California voters face revamped ballots, districts in today’s election

Ill state inmate dies hours before release

VACAVILLE, Calif. (AP) - A terminally ill, convicted killer died in a California prison hours before he was to be freed to spend his final days with his family, his attorney said. Carl Wade had been recommended for compassionate release under a state law for inmates whose death is imminent and who pose no danger to the public. He had heart and ...

Out-of-state colleges recruit more California students in face of cutbacks

LOS ANGELES (AP) - California students are increasingly being courted by out-of-state colleges seeking to take advantage of cutbacks and rising tuition at the Golden State's public universities. The Los Angeles Times reported Monday that schools in neighboring states are stepping up recruitment of California high school students, touting special discounts, small classes and course availability. ...

Sequoia fire jumps to protected wilderness area

Bay Area briefs

Aetna says surgery center firm is overbilling SANTA CLARA (AP) - Aetna has filed a $20 million lawsuit claiming a Northern California surgery center firm is overbilling the insurance carrier, including a $66,100 bunion repair, a $6,642 colonoscopy and a $23,301 knee arthroscopy. The Santa Clara County lawsuit claims the Saratoga-based Bay Area Surgical Management recruited dozens of doctors to invest in its ...

1 dead, 3 wounded in Vallejo park shooting

VALLEJO (AP) - A 57-year-old man has died and three other people were hospitalized after a shooting in a Vallejo park Saturday night, police said.

New SF Bay ferry service set to launch

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO . (AP) - Commuters on both sides of San Francisco Bay will have another option to get across the bay when a new ferry route begins running Monday.

California voters face redrawn ballot, new districts in Tuesday’s election

SACRAMENTO (AP) - California voters will face a newly reshaped ballot with many more choices on Tuesday as they cast votes in the first statewide election to implement two major voter-approved political reforms and as candidates compete in districts meant to be more competitive.

$20M California Trail center opens near Elko in Nevada

RENO (AP) - A $20 million federal facility devoted to telling the story of the covered-wagon pioneers' overland journey during the California Gold Rush has opened in Nevada.

State news briefs

ABOUT 1,000 ACRES BURNED IN SEQUOIA FIRE: SEQUOIA NATIONAL FOREST (AP) - Afternoon winds are being blamed for helping a wildfire burning in a remote area of the Sequoia National Forest nearly double in size.

Voters turn against California bullet train

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A new poll finds California voters are experiencing buyers' remorse over a proposed $68 billion bullet train project, as the number of lawsuits against the rail system grows.

State news briefs

STUDENTS PROTEST ADMISSIONS POLICIES AT UCLA: LOS ANGELES (AP) - About two dozen demonstrators are occupying the admissions office at the University of California, Los Angeles to protest the number of black, Latino and native American students admitted.

Burning rocks had elevated phosphate levels

SAN CLEMENTE (AP) - Additional testing has confirmed beach rocks that spontaneously combusted in a Southern California woman's pocket contained elevated levels of phosphorus, an official said Friday. The source of the substance is still unclear, but an expert says it probably was manmade. Results from an independent lab matched those obtained by the Orange County Public Health ...

Alameda avoids legal woes, allows gun shows with tight rules on county property

Sacramento deputies face charges of selling dozens of weapons illegally

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Black student targeted with racist note

IRVINE (AP) - University of California, Irvine officials pledged to work on race relations on campus this week after a black student found a hand-scrawled note in her backpack calling her a slave, making it the second racist incident that has offended black students in recent weeks.

Mom: Accused boy, 12, ‘could never’ hurt sister

VALLEY SPRINGS (AP) - A day before a 12-year-old boy was arrested for the stabbing death of his 8-year-old sister, his mother described him as "protective" of his younger sibling.

State lawmakers debate how to spend $900M in new revenue from loophole

SACRAMENTO (AP) - California schools are expecting a boost from the $900 million to be raised over the next year through the closure of a corporate tax loophole, but Gov. Jerry Brown is locked in a disagreement with state lawmakers over how to hand out that money.

Chris Brown’s scary curbside art irks LA neighbors; city cites him for ‘signage’

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Grammy-winning musician Chris Brown's neighbors are unhappy with what some are calling frightening art he's chosen to have painted along the curb of his Hollywood Hills home.

Bay Bridge base rods can’t be easily inspected

OAKLAND (AP) - More than 400 seismic safety rods that may be vulnerable to cracking or breaking are embedded in the base of the new San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and may be difficult to inspect, remove or replace, according to a newspaper report.

One by one, homes in subdivision sinking

LAKEPORT (AP) - Scott and Robin Spivey had a sinking feeling that something was wrong with their home when cracks began snaking across their walls in March.

Judge denies bid to block Dorner reward payout plan

Immigrant raid rumor fuels fear in SJ Valley

Nevada high school choir will back Rolling Stones at concert

Acting Oakland chief replaced after 2 days

4 pit bulls blamed for SoCal jogger's killing

State. moves to comply with 2011 gay history law

Bold turkey: woman hits cop in bid to kick smoking habit

Compton teen convicted in killing mom, stepfather

Judge: No auction yet of Kobe Bryant's stuff