When Steve Hilton first came to live in California, the political strategist had already gone through a few rebrands. It was 2008 and the British Conservative Party was ascendant after a decade of losses. Hilton, a top adviser to future Prime Minister David Cameron, was a source of great curiosity...
Quiz for America’s 250th! What Do You Know About Independence Signers?
Many Americans know that the members of the Continental Congress pledged their “lives, fortunes and sacred honor” to America’s founding 250 years ago. But what happened to those 56 men after they signed the Declaration of Independence? 1. Of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence, how many...
AB 1776 Is the Wrong Direction for the Central Valley Economy
The Central Valley feeds the world, moves goods across the country, powers critical industries, and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs. From agriculture and food processing to manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and technology, the Valley's success depends on businesses having the confidence to invest, grow, and create opportunity. That is why...
Embattled LA Unified Superintendent Alberto Carvalho Resigns
The superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District, Alberto Carvalho, resigned Sunday, months after the FBI raided his home and office in February in connection with a criminal inquiry into the district’s dealings with an artificial intelligence startup. The superintendent was a well-known education leader who was hired in 2021...
Fresno Unified Budget Approved. Wittrup Votes No, Alleges ‘Backroom Deals’
Fresno Unified School District’s usually sleepy final budget approval heated up as trustees dealt out pointed criticism toward leadership and each other. The budget passed on a 6-1 vote Wednesday night with Trustee Susan Wittrup casting the lone no and saying she couldn't support a budget amidst the district’s current...
How an Addictive Gas Station Drug Found Allies in Trump’s Cabinet
For years, federal health officials have warned about the risks associated with a supplement derived from the leaves of kratom trees that adherents say can kill pain or boost energy. Sold in gas stations across America, kratom has been linked to liver toxicity, seizures and thousands of deaths. Powerful figures...
Trump Writes Letter to Father of Caleb Quick as Cases Advance in Court
President Donald Trump wrote to Stephen Quick of Clovis expressing condolences over the killing of his son, Caleb Quick, according to a letter from the White House. In the letter, Trump and first lady Melania Trump said they are “devastated by the senseless loss of your beloved son, Caleb, and...
Fresno Has a New Way of Tracking Homelessness. What Do Numbers Show?
Over the past several years, the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care has counted homeless people in the two counties by driving street-by-street and noting the numbers in a single day. Those counts help agencies get funding and let officials know how effective policies are. That method, used for the last...
The Milkman
This story was originally published by ProPublica. A white Ford pickup truck broke through a thick curtain of fog one morning in February, winding its way down a muddy farm road in California’s Central Valley. From it emerged a 64-year-old dairyman, burly and tan, who left the engine running as...
Hanford Grower Aubrey Bettencourt Is Trump’s Pick as Reclamation Leader
Aubrey Bettencourt, a third-generation Hanford farmer who has climbed the nation's political ranks, is President Donald Trump's choice to lead the Bureau of Reclamation, according to published reports. After Bettencourt's selection is announced by the White House, she must be confirmed by Congress to officially assume the role of Reclamation...
