After losing a Central Valley congressional seat in 2024, the National Republican Congressional Committee wants it back. Democrats, meanwhile, want to defend their Valley seats while also ousting David Valadao, the resilient Kings County Republican who has won election to Congress six of the seven times he's run. Given that...
Fresno Fraud Case: Accountant Indicted for $1 Million Theft, Illegal Re-Entry
A federal grand jury has indicted a Mexican citizen residing in Fresno on charges of bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and illegal re-entry of a removed person, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. The indictment, returned on Feb. 27 and unsealed following the arrest of Sergio Zacarias Lopez, 57, on...
How Trump’s Tariffs Affect US Farmers
Retaliatory tariffs are hitting U.S. farmers hard, particularly in states that voted for Trump. Ana Swanson, an Iowa native who covers trade and international economics for The New York Times, explains how retaliatory measures from countries like China and Canada affect the agriculture industry and what it means for the...
In Rush to Release Kennedy Files, Personal Information Went Public, Too
In the 64,000 pages of documents released this week regarding the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy, there appeared to be no redactions, those blacked-out sections that typically dot sensitive material, even once it is declassified, to mask confidential or compromising data. Critics said that failure was evidence of...
Lobbyists Are a Growth Industry in Politically Complex California
This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. In the late 1990s, the late Jay Michael and I coauthored a book, published by the University of California, that explored why and how interest groups employ lobbyists to represent them in Sacramento. Michael was a retired lobbyist...
California Convicted Murderer Kills Wife During Conjugal Visit
A convicted killer serving a life sentence for four Los Angeles County murders killed his wife during a conjugal visit at a Northern California prison, authorities said. David Brinson, 54, killed his wife, Stephanie Brinson, 62, in November at Mule Creek State Prison in Ione, the Amador County Sheriff’s Office...
Will California Finally Exempt Veterans’ Retirement Income From Taxes?
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. California is the only state that doesn't allow any tax exemptions on military retirement income. New bills aim to do that, but analysts say the financial incentive may be too small to get veterans to stay in California....
Report Finds That Stanford Football Coach Mistreated Female Staff Members
STANFORD — Stanford football coach Troy Taylor mistreated female staff members and tried to have an NCAA compliance officer removed after she warned him of rules violations, according to documents obtained by ESPN from investigations into Taylor's conduct. ESPN said more than 20 current and former staffers cooperated with the...
NBA Champion Boston Celtics to Be Sold for a Record $6.1 Billion
The Boston Celtics are being sold for what would be a record-setting initial valuation of $6.1 billion to a group led by Symphony Technology Group managing partner William Chisholm, the sides said Thursday. Record-Breaking Sale in U.S. Sports History The sale — if approved by the NBA's board of governors...
Thanks to Ohtani, MLB Enjoys Huge Success in Japan as 2025 Season Kicks Off
TOKYO — There was the crack of Shohei Ohtani's bat, the roars from the Tokyo Dome crowd and the beeps from the credit card machines at the massive merchandise center selling boatloads of Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs gear. It all must have been music to the ears of...