Whether it be housing or commercial real estate, economic slowdowns stifled growth in Fresno County in 2024. But after years of declines, experts expect a turnaround soon. The Fresno County Economic Development Corporation brought out a panel of experts to discuss housing construction and sales, major commercial real estate purchases,...
First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close
California's effort to have no new gas-powered vehicles sold in the state by 2035 is beginning, and it requires 35% of all 2026 models sold this year to be zero-emission. Dealers say they aren't close to fulfilling the mandate for zero-emission vehicles and are nervously wondering what the future holds...
US Government Announces New Medicaid Drug Pricing Program
The U.S. government on Thursday unveiled a new program to cut prescription drug costs for Medicaid patients by tying prices to those paid in other countries. The program, called the Generous Model, will launch in 2026 and allow participating state Medicaid programs to purchase drugs at internationally aligned prices, the...
Tulare County House Fire Kills Cat. Residents Escape Safely
A cat died in a house fire Thursday morning in Porterville, authorities said. The Porterville Fire Department said crews responded to a blaze in the 100 block of North Kessing Street, where a garage had been converted into a living space. Firefighters arrived to find heavy fire inside and quickly...
US Preparing Subpoenas Related to 2016 Russia Election-Interference Intelligence, Sources Say
WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors are preparing grand jury subpoenas to investigate Obama-era intelligence officials who produced an assessment finding Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election in a bid to help Donald Trump, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The grand jury subpoenas will request a broad swath...
CHP Merced Seeking Public’s Help in Identifying Hit-and-Run Driver
The California Highway Patrol in Merced is asking for the public’s help identifying the driver involved in a hit-and-run collision that caused property damage in Delhi earlier this week. The crash happened around 10:24 a.m. on Everton Street on Monday. The suspect vehicle is described as a newer black Hyundai...
US Government Shutdown Drags on as Senators Fail to Find Path Out
U.S. Senate Democrats continued to hold out on agreeing to end the record-long federal government shutdown on Thursday, despite Republican overtures to reverse federal employee layoffs as part of a bid to reopen shuttered agencies. Democrats spent nearly two hours in their second closed-door caucus meeting in as many days...
Take-Two Interactive Further Delays ‘GTA VI’ to November Next Year
Take-Two Interactive on Thursday again delayed the launch of "Grand Theft Auto VI", extending the wait for the gaming industry's most-anticipated title, sending its shares down more than 10% in extended trading. The company now expects to release the game on November 19, 2026, from its previous launch date of...
US Senate to Consider War Powers Resolution to Block Strike on Venezuela
WASHINGTON — U.S. senators are due to vote on a resolution on Thursday that could keep President Donald Trump from attacking Venezuela without congressional authorization, a day after administration officials told lawmakers that Washington did not yet have a legal justification for strikes on Venezuelan territory. The Senate is due...
Trump Administration Must Fully Fund Food Aid Benefits by Friday, US Judge Rules
A federal judge on Thursday ordered U.S. President Donald Trump's administration to fully fund food aid for 42 million low-income Americans in November by Friday, blocking its plan to only provide reduced benefits during the government shutdown. — (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston)
US Supreme Court Allows Trump’s Passport Policy Targeting Transgender People
The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed Donald Trump's administration to bar applicants for U.S. passports from designating the sex reflecting their gender identities on the document, part of the Republican president's crackdown on the rights of transgender Americans. The court granted the Justice Department's request to lift a judge's order...
Freed Israeli Hostage Says He Faced Sexual Violence in Gaza Captivity, TV Reports
JERUSALEM — An Israeli hostage who was released in October has told an Israeli television channel he was subjected to sexual violence during his two-year captivity in Gaza by Palestinian militants -- the first male hostage to publicly make such an accusation. Rom Braslavski, 21, who was abducted from the...