West Nile virus, a disease that is typically transmitted to people by mosquitos that have fed on blood from infected birds, has so far killed four California residents in 2025, including three in the San Joaquin Valley. In the Valley, West Nile deaths have been confirmed in Tulare, Fresno and...
Fresno State Survives Nevada Rally to Extend Winning Streak to Five
The momentum swung Fresno State’s way at just the right time. Taking advantage of four Nevada first-half turnovers, the Bulldogs built a 20-3 lead. They needed every point, holding off a furious Nevada comeback for a 20-17 football win Saturday night at Valley Children’s Stadium in front of 40,005 fans....
Release Denied for Fresno Pismo’s Manager in ICE Detention
When Psalm Behpoor was told he was getting his 90-day review at the ICE holding facility in Bakersfield, he thought his release was going to be a "slam dunk," and he'd be able to return to his wife and 3-year-old child. "I thought you know, slam dunk. If I'm going...
Figuring Out How Many Homes CA Needs Is More Art Than Science
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Imagine you’ve finally taken your car to the mechanic to investigate that mysterious warning light that’s been flashing on your dashboard for the past week and a half. The mechanic informs you that your car's brake fluid is...
Does Another Education Bond Stand a Chance With Voters? CA Colleges Hope So
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Aging buildings, failing infrastructure, earthquake safety issues, and a severe lack of campus housing are straining California’s public higher education systems. As they face high-cost fixes, lawmakers have introduced a bond bill that ambitiously intends to fund both...
Clovis Unified Teachers Face Choice Between CTA-Backed or Independent Union
Teachers in the Clovis Unified School District are within reach of becoming unionized — the closest they’ve been in decades. Now, they have a choice of two suitors. Despite many attempts, the district is California’s largest school system without a teachers union. A key difference this time: Last year, the...
Hear the Political Rants of Madera College Instructor on Leave for Charlie Kirk Comments
The instructor fired by College of the Sequoias and suspended by State Center Community College District for comments about his desire to see Charlie Kirk's family dead appears to have a history of making vitriolic statements at the expense of regular coursework. A Madera Community College student taking Shaynon Scheidt's...
Showdown: State Says It’s Time for Water Interests to Show Their Cards on Subsidence
Ferocious over-pumping that has caused huge swaths of the San Joaquin Valley to sink, damaging key water arteries including the Friant-Kern Canal and California Aqueduct must stop, according to the state Department of Water Resources. It’s one of the main reasons the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act was passed in 2014....
Was Anyone Spared the Ax in Fresno County’s Budget Squeeze?
On Monday, Fresno County Supervisors unanimously approved a proposed $5.3 billion budget. This year, the county's biggest departments presented to supervisors publicly how financial changes will affect operations and people receiving social services. County department heads had to deal with sales tax declines and payroll costs outpacing increased property tax...
California May Help Solar Bloom Where Water Runs Dry
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Ross Franson stood on the road between two fields, where nothing grows under the Fresno County sun. As a teen, Franson hauled a water tank to spray down the dust on roads like this — rolling past rows...