The San Joaquin Valley Sun

The San Joaquin Valley Sun is dedicated to providing essential news about the important issues and happenings in the San Joaquin Valley, covering areas from Modesto to Bakersfield. Our aim is to highlight what truly matters in the San Joaquin Valley, including the thriving agricultural industry and the vibrant community events and individuals that define the area. We strive to make news easy to understand and accessible to everyone. That's why we offer Sunrise AM, the most popular daily email roundup of Valley news, which arrives in your inbox every weekday at 6:30 a.m. As a nonprofit news organization, we are supported by you, our community members. We operate under the Valley Future Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit corporation based in California.

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Sanders, AOC caught boarding $15,000-per-hour luxury jet to depart Bakersfield rally

1 week ago | sjvsun.com | Daniel Gligich

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) used a luxury private jet to fly to their Fighting Oligarchy rally in Bakersfield earlier this week. The progressive duo were spotted boarding the luxury plane after they left the Bakersfield rally, according to a report from Fox News. The big picture: Per the report, Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez are spending $15,000 per hour to use the luxury Bombardier Challenger private jet for the Fighting Oligarchy tour.
Homeland Security cancels $2.7 million in grants to Harvard

1 week ago | sjvsun.com | Reid Stone

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has cancelled over $2.7 million in grants to Harvard University due to tensions between the school and the Trump administration. The big picture: The cancellation involved two grants worth more than $2.7 million from the Department of Homeland Security, with Noem citing concerns about Harvard’s foreign student visa holders engaging in illegal and violent activities.
Valero to shut down Bay Area oil refinery

1 week ago | sjvsun.com | Daniel Gligich

Another oil company is shutting down a refinery in California. This time it’s Valero, who announced that its Bay Area refinery in Benicia will close in April 2026. The big picture: Valero sent a notice to the California Energy Commission that it will cease operations at the Benicia plant and will evaluate strategic alternatives for its remaining operations in California. The move comes half a year after the state fined Valero $82 million for exceeding toxic emissions standards for over a decade.
Kamala Harris holds major lead for governor in latest poll

1 week ago | sjvsun.com | Daniel Gligich

Former Vice President Kamala Harris continues to have a clear path to become California’s next governor, if she decides to jump into the race. A new poll from Inside California Politics and Emerson College that was released on Tuesday showed Harris as the favorite among the candidates for governor in 2026. State of the race: According to the poll, Harris – who has not even announced if she will run – would lead the pack in the 2026 primary with 31% support.
Adam Schiff makes endorsement in Fresno City Council race

1 week ago | sjvsun.com | Daniel Gligich

Sen. Adam Schiff is weighing in on a Fresno City Council race. Schiff announced Thursday that he is endorsing Nav Gurm to represent District 7 on the Fresno City Council. Driving the news: Gurm, a local political consultant and former legislative aide who graduates from law school next month, is looking to succeed Councilmember Nelson Esparza at City Hall. Esparza, who is in his second term on the council, announced last year that he is running for State Senate in 2026.
Selma lawmakers sack City Manager Santillan. Was it politically motivated?

1 week ago | sjvsun.com | Daniel Gligich

Selma City Manager Fernando Santillan was fired by the city council on Tuesday in a move that he claims was purely motivated by politics. Santillan is out of his post following years of sparring with Mayor Scott Robertson. The big picture: The Selma City Council voted 4-1 in closed session to fire Santillan, with Councilman John Trujillo casting the lone vote against termination. Deputy City Manager Jerome Keene was named as the interim city manager in Santillan’s place.
Gerawan sues Maine pension system for details behind Prima Wawona's collapse, bankruptcy

1 week ago | sjvsun.com | Daniel Gligich

Central Valley farmer Dan Gerawan has sued the Maine Public Employees Retirement System to gain information about Prima Wawona, the now-bankrupt company that succeeded his family farming enterprise, Gerawan Farming and the private equity management firm that led to its demise. The Maine Public Employees Retirement System, known as MainePERS, invested in major investing firm Paine Schwartz Partners and funded the firm’s acquisition of Wawona Packing in its merger with Gerawan Farming.
Staff of Fresno public pre-school cited for instructing children to hit another child

1 week ago | sjvsun.com | Daniel Gligich

A Fresno Economic Opportunities staff member who works for Franklin Head Start has been cited for having children hit another child. The citation came after an unannounced visit by the California Department of Social Services. Driving the news: A staff member at Franklin Head Start made an incident report to the state claiming that there were two separate occasions where another staff member held a child while instructing two other children to hit the child back.
OpenAI adds Dolores Huerta to temporary board

1 week ago | sjvsun.com | Reid Stone

Dolores Huerta has been named to a temporary advisory board for OpenAI as the artificial intelligence company transitions from a nonprofit to a for-profit business. Huerta, 95, is one of four people to be named to the board. The big picture: The advisory board, operating within a 90-day timeline, is tasked with providing recommendations for OpenAI’s philanthropic endeavors, although their advice will not be legally binding.
California sues Trump to stop tariffs

1 week ago | sjvsun.com | Daniel Gligich

California has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over President Donald Trump’s use of tariffs. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the lawsuit at a press conference in Stanislaus County on Wednesday. The big picture: Newsom and Bonta argue in the lawsuit that Trump does not have the authority to impose tariffs through the International Economic Emergency Powers Act. The tariffs, they argue, have inflicted billions of dollars in damages on California’s economy.