Charleston church shooting defendant Dylann Roof faces federal hate crimes charges related to murder or attempted murder on the basis of race or color, and under a statute that protects a person’s free exercise of religious beliefs, Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced Wednesday. If he is found guilty, Roof faces life imprisonment or the death…… MORE
HAYWARD, Calif. (AP) — Authorities say a San Francisco Bay Area police sergeant was shot and killed during an early-morning traffic stop. Hayward Police Wednesday morning identified the officer as Sgt. Scott Lunger. Lunger was shot about 3:15 a.m. after he stopped a white Chevrolet pickup that was swerving on the road. The driver stopped,…… MORE
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The minimum wage for University of California employees and contract workers will increase to $15 an hour by fall 2017, UC President Janet Napolitano said Wednesday in announcing a move that follows similar actions by local governments but likely represents a first for a public university. As California’s third-largest employer, the…… MORE
FRESNO (KMJ) — A woman who allegedly used a false name and credit card to rent a car essentially drove herself to prison while visiting her boyfriend who was already behind bars. Cynthia Abate had driven the vehicle to a parking area in front of Fresno County Jail in Downtown Fresno. Officers followed it there…… MORE
The Santa Barbara City Council has unanimously voted to spend $55 million to reactivate the city’s desalination plant and tap the ocean to turn salty seawater to fresh water amid an historic drought. The council voted yesterday to restart the facility, which could provide up to 40 percent of Santa Barbara’s water. Council members called the…… MORE
From Coarsegold – a missing dog might have broken a record for the dog paddle after swimming for hours to stay afloat. Carolyn Hoover says her 11-year-old chocolate Laborador Retriever Sydney disappeared during Saturday night’s big storm. “I had turned my back and went out to get her and she wasn’t anywhere around.” Carolyn Hoover,…… MORE
The Grizzlies are literally cooking up a new promotion for their upcoming game and they want to temp you with tacos. New additions to their “5th Taco Truck Throwdown” promotion – players wearing taco-themed jerseys. “We’ve never worn a theme jersey before – that’s the part we’ve never brought the energy on to the baseball…… MORE
Several lawmakers are taking steps to stop drones from interfering in battling California wild fires. SB 167 would increase fines and make jail time possible for drone use that interferes with firefighting efforts. And on Monday, Republican state Sen. Ted Gaines of El Dorado and Democratic Assemblyman Mike Gatto of Glendale also announced SB 168, which would…… MORE
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House will take up a bill this week blocking funding for so-called “sanctuary cities” that resist turning over immigrants to federal authorities. The move follows the shooting death of a woman in San Francisco this month, allegedly by an immigrant with a criminal record and without legal status. San Francisco authorities…… MORE
MODESTO, Calif. (AP) — A man suspected in the homicides of five people — including his mother and baby daughter — had also been linked to the death last year of a toddler, police said. Martin “Marty” Martinez, 30, was arrested Sunday in the deaths of the five, whose bodies were found a day earlier.…… MORE
