Voter distrust will be a hurdle for Brown sales, income tax hike proposition on November ballot

'Idol' favorite would continue winner monotony

Del Norte DA faces possible disbarment

Suit attacks teacher employment rules, students say they protect bad educators

Bay Area briefs

Oikos University nursing program downgraded OAKLAND (AP) - The nursing program at the California Christian college where a gunman killed seven people has been placed on a form of probation. The state Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians voted on Friday to shift approval of the program at Oikos University to provisional status. That means the Oakland school ...

State news briefs

MODESTO CEMETERIES VANDALIZED, HEADSTONES BROKEN: MODESTO (AP) - Vandals have caused thousands of dollars in damage in three of Modesto's cemeteries.

Police raid Occupy camp on UC Berkeley land

ALBANY (AP) - University of California police raided a four-week Occupy encampment at a college-owned farm used for agriculture research early Monday, arresting nine people after protesters ignored yet another weekend deadline to leave. About 100 officers clad in riot gear arrived shortly after 6 a.m. at the camp known as Occupy the Farm, but there was no violence, university spokesman Dan ...

New regulations proposed for restaurant playgrounds, reporting stolen guns, table saws

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Fast-food restaurants in California could face new sanitation and safety requirements for the playgrounds they install to attract children. Under the bill, sponsored by Democrat Michael Allen of Santa Rosa, restaurants would be required to post signs informing customers that food is not allowed on play structures and to provide adults who ask copies of their playground inspection and ...

Lawsuit seeks to keep death penalty off ballot

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A victims' rights group is seeking to remove from the November ballot a measure that would abolish the death penalty. The Criminal Justice Legal Foundation filed a petition with the California Court of Appeal on Monday. The Sacramento-based group argues the initiative violates a state law limiting propositions to single subjects. If passed, the measure would abolish the ...

Brown: $8.3B in budget cuts by July 1

Cell phone penalties would rise under pending bill

Savings from state worker pay cut far from assured

Cal high-speed rail must spend $2.7M a day in order not to lose federal funding

LOS ANGELES (AP) - California will need to build its high-speed train line in record time if it doesn't want to risk losing federal funds - indeed, it will have to be the fastest piece of transportation construction in U.S. history, experts said. Under a federal deadline, the California High-Speed Rail Authority has until September 2017 to finish the first segment of ...

Proposed cuts in governor's revised budget plan

Bay Area briefs

Solo drivers embracing SF South Bay toll lanes

Navy official removed from job for flirty texts

Analyst pegs revenue $3.2B higher than Brown

Canada trying to lure Bay Area tech workers

California unemployment rate drops to 9 percent

Bay Area briefs

OAKLAND FREEWAY REOPENS AFTER FATAL SHOOTING: OAKLAND (AP) - A freeway has reopened early Friday after a shooting left two men dead.

Brown defends education spending in LA

Wildfire forces school lock down

14-year term for doc promising cancer cure

State news briefs

BILL CALLS FOR CONSIDERING BRIDGE SUICIDE BARRIERS: SACRAMENTO (AP) - Suicide barriers could be included on more California bridges as a result of a bill advancing through the Legislature.

Judge will hear lawsuit over high-speed rail bonds

No spike in parolee arrests found in state prison realignment aftermath

Salinas man arrested in kiddie porn case; child is rescued

Delta management plan embraced by Stewardship Council

California fuels $550M Powerball jackpot

Ripon crime lab analyst pleads in drug theft case