Weakness exposed in electricity trading

FOLSOM (AP) - A big electricity trader may have figured out a way to exploit vulnerabilities in the state's $8 billion-a-year electricity market, just as Enron Corp. did a decade ago, state officials said.

Orange County city says Obama campaign hasn't paid its bill for February protection

NEWPORT BEACH . (AP) - Newport Beach may call the bill collectors on President Obama's re-election campaign.

No mechanical issues in Superman roller coaster stall at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

VALLEJO (AP) - Mechanical problems were not to blame for the stalling of a roller coaster carrying a dozen people at a Northern California theme park while the coaster was about 150 feet above the ground, park officials said Monday.

State news briefs

MAN ATTEMPTS TO SMUGGLE METH AS CANDY: LOS ANGELES (AP) - A California man faces federal drug charges for allegedly trying to smuggle more than four pounds of methamphetamine to Japan in what looked like dozens of Snickers bars.

Newest California city may fold after state hijacks half of its revenue

JURUPA VALLEY (AP) - California's newest city could be broke in a year because the state has taken away nearly half its budget.

Marketing aids Catholic schools enrollment

LOS ANGELES (AP) - After 97 years, Our Lady of Lourdes School was closing - enrollment had dwindled to just 35 children last year at what was once one of the West Coast's biggest Catholic schools.

Hundreds decrying police violence during march

ANAHEIM (AP) - More than 300 demonstrators rallied Sunday to denounce two fatal police shootings and to issue a call for community peace.

California companies get creative with 'cremains'

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - More people are taking the remains of their loved ones and having them cremated, and having the ashes turned into other items such as diamonds.

Mental health dollars bypass mentally ill

SACRAMENTO (AP) - As state mental health services have crumbled under budget cuts, tens of millions of dollars raised through a tax designed to help the mentally ill have gone to "wellness" programs like horseback riding for teens and yoga classes for city workers. And that's by design.

Death Valley drive at click of a mouse

DEATH VALLEY (AP) - Imagine being the only driver on a two-lane asphalt highway as the stark desolation of Death Valley National park passes on each side and the crystal blue sky stretches up from the horizon.

Judge hears arguments on San Diego pension measure

SAN DIEGO (AP) - A city employees' labor union on Friday urged a judge to put a voter-approved pension overhaul on hold while it hammers out details of new 401(k)-style retirement plan for new hires.

Ice cream truck driver sentenced for murder

BAKERSFIELD (AP) - A California ice cream truck driver has been sentenced to life without parole in the murder of his brother and the brother's business associate, whose screams while being stabbed were captured on a 911 recording. The Bakersfield Californian reports (http://bit.ly/OrKlE1) that a Kern County judge issued the sentence against 58-year-old Narinder Kumar on Thursday. Prosecutors ...

Oregon wolf looking for love finds none in NorCal from wolves & people

UC regents dropped from deadly lab accident case

Willard says he did nothing to warrant arrest

Judge considers effect of fungus on inmates

Apple details nearly 500 government requests for user data over six months

CUPERTINO (AP) - Apple says it received between 4,000 and 5,000 requests from U.S. law enforcement for customer data for the six months ended in May. The company, like some other businesses, had asked the U.S government to be able to share how many requests it received related to national security and how it handled them. Those requests were made as part of Prism, the recently revealed highly classified National Security Agency program that seizes ...

Bill would let cities decide on open records

Wildfire burning near Hwy 140 near Mariposa

MARIPOSA (AP) - A wind-whipped wildfire near the main route into Yosemite National Park in the Central Sierra foothills forced the evacuation of about 150 houses and threatened others, a state fire official said on Monday. More than 700 firefighters are battling the Carstens fire which began Sunday afternoon and has burned about 1 1/2 square miles or 900 acres, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Daniel Berlant said. With more than 140 ...

State news briefs

Bay Area briefs

KAYAKER MISSING AFTER FALLING INTO LIVERMORE LAKE: LIVERMORE (AP) - A 30-year-old man is missing after falling out of a kayak at a lake in Livermore.

Four lawsuits filed against Delta Plan

Port of LA unveils plan for marine research center

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Los Angeles port officials on Monday unveiled plans to create a $500 million marine research center called AltaSea. The project, developed through a public-private partnership between the port and universities, will be built on a 100-year-old wharf on the San Pedro waterfront. Officials cited Los Angeles' urban environment as a reason to invest in research at the port, which had been looking to diversify its uses - in addition to cargo ...

Cancer killed serial killer Richard Ramirez

LA elementary teacher arrested in estranged wife's stabbing death

Legislature passes $96.3B budget

State news briefs

BILLY RAY CYRUS HAS AN ACKY BREAKY HEART AS HE AND WIFE OF 19 YEARS, GETTING DIVORCE: LOS ANGELES (AP) - Billy Ray Cyrus' wife has filed for divorce from the country singer after 19 years of marriage.

Coastal board hikes SoCal beach parking fees, may impose NorCal parking fees

New York, San Francisco plan tech summits

License of Davis group home revoked over sex case