Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer knew the city likely would not receive $200 million for downtown revitalization from the state budget — funding unfulfilled from a 2023 pledge of $250 million. It became a self-fulfilling prophecy after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his May revise on Wednesday. The updated budget included nothing...
Fresno, Wake Up. We’re Numb to Our DUI Problem
Another crash. Another headline. Another set of names we’ll forget by next week. On May 2, a Range Rover ran a red light in central Fresno. Behind the wheel was Jagat Singh, 28, who authorities say was under the influence and stole the vehicle he was driving. The crash killed...
Is the Secret to CA Housing Affordability Buried in the Building Code?
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. As lawmakers scramble to turbocharge post-fire recovery efforts in Los Angeles and to tackle a housing shortage across the state, a new addition may be coming to California’s building code: A pause button. Assembly Bill 306 would freeze...
Students Are Short-Circuiting Chromebooks for a Social Media Challenge
Across the country, students are short-circuiting their laptops at school in a new and sometimes dangerous social media trend. The “Chromebook challenge” involves students jamming objects into their laptops until they spark and smolder. Students then record the smoking laptops and share the footage on TikTok and Instagram, sometimes set...
The World Is Wooing US Researchers Shunned by Trump
LONDON — Help Wanted. Looking for American researchers. As President Donald Trump cuts billions of federal dollars from science institutes and universities, restricts what can be studied and pushes out immigrants, rival nations are hoping to pick up talent that has been cast aside or become disenchanted. For decades, trying...
Community Health Paying $31.5M to Settle Kickback Allegations of Money, Liquor, Cigars
Community Health System of Fresno has agreed to pay the U.S. government $31.5 million to settle allegations it gave physicians bonuses and extravagant gifts such as expensive wine, liquor, and cigars as incentives to use the medical network's electronic health record system. It is alleged that those gifts from the...
To Fix $50M Budget Hole, Fresno Will Hold Off Hiring and Make Spending Cuts
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer unveiled his $2.36 billion budget on Wednesday to the media, revealing how he plans to balance a $50 million deficit. "We will live within our means here in the city of Fresno, but we will also build a better future at the same time," Dyer said....
Bad News for California. State Budget Is $12 Billion in the Red
SACRAMENTO — California is staring down an $12 billion budget deficit, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday. The Democratic governor shared the number as he laid out his nearly $322 billion state spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year. He says the deficit is partly due to broad economic uncertainty, including...
Has the California Dream Become a Mirage?
LOS ANGELES — California eclipsed Japan in 2024 to become the fourth-largest economy in the world. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced earlier this month that the state’s population increased for the second year in a row. Tourism has hit record levels, as Los Angeles prepares to step onto the world stage...
Young People Drive Fresno to CA’s Top Job Growth: Wells Fargo Study
California suffered the biggest job losses in the U.S. for the first part of the year, a new study from Wells Fargo shows. High interest rates impacted debt-heavy sectors, causing employers to shed jobs at a rate of more than 18,000 a month in the first quarter. Fresno, however, managed...