Talk about perfect timing. While the Trump administration tries to broke a cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine, a leading expert on Vladimir Putin and international relations will speak in Fresno. Michael A. McFaul, who served the U.S. ambassador to Russia under President Barack Obama, will appear Wednesday morning at Valley...
Fresno Woman Killed in Early Morning Pedestrian Crash
A pedestrian using a walker was struck and killed early Saturday in a dark stretch near Clinton and Bond avenues, according to the California Highway Patrol. The crash happened around 5:30 a.m. east of Bond Street, when a westbound Toyota Avalon hit the woman in the roadway, CHP said. The...
Clovis Money Dispute Leads to Pistol-Whipping, SWAT Callout
A dispute over money between acquaintances escalated into a violent confrontation overnight, prompting the Clovis Police Department's Tactical Operations Unit to respond. Just before 9 p.m. on Sunday, officers were dispatched to a residence near Clovis and Shaw avenues for reports of a robbery and possible kidnapping. Investigators later determined...
Putin and Trump Will Speak on Tuesday About the War in Ukraine
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday in a possible pivot point in efforts to end the war in Ukraine and an opportunity for Trump to continue reorienting American foreign policy. Trump disclosed the upcoming conversation to reporters while flying from Florida...
Clovis Father Arrested After Road Rage Shooting, SWAT Standoff With Child in Car
A road rage shooting in Clovis late Thursday night led to a SWAT operation and the arrest of a suspect early Friday, the Clovis Police Department said. The incident began around 11 p.m. when officers responded to reports of gunfire near Fowler and Ashlan avenues. Investigators determined that an altercation...
What’s Next for Mahmoud Khalil? A Fight to Keep His Case in New York.
The first legal battle for Mahmoud Khalil, the recent Columbia University graduate who was arrested and moved to Louisiana last week, is the fight to keep his case in New York. The issue may seem minor compared with the First Amendment concerns raised by the arrest of Khalil, a legal...
Social Security Employees Warn of Damage From DOGE
When Eleanor H., 66, called the Social Security Administration last month seeking details about her retirement benefits, she didn’t expect to comfort the representative who answered. The woman started sobbing. “I asked her what was wrong, and she said she and her co-workers were informed by email to accept a...
Schumer Postpones Book Tour Amid Backlash to Voting With Republicans
WASHINGTON — Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the minority leader, on Monday postponed a multicity tour to promote his forthcoming book, citing security concerns amid backlash to his decision to vote with Republicans for a stopgap spending bill to stave off a government shutdown. Schumer was scheduled to participate in promotional...
Democracy Is on the Line in Israel and America Right Now
Are we seeing the slow-motion collapse of the rule of law in the United States and Israel at the same time? It is too early to answer that question, but it is no longer too early to ask it. As readers of my column know, I pay close attention to political...
Will Fresno EOC Board Order Forensic Audit of Troubled Finances?
The Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission board of directors is scheduled to vote Monday evening on awarding a contract for a forensic audit to delve into the agency's deficit spending and depletion of reserves in recent years. Interim CEO Brian Angus had recommended that the audit focus on three areas —...