NEW YORK and LONDON, July 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – The normal cyclical rise in interest rates, which was delayed due to the financial crisis and recession and by Federal Reserve actions to hold down bond yields, is now emerging, according to BNY Mellon Chief Economist Richard Hoey as outlined in his most recent Economic Update. “We believe that a persistent multi-year upward [...]

FRESNO – Saint Agnes Medical Center has been named among the best hospitals in California for patient engagement. Axial Exchange, a leading patient engagement technology firm, announced results from its California Patient Engagement Index, and ranked Saint Agnes fourth among 135 hospitals with an overall score of 85. Axial Exchange’s Patient Engagement Index scored hospitals [...]

YONKERS, N.Y., June 28, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – Buying eyeglasses from the eye doctor’s office is convenient, but can be costly.  Comparison shopping among different types of eyewear stores including online and discount retailers takes time but can save consumers 40 percent or more.  Consumer Reports’ most recent survey about its readers’ eyeglass-shopping experiences found that Costco was a [...]

FRESNO – Visiting someone in the hospital can be a trying time – especially if you’re 5 years old. It’s even harder when it’s your mom or sibling – you’re a long way from home – and staying at Terry’s House next to Community Regional Medical Center. Terry’s House is a hospitality home where families [...]

FRESNO – Assistant City Manager Bruce Rudd has announced that three pieces of artwork on the Fulton Mall have been temporarily removed from the Fulton Mall for restoration work because of damage related to wire and/or metal theft. “Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time that we have been forced to move artwork at the Mall as a result of [...]

NEW YORK, June 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Data through April 2013, released today by S&P Dow Jones Indices for its S&P/Case-Shiller1 Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, showed average home prices increased 11.6% and 12.1% for the 10- and 20-City Composites in the 12 months ending in April 2013. From March to April, the 10- and [...]

FRESNO – The deadline for applications for the next Downtown Academy, a collaboration between Fresno’s Leading Young Professionals (FLYP), the City of Fresno and the Downtown Fresno Partnership, is this Sunday. 30 students will go through the 11-month course, which will connect them with business and community leaders interested in further solidifying a thriving downtown [...]

FRESNO – Dr. John D. Welty and his wife, Dr. Sharon Brown-Welty, moved out of University House Tuesday, a month before he retires, so that scheduled repairs and minor renovations can begin to prepare the home for Fresno State’s next president and his family. Work is needed to bring state-owned University House and grounds up [...]

TULARE - The International Agri-Center recently hosted Tulare and Visalia area fourth graders for the first annual “AgVenture! Day.”  The event, which drew 1,600 local students, taught about agriculture and the importance of good nutrition. Teachers and students spent the day learning from farmers, ranchers, nutrition experts and other representatives in the agriculture industry.  Demonstrations included sheep shearing, [...]

NEW YORK, June 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – Fewer than one in four Americans (24%) have enough savings to cover at least six months’ expenses, according to new research from Bankrate.com (NYSE: RATE). Exactly half have less than three months’ expenses saved up, and 27% have no emergency savings whatsoever. These numbers have barely budged in the past three years. They [...]

FRESNO – Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin today announced that the City of Fresno’s “Get the Lead Out, Fresno” program received an Award of Excellence as the first-place winner in the Lead-Safe … For Kids Sake grant program sponsored by DuPont and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.  The City will receive a $100,000 grant for receiving the award. The award is [...]

LOS ANGELES, June 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — The decision to get a weight loss surgery is a difficult one; the risks of living a life of morbid obesity have to overshadow the one time risks associated with the operation. Meeting with a physician can determine this for sure, but this is typically the case for people [...]

FRESNO – With days left until Bacon vs. Tofu Night this Thursday, the captains and chefs have been announced for #TeamBacon and #TeamTofu. In the bacon corner is Benaddiction, a mobile food truck well known for its use of pork in its sandwiches. In the tofu corner, Eat Street Bistro and Catering, another popular food truck [...]

HANFORD  – Adventist Medical Center – Hanford has been named one of a select group of hospitals identified as providing outstanding performance in gynecologic surgery, as measured by Healthgrades, the leading online resource that helps consumers search, evaluate, compare and connect with physicians and hospitals. Gynecologic surgery involves the female reproductive system to treat benign [...]

FRESNO – The Fresno County Farm Bureau, established in 1917, held its annual Celebrating Friends of Agriculture at the Blue Moon Yosemite Station at the Fresno Fairgrounds Thursday evening. Among the invited guests were local agricultural leaders, including farmers and ranchers, as well as media.  As is the tradition, awards were presented to media for [...]

SEATTLE, June 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ – National home values rose again in May, climbing 0.5 percent from April to a Zillow® Home Value Indexi of $159,000, according to the May Zillow Real Estate Market Reportsii. Home values were up 5.4 percent year-over-year in May, the second-highest annual rate of national appreciation registered in the past 12 months. The 5.4 percent [...]

YONKERS, N.Y., June 20, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The trend to mobile electronics hasn’t crested yet; America is on track in 2013 to acquire a new gadget for roughly every man, woman, and child over the age of 12. A special “Gear to Go” section in the August issue of Consumer Reports outlines some key trends that cut across multiple [...]

FRESNO – Freight company BNSF Railway brought Boys & Girls Clubs of Fresno County youth aboard the BNSF Special train Wednesday for a rare treat:  a two-hour train trip from Fresno to Hanford and back. The train is used specifically for business purposes and special events, said Lena Kent, company spokesperson, who also said many [...]

FRESNO –  Mayor Ashley Swearengin today announced that City Manager Mark Scott will resign to become city manager of the City of Burbank.  Scott’s last day at the City of Fresno will be Friday, July 19. Mayor Swearengin also appointed Bruce Rudd, a 37-year City employee who currently serves as the City’s assistant city manager, as permanent [...]

FRESNO – It is being reported that Fresno City Manager Mark Scott has resigned from his position to become the new city manager of Burbank, Calif. Scott is a native of Fresno, and graduated from Fresno High and later Fresno State, and holds a master’s degree in business from Stanford University Graduate School of Business. [...]