmth and hospitality, making it a must-stop spot at the ghost highway’s midpoint.

Her legendary ugly crust pies were a sweet reward for those arriving at the halfway mark between Chicago and Los Angeles. Fran’s genuine charm and dedication didn’t go unnoticed. She inspired the character of Flo, the sassy proprietor of Flo’s V8 Café in Pixar’s 2006 film “Cars.”

The Fierce Defender of the Mother Road

From her basement in Clinton, Oklahoma, Gladys Cutberth ran the U.S. Highway 66 Association for 25 years, fighting to keep the road running through the small towns that depended on it. They called her Mrs. Route 66, and she was one of the famous highway’s fiercest defenders.

She lobbied in Washington, D.C., knocked on doors along the route and built relationships with business owners. She drove the highway so often that locals joked that she wore out a car in a year – which wasn’t far from the truth. Whether shaking hands with politicians or chatting with cafe owners over coffee, Gladys never stopped championing the Mother Road.

The Blue Swallow’s Guardian Angel

Lillian Redman rolled into New Mexico by covered wagon in 1915, never imagining she’d one day become a legend of Route 66. In 1958, she and her husband bought the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, transforming it into a sanctuary for road-weary travelers.

Lillian believed in hospitality with heart, slipping handwritten notes into each room with messages of kindness and goodwill. One read: “May this room and this motel be your second home. May peace and rest be yours while you are under our roof.” She added the motel’s iconic neon sign and ran the motel for 40 years.

Even as Route 66 changed, Lillian stayed, welcoming strangers like old friends. Today, Dawn Federico and her husband keep Lillian’s spirit alive, ensuring that the Blue Swallow still glows as a warm refuge on the Mother Road.

The Architect Who Shaped the Southwest

Mary Colter’s designs anchored the Southwest’s soul to Route 66. One of the few female architects of her time, she created landmarks inspired by Spanish Colonial, Mission Revival and Native American influences that still stand today.

Along the Mother Road, she designed La Posada in Winslow, a grand railroad hotel where Route 66 travelers could rest in elegance, and La Fonda in Santa Fe, a historic hotel with adobe walls that captured the region’s spirit. In 1947, she restored the Painted Desert Inn along Route 66 in the Petrified Forest National Park, which added panoramic windows and commissioned a Hopi artist to paint murals that still grace its walls.

The Rock Cafe’s Resilient Owner

Dawn Welch has spent decades keeping Route 66’s heartbeat alive, one plate at a time. In 1993, she took over the Rock Cafe in Stroud, Oklahoma, determined to breathe new life into the historic stop. With a background in cooking on cruise ships, she infused the menu with global flavors while maintaining the small-town charm.

But Route 66 is nothing if not unpredictable. A tornado battered the cafe, and in 2008, a fire nearly reduced it to rubble. Dawn refused to let it be the end of the road. She rebuilt, brick by brick, preserving the original 1939 sandstone walls and proving that some places – and people – are too tough to fade away. Her passion for Route 66 caught Pixar’s attention, inspiring the character Sally Carrera in “Cars.”

The 4 Women Behind Cars on the Route

In 2006, four women – Melba Rigg, Betty Courtney, Renee Charles and Judy Courtney – turned a crumbling Kan-O-Tex gas station in Galena, Kansas, into a Route 66 icon. With vision and grit, they transformed the forgotten building into Cars on the Route, a must-stop for travelers.

Melba, never one to wait for business, took to the street, waving down passing cars and drawing visitors in with her infectious enthusiasm. The station’s biggest attraction? A rusty 1951 International boom truck that inspired Pixar’s Tow Mater in “Cars.”

Preserving Black History on Route 66

For too long, the stories of Black travelers on Route 66 have been overlooked. Dr. Stacy Grundy and Dr. Gina Lathan changed that. In 2019, they turned a former Texaco gas station in Springfield, Illinois, into Route History, a museum dedicated to the experiences of Black motorists along the Mother Road.

Their exhibits highlight the Green Book, which listed safe havens for Black travelers during segregation. To bring history to life, they created a virtual reality experience that puts visitors in the shoes of characters like a WWII veteran on a motorcycle or a blues singer on tour.

Documenting Women’s Stories on Route 66

Katrina Parks is a documentary filmmaker dedicated to sharing the stories of the women of Route 66 one frame at a time. When asked about her three-part series spotlighting the waitresses, entrepreneurs, artists and activists who shaped life along America’s Main Street, Katrina said, “Filming women’s history on Route 66 has made me very grateful to the women of previous generations who forged new paths for themselves and generations to come.”

Through interviews and archival footage, Parks brings these voices to the forefront, showing how women navigated obstacles like gender discrimination and segregation. Katrina continues, “We forget sometimes that women in the recent past were told they couldn’t do many things – including wear pants, ride bicycles, go to high school and college, open a bank account, get credit at the bank, run businesses and run for office. Thankfully, despite the obstacles, many women forged ahead and did these things anyway.” Her work ensures that the Mother Road’s history isn’t just about the men who paved it, but also about the women who helped shape the culture and identity of the highway.

Honoring The Women Who Shaped Route 66

The iconic Mother Road wouldn’t be what it is today without the women who helped shape it. From musicians and motel owners to restauranteurs and preservationists, their contributions continue to inspire every traveler who sets out on America’s most famous highway.

Sage Scott was bitten by the travel bug as a preschooler when her family moved abroad for the first time. Now settled in America’s Heartland, Sage is a travel writer, world wanderer and photographer whose favorite color is golden hour. Follow her adventures at Everyday Wanderer.

The post 14 Inspirational Women Who Built and Preserved Route 66 appeared first on GV Wire.

In December 2022, the center purchased a 5.5-acre property in Fresno with a 37,680-square-foot building that required major upgrades.

Related Story: Marjaree Mason Center Introduces New Crisis Response Manager

Demolition and construction began in February 2024, and the facility officially opened this week.

The new building provides crisis response, legal advocacy, therapy, child advocacy, a health clinic, community case management, education, and training for survivors and their children.

In December 2024, the Marjaree Mason Center announced a $1 million donation from Booth Ranches and the Otis Booth Foundation, completing its $21 million fundraising goal for the Isnardi Foundation Building.

Related Story: Time to Celebrate! $1M Gift Tops Off Fundraising Goal for Marjaree Mason Center

The center, which has served thousands of adults and children over its 40-year history, said demand has exceeded its previous capacity. Fresno County has the highest per capita calls to law enforcement for domestic violence among California’s 10 most populated counties, according to the Department of Justice.

Law enforcement reported more than 9,000 domestic violence cases in Fresno County last year, the center said, adding that less than 40% of victims seek help.

Related Story: Marjaree Mason Center Names New Chief Operating Officer

The Isnardi Foundation Building addresses three key needs, the center said: expanding services, improving accessibility across Fresno County, and consolidating resources in one location to enhance safety.

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Money will go to college scholarships, sports programs for children with disabilities, and to renovate the hospital’s chapel, according to a news release from the hospital.

“Our mission is to give back to the communities in which we operate, and it means so much to us to partner with an organization like Valley Children’s that really does make such a profound difference in families’ lives,” said Cameron Boswell, vice president of administration for the J.G. Boswell Company.

“They’re at the forefront of saving lives, and I don’t think there is a more important cause than that.”

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Money Will Go to Cancer Survivors, Children With Disabilities

College scholarships will go to cancer survivors in the Fresno Truck Center Cancer Survivorship Program. The program provides long-term care to cancer survivors, including annual screenings, dietary counseling, and help overcoming insurance obstacles. Doctors promote healthy lifestyle and look for new treatments.

Money will also go to purchasing new sports equipment for children with physical disabilities. On the spiritual side, the funding will expand the hospital’s chaplaincy program, including renovations for the Jensen Family Chapel.

It also will help expand services for patients in the neonatal intensive care unit, those receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and kidney care.

“We are deeply grateful for the James G. Boswell Foundation’s extraordinary generosity and the family’s unwavering trust in our team,” said Todd Suntrapak, CEO of Valley Children’s. “Their support is a testament to their belief in our mission and the vital work we do for the children and families of our region.”

Related Story: Media Relations Expert Leaves City Hall for Valley Children’s Hospital

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