Labor demands continue to tax the bottom lines of farmers and ranchers, with rising wage rates and record usage of the H-2A visa program. The American Farm Bureau Federation says meaningful reforms to the federal government’s guest worker program must be a priority for Congress by the end of the year. AFBF and more than…… MORE
Lively Arts Foundation Presents Central California Ballet Nutcracker ’22
The Lively Arts Foundation proudly presents the Central California Ballet Nutcracker ’22! Lively Arts Foundation’s presentation of Central California Ballet’s joyous and highly entertaining Nutcracker Ballet has been recognized in Dance Magazine for its resurrection of the character of the vengeful Mouse Queen from E.T.A. Hoffman’s original Nutcracker fairy tale. Set to Tchaikovsky’s memorable music,…… MORE
Juul Reaches Settlements Covering Thousands Of Lawsuits
(AP) – Embattled vaping company Juul Labs has reached settlements covering thousands of lawsuits over its e-cigarettes, which in recent years became a scourge in schools and communities nationwide. Financial terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but Juul said that it has secured an equity investment to fund it. Buffeted by lawsuits, Juul announced…… MORE
1st US Floating Offshore Wind Auction Nets $757M In Bids
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The first-ever U.S. auction of leases to develop commercial-scale floating wind farms in the deep waters off the West Coast attracted $757 million in winning bids Wednesday from mostly European companies, in a project watched by other regions and countries just getting their own plans for floating offshore wind started. The…… MORE
California Death Row Inmate Dies Of Natural Causes At 69
SAN QUENTIN, Calif. (AP) — A prison inmate who spent more than 30 years on California’s death row for beating to death a woman and her 2-year-old daughter during a burglary died early Wednesday of natural causes, state corrections officials said. Richard Gonzales Samayoa, 69, was found unresponsive in his cell in the infirmary at…… MORE
Monarch Butterflies Reach Record Benchmark First Time In 22 Years In CA
(KMJ) — We’re often flooded with environmental reports full of doom and gloom. But there’s some good news for butterflies. The Xerces Society’s Western Monarch count has found over 300,000 Western Monarchs in over 183 sites across California. We’re told this is the first time this benchmark has been reached since the fall of 2000.…… MORE
Meeting Christmas Tree Demand
The Christmas tree industry wants Americans to know there will be enough trees available to meet the demand for real Christmas trees. Marsha Gray, executive director of the Real Christmas Tree Board, says,” The industry met the demand in 2021 and will do so again this year. This is a year with few surprises.” Gray…… MORE
Madera Sheriff’s Office Updates Murder-Suicide Investigation
AVENUE 12 INVESTIGATION UPDATE The investigation into the murder/suicide incident on December 6, 2022 at a residence in the 33000 block of Avenue 12 in Madera remains ongoing. The decedents have been identified as Monty Bounds, 60, and Julie Bounds, 58. The pair had been married for approximately 10 years prior to their deaths. Madera…… MORE
Man killed in Fresno’s Deputy Involved Shooting Identified, Had Mental Health Issues
FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – Fresno County Sheriff’s Office has identified the man killed in Tuesday’s deputy involved shooting. Fresno County Sheriff’s deputies responded to shots fired at 2:00am Tuesday morning, near the Belmont Country Club. One deputy arriving on scene saw Dennis Happawana walking on the roadway near Belmont and N. Wintergreen and shined a…… MORE
Rower’s Family Says Abusive Coach Pushed Athlete To Suicide
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — On New Year’s Day nearly two years ago, Parker Kinney spent the day with Brian Lilly Jr. at picturesque Scripps Beach in the San Diego area and realized his friend had become a shadow of his former self. Kinney and Lilly walked on the sand for hours and went to dinner.…… MORE
