CA official seeks US commitment on high-speed rail

Documents allege teen assaulted during Bible study

CORONA (AP) - A Southern California pastor charged with terrorizing a 13-year-old boy allegedly carried out the assault during a Bible study session while a circle of men watched, newly unsealed court documents revealed. The pastor of the Corona storefront church and two of his followers are accused of disciplining the teen by pinching him with pliers, beating him with a shovel ...

Even if voters Ok tax hikes, California faces chronic deficits for years to come

Horse runs into sea, rescued a mile offshore

CARPINTERIA (AP) - Maybe he should be named Bob. An Arabian horse named William got spooked during a California beachside photo shoot Tuesday and swam a mile out to sea before rescuers got to him and helped him back to shore. Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Capt. Jay Irwin said that the horse's white head looked like a seagull bobbing in ...

University of Calif confronts budget shortfall

High-speed rail environmental exemptions sought

SACRAMENTO (AP) - California's high-speed rail chief says he's seeking environmental exemptions on the first 130-mile leg of the bullet train in the San Joaquin Valley. California High-Speed Rail Authority chairman Dan Richard said during a Tuesday state Senate hearing that the exemption would avoid any legal delays caused by an injunction, a possibility as agriculture interests gear up for a court ...

Crews unearth old pauper's cemetery in San Jose

SAN JOSE (AP) - Construction workers in San Jose have unearthed what officials say is a 19th Century pauper's grave that may hold nearly 1,500 caskets. The site was discovered in February by excavation crews working at Valley Medical Center, a county hospital first established in 1875. The crews found 15 pine coffins at the site, and immediately ...

Bay Area briefs

DUI MOM HIT 100 MPH IN SUV TO MAKE CHILD'S PARTY: ROHNERT PARK (AP) - A Northern California mother arrested for drunken driving hit 100 mph in her SUV while trying to make her child's birthday party.

Facebook IPO could mean up to $2.1B for Calif.

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Facebook's public stock offering this week is projected to generate between $1.6 billion and $2.1 billion through mid-2013 for California's budget as shareholders cash in their shares.

State news briefs

MAN FREED ON BOND BUT MUST WRITE BOOK REPORTS: RICHMOND (AP) - A man charged in an undercover sting operation in Northern California that ended in gunfire has been ordered released on bond on the condition that he read and write book reports.

Federal regulator questions state mortgage bills

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

Plastic ocean debris bill dies in committee

Bill would treat e-cigarettes like other tobacco

State Senate election might be headed to runoff in 16th district

LA sanitation ends plans for dump near Joshua Tree

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