Opinion by Michelle Cottle on Dec. 30, 2024. The 2024 political scene is ending where it began, with Donald Trump at center stage. No presidential contender has ever had a year like his: $350 million in court-ordered payments in a civil fraud case, $83.3 million in a defamation case, 34...
US Senator’s Son Gets 28 Years for Car Chase That Killed Sheriff’s Deputy
The son of Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., was sentenced to 28 years in prison Monday in connection with a high-speed car chase that ended with a crash that killed a sheriff’s deputy last year. Ian Cramer, 43, led police on a highway pursuit Dec. 6, 2023, after speeding away from...
Going Out on New Year’s Eve Night? Dense Fog Expected in Fresno and Clovis
If you haven't already lined up your designated driver for New Year's Eve partying, you'll want to find someone who can navigate in dense fog. That's the forecast tonight for the Fresno and Clovis areas, which are seeing more fog because this side of the Valley was more rain-soaked by...
Nearly All of Puerto Rico Is Without Power on New Year’s Eve
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A blackout hit nearly all of Puerto Rico early Tuesday as the U.S. territory prepared to celebrate New Year’s, leaving more than 1.3 million clients in the dark. Officials said it could take up to two days to restore power. The outage hit at dawn,...
Collector With a Heart Returns Stolen Rocket to Merced’s Kiddieland
A rocket-shaped ride car that was stolen this month from a beloved Merced amusement park has been returned, thanks to a local collector who stepped forward. On Friday, officials at Kiwanis Club of Greater Merced reported the car had been stolen from one of the rides at Kiddieland, which the...
NFL Playoff Guide: Bracket Much Clearer With 1 Week Left in Regular Season
It's Week 18 of the NFL season, which means just one more weekend remains before postseason action begins. The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and star quarterback Patrick Mahomes look like a formidable opponent once again and have already clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC...
Gonzaga Men’s Basketball Team Jet Ordered to Stop to Avoid LAX Collision
LOS ANGELES — The Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation after a private jet carrying the Gonzaga University men's basketball team nearly crossed a runway as another flight was taking off Friday at Los Angeles International Airport. 🚨 “STOP STOP STOP!” LAX ATC urgently called out to a Key...
Russian Missile and Drone Attack on Ukraine Hits Multiple Targets, Including Kyiv
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia launched an aerial attack on Ukraine on Tuesday, striking the capital and other regions with multiple missiles and drones. Ukraine's air force reported a ballistic missile threat at 3:00 a.m. (0100 GMT), with at least two explosions heard in Kyiv minutes later. Another missile alert was...
Running a Marathon a Day in 2024, She Has a World Record Within Her Grasp
GHENT, Belgium — Finally coming to a halt on Tuesday — the last day of 2024 — Belgian ultra runner Hilde Dosogne felt she had done all to take the world record as the first woman to run a marathon every single day of the year. Weary but seemingly far...
In Gaza’s Crowded Tent Camps, Women Wrestle With a Life Stripped of Privacy
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza City — For Gaza's women, the hardships of life in the territory's sprawling tent camps are compounded by the daily humiliation of never having privacy. Women struggle to dress modestly while crowded into tents with extended family members, including men, and with strangers only steps away in...