U.S. Air Force Hammer Airfield and Japanese American internment camp in use. 1944 – Pacific Bible Institute founded. 1946 – Sierra Sky Park Airport residential aviation community established near city. 1947 – Hammer Field National Guard training area and Fresno Air Terminal established, becoming primary hub of commercial aviation instead of Chandler Airport. 1948 – Azteca Theater built. 1950s–1990s 1954 – Peoples Church and Fresno Philharmonic founded. 1955 – Bernice F. Sisk becomes U.S. representative for California's 12th congressional district. 1960 – Mexican American Political Association founded. 1961 – City of Fresno Takes over municipal bus service. 1962 – Farm Workers Association founding meeting held in Fresno. 1964 Fulton Mall dedicated. 1966 Fresno Convention Center complex built. Fresno County Courthouse rebuilt. 1967 – Catholic Diocese of Fresno established. 1968 - Woodward Park opened in north Fresno. 1969 – Kiddie Kinema movie theatre opens. 1970 Fashion Fair Mall in business. Population: 167,927. 1973 – Good Company Players founded. 1977 – KMTF television begins broadcasting. 1983 – Fresno Metronews begins publication. 1984 Nanaksar Gurdwara founded. Fresno Metropolitan Museum established. 1989 Fresno Municipal Sanitary Landfill closes. Karen Humphrey becomes mayor. 1990 Vida en el Valle Spanish/English-language newspaper begins publication. Population: 354,202. 1992 – Hmong Times newspaper in publication. 1993 Hmong Today (television program) begins broadcasting. San Joaquin Valley Heritage & Genealogy Center established. Jim Patterson becomes mayor. 1996 – Tahoe Joe's restaurant in business. 1997 Community Food Bank active. River Park shopping center in business. 1998 City website online. Fresno Grizzlies baseball team formed. Fresno Stadium 22 cinema opens. 2000 University High School established. Mormon Fresno California Temple dedicated. 21st century 2001 Alan Autry becomes Mayor 2002 Grizzlies Stadium opens. 2003 Save Mart Center (arena) opens. Ani-Jam anime convention begins. 2005 Woodward Shakespeare Festival and Artists' Repertory Theatre founded. Jim Costa becomes U.S. representative for California's 20th congressional district. Coyle United States Courthouse built. 2008 – Neighborhood Thrift shop in business. 2009 – Ashley Swearengin becomes mayor. 2010 Fresno Metropolitan Museum closes. Population reaches 494,665 people. 2013 – Poet laureate inaugurated. 2014 Bitwise Industries launches, bringing a technology and entrepreneur community together. Starts with Bitwise Mural District, and more Fresno campuses follow. Fresno General Plan adopted, becoming the first one in decades to not expand the Sphere of Influence. 2015 On January 6, Governor Jerry Brown attends a groundbreaking ceremony for California High-Speed Rail in downtown Fresno at the future location of Fresno's