FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — Get ready for the needle. Federal health officials are urging doctors to offer only flu shots this year, saying the easy-to-use nasal spray vaccine, isn’t as effective. FluMist, which has accounted for about a third of pediatric vaccinations in recent years, hasn’t guarded against certain influenza strains. Scientists say the reason isn’t clear…… MORE
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — A federal judge has signed off on an $86 million settlement, in a lawsuit filed by the Golden State against German automaker Volkswagen. It accused VW of false advertising and unfair business practices, as it sold diesel vehicles that cheated on emissions tests. The bulk of the money will be used to reimbursement…… MORE
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — 70 percent of what’s spent on healthcare in the Golden State this year, will be covered by taxpayers. The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research attributes the large figure to the significant expansion Medi-Cal. Nationwide, about 45 percent of healthcare expenditures are covered by the public, according to federal data, although some believe…… MORE
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — S&P Global Ratings is urging California state leaders to do a better job of preparing for the next economic slowdown. Their latest report outlines a simulated stress test, which aims to determine just how prepared a state is for a loss of revenue. California ranks among the worst in the nation, when it…… MORE
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — If a bill making its way to the desk of Gov. Jerry Brown is signed into law, background checks would be required for drivers of ride-sharing companies, such and Uber and Lyft. The Calif. Public Utilities Dept. currently regulates those services, but doesn’t mandate criminal background checks. The measure aims to protect passengers…… MORE
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — Apple is being hit with a class-action lawsuit, over what’s being called the “touch disease.” It refers to a problem affecting some iPhone 6 and 6 Plus devices, which causes the touch screen not to respond to the users’ input. The lawsuit accuses Apple of concealing the alleged defect, of which the number…… MORE
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — The number of data breaches is down by about 17 percent, compared this time last year. However, the number of compromised records is soaring, according to cyber security firm Risk Based Security. During the first six months of 2016, more than 1.1 billion records were exposed. About 150 American organizations have reported giving…… MORE
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — Some new parents in the Golden State would be able to request unpaid time off, without the fear of ending up unemployed, under a revived bill that’s advancing in Sacramento. An almost identical measure failed in the Assembly Labor Committee, back in June. However, that vote followed a public call by the legislation’s…… MORE
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — The California Assembly has sent Gov. Jerry Brown a bill, which would allow police and sheriff departments to increase the fee for concealed carry permits. Currently, there’s a $100 cap. The measure’s author, Sacramento Democrat Kevin McCarty, says his bill does not change the requirements to obtain a CCW, and will give counties…… MORE
FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ) — The sharp drop in union membership over the last few decades has negatively affected the overall American workforce. That’s the assessment of the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute, whose latest study concludes that wages for nonunion male workers, would have been at least $2,700 higher in 2013, if union levels would have remained at…… MORE
