Police video flap flares in Oakland

Several local police forces in California got on the police body-cameras bandwagon well before police killings around the nation in the summer of 2014 triggered a broad push for their adoption. The Rialto Police Department was the focus of a

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Wyoming hopes to help CA meet renewable energy goal

Gov. Jerry Brown’s announcement at his January “State of the State” speech that he wanted California to have 50 percent of its electricity generated from renewable sources by 2030 won applause from environmentalists around the nation and strong support from

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Another mandatory vaccination bill advancing

When it comes to toughening state vaccination laws, the Legislature’s not done yet. A measure that would require child-care workers to be vaccinated for three common childhood diseases has passed a key vote in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. KQED News

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Taxes vs. reform — Transportation negotiations continue

Watching the maneuvering to pass a transportation revenue package in the special session, I can’t help but think of the observation by that great philosopher Yogi Berra who said: “It’s déjà vu all over again.” The legislative scrum over a

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CA drought: New front in federal blame game

When it comes to the federal government’s seemingly muted response to a severe drought in its most populous, richest state, Republicans and Democrats in Congress have faced sharp criticism. GOP lawmakers from California and their supporters are accused of offering

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Silicon Valley fears backlash over U.S. firms’ NSA ties

Sunday’s New York Times/ProPublica blockbuster report about AT&T providing U.S. national security agencies with access to hundreds of billions of emails and other Internet communications is a nightmare for the Dallas-based multinational firm, which is sure to face new obstacles

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CHP scandal part of a long, messy pattern

The alleged involvement of three California Highway Patrol officers in a Turlock murder is only the latest scandal for an agency that has been faced a variety of embarrassments for decades. A former CHP whistleblower — Austin, Texas, Police Chief

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As Legislature reconvenes, businesses hone the art of the deal

What’s business looking for in the remaining legislative session and what kind of deals are being discussed to get there? A number of large business organizations have offered support for funding sources to be used for transportation infrastructure purposes on

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Yet another in wave of CA DMV bribery scandals

The state Department of Motor Vehicles used to be a symbol of bureaucratic inefficiency, the subject of decades of jokes by Jay Leno and other California-based comedians. But then something unexpected happened: The DMV adopted to the computer era better

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Oakland seems indifferent to potential NFL city swap

In San Diego, Mayor Kevin Faulconer is the face of the city’s push to retain the Chargers and keep the team from heading to a new stadium in Los Angeles, this week promising $350 million in support from the city

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