MILWAUKEE — Bob Uecker, the voice of his hometown Milwaukee Brewers who after a short playing career earned the moniker "Mr. Baseball" and honors from the Hall of Fame, has died. He was 90. The team announced Uecker died Thursday morning, calling it "one of the most difficult days in...
US Retail Sales Rose Modestly Last Month Amid Solid Holiday Shopping, Boosting Economy
Americans stepped up their spending at retail stores and restaurants last month in a clear sign that consumers are still able and willing to shop. Retail sales rose 0.4% in December from the previous month, the Commerce Department said Thursday, though down from November's upwardly revised 0.8% gain. Low Unemployment...
Some Immigrants Are Already Leaving the US in ‘Self-Deportations’ as Trump’s Threats Loom
TRACY — Michel Bérrios left the United States a few days before the new year, giving President-elect Donald Trump's campaign for mass deportations a small victory before they even started. A former leader of a Nicaraguan student uprising, Bérrios had been in the U.S. legally, with nearly a year remaining...
Madera County Former Correctional Officer Found Guilty of 64 Sexual Assault Charges
A former correctional officer at the Central California Women’s Facility in Madera County has been convicted of a staggering 64 counts of sexual assault involving nine female inmates, the Madera County District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday. Greg Rodriguez was found guilty by a Madera County jury. Rodriguez will be sentenced...
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody Is Chosen To Fill Marco Rubio’s Open Senate Seat
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody will take Marco Rubio ’s seat in the U.S. Senate, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday, making Moody only the second woman to represent Florida in the chamber. Elected as the state’s top law enforcement officer in 2018, Moody campaigned on a pledge...
Trump’s Outsider Cabinet Picks Are Rapidly Gaining Support for Confirmation
WASHINGTON — One by one, all the president-elect’ s men, and women, are falling into place in his Cabinet. While Defense Secretary pick Pete Hegseth's nomination was teetering toward collapse just weeks ago, he now appears on track for confirmation after a fiery Senate hearing that focused on his drinking, views of women in combat and lack of...
Winds, Arsonists Complicate Fight Against LA-Area Wildfires as Crews Report Progress
LOS ANGELES — Firefighters reported significant gains Wednesday against the two massive wildfires burning around Los Angeles, while also extinguishing smaller blazes set by arsonists in recent days as a final round of windy, flame-fanning weather moved through Southern California. A Particularly Dangerous Situation red-flag warning expired in the afternoon,...
Raiders Widen Field for Their General Manager Search With More Interview Requests
HENDERSON, Nev. — The Las Vegas Raiders requested interviews with Los Angeles Chargers assistant GM Chad Alexander and Pittsburgh Steelers pro scouting director Sheldon White for their general manager vacancy. Those are in addition to the club's initial requests to interview Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant general manger John Spytek and...
Madera Unified Enacts Phone-Free Policy for Students
Madera Unified School District is sending students’ electronic devices to “phone jail” in compliance with California’s Phone-Free Schools Act. Five Madera Unified schools enacted a new phone-free policy on Tuesday that requires students to keep their phones locked away in a Yondr pouch. Students are required to bring their Yondr...
California Pulls Back EPA Requests for Approval to Phase Out Diesel-Powered Trains and Big Rigs
SACRAMENTO — California's efforts to limit pollution from diesel-powered trains and big rigs were stalled in anticipation of pushback from the incoming Trump administration. The California Air Resources Board said Tuesday it withdrew its requests for federal approval to implement stricter emissions rules for locomotives and semi-trucks because the U.S....