The coronavirus pandemic will cause a $32 million deficit for the next city of Fresno budget. "It is enormous. It will be a real challenge for the city to deal with that," assistant city manager Jane Sumpter told the Fresno City Council on Thursday. Also in Politics 101: Fresno City...
Virus Pushes US Unemployment Toward Highest Since Depression
NEW YORK — Unemployment in the U.S. is swelling to levels last seen during the Great Depression of the 1930s, with 1 in 6 American workers thrown out of a job by the coronavirus, according to new data released Thursday. In response to the deepening economic crisis, the House passed...
COVID-19 Study: Mice Respond Well to Fingertip-Sized Patch Vaccine
When tested in mice, a vaccine candidate generated a surge of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 within two weeks of the microneedle prick. University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine scientists say this is the first study to be published after critique from fellow scientists at outside institutions that describes a candidate vaccine...
COVID-19 Brings a New Kind of Ramadan for Muslim Community
Muslims in the Fresno area will cast their eyes skyward Friday morning in search of the crescent moon that will signal the start of Islam's holy month of Ramadan. As happens every year, there will be prayers, fasting, and feasting for the next 30 days. But because of the COVID-19...
Africa’s 43% Jump in Virus Cases in 1 Week Worries Experts
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Africa registered a 43% jump in reported COVID-19 cases in the last week, highlighting a warning from the World Health Organization that the continent of 1.3 billion could become the next epicenter of the global outbreak. Africa also has a "very, very limited" and “very,...
Clovis Unified Trustees Vote To Keep Schools Closed through May 22
Clovis Unified School District trustees voted unanimously Wednesday night to keep schools closed through May 22 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and to maintain distance learning until then. The May 22 date was a revision of an initial recommendation to keep schools closed through June 5, the end of the...
$1,000 in Housing Help for Fresno Residents Passes 1st Hurdle
(UPDATE — 4/23/2020: The Fresno City Council passed the housing assistance resolution by a 4-3 vote asking the city manager and a subcommittee to return with more details on how to execute the plan. Councilmen Garry Bredefeld, Mike Karbassi, and Paul Caprioglio voted no, saying they were concerned about specifics on...
First Step: Newsom Allows Elective Surgeries to Resume After COVID-19 Halt
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom loosened California'a stay-at-home order on Wednesday to let hospitals resume scheduled surgeries. It's the first step toward reopening the state — largely shut down for more than a month because of the cronavirus pandemic. Newsom gave no date for when businesses could reopen and people...
Few Americans Support Easing Virus Protections, Poll Shows
WASHINGTON — Despite pockets of attention-grabbing protests, a new survey finds Americans remain overwhelmingly in favor of stay-at-home orders and other efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus. A majority say it won’t be safe to lift such restrictions anytime soon, even as a handful of governors announce plans...
Visalia Nursing Home COVID-19 Death Toll Rises to 18
Three more residents have died as a result of a COVID-19 outbreak at the Redwood Springs Healthcare Center in Visalia. The Tulare County Health Department confirmed the deaths Wednesday afternoon. Eighteen deaths are now associated with the nursing facility. A total of 109 residents, 55 staff and eight others associated with...