New numbers from the state Tuesday show Fresno County has had a 97.7% increase in hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the past 14 days. During the same time frame, the county has seen a 33.3% increase in ICU cases. Public health officials report that 200 of 270 ICU beds are occupied (40...
Madera College Center Is Accredited, Vote on College Status Soon
Madera Community College Center is one vote away from becoming California's 116th community college, now that it has received initial accreditation from the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. The Madera center has been operating as a satellite campus of Reedley College while undergoing reviews to determine if it...
After Arias Family COVID Diagnosis, City Staff Getting Tested
COVID-19 testing is now available to City Hall staff after Fresno City Council President Miguel Arias announced that he is going into quarantine because his 8-year old son contracted COVID-19. Arias presided over the city council meeting last Thursday, held in-person at council chambers. It was the first time the...
AP Fact Check: Actually, 20% of US Lives in a Virus Hot Spot
WASHINGTON — It’s been a frequent Trump administration talking point on the recent spike in COVID-19 infections: Don’t worry, only a small sliver of U.S. counties is at greater risk. In offering this reassurance, Vice President Mike Pence and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar have said that only...
Arizona Shuts Bars, Theaters, Parks Amid Virus Resurgence
Arizona's Republican governor shut down bars, movie theaters, gyms and water parks Monday and leaders in several states ordered residents to wear masks in public in a dramatic course reversal amid an alarming resurgence of coronavirus cases nationwide. Among those implementing the face-covering orders is the city of Jacksonville, Florida,...
US Economy Facing Heightened Uncertainty, Says Fed Chief
WASHINGTON — Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell says the outlook for the U.S. economy is “extraordinarily uncertain” and the success of the recovery effort will depend in large part on the country’s ability to contain the spread of the coronavirus. “A full recovery is unlikely until people are confident that...
VMT Opponents Say Plan Is Tax on Car-Driving Commuters
A coalition of 30 business and industry associations have asked Gov. Gavin Newsom to delay a controversial plan affecting new development for one year. Among the groups: the Southern California Leadership Council, LA County Economic Development Corp., California Business Roundtable, Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, and California Building Industry Association....
Pandemic, Water Costs, Consumer Behavior Lead to $2 Billion in Ag Losses Thus Far
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on California agriculture was severe, unprecedented, and will continue to affect the industry in the coming months and years. Listen to this article: That's the sobering news from an economic study released last week by Davis-based ERA Economics. The pandemic's direct negative economic impact...
New COVID-19 Test Site Opening at West Fresno Regional Center
The West Fresno Regional Center will join Fresno City College and the Sanger Community Center as OptumServe's third free COVID-19 test site in Fresno County. The site is expected to begin testing this week. The goal is to do 135 free nasal-swab tests a day. Tests are by-appointment-only and can be...
COVID-19 Knocks Out Football, Other Fall Sports at Fresno City, Clovis Colleges
The 2020 football season at Fresno City College ended before it even began, one of seven sports at the college that have been cancelled because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. And Clovis Community College is not immune — its soccer and cross country fall seasons also have been cancelled because...