Tehran would restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to pre-war levels within a month in a framework deal with the U.S. to also include withdrawing U.S. forces from Iran's vicinity, Iranian state television reported on Wednesday. The report said the U.S. would end a naval blockade of Iranian shipping,...
Mortgage Rate Rises to Nine-Month High, Worsening Affordability Again
The rate on the most popular U.S. residential real estate loan hit a nine-month high last week in another blow to home-ownership affordability, as the Iran war kept oil prices elevated, fueling inflation concerns and pushing up benchmark U.S. Treasury yields. The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose 9 basis points...
Kings County Water Agency Hires New Manager, More Changes Ahead
The Kings County Water District Board approved hiring a new general manager a month after firing its longtime manager of 12 years. The district hired Madalyn Vieira with an annual salary of $155,000 at its May 21 special board meeting. Vieira is expected to start on Wednesday, May 27. “She...
FBI Still Searching for Answers in California Murder Case
The FBI is continuing to seek information in the 1994 killing of a 14-year-old girl in Castro Valley, California, according to a social media post from the agency on Wednesday. On May 27, 1994, Jennifer Lin, also known as Jenny Lin, was found murdered in her home after returning from...
US Extends Temporary Protected Status for Lebanon Until November
The Trump administration will extend deportation protections and work permits for thousands of Lebanese nationals in the U.S. for six months, according to a notice posted to the Federal Register on Wednesday. Some 11,000 people from Lebanon are covered under the Temporary Protected Status designation, according to a 2024 estimate....
Trump’s Domestic Shipping Waiver Has Not Cut Gas Prices by Much, Data Shows
President Donald Trump’s waivers allowing foreign-flagged ships to move oil and fuel between U.S. ports have had little impact on high domestic gas prices due to elevated shipping rates and the relatively small fuel volumes transported so far, a Reuters analysis found. In March, Trump issued a waiver to the...
‘60 Minutes’ Journalist Who Accused CBS of Political Meddling Loses Her Deal
CBS News declined to renew its contract with “60 Minutes” correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, six months after her segment on torture in Salvadoran prisons was pulled off the air abruptly by the news division’s editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss. Alfonsi’s deal expired Saturday. She said in a phone interview that her agent’s inquiries...
Madera Police Conducting Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operation Wednesday
The Madera Police Department is conducting a traffic safety operation Wednesday focused on dangerous driving behaviors that put pedestrians and bicyclists at risk, officials said in a news release. The enforcement effort will target speeding, distracted driving such as cell phone use, illegal turns, failing to yield or provide right...
Trump Says US Not Satisfied yet on Deal With Iran
President Donald Trump on Wednesday told a cabinet meeting that Iran very much wanted to make a deal, but that the U.S. was not satisfied with it yet. "Iran is very much intent, they want very much to make a deal. So far they haven't gotten there ... we're not...
Blackjack Ban In California Receives Pause For Now
GV Wire’s Edward Smith talks with KMPH Fox 26 “Great Day” anchor Karl Cooke about a recent court ruling that will allow California blackjack rooms to continue to operate. California’s cardroom operators got the reprieve they’ve wanted after Attorney General Rob Bonta banned blackjack in the state. The court also...