California

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State Bar of California Makes 'Staggering Admission'

Licensing body says some questions on disastrous bar exam were developed with the help of AI

(Newser) - The State Bar of California has disclosed that some multiple-choice questions in a problem-plagued bar exam were developed with the aid of artificial intelligence. The legal licensing body said in a news release that it will ask the California Supreme Court to adjust test scores for those who took its...

Judge Guilty of Murdering Wife
Judge Guilty of Murdering Wife
Apr 23, 2025 1:00 AM CDT

Judge Guilty of Murdering Wife

Prosecutors say Jeffrey Ferguson shot his wife after argument at restaurant

(Newser) - A southern California judge was found guilty Tuesday in the murder of his wife. Jeffrey Ferguson, whose first trial ended in a mistrial when jurors couldn't reach a unanimous verdict, was convicted of second-degree murder in the fatal 2023 shooting of his wife, Sheryl, who was 65. Jeffrey Ferguson,...

Former Fox Host Enters California Race

Steve Hilton says he hopes he'll be running against Kamala Harris for governor

(Newser) - In a surprise move that could shake up California's political landscape, conservative commentator and former Fox News host Steve Hilton has thrown his hat into the ring for the 2026 gubernatorial race, promising a campaign of "positive populism." Hilton will run as a Republican, aiming to...

California Mayor Takes Heat for Homelessness 'Fix'

Rex Parris of Lancaster, California, says 'free fentanyl' will help 'purge' his city

(Newser) - A mayor in Southern California is facing calls for a recall after controversial comments he made more than once about his city's homeless population. KTLA reports that Lancaster's Rex Parris first landed on the radar for his remarks during a Feb. 25 City Council meeting , in which a...

California Is Selling Generic Narcan for $24

Overdose-reversal drug typically costs more than twice as much

(Newser) - Synthetic opioid overdose deaths in California fell last year for the first time since 2018 and Gov. Gavin Newsom is hoping to continue the trend by making the overdose-reversing medication naloxone more accessible. California residents can now buy the drug, the generic version of Narcan, directly from a state website...

Vandal Takes a Chainsaw to LA's Trees

Dozens of trees in the downtown area were cut down at the base overnight Friday

(Newser) - Someone apparently decided Los Angeles wasn't hot enough and took a chainsaw to its urban canopy. The alleged vandal cut down dozens of shade trees in the downtown area between Friday night and Saturday morning, witnesses tell CBS News . Photos shared on social media show many large trees cut...

This Metric Illustrates Tesla's Rocky Year

Registrations drop in California as rival EVs and Musk's controversies impact sales

(Newser) - Tesla's reign as California's top electric vehicle brand is fading. Quartz reports Tesla no longer accounts for the majority share of electric vehicle registrations in the state, which is the largest EV market in the US. In the first quarter of this year, Tesla's market share...

$1M Lottery Winner: 'I'm Not Homeless Anymore!'
Homeless Man
Hits $1M Jackpot
Apr 17, 2025 9:45 AM CDT

Homeless Man Hits $1M Jackpot

'I'm not homeless anymore!': Un-IDed Californian needed money, deserved it, says store manager

(Newser) - A $1 million scratch-off lottery ticket went to a person who not only "deserved it," but "actually needed it," according to the manager of the California store where the ticket was sold. The unnamed winner, a regular customer at Sandy's Deli-Liquor in San Luis Obispo,...

California's Suit Against Trump Tariffs Is Unusual in 2 Ways

Gov. Gavin Newsom is serving as the face of the suit, and the state is going it alone

(Newser) - "President Trump's unlawful tariffs are wreaking chaos on California families, businesses, and our economy," said California Gov. Gavin Newsom—and so he is suing on behalf of the state. The suit, announced Wednesday, will argue that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977, which Trump relied...

Trump, Musk Appear to Speak From Hacked Crosswalks

In 3 California cities, someone is clearly having fun at the expense of the billionaires

(Newser) - Officials in three California cities are trying to work out how voices mocking President Trump, Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg were added to crosswalks. The crosswalks appear to have been hacked with the sole purpose of mocking the billionaires with AI-generated voices, per Business Insider . The audio message, "Walk...

5.2 Earthquake Rattles Southern California

There were no reports of injuries or major damage after San Diego County quake

(Newser) - A 5.2-magnitude earthquake in San Diego County was felt across Southern California on Monday morning but there were no reports of injuries or major damage. The United States Geological Survey says the quake hit around 10am, with the epicenter 2.5 miles south of Julian, a mountain town in...

America's Greenest States
The Greenest States in the US
Apr 12, 2025 12:30 PM CDT

The Greenest States in the US

And the not-so-greenest

(Newser) - Kermit the Frog would tell you that it ain't easy being green, but it's certainly easier in some states than others. To sort the tree huggers from the polluters, WalletHub took a look at every state in the union through the lens of three main metrics: environmental quality...

Youth Soccer Coach Charged in Murder of California Teen

Coach also accused of sexual assault in separate case

(Newser) - Oscar Omar Hernandez, 13, was found dead on a Southern California roadside earlier this month—and now youth soccer coach Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino has been charged with the young teen's murder. The charges include murder with a special circumstance of lewd acts with a child, making Garcia-Aquino eligible...

Suit: Crash Victim Went Unnoticed, Died in Tow Yard

Woman's family sues San Diego city, police, and the driver who drunkenly struck her van

(Newser) - A California woman survived a drunk driver slamming into her parked van as she slept inside at 1am, but ultimately died alone, "entombed" in the crumpled vehicle, because the other driver, police, a towing company, and a tow yard failed to notice her, according to a lawsuit. Monica Liliana...

Ahead of Parole Hearing, Menendez Brothers 'Hopeful'

Erik and Lyle Menendez speak about their possible freedom in a new special

(Newser) - For more than 35 years, Erik and Lyle Menendez have been behind bars in California for the murder of their parents—but now, for the first time, the brothers are allowing themselves to feel optimistic about a possible release. "My brother and I are cautiously hopeful," Lyle Menendez,...

'Luigi Mangione Act' Would Go After Health Insurers
California Considers
a 'Luigi Mangione Act'
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Apr 5, 2025 4:20 PM CDT

California Considers a 'Luigi Mangione Act'

Ex-litigator behind proposed ballot initiative says he shares alleged killer's concerns about health insurers

(Newser) - Proposed laws are sometimes named after victims of crimes. But alleged murderers? Not so much. That's where a ballot initiative in California breaks with tradition. The "Luigi Mangione Access to Health Care Act," a ballot initiative named for the man who allegedly killed United Healthcare CEO Brian...

Biggest Bridge of Its Kind Hits Milestone in California

First soil is laid on Annenberg crossing, which will be used by wildlife to get across the 101

(Newser) - Crews in California are building what will be the biggest bridge of its kind upon completion, and they reached a critical milestone this week: Workers laid the first soil on the structure—which is designed for wildlife, not humans. As the Los Angeles Times explains, the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing...

Newsom to Countries: Cut Deals With California

The state is 'ready to talk' to other nations in wake of tariffs, says governor

(Newser) - If a global trade war is erupting, California would like to be left out of it. Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday that his state will try to negotiate its own deals with other nations, Fox News reports. With foreign governments responding in kind to the US actions, the Democrat said...

After Tumultuous Weekend, NYPD Blue Star Dodges a Felony

Kim Delaney, husband both arrested in domestic incident; charges dropped for lack of evidence

(Newser) - Kim Delaney had a chaotic weekend, complete with accusations of domestic violence against and by her own husband. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ that the NYPD Blue and Army Wives actor, in her mid-60s, first called the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department on Friday night to file a domestic...

Girl, 15, Attacked by Sea Lion During Swim Test

Phoebe Beltran suffered only minor injuries after attack in Long Beach, California

(Newser) - "I've been stung by a sting ray, pinched by crabs, bitten by tiny fish. But a sea lion?" That's the incredulous reaction of 15-year-old Phoebe Beltran after being attacked by the latter over the weekend in Southern California, during her audition to be a junior lifeguard cadet,...

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