TULARE – Since its launch at World Ag Expo in February of 2012, the Ag Warriors program has assisted veterans in search of careers in the agriculture industry. The program, which has provided veterans with training and career building resources, will be continued by AgCareers.com, the leading online career site and human resource service provider for [...]

NEW YORK, Aug. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – The funded status of the typical U.S. corporate pension plan in July increased 1.6 percentage points to 88.2 percent, according to the BNY Mellon Investment Strategy & Solutions Group (ISSG). Year to date, the funded ratio is up 11.1 percentage points, ISSG said. The funded status for June 2013 and all [...]

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich., Aug. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – Current homeowners are optimistic about selling their home and are looking to move up their timeline to purchase a new home, according to the most recent survey by PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE: PHM), one of the nation’s largest homebuilders. In the latest PulteGroup Home Index Survey (PGHI), 43 percent of move-up [...]

WASHINGTON – The Obama Administration has launched http://business.usa.gov/healthcare> , a one-stop-shop Website which will provide employers of all sizes educational materials on how the Affordable Care Act may affect businesses and help them compete.  The site includes a wizard tool that is tailored based on size and location, so businesses can learn how the law [...]

CENTRAL VALLEY – Adventist Health / Community Care has welcomed Dr. John Zweifler, MPH, as chief medical officer of 38 rural health clinics in the central San Joaquin Valley. The clinics, located in Kings, Kern, Tulare and southern Fresno counties, experience over 400,000 patient interactions a year. Dr. Zweifler, a board-certified family physician who has [...]

WASHINGTON, August 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The majority of American teens today delay getting a driver’s license, according to new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Less than half (44 percent) of teens obtain a driver’s license within 12 months of the minimum age for licensing in their state and just over half (54 percent) [...]

OAKHURST – Zip Yosemite is adding a new moonlight tour to their already popular mix as they continue to operate during their first full summer in the Sierra National Forest just outside of Yosemite National Park. “The Sierra night sky offers some amazing diversity, especially when zipping high in the trees,” said Wade Beane, of [...]

NEW YORK, August 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – When it comes to the economy, the American public is given a lot of different ways to “read” the tea leaves with indicators of how things are going. They can try and track the ups and downs and ups of the stock market. They can look at the housing stats or [...]

FRESNO – The Economic Development Corporation serving Fresno County (EDC) is pleased to announce the recent hire of William Eric McComas, who joins the agency to commence and manage the EDC’s Local High-Speed Rail Business Support Program (Program). The Program is the culmination of a joint effort of the EDC, the City and County of Fresno to [...]

FRESNO – Taco trucks from throughout the Central Valley will descend upon Chukchansi Park tonight for Taco Truck Throwdown 3, taking place along with this evening’s Fresno Grizzlies baseball game. During the second Taco Truck Throwdown last year, more than 11,000 excited Grizzlies fans packed the ballpark, and over 13 trucks sold over 14,500 tacos. [...]

FRESNO – A 178 square mile area in Tulare County has been put under quarantine after sightings of the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) pest at three sites around Porterville, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture. The ACP is a potential threat because it can carry the disease huanglongbing, also known as citrus greening.  [...]

CLOVIS – The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) this month awarded the Clovis Police Department a $35,500 GAP (Grant Assistance Program) grant as part of a yearlong agency partnership to curb alcohol-related crimes in the city and stop the sales of wine, beer and spirits to teenagers in Clovis. This grant will provide [...]

REEDLEY – With expanded course offerings available, Reedley College is making registration easy for its new students attending the fall semester. Extreme Registration will be held in the cafeteria Saturday, August 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.—last seating for assessment is at 9:30 a.m. Students are encouraged to complete an online orientation prior to [...]

FRESNO – City of Fresno officials today announced plans to clear a number of illegal structures as part of a collaborative, community-wide effort focused on strategies to prevent and end homelessness.  The City’s enforcement efforts will better allow existing service providers to care for Fresno’s most vulnerable individuals. The City today posted notices that clearing of [...]

OAKHURST – The Majestic Mountain Loop, an itinerary featuring three of California’s most popular National Parks in three days, now has a new way for travelers to document their journey. Showcasing Sequoia, Kings Canyon and Yosemite National Parks, the Majestic Mountain Loop was created through a partnership between the Visalia Convention and Visitors Bureau, Yosemite Sierra [...]

NEW YORK, July 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Consumers are giving the U.S. economy better grades this back-to-school season, but continue to hold tight to their purse strings and will rely heavily on online and mobile channels while they shop, according to Deloitte’s annual “Back-to-School” and “Back-to-College” surveys, released today. Shoppers are far more optimistic about the economy [...]

NEW YORK, July 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Mortgage rates posted only slight movement over the past week, with the benchmark 30-year fixed mortgage rate slipping to 4.54 percent, according to Bankrate.com’s weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.33 discount and origination points. The average 15-year fixed mortgage fell to 3.61 percent, [...]

FRESNO – The Big Fresno Fair is excited to announce that tickets for the Table Mountain Concert Series in the Paul Paul Theater will go on sale to the general public Monday, August 12 at 9 a.m. However, for those wanting to purchase their tickets early, the Fair is offering an exclusive pre-sale opportunity for members [...]

WASHINGTON, July 26, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The U.S. prison population declined 1.7 percent (or by 27,770 inmates) from 2011 to 2012, falling to an estimated 1,571,013 prisoners, the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) announced today. Nine states had a decrease of over 1,000 prisoners in 2012: California, Texas, North Carolina, Colorado, Arkansas, New [...]

FRESNO — Fresno State Executive Chef Erik Debaude and his sous chef, alumnus  Bryan Kramer,square off this week against chefs from two other universities in a new garlic competition at the 35th Gilroy Garlic Festival‘s Cook-Off Theater. The Fresno State team competes in the inaugural Gilroy Garlic Festival Garlic Bowl 2-4 p.m. today against chefs from University of California, Berkeley and San [...]