Tag Archives: California

City News Service reports: A retired Orange County pastor was sentenced Friday to 186 years to life in prison for sexually abusing two young girls with whom he is related. Jose Andres Lopez, 70, of Mission Viejo, was convicted March 22 of 18 felony sexual assault charges dating as far back as 1991 through 2020. Lopez is a retired Orange …

The Modesto Bee reports: A Modesto man who stepped down from his role as a church youth leader a month before his arrest has pleaded guilty to molesting a family member. Michael Sasser, 41, was arrested in April on suspicion of three counts of child molestation for acts that occurred during a period of months in 2022. On Wednesday, he …

Via press release from California Gov. Gavin Newsom: Today Governor Gavin Newsom proposed a 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution to enshrine fundamental, broadly supported gun safety measures into law. While leaving the 2nd Amendment unchanged and respecting America’s gun-owning tradition, the Governor’s proposal guarantees common sense constitutional protections and gun safety measures that Democrats, Republicans, independent voters, and …

The Los Angeles Times reports: Three people were arrested Tuesday at protests held outside a meeting of the Glendale Unified School District board, where pro-and anti-LGBTQ+ demonstrators faced off over how schools teach gender and sexuality. Law enforcement declared an unlawful assembly after fighting broke out outside the building, officials said. The situation temporarily disrupted the meeting, which was about …

Politico reports: Assembly Constitutional Amendment 5, which has over 70 co-authors, would place a measure on the November 2024 ballot asking voters to undo Prop 8 and remove language from the California Constitution that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. In part, it’s an effort to correct language that would be unlikely to be adopted today in …

The Associated Press reports: About 20 people ranging in age from 21 to 30 were flown by private jet to Sacramento on Monday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said. It was the second such flight in four days. Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and faith-based groups who have been assisting the migrants scheduled a news conference Tuesday morning. Bonta, who met …

The Associated Press reports: California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the state of Florida appears to have arranged for a group of South American migrants to be dropped off outside a Sacramento church. “While this is still under investigation, we can confirm these individuals were in possession of documentation purporting to be from the government of the State of Florida,” …

CNN reports: An investigation is underway after over a dozen migrants arrived in Sacramento, California, by private jet “with no prior arrangement or care in place,” Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta said Saturday. California state officials on Saturday met with the group, who had documentation “purporting to be from the government of the State of Florida,” Bonta …

Los Angeles’s ABC affiliate reports: “You’re not qualified! You’re not qualified!’ shouted one audience member at the board. The frustration was over the 3-2 vote opposing the adoption of new social studies curriculum for Temecula Valley Unified School District elementary schools. The decision could leave 11,397 students without a textbook next year. “We’ve never experienced this before. I’ve never heard …

The Fresno Bee reports: A Tulare man was sentenced on Friday to 300 years in prison for molesting a group of children in the late 1990s. Steven Brian Arey was convicted in April on 20 counts of lewd acts with a child under the age of 14, according to the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office. Each count carried the special …

Politico reports: Nearly two-thirds of Californians believe Sen. Dianne Feinstein is no longer fit to serve in office due to her health condition, a new poll found. The respondents, which ranged across the ideological spectrum, cited the 89-year-old Feinstein’s latest illness as the reason she should resign, according to the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll, co-sponsored by The …

Religion News Service reports: The National Religious Broadcasters, an association of Christian media outlets, has joined a lawsuit seeking to block a California law that requires social media companies to publish their policies on removing hate speech from their platforms. “In an environment where much religious viewpoint expression is considered ‘controversial’ speech, NRB is acting to stop the weaponization of …

The New York Times reports: Ms. Feinstein’s frail appearance was a result of several complications after she was hospitalized for shingles in February, some of which she has not publicly disclosed. The shingles spread to her face and neck, causing vision and balance impairments and facial paralysis known as Ramsay Hunt syndrome. The virus also brought on a previously unreported …

Bloomberg News reports: Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein returned to the Capitol Wednesday, navigating the building in a wheelchair and voting for the first time in nearly three months. The 89-year-old lawmaker’s extended absence while recovering from shingles stalled a handful of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees and prompted calls by several prominent progressives for her resignation. Senate Democratic leader Chuck …

San Francisco’s ABC affiliate reports: The Diocese of Oakland has announced it is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in light of over 330 lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse. In a press release, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Oakland says that the lawsuits have come after a new California statute allows claims that have expired to be filed. RCBO says that …

NBC News reports: California Sen. Dianne Feinstein is returning to the Senate after a nearly three-month absence due to health problems, according to a spokesperson for the senator. Feinstein is expected to cast a vote Wednesday — her first recorded vote since Feb. 16 — after missing 91 floor votes while recovering from shingles, according to an NBC News tally. …

From the editorial board of the New York Times: Without Senator Dianne Feinstein, there might never have been an assault weapons ban in 1994. Or the Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994. Or the revelatory report on the C.I.A.’s torture program in 2014. She has had a distinguished career in the U.S. Senate, but her infirmities and illness now force her …

The Bakersfield Californian reports: A 68-year-old Maricopa pastor has been charged with committing lewd and lascivious acts upon a child after a girl alleged the religious leader kissed and touched her inappropriately. The girl — who said she was either 12 or 13 at the time — said Maricopa Community Church pastor Stephen McCurtis was giving her a driving lesson …

Los Angeles’ ABC affiliate reports: An intense fire broke out at Disneyland in Anaheim on Saturday night as packed crowds were enjoying a show at the theme park. The fire ignited on Tom Sawyer Island during the Fantasmic! nighttime water and fireworks show held on the Rivers of America. Citizen video captured by parkgoers shows massive flames fully engulfing Maleficent’s …

Variety reports: Prosecutors are expected to drop manslaughter charges against Alec Baldwin in the death of “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, sources confirmed on Thursday. In a statement, Baldwin’s lawyers said they were pleased with the outcome. “We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin and we encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances …