SAN FRANCISCO — Pacific Gas & Electric's role in igniting wildfires last year could allow a judge to find that it violated terms of its criminal sentence in a 2010 gas pipeline explosion that killed eight people, federal prosecutors said Monday. In a court filing, the U.S. attorney's office in...
Firm Sues California Over Ban on Private Prisons
SAN DIEGO — A private prison firm that just won multibillion-dollar contracts to run federal immigration detention centers in California sued the state on Monday, claiming that a new ban on for-profit lockups in California is unconstitutional. The GEO Group, Inc., argued in the federal suit that Assembly Bill 32,...
2019 Shapes up as Another Big Political Year
While 2018 has been a pivotal year in California’s political history – particularly the Republican Party’s losing half of its congressional seats – 2019 may be even more significant. The state’s politics will likely be dominated by two rolling events: the beginning of Gavin Newsom’s governorship and California’s bid to...
Newsom May Not Be So Lucky on the Economy
Outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown offered a pithy observation about the nature of politics during a wide-ranging interview before the Sacramento Press Club this month, to wit: “A lot of politics is timing, circumstances and luck.” While predecessor Arnold Schwarzenegger contended with the state’s worst recession since the Great Depression, which...
BevMo Warns of Customer Credit Card Data Breach
CONCORD — BevMo is warning that a data breach may have allowed a hacker to steal credit card numbers and other information from more than 14,000 customers who used the alcohol-seller's website. The Concord, Calif.-based company has notified the California attorney general's office that someone was able to plant malicious...
Legal Marijuana Industry Toasts Banner Year
PORTLAND, Ore. — The last year was a 12-month champagne toast for the legal marijuana industry as the global market exploded and cannabis pushed its way further into the financial and cultural mainstream. Liberal California became the largest legal U.S. marketplace, conservative Utah and Oklahoma embraced medical marijuana, and the...
After Police Killing, Cox Calls for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Congressman-elect TJ Cox (D-Fresno) says the killing of a Newman police corporal allegedly at the hands of an illegal immigrant illustrates the need for comprehensive immigration reform. Cpl. Ronil Singh of the Newman Police Department died Wednesday (Dec. 26) after attempting to stop a suspected DUI driver. At a Friday news conference...
Sheriff Blames Sanctuary State Law in Killing of Police Corporal
Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson blamed California’s sanctuary state law in the shooting death of Newman police Cpl. Ronil "Ron" Singh. In a news conference Friday in Modesto to announce the arrest of 32-year old Gustavo Perez Arriaga, Christianson said if not for SB 54, Singh may still be alive....
San Joaquin Valley to See Hard Freeze Conditions
LOS ANGELES — California is ending the year with blustery, chilly weather and it's going to get colder in some areas. The National Weather Service says a hard freeze warning will go into effect in the San Joaquin Valley for overnight hours starting late Friday through Sunday morning. Central Coast...
Manhunt Is on for Inmate Who Escaped From San Quentin
SAN QUENTIN — California authorities were on a manhunt Thursday for an inmate who walked away from San Quentin State Prison and is believed to have carjacked a vehicle overnight. Shalom Mendoza, 21, was last seen at the prison before 6 p.m. Wednesday and reported missing after 9:30 p.m. Wednesday....