California voters have rejected a measure on the November ballot that would have raised the minimum wage for most workers to $18 an hour.

Donald Trump has shared a harrowing story about almost crashing in a helicopter he was riding in with former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown.

The first lesbian leader of the California Senate is thinking about trying to make history again — with a run for the governor's office.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom often touts California's leadership on the national stage.

The idea of putting solar panels on top of the world's thousands of miles of irrigation canals has long seemed like a good one.

Scientists are naming a rare species of beetle in honor of former California Gov. Jerry Brown after finding one at his ranch.

The three Los Angeles City Council members at the center of a scandal over a recording of racist comments have each had long careers in state and local politics.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom will call a special session of the state Legislature to pass a new tax on oil companies.

Joan Didion, a master of rhythm and of the meaning of the unsaid, was remembered Wednesday as an inspiring and fearless writer and valued, exacting and sometimes eccentric friend.

A record heat wave put California in a fossil fuel conundrum: The state has had to rely more heavily on natural gas to produce electricity and avoid power outages while Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration moves toward ending the use of oil and gas.

Tougher clean energy goals and a ban on new oil and gas wells near homes and schools are among the climate wins for California Democrats in the final days of the legislative session.

The utility that oversees California’s last operating nuclear power plant is taking steps to seek federal approval for an extended lifespan, just hours after the Legislature opened a pathway for a run that could last through 2030.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing to extend the life of the state’s last operating nuclear power plant by at least five to 10 years to maintain reliable power supplies in the climate change era.

California's last operating nuclear power plant could get a second lease on life.

A California panel has denied parole for a follower of cult leader Charles Manson convicted of slayings more than a half-century ago.

The nation's largest utility is pledging to take as many carbon emissions out of the atmosphere as it emits by 2040.

The leaders of California and New Zealand have signed a pledge agreeing to help fight climate change.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he may impose mandatory water restrictions if people don't start using less as a drought drags on.

A Los Angeles judge has ruled that California’s landmark law requiring women on corporate boards is unconstitutional.

Telecommunications industry groups have ended their bid to block California’s net neutrality law that prevents broadband providers from throttling service.

Behind a fortress wall and razor wire and a few feet away from California’s death row, students at one of the country’s most unique colleges discuss the 9/11 attacks and issues of morality, identity and nationalism.

Officials say a suspect arrested in connection with Sunday’s mass shooting near the California state Capitol would likely still be in prison were it not for corrections officials’ use of sentencing credits authorized by voters in 2016.

Officials say a suspect arrested in connection with Sunday’s mass shooting near the California state Capitol would likely still be in prison if not for corrections officials’ use of sentencing credits authorized by voters in 2016.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday blocked parole for Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten, reversing a panel’s recommendation that she be freed after spending a half-century in prison.

Parole has been recommended for the last of three men convicted of hijacking a school bus full of children for $5 million ransom in 1976.

A San Diego appeals court judge who is the daughter of Mexican immigrants has become the first Latina confirmed to the California Supreme Court.

A long-delayed plan to build a giant lake in Northern California has received a big financial boost.

Former California Gov. Jerry Brown is living off the grid in retirement on a rural stretch of land his family has owned since the 19th century.

Farmworkers in Oregon would earn overtime pay for the first time in the state under a bill that the Legislature has approved.

California companies that must pay to emit greenhouse gases have saved up so many pollution credits it could hurt the program's ability to reduce emissions.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has nominated an appeals court judge who is the daughter of Mexican immigrants as the first Latina to serve on the California Supreme Court.

President Joe Biden had zeroed in on a pair of finalists for his first Supreme Court pick when there were rumors last year that Justice Stephen Breyer would retire.

The California Supreme Court has denied a potential bid for freedom by Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s rejection of her parole.

Leondra Kruger was once a clerk to Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens and she's often thought of his advice to "always work hard and do your best.”.

A federal appeals court has upheld California's net neutrality law, rejecting an attempt by telecom groups to prevent it from going into effect.

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer’s retirement gives President Joe Biden a chance to make his first nomination to the high court.

What could be California's first major new reservoir in years has cleared a key regulatory hurdle.

The president of California’s medical board says a group of anti-vaccine activists stalked her at home and followed her to her office where four men confronted her after work in a dark parking garage.

Inside the bustling New York Common Pantry, people hustle to assemble bags of carrots, apples, potatoes and other items.

A California official says the state’s landmark law mandating women be placed on corporate boards is toothless and there are no plans to fine companies for not complying.

A lawyer for the state of California defended the constitutionality of the nation’s first law requiring women on corporate boards as necessary to reverse a culture of discrimination that favors men.

California's first-in-the-nation law requiring women on corporate boards is being challenged in court this week on constitutional grounds.

Former California Gov. Jerry Brown has reentered the public policy arena in California with a call to action to prevent wildfires.

Oil spilling into federal waters off California's coast has prompted fresh calls for an end to offshore oil drilling in state and federal waters.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom turned back a recall attempt by motivating fellow Democrats who showed little interest during much of the campaign.

In the closing days of the recall effort that could remove Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, his campaign has found a familiar foil that’s as big as Texas.

It's been seven years since California voters agreed to borrow billions of dollars to build more water storage projects.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered an independent investigation into the conviction of death row inmate Kevin Cooper, who says he was framed for the stabbing deaths of four people, including two children, in 1983.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is winning support from top Democrats including Vice President Kamala Harris as he prepares to face a recall election later this year.

The expected release of U.S. Census Bureau data in the coming days is likely to reflect what California demographers have long known, namely that the state is growing at a record slow rate.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a drought emergency in two Northern California counties as the state grapples with depleted water supplies after a dry winter.

In California that pretty much means we have a drought,” said Jay Lund, a civil and environmental engineering professor at the University of California, Davis. In California, the heaviest rain and snow comes in the winter months, but not this year — about 90% of the state already is experiencing drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. AdMuch of California’s water comes from mountain snow in the Sierra Nevada that melts during the spring and summer and feeds rivers and streams that in turn fill reservoirs. The state largely escaped fire devastation during the previous drought, but has suffered terribly since, after 100 million trees died and vegetation remained dry as a result of the drought. “The interesting thing about these other drought impacts is they happened after the drought ended," Lund said. "

FILE - In this Jan. 21, 2020, file photo, state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, speaks at a news conference in Sacramento, Calif. On Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, a federal judge ruled California could enforce a 2018 net neutrality law. Jerry Brown signed the bill in 2018, making California the first state to pass a net neutrality law. But in a separate lawsuit, the telecom industry asked a federal judge to keep blocking the law. On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge John A. Mendez denied their request, allowing California to begin enforcing the law. The law seeks to ban internet providers from slowing down customers' data streams based on the content they are viewing.

“To meet this moment, we need strong federal leadership," Becerra said at the first of two hearings on his nomination. AdAppearing before the Senate health committee, Becerra seconded President Joe Biden’s goals of 100 million vaccine shots in his first 100 days, increased coronavirus testing, ramped-up DNA mapping of the virus to track worrisome mutations and reopening schools and businesses. Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, the ranking Republican on the health committee, left no doubt that Becerra faces tough scrutiny. California took pride in viewing itself as the resistance to Trump, and Becerra embodied that ethos. AdLack of medical experience doesn't disqualify a nominee for HHS secretary, though it can be a plus.

Gavin Newsom says California should allow all but death row inmates and those serving life-without-parole to request lighter sentences after serving at least 15 years. California led the nation in tough-on-crime policies 30 years ago, but in recent years has been among the states at the forefront of easing criminal penalties. AdAbout 14,000 people serve less than a year in a prison annually, and sending them to local jails would be a burden, said Cory Salzillo, spokesman for the California State Sheriffs’ Association. Skinner's bill includes the recommendations to judges, while Kamlager's follows the committee’s suggestion that gang enhancements be restricted to organized, violent criminal enterprises. AdKamlager said she learned while serving on the committee that gang enhancements are often used to increase what otherwise would be misdemeanor charges against people of color.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., goes back to her office after speaking on the floor of the House Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021. Afterward, Greene suggested that the shooting might have been staged. Connecting a series of scattershot points, Greene suggested a bank controlled by the Rothschild family, who are Jewish, a utility company responsible for the fire and then-Gov. Greene “liked” the comment and replied, “Most people honestly don’t know so much. 9/11 ATTACKSIn November 2018, Greene shot a video in which she talked about the 9/11 terrorist attacks, referring to a “so-called” plane that crashed into the Pentagon.

Scott Applewhite, File)SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The public and private jockeying to be California's next attorney general is intensifying as Gov. It's a powerful nod of support for Schiff, who does not have much of a personal relationship with Newsom. AdThe job of attorney general is among the highest profile in California, second only to governor in terms of public recognition and overall power. Steinberg, the Sacramento mayor and former leader of the state Senate, is making private appeals to Newsom and his inner circle. Steinberg has a long and close relationship with Newsom, which could be an asset as Newsom faces a potential recall.

President-elect Joe Biden speaks during an event at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del., Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, to announce his health care team. – President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday called for urgent action on the coronavirus pandemic as he introduced a health care team that will be tested at every turn while striving to restore the nation to normalcy. But Becerra, 62, will face questions in his Senate confirmation about whether he possesses sufficient health care and management experience. Accepting his nomination via video link, Becerra called it a “breathtaking opportunity” to help shape the future of health care. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas argued that Becerra was unqualified because he lacked ties to the health care or pharmaceutical industries.

As California's attorney general, Becerra leads the nation's largest state justice department, an influential perch from which he's fought Republican efforts to roll back health coverage. Becerra, 62, tweeted Monday that in Congress he helped pass the Affordable Care Act and as California’s attorney general he has defended it. “As Secretary of Health and Human Services, I will build on our progress and ensure every American has access to quality, affordable health care — through this pandemic and beyond,” he wrote. Defending California’s implementation of the Affordable Care Act was a key priority, but he also focused on protecting young immigrants from deportation and defending California’s climate change laws. As attorney general, Becerra helped lead a coalition of fellow state attorneys general who sued over the Trump administration’s child separation policies.

FILE - In this Sept. 18, 2019, file photo, California Air Resources Board Chair Mary Nichols, with California Gov. Nichols, 75, ends her second tenure as chair of the California Air Resources Board next month, a job that’s made her the top air and climate regulator for the nation’s most populous and economically influential state. Critics of California’s climate approach say the state's policies have left low-income communities behind. Her current stint on the air board began in 2007 under then-Gov. The state won the power decades ago to implement its own emissions standards as smog choked Southern California.

California Secretary for Environmental Protection Jared Blumenfeld talks to the media after he toured the North Complex Fire zone with Gov. “The data is self-evident, the experience that we have in the state of California just underscoring the reality of the ravages of climate change,” he said. The debate is over around climate change." Two Republican state lawmakers who represent the Northern California region where Newsom spoke countered that the governor is using climate change as an excuse for years of failed policies by fellow Democrats who control nearly all aspects of California government. Newsom finally called for voters to unseat politicians “across the spectrum” who deny the effects of climate change, saying he was not just criticizing President Donald Trump.

Fire crews across the region scrambled to contain dozens of wildfires sparked by lightning strikes as a statewide heat wave continues. Despite strides made in evacuation alerts since deadly blazes tore through the area three years ago, many are still vulnerable without a statewide system for alerting people. Plus, she had signed up for all the alerts that emergency officials pressed on people after years of catastrophic wildfires. He noted that the flames moved quickly and unexpectedly from Napa County and into neighboring Yolo and Solano counties. Yolo County emergency services manager Dana Carey said Friday that officials are looking into what happened but that a quick review indicates phone alerts may have been rejected as robocalls.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is already being lobbied by hopefuls and numerous names are emerging in the early speculation. (Kevin Dietsch/Pool Photo via AP, File)LOS ANGELES The possible election of U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris as vice president has kicked off widespread speculation in California about who might replace her. Gavin Newsom, who would choose a replacement if Joe Biden and Harris defeat President Donald Trumps ticket. For Newsom, the list choices is long and the political risks many, especially with a national reckoning on racial injustice underway.

A third consecutive California governor is blocking parole for the former follower of late cult leader Charles Manson, 50 years after the hippy "family" terrorized Southern California. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP)SACRAMENTO, CA – A third consecutive California governor is blocking parole for a former follower of late cult leader Charles Manson who has been in prison for decades for two of the Manson family’s slayings in the 1960s. Gavin Newsom on Friday reversed a parole recommendation for Bruce Davis, now 77, for the 1969 slayings of musician Gary Hinman and stuntman Donald "Shorty" Shea. He is rehabilitated and has been for a long time.”Davis was convicted with Manson and another follower, Steve Grogan, in the two slayings. Manson followers Leslie Van Houten, 70; Patricia Krenwinkel, 71; and Charles "Tex" Watson, 73, are imprisoned for the Tate killings.

"This is important because we have already seen a large change in California wildfire activity from the first 10%. Earlier spring snowmeltsThe California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection, or CalFire, called climate change "a key driver" of the trend of longer fire seasons. In the fall, many California fires occur in coastal shrub lands and are driven by extreme wind events, such as the Santa Ana and Diablo winds. Climate change has contributed to the forest pest infestations, the report said -- a major cause of tree death in Southwest forests and woodlands. Burn areas grow with climate changeThe increased size of wildfires occurring across California in the last 50 years is attributable to climate change, according to the recent study published in Earth's Future.