El Dorado County Statewide Articles

'I Blew It Big Time.' Former Facebook DEI Head Gets 5 Years in Prison for Stealing Millions

Barbara Furlow-Smiles pleaded guilty in December to stealing more than $5 million from her jobs at Facebook and Nike from 2017 to 2023. Her lawyer had asked the court to impose no time behind bars.

As Job Growth in California Falls Back, Unemployment Rate Remains Highest in the Country

California posted another anemic month of job growth in April, and the state's unemployment rate remained the highest in the land at 5.3% in new reports.

Motorist Leads Police on Violent High-Speed Chase, Drives Wrong Way on 405 Freeway Before Crashing

The driver of a white van drove onto the 405 Freeway in the wrong direction and struck several vehicles before crashing into a semi-trailer cab, police said.

California Farmworkers: Why Are So Many Dying in Crashes?

A memorial for Fidel Ojeda and Pedro Ojeda, two of seven farm workers killed while driving to work in Madera County. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

The Day That Bills Die in CA Legislature

The Assembly appropriations committee holds its "suspense file" hearing at the Capitol Annex Swing Space in Sacramento on May 16, 2024. Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters

An Obscure California Commission Wants to Rein in Big Tech. Small Businesses Could Get Hurt Instead

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These California Schools Connect Kids to Community Services. Will They Survive Budget Cuts?

Gov. Gavin Newsom launched the community school initiative with $4.1 billion in grants to connect students and their families to medical care, counseling and other services.

Should California Doctors Report Domestic Abuse to Police? Here’s How Physician Lawmakers Voted

Pending legislation would lift requirements for California’s doctors to report all domestic abuse cases to police. The Assembly’s three physicians had different opinions.

Column: At Homeboy, the Scoop on Father Greg and His Latest Honor, From Those Who Know Him Best

It's about time, former gang members say of Homeboy Industries' Father Greg Boyle being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

She Couldn't Call, So Human-Trafficking Victim Texted 911 — And Saved Herself, Officials Say

The Ventura County Sheriff's Office said a teenager began texting 911 with 'pleas for help' around 3 a.m. on May 9.

Opinion: Will California's New Tax on Gun Sales Reduce Firearm Violence?

The state's new excise tax on firearms and ammunition is similar to taxes on alcohol and tobacco, other legal products that can cause significant harm to society.

California Public School Enrollment Drops Again, but Transitional Kindergarten Is Up

As California public school enrollment declines again, state officials look to transitional kindergarten growth as a promising development.

Rebecca Grossman, Top D.A. Advisor Shouldn't Have Same Lawyer, Prosecutors Argue

A motion by the prosecution seeks to either remove the convicted murderer's new lead attorney or have her formally waive a conflict of interest.

Massive Budget Cuts Leave California Domestic Violence Survivors With Few Options

Programs that serve victims of domestic violence are bracing for unprecedented cuts that will also affect rape crisis hotlines, child abuse centers and legal service providers across California.

Torrance Coyote Trapper Investigated for Possible Violation of State Law

County prosecutors are reviewing a case concerning a Torrance coyote trapper who animal activists accuse of violating a state trapping law.

After Two L.A. Zoo Elephants Die in the Span of One Year, the City Council Wants Answers

The Los Angeles City Council has ordered a study into the factors that led Asian elephants Jewel and Shaunzi to be euthanized at the L.A. Zoo.

L.A.'s Accidental Homelessness 'Czar'? U.S. District Judge David O. Carter

Two federal lawsuits challenging the homelessness practices of Los Angeles city and county and the U.S. government have allowed U.S. District Judge David O. Carter to assume powers that make him as close as it gets to the ever wished-for …

Protester Injured by LAPD Projectile Gets $1.5-million Settlement, Biggest Yet From 2020 Unrest

A protester whose testicle exploded when an LAPD officer shot him with a hard-foam projectile during a street demonstration in 2020 has received a $1.5-million settlement from the city.

Brass Knuckles, Body Cams and Bad Behavior: LAPD Probe Links Troubled Valley Gang Units

Officers from the LAPD's Mission and Foothill divisions allegedly engaged in illegal searches, turned off their body cameras and stole items from people they stopped.

High-Speed Rail Board Supports New Recommendations for L.A.-to-Anaheim Segment

The board of directors' support clears the plan for a critical environmental review process after the initial proposal received pushback.