Many people have lost their jobs due to the pandemic, but some have found assistance through a multi-million dollar state government program called Expanded Subsidized Employment, or ESE. However, Governor Gavin Newsom’s revised budget proposal cuts the funding to that program. If the latest budget goes through, it would affect …
Read More »‘It Would Mean Total Annihilation’ – Some Farmers Sell Off Fields Ahead Of Groundwater Law
Even with his eyes closed, Doug Martin can recognize the sound of every tractor on his Hanford ranch. There’s the big silver work horse, and the 40-year-old Oliver that can still run his backup generator, but the one he looks at with love is a tiny green thing from 1958. …
Read More »Madera Residents Suspect Eviction Notices Mean Landlord Wants To Avoid New Renter Protections
Residents of a Madera apartment complex are being evicted en masse, and some suspect the landlord is issuing evictions to avoid upcoming renter protections. Last Friday, residents at the Laguna Knolls complex were issued letters saying they have until four days after Christmas to leave. “They gave them either a …
Read More »What Does ‘The Other California’ Mean To The People Who Live Here? A Conversation With The Masumotos
The writer Gerald Haslam grew up at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and is credited with coining the phrase “The Other California” to describe the part of the state where we live. Not Los Angeles. Not San Francisco. Not the coastal California but The Other California — …
Read More »What Would Changes To The Endangered Species Act Mean For The Valley?
Last week the Trump Administration proposed a set of major changes to the Endangered Species Act. It’s a big issue here in California, where protected species in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and in the Sierra have set off new efforts to protect critical habitat. Of course those measures have …
Read More »Los Banos council may change business license code. Here’s what it could mean for you
The Los Banos City Council is looking to change the way the city regulates business licenses so more people would be required to have one. City staffers presented a proposed … Click to Continue »
Read More »Here’s what trade tariffs could mean in Merced County, where nuts are big business
Merced County farmers and area experts say a potential trade war would be likely to have a chilling effect on the agricultural industry if the U.S. and China go through … Click to Continue »
Read More »What does the ‘Community College Promise’ mean for Merced?
As tuition has steadily risen at four–year institutions over the last two decades, millions of students have turned to community colleges as a fiscally responsible option for earning higher-education degrees … Click to Continue »
Read More »As Census Nears, Fresno’s Overlooked Homes Could Mean Millions Less In Aid
The 2020 U.S. census is just around the corner, and a new project shows a significant number of Fresno’s residents could be overlooked. The U.S. Census Bureau maintains a Master Address File of every registered postal address in the country. Don’t have a registered address? You probably won’t be counted. …
Read More »Trump wants to cut energy assistance to the poor – again. What’s it mean for Merced?
The Trump administration is once again calling for the complete elimination of a heating assistance program that helps to keep the homes of low-income families warm, including thousands of homes … Click to Continue »
Read More »Chowchilla may soon have a sister city across the globe. What does that mean?
Chowchilla’s population is almost 19,000 and spans 11 square miles, while the Chinese county-city of Rushan has more than 500,000 people and stretches over 643 square miles. But these two … Click to Continue »
Read More »New gun restrictions are coming to California in 2018. Here’s what they mean to you
California’s more than 6 million gun owners are going to see new restrictions in 2018 stemming from sweeping regulations lawmakers and voters have approved over the past two years. But … Click to Continue »
Read More »Trump to cut from programs promoting health care enrollment. What’s it mean in Merced
The Trump administration is announcing sharp cuts in programs promoting health care enrollment under the Affordable Care Act for next year and while it may hamper access to some important … Click to Continue »
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