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 ...

Bay Area briefs

Man trying to rob pot operation killed OAKLAND (AP) - The caretaker of an indoor marijuana growing operation in Oakland's Chinatown district shot and killed a man early Monday after the man and two others tried to rob the operation, police said. The shooting occurred shortly before 5 a.m. after three men tried to barge into a duplex about two blocks ...

State news briefs

Couple reports finding baby's body FOLSOM . (AP) - Authorities are investigating how a baby reportedly found in the backyard of a Sacramento County couple's home died. The couple has told police they returned to their Folsom home after a vacation on Sunday and found the baby. Police are not releasing its sex or race or saying whether it had been carried to ...

Man wants to farm shellfish in federal waters

LONG BEACH . (AP) - A Southern California entrepreneur already has a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provision permit to harvest a million pounds of mussels and oysters from an underwater shellfish farm nearly five miles offshore. The project, described as a milestone in aquaculture, now needs California Coastal Commission approval.

Donner Summit’s 3,000 acres of granite peaks & wildflowers becoming open space

. TRUCKEE (AP) - In what is being hailed as a major land acquisition in the Sierra Nevada, conservation groups announced Monday they had reached an agreement to purchase 3,000 acres of granite peaks and wildflower-dotted meadows atop Northern California's Donner Summit. Under an agreement reached last week with a court-appointed negotiator, three local nonprofits will buy the 3,000-acre Royal Gorge property for ...

Fire burning at N. California refinery

RICHMOND (AP) - Residents in two Northern California cities are being told to shelter-in-place because of a fire at a Chevron refinery in Richmond. An official with the Contra Costa County Health Services says the fire, first reported at 6:40 p.m. Monday, is burning in a process unit at the facility. It is emitting black smoke over the cities of Richmond and ...

Man sentenced to prison for kidnapping son

Ex-WaMu exec gets OK as Brown's banking regulator

Can lawmakers be trusted with money?

SACRAMENTO (AP) - The Legislature resumes its session this week after a monthlong summer recess, giving the Democratic majority one last chance to persuade voters that a statewide tax increase is needed and that lawmakers can be trusted to handle the extra money wisely.

Elite colleges transform online higher education with free, worldwide reach

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - When the Massachusetts Institute of Technology offered its first free online course this spring, Ashwith Rego jumped at the chance to learn from some of the world's leading researchers - without leaving his home in India.

Red flag warnings have firefighters on high alert thanks to dry Sierra lightning

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Forecasters predicted another day of thunderstorms producing lightning but dropping little rain, which put firefighters in California on high alert again Sunday as crews lost ground on an expanding wildfire in the Plumas National Forest.

Bill seeks to tighten assault weapons law

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Legislation that has the backing of California's attorney general would close a loophole in the nation's toughest assault weapons law, making it more difficult for guns to be swiftly reloaded with high-capacity magazines.

Officer who revealed corruption gets job back

BELL (AP) - A police sergeant from the city of Bell who was forced to retire after reporting corruption in local government has been given his job back, along with a $400,000 settlement.

Boy Scout files reveal repeat child abuse

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Internal documents from the Boy Scouts of America reveal more than 125 cases in which men suspected of molestation allegedly continued to abuse Scouts, despite a blacklist meant to protect boys from sexual predators.

State news briefs

Bay Area briefs

KAYAKER MISSING AFTER FALLING INTO LIVERMORE LAKE: LIVERMORE (AP) - A 30-year-old man is missing after falling out of a kayak at a lake in Livermore.

Four lawsuits filed against Delta Plan

Port of LA unveils plan for marine research center

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Los Angeles port officials on Monday unveiled plans to create a $500 million marine research center called AltaSea. The project, developed through a public-private partnership between the port and universities, will be built on a 100-year-old wharf on the San Pedro waterfront. Officials cited Los Angeles' urban environment as a reason to invest in research at the port, which had been looking to diversify its uses - in addition to cargo ...

Cancer killed serial killer Richard Ramirez

LA elementary teacher arrested in estranged wife's stabbing death

Legislature passes $96.3B budget

State news briefs

BILLY RAY CYRUS HAS AN ACKY BREAKY HEART AS HE AND WIFE OF 19 YEARS, GETTING DIVORCE: LOS ANGELES (AP) - Billy Ray Cyrus' wife has filed for divorce from the country singer after 19 years of marriage.

Coastal board hikes SoCal beach parking fees, may impose NorCal parking fees

New York, San Francisco plan tech summits

License of Davis group home revoked over sex case

3 found dead in burning stolen car near Paradise

PARADISE . (AP) - Authorities in rural Northern California have found a burning stolen car with three people dead inside. Butte County sheriff's Sgt. Jason Hail says deputies and firefighters responded to reports of a vehicle fire on a road in Magalia 10 miles northeast of Chico early Thursday. They arrived to find a green Acura sedan engulfed in flames when it was out found three bodies. Undersheriff Kory Honea tells the Chico Enterprise-Record that ...

San Francisco parking spot sells for $82,000

San Francisco parking spot sells for $82,000

Bay Area briefs

SF DEVELOPER LOOKS TO MAKE MORTUARY INTO MINI-GOLF: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Developers in San Francisco want to turn a funeral home into a fun zone.

Federal board OKs high-speed rail work