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Music
1:00 pm
Mon September 17, 2012

Chanticleer Delights Audiences On 35th Anniversary Tour

For over three decades, the group Chanticleer has brought worldwide audiences a unique blend of music ranging from medieval to pop to original choral works. The San Francisco ensemble has become recognized as one of the premier male choral ensembles in the world, and visits Fresno for a concert at the Paul Shaghoian Concert Hall on Tuesday September 18, 2012, presented by the Fresno Community Chorus.

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Just One Breath
6:30 am
Sat September 15, 2012

Just One Breath: Valley fever robs daughter of mother at crucial time

Candice Steed remembers peering at her mother through a hospital room window in Bakersfield when she was just 8 years old .

Sharron Steed lay heavily sedated, a ventilator keeping her weakened body alive.

“They told us to say goodbye to my mom,” recalled Candice , now 20.

Sharron, a social worker, had contracted a severe form of valley fever. It ravaged her body with night sweats and fevers. A collapsed lung landed her in the hospital, and the symptoms only got worse.

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Just One Breath
6:01 am
Sat September 15, 2012

The Voices of Valley Fever

‘Not being able to breathe was the worst.’

MERCED — The walk from Tom Price’s living room to his kitchen was only a few feet. But it felt like miles.

The 33-year-old from Merced was hit with valley fever in 2006. He had trouble breathing, and he was so fatigued for a month that the simplest tasks felt arduous.

“It was scary,” he said. “It was the first time I had ever been very sick. Not being able to breathe was the worst.”

Price remembers developing a high fever and sweats. He went to his regular doctor, who thought he had the flu.

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Government & Politics
5:55 pm
Fri September 14, 2012

Registering To Vote Will Soon Be Paperless for Californians

Californians can soon register to vote completely online. Paperless registration will be available to anyone who has a California driver’s license or ID.

Since 2009 Californians have been able to go online and fill out a form as part of the voter registration process. But signatures had to be mailed or delivered to county elections officials. Secretary of State Debra Bowen will soon roll out the next step, which would allow Californians who have a driver’s license or ID to hit “send” at the end of their online form.

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Health
5:49 pm
Fri September 14, 2012

Federal Stimulus Dollars Boost California Electronic Health Systems

Credit Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio
Dr. Gilbert Simon demostrates electronic health software at a Sacramento Family Medical Center.

Hospitals and doctors offices around California are getting an infusion of federal dollars to ramp up electronic recordkeeping.

California officials say health providers have received nearly three quarters of a billion dollars in federal stimulus money to modernize their record systems.

Dr. Gilbert Simon runs the Sacramento Family Medical Clinics. He says he already has plans for this fall.

“We will be calling in all of our patients with lung diseases to get their flu shots.”

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Environment
5:09 pm
Fri September 14, 2012

New Study Examines How Delta Ecosystem Once Worked

A new study released this week by the San Francisco Estuary Institute and the California Department of Fish and Game aims to turn back the clock and learn how the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta used to work - over 150 years ago.

It's part of an effort to allow scientists to better understand how to restore the Delta, by examining how the massive freshwater estuary functioned, before the gold rush and agriculture transformed the region with levees, shipping channels and dredging. 

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Agriculture
4:00 pm
Thu September 13, 2012

Judge Rejects Challenges to California's Law on Farm Animal Cages

A federal judge in Los Angeles has upheld California's law that bans the use of tightly confined cages for some farm animals.

An egg producer challenged 2008's proposition 2, saying it was too vague for farmers because it didn't specify cage size.

But US District Judge John F. Walter said in his ruling it wouldn't require QUOTE "the investigative acumen of Columbo to determine if an egg farmer is in violation of the statute."

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3:33 pm
Thu September 13, 2012

Kings Drive-In May Close For Good After Summer Run

Lead in text: 
The Hanford Sentinel reports that one of the San Joaquin Valley's last drive-in movie theatres may close after the end of the summer season, thanks to a rash of vandalism, and pressures for development.
ARMONA - For many people, the Kings Drive-In Theatre brings back nostalgic memories of movies flickering in the dark through car windshields. They don't know what Geraldine Graff does. Every morning, the owner of the facility cleans up from the night before. She doesn't like what she sees.
Agriculture
3:16 pm
Thu September 13, 2012

Fresno County Company Recalls Cantaloupe Over Salmonella Concerns

Credit Food and Drug Administration
An image supplied by the FDA of the DFI cantaloupes involved in today's voluntary recall.

DFI Marketing of Fresno has announced a recall of 28,000 cartons of cantaloupe after a sample tested positive for Salmonella bacteria. Dresick Farms Inc grows produce on a farm in Huron, in western Fresno County.  

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Government & Politics
2:46 pm
Thu September 13, 2012

Bill Would Give Retirement Plan To Private Sector Workers

Credit Photo used under Creative Commons from Andy Patterson / Modern Relics / http://www.flickr.com/photos/modernrelics/4461010654/

A bill sitting on California Governor Jerry Brown’s desk could provide a retirement savings plan for private sector employees who don’t have one.

It passed on a party line vote the last day of the legislative session, after the Governor requested changes.

The bill establishes a board to make sure it doesn’t cost taxpayers money. And last minute changes to the bill give the legislature final authorization.

Democratic Senator Kevin DeLeon (Day-lee-OWN) authored the bill. He says more than seven million private sector employees don’t have access to a retirement plan.

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