Some 'green' ideas for winter-white weddings

You're ready to say your "I do's" in front of your family and friends. Planning a memorable celebration of your commitment to each other, however, doesn't mean you have to compromise on your commitment to the environment. It's possible to create the wedding of your dreams and stay "green," even in the cold, white months of winter.

Wedding day beauty should show off radiant version of you

Applying makeup is, for most women, nothing more than an everyday task. On your wedding day, however, hair and makeup decisions are no less important than the dress and shoes.

Start with a handmade personal touch

The rolled parchment looks like it's been squirreled away in an attic for ages. It's stiff, discolored, wrinkled, charred around the edges. But the text, written in artful calligraphy, is legible. It begins

Explaining various bridal customs origins

Chances are those who have attended a wedding have witnessed some popular traditions. The bride wears a veil, a court of wedding attendants accompanies the bride and groom and birdseed, rice or flower petals are tossed. But have you ever wondered why?

Find the perfect recipe for a bar

Stay fresh: Use blooms to add personality and panache to your party

Wedding flowers are more than just petals to toss or a bouquet to throw - they're an accessory that can complement your dress, bring life to your venue and offer an important opportunity to express your overall style and personality. This year, the best way to be up-to-date is easy: be yourself.

About us

The wind-blown sandy loam plains of South San Joaquin County weren't exactly hospitable to farming back in 1908.

History experiment uses tech to find new stories of Bay Area’s past

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The photo taken in 1942 shows singer and civil rights activist Paul Robeson serenading a sea of black and white workers at Oakland's Moore Dry Dock Corp., one of the San Francisco Bay Area's first integrated shipping yards.

AROUND THE STATE

NBC'S MICHAELS ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED DUI : SANTA MONICA (AP) - NBC Sports announcer Al Michaels was arrested over the weekend in Southern California on suspicion of drunken driving, authorities said Sunday.

Some lawmakers push for basic health care plan to cover illegal immigrants

SACRAMENTO (AP) - A plan being pushed by some California lawmakers would give immigrants living in the country illegally - and legal residents who can't afford health insurance but don't qualify for Medi-Cal - basic low-cost health care.

State, cities in next round of redevelopment fight as nearly 70 lawsuits jam court system

SACRAMENTO (AP) - A second round of bureaucratic bickering has begun over the dismantling of California's community redevelopment agencies.

Bill targets drop-in day care centers

SACRAMENTO (AP) - A state lawmaker wants to establish basic standards for the short-term day care centers that are growing in popularity at fitness centers, shopping malls, grocery stores and other businesses.

Sierra High seeks nominations for 2013 Hall of Fame

Nominations are being sought for the Sierra High Hall of fame. Nominations are due on Friday, May 3. The Hall of Fame induction will take place Sunday, May 19. Letters of recommendation from the nominator, and the nominee's related high school and career information must be accompanied by a completed nomination form. In cases where other support material is difficult to obtain, additional letters may be in order to substantiate the individual's accomplishments or contributions. ...

Tech firms oppose Internet privacy law

SAN JOSE (AP) - A newspaper is reporting that technology firms, banks and other companies are fighting a proposed Internet privacy law that would require companies to show consumers the personal data they've collected on them and how it's being used.

Students fight bill that would raise class fees

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Proposed legislation that would raise fees for high-demand courses during summer and winter sessions at California community colleges is meeting opposition from students and faculty.

SoCal fire forces evacuation of 200 homes east of Los Angeles

MONROVIA (AP) - Authorities lifted evacuation orders for some residents Saturday night as firefighters made advances on a brush fire in foothills east of Los Angeles, officials said.

Despite Brown decree retirees in some state jobs

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Data reviewed by The Sacramento Bee shows that more than two dozen departments are still using retired executives to fill some of the highest-paying positions in state government, the newspaper reported Sunday.

Bombing suspects planned more attacks

BOSTON (AP) - As churches paused to mourn the dead and console the survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing Sunday, the city's police commissioner said the two suspects had such a large cache of weapons that they were probably planning other attacks. The surviving suspect remained hospitalized and unable to speak with a gunshot wound to the throat.

Prayer and waiting in Texas town rocked by blast from fertilizer plant

WEST, Texas (AP) - The First Baptist Church in the tiny Texas town where a fertilizer plant exploded is still off-limits, so the Rev. John Crowder put folding chairs in a hay pasture and improvised a pulpit on a truck flatbed. At the elementary school, an official carted extra desks and chairs into the only public school campus that's left.

NATION NEWS BRIEFS

• FBI: ILL. MAN TRIED TO JOIN AL-QAIDA-LINKED GROUP: CHICAGO (AP) - An Illinois teenager who was friends with a man charged last year with trying to bomb a Chicago bar was arrested at an airport on his way to try to join a terrorist group in war-torn Syria, the FBI said Saturday.

Reese Witherspoon charged with disorderly conduct

ATLANTA (AP) - Oscar-winning Actress Reese Witherspoon was arrested on a disorderly conduct charge after a state trooper said she wouldn't stay in the car while her husband was given a field sobriety test in Atlanta.

Caregiver: There’s now and app for that

NEW YORK (AP) - As her mother and father edged toward dementia, Nancy D'Auria kept a piece of paper in her wallet listing their medications.