The U.S. Supreme Court rejected on Monday a bid by a former Kentucky county official to overturn its landmark 2015 ruling legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide, as the justices steered clear of the contentious case some 3-1/2 years after its conservative majority reversed abortion rights. The court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, turned...
US Air Travel Will Fall to a Trickle Due to Shutdown, Sean Duffy Says
WASHINGTON — U.S. flights will be reduced to "a trickle" in the run-up to the Thanksgiving holiday as the federal shutdown continues because of rising air traffic control staffing shortages, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in remarks that aired on Sunday. Major airlines were dealing with a third day of...
Trump Loyalists Push ‘Grand Conspiracy’ as New Subpoenas Land
WASHINGTON — Far-right influencers have been hinting in recent weeks that they have finally found a venue — Miami — and a federal prosecutor — Jason A. Reding Quiñones — to pursue long-promised charges of a “grand conspiracy” against President Donald Trump’s adversaries. Their theory of the case, still unsupported...
How Wolves Like Trump, Putin, and Musk Dominate Us
I feel as if I’ve spent large parts of my life reading dreary studies on authoritarian personalities. These are written by people like me, who despise authoritarianism, and they are filled with the familiar psychological diagnoses. The authoritarian comes from a loveless home; he is a bully driven by secret...
Merced County DUI Arrest Follows ATV Crash After CHP Pursuit
A man was arrested in Winton after leading a California Highway Patrol officer on a short ATV pursuit while under the influence, authorities said Saturday. According to the CHP Merced office, an officer spotted a Yamaha ATV traveling south on Winton Way near Bobbie Avenue and attempted a traffic stop....
Prop. 50 Could Nudge Merced and Stanislaus Counties to the Political Left, Experts Say
Voters in Stanislaus and Merced counties showed less enthusiasm for Proposition 50 than elsewhere in California – to no one’s surprise. As of Nov. 6, voters throughout the Golden State were embracing the redistricting initiative by nearly 64%, potentially making it easier for Democrats to pick up more U.S. House seats in...
Need a Little Sunshine? This Puppy Is Looking to Brighten Your Life
Sunshine, a 5-month-old terrier mix with a name that fits her personality, is looking for her forever home after bouncing back from a tough start. The 12-pound pup was rescued by animal control after being hit by a car, leaving her with a broken leg that required surgery and six...
Fresno Council Votes to Fast-Track Housing. Does Plan Hamstring Oversight?
Decision-making power over housing projects lay at the core of a months-long dispute between Fresno City Councilmembers who say they want to make infill housing easier but also want to maintain control over where the projects go. A 4-3 vote on Thursday gave city staff the ability to approve certain...
Tornado in Southern Brazil Kills Six, Injures Hundreds
A tornado accompanied by strong winds and heavy rain struck the southern Brazilian state of Parana, killing six people, the state government said on Saturday. The town of Rio Bonito do Iguacu was hit hardest late Friday, with the state's civil defense agency reporting that over half of the urban...
US Forces Working With Israel on Gaza Aid, Israeli Official Says
JERUSALEM — U.S. forces are taking part in overseeing and coordinating aid transfer into the Gaza Strip together with Israel as part of U.S. President Donald Trump's ceasefire plan, an Israeli security official said on Saturday. The Washington Post on Friday reported that the U.S.-led Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) will...