The California Assembly has passed legislation to end a 34-year era during which non-bank lenders have been free to charge consumers unlimited interest rates on loans from $2,500 to $10,000. By setting a 36% annual rate cap on such loans, Assembly Bill 539 by Assembly Banking and Finance Committee Chairwoman Monique Limón,...
Should Deputies Provide Security for Men-Only Bohemian Club?
SAN FRANCISCO — An annual retreat in California put on by an elite club whose ranks included former Presidents Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon and powerful business leaders is facing scrutiny for excluding women after female county supervisors questioned whether they should continue allowing sheriff's deputies to provide security for...
Man Convicted of Killing Family Found in SoCal Desert
SAN BERNARDINO — A Southern California man was convicted Monday of killing a family of four and burying their bodies in the desert, a case that puzzled investigators for years after the family suddenly vanished from their home in 2010. After a trial that spanned more than four months and...
He Once Struggled to Read. Now He's on State Board of Ed.
Educators throughout the state applauded when Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed former Sanger Unified School superintendent Matt Navo to the California Board of Education in April. Besides being a pioneer in collaborative learning, he's a nationally recognized expert in special education. And he's had a taste of just about every assignment...
Walters: Slavery in 21st Century California? It's Real.
Some years ago, I was flying from Orange County to Sacramento and happened to sit next to a woman who was headed to a meeting in the capital on human trafficking. She told me she had escaped from an abusive marriage to a wealthy man in Pakistan and since coming...
Walters: Politicians Missing in Action on Housing Shortage
When the year began, the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom had just two must-do jobs – pass a state budget and do something meaningful about the state’s chronic and corrosive shortage of housing. The budget is a slam-dunk, thanks to the state’s fat treasury. Housing, however, is a smellier kettle...
Citing Free Speech, Judge Frees Alleged White Supremacists
LOS ANGELES — Federal charges against three alleged members of a violent white supremacist group accused of inciting violence at California political rallies were dismissed by a judge who found their actions amounted to constitutionally protected free speech. Prosecutors said members of the Rise Above Movement conspired to riot by...
Sephora Closes US Stores Briefly for Diversity Training
NEW YORK — Sephora closed all of its U.S. stores for an hour Wednesday to host "inclusion workshops" for its 16,000 employees, just over a month after R&B star SZA said she had security called on her while shopping at a store in California. The beauty retailer said the training...
More States Sue Opioid Maker Alleging Deceptive Marketing
SACRAMENTO — California, Hawaii, Maine and the District of Columbia filed lawsuits Monday against the maker of OxyContin and the company's former president, alleging the firm falsely promoted the drug by downplaying the risk of addiction while it emerged as one of the most widely abused opioids in the U.S....
Patterson Inquiry Triggers Suspension of Bullet Train Consultant
A state watchdog agency is reviewing a complaint filed by Assemblyman Jim Patterson of Fresno against the top consultant on the California bullet train project. In addition, the consultant’s company has suspended him because of the probe, The Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday. Questions About $51 Million Change Order Roy...