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...
The Crisis No One Is Talking About … Except Valley Nonprofits
There is a crisis quietly unfolding across the Central Valley. It is not making national headlines, but its impact will be felt by thousands of families, children, seniors, and individuals facing hardship. If shelters closed their doors, after-school programs disappeared, food assistance was reduced, and foster youth lost advocates, most...
A Job Market Leaving Young Graduates Behind Could Scar Them for Years
Young college graduates are facing a gloomy economic future. Confronting the toughest job market since the depths of the pandemic, they are likely to make less money in the long term and have more trouble advancing their careers, economists warn. The rise of artificial intelligence also poses a new threat...
After 150 Years, Fresno Ag Eyes New Spots. Looking at You, Madera Ranchos
With 150 years under its belt come July 4, iconic Fresno Ag Hardware has its sights set on more locations for the Central Valley, including smaller neighborhood concepts. The store's true birthdate is in dispute to this day, said Ian Williams, chief operating officer for Fresno Ag. Some historical records...
