Now that 2025 is in the rearview mirror, several important new laws take effect this year that will have key impacts on San Joaquin Valley residents. The Merced FOCUS, with help from CalMatters Digital Democracy and EdSource, has compiled a list that includes some of the top new laws that will impact Valley...
Kern County Deputies Arrest Two in Train Burglary
Deputies from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office arrested two men Wednesday after they were found inside a storage container on a train in Keene. Ricardo Rodriguez, 47, and Juan Diaz, 41, initially barricaded themselves inside the container and refused to surrender, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies from the Mojave,...
Switzerland Freezes Assets Linked to Venezuela’s Maduro After US Arrest
Switzerland has frozen assets held in the country by Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro and associates, the Swiss government said on Monday, following his arrest by U.S. forces in Caracas and transfer to the United States. A spokesperson for the Swiss Foreign Ministry said the order affects 37 people. The spokesperson said...
Josiah Freeman Granted Another Season, Returns as Fresno State’s Top Receiver
The Bulldogs' top wide receiver is staying for one more year. On Sunday, Fresno State announced the NCAA had granted Josiah Freeman an extension. "One more time, Red Wave!!!" Freeman wrote on X. One more time RedWave!!! pic.twitter.com/tUxU6Bh4yE — Josiah Freeman 🧘🏾♂️ (@josiahfreeman12) January 4, 2026 Freeman had his best...
Meet Fresno Leaders, Innovators, Champions, and Volunteers Making a Difference
As Fresno and the Central Valley continue to wrestle with challenges ranging from housing and health care to education, food insecurity, and environmental change, a group of local leaders is quietly shaping a different future. GV Wire’s 2025 Difference Makers spotlight individuals and organizations whose work is redefining what service,...
President Nicolas Maduro Pleaded Not Guilty on Monday to Charges of Narco-Terrorism
Toppled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges of narco-terrorism after President Donald Trump's stunning capture of him rattled world leaders and left officials in Caracas scrambling to respond. Maduro, 63, pleaded not guilty in New York federal court to four criminal counts that include narco-terrorism,...
Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Chanel Cecelia Candevan
January 5, 2026 Most Wanted Person of the Day Suspect Name: Chanel Cecelia Candevan Suspects Date of Birth: August 5, 1990 Physical Description: White Female, 5’ 6, 165 lbs., Brown Hair, Hazel Eyes. Charges: Residential burglary Warrant Number: F25904048 Synopsis of the Case: Chanel Cecelia Candevan is wanted on a...
Israel Begins Strikes of Hezbollah and Hamas ‘Targets’ in Lebanon
The Israeli military on Monday began striking what it described as Hezbollah and Hamas "targets" in Lebanon after issuing evacuation orders for four villages in the country's east and south. Earlier, an Israeli military spokesperson said the military was planning strikes on what he described as Hezbollah and Hamas "military...
Fresno Police Arrest 16 Drivers on DUI Charges
Fresno police arrested 16 drivers on suspicion of driving under the influence during an enforcement operation on Saturday. Police said drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, along with a suspended driver’s license. The Fresno Police Department announced another DUI enforcement operation...
After US Strikes on Christmas, Fear Grips Muslims in Rural Nigeria
JABO, Nigeria — The three herders stood at the lip of the crescent-shaped crater in the middle of a cornfield in Jabo, northwest Nigeria, and peered down. Curiosity had led them here, to a quiet farming town in Sokoto state, after nearly a week of discussing why President Donald Trump...