U.S. consumer sentiment softened in August as households anticipated higher goods prices because of import tariffs. The University of Michigan's Surveys of Consumers on Friday said its Consumer Sentiment Index dropped to 58.6 this month from a final reading of 61.7 in July. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the...
Far-Right Israeli Minister Pays Surprise Visit to Jailed Palestinian Leader
TEL AVIV — Israel's far-right national security minister visited prominent Palestinian Marwan Barghouti in jail and told him "you will not win", a video showed on Friday, a day after another hardline cabinet member vowed to "bury" the idea of a Palestinian state. Security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir shared the video...
Trump Heads to ‘High Stakes’ Alaska Summit With Putin on Ukraine
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE/MOSCOW — Donald Trump headed to Alaska on Friday for what he called a "high stakes" summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin to discuss a ceasefire deal for Ukraine to help end the deadliest war in Europe since World War Two. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was not...
Tulare Stolen Vehicle Chase Injures Pedestrian, Two Drivers
Three people were hospitalized after the driver of a stolen vehicle led police on a chase and crashed into a building, the Tulare Police Department said Thursday. A patrol officer received an alert about the possible stolen car. By the time dispatch confirmed the report, the driver had temporarily eluded...
Fresno Council Approves Simple Name for Park, New HQ for Cops
Brandon Vang's bland plan to name a new park Southeast Fresno Sports Complex won approval from his Fresno City Council colleagues Thursday on a 6-1 vote. The park — on Peach Avenue north of Church Avenue — is set to open next year. Miguel Arias voted no. "This is more...
Clovis Unified Tells Staff It Won’t Interfere With Teachers Unionization Bid
On Wednesday, Clovis Unified teachers gathered from across the district to hear a live broadcast from administration saying that they will not interfere with unionization efforts. As part of an order from the quasi-judicial Public Employment Relations Board, the district broadcast to certificated staff assurances that, among other things, they...
Former Madera County Correctional Officer Gets 224 Years for Sexually Assaulting Inmates
A former correctional officer at the Central California Women’s Facility in Madera was sentenced Thursday to 224 years in prison for sexually assaulting nine female inmates, the Madera County District Attorney's Office said. Greg Rodriguez was convicted by a Madera County jury on 64 counts of sexual assault, the office...
Barry Bonds Beats the Babe! Statistical Model Crowns a New ‘Greatest’ in Baseball
Every sport has its arguments over which player was the greatest, but no sport takes the debate as seriously as baseball does. It is a game informed by an obsession with statistics, such that passions are often checked by numbers: How could anyone love a player with such a miserable on-base...
Californians to Vote on Mid-Decade Redistricting in November, Newsom Says
California will hold a Nov. 4 special election on proposed new congressional maps, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday, calling the move a direct response to Republican-led mid-decade redistricting efforts in Texas, ABC News reported. Newsom said the plan, if approved by voters, would allow California to redraw maps in 2026,...
Sanger Police Arrest 1 for DUI, Issue 30 Citations at Wednesday Checkpoint
A DUI checkpoint in Sanger screened 496 vehicles Wednesday night, resulting in 62 traffic stops, police said. Officers issued 30 citations, including 25 for unlicensed drivers and four for suspended licenses, according to the Sanger Police Department. One driver was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, and two...