Raj Singh Badhesha, a lawyer with the Fresno City Attorney's office, is trading the dais for the bench. Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Badhesha, a 40-year-old Democrat from Selma, to a Fresno County Superior Court judgeship on Friday. The governor appoints judges to fill vacancies in most circumstances. This is Newsom's...
Assemblymember Soria Dodges Questions About Defamation Lawsuit
The California Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to hear an appeal from Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, who is the subject of a defamation lawsuit by a Fresno city councilmember. The impact: Councilmember Mike Karbassi's litigation against Soria will resume in a Fresno courtroom in August. On Friday, GV Wire sought comment...
Israel Briefs US on Evacuation Plan for Palestinians Ahead of Planned Rafah Assault
WASHINGTON — Israel this week briefed Biden administration officials on a plan to evacuate Palestinian civilians ahead of a potential operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah aimed at rooting out Hamas militants, according to U.S. officials familiar with the talks. The officials, who were not authorized to comment...
Canadian Police Make 3 Arrests in Sikh Separatist’s Slaying That Sparked a Spat with India
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Canadian police said they arrested three suspects Friday in the slaying of a Sikh separatist leader last June that become the center of a diplomatic spat with India, and are investigating possible ties between the detainees and the Indian government. Details of the Arrests Three Indian...
Three Arrested for Trespassing, Posting Flyers at Fresno Synagogue and Church
Fresno police arrested three men after they were caught attaching religious flyers at a synagogue and a Catholic church on Thursday. There was a third site hit the flyers, but police would not reveal where. The messages were posted with painters tape at Temple Beth Israel, and at nearby St....
As They Search for a Superintendent, Fresno Trustees Flunk Econ 101
When it comes to math, a majority of Fresno Unified trustees deserve an F. Not only are they seemingly oblivious to the numbers that tell the story of the district's chronic student underachievement, but they're also ignoring the financial trainwreck ahead. Facing an ongoing structural budget deficit of $80 million,...
Universities Negotiate End to Protests, Open Dialogue on Investment Policies
NEW YORK — Anti-war demonstrations ceased this week at a small number of U.S. universities after school leaders struck deals with pro-Palestinian protesters, fending off possible disruptions of final exams and graduation ceremonies. The agreements at schools including Brown, Northwestern and Rutgers stand out amidst the chaotic scenes and 2,300-plus...
Fresno Approves Hydrogen Contract for New Buses. How Far is the Filling Station?
The city of Fresno will soon take possession of two hydrogen fuel cell buses, and on Thursday, the city council secured a power source for the vehicles. By a 6-0 vote, the council approved a $3.5 million contract with H2B2 USA LLC, with the closest filling station in Kerman. Miguel...
Heavy Rains Over Texas Have Led to Water Rescues, School Cancellations and Orders to Evacuate
HOUSTON — Heavy storms slammed the Houston area again Friday, widening already dangerous flooding in Texas and putting stranded drivers and a school bus of children in need of high-water rescues. Officials redoubled urgent instructions for residents in low-lying areas to evacuate, warning the worst was still to come. “This...
Google, Justice Department Make Final Arguments About Whether Search Engine is a Monopoly
WASHINGTON — Google's preeminence as an internet search engine is an illegal monopoly propped up by more than $20 billion spent each year by the tech giant to lock out competition, Justice Department lawyers argued at the closings of a high-stakes antitrust lawsuit. Google, on the other hand, maintains that...