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On Valley Edition: Splitting Up California; Downtown Fresno

This week on Valley Edition we talk about the recent resurgence of an old idea, splitting up the Golden State, with the authors of a new book called "California Crackup." We'll also talk about the continuing effort to revitalize downtown Fresno.

Segment 1: Splitting Up California
Is California too big to fix? And can the solution to the state’s many problems be as simple as splitting the state in two? Joe Matthews and Mark Paul, authors of the book “California Crackup” join host Juanita Stevenson on Valley Edition to talk about what a divided California might look like. It turns out that splitting up the state is not a new idea, and is nearly as old as the Golden State itself. Matthews and Paul explain what a new state of “South California” would look like and what it would mean for Valley residents. Both authors will participate in a public debate on this issue Tuesday night November 1, 2011 at the Fresno Art Museum.

Segment 2: Downtown Fresno rebirth?
Downtown Fresno once was a vibrant and bustling center of commerce and civic activity. Today, its streets are largely empty, many of its historic hi-rises are shuttered, and blight mars formerly picturesque views. Now the City of Fresno is proposing a major renaissance though a new planning process that seeks to revitalize the heart of the city, a place that many Fresnans are afraid to go. What makes this current plan different that those of virtually every other city administration of the past 40 years? Kate Borders, President and CEO of the PBID Partners of Downtown Fresno joins host Juanita Stevenson to talk about how her organization of private sector property owners is helping to lead the revitalization effort, and how they plan to overcome an area that many have written off as a lost cause for decades.

Segment 3: Kern County Entertainment Update
Bakersfield Californian Entertainment Editor Matt Munoz join us to let us know the latest on what’s happening in Kern County’s entertainment scene, including “So You Think You Can Dance” star Sasha Mallory, who returns to her hometown of Bakersfield for a performance with the travelling show on Wednesday November 2, 2011.

Juanita Stevenson has lived and worked in Fresno for the past 24 years. She is perhaps best known to Valley residents as a longtime reporter and news anchor with local television station ABC30, and has also worked at stations KJWL, KYNO and ValleyPBS. She is the recipient of the 2001 Associated Press Award for Best Reporting, and the 1997 Radio & Television News Directors Association Regional Edward R. Murrow award for Best Reporting.