by Tom Sims
Sally has an idea for a non-profit to help urban youth navigate the challenges of 21st century life. John has a dream of opening a restaurant to feature the food that generations of family members from his homeland prepared. Marcos has a talent to share with the world. Henrietta needs to expand her existing business and market her products in the light of new realities of worldwide pandemics and new opportunities on the internet. Jackson wants to use Zoom more effectively in his consulting business.
by Tom Sims
A few weeks ago, I was working at Fresno’s Woodward Park branch library, but I arrived too early and it was not open. Simultaneously, I had a “hankering” for coffee. I crossed the street to the shopping center knowing that any respectable center of its kind would have, at least, a mediocre cup of coffee.
by Tom Sims
It started with one man’s love of “*boujie” foods and grew to embrace a good friend who loved meat and potatoes. Mike Carriosa and his wife, Noel, have long enjoyed the fruits of their gourmand taste buds. Mike’s buddy, Joey Abbs, has long loved meat and potatoes. Together, they embarked, over a year ago, on an adventure to discover and review foods that Joey could not spell.
by Tom Sims
On December 24, Christmas Eve, Jeff Aiello posted these words to his Facebook friends: “Christmas Eve marks the official end of the Creek Fire.”
It was a great Christmas gift after four months of High Sierra burning.
by Tom Sims
I know it is a very unusual and challenging year and it has the potential to suck the life out of the holidays. However, it can also be an occasion for making them more special than ever.
by Tom Sims
Let me start with this. Many things have been closed that have never been closed before:
Doctor’s offices.
Stores and restaurants. Beauty Salons and barbers.
by Tom Sims
Recently, I became aware of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. I was thinking about the lesson that Fred Rogers would teach children about how to cope with profound crisis. He said to look for the helpers because there were always helpers. Sometimes they we teachers, sometimes police officers or doctors and nurses. Sometimes they were neighbors, but there were always going to be helpers and the helpers would help.
by Tom Sims
Things were as they had been for a long time. Nothing much changed. Relationships were well defined. Alliances were set. Positions were clear. Lines were drawn in indelible ink. It was comfortable.
by Tom Sims
Imagine a renaissance community that stretches from Divisadero in downtown Fresno to Riverpark at the very north of the city.
Imagine livable, workable, walkable spaces, friendly to bikes, children, pedestrians, and browsers.
by Tom Sims
When Janet Mitchell and Suzan Blair opened Two Sisters Vintage Home and Garden nine years ago, they were trying to clear out a home and some storage units. That was then. Today, Janet runs the day to day operations, and they are thriving.
by Tom Sims
So, what is a hero?
Jake A. Soberal cofounder of Bitwise and Enrique Meza, photographer and videographer have been friends for a decade. They were asking the same question.
by Tom Sims
The world turns and things change.
Tree of Life, Fresno, has a new location and Delly Beans, Clovis has new owners. This is good news because in a world where restaurants are constantly going out of business, these two are simply making changes and thriving.
by Tom Sims
An act of terror that was very evil, hateful, and tragic recently produced the opposite response to what was intended by its perpetrator. An expression of hate evoked renewed affirmations of and commitments to love. It was true across America and especially true in the Fresno area.
by Tom Sims
One out of every three people in the Central Valley was born somewhere outside of the United States. Four hundred forty-three were born in Syria. For a little over a year, Kings River Life has been tracking some of their stories and the work of Fresno Interdenominational Refuge Ministries (FIRM) walking with them in those stories. This is an update.
