Category Archives: Local News

California Man Arrested for $5M PPP Loan Fraud

California Man Arrested for $5M PPP Loan Fraud

An Irvine, California, man has been arrested after federal authorities said he fraudulently received $5 million in coronavirus relief funds to purchase luxurious cars and go on expensive vacations, USA Today reported over the weekend. Mustafa Qadiri obtained the money from Payment Protection Program after he said he owned 4 businesses, but a federal indictment said…MORE

Calif. Fire Victims See Little Payout From Settlement

Calif. Fire Victims See Little Payout From Settlement

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – An investigation found that a trust set up to help compensate victims of deadly California wildfires sparked by Pacific Gas & Electric equipment paid survivors just $7 million last year in its first year of operation, while racking up $51 million in overhead. The trust was approved by a federal judge…MORE

United Airlines Adds Flight from Fresno to Denver

United Airlines Adds Flight from Fresno to Denver

  FRESNO, CA— United Airlines announced Thursday it is expanding its flight service from Fresno to Denver. The airline said there will be a 1:30 p.m. daily mainline flight on 126-seat plane out of Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT). Regional jet service continues to operate two daily United flights between Fresno and Denver. United also said…MORE

Fresno County Sheriff Orders Vaccine Flown to Northern California

Fresno County Sheriff Orders Vaccine Flown to Northern California

(Photo courtesy:  Fresno County Sheriff’s Office) (KMJ) – Fresno County’s Sheriff get permission from health officials to fly surplus COVID-19 vaccine doses to Northern California. And the Sheriff’s Office released a statement detailing how this life-saving mission came to be: Tuesday, Sierra Pacific Orthopedics (SPOC) contacted Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims regarding transportation suggestions for…MORE

Giant Sequoia Still Smoldering from 2020 Calif. Wildfire

Giant Sequoia Still Smoldering from 2020 Calif. Wildfire

SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) – A giant sequoia has been found smoldering and smoking in a part of Sequoia National Park that burned in one of California’s huge wildfires last year. The National Park Service said Wednesday that the cause appears to be the 2020 Castle Fire, which burned more than 270 square miles…MORE

Appeals Court Upholds Newsom’s Emergency Powers Amid Pandemic

Appeals Court Upholds Newsom’s Emergency Powers Amid Pandemic

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – A California appeals court has upheld Gov. Gavin Newsom’s emergency powers during the coronavirus pandemic. Three judges from the 3rd District Court of Appeal in Sacramento on Wednesday overturned a lower court saying Newsom overstepped his authority. The case emerged from a lawsuit by two Republican state legislators. They said Newsom…MORE

SUV Tied to Murder, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Says

SUV Tied to Murder, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Says

FRESNO, CA (KMJ) — Detectives believe a white Chevy Tahoe is tied to to the killing of a Fresno man in April. They believe 56-year-old Pacer Hampton was killed sometime between 1:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. on April 13th. Deputies were called to a home in the area of Olive near Polk, for a possible…MORE

Calif. Urges Residents To Vacation In-State

Calif. Urges Residents To Vacation In-State

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – California tourism leaders are urging residents to spend their pent-up travel dollars exploring their home state as coronavirus case numbers stay low. The tourism industry is reeling from a steep decline in revenue, plummeting from $145 billion in 2019 to $65 billion last year. The state of nearly 40 million people…MORE

Thieves Steal Tthousands of Dollars of Baseball & Lawn Equipment from Bullard High

Thieves Steal Tthousands of Dollars of Baseball & Lawn Equipment from Bullard High

  FRESNO, CA. (KMJ) — The Bullard High School baseball program was hit by thieves over the weekend. Somebody cut the lock off C-train storage box and stole thousands of dollars in lawn and baseball equipment. Some of the items stolen were lawnmowers, an aerator, a pitching machine, buckets of baseballs, and other baseball equipment. There…MORE