Fresno-Based Pilot Survives Jet Crash

[vemba-video id=”world/2019/05/17/f16-fighter-jet-crash-perris-jba-lon-orig.cnn”] (CNN) — An F-16 fighter jet crashed Thursday into a warehouse just off March Air Reserve Base in Perris, California. The pilot ejected before impact just off the end of the runway, Maj. Perry Covington said. The pilot was taken to a hospital to be checked out but has no major injuries, said base spokesman Reggie…MORE

California Lawmakers Nix Temporary Marijuana Tax Cut

SACRAMENTO (AP) – An effort to jumpstart California’s licensed marijuana retailers failed to clear a key legislative committee on Thursday, likely dooming its prospects for the year as the country’s largest legal cannabis industry continues to flounder in the shadow of the illegal and tax free black market. Recreational marijuana has been legal in California…MORE

Gas Price Hike Could be Due to Outages, Manipulation

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – The California Energy Commission says refinery outages and potential market manipulation could be driving up state gas prices. In a memo to Gov. Gavin Newsom, the commission says price hikes since 2015 have ranged between 17 cents and 34 cents per gallon, after accounting for additional taxes and other program costs.…MORE

Tariffs on Mexico & Canada May Be Lifted Soon

  Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says the administration is close to “an understanding with Mexico and Canada” to remove tariffs that have been in place for almost a year and have heavily impacted U.S. agriculture including the California farm industry. Politico says it’s not clear yet what the potential agreement between the three countries might…MORE

Feds Strip High Speed Rail of $928 Million

FRESNO, CA (KMJ)  California’s “bullet train” just hit another major speed bump. On Thursday, the Federal Railroad Administration announced it’s terminating its deal with the state of California to fund the controversial High Speed Rail Project because CHSRA has “repeatedly failed to comply” with terms of the 2010 agreement” the FRA said. CLICK TO READ…MORE

Gov. Newsom’s ‘Water Tax’ Shot Down in CA Senate

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – The California Senate has rejected a new tax on most residential water bills, opting instead to use existing tax dollars to improve drinking water in some of the state’s poorest areas. State officials say in 2017, more than 450 public water systems did not comply with safety standards, affecting more than…MORE

Farm Bureau Wants End to Trade Dispute

  American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall sent a letter to President Trump and trade was the big topic. He tells the president that American farmers need a swift resolution to the ongoing trade war with China. The six-year downturn in farm prices that has produced “near-unprecedented economic uncertainty and hardship” is getting worse as…MORE