A former Porterville Military Academy teacher was sentenced to 13 years and 8 months in prison Friday for child molestation involving a 14-year-old victim, the Tulare County District Attorney's Office said in a statement. James Van Norton, 46, was found guilty on Sept. 26, 2024, of three felony counts of...
Californians Split on Trump, Newsom, and the State’s Future
A new PPIC Statewide Survey conducted Feb. 4–11, 2025, reveals a divided outlook on national and state issues. 30% of Californians and 33% of likely voters approve of President Donald Trump's job performance, echoing approval levels from his first term. About 39% of adults and 47% of likely voters believe...
NPR’s Tamara Keith: Trump Shouldn’t Pick the White House Press Corps
Valley Public Radio and a host of nonprofits brought National Public Radio's Tamara Keith — a Hanford native — to talk about her experience as the senior White House correspondent and former president of the White House Correspondents' Association. Keith served as president of the association in 2022 and 2023....
Trump Cuts Short Talks With Ukraine’s Zelenskyy After Oval Office Blow Up
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump shouted at Ukraine's leader on Friday during an extraordinary meeting in the Oval Office, berating President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for “gambling with millions of lives” and suggesting his actions could trigger World War III. Zelenskyy then abruptly left the White House without signing a critical minerals...
Sen. Scott Wiener Exits X, Calls It a ‘Garbage Fire’
In the past few months, some Democratic state legislators have joined the reported exodus of users on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter. These include Assemblymembers Tina McKinnor of Inglewood, Marc Berman of Palo Alto and Akilah Weber Pierson of San Diego. The most recent is Sen....
Microsoft Shutting Down Skype in May
REDMOND, Wash. — Microsoft is closing down Skype, the video-calling service it bought for $8.5 billion in 2011. The tech giant said Friday it will retire Skype in May and shift some of its services to Microsoft Teams, its flagship videoconferencing platform. Skype users will be able to use their...
Pending US Home Sales Slide to All-Time Low in January on Rates, Prices, Maybe Weather
Pending home sales in the United States slid to an all-time low in January as high mortgage rates, record-high home prices, and possibly the terrible weather last month hindered those seeking to buy. The National Association of Realtors said Thursday that its Pending Home Sales Index, which is an indicator...
Volunteers Use Bullhorns and Sirens to Warn Immigrants When ICE Is in Their Area
LOS ANGELES — Just before dawn, 10 people met at a parking lot shared by a laundromat and coffee shop in South Central Los Angeles on what has become a daily mission: Look for immigration officers and warn people of their presence to try to prevent arrests. Bullhorns and sirens...
Lakers Hold Off Timberwolves to Win Fourth Straight Game
LOS ANGELES — LeBron James had 33 points and 17 rebounds and the Los Angeles Lakers won their fourth straight game, holding off the Minnesota Timberwolves 111-102 on Thursday night. Austin Reeves added 23 points and Luka Doncic had 21 points and 13 rebounds to help the Lakers improve to...
Zelenskyy Seeks US Security Backing Amid Landmark Economic Deal
WASHINGTON — Ukraine's leader is meeting with President Donald Trump on Friday at a pivotal moment for his country, as he tries to persuade the White House to provide some form of U.S. backing for Ukraine's security against any future Russian aggression. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's delegation is expected to sign...