![Camille Russell and Tom Frantz honored by the Community Alliance](https://fresnoalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Clearing-the-Air-Tom-Frantz-1-620x413.jpg)
By Community Alliance staff
Longtime friend and activist Camille Russell and contributor Tom Frantz were honored by the Community Alliance during our fundraiser on Dec. 12.Ā
Tom Frantz Camille Russell
Russell, a retired teacher, received the Super Supporter award. She has beenĀ active in our community and isĀ a leader in Peace Fresno, which has hosts antiwar demonstrations and educates the public about the cost of war. SheĀ supports organizations includingĀ the Fresno Center forĀ Nonviolence and the KFCF radio stationĀ and was a member of the CommunityĀ Alliance newspaperās editorial board for several years. She helps pass out copiesĀ of the Community Alliance at manyĀ meetings and events and distributes the paper each month.
Her longtime partner, Dan Yassen, accepted the honor on Russellās behalfĀ as she was in the hospital on the day of the fundraiser.
After years of contributing with his column āClearing the Air,ā writer Tom Frantz published his last piece in this edition (see page 5). He is retiring and leaving the San Joaquin Valley for good.
Frantzās work was well summarized by fellow journalist Vic Bedoian, āTom Frantz is a reporterās best friend. Heās a perceptive observer, a scientist and a persistent watchdog, with a bark and a bite.
āTomās deep dive into the Valleyās toxic air and its causes has educated readers of the Community Alliance for years with his incisive articles. He has also been an invaluable resource for journalists covering the powerful oil industry and natural resource issues. His investigative skills are awesome. His perceptive eyes miss nothing.
āTom scours Kern County like a bloodhound, exposing environmental degradation, then tells all of us about it. And he has the courage to hold accountable industry executives and government regulators alike. In fact, Tom Frantz is, himself, a natural resource who nourishes and sustains our quest for the truth.ā