☕️ Happy Wednesday, folks! Let's jump right in.

✉️ Received this email from a friend? Sign up here.

🚨 NEW OVERNIGHT: The Visalia Unified school board voted 5-2 to dismiss Superintendent Todd Oto late Tuesday night.

The move comes amid major rancor from teachers and parents about the district's ability to execute and implement its behavior policy. Since August, Oto faced 11 employee evaluations from the school board, the highest in the district's history.

Oto will continue to serve as Superintendent through the last day of school, June 7. District HR chief Tamara Ravalin will serve as interim superintendent pending the district's search for a replacement.

The Vote: Trustees John Crabtree, Niessen Foster, William Fulmer, Walta Gamoian, and Juan Guerrero voted to dismiss Oto. Trustees Joy Naylor and Lucia Vazquez voted against dismissal.

Meanwhile, a celebration: Tuesday's meeting was well attended by students, parents, and teachers, as the Board was previously scheduled to celebrate student achievement awards and fete the district's Teachers of the Year. 

And next steps: The board took an initial look at a proposal to open a specialized school for students at high-risk of truancy, suspension, and expulsion from traditional schools.

Jurors get a look at investigative interviews: Fresno Police Detective Kenneth Dodd kicked off testimony on Tuesday in Asm. Joaquin Arambula's (D-Fresno) trial for alleged child cruelty. 

Dodd and Assistant District Attorney Steve Wright reviewed the videotaped independent interview of the seven-year-old victim. During the interview, her story appears to change.  

Said Dodd on the stand: “The victim had been coached. Her story changed and what we were hearing, that story was not what they heard the day prior."

Six-year-old middle daughter partially corroborates: Arambula's middle child testified to the fact that the two-term legislator had "squeezed" her as part of a punishment in the past, saying matter-of-factly "it hurt."

School officials detail how CPS, cops got involved: Three school officials – a teacher overseeing recess on Dec. 10 and two front office managers at Dailey Elementary – detailed how the seven-year-old victim reported her injuries.

The victim told one of the two office managers that she sustained the bruise and mark to her temple after her father hit her. That same office manager reported the incident to Child Protective Services, who in-turn, contacted police to initiate an investigation.

Trial continues today. 

Abuse survivors group rolls out list of abuse allegations: SNAP – the Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests – released a list of 23 priests serving in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno who were accused of sexual misconduct.

The release of the names comes in the wake of multiple accusations leveled at popular Bakersfield Monsignor Craig Harrison, news that eight District Attorneys are launching an independent audit of Diocesan records for potential cases to prosecute, and a separate statewide investigation of Catholic Dioceses by the California Department of Justice.

The Diocese is also conducting its own review of records, dating back to 1922.

Two clerics on SNAP's list were convicted of sex crimes, one was arrested, and another was acquitted of rape charges.

That last priest was Miguel Flores. Despite his acquittal by a Kings County jury in 2002, the Diocese placed him on administrative leave to reevaluate the claims in March of this year.

Chowchilla prison staffer watched 2,000+ YouTube videos in 10 months: A long-time administrator with the Valley State Prison in Chowchilla was investigated by the California State Auditor for watching countless YouTube videos on a state-owned laptop during work hours.

The administrator watched videos related to "recreational vehicles, footage of crimes, and political or religious commentary" while on-the-job.

Big Stat: 2,256. The number of YouTube videos consumed by the Valley State Prison education administrator from September 2017 to June 2018.

Punishment didn't fit the crime: Just as the state Auditor completed her investigation, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation was unable to discipline the administrator due to the fact that the employee retired.

Fire Chief Doug McBee retires: McBee formally retired last Friday from the department after six years as Fire Chief. 

The City of Visalia named retired battalion chief Doyle Sewell as his interim replacement. Sewell's last post during his 26-year-career with Visalia Fire ran from 1999 to 2015.

"It’s a pleasure to be coming back to the fire service, particularly in the 150th anniversary year of the Visalia Fire Department," Sewell said in a statement. 

Meanwhile, the City is preparing to launch a search process to hire a permanent Fire Chief.