LATEST CALIFORNIA NEWS
Divided court rejects Proposition 8
The 9th Circuit panel declares that California's gay-marriage ban is unconstitutional.Reporting from San Francisco and Los Angeles -- A federal appeals court has declared California's 2008 voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, concluding that the prohibition served no purpose other than to "lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians."
Oakland City Council votes against resolution to...
"I'm disappointed we couldn't give port customers the assurance that we value them and Oakland residents the assurance that we will protect them," said Councilmember Libby Schaaf, who co-sponsored the resolution.
Oakland police chief pleads for community to join...
The bloody tally of death and injury in the past week prompted Chief of Police Howard Jordan on Tuesday to say he is using extra patrols, partnerships with other law enforcement agencies and technology to combat the violence.
California ban on same-sex marriage ruled...
The voter-approved law is on track for likely consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court.
San Jose police auditor launches cable television...
The IPA Roadshow will appear at 7 p.m. Wednesdays on CreaTV's Silicon Valley Channel 30, which is available to Comcast customers in San Jose and Campbell.
Stanford on alert after two women are assaulted on...
Stanford University police are investigating back-to-back early-Sunday assaults in which one woman was tackled while walking on campus and another was attacked while sleeping in her dorm room bed.
Piedmont Measure A: Voters turn down sewer tax
City officials said it would have provided money to meet environmental mandates
California gay marriage ban struck down, appeals...
"Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California, and to officially reclassify their relationships and families as inferior to those of opposite-sex couples,"
California was ahead of the curve on gay marriage...
California's early granting of same-sex marriage licenses led to the backlash culminating in Proposition 8, banning the unions. Meanwhile, other states have passed the state by on the rights issue. California's turbulent relationship with gay marriage can be traced back eight years, almost to the day, when San Francisco abruptly began issuing marriage licenses to gay couples. So many people ...
Appeals court reverses California gay marriage ban
A US federal appeals court struck down a California law that strips gays and lesbians of the right to marry in the latest round of America's long-running battle over same-sex marriage.
Appeals court rejects California's Proposition 8
A federal appeals court ruled against California's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage Tuesday, arguing the ban unconstitutionally singles out gays and lesbians for discrimination.
California's Same-Sex Marriage Ban Is...
The decision on "Prop 8" by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is now expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court.
Court overturns California gay marriage ban,...
SAN FRANCISCO - An appeals court on Tuesday found California's gay marriage ban unconstitutional in a case that may lead to a showdown in the Supreme Court. Supporters of the ban said they would appeal the judgment, calling it "out of step with every other federal appellate and Supreme Court decision." Their appeal is likely to keep gay marriage in the state on hold pending future ...
California's gay marriage ban nullified
In a historic ruling, but one that the judges insisted was narrow in scope, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday nullified California's ban on marriage for same-sex couples, finding "Proposition 8" amounted to a form of unconstitutional discrimination against a "disfavored" group.
We Forgive You, California
Today's 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that California's Proposition 8, the gay marriage ban, is unconstitutional "all but ensures" (according to The New York Times) that the case will go the Supreme Court, meaning it's leaving California and going national. All California judicial authority has said no to this thing, so now it's getting kicked upstairs to management. Which means at least ...

Menlo Park mayor says she'll join crowded race for San Mateo County supervisor
Menlo Park Mayor Kirsten Keith is the latest person to add her name to the growing list of candidates seeking the District 4 seat on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors.
Menlo Park mayor joins race for seat on SM County...
by Sandy BrundageNewly minted Menlo Park Mayor Kirsten Keith on Saturday tossed her name into a crowded field of candidates for a seat on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors.
San Mateo County: Mountain lion spotted
A resident spotted a mountain lion Sunday morning near a creek in an unincorporated part of San Mateo County next to La Honda, emergency officials said.
San Mateo avoids redevelopment layoffs for now
The city will eliminate nine positions in the Community Development Department as it winds down the agency, five of which are filled. Four of those employees will have the opportunity to take new full-time jobs with the city, while the fifth while get a one-year position related to wrapping up the Redevelopment Agency's affairs.
Coast Guard searching for San Ramon crab fisherman...
The U.S. Coast Guard is searching the waters off the San Mateo County Coast for a missing crab fisherman.
Caltrain riders protest bid to discontinue 8-ride...
The San Mateo County Transit District has received more than 130 comments on its proposal to raise tickets, but about three-quarters of them are objections to a related plan to discontinue an eight-ride discount.
San Mateo County expected to keep Flood Park open...
Although San Mateo County had threatened to close Flood Park to save some money, two supervisors said Thursday the 21-acre recreation spot in Menlo Park will remain open at least one more fiscal year
Brisbane man who embezzled from soldier in Iraq...
A Brisbane man who embezzled $30,000 from a soldier while he was deployed in Iraq was sentenced Thursday to four months in jail, a prosecutor said.Kenneth McCall, 66, was taken into custody immediately after sentencing in San Mateo County Superior Court, said chief deputy district attorney Karen
San Mateo County may make most of its budget...
San Mateo County once again faces a huge budget deficit as it heads toward a new fiscal year, this time to the tune of about $77 million.
Backyard astronomer gawks at stars as if they are...
Thomas Langhans is among thousands of Bay Area amateur astronomers -- scores of whom have their own backyard observatories -- who spend their free time scanning the night skies. From Berkeley to San Jose and San Mateo to Livermore they are watching while most of us sleep.
Twenty indicted in connection with large Bay Area...
Fatima Segovia, 32, and Jose Tobar-Galdamez, 47, both of Hayward; Franklin Almendarez, 31, of Oakland; Jesus Almendares-Vasquez, 36, of San Jose; and Fortunato Rodelo-Lara, 42, of San Mateo, were among the 20 indicted Jan.
Menlo Park opts not to pay for Flood Park
by Sandy BrundageMenlo Park's loss of millions in redevelopment money is San Mateo County's gain, a fact which didn't escape the notice of the City Council on Tuesday while it debated Flood Park's future.
Menlo Park won't pay to keep Flood Park open
Citing budget constraints, the Menlo Park City Council has unanimously decided it can't afford to pay San Mateo County $150,000 to keep Flood Park open next fiscal year.
Police: Thieves hit San Mateo County preschools
Thieves targeted two separate San Mateo County preschools over the weekend, stealing computer equipment, children's medication and other items, police said.
Rich Gordon to seek another term in state Assembly
by Gennady SheynerAssemblyman Rich Gordon, D-Menlo Park, announced Thursday morning that he would seek a second term in Sacramento. Gordon, a veteran San Mateo County supervisor who was elected to the state Assembly in 2010, touted in his announcement his success during his freshman term.
San Mateo County isn't ready to stop spraying...
Although some residents have long implored San Mateo County to stop spraying roadside weeds, a Board of Supervisors committee indicated Tuesday that reducing the amount of herbicides used is more practical.
Redwood City: Man robbed of gold chains and beaten
A 20-year-old San Mateo man was beaten and robbed as he walked under an overpass Tuesday night and sheriff's deputies are looking for the assailants.The thieves clubbed the victim with a beer bottle after snatching two gold chains from his neck around 9:30 p.
San Mateo County supervisors committee to discuss...
Whether roadside weeds can be abated without using pesticides will be the focus of today's discussion by a San Mateo County Board of Supervisors committee.
Nine homeless after San Mateo house fire
No one was hurt in the blaze Firefighters quickly extinguished on Fallon Avenue
San Mateo County: Mountain lion sightings reported...
In a matter of hours two mountain lions were spotted in different parts of San Mateo County Monday night, San Mateo County emergency officials said.
Big leases displace small tenants
The trend of large publicly-traded companies signing big leases in 2011 has resulted in a lot of smaller companies scrambling for new space. Companies and brokers say competition is fierce and rents are climbing in certain markets because a large number of companies are getting booted out of major properties.For example, as I wrote about in this week's edition of the Business Journal, Sony announced plans last September to lease the 450,000 square feet Bridgepointe Parkway campus in San Mateo....
200 facing lay off as San Mateo County closes...
About 200 nurses and other workers face layoffs now that San Mateo County is considering shutting down an aging long-term care facility that serves mostly indigent patients.
Several San Mateo County cities join forces to...
As San Jose residents adjust to a new plastic bags ban, Peninsula officials will meet later this month to talk about getting a similar law passed in as many San Mateo County cities as possible.
San Mateo County working on plan to reduce...
For some people, their New Year's resolution is to cut out the sweets and lose some weight by the summer. For San Mateo County, it's to cut greenhouse gas emissions, starting with a 15 percent reduction below 2005 emission levels by 2020.
Federal appeals court upholds San Mateo County...
Judges reject argument that jury verdict tainted in 2005 conviction for killing East Palo Alto restaurateur eight years ago.

  Dumbarton bus service may expand while rail plan...