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

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Gov. Jerry Brown traveled to a lower-income Hispanic neighborhood Friday to defend his proposal to shift some education spending to the state's neediest children. Brown told reporters gathered at an elementary school in an unincorporated area east of Los Angeles that his plan would give California the "biggest bang for our buck." About half ...

Wildfire forces school lock down

CASTAIC. (AP) - Firefighters worked swiftly to steer a 40-acre brushfire away from an elementary school moments before school was set to let out for the day. Los Angeles County firefighters say the blaze is burning in light brush off Interstate 5 north of Lake Hughes Road in Castaic. It was reported just before 1:30 p.m. Friday. The ...

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

SALINAS (AP) - A central California man appeared in federal court on Thursday after his arrest in connection with a nationwide child pornography manhunt, and a child thought to be a victim was rescued, federal authorities said. Salinas resident David Stevens, 58, was being held without bail after his arrest Wednesday, according to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations ...

Delta management plan embraced by Stewardship Council

California fuels $550M Powerball jackpot

Ripon crime lab analyst pleads in drug theft case

RIPON (AP) - A former state crime lab forensic analyst accused of stealing drugs being held as evidence is facing 16 months behind bars after pleading guilty to an embezzlement charge. Hermon Brown, 43, entered the plea on Tuesday, as his jury trial was under way. Prosecutors say he stole half a pound of crystal methamphetamine and cocaine ...

Brown: Review UC graduation rates

Major budget infusion for education

Body of missing 9-year-old found

CLEARLAKE (AP) - Authorities found the body on Wednesday of an autistic Northern California 9-year-old who went missing from her family's vacation home, ending an exhaustive, emotional search for the girl. A dive team found Mikaela Lynch in a muddy creek near the home in Clearlake, Clearlake Police Chief Craig Clausen said. He said there was no indication of foul play, but ...

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