JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at his Belgium counterpart on Wednesday, calling him "a weak leader who seeks to appease Islamic terrorism by sacrificing Israel" a day after Brussels announced it would recognize a Palestinian state. Netanyahu's government has been angered by pledges from France, Britain,...
Visalia Gas Leak Shuts Down Sections of Shirk Road
A gas leak Wednesday forced the closure of Shirk Road at Hillsdale Avenue and at School Avenue, police said. The Visalia Police Department urged drivers to avoid the area while emergency crews responded. Further information was not immediately available. — Connect with Anthony W. Haddad on social media. Got a tip? Send...
Fresno Man Caught With 1,500 Fentanyl Pills Sentenced to Five Years
A Fresno man was sentenced Tuesday to five years in federal prison for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, prosecutors said. Ady Perez, 26, was arrested after attempting to sell 1,500 fentanyl pills and crashing into a police vehicle while trying to flee, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. Authorities later...
California Jury Clears Pop Star Cardi B of Assault Allegations in Civil Lawsuit
ALHAMBRA, California — A California jury unanimously cleared pop star Cardi B of assault allegations on Tuesday in a $24 million civil lawsuit brought by a security guard over an encounter outside a Beverly Hills obstetrician's office in 2018. The 12-member Los Angeles Superior Court jury deliberated for less than...
How the US Congressional Redistricting War is Playing Out State by State
Texas and California — the two most populous states — are at the center of an expanding national battle over congressional redistricting that could determine whether Republicans or Democrats win control of the U.S. House of Representatives in next year's midterm elections. At President Donald Trump's urging, Republican Texas Gov....
Republican US House Committee Releases Thousands of Epstein Files
WASHINGTON — A Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives committee on Tuesday said it released more than 33,000 pages of files on the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as party leadership looked to end a push by a bipartisan pair of lawmakers to force a vote on the matter....
AI Will Require 60% of Workers to Retrain. Are Fresno Colleges Ready?
When the internet first became publicly available, it took seven years to reach 50 million users, said Blake Konzcal, executive director of the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board. It took Facebook a little more than three years to get 50 million people, and Instagram had that size following in just...
How One Blackstone Avenue Shelter Took Business Owners’ Concerns to Heart
When hospitals release homeless patients, California law requires they be discharged to a safe location. The trouble for hospitals is finding somewhere secure to send people. The trouble can also be finding a location that doesn't upset neighbors. In May, a new pilot recuperative housing project called Soul Housing quietly...
They Were Convicted of Gang Crimes. New CA Supreme Court Rulings Trim Their Sentences
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. The California Supreme Court handed down two decisions last week that could impact decades of sentencing for gang-related offenses and allow thousands of people to petition courts to reexamine their cases. Both rulings turned on a 2021 law...
Former Fresno Councilmember and Assemblymember Mike Briggs Dies After Cancer Battle
Former Fresno City Councilmember and state Assemblymember Mike Briggs has died following a brief battle with cancer, his family announced on Monday. Briggs was remembered for a life devoted to public service, the arts, and community advocacy, his family noted. His family said he spent his final months surrounded by...