Tag Archives: California

NBC News reports: Wildfires continued to explode across Southern California on Wednesday as dry conditions and roaring winds turned the region into a tinderbox, forcing thousands to evacuate. The Thomas Fire, as the blaze has been dubbed, put approximately 50,000 residents under a mandatory evacuation and burned more than 55,000 acres in the Ventura County area with no containment after …

The Los Angeles Times reports: A fast-moving, wind-fueled wildfire swept into the city of Ventura early Tuesday, burning 31,000 acres, destroying homes and forcing 27,000 people to evacuate. About 150 structures — including at least one large apartment complex — were consumed by flames, and many more were threatened as the fire crept about a quarter mile away from City …

The Associated Press reports: California Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra is resigning immediately following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. The Los Angeles Democrat had previously said he wouldn’t seek re-election and would leave office at the end of the next legislative session. He said Monday that he’s decided to leave immediately following reflection over the Thanksgiving weekend and conversations with family, friends …

The Los Angeles Times reports: A 37-year-old man accused of torturing and beating his girlfriend’s 8-year-old son to death in a case that prompted far-reaching reforms of the county’s child welfare system was convicted Wednesday of first-degree murder. Jurors deliberated for about six hours before returning the verdict against Isauro Aguirre, also finding true a special allegation that the murder …

The Desert Sun reports: For years — starting with the election of Ron Oden, an openly gay man, in 1995 and then the passage of a domestic partnership ordinance — LGBT voters and their allies had been making slow but steady progress at Palm Springs City Hall. Then in 2008, after the passage of a statewide initiative to ban same-sex …

CNN reports: California Democratic state Senate president Kevin de León intends to enter California’s 2018 Senate race against Sen. Dianne Feinstein, three sources with knowledge of his plans say. De León has begun calling labor leaders and elected officials to inform them of his plans, the sources said, and is expected to soon announce his campaign against Feinstein, a giant …

The San Francisco Chronicle reports: At least 14 wildfires in the North Bay and surrounding region ravaged mountainsides, homes, vineyards and farmland Monday. One person is confirmed dead and several others were severely burned. Major highways were shut down, and local officials requested help from around the region as Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency. Information from authorities …

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein announced on Twitter this morning that she will run for reelection in 2018. For the last few weeks there’s been considerable speculation that Feinstein might retire in the face of a potential primary challenge from a progressive Democrat. Just yesterday Feinstein hedged somewhat during an appearance on Fox News. Feinstein, who had a pacemaker implanted in …

ABC News reports: A Bakersfield bakery is facing controversy after they reportedly refused to serve a gay couple. Posts on social media have criticized Tastries Bakery for refusing to make a wedding cake for a gay couple. The owner of the bakery has said she chose not to create the cakes because of her beliefs. Owner Cathy Miller said, “Here …

The San Francisco Chronicle reports: The leader of a right-wing group that had planned a Saturday rally at Crissy Field in San Francisco said Friday that he had decided to cancel the event and hold a news conference instead. On Facebook Live, Joey Gibson of Patriot Prayer said the news conference would be held at 2 p.m. at Alamo Square …

The San Francisco Chronicle reports: The National Park Service said Wednesday that a controversial right-wing rally will be allowed to go forward Saturday at park-managed Crissy Field in San Francisco and advised the public to steer clear. Golden Gate National Recreation Area Acting General Superintendent Cicely Muldoon said the park service had no choice but to honor the free speech …

The Los Angeles Times reports: Former California Democratic U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer is taking on Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) over his healthcare vote in an ad for her super PAC aimed at electing Democrats. The online ad, titled “Darrell-iction,” aimed at people in Issa’s district, began running Wednesday. It is the first in the super PAC’s campaign targeting House Republicans …

The Hill reports: Olympic gold medalist and transgender activist Caitlyn Jenner is the latest celebrity to reveal she has considered launching a run for Senate, telling radio host John Catsimatidis she is in the process of determining her future in activism and politics. “I have considered it. I like the political side of it,” Jenner, who is a Republican, told …

The Sacramento Bee reports: California is restricting publicly funded travel to four more states because of recent laws that leaders here view as discriminatory against gay and transgender people. All totaled, California now bans most state-funded travel to eight states. The new additions to California’s restricted travel list are Texas, Alabama, Kentucky and South Dakota. They join Kansas, Mississippi, North …

The Los Angeles Times reports: A Los Angeles jury has awarded a former city sanitation worker $17.4 million after finding that he endured repeated harassment by his supervisors, who falsely perceived that he was gay. Jurors deliberated for about two hours Wednesday before unanimously deciding that James Pearl of L.A. was subjected to verbal abuse, hazing and a bullying campaign …

The Week reports: Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) stood on the roof of his district office in California on Tuesday as his protesting constituents gathered outside the building. Per Politico’s Jake Sherman, Issa was reportedly filming the protesters below as he looked on from his rooftop perch. Mike Levin, Issa’s Democratic opponent in the 2018 congressional race, tweeted both the rooftop …

The San Luis Obispo Tribune reports: A San Luis Obispo High School teacher has resigned in the face of widespread outrage over a letter he wrote to the school student newspaper that cited a Biblical passage saying those who commit homosexual acts “deserve to die.” Special education teacher Michael Stack did not show up to work Thursday but sent the …

The Los Angeles Times reports: Actor Antonio Sabato Jr. is running for Congress, challenging Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village), who represents the southern central coast and most of Ventura County, according to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission on Monday. Sabato is a longtime actor best known for roles in “General Hospital” and “Melrose Place” and as a model …

Bloomberg reports: The U.S. Supreme Court let stand a California law that bans licensed therapists from working with children to change their sexual orientation from gay to straight, rejecting an appeal that said the measure violates religious rights. The rebuff leaves intact a federal appeals court decision upholding California’s 2012 first-of-its-kind law. The measure prohibits the form of counseling known …

The New York Times reports: Ann Coulter said Wednesday that she is canceling her planned speech at the University of California, Berkeley, because she had lost the backing of conservative groups that had initially sponsored her appearance. Ms. Coulter, in a message to The New York Times, said, “It’s a sad day for free speech.” Despite insisting that she would …