ORINDA — Airbnb's CEO said the company was taking actions against unauthorized parties in the wake of a deadly shooting at a Halloween party held at an Airbnb rental home in California. In a series of tweets, Brian Chesky said Saturday the San Francisco-based company is expanding manual screening of...
Flames, Gear and Risks of Photographing California Wildfires
By Marcio Sanchez Associated Press SANTA PAULA — It's ironic, but momentarily forgetting some of my safety gear ended up saving my life. It happened as I drove late Thursday into the heart of a wildfire that had erupted near the city of Santa Paula, a two-hour drive west of...
From Toast of Town to Toxic: Facebook CEO on Outs With Dems
WASHINGTON — Mark Zuckerberg's social network in Washington is shrinking. Bipartisan hostility against Facebook has been building for months, fueled by a series of privacy scandals, the site's role in Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign and accusations that Facebook crushes competitors. Now, with the 2020 elections approaching, Democrats...
Walters: Will Spending More Fix Our Schools?
Former state legislator Ted Lempert is personally and professionally committed to improving the wellbeing of California’s children. Lempert, the president of Children Now, has tirelessly advocated to improve children’s futures and last week released a lengthy report comparing California to other states and concluding that we are woefully underspending on education. “Since...
2 Climbers Killed on Red Slate Mountain in Mono County
BRIDGEPORT — Authorities say two women were killed while climbing an icy canyon on California's Red Slate Mountain. The Mono County Sheriff's Office says a helicopter crew spotted the bodies Monday at an elevation of about 12,000 feet. Winds Delayed Recovery Because of high winds and steep terrain recovery efforts...
Not out of Woods yet, but Winds Driving California Fires Die
LOS ANGELES — Calmer weather allowed crews to increase containment on wildfires after a three-week siege of gusts fanned blazes across California and led utilities to cut power to prevent winds from blowing branches into electric lines and igniting an inferno. Winds subsided in virtually all parts of the state,...
California Just Pushed Back School Start Times. Now What?
Of the dozens of education bills that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law this year, few will have a more practical impact on everyday lives than the new, later start times for California’s high schools and middle schools. The signing of Senate Bill 328 by Democratic Sen. Anthony Portantino marked a milestone...
Katie Hill Blames Scandal, Resignation on 'Double Standard'
WASHINGTON — California freshman congresswoman Katie Hill bid a defiant farewell to the House on Thursday, suggesting a double standard forced her resignation amid a messy divorce, "gutter" politics and nude photos made public. Leaving her apartment, she said, for the first time since the photos were published in a conservative publication, the scarlet-suited...
Mayors for Pete: Buttigieg Hunts for Support in City Halls
WEST SACRAMENTO — As Pete Buttigieg works to prove the leader of a city of roughly 100,000 people is ready to assume the American presidency, he's relying on help from politicians who would know best: his fellow mayors. The South Bend, Indiana, mayor has amassed a network of roughly 60...
More California Fires Erupt, Burning Homes, Sending Residents Fleeing
SIMI VALLEY — Strong winds fanned new Southern California wildfires on Thursday, burning homes and forcing residents to flee their homes in a repeat of the frightening scenario already faced by tens of thousands across the state. The latest blazes erupted in the heavily populated inland region east of Los...