California chief justice calls for bail reform

California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, in her annual State of the Judiciary address on March 19, renewed calls for bail reform and making the legal system more attuned to the needs of Californians. She also doubled down on oblique criticisms

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New population stats add to fear Silicon Valley has peaked

A new report on U.S. census data reinforces fears among Silicon Valley watchers that the world’s tech capital will struggle to maintain its prominence as it tries to attract and retain workers despite extremely high housing costs. The Wall Street

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California agriculture top initial Beijing target as trade dispute escalates

California’s massive agriculture industry is China’s top initial target as Beijing responds to the Trump administration’s vow earlier this month to slap tariffs on some $50 billion of Chinese steel and aluminium imports. In an announcement over the weekend, Chinese

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Utilities’ bid for help on wildfire costs finds renewed hope

California’s three giant investor-owned utilities haven’t given up on hopes that state leaders and regulators may give their shareholders the financial protection they want in an era of frequent massive wildfires linked to climate change – and their hopes don’t seem

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New firearms bill passes Assembly committee with hopes of curbing suicides

More stringent gun regulations to curb suicides could soon be enacted in California. Assembly Bill 1927 successfully passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee during a hearing Tuesday morning. Spurred by recent mass shootings, the legislation, introduced by Assemblyman Rob Bonta,

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L.A. headaches hang over Garcetti’s White House ambitions

Sen. Kamala Harris, 53, isn’t the only relatively young California Democrat who’s seen as a potential fresh-faced alternative to Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, 68, or former Vice President Joseph Biden, 75, for the party’s 2020 presidential nomination. Los Angeles Mayor

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Los Alamitos approves ordinance to opt out of California’s ‘sanctuary state’ law

The city of Los Alamitos on Monday night approved an ordinance to opt out of California’s controversial “sanctuary state” law, in the boldest act of defiance yet by a municipality against Sacramento. “It is impossible to comply with both the Constitution

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Democratic candidates for governor must contend with bullet-train difficulties

The March 9 release of the first updated business plan in two years for the state’s high-speed rail project could sharply intensify the pressure on Democratic gubernatorial candidates who back the project to explain their support. The Republican candidates – Assemblyman

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Oakland Unified whipsawed by pension costs, declining enrollment

It’s been a tumultuous era in Oakland. The Police Department has been enmeshed in an ugly scandal surrounding officers’ involvement with an underage sex worker that led to an officer’s suicide, firings and turnover in the chief’s office. City Hall

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Justice Department sues California over ‘sanctuary’ immigration laws

The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the state of California over its defiance of federal immigration enforcement efforts, just the latest high-profile legal battle between Washington and the Golden State. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is making the

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