Big Valley News
Central Valley's Independent News Source
WASHINGTON - The American Farm Bureau Federation's 33rd annual survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table indicates the average cost of this year's feast for 10 is $48.90, or less than $5.00 per person. This is a 22-cent decrease from last year's average of $49.12.
"Since 2015, the average cost of Thanksgiving dinner has declined steadily and is now at the lowest level since 2010," said AFBF Chief Economist Dr. John Newton.
New Voting System Leads to Improved Strong Voter Turnout
MADERA - The Madera County Elections Department is continuing to process ballots and is calling the midterm turnout an overwhelming success. With just over 1,500 ballots remaining to be counted, Madera County turnout is already at 65%, over 13% higher than the last midterm election in 2014.
According to data provided on the Registrar’s website, 65% turnout will make this midterm turnout higher than any midterm in the last 20 years, as far back as online records go. “My hope has always been to increase turnout,” explained Madera County Registrar Rebecca Martinez. “Implementing the Voter’s Choice Act and making the voting process more convenient, more accessible, and more efficient has proven to yield the results we were hoping for. All Madera County voters should be proud; I know that I am proud of them!”
FRESNO - Raul Oropeza Lopez, 51, and Ana Maria Oropeza, 45, both of Delano, were sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill. Raul Oropeza Lopez was ordered to serve three years and one month in prison and to pay $1,283,160 in restitution. Ana Maria Oropeza was sentenced to three years of probation, and ordered to serve eight months on house arrest. The defendants were also ordered to forfeit over $167,00 in seized cash.
According to court documents, Raul Oropeza Lopez obtained social security numbers, names, and other personal identifying information of U.S. citizens and legal residents and then fraudulently used such information to provide undocumented workers with false identities required to work in the United States as farm laborers.
FRESNO - Ulises Medina, 25, of Earlimart, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. According to court documents, Medina was a member of a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies of gas stations, convenience stores, and liquor stores from May 19, 2016, until July 26, 2017.
Medina and his conspirators committed at least seven armed robberies in Tulare and Kern Counties between May 2016 and January 2017. The next month, Medina and his associates travelled to Nebraska, where they committed two more robberies. They then returned to California, where they committed three more armed robberies.
Cocaine and Firearms Seized in Residences in Madera and FresnoFRESNO - A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Patrick Maldonado, 42, of Madera, and Elias Zambrano Jr., 43, of Fresno, charging them with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana and being felons in possession of firearms, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Maldonado is also charged with possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute.
According to court documents, Maldonado and Zambrano coordinated the shipment of over 400 pounds of marijuana to Kansas City, Missouri. Following the seizure of one load in Kansas City and a second in Arizona, agents executed search warrants at Maldonado’s residence in Madera and Zambrano’s residence in Fresno.
