The Tulare Police Department issued a statement stating its stance on immigration enforcement, emphasizing that it does not participate in federal immigration activities or detain individuals based solely on their immigration status. The announcement comes in response to growing public concern following recent federal immigration enforcement actions and protests across...
Wall Street CEOs See Some Tariff Impact Filtering Into Customer Behavior
NEW YORK - Some top executives at Wall Street banks have been showing concern about higher inflation and potential deterioration of the U.S. economy as tariffs take effect, noting there has been more cautious behavior from corporate clients. "We have seen pauses in capex and hiring amongst our client base,"...
US House Poised to Send Stablecoin Bill to Trump After ‘Crypto Week’ Drama
The U.S. House of Representatives appeared poised to pass key crypto legislation on Thursday, including the creation of a regulatory framework for U.S.-dollar-pegged cryptocurrency tokens known as stablecoins, after two days of fraught negotiations. House lawmakers in Washington were due to convene on Thursday afternoon to consider passing the stablecoin...
Manhattan Prosecutor Who Handled Epstein Cases Is Fired
Maurene Comey, a Manhattan federal prosecutor who worked on the criminal cases against Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, was abruptly fired Wednesday by the Trump administration, according to six people with knowledge of the matter. Though the reason for Comey’s firing was not immediately clear, her dismissal immediately raised questions,...
Why California Ag Is at Odds Over Converting Land to Solar Farms
This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. The Imperial Irrigation District, which provides water to farmers in the southeastern corner of California, drew a figurative line in the sand earlier this month, calling for a halt to the conversion of agricultural fields into solar panel...
Fresno County Irrigation District Pitches 137% Fee Hike for More Kings River Flood Water
Growers in southern Fresno County are facing a possible 137% increase in land assessment fees that the Consolidated Irrigation District hopes will help it nearly double its recharge capacity and capture more Kings River flood water. Consolidated, which covers about 141,000 acres in central southern Fresno County, is holding a...
Trump Says He Is Ending Government Funding California’s High-Speed Rail Project
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he is ending government funding for California's High-Speed Rail project. The announcement follows the release of a U.S. Transportation Department report from the Federal Railroad Administration that cited missed deadlines, budget shortfalls and questionable ridership projections. "Thanks to Transportation Secretary Sean...
Bakersfield Tax Return Preparer Pleads Guilty in $25 Million Fraud Scheme
Victor Cruz, 40, who was a tax return preparer in Bakersfield, pleaded guilty Monday for his role in a $25 million fraud, the Department of Justice announced. Cruz helped Miguel Martinez, a Mexican national who was in the United States illegally, submit phony federal income tax returns claiming $25 million...
Congressional Hopeful Lorenzo Rios Says No to PBS Funding. Once Led Local Station
Republican congressional candidate Lorenzo Rios said he would not support federal funding for PBS in their current form, citing a shift away from the values that once defined public broadcasting. Rios, who is challenging longtime Democratic Rep. Jim Costa in District 21 and currently leads the Clovis Veterans Memorial District,...
US Attorney Beckwith Dismissed by Trump Admin, Replaced With Sanchez
Michele Beckwith is out as acting U.S. Attorney for the sprawling Eastern District of California, which includes Fresno County. Department of Justice spokesperson Lauren Horwood confirmed that Beckwith was terminated on Tuesday. Kimberly Sanchez replaces her as new acting U.S. Attorney. Beckwith, a Democrat, was named acting attorney, replacing Phillip...