Valley lawmakers are split on whether it should be a felony to purchase a 16- or 17- year-old for sex. The state Assembly heard AB 379, which has divided Democrats. Gov. Gavin Newsom was among many Democrats to support making it a felony. But leadership insisted on making changes. The anti-sex-trafficking...
Arias Criticizes Smittcamp Over Lack of Drug, Homeless Arrests
Miguel Arias has a habit of criticizing Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp while delivering his city council reports. He did so again at the Fresno City Council meeting on Thursday. While five city councilmembers stood with police for a proclamation of National Police Week and Peace Officers Memorial Day, Arias...
Tulare County Man Convicted of Child Molestation, Faces 16 Years in Prison
A Pixley man was convicted this week of child molestation, prosecutors announced. Justin Mills, 36, was found guilty Tuesday of six felony counts of committing lewd acts upon a child under the age of 14, the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office said. The jury also determined that some of the...
California Democrats Reject Push for Harsher Penalties for Soliciting Sex From Older Teens
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Democrats rejected a Republican-backed effort Thursday to advance a policy to increase penalties for soliciting and buying sex from 16- and 17-year-olds, an issue that's caused friction among Democrats and prompted Gov. Gavin Newsom to weigh in. Republicans attempted to force a legislative vote on the...
Trump Turns to US Supreme Court in Bid to Strip Protected Status From Venezuelan Migrants
(Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday to intervene in its bid to strip temporary protected status for more than 300,000 Venezuelan migrants, a move that would clear the way for their deportation. — (Reporting by Andrew Chung in New York; Editing by Will...
Fresno’s Audra McDonald Earns 11th Tony Nomination, Eyes Record Seventh Win for ‘Gypsy’
NEW YORK — Three Broadway shows — “Buena Vista Social Club,” “Death Becomes Her,” and “Maybe Happy Ending” — each earned a leading 10 Tony Award nominations Thursday, as nominators spread out the joy and gave nods to George Clooney, Sarah Snook, and Bob Odenkirk in their debuts. Twenty-nine shows got...
US Imposes Sanctions on Mexican Fuel Theft Network It Links to CJNG Cartel
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday imposed sanctions on two entities and three Mexican nationals it said are involved in a drug trafficking and oil smuggling network linked to the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion gang. U.S. authorities say CJNG is one of the two major Mexican drug...
Last Chevron-Chartered Vessel Starts to Return Oil Cargo in Venezuela, Data and Source Say
HOUSTON (Reuters) - A vessel chartered by Chevron carrying some 300,000 barrels of Venezuelan oil was set to start discharging at a Venezuelan port on Thursday, according to shipping data and a source. It would be the last tanker to return its cargo following state company PDVSA's order to return...
At Least 9 Dead in Drone Strikes After US and Ukraine Sign Minerals Deal
KYIV, Ukraine — A Ukrainian drone attack left at least seven people dead and a Russian strike on Odesa killed two people on Thursday, officials said, just hours after Kyiv and Washington signed a long-anticipated agreement granting U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral resources. The attack in the partially occupied Kherson...
New CIA Videos Aim to Lure Chinese Officials
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The CIA on Thursday rolled out two Chinese-language videos aimed at enticing officials in China to leak secrets to the U.S., the latest public effort by the intelligence agency to ramp up human intelligence gathering on Washington's strategic rival. The move comes after the CIA in October...