SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP) – Watermelons are set to replace piglets in an annual event celebrating agriculture at a California fair. The Press Democrat reported Saturday that the Sonoma County Fair has eliminated the pig scramble from Farmers Day due to rising public concern and protests over animal welfare. In the long-running event at the…… MORE
Report: Valley Cities Among Nation’s Least-Educated
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — While formal education doesn’t inherently yield intelligence, a degree may help optimize natural intellect. A new WalletHub analysis looks at degree attainment, as a measurement of the smartest and dumbest cities, along with university quality, the racial education gap, and the gender education gap. The valley doesn’t score particularly well, with Fresno…… MORE
Kamala Harris Proposes Drinking Water Fix
WASHINGTON (AP) – Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris is introducing a bill responding to water crises across the country. The senator from California says the “Water Justice Act” being introduced Monday is meant to ensure the country’s water supply is safe, affordable and sustainable. Harris would invest nearly $220 billion in clean and safe drinking…… MORE
HSR Documents Disappear, Patterson Cries Foul
FRESNO (KMJ) – Important High Speed Rail documents disappear, now a local assemblyman is asking why, and demanding their return. Fresno Assemblyman Jim Patterson is demanding the return of thousands of pages of public records that were removed from the California High Speed Rail Authority website last month. “In the dead of night, without notifying…… MORE
Manslaughter Charge Filed After Fatal Fresno DUI Collision
(KMJ) – A collision Sunday Night in Southeast Fresno kills a father of five and lands a 31-year old behind bars. Fresno Police say this all happened just before 10 p.m. Sunday at Kings Canyon and Maple. There, officers say a vehicle driven by 31-year old Gustavo Blanco ran a stop sign and collided with…… MORE
Newly-Released Report Clears Slatic of Racial Discrimination, Although Policies were Violated
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ News) — A newly-released report clears embattled Fresno Unified trustee Terry Slatic of racial discrimination, but says that he violated a trio of board policies, during an encounter with an Army recruiter earlier this year at Bullard High. It says Slatic violated policies on management oversight, governance standards, and limits of board member…… MORE
CA Supreme Court: Defense in Murder Case May Obtain Private Online Posts
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – The California Supreme Court has ruled that the defense in a gang-related murder trial can obtain private postings from social media companies. The Los Angeles Times reports the court’s decision Wednesday upheld a ruling by the judge overseeing the San Francisco trial and noted that the judge’s findings strongly justify access…… MORE
50 Years Ago: Bulldog Planetarium Head Talks Moon Landing
FRESNO (KMJ) – This weekend marks the half-century anniversary of the moon landing, and everyone from the president to professors at Fresno State are marking the occasion. President Donald Trump commemorated the 50th anniversary of the first human steps on the moon at an oval office meeting with former Apollo 11 astronauts. The group included Buzz…… MORE
Fast-Growing Web of Doorbell Cams Raises Privacy Fears
(AP) — Police departments around the country are partnering with the doorbell camera company Ring in an effort to fight crime and create a sort of modern-day neighborhood watch. But critics say the partnerships raise privacy concerns and turn neighborhoods into places of constant surveillance. They also say Ring, a subsidiary of Amazon, appears to be…… MORE
Dozens Nabbed in Welfare, Auto Insurance Fraud Bust
TULARE, Calif. (KMJ News) — 32 arrests have bee made by the Tulare County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigations, on charges of welfare and auto insurance fraud. The illegal activity tallies up to more than $269,000. In the welfare fraud cases, the defendants are accused of crimes such as failing to report income, not notifying the…… MORE
