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59 stories from Planck Standard. Latest: November 8, 2026.
The outgoing governor emptied the nation's largest death row, writing that the offenders 'will die in prison but not by our hand.' Victims' groups vowed a court fight.
Proposition 40 would levy a one-time 5% tax on billionaires; a Berkeley economist says it raises $100 billion while a Stanford rival says it costs the state $39 billion.
WatchA one-line, unsigned order on the eve of the midterms denies the Justice Department's emergency request to force California to quarantine mail ballots from voters it calls noncitizens.
WatchThe Justice Department filed an emergency appeal Monday after a 9th Circuit panel refused to make California segregate mail ballots from people on a government list of suspected noncitizens.
A temporary restraining order blocks prosecutors from demanding that ballots from alleged noncitizens be set aside, and an appeals court refused the same request.
A 2-1 Ninth Circuit panel said prosecutors sued less than three weeks before the midterms, as Los Angeles County found most sampled names were inactive registrations.
Election officials were given 48 hours to hand over voter information. The state says the letters contained errors, and local registrars say they are counting votes as usual.
Meta's regulatory filing says Proposition 40 would impose a one-time 5% levy, which the article estimates at $12.4 billion for the CEO. Meta also created a new class of nonvoting stock.
NPR explains why results that look instant in some states take weeks elsewhere, and why election officials fear a fresh wave of conspiracy theories in the midterms.
The deep ocean wave added six to eight inches before Tropical Storm Rachel's surge flooded Southern California in early October, and scientists expect another by late October or early November.
The one-time 5% levy on the net worth of about 200 billionaires would raise $100 billion for health care, its union backers say, but Gov. Newsom and a growing list of Democrats are urging a no vote.
Storm remnants and high tides destroyed beachfront homes on the Long Beach Peninsula, and scientists say the strongest El Niño on record could make winter worse.
WatchWind-driven flames jumped from San Clemente into San Juan Capistrano on Friday, closing a stretch of Interstate 5 and sending two firefighters to the hospital.
University of Bristol researchers tested 27 forecasting models on more than 50,000 daily forecasts and found select ones stayed consistent with a decade of real quakes.
The suit asks a federal court to bar California from counting mail ballots from suspected noncitizens; the state calls the department's voter-roll claims unsubstantiated.
California-led suit says the Transportation Department's rule drops the 2031 fleet target from 50.4 to 34.9 miles per gallon, erasing about $220 billion in fuel savings.
The REACH Air Medical aircraft went down shortly after takeoff Wednesday night; the NTSB is investigating and the wreckage lies about 200 feet underwater.
WatchThe justices ruled unanimously that Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco broke state election law when he took the ballots from a 2025 redistricting vote, and broke it again when he ignored the attorney general.
The package extends drop-box hours, lets voters return mail ballots at any polling place, expands language access and targets AI deepfake ads seven weeks before the midterms. State Sen. Aisha Wahab, who wrote the felony provision: 'This is about protecting every Californian's right to be able to vote and vote how they want.'
The package includes the nation's strongest AI chatbot law, named for a teenager who died by suicide after months of ChatGPT conversations, and a four-year ban on AI chatbot toys for kids. The EFF calls the social media measure a de facto ban.
The Woodside Fire broke out Thursday afternoon inside Salt Point State Park and pushed smoke into the North Bay at levels EPA monitors rated up to four times the hazardous threshold.
Researchers modeling the San Andreas and San Jacinto systems found Cajon Pass acting as an 'earthquake gate' that could let a rupture jump both faults at once near Los Angeles.
The bomber went down on a radar-modernization test flight in the Mojave Desert — the deadliest B-52 accident since 1982 — killing four airmen, two Boeing employees and two government engineers.
Former Biden Cabinet secretary Xavier Becerra will face conservative commentator Steve Hilton in the race to succeed Gavin Newsom in the nation’s most populous state.
High-profile races in California, Texas and other key states are driving unprecedented advertising expenditures earlier in the election cycle than ever before.
Former Biden health secretary Xavier Becerra edged into the top spot in California's jungle primary, lining up a November showdown with Republican commentator Steve Hilton.
The Republican endorsed by President Trump will face Democrat Xavier Becerra in the general election after advancing past billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer.
Late-counted mail ballots lifted the Los Angeles councilmember past the reality-TV insurgent, setting up an unexpected Democrat-versus-Democrat showdown for City Hall.
U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin ruled that the administration's six-figure charge on skilled-worker visas amounted to a tax only Congress can impose, handing a victory to 20 states led by California.
The president is previewing his fall campaign strategy by casting doubt on election outcomes despite lack of evidence of widespread fraud.
WatchThe former Health and Human Services secretary topped the all-party primary to succeed Gavin Newsom, while Republican Steve Hilton clung to a narrow lead over billionaire Tom Steyer for the November runoff.
The president is using slow ballot counts in California to renew efforts to cast doubt on election outcomes despite lack of evidence of widespread fraud.
Republican former Fox News host Steve Hilton and former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra emerged as the top two finishers in California's primary, setting up a November battle to succeed Gavin Newsom.
Under California's top-two primary, Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton edged out billionaire Tom Steyer, while state Sen. Scott Wiener advanced in the contest to succeed Nancy Pelosi.
Democrat Xavier Becerra and Trump-backed Republican Steve Hilton emerged from a crowded top-two primary, while state Sen. Scott Wiener advanced in the contest to succeed Nancy Pelosi.
The former Attorney General was long dismissed in the contest until Eric Swalwell's abrupt departure created an unexpected path for the experienced Democrat.
Police say the barricaded suspect may have an explosive device strapped to his body. At least two captives have been released unharmed as FBI negotiators keep him on the phone into a second day.
Voters in California, Iowa, New Jersey, Montana, New Mexico and South Dakota set November's matchups, with conservative commentator Steve Hilton surging in the race to succeed Gavin Newsom and a Trump-backed candidate falling in Iowa's governor primary.
WatchVoters in California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota cast the first major ballots of the 2026 midterm cycle Tuesday, locking in marquee general-election matchups in the fight for Congress.
WatchVoters in the nation's largest state cast ballots Tuesday in a wide-open race to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom, with former Attorney General Xavier Becerra leading polls and two slots in November up for grabs.
Trump-endorsed Fox commentator Steve Hilton and former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra lead a crowded jungle-primary field; the top two finishers, regardless of party, advance to November.
WatchOrange County Fire Authority Division Chief Craig Covey called the bulging 34,000-gallon tank 'the worst-case scenario I've ever faced in my career' as crews discovered a stress crack Sunday that may be relieving deadly internal pressure.
Legislation would require publishers to keep online games playable after shutting down servers.
Prospect of being shut out of 2028 general election spurs Democratic effort to eliminate state's "top-two" open primary system.
Four candidates have emerged as leaders in the primary election to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom, with polls showing a highly competitive and unpredictable race.
Some party leaders wish the former VP had chosen to run for California governor instead of weighing another White House bid.
California man identified as lone shooter who opened fire at Washington Hilton while President Trump attended annual media event. Secret Service subdued attacker carrying multiple weapons.
Southern California bees carry 68% fewer mites than commercial colonies and need five times less chemical treatment, offering hope for struggling beekeepers nationwide.
The California Democrat announced his resignation on social media Monday, though he continues to deny the allegations against him.
The congressman's fall from grace punctuates broader challenges Democrats face in finding compelling gubernatorial candidates in one of their most important strongholds.
Privacy concerns mount as patients challenge medical AI recording systems without clear consent protocols.
Legal challenge targets artificial intelligence system that records doctor visits, raising concerns about patient consent and data protection.
California Democrat faces removal vote within days as criminal investigation opens, potentially triggering chain reaction of House expulsions across party lines.
Legal challenge targets artificial intelligence system that documents patient conversations, raising privacy concerns about medical AI implementation.
CNN published accounts from four accusers, including a former intern who alleges rape, as the California congressman's governor campaign unraveled overnight.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, now running for governor, had seized ballots from a 2025 special election without credible evidence of irregularities.
Dolores Huerta, 95, who co-founded the UFW with Chávez, is among the accusers named in a March 18 NYT investigation that prompted Sacramento to act with extraordinary speed.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a candidate for governor, took possession of more than 650,000 ballots as part of what election officials say is an unfounded investigation.
A California civil jury sided with Donna Motsinger, a former restaurant server who said Cosby drugged and assaulted her in Sausalito after a comedy show — awarding one of the largest judgments in a celebrity sexual assault case.