Temperatures soaring in Southern California

LOS ANGELES (AP) - After weeks of mild summertime temperatures, Southern Californians are sweltering in a heat wave expected to last for days and potentially test an electrical grid lacking one major power plant. Temperatures topped 100 degrees Tuesday in many valley and inland areas but moderated closer to the coast, where beach cities had readings in the high 70s or low ...

NASA gives a peek of rover's Mars journey

Get ready to be burned by higher gas prices

Police: Woman stole baby after faking being pregnant

9th Circuit sides with feds in wiretap ruling

State news briefs

LA BANS SKATEBOARD "BOMBING" AFTER 2 DEATHS: LOS ANGELES (AP) - Los Angeles officials voted Tuesday to respond to two teen deaths by banning skateboard "bombing," where skaters zoom down steep hills at up to 40 mph.

Young men of color in trouble costs California billions of dollars

Loss of RDA cash hurts struggling cities

SF mayor ends stop-frisk consideration

Bay Area briefs

Car dealership settles discrimination suit FREMONT (AP) - A Northern California Toyota dealership has agreed to pay $400,000 to five former Afghan-American employees who say a manager called them terrorists and threatened them. The Fremont Argus reports that Fremont Toyota's former general manager allegedly called four salesmen names and threatened to blow them up with a grenade in a 2007 staff meeting. <p ...

Legislative pay hikes could hurt tax plan

Why Mars again? A look at NASA's latest venture

PASADENA (AP) - NASA's new robot rover named Curiosity landed safely late Sunday in a huge crater near the equator of Mars and will soon begin its scientific studies. This marks NASA's seventh landing on the red planet and is its 19th Mars mission, including those by orbiters and other spacecraft. WHY MARS AGAIN? <p style="line-height: ...

Quake felt in Coalinga was magnitude 4.5

COALINGA (AP) - A magnitude-4.5 earthquake has shaken a rural area of Central California. A U.S. Geological Survey computer-generated report says Monday's 12:36 a.m. quake was centered 16 miles south-southwest of Coalinga in the San Joaquin Valley and 123 miles southeast of San Jose. A Coalinga police officer says several people have reported feeling the quake but there ...

Weekend thunderstorms fuel California wildfires

BELDEN (AP) - A wildfire in Northern California's Plumas National Forest has now consumed more than 21 square miles although officials say calmer winds and higher humidity helped crews battling the blaze overnight. The Chips Fire was still at zero percent containment on Monday morning. The blaze jumped fire lines over the weekend, fueled by strong winds from thunderstorms. It is threatening ...

Woman tries to steal newborn in tote bag from Southern California hospital

GARDEN GROVE (AP) - A woman disguised in scrubs was caught trying to steal a newborn girl from a Southern California hospital in a duffel bag after sensors attached to the baby alerted employees, Garden Grove police said. The 48-year-old woman was arrested Monday at Garden Grove Medical Center after a hospital staffer stopped her from leaving with the baby, Lt. Jeff ...

OC officials keep inmate alive they want to ultimately execute

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) - A man charged with raping and killing a woman 30 years ago is being kept alive in Orange County with dialysis treatments until officials can win permission to execute him.

Bills aim to protect privacy in drone age

SACRAMENTO (AP) - California lawmakers are attempting to stay ahead of science fiction-style technology as increasingly nimble unmanned aircraft are considered for use in tracking fleeing suspects and monitoring crowded public spaces.