In the News

Donald Trump’s transportation dept. says it supports high-speed rail, just not CA’s
July 16, 2026
In The News

Fresno Bee

While the California High-Speed Rail Authority seeks new federal money for Central Valley construction, the Trump administration says it will instead help build “real” rail — including other high-speed rail projects.
 
In a statement to The Fresno Bee, a U.S. Department of Transportation spokesperson said the Trump administration supports high-speed rail and is looking for opportunities to help build it around the country. The spokesperson also continued the administration’s criticism of California’s bullet train program, which recently applied for a $396 million federal grant to help build between Madera County and Merced.
 
“What this administration won’t stand for is boondoggle projects like (Gov. Gavin) Newsom’s Train to Nowhere that wasted billions in taxpayer dollars yet delivered nothing to the American people,” the spokesperson said.
 
In his own statement to The Bee, U.S. Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, said the Trump administration is hindering the country’s high-speed rail progress by withdrawing federal support from the California project — which has been paid for mostly with state revenues thus far. He also called the description of the project as a “train to nowhere” as an insult to the Central Valley.
 
“This is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world, and our communities deserve the same modern transportation infrastructure as every other part of the country,” Costa said.
 
President Donald Trump has long criticized the project’s Central Valley focus and its history of delays and cost increases. Last year, Trump-appointed Transportation Sec. Sean Duffy declared the project in default on two federal grant agreements and clawed back $4 billion. That money was earmarked for various Central Valley projects, including the downtown Fresno station, the Merced and Bakersfield extensions, and the acquisition of six train sets.
 
The California rail authority still has $242 million in federal money. The federal spokesperson did not say whether the Trump administration intends to try to rescind any of those dollars.
 
Trump admin. says money taken from CA rail will support ‘real projects’

 
The federal spokesperson said the Trump administration is “working to usher in a Golden Age of Transportation.”
“That vision includes high-speed rail and we’re exploring opportunities to efficiently build that infrastructure in America,” the spokesperson said.
 
The spokesperson also pointed to Duffy’s announcement last year that the federal government would be reinvesting $2.4 billion of the money rescinded from California high-speed rail into the National Railroad Partnership Program. The money is slated for projects that improve safety on intercity passenger rail systems, such as grade crossing improvements.
 
“Thanks to President Trump and Secretary Duffy, these dollars will instead support real projects that improve the lives of rail passengers, local drivers, and pedestrians,” the spokesperson said.
 
It’s not clear whether any of that money has been awarded yet.
 
Fresno congressman, HSRA blast Donald Trump’s infrastructure investments

 
Costa said he remembers Trump often made large infrastructure deal promises during his first term that never came to be.
 
“We were going to have infrastructure week, then infrastructure month, and then it became a joke,” Costa said. “The Administration’s comments, given their history, offer no substance and instead focus on their politics of retribution — in this case, California.”
 
Costa added that high-speed rail has been successful in countries where the national governments have helped finance construction. He added that the Trump administration should look at the history of those rail systems if it “truly wants to build the next generation of transportation and not simply offer empty political rhetoric.”
 
In its own statement to The Bee, the California rail authority echoed Costa’s comments. The agency touted its construction progress in the Central Valley, where it says nearly 90 miles of guideway are complete and track laying will finally begin this year.
 
The agency is also pushing changes to state law that will allow it to spend more money on work outside the Central Valley and toward the Bay Area and Los Angeles County.
 
The agency says it is making progress “despite the noise coming out of Washington.”
 
“The current federal administration has continually failed to make real investment in infrastructure, instead playing political games and stifling progress,” the agency said. “Meanwhile, California is actively building the nation’s largest public infrastructure project and one of the most significant investments in clean, modern transportation in American history.”
Issues:Infrastructure and Transportation
Read More
Nearly 200 House Democrats demand investigation into ICE deaths ‘without interference’
July 16, 2026
In The News

The Hill

Nearly every member of the House Democratic Caucus signed onto a letter demanding an independent investigation into two fatal shootings carried out in the span of a week by officers at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 

“We are calling for immediate independent investigations into both of these deaths, without interference,” the lawmakers wrote, referring to the killings of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston and Joan Guerrero in Maine.

Issues:Immigration
Read More
New AI supercomputer launches at Fresno State to help farmers make faster decisions
July 9, 2026
In The News

FOX26 News

FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — A new supercomputing hub is set to launch in the Central Valley, aiming to bring advanced computing power and artificial intelligence tools to the region’s food and agriculture industry.
 
F3 Innovate, California State University, Fresno, and the San Diego Supercomputer Center at UC San Diego will officially launch the F3i Supercomputing Center, described as a regional innovation platform designed to expand access to advanced computing, artificial intelligence, data science expertise and technical support for California’s food and agriculture economy.
 
During Thursday's launch, officials demonstrated how the system can analyze years of information, including weather records, irrigation schedules, harvest data and even satellite imagery, all in a matter of seconds.
 
By identifying patterns across multiple growing seasons, the AI can help answer questions growers face every year, such as when to irrigate before a heat wave, which fields are most vulnerable to extreme temperatures, or how past weather events affected crop yields.
 
Ryan Dinubilo, Director of Innovation at F3 Innovate, demonstrated how the platform can combine information that typically exists in separate systems into one place, allowing artificial intelligence to recognize trends that may otherwise go unnoticed.
 
“The system begins identifying patterns we’ve probably never noticed on our own,” Dinubilo said. 
 
Using historical farm data, officials said the AI can recommend how much to water, when to water and where irrigation should be focused ahead of periods of extreme heat, with the goal of protecting crop yields and improving profitability.
 
The partnership is expected to serve growers, researchers, startups, businesses, educators and students across the Central Valley.
 
Thursday's launch also brought together leaders from agriculture, higher education and government, including Congressmen Jim Costa and Vince Fong, along with Assemblymembers David Tangipa and Esmeralda Soria, who spoke about the growing role of artificial intelligence in California agriculture.

Speakers scheduled for the event:

  • Priscilla Koepke, Chief Executive Officer, F3 Innovate
  • Ashley Swearengin, President & CEO, Central Valley Community Foundation
  • Congressman Jim Costa, U.S. House of Representatives
  • Saúl Jiménez Sandoval, President, California State University, Fresno
  • Melissa Floca, Chief Innovation Officer, Societal Computing and Innovation Lab, UC San Diego Supercomputer Center
  • Linda Nguyen, Lead, Microsoft TechSpark
  • Glenda Humiston, Vice President, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Casey Creamer, President & CEO, California Fresh Fruit Association
  • Drew Ketelsen, Vice President, HMC Farms
  • Ryan Dinubilo, Director of Innovation, F3 Innovate
Issues:Agriculture
Read More
‘They’re Americans, too’: Valley leaders back Supreme Court ruling upholding birthright citizenship
Read More
Bill provides $750,000 for airport, $3.2 million for farm to market corridor
June 18, 2026
In The News

Porterville Recorder

The fiscal year 2027 House Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives contains $750,000 for improvements at the Porterville Muncipal Airport.

In addition the bill contains $3.2 million for the completion of the Farm to Market Corridor project that runs through Ducor on Avenue 56.

Issues:Infrastructure and Transportation
Read More
Veterans and families gather in Fresno to retire American flag ahead of 250th anniversary
June 14, 2026
In The News

FOX26

FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) - An American flag that flew as a symbol of freedom and service received a final salute in Fresno on Saturday.

Veterans, community leaders, and families gathered for a flag retirement ceremony honoring the flag, veterans, and America's upcoming 250th anniversary.

Issues:Veterans
Read More
City of Fresno hosts its first American flag retirement ceremony
June 14, 2026
In The News

ABC30 

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The City of Fresno hosted its first-ever honorable flag retirement ceremony Saturday.

It comes ahead of Flag Day on Sunday and as part of the celebrations marking 250 years of our nation's independence.

Issues:Veterans
Read More
Who's leading fight against invasive golden mussels? Officials explain response efforts
June 12, 2026
In The News

FOX26

FRESNO, Calif. - California continues to battle the spread of invasive golden mussels, a species that experts warn could have major impacts on waterways, infrastructure, and ecosystems across the state.

FOX26 set out to answer two questions: who is leading the response to stop the species from spreading, and how often are new detections added to the state's tracking map?

Issues:Water
Read More
CDFA races to contain vineyard pest found in Costco grapevines
Read More
Rollins spars with Democrats over glyphosate, SNAP, farm income
June 4, 2026
In The News

AgriPulse

Issues:Agriculture
Read More
Donald Trump’s transportation dept. says it supports high-speed rail, just not CA’s
July 16, 2026
In The News

Fresno Bee

While the California High-Speed Rail Authority seeks new federal money for Central Valley construction, the Trump administration says it will instead help build “real” rail — including other high-speed rail projects.
 
In a statement to The Fresno Bee, a U.S. Department of Transportation spokesperson said the Trump administration supports high-speed rail and is looking for opportunities to help build it around the country. The spokesperson also continued the administration’s criticism of California’s bullet train program, which recently applied for a $396 million federal grant to help build between Madera County and Merced.
 
“What this administration won’t stand for is boondoggle projects like (Gov. Gavin) Newsom’s Train to Nowhere that wasted billions in taxpayer dollars yet delivered nothing to the American people,” the spokesperson said.
 
In his own statement to The Bee, U.S. Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, said the Trump administration is hindering the country’s high-speed rail progress by withdrawing federal support from the California project — which has been paid for mostly with state revenues thus far. He also called the description of the project as a “train to nowhere” as an insult to the Central Valley.
 
“This is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world, and our communities deserve the same modern transportation infrastructure as every other part of the country,” Costa said.
 
President Donald Trump has long criticized the project’s Central Valley focus and its history of delays and cost increases. Last year, Trump-appointed Transportation Sec. Sean Duffy declared the project in default on two federal grant agreements and clawed back $4 billion. That money was earmarked for various Central Valley projects, including the downtown Fresno station, the Merced and Bakersfield extensions, and the acquisition of six train sets.
 
The California rail authority still has $242 million in federal money. The federal spokesperson did not say whether the Trump administration intends to try to rescind any of those dollars.
 
Trump admin. says money taken from CA rail will support ‘real projects’

 
The federal spokesperson said the Trump administration is “working to usher in a Golden Age of Transportation.”
“That vision includes high-speed rail and we’re exploring opportunities to efficiently build that infrastructure in America,” the spokesperson said.
 
The spokesperson also pointed to Duffy’s announcement last year that the federal government would be reinvesting $2.4 billion of the money rescinded from California high-speed rail into the National Railroad Partnership Program. The money is slated for projects that improve safety on intercity passenger rail systems, such as grade crossing improvements.
 
“Thanks to President Trump and Secretary Duffy, these dollars will instead support real projects that improve the lives of rail passengers, local drivers, and pedestrians,” the spokesperson said.
 
It’s not clear whether any of that money has been awarded yet.
 
Fresno congressman, HSRA blast Donald Trump’s infrastructure investments

 
Costa said he remembers Trump often made large infrastructure deal promises during his first term that never came to be.
 
“We were going to have infrastructure week, then infrastructure month, and then it became a joke,” Costa said. “The Administration’s comments, given their history, offer no substance and instead focus on their politics of retribution — in this case, California.”
 
Costa added that high-speed rail has been successful in countries where the national governments have helped finance construction. He added that the Trump administration should look at the history of those rail systems if it “truly wants to build the next generation of transportation and not simply offer empty political rhetoric.”
 
In its own statement to The Bee, the California rail authority echoed Costa’s comments. The agency touted its construction progress in the Central Valley, where it says nearly 90 miles of guideway are complete and track laying will finally begin this year.
 
The agency is also pushing changes to state law that will allow it to spend more money on work outside the Central Valley and toward the Bay Area and Los Angeles County.
 
The agency says it is making progress “despite the noise coming out of Washington.”
 
“The current federal administration has continually failed to make real investment in infrastructure, instead playing political games and stifling progress,” the agency said. “Meanwhile, California is actively building the nation’s largest public infrastructure project and one of the most significant investments in clean, modern transportation in American history.”
Issues:Infrastructure and Transportation
Read More
Nearly 200 House Democrats demand investigation into ICE deaths ‘without interference’
July 16, 2026
In The News

The Hill

Nearly every member of the House Democratic Caucus signed onto a letter demanding an independent investigation into two fatal shootings carried out in the span of a week by officers at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 

“We are calling for immediate independent investigations into both of these deaths, without interference,” the lawmakers wrote, referring to the killings of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston and Joan Guerrero in Maine.

Issues:Immigration
Read More
New AI supercomputer launches at Fresno State to help farmers make faster decisions
July 9, 2026
In The News

FOX26 News

FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — A new supercomputing hub is set to launch in the Central Valley, aiming to bring advanced computing power and artificial intelligence tools to the region’s food and agriculture industry.
 
F3 Innovate, California State University, Fresno, and the San Diego Supercomputer Center at UC San Diego will officially launch the F3i Supercomputing Center, described as a regional innovation platform designed to expand access to advanced computing, artificial intelligence, data science expertise and technical support for California’s food and agriculture economy.
 
During Thursday's launch, officials demonstrated how the system can analyze years of information, including weather records, irrigation schedules, harvest data and even satellite imagery, all in a matter of seconds.
 
By identifying patterns across multiple growing seasons, the AI can help answer questions growers face every year, such as when to irrigate before a heat wave, which fields are most vulnerable to extreme temperatures, or how past weather events affected crop yields.
 
Ryan Dinubilo, Director of Innovation at F3 Innovate, demonstrated how the platform can combine information that typically exists in separate systems into one place, allowing artificial intelligence to recognize trends that may otherwise go unnoticed.
 
“The system begins identifying patterns we’ve probably never noticed on our own,” Dinubilo said. 
 
Using historical farm data, officials said the AI can recommend how much to water, when to water and where irrigation should be focused ahead of periods of extreme heat, with the goal of protecting crop yields and improving profitability.
 
The partnership is expected to serve growers, researchers, startups, businesses, educators and students across the Central Valley.
 
Thursday's launch also brought together leaders from agriculture, higher education and government, including Congressmen Jim Costa and Vince Fong, along with Assemblymembers David Tangipa and Esmeralda Soria, who spoke about the growing role of artificial intelligence in California agriculture.

Speakers scheduled for the event:

  • Priscilla Koepke, Chief Executive Officer, F3 Innovate
  • Ashley Swearengin, President & CEO, Central Valley Community Foundation
  • Congressman Jim Costa, U.S. House of Representatives
  • Saúl Jiménez Sandoval, President, California State University, Fresno
  • Melissa Floca, Chief Innovation Officer, Societal Computing and Innovation Lab, UC San Diego Supercomputer Center
  • Linda Nguyen, Lead, Microsoft TechSpark
  • Glenda Humiston, Vice President, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Casey Creamer, President & CEO, California Fresh Fruit Association
  • Drew Ketelsen, Vice President, HMC Farms
  • Ryan Dinubilo, Director of Innovation, F3 Innovate
Issues:Agriculture
Read More
‘They’re Americans, too’: Valley leaders back Supreme Court ruling upholding birthright citizenship
Read More
Bill provides $750,000 for airport, $3.2 million for farm to market corridor
June 18, 2026
In The News

Porterville Recorder

The fiscal year 2027 House Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives contains $750,000 for improvements at the Porterville Muncipal Airport.

In addition the bill contains $3.2 million for the completion of the Farm to Market Corridor project that runs through Ducor on Avenue 56.

Issues:Infrastructure and Transportation
Read More

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