California Attorney General Rob Bonta sees a constitutional crisis looming as lawsuits play out over the Trump administration's boundary-testing executive orders, but the Democrat so far believes the country has not passed that threshold. A crisis would require "a blatant, egregious failure to comply with a clear court order" by...
With Fresno Budget $20 Million in the Red, Belts Tighten at City Hall
Fresno is facing a $20 million budget shortfall, city officials said in a mid-year budget report to the city council on Thursday. And, it could get worse. There is no more federal rescue dollars to help with the budget anymore, City Manager Georgeanne White said. "Unless the federal government comes...
Humpback Whale Briefly Swallows Kayaker — All Captured on Video
PUNTA ARENAS, Chile — A humpback whale briefly swallowed a kayaker off Chilean Patagonia before quickly releasing him unharmed. The incident, caught on camera, quickly went viral. Last Saturday, Adrián Simancas was kayaking with his father, Dell, in Bahía El Águila near the San Isidro Lighthouse in the Strait of...
California Braces for Rain as Winter Storm Causes Massive Pileup
LOS ANGELES — Snow and ice in whiteout conditions contributed to a pileup of more than 100 cars on a major highway connecting Oregon and Idaho, reportedly injuring several people, as a winter storm descended on the Pacific Northwest Thursday. To the south, Southern California braced for heavy rains accompanying...
State Dept. Halts $400M Tesla Armored Vehicle Plan
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The State Department had been in talks with Elon Musk's Tesla company to buy armored electric vehicles, but the plans have been put on hold by the Trump administration after reports emerged about a potential $400 million purchase. A State Department spokesperson said the electric car...
Fresno Sub Teacher’s Immigration Queries of Students Spark Board Meeting Outrage
Community members on Wednesday night called for the removal of a Fresno Unified substitute teacher who was recorded questioning students’ immigration status. Members of the public called for the teacher's firing at the School Board meeting. Expressing disappointment, they demanded that the substitute Spanish teacher — identified as Craig Cleveland...
Southern California Braces for Storm Damage in Wildfire Areas
LOS ANGELES — A large swath of California was bracing Thursday for an intense bout of rain that could lead to flooding and cause debris flows in areas recently burned by wildfires. The Southern California regions scorched by flames last month were of particular concern because the soil in those...
Trump’s Pick for Education Chief Outlines Plan to Dismantle Department
WASHINGTON — Linda McMahon on Thursday sketched out how key functions of the Education Department could be carved up to achieve President Donald Trump's goal of dismantling the agency, vowing to "reorient" the department while continuing some of its largest programs. At her confirmation hearing, McMahon said she would preserve...
Trump Orders Mass Layoffs of Federal Probationary Workers, Warns More to Come
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Thursday intensified its sweeping efforts to shrink the size of the federal workforce, the nation's largest employer, by ordering agencies to lay off nearly all probationary employees who had not yet gained civil service protection — potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of workers. In...
Two Students Injured in School Bus Crash Near Madera
Two students suffered minor injuries Thursday morning in a crash involving a Golden Valley Unified School District bus, according to the California Highway Patrol. The three-vehicle collision occurred around 7:18 a.m. at the intersection of Avenue 12 and Road 32. Authorities said a 2014 Kenworth semi-truck skidded while attempting to...