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...
Fresno Chain Sequoia Brewing Closing All Three Restaurants
Sequoia Brewing Co. announced on its Facebook page Thursday it will close all three locations. A restaurant worker confirmed that Sunday would be the last day for the Fresno and Visalia brewpubs. "My run of 27 years at the brewery has come to and end," said head bartender Eric Buterbaugh...
250 Fresno Unified Bus Driver Jobs at Risk, Teachers Fear 12% Pay Cuts
SEIU Local 521 held a news conference Wednesday to address two emerging issues at Fresno Unified School District: the elimination of the Designated Schools program and the district's ongoing bid process for bus services. In 2013-14, Fresno Unified and the Teacher’s Association created Article 65, allowing 40 schools to add...
CA Schools Still Fall Behind Despite Big Increases in Spending
As academic researchers continue to explore what happened to public education during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, they are confirming the harsh reality of decline in such basic skills as reading and mathematics. California's schools are no exception, as the latest data from the Education Recovery Scorecard, a collaborative project...
Trump Wants Denuclearization Talks With Russia and China, Hopes for Defense Spending Cuts
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday that he wants to restart nuclear arms control talks with Russia and China and that eventually he hopes all three countries could agree to cut their massive defense budgets in half. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump lamented the hundreds of...
Kern County Baker Can’t Refuse Wedding Cake for Lesbian Couple: Court
A Kern County baker violated California law when she refused to sell a cake to a lesbian couple for their wedding, a state appeals court ruled this week in a suit brought by the state's Civil Rights Division. If the scenario sounds familiar, that's because it's central to a series...
With Grove Terming Out, Maher Announces State Senate Bid
Fresno County businessman Michael Maher said Thursday that he's running for the California 12th Senate District seat that will become vacant when Shannon Grove terms out next year. Maher, a Republican who lost two bids to unseat Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno) in Congress, cited his experience as an FBI special...