Fresno

Fresno ( FREZ-no) is the sixth-largest city in California, USA, the county seat of Fresno County, and the largest inland city in the state. As of 2008, Fresno has an estimated population of 486,116. It is located in the center of the expansive Central Valley, approximately north of Los Angeles, and south of the state capital, Sacramento. The city is the cultural and economic center of the Fresno-Clovis metropolitan area. Fresno is the second-largest metropolitan area in the Central Valley with a population of 1,002,284, after Sacramento. Fresno has a modified strong-mayor form of local government and seven City Council members (Legislative branch) elected for no more than two, four-year terms. The current mayor, Alan Autry was first elected in November 2000, re-elected on March 2 2004, and will serve until January 2009. † Died in office Prior to 1901, Fresno was governed by a board of trustees. City council is made up of seven members, elected by district: is the seat of... full article at wikipedia