SAN FRANCISCO — A legal trailblazer and longest-serving sitting member of the California Supreme Court said Wednesday he'll retire this year, giving Gov. Gavin Newsom an opportunity to shape the state's highest court. Justice Ming W. Chin will retire Aug. 31 after nearly 25 years on the state Supreme Court....
Next Stop for Free College: Cal State University?
In yet another push to make higher education more accessible in California, a bill filed in the state Legislature last week would extend the state’s tuition-free college guarantee to four years — and beyond community college — for some students, making it one of the most generous programs in the...
Sonoma County Prepares to Sue PG&E for Damages From Fire
SONOMA — A county in Northern California wine country is exploring plans to sue a utility over a massive wildfire last fall that caused losses of $725 million when combined with rolling power shutoffs. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to hire two law firms to pursue legal...
California May Require Beverage Makers to Handle Recycling
SACRAMENTO — Lawmakers are considering upending California's struggling bottle and can recycling program by requiring beverage distributors to create a new system to take back their own containers, similar to one that has been successful in neighboring Oregon. A state Senate committee is set to consider the proposal Wednesday as...
Avenatti Arrested for New Alleged Crimes While on Bail
LOS ANGELES — Michael Avenatti, the brash former attorney for the porn actress Stormy Daniels, was arrested for allegedly violating bail by committing numerous financial crimes to conceal assets from creditors while living a lavish lifestyle, U.S. prosecutors alleged in a court document released Wednesday. Avenatti was arrested by IRS...
137 MPH Wind Gust at Tahoe Resort; Chains on I-80 in Sierra
RENO, Nev. — Chains or snow tires are required on much of U.S. Interstate 80 in the Sierra and most highways around Lake Tahoe after a winter storm packing snow and winds in excess of 130 mph blew through the region. A weather advisory for the Reno-Tahoe area expired at...
California Voters May Consider Mandate to End Homelessness
SACRAMENTO — An advisory council appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom called Monday for California voters to consider a legally enforceable mandate to end homelessness, as the state grapples with one of its most pressing and politically fraught problems. Newsom notably did not adopt the council's recommendation when he outlined his...
Border Patrol Seizes Meth Haul in Southern California
TEMECULA — A U.S. Border Patrol dog sniffed out more than $190,000 worth of methamphetamine concealed in a vehicle along a Southern California highway, the agency said. An agent patrolling Interstate 15 followed a suspicious vehicle Friday as it exited onto U.S. 395 and parked at a gas station in...
California May Switch to Shorter Probation Terms
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing to overhaul California's probation system by greatly reducing the time a convict is under supervised release, but increasing rehabilitation programs at the outset of the probationary period, when they are considered the most effective. He wants to put what he called “an unprecedented...
Watch: Fearless Pet Cat Fends off Three Coyotes
What chance does a 16-year-old house cat have against three hungry coyotes? Well, if you are Max the super cat, you beat the odds and become a national video sensation. “He’s always been crazy,” Max’s owner, Maya Gurrin, told CBS Los Angeles. “Like if this were to happen with any cat,...