Fresno Unified has become tight-lipped about its superintendent hiring process as finalist interviews begin Wednesday. The district's board of trustees met in a closed session last Thursday to choose the finalists to succeed retired Superintendent Bob Nelson. Board President Valarie Davis declined to comment on how many finalists were selected,...
Mega Millions Tickets Rise to $5 Each. Will That Mean More Giant Jackpots?
DES MOINES, Iowa — Mega Millions players will get slightly better odds and should start seeing more billion-dollar jackpots, but at a cost — literally — with tickets for the multistate lottery jumping in price to $5. The price for playing Mega Millions more than doubled for drawings starting with Tuesday's, but...
Signs of a More Buyer-Friendly Housing Market Emerge for Spring
LOS ANGELES — This spring homebuying season is shaping up to be more favorable for home shoppers than it's been in recent years — as long as they can afford to buy. Home prices are rising more slowly. Mortgage rates remain elevated, but have been mostly easing and could be...
Food Poisoning While Traveling: What You Should Know
Recent cases involving possible food poisoning among tourists have raised concerns about what travelers can do to prevent and treat food-borne illnesses — not just during off-the-beaten-path adventures, but in and around resorts. For example, a lawsuit filed this year in Toronto in connection with the food poisoning-related deaths in...
Fusion Energy Race Is On. Two Local Lawmakers Want California to Lead the Way
Scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 2022 stunned the world when they showed that, for a fraction of a second at least, the power of the sun could be replicated on earth. Scientists there fused two hydrogen isotopes, creating helium and created more energy than the experiment required. Much...
First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close
California's effort to have no new gas-powered vehicles sold in the state by 2035 is beginning, and it requires 35% of all 2026 models sold this year to be zero-emission. Dealers say they aren't close to fulfilling the mandate for zero-emission vehicles and are nervously wondering what the future holds...
Why Project Labor Agreements Are Good for Our Schools and Students: Opinion
In early March, trustees of the State Center Community College District passed a resolution to adopt a district-wide Project Labor Agreement for all of its major construction projects. In predicable fashion, the Associated Builders and Contractors, a lobbyist group for low-wage construction contractors, claimed that PLAs will increase costs, exclude...
Trump Orders Mean Uncertainty for Valley’s ‘Safety Net’ of Health Clinics
Hundreds of health clinics throughout the San Joaquin Valley that receive federal funds to provide care for low-income people are confronting multiple concerns as a result of potential cuts to Medicaid, patient fears over immigration crackdowns, and the effects of executive orders from the Trump administration. For example, a week...
How Safe Is It to Walk to School? Fresno County Wants to Find Out
Fresno County is conducting walk audits to evaluate traffic safety and keep students safe going to and from schools. The Public Works and Planning department has commenced the “Safe Streets for Students” program, designed to assess traffic around Fresno County schools. The department is overseeing walk audits at 15 school...
Can CEMEX Dig a 600-Foot Hole and Not Harm the River? Arambula Says No and Writes a Bill
A mining company wants to dig hundreds of feet down on a site along the San Joaquin River. With an environmental review of the project released, the decision now lands on Fresno County supervisors to approve or deny — and, if the project gets a green light, decide how deep...