BARSOTTI NAMED FSU’S MOST VALUABLE PLAYER — Mark Barsotti was named the most valuable player on Fresno State’s football team the past year during the Player Appreciation Night at the Fresno Convention Center Thursday night. Barsotti, who prepped at Madera High School, led the Bulldogs to an 8-2-1 record this past season, the third straight winning year for Fresno with Barsotti as quarterback. During his three years as a starter, Fresno State has compiled a 29-5-1 record and won two Big West Conference titles. Barsotti, a junior, had his best season statistically 2,534 yards and nine touchdowns. He also rushed for 248 yards and five touchdowns.
MADERA ATTORNEY PUT ON PROBATION BY STATE BAR — ‘Former Madera County Public Defender Lester Gendron has been placed on 18 months probation by the State Bar of California for having “willfully failed to keep his client informed of important developments in his case.” An additional penalty of two years suspension from the practice of the law was stayed. The disciplinary action is the second time Gendron has been reprimanded by the state bar association. According to the State Bar, Gendron signed a stipulation in which he “agreed to accept culpability and discipline” for his lack of communication on behalf of Richard Kramer in a personal injury claim against Fresno County.
VEHICLE SMOG CHECKS WILL BE MANDATORY IN COUNTY — Madera County and Kings County have been able to avoid mandatory smog checks for motor vehicles. This will come to an end on Sept. 1, 1991, when Madera will join other valley counties in the smog check program. “We can fail to wait no longer,” said Bill Sturk, air pollution control officer for the county. “Should we fail to act this time, the State Resources Board is mandated by recent legislation to act in our stead.” Vehicles which fail the inspection must be repaired and retested, Sturk said. The state has set limits on repair costs, which can range from $50 for model years 1971 and older to $300 for 1990 and newer models.
NEW STORES, REDEVELOPMENT CLOUD FUTURE OF DOWNTOWN — Is downtown Madera dying? Will three national retailers unleashed north of town create a money vacuum to suck the last life from the city’s central business district? Can Madera’s new redevelopment plan save the heart of the city? Merchants hope so, but they are impatient and seem poorly informed. How long will it be before the benefits of a redevelopment plan come to fruition? Will there be enough dollars to go around? “Downtown does feel threatened,” said Debi Bray, executive vice president of the of the Madera District Chamber of Commerce, “but the city can’t do it alone. It must be a joint community effort,” she said...