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Fresno County Wineries Welcome Back Tasters

June 26, 2020 by Sarah Soghomonian Leave a Comment

Staycations are all the rage this summer thanks to travel fears associated with COVID-19.

Twelve wineries, two breweries and one distillery makes up the Vintners and Distillers of Fresno County. Each of the properties is back open for tastings and has social distancing and health precautions in place.

FresYes has put together a list to help you plan your visit to these wonderful destinations located in our own backyard.

A. Nonini Winery

2640 N. Dickenson Ave., Fresno

Monday – Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Nonini family is fourth generation winemakers. They first started making wines in 1936 and offer a diverse variety to choose from.

Cardella Winery

41424 W. Panoche Road, Mendota

Monday – Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Cardella family has been involved in agriculture since coming to the Central Valley from Italy in 1902. Nathan Cardella studied Enology and Viticulture at Fresno State and in 2004 launched Cardella Winery with his dad. They are known for their premium artisan wines and picturesque tasting grounds.

A visit to Cardella Winery in Mendota is like a visit to the Italian countryside.

Engelmann Cellars

3275 N. Rolinda Ave., Fresno

Friday Evenings: Picnic in the Vineyard Park

Weekends from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday nights at Engelmann Cellars features live music. Guests 21 and over can bring snacks, but no outside beverages or ice. Upcoming concerts include: Charros of Rock Unplugged (6/26), Midnight Run (7/3) and The Killer Dueling Pianos (7/11).

Fresno State Winery

5638 N. Chestnut, Fresno

Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Fresno State Farm Market is open daily and offers wine tastings of the Department of Viticulture and Enology products. While you’re there you can shop the other Fresno State grown and produced products, including the famous sweet corn.

Kings River Winery

4276 S. Greenwood Ave., Sanger

Weekends from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Weekdays by appointment

Owner Bob Bagdasarian was raised on the 40 acre farm that now features a beautiful tasting room. There are several upcoming events taking place at the facility, including: Reading Between the Wines (6/28), Yoga, Wine and Vines (7/12, 7/26) and 2020 A Night at the Chef’s Table benefiting the American Cancer Society.

Lomac Winery

2674 N. Westlawn Ave., Fresno

Weekends from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Lomac’s refreshing Chardonnay and Rose are great for the hot summer days. The winery also features Moscato, Cabernet, Merlot and Pinot Noir wines.

Marechal Vineyards

1835 N. Zediker Ave., Sanger

Weekends from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Since the early 1900s the Marechal family has been farming in the Central Valley. This winery has small plates available for purchase, including: sandwiches, flatbreads and salads.

Marian Farms

2305 N .Rolinda Ave., Fresno

By Appointment: 559-276-6185

“From our soil to your glass” is the motto at Marian Farms. Their distilled spirits are made with the raw materials they grow, including Washington navel oranges and grapes.

Moravia Wines

3620 N. Bishop., Fresno

Friday from 6p.m. to 9 p.m.

Weekends from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy the weekly entertainment, food and sangria specials Friday nights at Moravia Wines. There’s a $5 cover charge. June 26^th will feature Rich & Rick Classic Country and food from Quesadilla Gorilla. July 3^rd a Veterans Celebration is planned with Dixieland Music and food from Dog Gone Good Dogs. July 16^th is Elvis Night, featuring Jeremy Pearce’s Tribute to the King and food from Big Rigz BBQ.

Ramos Torres Winery

1665 Simpson St., Kingsburg

Weekends from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

This Friday, June 26^th a special event is taking place at Ramos Torres Winery from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Vince Warner will perform and food will be available for purchase from Joe’s Steakhouse. A single plate is $15; a family of four can dine for $50. On July 31^st, winemaker and owner, Oscar Ramos, presents Paella Night. This Taste of Spain will feature a Paella feast and live music by Merlinda Espinosa. Tickets are $25 per person.

Guests will have a Taste of Spain when they feast on Paella on July 31st.

Simonian Farms

2629 S. Clovis Ave., Fresno

Daily from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Taste wine in their Wine Tasting Saloon. While you’re there you can visit the Western Themed Town Museum and Animated Shooting Gallery.

Tioga Sequoia Brewing Co.

745 Fulton St., Fresno

Monday – Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Thursday – Saturday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Sunday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.

This local brewery was one of the first to open in downtown Fresno. They’re patio is known for being a great place to meet with friends.

Valley Oak Winery

11809 E. Belmond Ave., Sanger

Weekends from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Valley Oak Winery is the home of Ubick Vineyards. Their tasting room opened in 2017 and features eight red wine varieties.

Yribarren Family Vineyards

12333 W. Neilsen Ave., Kerman

By Appointment: 559-285-6122

The owners live on the property and are currently offering COVID-19 discounts on wines.

Ziveli Winery

5840 N. Biola, Fresno

Weekends from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The Nale Family opened Ziveli Winery in 2016. Ziveli means cheers in Croatian.

559 Beer

356 Pollasky Ave. #100, Clovis

Thursday & Friday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The first microbrewery in Clovis is family owned and operated and features eight beers on tap.

Sweet Thistle Farms Offers Beautiful Outdoor Experiences

June 18, 2020 by Natali Carrera Leave a Comment

Life in the time of COVID has forced us to think differently about how we spend our leisure time or attempt a date night. Many of our favorite options from before COVID are either not an option currently, or carry with them a certain level of risk.

Since experts advise spending time with your household members or small groups and outdoors to minimize risk, I’ve been seeking out unique experiences to share with you here that may bring fun to your weekends while keeping you relatively safe.

This week, I present to you Sweet Thistle Farms — a beautiful, flower-filled farm that allows you the opportunity to pick your own bouquet, pick-up a pre-made bouquet, or even enjoy a special date night complete with wine tasting and charcuterie boxes.

Flowers collected by a friend on her recent visit to Sweet Thistle Farms

Sweet Thistle Farms is located in Clovis just east of Academy off of Shaw at 5365 N. Mendocino Ave. This year’s U-Pick season kicked off last weekend (June 13th) runs each weekend. If you decide to go, flowers range from $1-$3 each or you can fill an entire bucket full for $30.

My friend Amanda, her mother, sister in law and niece filling buckets with gorgeous Sweet Thistle blooms during opening weekend

Sweet Thistle will be hosting a Friday Date Night on June 26th from 5-8pm and it sounds like it may become a semi-regular occurrence during the warm weather months. Local wines will be offered for tasting, Rocky Oaks Goat Creamery will be offering cheese boxes to nibble on and guests are encouraged to pick their own bouquets and bring a picnic blanket to relax on and enjoy the evening surrounded by natural beauty.

If you’re lucky, you may even make a furry friend at Sweet Thistle!

If you visit, please note you’ll be walking through flower fields and will brush against plants, so you may prefer pants and/or tennis shoes. If visiting during the day time, don’t forget sunscreen and water. Additionally, since it is a flower field – there are bees present. Bees are an asset and so important for all of our crops. The bees at Sweet Thistle are much more interested in the flowers than they are interested in you, and are generally not aggressive – however, if you or someone in your family has a severe allergy, please take that into consideration.

Just looking to take a nice drive and purchase a ready-made bouquet? Sweet Thistle has a roadside stand that they regularly replenish with flowers for sale, ready to take home!

For additional details on all Sweet Thistle has to offer, visit them on Facebook or Instagram. Happy picking!

Local Nurse forms FLAG Non-Profit to Support Front Line Workers and Local Restaurant Owners

June 12, 2020 by Natali Carrera Leave a Comment

In what has become one of his most-quoted talks, Mr. Rogers encouraged his young viewers during challenging or scary times to “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” The Valley has been lucky to have one of those helpers in Tali Whelan, a local nurse who answered a special call to duty.

Whelan found a way to rally the community in support of both front line workers and local restaurant owners when she founded FLAG Central Valley. FLAG [Front Line Appreciation Group] Central Valley gathers community-donated funds to purchase meals from local restaurants, and delivers them to those working on the front lines of the COVID-19 fight. Read on to learn about Whelan and her very special non-profit organization.

Front line workers enjoy a delicious meal from El Jaliscience provided by FLAG Central Valley

FresYes: FLAG is such an amazing idea – can you explain its function and the story behind its start?

Tali Whelan: Hi FresYes! Thank you for having me! My name is Tali Whelan and I am a local registered nurse and founder of FLAG Central Valley. I know what it’s like to work long shifts, care for critically ill patients, and be a part of emotionally difficult, and dire situations.

With restaurants suffering [due to the pandemic], many hospital cafeterias closed, and medical professionals unable to leave and get a meal, I knew I could fill a need in the community by feeding people and that is what pushed me to start FLAG Central Valley.

FY: Can you share a bit about the journey of FLAG since it began, and the reach and impact its had so far?

TW: Since our launch, FLAG has grown from supporting local hospitals to rural healthcare clinics, and first responders such as the fire department staff and others. FLAG is constantly looking for ways to grow community partnerships to engage and support local businesses while reaching as many health care providers as we can to show them support. To date, FLAG has delivered thousands of meals throughout the Central Valley.

FY: Has there been a particular experience of delivering meals that was extra rewarding?

TW: Recently we partnered with Best Buddies-Team Central Valley, a local nonprofit dedicated to assisting those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Best Buddies interns made cards of support for healthcare providers at Community Regional Medical Center and personally delivered them. It was moving. Local schools have also sent cards of support too. Getting diverse communities involved has been a way to not only help local businesses and frontline workers, but to strengthen the great community we have in the Central Valley!

FY: What type of feedback do you receive when you drop off the meals?

TW: The feedback from local hospitals, healthcare providers, first responders, and restaurants has been overwhelmingly positive. Restaurants are grateful for the business and the opportunity to support those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare workers and first responders are moved and grateful for the fresh, delicious meal.

FY: So not only does FLAG support Front Line Workers, but it also supports local restaurant owners – how many restaurants have you been able to purchase meals from so far?

TW: To date FLAG has worked with over 28 restaurants and food trucks throughout the Central Valley! All of our partners are locally owned, with firm roots here in the Valley. To get involved, restaurants can email us at info@flagcv.org.

FY: How can people help financially? Do you need volunteers who may not have extra funds, but can donate time or skills?

TW: Word of mouth and creating a place for community involvement is important to us. So many individuals want to help, but don’t feel like they know how. With FLAG, individuals can volunteer and engage from home. Getting the community involved is at the core of our mission/cause. We have partnered with the Girl Scouts of Central California South, Best Buddies of Fresno, the local Miss America organization, Toca Madera Winery, Quady Winery and more. We’ve adopted the mentality that, “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – African Proverb

In order to continue, we need monetary donations. We have various donation sponsorship packages for those who would like to support a meal package. We also value individual donations and accept them at any amount with gratitude. Donations can be made via our website at www.flagcv.org.

Fresno, Protests, Progress and You

June 4, 2020 by Natali Carrera Leave a Comment

On Monday, June 1^st a social media post of a screenshot of text stating plans for a destructive riot to be held in Fresno’s Riverpark Shopping Center on June 2^nd began circulating. According to the post, those who wanted to “support” Black Lives Matter were to show up, meet at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse at 4pm and be prepared to destroy property.

This was utterly dismaying after over 3,000 people participated in a peaceful three-hour protest the day before in Downtown Fresno, led by the Fresno State NAACP. (Watch video from the event here.)

Very shortly after the “Riot” invite began circulating, Fresno State NAACP President and co-organizer of the previous protest D’Aungillique Jackson took to social media imploring people NOT to participate in the event, and made it very clear that it was not associated with the Black Lives Matter movement of the Fresno State NAACP. Her words were reinforced by local social activist and community leader Chris Milton in a video he streamed directly to Facebook. Around the same time, the Fresno Police Department also began sharing news of the planned riot and their plans to protect businesses and public safety.

Late Monday evening, many businesses with large window displays began to board up their buildings as a preventative measure in case the threats of the riot were founded. Stores like Victoria’s Secret and Macy’s were covered by plywood around their entire exterior. Additionally, large retailers like Target and Best Buy adjusted their business plans for the day and closed early as a safety measure and to protect their team members.

By 3:30pm a number of law enforcement officers and vehicles had congregated in the parking lot directly west of REI and Ruth’s Chris restaurant. They were met by what appeared to be around 100 community members including leaders from the NAACP, well-known community and church leader DJ Criner, and Fresno-raised NBA Veteran Quincy Pondexter. As I watched streaming footage as the 4pm hour approached and went on with no sign of a riot taking place, I found myself deeply heartened by the sigh of the officers and community members smiling, shaking hands with one another and standing together to ensure peace in our city.

Acting Fresno Police Chief Andy Hall addressed the crowd briefly and stated it was his belief that the “riot” was an attempt to divide the community, by someone that was definitely not a part of either the NAACP or Black Lives Matter. “I believe it was somebody that wanted to create tension in our community, and what we saw was just the opposite, it brought people together.”

On the heels of two successful community gatherings, or moreover one very successful gathering and one potential disaster turned successful gathering, you may be wondering what’s next for Fresno in regards to anti-racism, police policy and how to stay informed on local issues.

You can follow the Fresno State NAACP on Facebook here to stay informed and up to date on future events.
You can view the list of the demands made during the protest in relation to local law enforcement and policy here.
You can follow updates from the City of Fresno Police Department here.
Local members of the police department, city leaders and pastors from churches across town have been gathering to work together toward peace, justice, and protection. You can view CBS 47 and KSEE 24’s story on this here.

And, because we’re FresYes and you know we love local business AND food and bet you do, too – we’d like to turn your attention to this awesome list of great Black-owned local businesses that you can support and enjoy delicious food from in Fresno. (Adapted from a list originally compiled by Phil and Riki Skei and Fresno Street Eats)

Chef Paul’s Café – Check out our Fresno Flavor episode on Chef Paul’s here!

Take 3 Burgers – And here’s our Take 3 episode!

Chicken King

Hot Dog on a Stick (in Fashion Fair Mall)

Barb’s Soul Food (Food Truck)

Weekend Dreams Burgers and Grill

Cookies ‘n’ Things – Here’s a story we did shortly after they opened.

Fasika (Ethiopian & Kenyan Cuisine)

Yellow Mug Café (Coffee Shop)

E’s Soul Food (Food Truck)

Triumph (African Cuisine)

Catering Companies:

Tha Soul Chefs, Enthrall You Desserts, Doll’s Kitchen

Bobby Boucher : My Mama says that alligators are ornery because they got all them teeth and no toothbrush.

May 29, 2020 by Jason Farris Leave a Comment

I had to! Seriously when else was I ever going to get a chance to quote the movie “The Waterboy”?!

It’s been a rough couple of months and many of us have found it difficult to stay consistent with our normal exercise routines. So this week, instead of a workout video, we thought we’d bring our friend Dr. Alex Spinoso of CellSpark Regenerative Center to you. In this video, Dr. Alex breaks down the mental and physical benefits of exercise. A good reminder of how important regular exercise is.

So now that things are opening up and we’re getting back to normal, getting outside, starting to exercise more because we all know we’ve been gaining weight from sitting on our couches, being able to watch nothing but Tiger King and things like that. One of the things I want to talk about when exercising outdoors is neglected is how it affects our mental health. In fact, all aerobic exercises and that includes jogging, swimming, cycling, walking, gardening, dancing. They’ve all been shown to actually reduce and help treat anxiety and depression.

So now that we’ve been getting outside more and more, I kind of want to talk about how exercise improves our body and how it works. When we’re getting outside, we’re breathing fresh air, we’re getting vitamin D, all things that are going to one, boost our immune system, and help us fight off any viruses or bacteria or anything that we come across. But one of the main things that exercise does is improve circulation and blood flow to the brain when you have more oxygen and improved circulation to the brain. One thing that happens is that there’s an influence on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the HPA axis. So what this is is this is the part of your brain that psychologically reacts to stress. If you’re about to fight a bear or fight somebody, the HPA turns on and creates a lot of stress through different feedback mechanisms. Now exercise actually helps relax that area of the body and produces endorphins and different things that make us feel better. So the HPA axis actually works on the amygdala, which is part of that ole’ medulla oblongata. Remember, “Mama said alligators are ornery because they got all them teeth but no toothbrush”. And so this is the same part of the brain that I’m talking about that helps us feel better when we get outside and we exercise.

Along with that, the hippocampus is a part of the brain that gets increased blood flow as well. And this helps with different memory, transitioning short term memory to long term memory. So if you’re studying or you’re trying to research something and it’s really difficult, get outside and walk a little bit, get some fresh air. Studies show that exercising while you’re studying or in between studying will help you retain that information more. So exercise doesn’t also, it doesn’t just improve mental health in terms of anxiety and things like that. It also improves your self esteem, cognitive function, all these different things. If you’re fit, you have a healthy life, you’ll feel better, you’ll look better, you’ll perform better. And on the business side of things, yes you’ll make more money. So here’s just a list. Some of the things that exercise does that can help you out.

One, it improves your sleep. Two, it improves your interest in sex. Better endurance both during sex and during exercise. Stress relief, improvement in mood, increased energy and stamina, reduced tiredness, weight reduction, reduced cholesterol, improved cardiovascular function, which is going to lead to treatment of diabetes and high blood pressure and issues such as that.

So mental health service providers, they don’t actually only give medication. One of the main things they do is lifestyle changes. And one of the biggest things to do in order to change your lifestyle is to get out, get active, get exercise. Even if it’s for 20 minutes, three times a week, walking through your local park, walking your dog, walking somebody else’s dog. Go out there, get fresh air. Take that mask off. You don’t have to worry if you’re not around a big, large group of people coughing on all of them. Get outside, get some fresh air. Help your immune system and help your mental health more than anything.

In Good Health – Dr. Alex Spinoso

The Latest in Fresno Food Truck News

May 29, 2020 by Natali Carrera Leave a Comment

Life as we know it has definitely been altered this Spring, with some restaurants remaining open for takeout and delivery throughout shelter-in-place and some having to make the difficult decision to close either temporarily or in some cases, sadly – permanently.

One thing that has remained consistent throughout this period of time is the presence of awesome food trucks in our community. Though their locations throughout the week vary, their dedication to offering patrons a wide variety of food items spanning a multitude of cuisines has not wavered in these uncertain times, and thanks to some outside the box thinking and flexibility on the part of food truck owners to rapidly adapt to changing safety rules some exciting new things are happening within the Fresno food truck scene.

Here are a few key updates we think are of note for Fresno foodies!

New Food Trucks

Barb’s Soul Food – Though Barb is no rookie when it comes to cooking, the food truck is still relatively new, so if you haven’t had a chance to try Barb’s delicious and comforting soul food yet, make yourself a note to remedy that very soon. Learn more about Barb’s and view their stop schedule on their website here.

Sticky Rice on Wheels – this truck offers authentic Lao food like “Heavenly Beef” (Sin Savanh), a thinly sliced and deliciously marinated beef and rice dish and Papaya Salad and Kua Mee (fried noodles with vegetables). Check out their food photos and see where they’ll be located next by following their Instagram account!

Kua Mee
(Image credit: Sticky Rice on Wheels)

Big Wagon BBQ – This food truck just recently popped up on the scene and is located in one spot all week, at 2257 W. Shaw Avenue right by The Annex Kitchen. Big Wagon’s menu is similar to In & Out – not a ton of different options, but the items they offer are darn good. Their entrees include a Spicy Chicken Sandwich made with Mary’s chicken, a Spicy Tri-Tip Sandwich featuring chimichurri and Fresno chiles and a BBQ Tri-Tip sandwich. My family just tried one of each (we shared around) and thought all three sandwiches were really good. The Spicy Chicken was our #1 favorite if you need us to pick one though. Visit their website and order online in advance here.

New Food Truck Times

Did you know you can now grab lunch from a variety of different food trucks on Fridays at the Vineyard Farmer’s Market from 11am – 2pm? It’s true! Additionally, The Frappe House located at 2777 E. Nees is also hosting Friday lunch food truck hubs from 11am – 3pm. Follow Fresno Street Eats to keep tabs on which trucks will be at each location and of any updates to the schedule.

New Food Truck Gathering Spots

Fresno Street Eats has also been hard at work planning neighborhood Food Truck Pop-Up events in different neighborhoods around the Fresno/Clovis area! This coming weekend, on Saturday, May 30th, you can find tasty food and desserts in Belterra Park, Copper River Ranch and La Ventana neighborhoods! For more specific details and to keep up to date with future planned Pop-Ups, visit Fresno Street Eat’s event page here.

Location Change

Recently, a popular food truck El Tibu Taqueria (made extra Facebook famous by one of its biggest fans, Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson, who often stopped for dinner en route home from long workdays) had to make a location change. If you visited El Tibu at 145 and Highway 41 previously, you can now find their truck at 6053 N. Blackstone Ave. from 11am to 10pm daily. Follow them on Facebook for updates here. Superintendent Nelson, my husband, and my son all adore the Al Pastor tacos, my neighbor touts the burrito as an excellent choice, and I adore their Carne Asada tacos, specifically with their red salsa.

Ways to Celebrate Loved Ones & Support Local Right Now

May 21, 2020 by Natali Carrera Leave a Comment

The COVID-19 Pandemic has left us all reeling in a multitude of ways, many of us are collectively mourning the loss of momentous once-in-a-lifetime experiences for loved ones including high school and college graduations, traditional wedding gatherings and even birthday parties and Mother and Father’s Days with big family brunches and barbecues. Enduring life’s challenges during this time is even more grueling, as is the experience of a friend who is currently going through her umpteenth round of chemotherapy, only this time for safety reasons, she has to go to each appointment alone, and recover at home without friends by her side.

If you’re looking for ways to bring a little cheer to the lives of those hard hit by the current state of the world, we’ve rounded up nine awesome gifts to give that will bring joy while also supporting local businesses that need us to rally around them.

Purchase a Customized Jewelry from Make Pie

Make Pie offers beautiful customization jewelry like their Word of the Year bracelet that can be hand-stamped with a word of your choice, or their custom-dated rings and necklaces which can be made in honor of a graduation date or other special occasion. Click here to view all available pieces.

Make Pie’s
When Life Gives You Lemon Necklace
(Image credit: Make Pie)

Make Pie’s Customizable Word of the Year Bracelet
(Image credit: Make Pie)

Send Farm Fresh, Locally Grown Flowers

Sweet Acres Flower Farm is a locally owned and operated mother-daughter business that will deliver gorgeous seasonal blooms arranged perfectly in a mason jar delivered to the recipient of your choice for as little as $25. Flowers are delivered on Fridays, so get your order in early in the week to ensure delivery. To order, DM them on Instagram!

Sweet Acres Farms Seasonal Flowers
(Image credit: Sweet Acres Farms)

Order Fresh, Local Stone Fruit

The annual Stone Fruit Jubilee will not be able to take place in person this year, however, local stone fruit farmers are offering a box of wonderful, organic Valley stone fruit for just $20. Place your order online here. Boxes will be ready June 27th. Pick up one for yourself, and one to gift – everyone is sure to love sweet, fresh summer fruit straight from the farm!

Have Cookies Delivered

Crave Cookies continues to delight and is now delivering in more zip codes than ever before. Order their piping hot, crispy on the outside, doughy on the inside giant chocolate chip cookies or their new limited-time sugar cookie with frosting and Fruity Pebble topping delivered to a special someone on any day of your choosing. If they don’t deliver where you need them to just yet, you can always meet them in their delivery range by sending a note with your order (e.g. “Meet in the Target parking lot on Blackstone and Nees, I’ll be in a red Honda.”).

Give the Gift of Wildlife

Our beloved Chaffee Zoo is currently struggling financially as the Zoo has been ordered closed since early in Shelter in Place and has lost all admission revenue during what is typically a very busy season. Support the Chaffee Zoo and delight an animal lover you know in one of three ways:

Adopt an Animal
Purchase and gift an annual membership (dates will not begin until the Zoo reopens, so your recipient will benefit from a full year of Zoo access!)
Make a donation in honor of a loved one

Purchase a Cool Tee, Hat or Mask

KLSD is offering a special apparel collection for men and women featuring hats, tees and face masks that say “Heart for Fresno” or “Be a Good Human” and when you purchase these aesthetically cool pieces, you’ll also be supporting local charities that are providing COVID-19 specific relief right here in the Valley.

KLSD Heart for Fresno Mauve Tee
(Image Credit: KLSD)

KLSD Heart for Fresno Hat
(Image credit: KLSD)

Send a Plant from Foliage

Have a special plant lover in your life? Purchase directly from a locally owned plant shop and have a plant and beautiful pot delivered. Shop Foliage’s inventory and arrange for local drop-off or curbside pick up here.

Purchase or Commission an Art Piece

One of my favorite local artists, Art by Elowyn will create a custom piece including a portraits, pet portraits and even paintings of your wedding bouquet. Or, shop her selection of colorful, joyful ready-made art pieces online here.

Purchase a Gift Certificate

And though it probably goes without saying, it bears being repeated. A great way to support local businesses is to purchase gift cards or certificates from favorite places and send them to your recipient for use once businesses are open. Businesses like Revue coffee, Ampersand Ice Cream and cocktail bars like Modernist and of course your favorite local restaurants all offer gift cards that are sure to delight. Please consider a local gift card purchase over a national chain during this challenging economic time.

Local Blood Center is First in the Nation at Producing Pathogen-Reduced Plasma from COVID-19 Patients

May 17, 2020 by Sarah Soghomonian Leave a Comment

The Central California Blood Center is the first blood center in the country to produce pathogen-reduced plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19. It’s now being used at local hospitals to help save lives.

To help stop the COVID-19 outbreak, the FDA has expedited an experimental treatment involving using the plasma of patients who have recovered from the Coronavirus and injecting it in patients who are critically ill with the disease.

Blood centers from across the nation have been asked to draw the plasma from recovered patients. This process called Apheresis Plasma donation is an existing component of blood bank operations.

“For us, the difference was that we’d been already set up to produce pathogen-reduced platelets,” said Ersilia Lacaze, of the Central California Blood Center. “So when the time came to collect plasma from recovered COVID patients, we knew we could move quickly, to make it pathogen-reduced plasma.”

With the help of their partners at the CERUS Corporation, the Central California Blood Center became the first blood center in the nation to complete the process.

“Simply put, it means that we are the leaders in the delivery of blood products for those who need it most: The patients of our Central Valley,” Lacaze said. “It also means that Fresno and the Central Valley were on the map nationally in the midst of several efforts to battle COVID-19.”

Currently Community Medical Centers, Saint Agnes Medical Center and Kaweah Delta Health Care District are using the pathogen-reduced, convalescent plasma to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Hospitals outside of the Valley could also use the treatment in the future.

“The hospitals are working with us on follow-up, success stories that I hope to share soon,” Lacaze said. “We are asking anyone who has recovered from COVID-19 and has been asymptomatic for at least 28 days to head to our website and complete the interest form that allows us to determine if they qualify for donation.”

To learn more about donating plasma and the efforts of the Central California Blood Center to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, go to their website, DonateBlood.org.

The Central California Blood Center started as the Valley Blood Bank in 1949. It’s grown to serving patients at 30 hospitals in Fresno, Tulare, Madera, Kings and Mariposa Counties.

Between 5,000 to 6,000 pints of blood must be collected per month to meet the needs of patients in our Central Valley communities.

To learn more about how you can donate blood visit their website.