In case you missed it, a Superior Court Judge in Los Angeles is allowing an education lawsuit to proceed against the state. The lawsuit contends that California’s public schools have failed to adequately teach reading to some black and Latino students. California Achievement Gap Persists And, notes Dan Walters, in...
Brown Denies Parole for Weidert, Who Buried Fresno Man Alive
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Jerry Brown has again blocked parole for the killer of a developmentally disabled Fresno man who was buried alive. Brown said Friday that 55-year-old David Weidert remains too dangerous to be released. He overruled the recommendation by a state parole panel for the second time in three...
Northern California Cyclone of Flames Hit 143 MPH
Experts say a deadly Northern California wildfire burned so hot at its peak that it created a cyclone of flames that reached 143 mph, ripping through the region with the force of a destructive Midwest tornado. National Weather Service meteorologist Duane Dykema said Friday that the blaze still burning near...
Wildfires Scorching Homes, Land and California's Budget
Just a month into the budget year, California has already spent more than one-quarter of its annual fire budget, at least $125 million, state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Mike Mohler said Wednesday. Following years of drought and a summer of record-breaking heat, immense tracts of forests, chaparral...
The Rush and Risks of Fighting Fires on a Bulldozer
Not all firefighters carry a hose or shovel. The adrenaline junkies who steer heavy bulldozers across steep ridges face serious hazards, from smoke and flames but also from unsteady dirt and steep terrain that can flip them over. The deaths of two bulldozer operators battling California wildfires in July highlighted...
Crews Report Progress in Fight Against Twin California Fires
LAKEPORT — Firefighters reported progress Tuesday in their battle against the wildfires that have ravaged some of Northern California's most scenic areas, including twin blazes that were tearing through vineyards and brush-covered hills and threatening some 10,000 homes. The two fires straddling Mendocino and Lake counties had burned 10 homes...
California Lawmaker Sued for Blocking Critics’ Twitter Feeds
SACRAMENTO — Two California residents are suing a state senator for blocking them from a social media account in a case similar to a successful lawsuit that barred President Trump from blocking critics on his Twitter account. Suzanne Rummel and Marlene Burkitt sued Democratic Sen. Richard Pan of Sacramento alleging...
Hernandez's HR in 12th Leads Giants to 5-3 Win Over Padres
SAN DIEGO — Their early 3-0 lead long gone, the San Francisco Giants got some big plays late to had the free-falling San Diego Padres their sixth straight loss. Gorkys Hernandez hit a go-ahead home run leading off the 12th inning, Will Smith struck out the last four San Diego...
What Is California Doing Right? Community Colleges.
Dan Walters might be the most high-profile media advocate for community colleges in California. For example, he long has championed allowing community colleges to grant baccalaureate degrees in technical fields — especially in rural regions where students must travel long distances to attend a four-year institution. New Community College Programs In...
Fresno Unemployment Rate Rises, But Better Than a Year Ago
Fresno County continues to enjoy the fruits of the strong U.S. economy under President Donald Trump, according to the latest figures released by the state of California. However, Fresno County's unemployment rate, at 7.6% for June, remains well above the national (4.2%) and state rates (4.5%). Clovis continues to have the strongest...