Troubled Muslim Village Under Scrutiny Disbands
A Muslim village near this Sierra Nevada foothill community has been disbanded, with residents leaving behind homes, a troubled charter school and a reported total of about $470,000 in back taxes and penalties. The village drew attention from local authorities after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Displayed at the deserted village of Baladullah, which means “City of God” in Arabic, on Thursday was a handwritten yard sale sign that read: “Everything must go.”
The yard sale was near Gateway Academy, a school closed earlier this year after the Fresno Unified School District yanked its charter in January because of what officials called questionable operating practices and $1.3 million in debt.
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