FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — 74 percent of African-American voters expect race relations in the U.S. to get worse. That’s according to a new Pew Research Center Survey, following the victory of President-Elect Donald Trump. Among white voters, 43 percent predict a decline in race relations, with 27 percent believing they’ll improve. The survey is virtually inversed…… MORE
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — A record 112 million shoppers visited America’s so-called mom-and-pop shops on Small Business Saturday. According to the National Federation of Independent Business, that’s a 13 percent increased from 2015. However, spending at such retailers was only about $15.4 billion; that’s about $800 million below last year’s figure. Still, researchers say the country…… MORE
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — California’s unemployment rate is holding steady at 5.5 percent. The Golden State gained 31,200 nonfarm payroll jobs in October. Here in Fresno County, 9,800 positions were lost, primarily in agriculture. The jobless rate is up to 9.2 percent. Unemployment rates are also up in Madera, Merced, Kings, and Tulare counties. …… MORE
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — As millions of Californians prepare to hit the road for the holiday, gas prices continue to decline. According to the Southern California Automobile Club, the state average has fallen another 6 cents in the past week to $2.71 a gallon. Here in Fresno, we’re paying about a dime less than that. Wholesale…… MORE
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — State prosecutors have reached a $14 million settlement with British Petroleum, over violations in operating and maintaining underground storage tanks, at gas stations up and down California. Attorney General Kamala Harris alleges that BP flouted safety regulations for the tanks at hundreds of gas stations, over a 10-year period. That included tampering…… MORE
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — It’s widely thought that socializing provides a sense of happiness. However, according to a new study, that’s not necessarily true for those deemed highly intelligent. Researchers in Singapore and London say smarter people often more easily adjust to their surroundings, thus reducing the need for relationships with others. Their study found that…… MORE
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — More than 8,000 phones have been smuggled into California prisons this year, according to the latest figures from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Cell phones are worth about $1,000 on the inside, and have been used for everything from posting selfies, to coordinating escapes. In an effort to combat the problem,…… MORE
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — Laws that bolster background checks and require permits to purchase firearms, have proven to be the most-effective means of reducing homicide rates. That’s according to a new study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine. Researchers examined data from 1970 to this year. However, laws that ban assault…… MORE
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — Scientists at the Mayo Clinic have teamed up with analytics company Beyond Verbal, to explore using a person’s voice to detect heart disease. Previous research has suggested there are links between voice characteristics and neurological disorders, but this is the first to connect vocal biomarkers with heart disease. One expert is quoted…… MORE
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — Energy efficiency has become a strong marketing point, when it comes to selling real estate here in Fresno. Zillow.com reports the city ranks 3rd on its list of 100 cities, for the percentage of home listings with terms like “solar panel” and “wind power.” About 14 percent of Fresno homes are in…… MORE
