HOLLISTER — Two people were killed and three others were wounded in a drive-by shooting in central California, authorities said. The gunfire erupted Saturday around 9 p.m. at a gathering in a residential block of Hollister, according to the San Benito County Sheriff's Office. The three survivors were airlifted...
Felony Charges for Retail Theft Ring That Hit Fresno, Other Cities
SACRAMENTO — Nine members of an alleged organized retail theft network accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in merchandise from stores throughout California have been charged with conspiracy, felony grand theft, and receiving stolen property, state Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Friday. The charges came after a...
Army Eases Fitness Test Standards for Women, Older Troops
After three years of complaints and debate, the Army has scrapped its move to have a physical fitness test that is gender- and age-neutral, and will now allow women and older soldiers to pass while meeting some reduced standards. The decision comes after a study by the RAND research organization confirmed that men...
Russia May Shift War Goals; 300 Reported Dead in Theater
KYIV, Ukraine — About 300 people were killed in the Russian airstrike last week on a Mariupol theater that was being used as a shelter, Ukrainian authorities said Friday in what would make it the war's deadliest known attack on civilians yet. Meanwhile, in what could signal an important...
Parole Recommended for Inmate in 1976 Chowchilla School Bus Kidnapping
SACRAMENTO — California parole commissioners on Friday recommended parole for the last of three men convicted of hijacking a Chowchilla school bus full of children for $5 million ransom in 1976. The two commissioners decided Frederick Woods, now age 70, is no longer a danger to the public after...
3 US Muslims Sue Over Religious Questioning by Federal Officers
Three Muslim Americans filed a lawsuit Thursday alleging that U.S. border officers questioned them about their religious beliefs in violation of their constitutional rights when they returned from international travel. The three men from Minnesota, Texas and Arizona sued Department of Homeland Security officials in a federal court in...
Congressman Faces Possible Prison Sentence After Campaign Finance Conviction
U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska was convicted Thursday on charges that he lied to federal authorities about an illegal $30,000 contribution to his campaign from a foreign billionaire at a 2016 Los Angeles fundraiser. A federal jury in LA deliberated about two hours before finding the nine-term Republican...
California Lawmakers Propose Extending Eviction Protections
Hundreds of thousands of California renters facing eviction next week could get another three months of protection under a bill top legislative leaders endorsed on Thursday. The federal government sent billions of dollars to the states to help people who fell behind on their rent payments during the pandemic....
Animal Crossing Over Busy California Freeway to Break Ground
Groundbreaking is set for next month on what's billed as the world's largest wildlife crossing — a bridge over a major Southern California highway that will provide more room to roam for mountain lions and other animals hemmed in by urban sprawl. A ceremony marking the start of construction...
Hearst Castle Will Open to the Public for First Time in Two Years
SAN SIMEON — California's famous Hearst Castle will reopen to the public in May after a two-year closure due to the pandemic and severe rainstorm damage that prompted a $13.7 million renovation. “Hearst Castle is a state treasure and we are thrilled to reopen this wonder to the public to...