NEW YORK — Jersey Mike's, the quickly expanding sandwich chain, is being acquired by asset management giant Blackstone. In the transaction announced Tuesday, private equity funds managed by Blackstone will be used to acquire majority ownership of Jersey Mike's. The deal is "intended to help enable Jersey Mike's to accelerate...
Trump Chooses Billionaire and Key Transition Adviser Howard Lutnick for Commerce Secretary
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday...
Visalia Man Arrested for Throwing Objects on the 99, Causing Chaos
A man accused of hurling objects onto Highway 99, narrowly avoiding multiple traffic accidents, has been arrested, the Visalia Area CHP said Tuesday. On Wednesday of last week, the CHP received reports of a man running in traffic lanes near Prosperity Avenue, throwing various items — including a chair —...
New Study: Proposed Trump Tariffs Could Cost US Consumers $78 Billion a Year
A new study from the National Retail Federation warns that proposed import tariffs could significantly reduce American consumers' purchasing power by up to $78 billion annually. The study examines the impact of President-elect Donald Trump's proposed tariffs on six major consumer product categories, including apparel, toys, furniture, household appliances, footwear,...
Republican Vince Fong Won a Seat He Didn’t Want and Now Taxpayers Must Pay for a New Election
San Joaquin Valley Republican Vince Fong was on the ballot this fall for an Assembly race, but he didn't want to win it. After all, he left that job for Congress earlier this year, and he planned to stay in the nation's capital. He even went so far as to...
Hakeem Jeffries Wins Reelection as House Democratic Leader Despite Party’s Losses
WASHINGTON — House Leader Hakeem Jeffries won reelection Tuesday as the Democratic leader, receiving support from his colleagues despite the party's inability to win back majority control of the chamber in the November election. Jeffries of New York was chosen during an internal party vote of the House Democrats underway...
‘Tis the Season for Holiday Albums, From Jennifer Hudson to Toby Keith and Jimmy Fallon
NEW YORK (AP) — It's not the holiday season until the house is full of festive music, from classics to covers and reimaginations across genres, for all to enjoy. In honor of the most wonderful time of the year, here are some of the best new holiday releases for the...
Five Ways RFK Jr. Could Undermine Lifesaving Childhood Vaccines
For years, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has leveraged his famous name, his celebrity connections and his nonprofit, Children’s Health Defense, to spread misinformation about vaccines and call their safety and efficacy into question. Soon, he might have the power to go much further. If Kennedy is confirmed by the Senate...
Iran Defies International Pressure, Increasing Its Stockpile of Near Weapons-Grade Uranium, UN Says
VIENNA — Iran has defied international demands to rein in its nuclear program and has increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, according to a confidential report by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog seen Tuesday by The Associated Press. The report by the International Atomic Energy Agency...
Woman Testified That She Saw Matt Gaetz Having Sex With 17-Year-Old, Attorney Says
WASHINGTON — Two women told House Ethics Committee investigators that former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who has been tapped to be attorney general in the next Trump administration, paid them for sex, and one of the women testified she saw him having sex with a 17-year-old, according to an attorney for...