NEW YORK — U.S. stocks held steady Tuesday, as trading on Wall Street calmed following some sharp recent swings. The S&P 500 edged up by 6.96 points, or 0.1%, to 5,187.70. It was a quiet day following three straight leaps for the index of at least 0.9%. The Dow Jones...
US Service Member Shot and Killed by Florida Police Identified by the Air Force
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. — The U.S. Air Force said an airman based at the Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida, was shot and killed Friday during an incident involving a sheriff's deputy. Senior Airman Roger Fortson, 23, died at his off-base residence, the U.S. Air Force said in...
Fresno Area Elementary School Teams With Quiq Labs for STEAM Exploration
Washington Colony Elementary School District in Easton is engaging students in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) programs that extend beyond conventional classrooms. As part of this initiative, Washington Colony students visited Quiq Labs on April 27 and immersed themselves in hands-on experiences with cutting-edge technologies. The educational programs offered...
Four-Time Grammy Winner Debuts Song Inspired by College Protests
Rapper Macklemore has released a new song titled "Hind’s Hall," igniting a wave of support for pro-Palestinian protesters on college campuses throughout the United States. Tribute to Hind Rajab The title "Hind’s Hall" is a nod to an event at Columbia University, where student protesters renamed Hamilton Hall as Hind’s...
Planned Fresno Probation Gun Buyback Program Runs Afoul of State Law and SEIU
A Fresno County Probation Department plan to sell surplus handguns and shotguns to its officers was stopped in its tracks after complaints from union members. Selling the firearms is legal under state law within certain parameters. At the very least, only peace officers may buy surplus government agency weapons. In...
Watch: Israel’s Oversized Influence in American Elections
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, with more than 100,000 members and a long roster of donors, is among the most powerful lobbying groups in the United States. Watch: Ali Velshi Exposes AIPAC's Growing Influence in US Elections AIPAC's strong pro-Israel influence has shaped American policy in the Middle East...
Own a Business? Learn How to Get a Piece of the $5.5 Billion Visa/Mastercard Settlement
NEW YORK — A deadline is looming for millions of businesses who may be entitled to a payout in a $5.5 billion antitrust settlement with Visa and Mastercard. The settlement stems from a 2005 lawsuit that alleged merchants paid excessive fees to accept Visa and Mastercard credit cards, and that Visa...
Special Report: How a 1965 Law Makes It Hard for the Poor to Get Mental Health Treatment
In 1955, the U.S. had more than 550,000 inpatient psychiatric beds. When legislators created Medicaid in 1965, they didn't want the nation's vast mental health network — along with its negative perception created by books and movies — to gobble up the new federal insurance dollars, says Alice Feller, psychiatrist,...
CA Restaurants Shouldn’t Be Shocked That ‘Junk Fees’ Ban Applies to Them
Last Friday, a friend and I met at a chain restaurant in Sacramento for our customary weekly lunch. Both of us ordered $16 plates of Mexican food. When the bill came, it totaled a bit over $36, including taxes and a $1.28 “surcharge.” We gave the server $45 before leaving, assuming...
Did California’s Massive COVID Homeless Shelter Program Work? A New Evaluation Probes the Results
California’s massive effort to shelter homeless residents during the COVID-19 pandemic was a success, according to a new report that says the effort changed the state’s homeless services system for the better. But at the same time, the researchers pointed out a troubling dearth of available data on the program....