WASHINGTON — Republicans' decision to abandon a congressional spending plan will cost troops their paychecks over the holidays unless some agreement is reached before Friday's deadline to prevent a government shutdown, the Pentagon warned. Even if they don't get paid, those troops will be required to report for duty both...
Chinese National Charged With Acting as Beijing’s Agent in Local California Election
WASHINGTON — A Chinese national was arrested Thursday on charges of acting as an illegal agent for Beijing when serving as the campaign manager for an unnamed politician elected to a city council in Southern California two years ago. The arrest of Yaoning "Mike" Sun, 64, came at a time...
CA Lemon Law Will Provide Car Buyers Fewer Protections in 2025
The year 2025 is shaping up to be a confusing one for Californians unlucky enough to buy a new or used car that turns out to be a clunker. Starting Jan. 1, car buyers who purchase a faulty vehicle will have to navigate a new version of California's "lemon law"...
Time to Celebrate! $1M Gift Tops Off Fundraising Goal for Marjaree Mason Center
The Marjaree Mason Center announced Thursday it has received a $1 million donation from Booth Ranches and the Otis Booth Foundation, completing the $21 million fundraising goal for its new Community Resource Center, the Isnardi Foundation Building. The center, which began construction in 2018, will house the organization’s 24/7 trauma-informed...
US Deportations Surge to Highest Level in a Decade Before Trump Takes Office
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported 271,484 immigrants to nearly 200 countries during the last fiscal year, the highest number since 2014, according to ICE’s annual report released Thursday, The Washington Post reported. Most of the deportees had crossed the U.S. southern border illegally, driven by poverty, violence, and economic...
Kings County Man Arrested in Child Molestation Case Identified
A Kings County man was arrested on multiple charges of child molestation after allegedly targeting minors through Instagram, the Kings County Sheriff's Office said in a Thursday statement. Juan Zaragoza Bravo, 20, used social media to contact children, offering drugs and paraphernalia to build trust before initiating sexually explicit conversations,...
Usyk vs. Fury 2: How to Watch and Betting Odds for Heavyweight Title Rematch
RIYADH — The rematch is days away. Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury will go at it again on Saturday night in Saudi Arabia. Usyk won a split decision the first time and became boxing's first undisputed heavyweight champion in 24 years. Since then, Usyk gave up the IBF title now...
A Civil War in Selma? Problems Exist with Seating New Council
Selma voters re-elected their mayor and elected two new councilmembers on Nov. 5. However, questions about when they can be seated — or if they've already been sworn in — have led to a change of city attorneys, allegations of illegal meetings, and action from police. The growing Fresno County...
Visalia Police Seek Public’s Help in Finding Missing At-Risk Man
Authorities are searching for a 72-year-old Visalia man who has been missing since leaving his home Wednesday night. Manuel Ignacio Mendoza, who suffers from dementia, was last seen in Delano at 9:07 p.m. that day, according to Visalia Police Department officials. Mendoza left his home around 5 p.m., driving a...
Fresno’s Enviro Issues Won’t Get in Way of New Housing: IRS Building Owner
The owners of the massive IRS facility in southeast Fresno say they're all in on new housing — and they're fully prepared to meet environmental requirements, despite the city's issues. Denver-based Range Summit Capital had originally wanted to find a use for the 520,000-square-foot building, according to a spokesperson with...