The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Monday to hear Mississippi's defense of a state law challenged by Republicans that allows a five-day grace period for mail-in ballots received after Election Day to be counted, a case that could lead to stricter voting rules around the country. The justices took up...
Man Injured in Shooting Outside Madera Supermarket
A man was hospitalized Saturday evening after being shot in the parking lot of the Rancho San Miguel Supermarket in Madera, police said. Officers arrived to find an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the Madera...
Wall Street Gains as Hopes of Government Reopening Bolster Sentiment
Wall Street's main indexes gained on Monday, following signs of progress in Washington to end a record government shutdown that has stalled economic data releases and intensified concerns over the state of the economy. On Sunday, senators advanced a House-passed bill in a procedural vote that will be amended to...
US Supreme Court Rejects Bid to Overturn Same-Sex Marriage Right
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...