Bay Area news briefs

Tombstones uncovered at SF beach SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Tombstones that were used years ago to shore up the seawall at San Francisco's Ocean Beach are once again visible. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that strong winds and shifting sands uncovered the old grave markers this week. One of them - a nearly intact marble tombstone - carries the ...

UCLA votes to take MBA program off state funding

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Faculty representatives at the University of California, Los Angeles voted Thursday to take the school's masters of business administration program off state funding and make it financially self-supporting. The Legislative Assembly of the UCLA Academic Senate approved the plan with a 53-46 vote, with three abstaining, university spokesman Phil Hampton said. The plan makes ...

Students smear peanut butter at Sacramento school as senior prank

SACRAMENTO (AP) - More than two dozen students at a Sacramento high school have been barred from walking at graduation after they spray painted profane graffiti and smeared peanut butter throughout the campus, school officials said. The vandalism at C.K. McClatchy High School this week was billed as a senior prank. But Principal Peter Lambert said it went too far. <p style="line-height: ...

State news briefs

SCHOOL VANDALS CUT DOWN 70-FOOT TREE: SANTA CLARITA (AP) - Authorities say it may have been intended as a prank but it wasn't funny when vandals chopped down a 70-foot pine tree at a northern Los Angeles County high school.

Democrats, Gov. Brown discuss bridging $2B divide to avoid welfare reductions

Elections officials: Get used to uncounted votes due to mail-in

SF mulls tour bus limits in historic district

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Residents of San Francisco's Alamo Square have learned that living in a neighborhood pictured on postcards and television shows such as "Full House" has challenges as well as charms. The historic district famous for its colorful Victorian houses and a park with stunning views has become a popular stop for an increasing number of tour buses, at least ...

San Onofre nuke plant likely offline for summer

Remodels of CSU presidents' homes cause outcry on cash strapped college campuses

LOS ANGELES (AP) - California State University has spent $1 million in public and private funds over the past year renovating houses used by campus presidents, causing some to wonder why the system does not sell the homes in a time of fiscal austerity. The renovations at four of the 11 houses at different campuses has caused consternation at a time when ...

Bay Area briefs

Court upholds hit man case against ex-politician

State news briefs

Ex-NBA star Johnson back in as Sac mayor SACRAMENTO (AP) - Former NBA star point guard Kevin Johnson won a second term as mayor of Sacramento. With all precincts reporting, Johnson was ahead Wednesday with 58 percent of the vote. His closest rival, city Parks Commissioner Jonathan Rewers, had 24 percent. Johnson, a Democrat, declared victory late Tuesday at ...

Report blasts handling of Occupy Berkeley protests

San Jose, San Diego voter imposed pension cuts may have ripple effect

At least 800,000 ballots still uncounted

Push to quash tobacco tax could echo beyond state

Push to quash tobacco tax could echo beyond state

PG&E didn't spend $50M for safety

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Pacific Gas & Electric Co. did not use more than $50 million it collected from ratepayers that was meant to improve its gas pipeline network in the decade leading up to a deadly explosion in a San Francisco Bay Area suburb, an audit shows. From 1999 to 2010, the utility regularly failed to use all the money to fix and maintain small gas distribution lines that deliver natural gas to homes ...

Norcal News

DEFENSE SUGGESTS VICTIM FATALLY SHOT HIMSELF: SACRAMENTO (AP) - A defense lawyer suggested a man who was fatally shot at a Sacramento Sikh sports festival five years ago may have fired the fatal bullet himself.

Medi-Cal cuts will limit health access

Bay Area briefs

VETERAN RUNNER DIES DURING MT. DIABLO FOOTRACE: MARTINEZ (AP) - A veteran long-distance runner competing in a 50-kilometer footrace on Mount Diablo died during the competition.

State parks system launching makeover

209 News

TRAIN DERAILS, DAMAGES TRACK ON POPULAR VALLEY ROUTE: DENAIR (AP) - Rail authorities are working to repair damage on Amtrak's popular San Joaquin route after a freight train derailed in the Central California town of Denair.

Zynga to cut 520 jobs amid performance woes

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Online game maker Zynga Inc. said Monday that it is cutting 520 jobs, about 18 percent of its workforce, in a cost-saving move designed to help it adapt to consumers shifting game play from computers to mobile devices. Zynga said it expects the move to save about $70 million to $80 million in annual costs. But the San Francisco-based company behind "FarmVille" and "Words With Friends" also now expects a worse ...

2,800 residents allowed to go home

Mogul to pay $2.5M Big Sur settlement

Bay Area briefs

SFMOMA CLOSES DOORS FOR EXPANSION: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art has closed its doors, as it undergoes a major expansion.

Bills to halt fracking fail to garner support

Winds aid crews by turning back fire

SANTA CLARITA (AP) - For a change, winds helped crews working to contain a wildfire burning Friday in rugged mountains north of Los Angeles. A day earlier, gusts had driven flames toward the rural community of Green Valley and forced people from about 200 homes. On Friday, winds were pushing the fire southward - back into the 2 1/3 square miles that have already burned. "The fire is moving uphill and burning into the black," ...

Bay Area briefs

EX-PG&E WORKER CLAIMS UTILITY MISLED REGULATORS: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A former PG&E manager has filed a lawsuit alleging that he was fired for refusing to participate in the utility's plan to mislead regulators into approving rate increases.

Boy dies after signs of abuse were missed

LOS ANGELES (AP) - An 8-year-old boy who authorities say died after being beaten had remained in the house where the alleged abuse occurred despite six investigations by social workers during the past decade, a newspaper said. Social workers appeared to miss numerous warnings signs at the home, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday, citing county documents. The boy had written a note saying he was thinking about suicide and his teacher told authorities he ...

High-speed rail: Broken promise?