Tag: blackbeards

When parking minimums attack

Moving around Clovis or Fresno, it’s easy to see that almost every business has a parking lot that is too big for even the busiest of days. The reason is due to parking minimums. The city requires that businesses provide a certain amount of spots, which is odd, because cities tend not to demand that businesses provide things to customers. There’s no law, for example, that a movie theater must provide popcorn with every ticket, or that a supermarket must fill every grocery cart with chocolate.

But parking is special, it must be provided, usually in very large quantities. Because this regulation exists, you’d think there would be many hyper-local studies on the use. Nope, all the rules come from an old book with old studies from places far, far away. That can lead to hilarious demands….and disastrous results. Click to read more!

UPS to deploy EV trucks in Fresno market

I’ve talked a few times in the past about how even though Fresno and the Central Valley are home to the nations worst air, we have almost no electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure.

During the summer, the air board asks people not to drive, because the air quality approaches very unhealthy levels, but at the same time has to issue warnings for people not to bike because that would involve breathing the bad air. So naturally, people drive just as much, if not more, than they would on any other day. And without a push for electric vehicles, the number of non-polluting cars on the road is minimal. Click to read more!

Fresno’s first public EV charging station still not built

I was pleased to read six months ago that Blackbeard’s would be installing the first real public electric vehicle (EV) charging station in Fresno, along with a solar panel canopy in their parking lot. Currently, there are less than five EV chargers in the Fresno area – two at Nissan dealerships, and a couple of employee-only spots at Pelco and the Clean Air offices. The Blackbeard’s one would be open to anyone, not just employees (it is unclear if the chargers would be free or not).

Sadly, it looks like the installation was abandoned. The parking lot looks exactly as it did in August, with trees ripped out, some concrete supports and nothing else. Sort of sad that a clean air project has resulted in less trees, and nothing else. Click to read more!

Another weekend of music in Fresno – this time with attractions

Last weekend, the Catacomb Party was held downtown, with a whole bunch of bands. That was a big success, and being free may have helped.

This week there’s another music event, but this one requires buying a ticket. Truth be told, the way the price is set up, you can consider it a ticket for the attractions, with the music being free. It’s being held at Blackbeard’s, known for its minigolf, go-karts, batting cages, arcades and more. $25 gets you a day of music and also access to the attractions.

Where: BLACKBEARDS
When: SATURDAY JULY 28TH
Time: Gates open 1pm / Music 2pm
ALL AGES | 21+ to Drink
Entry: $20 Adv. $25 VIP (Unlimited Attractions!) Click to read more!

Fresno gets its first public EV charging station

So I took a bit of a break….sorry about that. Was away from most of the internet really, except to watch the Euro matches. Regular posting resumes now.

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EV – electric vehicle.

It’s summer in Fresno, and even though today’s high is a chilly 86, it means we’re in the season of air quality warnings. Of course, that’s true of the winter as well, and yes, the fall. And sometimes spring.

Fresno has some of the worst air in the country, thanks to a combination of high heat, geography, and agriculture. The tendency to drive everywhere for everything doesn’t help though, and cars are a huge source of local air pollution. Click to read more!