Iran will avenge the blood of its martyrs, keep the Strait of Hormuz closed and attack U.S. bases, new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday in a statement read out on state television, his first remarks since succeeding his slain father. In the defiant address, Khamenei said the United...
Fresno Jury Awards $15.4 Million in Racial Discrimination Suit
After deliberating for more than a day, an eight-person federal jury found the city of Fresno guilty of racial discrimination, awarding lead plaintiff La-Kebbia “Kiki” Wilson, who is Black, $15 million in damages on Wednesday afternoon. The jury awarded the second plaintiff, Charles Smith, who is white, $400,000. Both formerly...
Visalia Fire Hazmat Team Responds to Possible Chemical Spill
Firefighters in Visalia responded to reports of a possible unknown chemical spill Wednesday afternoon, prompting a hazardous materials response and warnings for the public to avoid the area. The Visalia Fire Department said crews were dispatched just after 2 p.m. to the area of Kelsey and Doe after receiving reports...
Visalia Lawmaker Macedo Leads Call on Newsom to Fix ‘Rampant’ Hospice Fraud
After media reports of what could be widescale fraud in Los Angeles County's hospice care network, a group of California state legislators, led by Alexandra Macedo, R-Visalia, called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to implement protective measures after years of warnings with no apparent action. They say the governor failed to...
Central Unified School Board Appoints Temporary Area 3 Trustee
The Central Unified School Board appointed district native Harmanjot Singh as the Area 3 trustee, filling the opening left by Natalie Chavez. Chavez, who became a trustee in 2024, resigned in late January due to moving out of state. In response, trustees unanimously agreed to appoint a new trustee to...
Costco Customers Sue for Share of Refunds From Trump Tariffs
Costco Wholesale was sued on Wednesday in a proposed nationwide class action seeking U.S. customer refunds for higher prices charged by the company before the U.S. Supreme Court struck down import tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. The lawsuit, filed by a Costco shopper in federal court in Illinois, seeks...
Trump Administration Estimates Iran War Cost at Over $11 Billion in Six Days, Source Says
Officials from President Donald Trump's administration estimated during a congressional briefing this week that the first six days of the war on Iran had cost the United States at least $11.3 billion, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. That figure, from a closed-door briefing for senators on...
Leading California Governor Candidates to Appear at Fresno State Forum
The election for California's next governor will run through Fresno State. The Western Growers Association has invited several candidates to a Wednesday, April 1, forum at the Resnick Student Center at Fresno State. The event starts at noon and is scheduled to last 90 minutes. Six candidates have confirmed attendance:...
Israel Pounds Beirut Suburbs After Hezbollah Fires Volley of Rockets
Israeli strikes battered Beirut's southern suburbs late on Wednesday, lighting up the city's skyline with flashes of red and setting buildings in the area aflame after Lebanese armed group Hezbollah launched a volley of rockets into northern Israel. Israel launched an offensive against Iran-backed Hezbollah after it opened fire on...
Senate Democrats Push for Answers on Strike Targeting Iran Girls’ School, Civilian Casualties
Nearly every U.S. Senate Democrat signed a letter sent to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday requesting a "swift investigation" of airstrikes on a girls' school in Iran that killed scores of children and any other potential U.S. military actions causing civilian harm. Reuters reported on March 5 that...