San Bruno survivors plan 2 year anniversary

SAN BRUNO . (AP) - Survivors of a deadly pipeline explosion in a San Francisco Bay area suburb plan to hold a memorial to commemorate the two years that have passed since the blast, even as they continue to press for stronger pipeline safety reforms. On Tuesday, neighbors gathered at the San Bruno blast site with Assemblyman Jerry Hill, a Democrat who ...

CHP officer critically wounded in shooting on I-680 in Walnut Creek

WALNUT CREEK (AP) - A California Highway Patrol officer was in critical condition and a suspect was dead after a Tuesday morning rush hour shootout on Interstate 680 near Walnut Creek, authorities said. The shooting prompted the closure of the highway in both directions as traffic came to a standstill. The incident occurred shortly before 8:30 a.m. after the male officer conducted ...

Plan for Giant Sequoia monument limits felling

Trees coming down so space shuttle can roll in LA

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Los Angeles is trading the trees for the stars - and not everybody's happy about it. Crews clearing a path for the space shuttle Endeavour have begun cutting down hundreds of trees in South Los Angeles and Inglewood, with some residents mourning their loss even as they welcome a piece of history. Chainsaws and ...

Cal State faculty approve 4-year contract

5 men die in solo SoCal accident as driver loses control

ONTARIO (AP) - Five young men riding in the same compact car were killed Monday when the driver lost control, ran a red light, hit a concrete post and came to a stop in a backyard in San Bernardino County.

Vallejo police kill man with pellet gun for fifth fatal officer involved shooting this year

VALLEJO (AP) - Tensions are high as police in this Northern California city are investigating its fifth fatal officer-involved shooting this year. The latest shooting happened early Sunday after officers fired more than 30 rounds and shot and killed a parolee who apparently turned towards them with a weapon that turned out to be a pellet gun. Two ...

Top retirees benefited from cash out

Wildfire grows, spoiling LA-area holiday plans

GLENDORA (AP) - A wildfire northeast of Los Angeles spoiled the Labor Day plans of thousands of visitors to the Angeles National Forest as firefighters bore down Monday for what figured to be a long fight against the big blaze. A day after the wildfire broke out near a campground and forced the evacuation of thousands of campers and picnickers it had ...

State news briefs

STRANGE COURT CASE FOR BURNING MAN DRUG SUSPECTS: RENO, Nev. (AP) - It wasn't as surreal as Burning Man itself, but the courtroom banter was a bit unorthodox.

New attendance push offers prizes for simply showing up for school

Actor Michael Clarke Duncan dead at 54

Bay Area briefs

Dumbarton Bridge weekend closure ending early SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The California Department of Transportation says the Dumbarton Bridge will reopen early after being closed the bridge for the entire Labor Day weekend. KGO-TV reports that Caltrans said Monday that they will reopen the bridge before midnight, hours ahead of the scheduled 5 a.m. Tuesday reopening. The bridge was ...

Lawmakers abandon teacher evaluation bill

SACRAMENTO (AP) - State lawmakers failed to revive a controversial measure that would rewrite state rules on teacher evaluations, but supporters vowed to bring it up again in the next legislative session.

Promoters' email: Concern over Jackson's stability

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Promoters of Michael Jackson's planned 2009 comeback described in emails how they feared for the megastar's stability, saying he was out of shape and consumed with self-doubt.

Bill would prohibit ticket-buying software

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Music and sports fans would have one less obstacle in buying tickets to popular events under a bill advancing through the California Legislature. Legislation by Democratic Assemblyman Richard Pan of Sacramento would prohibit the use of robotic ticket-buying software. Supporters of AB329 say scalpers use the software to bombard online box offices and then resell tickets at higher prices. Lawmakers previously deleted a provision that would have allowed transfers of paperless event ...

Professor assigns students to make ad for his campaign

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A San Francisco State University professor considering a run for Oakland mayor is drawing scrutiny for a class assignment that asked students to create a political campaign ad and gave them the option of developing it for him. Joe Tuman said he would use the ad if it were good, the San Francisco Chronicle reported on Thursday. But ethics experts said any such use of the students' work could run afoul ...

Bay Area briefs

SWALLOWS LAWSUIT MAY DELAY PETALUMA BRIDGE WORK : PETALUMA (AP) - A lawsuit accuses state and federal regulators of causing the death of dozens of migratory cliff swallows by placing nets on a Sonoma County bridge during a highway widening project.

State releases health reform plans, pricing