Advertise on podcast: Fresno's Best

How do you change the way a community talks about immigration? Elizabeth Camarena and Linda Renland think one answer is a great documentary with a side of pupusas. In this episode of Fresno’s Best, Jordan talks with two founders of the People On The Move Film Series. It’s a volunteer-run series that screens films about migration in Fresno and pairs each one with a panel and food. Elizabeth is a longtime immigration attorney who represented asylum seekers. Linda is a Norwegian-born migrant who has worked with refugees and immigrants across the Central Valley. They share: How the series started after a Maria Hinojosa talk at the Tower Theatre, just before the 2024 election, and grew into a first screening of All We Carry in January 2025 that drew more than 200 people Why they choose films that move past the simple “trauma to rescue” storyline, from the Afghan-refugee comedy Fremont to documentaries where the subjects help tell their own stories What film offers that books don’t: hearing people’s own voices, sharing the experience with a room full of neighbors, and having something in common to talk about afterward Their favorite places to eat in Fresno Next screening: Mujer Mariposa, a documentary about three daughters of refugees and immigrants caught between cultures, languages, and generations. It’s on Wednesday, October 22, at Fresno City College. Doors open at 5:30 PM with food (pupusas, lumpia, and samosas), and the film starts at 6:00 PM. Afterward there’s a panel with the director, the cinematographer, and one of the women in the film, moderated by Dr. Kat Fortier of Fresno State. The event is free, with free parking, and all ages are welcome. Reserve tickets on Eventbrite and follow @peopleonthemovefilmseries on Instagram.

Alexa Teal Green grew up in Fresno, left for UC Irvine, and spent nearly a decade in Los Angeles and the Bay Area working in comedy, tech marketing, and corporate events before COVID brought her home. Now she leads events and engagement at KVPR. She and Jordan talk about: coming back to Fresno and bringing corporate skills to smaller organizations what engagement really means how to measure success beyond clicks and RSVPs why "copy and paste" events from bigger markets fall flat here free versus paid events, with lessons from booking bands at Goldstein's Porchfest's risks, boundaries, and future KVPR is holding an open house on Tuesday, October 6, from 5 to 7 PM at its Clovis broadcast center, celebrating 10 years in a building funded entirely by supporter donations. Admission is free, and there will be food trucks, studio tours, and the chance to meet the on-air voices.

Vince Mancini is back on Fresno's Best to talk about food.  Vince has been covering food for Fresnoland, and his reporting on Bulle, the city's buzzy new fine-dining spot, set off one of the more heated local food fights in recent memory. He went in to write a review, liked the food, and then started hearing from employees about bounced paychecks and unpaid vendors. The pushback that followed raises the question at the center of this episode: does "backing Fresno" mean staying quiet when a local business goes wrong? We dig into a widely shared post arguing that critics should give struggling businesses room to make things right, and ask who's left out of that argument, starting with the workers. We also get into: Whether food influencers are really just unlabeled ad agencies, and why they all have to chew directly at the camera Why chasing "the best" is ruining restaurants, and the case that a great burger stops being a burger The gutting The Fresno Bee and what's left of local reporting The different economies in the comment secitons Rotten Tomatoes, review slop, and why reviews need real voices again

Judicial elections are some of the hardest races to vote in — nonpartisan, low-information, and easy to skip. In this episode, Jordan Mattox sits down with Jeff Hammerschmidt, a candidate for Fresno County Superior Court judge, to cut through that and get at how he actually thinks. A former Fresno DA prosecutor turned criminal defense attorney, Jeff brings experience from nearly every seat in the courtroom. Jordan and Jeff dig into what really separates a superior court judge from the law-making justices we see on TV, why a consistent temperament matters more than any single courtroom style, and what "following the law" means in the fact-specific, human moments where a judge still has real discretion. Along the way: judicial and mental health diversion, juvenile justice and Prop 57, court backlogs and respecting people's time, the judges who shaped his sense of the craft, and a few stories from the DA's office that reveal how he weighs a close call. Plus the usual — his favorite Fresno spots and a couple of book recommendations to send you off. This is also a companion to our conversation with Jeff's opponent, Jose Salazar — listen to both to hear how the two candidates approach the same questions and decide for yourself which one fits the bench you want. To learn more about the candidate, search "Jeff Hammerschmidt for Judge."

There's no tiki bar in Fresno — yet — but there's a thriving tiki community, and Wayne Stonecipher was instrumental in building it. Wayne is the founder of Central California Tiki, the group he started around 2018 that has grown from four friends making drinks out of the Smuggler's Cove book into a community of well over a thousand members celebrating "tiki escapism" across Central California, from the Grapevine to the Delta. The group hosts meetups throughout the valley and puts on the Central California Tiki Marketplace beside Bakersfield's Tiki-Ko and The Sinking Ship, drawing dozens of carvers, artists, and vendors from all over California. In this episode, host and Wayne cover the origins of tiki culture (Don the Beachcomber, Trader Vic, and the secret numbered rum recipes), the difference between celebration and appropriation, what actually defines a tiki cocktail, the great Mai Tai and Painkiller debates, how to design a transporting home bar, and a fast round of tiki "overrated vs. underrated." They also dig into what a distinctly Central Valley tiki scene could look like — think "tree to glass" cocktails built on the region's incredible citrus and agriculture — plus Wayne's essential book recommendations and a tease about the tiki bar finally coming to Fresno. Find Central California Tiki at centralcaliforniatiki.com and on Instagram and Facebook @centralcaliforniatiki.

Jordan Mattox sits down with Jose Salazar, a senior defense attorney on the major crimes team at the Fresno County Public Defender's Office and a candidate for Fresno County Superior Court judge. Born and raised in Sanger in a family of immigrants, Jose traces his path from Central Valley high school football and debate to Berkeley, UC Hastings law school, and over a decade defending some of the most serious cases in Fresno Superior Court. The conversation ranges widely: why people are drawn to public defense, what voters should actually look for in a judicial candidate, and how a trial judge balances applying the law, exercising discretion, and managing a courtroom. Jordan and Jose dig into the mechanics of California's elected judiciary, court backlogs and the resources problem behind them, continuances and plea deals, juvenile justice and adolescent brain development, homelessness, and judicial temperament. Jose also lays out the one issue he says sets him apart — his public-policy stance on ICE agents in the courthouse — framing it as a matter of public safety, court access, and fairness for the underserved communities that built the Central Valley. The episode closes with Jose's case for why he's the right candidate, a nod to fatherhood and family (including the story behind his youngest son's middle name), and his book recommendations: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. Jose's campaign fundraiser is Wednesday, September 9th, from 5:30 to 7:30 at Sumner Fox Brewery in the Tower District — all ages welcome. You can find him on Instagram and Facebook at JoseSalazarForJudge, or at joseSalazarForJudge.com. Election Day is November 3rd.

Meaghan McCready spends half her life suspended in the air and the other half at the front of a psychology classroom — and on this episode she makes the case that the two aren't as far apart as they seem. Host Jordan Mattox talks with Meaghan about her path into aerial arts, from a spur-of-the-moment sign-up at Fulton 55 to a decade of teaching silks, sling, and lyra at her downtown studio. They dig into the mechanics and myths of the "art sport": just how much you can trust a strip of nylon, why the muscles that matter most aren't the ones you'd guess, the burns and bruises that come with the territory, and how social media and body-type expectations have reshaped the craft. Meaghan also opens up about how aerial — and the trust it demands — helped carry her through her own struggles with depression. On the psychology side, they get into the messy state of the field today: wellness influencers, self-diagnosis, ChatGPT as a stand-in therapist, and the grind of adjunct life across three Valley colleges. Plus a round of Overrated or Underrated, a detour through downtown Fresno and the Tower District, and a couple of closing book recommendations. Curious about trying aerial yourself? Meaghan teaches at the Sun Stereo Warehouse in downtown Fresno and performs with Central Valley Cirque. Books mentioned: The Science of Revenge by James Kimmel Jr. The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes—and Why by Amanda Ripley

Organist, conductor, and educator Cactus Harris joins Jordan to make the case that the pipe organ is anything but boring. From teaching himself accordion out of his mother's closet to commanding the 1928 Robert Morton theater organ at Warnors, Cactus traces a winding path through saxophone, keyboards, and a master's in conducting. He and Jordan dig into the instrument's unexpected origins, the misconceptions that keep people away, and why he believes there's a far bigger audience for the organ in Fresno than most people assume. In this episode Cactus and Jordan open with the best hole-in-the-wall food out by Fresno State before getting into the accordion's underrated versatility, the surprisingly rowdy battlefield origins of the pipe organ, and how it migrated into churches and later silent-film theaters. They cover organ technique and the notorious "octopus" coordination it demands, the terraced versus swell dynamics of different instruments, and a spirited round of overrated versus underrated (harpsichord, Wayne Newton, Me-n-Ed's crust, and more). From there the conversation turns to the Robert Morton organ at Warnors — what makes it special, what a museum-quality restoration would cost, and Cactus's vision for bringing new audiences in — before closing on arts funding, Measure P, and the challenge of defining what art is worth funding in Fresno. Book recommendations Liza with a Z / Liza Minnelli's recent memoir (co-created with Michael Feinstein) — a fun read for anyone into Broadway and show-biz history The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis — a summer re-read Cactus is working through with his kids

District 7 City Council candidate Nav Gurm joins Jordan to make his case ahead of the June 2nd election. A UCLA and UC Davis Law grad who returned home to Fresno against the brain drain trend, Nav lays out his vision for housing, homelessness, public safety, economic development, and city hall culture. The conversation covers his all-of-the-above approach to the housing crisis and what revitalizing the Blackstone Corridor and Manchester Mall would actually take, his plan to launch a District 7 project review committee in his first 100 days, why he supports the anti-camping ordinance but wants major reforms and stronger county collaboration, how to bring down 911 response times and invest in preventative public safety tools, and why small businesses deserve the same red-carpet treatment from City Hall that big employers get. Nav also explains why he opposes taxpayer-funded soccer stadiums, points to Los Angeles and San Jose as models for budget transparency and policy outcome tracking, and addresses head-on the critique that at 26, he's too young for the job. Plus, his favorite vegetarian spots around town, why he recommends Ezra Klein's Abundance, and a final get-out-the-vote push with voting center locations across Fresno. Election Day: Tuesday, June 2nd. Learn more at @NavForFresno. Book Recommendation:  Abundance Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson

Naindeep Singh is running for Fresno City Council in District 1, and he's framing this race as a question of insider versus outsider — a contest of values and integrity rather than the old red-versus-blue divide. Jordan sits down with Deep to talk about what it's actually like to run for council in Fresno, the trade-offs of the district voting structure, and the critique that community organizers struggle to govern the people they used to organize against. They dig into the West Fresno sidewalk problem and Deep's pitch for a dedicated city fund matched by the county; the parking conversation nobody's having about Tower; how the city could be a partner instead of a hindrance to events like Porchfest; vacant buildings and the missing middle in commercial real estate; and historic preservation through a Strong Towns lens. On the citywide side: Fresno's strong-mayor system and the absence of checks and balances on Mayor Dyer, why Deep opposes SEDA and what smart growth looks like instead, capping utility rate hikes (trash is already up 80% in five years), whether the city should take on its own public health services, and how to think about the FPD budget when non-emergency calls are going unanswered. Stick around for overrated/underrated — yard signs, Me-N-Ed's, the 180 Freeway, the Tower Theatre, door knocking, and public comment — plus Deep's current reading list and where to find the campaign. Find Deep: @Deep4Fresno on Instagram • Text 559-647-4700 Upcoming events: Ice cream socials at Inspiration Park (this weekend, 4–6 PM) • Final District 1 candidate forum at Big Red Church, Monday May 18 at 6 PM. Book Recommendations Days of Love and Rage: A Story of Ordinary People Forging a Revolution Anand Gopal No Good Men Among the Living: America, the Taliban, and the War through Afghan Eyes Anand Gopal California Burning: The Fall of Pacific Gas and Electric — and What It Means for America's Power Grid Katherine Blunt Arbitrary Lines: How Zoning Broke the American City and How to Fix It M. Nolan Gray

On this episode of Fresno's Best, Jordan sits down with Fernando Macias, the General Manager and Creative Director of the Eden Wine Lounge, to talk about why Fresno's nightlife has been missing somewhere you can actually hear the person across from you. Fernando opens up about the philosophy behind Eden: dim, neo-soul-soundtracked, intentionally conversational, and built as a juxtaposition between elevated ambiance and dive-bar comfort. Along the way, he and Jordan dig into the economics of pouring wine, why Eden pivoted away from imports toward Napa, Paso, and local Central Valley producers, the surprising rise of their cocktail program, and the art of building a charcuterie board people actually photograph. Fernando also weighs in on a rapid-fire Overrated vs. Underrated round (listening bars, Me and Ed's, wine influencers, kegged wine, sommelier certifications, QR-code menus, THC drinks, and the death of the cork), and previews what's coming next at Eden — a new rum-forward May cocktail menu, micheladas, jazz nights, expanded patio seating, and the eventual transition to a full bar. Eden Wine Lounge Website Recommended Books:  The Creative Act: A Way of Being Rick Rubin Anything by Hunter S Thompson

In February, Gilbert Quesada opened the PM Lounge — Fresno's first private business and social club — on a bet that the city has a higher-end hospitality appetite nobody's been serving. This week, Jordan is joined by special guest co-host Vince Mancini to sit down with Gilbert inside one of the club's private suites and talk through what it takes to build something like this here, and what it might mean for the rest of Fresno. The conversation covers the real difference between a social club and a country club, why the PM Lounge skipped initiation fees and F&B minimums, how Forbes-level training actually works (all 960+ criteria of it), and Gilbert's vision for a menu that moves between Fresno steakhouse roots, French and Italian technique, and a rotating cast of visiting chefs. Along the way: Macallan dinners, Shaq's oversized DJ rig, the fight against Fresno's brain drain, and Gilbert's vision for the future of the city.

Sandra Celedon is the President and CEO of Fresno Building Healthy Communities and a lifelong resident of California Assembly District 31. The daughter of Mexican immigrants who began their lives in the U.S. as farm workers, she grew up in Calwa, graduated from Roosevelt High, and earned her public health degree at Fresno State. Over more than two decades in public health and community organizing, she has led the coalition behind Measure P, helped secure $70 million to build the first community college campus in West Fresno, served on the city's Commission on Police Reform, and worked on clinic construction, clean air, and transportation policy across the Central Valley. In June 2026, Sandra is on the ballot for California State Assembly District 31. In this episode, Jordan talks with Sandra about what moved her to run after more than twenty years outside electoral politics and how she thinks about coalition-building as a state-level skillset. From there, the conversation moves into policy: Fresno's 2014 General Plan and why she says the problem is enforcement, not the plan itself; the Valley Air District's gap between education and real accountability; the Better Roads Safe Streets Initiative that recently filed 32,000 signatures to succeed Measure C; her time on the Commission on Police Reform and the forty-one recommendations that were never implemented; and healthcare, where she makes a specific case for auditing the $5 billion that California's nonprofit hospitals self-report as "community benefit" every year. Learn more about Sandra's campaign at sandraceledon.com. California primary: June 2, 2026. Book Recommendations: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia Unrig the Game: What Women of Color Can Teach Everyone About Winning by Vanessa Priya Daniel

Seven seats are open on the Fresno County Superior Court bench this June — the largest judicial shakeup in recent memory for a system that touches almost every resident, usually on their worst day. Jordan sits down with two of the candidates running for Seat 6: Rosalina Nunez, a 16-year family and civil attorney whose path into law began as a second-grader in immigration court during the Reagan amnesty era, and Deidre Adams, a deputy public defender on Fresno County's Major Crimes team who decided to become a lawyer at age nine, after reading the police report of her father's death. The conversation moves past campaign talking points and into the texture of the job itself: what trial judges actually do versus what television depicts, the role of empathy in sentencing, Prop 36 and the mental health placement crunch, the flagging of Fresno County's care courts, the bumpy eCourt rollout, the quiet interpreter crisis hitting smaller language communities, AI-generated case law showing up in real motions, and the philosophical tension between rehabilitation and accountability when someone has failed treatment more than once. Both candidates weigh in on pretrial detention, juvenile sentencing, court backlogs, and why representation on the bench matters in a county as diverse as Fresno. Plus: the best tater tots in downtown Fresno, Deidre's systematic march through every meal of the day, and book recommendations from Bruce Springsteen to Ketanji Brown Jackson to The Alchemist. Election Day is June 2nd. The judge races sit at the very bottom of the ballot. Books recommended:  Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen Lovely One: A Memoir by Ketanji Brown Jackson The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

In this episode, Jordan sits down with Minkah Taharkah — multidisciplinary artist, land steward, and coordinator for the California Farmer Justice Collaborative — for a wide-ranging conversation about food, equity, and what it means to put down roots in Fresno. Minkah traces her relationship with ecology from her childhood on Crenshaw Boulevard, where she watched the city cut down a boulevard full of trees to make way for the Space Shuttle, to her years farming with Black Earth Farms in the Bay Area, to her current work supporting BIPOC growers across California. Along the way, she and Jordan dig into the real barriers to agricultural equity — from a farmer driving refrigerated produce from Fresno to San Francisco each week just to make ends meet, to the challenge of getting small farms the marketing support they need to sell local. They also get into it on permaculture and regenerative agriculture (and why the definitions matter more than people think), the spirituality of planting a seed and trusting it to grow, and what happened when the city of Fresno sent Minkah a complaint about her front yard garden — which she promptly got certified as an official wildlife habitat.  Links https://www.natureoftrust.org/ https://www.farmerjustice.com/ https://www.thebutterflymovement.com/#/ https://www.instagram.com/walkroftheskeye/ www.linkedin.com/in/minkah-taharkah-smith-256457112 Books recommended: Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice by Jessica Gordon Nembhard