The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a Colorado law that banned psychotherapists from using "conversion" talk therapy intended to change an LGBT minor's sexual orientation or gender identity, siding with a Christian licensed counselor who challenged the law on free speech grounds. The justices, in a 8-1 ruling, reversed a lower court's decision...
Bay Area Founder of a Sexual Liberation Group Is in Jail, but Still Has Fans
NEW YORK — At the back of a home goods store in New York, an upbeat voice rang out from a television screen as nearly 100 women listened raptly to a message about female empowerment. The voice sounded like that of Nicole Daedone, the founder of a wellness company called...
What to Know About California’s Executive Order on AI
WASHINGTON — California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday issued a first-of-its-kind executive order requiring safety and privacy guardrails from artificial intelligence companies that contract with the state. California has been a leader in tech lawmaking, and was the first state to pass a law mandating safety and transparency from the...
Three Separate Fires Active Near Pincushion Peak Trail
Fire crews are responding to three separate wildfires near Pincushion Peak Trail in Friant, according to Watch Duty. The northernmost fire has burned roughly 5 acres, the middle fire about 1 acre, and the southern fire another 5 acres, Watch Duty reported. In total, the area affected is about 11...
Merced County Coroner Seeks Family of Deceased Man
The Merced County Sheriff's Coroner’s Bureau is asking for the public’s help in locating the family of 38-year-old Nicholas Swaim. Officials say attempts to find Swaim’s relatives through personal records have been unsuccessful. Locating his immediate family is necessary for the Coroner’s Office to release the body and allow for...
US Defense Secretary Hegseth’s Broker Looked to Buy Defense Fund Before Iran Attack, FT Reports
A broker for U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attempted to make a big investment in major defense companies in the weeks leading up to the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, the Financial Times reported on Monday, citing three people familiar with the matter. Hegseth's broker at Morgan Stanley contacted BlackRock in...
Vehicle Fire Shuts Northbound I-5 at Grapevine
Northbound lanes of Interstate 5 near Grapevine Road are closed due to a vehicle fire, the California Highway Patrol’s Fort Tejon office reported Monday. The CHP said the #4 lane is blocked and drivers should exercise caution while passing through the area. Crews are working to clean up the scene,...
March’s Record Heat Melts Snowpack Gains: Kings River Survey
Ahead of the April 1 calendar benchmark, surveys show water flows along the Kings River running more than double what they normally would in similar years with snowpacks depleting rapidly. Steve Haugen, watermaster for the Kings River Water Association, said in a news release that the early flows will likely...
At Least 70 Killed in Haiti Massacre, Rights Group Says, Far Exceeding Official Toll
At least 70 people were killed and 30 injured during an attack near Petite-Riviere in Haiti's breadbasket Artibonite region, a human rights group said on Monday, significantly higher than official estimates which put the death toll at around 16. Residents and officials told local media the attack began in the...
Bulldogs Coordinator Wants to See a More Explosive Offense
With a stronger arm possibly at starting quarterback than last season, Fresno State offensive coordinator Josh Davis said the Bulldogs need a more explosive offense. "If we don't become more explosive, I'm not so sure how championship caliber we're going to be. So yes, we have to become a more...