WASHINGTON — The House Ethics Committee on Wednesday opened an investigation into Rep. Katie Hill after a conservative website published unsubstantiated accusations that she had an improper relationship with a staffer. The bipartisan leadership of the Ethics panel announced the probe of the freshman California Democrat, noting "public allegations" that...
California Deputy Fatally Shot; Ride-Along Passenger Injured
SOMERSET — A Northern California sheriff’s deputy was shot to death Wednesday while responding to a call in the rural Sierra Nevada foothills, officials said. The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office said Deputy Brian Ishmael was fatally shot in the community of Somerset and that a ride-along passenger with him...
California Braces for Possible Round 2 of Outages
SAN FRANCISCO — California’s largest utility said it will go ahead with widespread blackouts affecting nearly half a million people starting Wednesday as dangerous fire weather returns to California. Pacific Gas & Electric Company said it would begin precautionary power shutoffs Wednesday afternoon to nearly 180,000 homes and businesses in...
Trump Plan Delivers More Water for Valley Farmers
The Trump administration unveiled a new plan Tuesday to govern California's water usage that would deliver more irrigation water for Valley farmers. But the proposal is ringing alarms from environmental groups that say it would have a negative impact on endangered species such as salmon and delta smelt. An analysis...
Blackouts Possible Again as Fire Danger Looms in California
Less than two weeks after blacking out much of Northern California, PG&E is warning that dangerous fire weather could prompt it to shut off power to about a half-million people. Pacific Gas & Electric began notifying customers Monday that it could begin precautionary shutoffs to parts of 16 counties as...
Man in Madera County Jail Accused of 3 Crash Deaths in Nebraska
KEARNEY, Neb. — A California trucker accused of causing a crash that killed three people in south-central Nebraska has been taken into custody. Jail records in Madera County show that 34-year-old Kenneth Kratt remained in custody Tuesday after his arrest Friday. He'll be returned to Kearney, Nebraska, to face three...
How Bad Teeth and Lack of Dental Care Can Lead to Poverty, Discrimination
Gina Diaz-Nino considers herself an extrovert. But since her mouth began deteriorating after years of methamphetamine use and two fights, she receded into the shadows. Her teeth are yellow, crooked and browning around the corners. Most of her top teeth are either chipped, missing or decaying. When they fell out,...
Newsom Calls for Attorney General Probe of California's High Gas Prices
SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom has asked the attorney general to investigate why the state's gas prices are so high, pointing to a new report suggesting big oil companies are "misleading and overcharging customers" by as much as $1 per gallon. Name brand retailers — including 76, Chevron and Shell...
New Restaurants Show Meat-Free Mexican Is Not a Carne Sin
PHOENIX — "That's not real Mexican food," ''My grandma would slap you" and "sellout" are just some of comments Jose and Leticia Gamiz received when they started their pop-up vegan Mexican food business, Mi Vegana Madre, four years ago. People saw them doing something new and took it personally, Jose...
California Tribe Regains Island It Calls Center of Universe
Indian Island off the coast of Northern California was the site of a massacre, a place that was contaminated by a shipyard and flush with invasive species. It's also the spiritual and physical center of the universe for the small Wiyot Tribe, and it will belong to them almost entirely...