This week, I will force U.S. Senate votes on two Joint Resolutions of Disapproval I have introduced to block certain offensive arms sales to Israel. These sales, proposed by the Trump Administration, would provide $8.8 billion in bombs and other munitions to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s extremist government to continue...
Why the Nation Would Be Wise to Support a Third Term Amendment for Donald Trump
“Chance Favors the Prepared Mind.” — Louis Pasteur For Donald Trump to run for a third term as president, a constitutional amendment is required. The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, states that no person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice. Because you need a...
California Seniors Are Paying the Price for Lawsuit Abuse
California’s cost of living is one of the highest in the nation. From skyrocketing housing and utility costs to rising prices for healthcare and groceries, many Californians are being forced to choose between basic necessities. Unfortunately, for California’s fastest-growing demographic group — seniors — the cost of living crisis is...
Don’t Listen to Critics. SJ River Conservancy Is Doing Its Job
The recent Fresnoland article on the proposed CEMEX mining project in Fresno County raises several important issues but misrepresents the San Joaquin River Conservancy, its role, and its capabilities. The article critiques the Conservancy for not taking a more direct stance on the mining proposal and portrays its staff and...
How California’s Wildfire Crisis Is Burning Through Your Wallet
For years, we’ve known that California is a kindling box, waiting for the next spark to ignite another catastrophic fire. Whether it’s downed power lines, dry lightning, deliberate arson, or a flat tire, which lead to the destruction of a family’s property, the threat of large-scale wildfires isn’t just a...
A Tale of Two Local Districts: Implementing the CA Classroom Cell Phone Ban
People behave in different ways, and the same can be said about school districts. Consider how Madera Unified and Fresno Unified have responded to a recent piece of legislation from Sacramento. In late September 2024 Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 3216, the Phone-Free School Act. This new law mandates that...
A Troubling Ruling by a Tulare County Judge on Abortion
A judge in Visalia ruled that a group of physicians in Tulare cannot prevent an abortion clinic from opening in their office complex. The ruling has profound implications for the abortion debate in California, and it furthers the state’s dismissive approach to the public health crisis facing women seeking prenatal...
What Sacramento Still Doesn’t Get About UC Merced
The misleading and misguided op-ed “UC Merced turns 20 years old yet remains California’s awkward stepchild” details a recent report from Sacramento that paints UC Merced as the black sheep of the UC system, lacking in economic impact and demanding too much aid. But what Sacramento bureaucrats and a CalMatters...
Welding is a Way Back to School for California Kids Who Regularly Ditch Classes
Brent Tuttle has taught welding for 24 years to more than 3,000 students. He says California high schools should offer more classes like his, training students in trades rather than steering them all toward college. Shop courses can help turn around students who are absent or disengaged from school, he...
Did You Know Fresno County Doesn’t Have a Tax Assessor?
In this festive season, as I gather with friends and acquaintances, discussion inevitably centers on what I do not do as Assessor, which is the one thing almost everybody thinks I do — I do not collect taxes! The person responsible for collecting taxes has a very intuitive title: the...
