A judge in Visalia ruled that a group of physicians in Tulare cannot prevent an abortion clinic from opening in their office complex. The ruling has profound implications for the abortion debate in California, and it furthers the state’s dismissive approach to the public health crisis facing women seeking prenatal...
What Sacramento Still Doesn’t Get About UC Merced
The misleading and misguided op-ed “UC Merced turns 20 years old yet remains California’s awkward stepchild” details a recent report from Sacramento that paints UC Merced as the black sheep of the UC system, lacking in economic impact and demanding too much aid. But what Sacramento bureaucrats and a CalMatters...
Welding is a Way Back to School for California Kids Who Regularly Ditch Classes
Brent Tuttle has taught welding for 24 years to more than 3,000 students. He says California high schools should offer more classes like his, training students in trades rather than steering them all toward college. Shop courses can help turn around students who are absent or disengaged from school, he...
Did You Know Fresno County Doesn’t Have a Tax Assessor?
In this festive season, as I gather with friends and acquaintances, discussion inevitably centers on what I do not do as Assessor, which is the one thing almost everybody thinks I do — I do not collect taxes! The person responsible for collecting taxes has a very intuitive title: the...
Congress Can Give Us Clean Affordable Energy in 2025
Lighting up the darkness and giving gifts to children are beloved parts of most of our winter holiday traditions. We have the opportunity to give a collective gift of clean, reliable, and affordable light and power to all the children in our country. Right now, the slow and outdated permitting...
Trump Victory Will Lead to New Battles in California’s ‘Water Wars’
California has been lately in the business of blowing up dams. So a decision to actually raise one is big news. In a deal approved by eight water agencies as well as the federal government, the San Luis Reservoir between Gilroy and Los Banos, the fifth-largest reservoir in the state,...
DOGE Is a Promising Step Toward Federal Efficiency: Fareed Zakaria
The proposed "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) by Donald Trump, to be led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, has sparked interest despite its misleading name. This non-governmental advisory body aims to streamline federal regulations, which span more than 180,000 pages. However, achieving significant spending cuts may prove challenging. As...
How About an Honest Conversation About the Range of Light Monument Proposal?
It sometimes seems that we have lost the ability to truly communicate with one another. It is not so much what we say to one another, but how we listen. Even friends can find it difficult to hear opposing views from each other. But the outcome can be rich if...
Fresno Unified Reform Is a Must. Force It With a ‘No’ on Measure H.
Voters have backed more than $1 billion in Fresno Unified construction bonds since 1995 in the belief that new and updated facilities would enhance student learning. However, the record shows this investment has not significantly improved student achievement or fulfilled the district’s goal of graduating high percentages of young men...
FUSD’s Easy Credit Recovery Classes Don’t Square With Measure H Bond Claims
When an election is just two few weeks away, one thing is certain: Political ads stuff your mailbox. The ads all follow the same playbook. They portray candidates in the best possible light, and they all make promises about what will happen should these candidates win. School districts that seek...