UNITED NATIONS — His leadership strained by conflicts on two fronts, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told world leaders at the United Nations on Friday that his nation will "continue degrading Hezbollah" until achieving its goals along the Lebanon border, further dimming hopes for an internationally backed cease-fire to halt...
University of Wisconsin Fires Former Porn-Making Chancellor Who Wanted Stay on as a Professor
MADISON, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents voted unanimously Friday to fire a communications professor who was seeking to retain tenure after his dismissal as chancellor of one of the system's campuses for making pornographic films. Joe Gow, who had served as chancellor of UW-La Crosse for...
California to Apologize for State’s Legacy of Racism Against Black Americans Under New Law
SACRAMENTO — California will formally apologize for slavery and its lingering effects on Black Americans in the state under a new law Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Thursday. The legislation was part of a package of reparations bills introduced this year that seek to offer repair for decades of policies that...
Shohei Ohtani Heads to 1st Postseason After Dodgers Clinch NL West by Rallying Past Padres
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani is headed to the postseason for the first time in his career after the Los Angeles Dodgers won the NL West on Thursday night by scoring five runs in the seventh inning in a 7-2 win over the second-place San Diego Padres. The Japanese superstar...
Most Kings County Well Owners Will Soon Have to Meter and Register Wells Under Local Rules
Most Kings County farmers will begin metering and registering their wells by the end of this year even though a court order is holding those exact same requirements by the state at bay pending the outcome of a lawsuit. The state Water Resources Control Board had tried to impose well...
Porterville Teacher Found Guilty of Child Molestation
James Van Norton, 45, was convicted Thursday of child molestation charges, according to the Tulare County District Attorney's Office. A jury found him guilty of three felony counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and 13 felony counts of lewd acts upon a child aged 14. The offenses occurred between August 2018...
Valley Lawmakers Get Newsom’s Signature on Green Energy, School Safety, Farmworker Bills
Assemblymembers Esmeralda Soria, Devon Mathis, and Joaquin Arambula, along with Sen. Anna Caballero, are celebrating legislative wins with Gov. Gavin Newsom's signature on bills they authored. Ranging from school safety to green energy to farmworker housing and human trafficking, the bills represent different efforts from Central Valley lawmakers. Newsom has...
Fresno Fire Dept. Seeks Public’s Help in Arson Investigation
The Fresno Fire Department is asking for help from the community to identify a suspect linked to a series of arsons that occurred early Wednesday morning. Between 2 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., multiple city-owned trash cans were set ablaze in the downtown area, a fire department spokesman said in a...
Biden Administration Tightens Border Security with Stricter Asylum Rules
President Biden's administration is preparing to solidify asylum restrictions at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to a recent CBS News report. The planned regulation would make it significantly more challenging to lift the strict rules implemented this summer. In June, Biden issued a proclamation that effectively halted asylum processing for most...
More Deadly Than Wind, Storm Surge From Hurricane Helene Could Be Devastating
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — In 2005, Hurricane Dennis landed near the Alabama-Florida state line as a Category 3 hurricane. Far to the east, Florida's Big Bend — where Hurricane Helene is expected to come ashore — never even felt tropical storm strength winds, but it was still hit with a mass...