Gov. Gavin Newsom's decree that by 2035 all new cars sold in California must be powered by batteries or other zero-emission systems has received a double dose of legal and political support. Last Friday the U.S. Supreme Court blocked an effort by red states to declare California's zero-emission mandate unconstitutional....
Only $20K More to Bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to Fresno
Fresno is one step closer to launching Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, with $380,000 raised toward the program that aims to provide free books to children from birth to age five. On Thursday, Fresno City Councilmember Tyler Maxwell and County Supervisor Brian Pacheco announced $73,000 in new funding, leaving just $20,000...
Jeffrey Sachs Warns of Looming US War With Iran
In a recent interview, renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs outlined his concerns about the possibility of war with Iran, framing it as the culmination of decades of U.S. foreign policy shaped by Israeli influence. Sachs pointed to the so-called “Clean Break” strategy, a 1996 plan championed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin...
Cat House on the Kings Urgently Needs You to Donate Dollars and Adopt Your New Best Friend
The Cat House on the Kings, California's largest no-cage, no-kill, and lifetime cat sanctuary based in Parlier, is urgently calling for donor support and new adoptive families. Cat House reports that this year there have been fewer adoptions even though the number of kittens, cats, and dogs (yes, Cat House...
The Surprising Sexual Politics of Nicole Kidman’s Kinky ‘Babygirl’
It has been a ghastly year for American women — at least those of us who are not looking forward to being ruled by a claque of cartoon chauvinists — but a pretty rich year for women in the movies. One of 2024’s biggest hits featured an unfairly maligned woman...
Why It’s Hard to Control What Gets Taught in Public Schools
But in a climate of extraordinary political scrutiny on the curriculum, many teachers say those efforts have little influence on how they run their classrooms. “I do business as usual,” said Derek Collins, a middle and high school social studies teacher in Roff, Oklahoma. And in El Paso, Texas, Daniel...
FDA Approves Weight-Loss Drug to Treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea
The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved the weight-loss drug Zepbound to treat obstructive sleep apnea. It is the first prescription medication approved to treat the common sleep disorder. The drug’s maker, Eli Lilly, announced that the agency authorized Zepbound for people with obesity and moderate to severe obstructive...
In a Calendar Rarity, Hanukkah Starts This Year on Christmas Day
Hanukkah, Judaism's eight-day Festival of Lights, begins this year on Christmas Day, which has only happened four times since 1900. For some rabbis, the intersection of the two religious holidays provides an auspicious occasion for interfaith engagement. "This can be a profound opportunity for learning and collaboration and togetherness," said...
A Look at the $100 Billion in Disaster Relief in the Government Spending Bill
WASHINGTON — Congress is allocating more than $100 billion in emergency aid designed to address extensive damage caused by disasters after this week's scramble to find consensus on a government spending bill. The money comes after back-to-back hurricanes — Helene and Milton — slammed into the southeastern United States this...
It’s Eggnog Season. The Boozy Beverage Dates Back to Medieval England but Remains a Holiday Hit
SAN FRANCISCO — At Scoma's Restaurant in San Francisco, this holiday season's batch of eggnog began 11 months ago. The process typically starts in late January, just after the previous year's celebrations are over. Nearly a thousand egg yolks, gallons upon gallons of heavy cream and roughly $1,000 worth of...