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...
James Watson, Co-Discoverer of DNA’s Double Helix, Dead at 97
James D. Watson, the brilliant but controversial American biologist whose 1953 discovery of the structure of DNA, the molecule of heredity, ushered in the age of genetics and provided the foundation for the biotechnology revolution of the late 20th century, has died at the age of 97. His death was...
Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga Lead 2026 Grammy Nominations
LOS ANGELES — Rapper Kendrick Lamar topped the list of Grammy contenders for the second straight year on Friday with nine nominations, outpacing the seven nods for pop superstar Lady Gaga in the race for the music industry's top honors. Lamar's "GNX" and Gaga's "MAYHEM" will compete for the prestigious...
Fresno Council Revives Downtown Housing Plan Near Chukchansi Park
The city of Fresno is giving a developer another chance to build a mixed-use project south of Chukchansi Park. The Fresno City Council voted 7-0 on initial approvals for The Park @ South Stadium, an eight-story, 0.77-acre project at Inyo and Fulton streets in downtown. The project was initially proposed...
GoDaddy Hit With $170 Million Patent Verdict Over Web-Design Tech
Internet domain registrar GoDaddy owes a patent owner $170 million for violating its rights in website-building technology, a Delaware federal jury said in a verdict made public on Friday. The jury agreed with Express Mobile that GoDaddy's web-design tools infringe two of its patents. GoDaddy said in a statement that...
Tulare County Man Denied Parole in Fatal Roommate Stabbing
Rogelio Barrera, 34, was denied parole for three years in connection with the 2015 stabbing death of his roommate Wednesday, the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office announced. Barrera, who is serving a 16-years-to-life sentence at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, fatally stabbed his roommate 12 times on June 27,...
US Delays Flights at 8 Airports Due to Short Staffing of Air Traffic Controllers
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said on Friday it was delaying flights at eight airports including in Atlanta, San Francisco, Houston, Washington and Newark, citing widespread air traffic staffing issues as controllers have not been paid during the government shutdown. The FAA said it has staffing shortages at...
Democrats’ Potential Resurgence Puts Investors on Watch for Policy Shifts
Democratic victories this week have caught investors' attention, signaling a potential comeback after the party's bruising defeat during last year's election. A strong showing for congressional Democrats at the midterm elections in 2026 could push and revive policies favoring sectors sidelined by the GOP. While Trump would still have to...
Protesters Oppose Fresno’s SE Plan. ‘Folks Don’t Need $500,000 Homes on Outskirts’
Environmental groups and labor unions, together with residents of an area of Fresno between Clovis and Sanger came out in opposition to a plan to develop southeast Fresno as Mayor Jerry Dyer's administration presented its workshop on the decades-old plan. The Fresno City Council heard Thursday the plan to build...
CHP Officer Ends Stolen Vehicle Pursuit in Atwater, Suspect Arrested
A California Highway Patrol officer safely ended a pursuit involving a stolen vehicle near Atwater, authorities said Friday. According to the CHP Merced Area office, Officer Mason was patrolling near Santa Fe Avenue and Beachwood Drive when he received information from dispatch about an occupied stolen vehicle in the area....
The Day the Opinion Pages Died in Fresno
Much of my 48-year career in the newspaper business was spent at the helm of the opinion pages of The Fresno Bee. Before and after my tenure, those pages didn’t just inform. They sparked conversation, challenged assumptions, and reflected the heartbeat of the San Joaquin Valley. The section became the...