The opening of the new Center for Agriculture and Technology building at Madera Community College Center marks the completion of State Center Community College District's first Measure C-funded facility. Listen to this article: The $6.35 million center also is a boon to students who will save gas money and putting...
Fresno Unemployment Creeps Up. State Maintains Record Low.
Fresno County's unemployment rate rose to 6.5% in November, up from October's revised jobless rate of 5.8%, the state said Friday. Meanwhile, California's unemployment rate held steady at the record low of 3.9% in November. Listen to this article: Between October and November, the Fresno area shed 1,400 total...
Ag Giant Wonderful Sues Fresno County Over Assemi Nut Plant
One of the world's largest pistachio growers is suing Fresno County, alleging that it violated state environmental review regulations. The suit seeks to halt a nut processing plant being built by the Assemi family in the western part of the county. Wonderful Nut Orchards LLC filed the suit Tuesday in...
668,000 Will Lose Food Stamp Benefits Under New Work Rules
WASHINGTON — Hundreds of thousands of Americans who rely on the federal food stamp program will lose their benefits under a new Trump administration rule that will tighten work requirements for recipients. The move by the administration is the latest in its attempt to scale back the social safety net for...
Remembering Marvin Meyers, a Giant of Ag and Education
California agriculture lost a legend and Valley students — from kindergarten to graduate school — lost one of their best friends when Marvin Allen Meyers died two weeks ago at 85. He was a farmer, philanthropist, and innovator who transformed 2,600 acres west of Mendota into California's first privately funded...
California Will Sue Feds over State Water Project Rules
SACRAMENTO — California officials said Thursday they will sue the federal government over proposed rules managing the state’s scarce water, arguing its conclusions are not scientifically adequate and fall short of protecting species and the state’s interests. The state, which has historically relied on the federal government to set rules,...
Trump Rule May Mean 1 Million Kids Lose Automatic Free Lunch
NEW YORK — Nearly a million children could lose their automatic eligibility for free school lunches under a Trump administration proposal that would reduce the number of people who get food stamps. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released an analysis that says as many as 982,000 children could be affected by...
Legislature Approves Contentious Environmental Bill SB 1. Newsom Signals Veto.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has indicated he will veto a bill aimed at countering rollbacks of environmental rules by the Trump Administration. The California legislature passed the controversial environmental bill SB 1 on Saturday and sent it to Newsom's desk. The measure was strongly opposed by Central Valley farming and water...
Heated Anti-Trump SB 1 Environmental Bill Could Hold to 2020
A controversial state bill impacting water and agriculture could be held over to the Legislature's next session. Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, a San Diego Democrat, said Wednesday that Senate Bill 1 might be converted to a two-year bill. The California Chamber of Commerce calls the bill a "job...
Senate Bill 1 Threatens California Farms, Water Supply: Adam Gray
California has made a sport of disagreeing with President Trump. When he tweets his favorite color is red, one of my progressive colleagues inevitably introduces a bill declaring the best color is blue. So it was somewhat surprising when legislative leaders decided to use the President’s worst habit — ignoring...