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For more infomation >> california floods - Duration: 1:03.

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Lluvias torrenciales azotan a California | Al Rojo Vivo | Telemundo - Duration: 0:51.

For more infomation >> Lluvias torrenciales azotan a California | Al Rojo Vivo | Telemundo - Duration: 0:51.

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CA Rail Fail - Duration: 2:12.

You're kidding! California's high-speed train has been

exposed as a massively expensive boondoggle that has

suddenly been abandoned? Who could have seen that coming?

Actually, a lot of transportation experts knew this was a giant,

unavoidable fail, but the Green Dreaming politicians

didn't care, and the people fell for it.

Phase One of the LaLa train was supposed to connect

San Francisco to Los Angeles and cost a mere $33 billion,

but that number ballooned to at least $80 billion, which

is why Governor Gavin Newsome derailed the albatross.

With few exceptions, that's the way it happens.

People are lied to with low ball numbers when the

plan is being sold and then they get taken for a ride.

It's happened in cities all across America for decades.

About 15 years ago New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson proclaimed

he wanted a train to run between Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

He called it the Rail Runner. I called it the Rail Robber

and did everything I could to stop it. I created a website,

started a petition drive, wrote op-eds and criticized the idea

on the radio. But Richardson got his choo-choo. In a typical

year the fares bring in only about a tenth of what it costs

to run it. The state also spends $28 million dollars a year to

service the debt for construction and there's

another 220 million in balloon payments due beginning in 2025.

In California, Newsome says they will finish the project that

runs between Bakersfield and Merced, throwing more good money after bad.

These are cautionary tales, America, just a tiny sampling of

what you'll get if the Green New Deal ever gets any real momentum.

For the Clear Energy Alliance, I'm Mark Mathis.

Power On.

For more infomation >> CA Rail Fail - Duration: 2:12.

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Xavier Becerra On National Emergency: Donald Trump Is 'Not Above The Law' | MTP Daily | MSNBC - Duration: 6:49.

For more infomation >> Xavier Becerra On National Emergency: Donald Trump Is 'Not Above The Law' | MTP Daily | MSNBC - Duration: 6:49.

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California attorney general calls Trump's national emergency 'reckless' - Duration: 4:32.

JUDY WOODRUFF: As we heard, President Trump's declaration of a national emergency is provoking

considerable scrutiny.

Even within his own party, opinion is split, and much of the talk now is about the court

battles to come.

Amna Nawaz starts there.

AMNA NAWAZ: There are expected to be a number of legal challenges to the declaration, including

from the state of California.

The man who led that suit, Xavier Becerra, the attorney general of California and a former

member of House Democratic leadership.

Mr. Attorney General, thank you, and welcome back to the "NewsHour."

When you gave a press conference earlier, you said that you were going to be challenging

the declaration in some way after you reviewed the text, that you have sister states filing

with you.

So, now that you have read the text, what do you plan to do, when will you do it, and

who's with you?

XAVIER BECERRA (D), California Attorney General: We are still reviewing, but we are prepared

to move.

We do believe the president's actions are not only reckless, but unlawful.

And so we will move.

And we will have other states that are going to be joining with us that have been working

with us throughout this whole process.

We will be ready to go because it's important to make sure that when Americans in whatever

state send their tax dollars to the federal government that they know they are going to

be used for the right purposes and the purpose Congress said, not because some president

says all of a sudden he's unhappy and he wants to declare a national emergency.

AMNA NAWAZ: So, I know you're still reviewing the text, but based on what the president

has laid out, what do you think the legal basis for that challenge will be?

XAVIER BECERRA: The president tried and filed failed to get more money out of Congress.

As he said in his press conference, he is not happy.

And he says it's a great thing do to declare a national emergency.

And he also admitted that this is not something he needs to do.

Those are not the words of a president who is about to declare a national emergency.

Think 9/11 with President Bush.

Think President Jim Carter with the Iran hostage crisis.

In those cases, the presidents were not happy about what they are doing.

And neither president, of course, would have said, this is something I don't need to do.

President Trump just simply doesn't understand that he's limited, like any other American,

in how he tries to comply with the law.

He is not above the law.

And so in this particular case, under the Constitution, separation of powers, he doesn't

have the authority to redirect dollars that Congress has allocated to the various states.

AMNA NAWAZ: The president's supporters will say, look, some of what he said today is absolutely

true.

There have been increasing numbers of family units taxing our system in unprecedented ways.

There's this enormous immigration backlog.

There's a crisis to some degree.

And in the absence of Congress doing something about it, this is the president taking drastic

measures to do something.

What do you say to that?

XAVIER BECERRA: We certainly have challenges on the border.

And many of these challenges are manufactured by the president himself, when he treats individuals

who are trying to apply for asylum against the law, when he tries to use force on peaceful

individuals who are cross the U.S. border.

And so there's no doubt that there's a challenge, but it's not a national emergency.

For him to try to then rob money that's been allocated for good purposes throughout the

country is to deny taxpayers of their constitutional rights to make sure that there's a clear separation

of powers between an executive and a legislative branch, which is the branch that has the power

to direct dollars.

AMNA NAWAZ: Mr. Attorney General, very briefly, before I let you go, we should point out,

in the past, you have supported legally executive authority, executive actions taken by presidents,

for example, the DACA program created by executive order under President Obama.

And you filed a number of lawsuits against this administration.

So a lot of people will ask, is your objection to this legal or is it political?

XAVIER BECERRA: Remember that President Obama acted -- executive action based on his authority

as president.

He didn't change laws.

He didn't try to dismiss laws.

He was simply trying to work within the framework of our immigration laws in dealing with DACA

and the DAPA program.

Here, President Trump is not simply trying to work within the framework of our existing

laws.

He's talking trying to undermine them and cancel them in order for him to be able to

take money from other purposes that have been allocated by Congress.

And so it's a clear violation, not just of laws and the appropriations done by Congress.

It's a violation of the separation of powers under the Constitution.

AMNA NAWAZ: Mr. Attorney General Xavier Becerra of the state of California, thanks very much

for your time.

XAVIER BECERRA: Thank you.

For more infomation >> California attorney general calls Trump's national emergency 'reckless' - Duration: 4:32.

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Sen. Kamala Harris gets California Gov. Gavin Newsoms endorsement for president Los Angeles Times - Duration: 1:42.

Sen. Kamala Harris gets California Gov. Gavin Newsoms endorsement for president Los Angeles Times

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced he is endorsing California Sen. Kamala Harris for president during a Friday television appearance on MSNBC.

Im very enthusiastic about Kamala Harris, Newsom said in an interview with Chris Hayes, host of All In. Ill be endorsing her candidacy for president. Ive known her for decades I think the American people could not do better.

Though not surprising given the long political relationship between the two former San Francisco politicians, Newsoms support could play a pivotal role in Harris prospects in an increasingly crowded Democratic field of presidential candidates. California lawmakers decided in 2017 to move the states primary to early March in an effort to make a bigger impact in the presidential sweepstakes.

Newsom said he got to know Harris well when he served as mayor of San Francisco at the same time Harris was the district attorney of the liberal Bay Area city.

His announcement follows endorsements of Harris from labor activist Dolores Huerta, co founder of the United Farm Workers, and Rep. Barbara Lee D Oakland .

Since announcing her candidacy in January, Harris has propelled herself to the front of the pack of Democratic candidates lining up to challenge Republican President Trump in 2020. Harris spent Friday campaigning in South Carolina, a pivotal early presidential primary state, starting her two day swing at a town hall in Charleston.

Harris and Newsom are longtime friends and political allies. They were both mentored by former San Francisco Mayor and state Assembly Speaker Willie Brown and served in City Hall at the same time. They have also inhabited the same social circles and vacationed together.

Despite that, the two politicians were considered potential rivals after one of Californias U.S. Senate seats was vacated by the retiring Barbara Boxer in 2015. In the end, Harris jumped into the race to replace Boxer, and Newsom announced that he would run for California governor in 2018.

Times staff writer Seema Mehta contributed to this report.

For more infomation >> Sen. Kamala Harris gets California Gov. Gavin Newsoms endorsement for president Los Angeles Times - Duration: 1:42.

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Atmospheric rivers are pulling California out of drought and piling on the snow - Duration: 1:54.

Atmospheric rivers are pulling California out of drought and piling on the snow

The atmospheric rivers that are dumping rain along coastal California are also dumping massive amounts of snow in the states Sierra Nevada.

Newly released photos from NASA, taken four days and a year apart, show how much snow has fallen.

In its news release, NASA singled out Mammoth Mountain, which is now the snowiest ski resort in the United States, having received more than 37 feet since winter began. On its website, Mammoth Mountain says all that snowfall will allow the resort to stay open until the Fourth of July.

"California typically receives the majority of precipitation in December, January and February, and these storms have continued to add to our precipitation levels and increased the states snowpack," California Department of Water Resource spokesman Chris Orrock told CNN. "Increasing the snowpack during these wet, cold months is very important."

The department is cautiously optimistic about the current amount of snowpack, Orrock said.

The snow and rain in California wont let up anytime soon, either. More storms are set to dump even more precipitation.

The water is a godsend for the state, which has experienced a prolonged and dangerous drought in recent years. Things were so bad the groundwater basins became depleted and some localities instituted water restrictions.

The which are long, narrow regions in the atmosphere that transport columns of water vapor have helped pull most of the state out of drought and the snow is set to help ensure Californias water supplies are replenished.

According to the DWR, when the Sierra Nevada snowpack melts in warmer months, it replenishes about 30 percent of Californias water needs later in the year.

Even though much of the state is out of drought, it will take time for the snowpack to replenish the groundwater basins.

"That is why we need to continue making conservation a way of life in California," Orrock says.

For more infomation >> Atmospheric rivers are pulling California out of drought and piling on the snow - Duration: 1:54.

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VW T6 California - Duration: 0:54.

For more infomation >> VW T6 California - Duration: 0:54.

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Why Buy a Home in California and What are the Benefits | Home Buyer Bootcamp | Part 1 - Duration: 8:17.

For more infomation >> Why Buy a Home in California and What are the Benefits | Home Buyer Bootcamp | Part 1 - Duration: 8:17.

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Sen. Kamala Harris gets California Gov. Gavin Newsoms endorsement for president Los Angeles Times - Duration: 1:44.

Sen. Kamala Harris gets California Gov. Gavin Newsoms endorsement for president Los Angeles Times

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced he is endorsing California Sen. Kamala Harris for president during a Friday television appearance on MSNBC.

Im very enthusiastic about Kamala Harris, Newsom said in an interview with Chris Hayes, host of All In. Ill be endorsing her candidacy for president. Ive known her for decades I think the American people could not do better.

Though not surprising given the long political relationship between the two former San Francisco politicians, Newsoms support could play a pivotal role in Harris prospects in an increasingly crowded Democratic field of presidential candidates. California lawmakers decided in 2017 to move the states primary to early March in an effort to make a bigger impact in the presidential sweepstakes.

Newsom said he got to know Harris well when he served as mayor of San Francisco at the same time Harris was the district attorney of the liberal Bay Area city.

His announcement follows endorsements of Harris from labor activist Dolores Huerta, co founder of the United Farm Workers, and Rep. Barbara Lee D Oakland .

Since announcing her candidacy in January, Harris has propelled herself to the front of the pack of Democratic candidates lining up to challenge Republican President Trump in 2020. Harris spent Friday campaigning in South Carolina, a pivotal early presidential primary state, starting her two day swing at a town hall in Charleston.

Harris and Newsom are longtime friends and political allies. They were both mentored by former San Francisco Mayor and state Assembly Speaker Willie Brown and served in City Hall at the same time. They have also inhabited the same social circles and vacationed together.

Despite that, the two politicians were considered potential rivals after one of Californias U.S. Senate seats was vacated by the retiring Barbara Boxer in 2015. In the end, Harris jumped into the race to replace Boxer, and Newsom announced that he would run for California governor in 2018.

Times staff writer Seema Mehta contributed to this report.

For more infomation >> Sen. Kamala Harris gets California Gov. Gavin Newsoms endorsement for president Los Angeles Times - Duration: 1:44.

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More snow in California than Boston? Bonkers winter continues with approaching storm Los Angeles T - Duration: 4:15.

More snow in California than Boston? Bonkers winter continues with approaching storm Los Angeles T

California is known as a land of sunshine. But, for the extreme weather that has accompanied the Wests colder months, California might as well be called the snowy state.

A series of winter storms has brought record breaking rainfall and dropped snow levels dramatically across the state, causing fresh powder to fall in areas that rarely see any. First, snow fell along the coast in Northern Californias Humboldt County on Sunday. Then, Redding at an elevation of roughly 500 feet received more powder over a 12 hour period than Boston, Mass., has seen this entire winter.

I believe the scientific term for this statistic is bonkers, Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the UCLA Institute of Environment and Sustainability, wrote on Twitter this week.

This is what we woke up to..Ive been living here in Shasta lake/Redding for 10 yrs never have i seen snow like this...WILD!

Forecasters said between 10 and 13 inches of snow fell on Redding this week, and the region could see more depending on how far the weekends next chilly winter storm drops snow levels.

Currently, snow levels across much of the Sierra Nevada are hovering between 2,000 and 3,000 feet and will probably remain there through much of the weekend, said Hannah Chandler Cooley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento.

Forecasters said there is a chance that snow levels could fall below 700 feet by Sunday night in the northern Sierra. However, the storm will be on its way out by then, so Chandler Cooley said, Itll be hit or miss with how much snow these communities get.

Much of the northern section of the state has already been under siege by snow following that hit in early February and even after

Sierra at Tahoe had received 2.8 feet of snow in 24 hours by Friday morning, pushing the resorts total over the past week to 6.4 feet. Dodge Ridge in Tuolumne County saw 1.8 feet in the same time span, and 14.5 feet over the past two weeks, according to the weather service.

Snow piled high in the Sierra might look alluring for skiers and snowboarders hoping for a good shred session, but . The weather service has issued winter storm and avalanche warnings over much of the Sierra cautioning travelers of dangerous conditions.

The ski resort in Running Springs was closed Friday because California 18, the highway that leads to the area, was blocked off after a rock slide, Caltrans reported. Mt. Baldy also was closed due to road damage. In Mono County, home to and, the weather service has issued a winter storm warning through noon Sunday.

A 70 mile stretch of Interstate 80 over the Sierra Nevada that was closed Thursday night due to white out conditions remained blocked off Friday. Officials said its not clear when the road will reopen.

Dangerous travel conditions will continue across the today through early Sunday morning. An additional 3 to 6 feet of snow are expected through this period. The Winter Storm Warning has been extended to include all of Saturday.

The next storm is also expected to gradually lower snow levels in Southern California, in addition to delivering scattered showers. Communities at elevations of 5,000 feet will probably see a fresh dusting of powder by Saturday afternoon and those as low as 1,500 feet may get some snow by Sunday night, said Keily Delerme, a meteorologist with the weather service meteorologist in Oxnard.

Theres a colder air mass thats expected to move across the area and thats whats going to bring temperatures below normal and drop snow levels, she said.

More snow means more picturesque views of the San Gabriel Mountains behind the downtown Los Angeles skyline next week.

Aside from the recreational splendor of fresh snow, the deluge also adds to an already wet winter that has replenished reservoirs and created a healthy snowpack in the Sierra Nevada a major source of Californias water supply. The snowpack on Thursday measured 141 percent of average for that date and 107 percent of average for what would typically be recorded at its peak on April 1, according to the California Department of Water Resources.

This is welcome news for the states water supply, which is replenished when the snow melts during warmer months. However, water experts warn that conservation is still necessary, even during wet winters.

Climate change has created a situation in California that the only thing thats constant is that our weather is so variable we can hardly judge it, said Chris Orrock, a Department of Water Resources spokesman. Its not if, its when well get another drought. We need to be prepared for that next round.

Rain in Southern California does much less to boost water supplies. But this week saw some record rain totals.

The storm Thursday dropped more than 10 inches of rain on Palomar Mountain, more than 6 inches in Julian and close to 3.5 inches in .

The system produced one of the wettest winter days in decades, breaking daily rainfall records in seven communities, including Palomar. The mountain received 10.10 inches, snapping the record of 9.58 inches, set Feb. 14, 1991. got 4.05 inches, nearly 2 inches higher than a record set in 1995.

A weather balloon released from Miramar Marine Corps Air Station at 4 a.m. Thursday showed the highest level of precipitable water in the atmosphere, for winter, since 1948, said Matt Moreland, meteorologist in charge of the office in Rancho Bernardo.

Downtown Los Angeles saw 2.12 inches of rain in the 24 hour period that ended at midnight Friday. The area has seen 15.5 inches of rain this water year, which began Oct. 1, surpassing the average for the entire year of 14.93 inches. This represents the region getting 173 percent of average precipitation for this time of year. Typically, the downtown area sees less than 9 inches in that time frame.

For more infomation >> More snow in California than Boston? Bonkers winter continues with approaching storm Los Angeles T - Duration: 4:15.

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Essential California The long fall for Californias bullet train Los Angeles Times - Duration: 5:22.

Essential California The long fall for Californias bullet train Los Angeles Times

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California . Its Thursday, Feb. 14, and heres whats happening across California:

TOP STORIES

It was billed as the most ambitious public works project since the transcontinental railroad opened up the West. But bite by bite, huge cost overruns, mismanagement, political concessions and delays ate away at the sleek and soaring vision of a bullet train linking San Francisco to San Diego. A project meant to drive home Californias role as the technological vanguard of the nation was looking more and more like a pepped up Amtrak route through the Central Valley. During his first State of the State address on Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced he was scaling back the dollar 77 billion project. While his wording was open to interpretation, it signaled to many a death knell not necessarily of the project itself, but to that original dream.

Plus: After Newsom announced plans to scale back the high speed rail project, President Trump demanded that California return billions of dollars to the federal government. In a tweet Wednesday, Trump said the state had been forced to cancel the project and referred to it as a green disaster. Newsom fired back in his own tweet, decrying what he called fake news.

A closer look at the sheriffs numbers

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva says the jails he now supervises are a dangerous mess: Inmates increasingly are assaulting one another, staff members are suffering more attacks and use of force has gone way up. He also says that his immediate predecessor, Jim McDonnell, covered up data on the jail violence in order to hide the problem from the public. But many of the numbers Villanueva is using to make his case are known to be unreliable.

Cracking down on Huawei

The White House is preparing a sweeping executive order that could bar Chinese companies from selling equipment for use in future U.S. telecommunications networks, claiming Beijing could exploit the technology to carry out cyber intrusions and espionage. The main target of the draft order, expected to be released in days, is Huawei, the worlds largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer. The order would not affect U.S. consumer electronics companies whose products incorporate components from China.

L.A. STORIES

Wet weather: A storm that forecasters say is the strongest this winter created havoc in Northern California, then descended on Southern California.

Plus: Atmospheric rivers are pounding the state. What are they exactly?

The tide turns: Three of West Hollywoods five City Council members have called for Mayor John Duran to resign amid allegations that he sexually harassed fellow members of the Gay Mens Chorus of Los Angeles.

USC update: As federal regulators continue investigating USCs handling of a campus gynecologist accused of sexual abuse, the university is pressing forward with a dollar 215 million class action settlement with former patients.

A good Valentines Day read: Fall in love with the work of Yesika Salgado, a Salvadoran poet in Silver Lake.

IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER

Headed to the clink: Drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman twice escaped from prison in Mexico. With his conviction on drug trafficking and murder charges in U.S. federal court this week, he is likely headed to a much more secure facility: the so called Alcatraz of the Rockies.

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Rough stuff: Michael Avenatti agreed to relinquish financial control of his longtime law firm hours after a former partner filed papers accusing him of hiding millions of dollars from the court that oversaw its bankruptcy.

A wild wall: Can Democrats prevent Trump from using his executive power to build a wall?

Gross: All that trash on Bay Area highways? Caltrans is under threat of fines if its not cleaned up.

CRIME AND COURTS

Big news: Los Angeles County supervisors this week narrowly approved tearing down the dungeon like Mens Central Jail downtown and building at least one mental health treatment facility in its place.

Manhunt ends: A man who was placed on the FBIs Ten Most Wanted list when he skipped bail after his arrest in connection with a series of sexual assaults in the Los Angeles area was shot and killed by federal agents in North Carolina, authorities said Wednesday.

Wild: Billionaire Henry T. Nicholas III was charged in Las Vegas with multiple counts of narcotics trafficking six months after police discovered heroin and meth in the Broadcom co founders massive suite at the Encore hotel.

Arrested: A 20 year old North Carolina man who federal authorities say is part of a hacker collective was arrested Tuesday and charged with threatening Southern California schools and Los Angeles International Airport.

Trouble in Fresno: Is Granite Park still cursed? The Fresno district attorney is reviewing an audit tied to a local developer and newly elected Rep. TJ Cox.

THE ENVIRONMENT

A helping hand: Gov. Newsom signed a pair of bills into law to immediately provide dollar 131.3 million in funding to expand access to clean drinking water, improve emergency preparedness and support wildfire ravaged communities.

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

RIP: Opportunity, the intrepid NASA rover that spent 15 years on Mars climbing in and out of craters to gather evidence of the planets watery past has been brought down by tiny particles of dust.

Laker trouble: Luke Waltons job is said to be safe, even as the Lakers keep losing games.

Be like Mike: LeBron James wants to own an NBA team.

Not just for the office pool: New Jersey has become the first state in the United States that will take legal Oscars bets.

Plus: How Hollywoods diversity push is also changing the makeup industry.

Troubling story: Musician Ryan Adams dangled success. Though the musician denies wrongdoing, women say they paid a price.

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles area: rainy, 63, Thursday; rainy, 57, Friday. San Diego: rainy, 63, Thursday; cloudy, 61, Friday. San Francisco area: showers, 56, Thursday; showers, 52, Friday. San Jose: showers, 60, Friday; showers, 52, Friday. Sacramento: thunderstorms, 55, Thursday; showers, 52, Friday.

AND FINALLY

Todays California memory comes from Dorothy Daily:

Arroyo Seco Parkway, one of the first, if not the first, freeways. My mother drove our 1936 Dodge from Pasadena to downtown Los Angeles to do our annual school shopping. I dont think we passed more than two dozen cars. Of course it was wartime 1942 1944 and gas and tires were rationed. After shopping at the May Co. we had lunch at Cliftons cafeteria. My favorite was the orange sherbet.

For more infomation >> Essential California The long fall for Californias bullet train Los Angeles Times - Duration: 5:22.

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Sen. Kamala Harris gets California Gov. Gavin Newsoms endorsement for president Los Angeles Times - Duration: 1:39.

Sen. Kamala Harris gets California Gov. Gavin Newsoms endorsement for president Los Angeles Times

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced he is endorsing California Sen. Kamala Harris for president during a Friday television appearance on MSNBC.

Im very enthusiastic about Kamala Harris, Newsom said in an interview with Chris Hayes, host of All In. Ill be endorsing her candidacy for president. Ive known her for decades I think the American people could not do better.

Though not surprising given the long political relationship between the two former San Francisco politicians, Newsoms support could play a pivotal role in Harris prospects in an increasingly crowded Democratic field of presidential candidates. California lawmakers decided in 2017 to move the states primary to early March in an effort to make a bigger impact in the presidential sweepstakes.

Newsom said he got to know Harris well when he served as mayor of San Francisco at the same time Harris was the district attorney of the liberal Bay Area city.

His announcement follows endorsements of Harris from labor activist Dolores Huerta, co founder of the United Farm Workers, and Rep. Barbara Lee D Oakland .

Since announcing her candidacy in January, Harris has propelled herself to the front of the pack of Democratic candidates lining up to challenge Republican President Trump in 2020. Harris spent Friday campaigning in South Carolina, a pivotal early presidential primary state, starting her two day swing at a town hall in Charleston.

Harris and Newsom are longtime friends and political allies. They were both mentored by former San Francisco Mayor and state Assembly Speaker Willie Brown and served in City Hall at the same time. They have also inhabited the same social circles and vacationed together.

Despite that, the two politicians were considered potential rivals after one of Californias U.S. Senate seats was vacated by the retiring Barbara Boxer in 2015. In the end, Harris jumped into the race to replace Boxer, and Newsom announced that he would run for California governor in 2018.

Times staff writer Seema Mehta contributed to this report.

For more infomation >> Sen. Kamala Harris gets California Gov. Gavin Newsoms endorsement for president Los Angeles Times - Duration: 1:39.

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More snow in California than Boston? Bonkers winter continues with approaching storm Los Angeles T - Duration: 4:17.

More snow in California than Boston? Bonkers winter continues with approaching storm Los Angeles T

California is known as a land of sunshine. But, for the extreme weather that has accompanied the Wests colder months, California might as well be called the snowy state.

A series of winter storms has brought record breaking rainfall and dropped snow levels dramatically across the state, causing fresh powder to fall in areas that rarely see any. First, snow fell along the coast in Northern Californias Humboldt County on Sunday. Then, Redding at an elevation of roughly 500 feet received more powder over a 12 hour period than Boston, Mass., has seen this entire winter.

I believe the scientific term for this statistic is bonkers, Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the UCLA Institute of Environment and Sustainability, wrote on Twitter this week.

This is what we woke up to..Ive been living here in Shasta lake/Redding for 10 yrs never have i seen snow like this...WILD!

Forecasters said between 10 and 13 inches of snow fell on Redding this week, and the region could see more depending on how far the weekends next chilly winter storm drops snow levels.

Currently, snow levels across much of the Sierra Nevada are hovering between 2,000 and 3,000 feet and will probably remain there through much of the weekend, said Hannah Chandler Cooley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento.

Forecasters said there is a chance that snow levels could fall below 700 feet by Sunday night in the northern Sierra. However, the storm will be on its way out by then, so Chandler Cooley said, Itll be hit or miss with how much snow these communities get.

Much of the northern section of the state has already been under siege by snow following that hit in early February and even after

Sierra at Tahoe had received 2.8 feet of snow in 24 hours by Friday morning, pushing the resorts total over the past week to 6.4 feet. Dodge Ridge in Tuolumne County saw 1.8 feet in the same time span, and 14.5 feet over the past two weeks, according to the weather service.

Snow piled high in the Sierra might look alluring for skiers and snowboarders hoping for a good shred session, but . The weather service has issued winter storm and avalanche warnings over much of the Sierra cautioning travelers of dangerous conditions.

The ski resort in Running Springs was closed Friday because California 18, the highway that leads to the area, was blocked off after a rock slide, Caltrans reported. Mt. Baldy also was closed due to road damage. In Mono County, home to and, the weather service has issued a winter storm warning through noon Sunday.

A 70 mile stretch of Interstate 80 over the Sierra Nevada that was closed Thursday night due to white out conditions remained blocked off Friday. Officials said its not clear when the road will reopen.

Dangerous travel conditions will continue across the today through early Sunday morning. An additional 3 to 6 feet of snow are expected through this period. The Winter Storm Warning has been extended to include all of Saturday.

The next storm is also expected to gradually lower snow levels in Southern California, in addition to delivering scattered showers. Communities at elevations of 5,000 feet will probably see a fresh dusting of powder by Saturday afternoon and those as low as 1,500 feet may get some snow by Sunday night, said Keily Delerme, a meteorologist with the weather service meteorologist in Oxnard.

Theres a colder air mass thats expected to move across the area and thats whats going to bring temperatures below normal and drop snow levels, she said.

More snow means more picturesque views of the San Gabriel Mountains behind the downtown Los Angeles skyline next week.

Aside from the recreational splendor of fresh snow, the deluge also adds to an already wet winter that has replenished reservoirs and created a healthy snowpack in the Sierra Nevada a major source of Californias water supply. The snowpack on Thursday measured 141 percent of average for that date and 107 percent of average for what would typically be recorded at its peak on April 1, according to the California Department of Water Resources.

This is welcome news for the states water supply, which is replenished when the snow melts during warmer months. However, water experts warn that conservation is still necessary, even during wet winters.

Climate change has created a situation in California that the only thing thats constant is that our weather is so variable we can hardly judge it, said Chris Orrock, a Department of Water Resources spokesman. Its not if, its when well get another drought. We need to be prepared for that next round.

Rain in Southern California does much less to boost water supplies. But this week saw some record rain totals.

The storm Thursday dropped more than 10 inches of rain on Palomar Mountain, more than 6 inches in Julian and close to 3.5 inches in .

The system produced one of the wettest winter days in decades, breaking daily rainfall records in seven communities, including Palomar. The mountain received 10.10 inches, snapping the record of 9.58 inches, set Feb. 14, 1991. got 4.05 inches, nearly 2 inches higher than a record set in 1995.

A weather balloon released from Miramar Marine Corps Air Station at 4 a.m. Thursday showed the highest level of precipitable water in the atmosphere, for winter, since 1948, said Matt Moreland, meteorologist in charge of the office in Rancho Bernardo.

Downtown Los Angeles saw 2.12 inches of rain in the 24 hour period that ended at midnight Friday. The area has seen 15.5 inches of rain this water year, which began Oct. 1, surpassing the average for the entire year of 14.93 inches. This represents the region getting 173 percent of average precipitation for this time of year. Typically, the downtown area sees less than 9 inches in that time frame.

For more infomation >> More snow in California than Boston? Bonkers winter continues with approaching storm Los Angeles T - Duration: 4:17.

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Strong storm drenches California, unleashing mudslides and flooding - Duration: 2:08.

Strong storm drenches California, unleashing mudslides and flooding

The system affected much of the state and especially soaked areas along the coast, according to the National Weather Services

"Southern California is particularly at risk for excessive rainfall and mudslides so a high risk has been issued for this region with a moderate risk stretching into Los Angeles," The heavy rain and snowfall in the state will start easing Friday.

"Meanwhile, heavy snow will continue across the Sierra Nevada through the weekend where winter storm warnings will be in effect through Sunday."

In Northern California, homes tumbled down the hillsides as the downpour caused mudslides that swallowed up cars. said she woke up to the sound of rumbling when the mudslide hit Thursday.

She was asleep on the second floor when the mudslide lifted her home off its foundation, breaking it apart and pushing it down a hillside with her inside.

"It just happened too fast. I did not know what was going on," the 76 year old said. "I was on the second floor. I heard something. I started looking for my phone."

Her duplex traveled about a block down the hill before slamming into another home and destroying both houses. She survived with scratches and bruises.

Pineapple express of rain and snow

California is at the center of whats known as a "pineapple express" thats bringing heavy rain, snow, wind and flooding to the West Coast this week.

More than 30 million people are under flood or flash flood watches from California to Arizona, including in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.

A pineapple express, also known as an atmospheric river, is a narrow corridor of concentrated moisture in the upper atmosphere. The series of storms originates in the Hawaiian Islands, pulls in a significant amount of moisture from the Pacific Ocean and takes aim at the West Coast.

Central areas of California have already been hit hard, receiving 3 to 8 inches of rain in a day in many places, according to CNN meteorologist Haley Brink.

The San Francisco area broke a daily record for rainfall Wednesday with 2.13 inches, Brink said.

Brink said the heavy rain and snow is tapering off in California.

"The risk for flooding and mudslides will continue only through Friday morning. Although the heavy snow in the Sierras will continue through the weekend," she said.

For more infomation >> Strong storm drenches California, unleashing mudslides and flooding - Duration: 2:08.

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Essential California The long fall for Californias bullet train Los Angeles Times - Duration: 5:25.

Essential California The long fall for Californias bullet train Los Angeles Times

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California . Its Thursday, Feb. 14, and heres whats happening across California:

TOP STORIES

It was billed as the most ambitious public works project since the transcontinental railroad opened up the West. But bite by bite, huge cost overruns, mismanagement, political concessions and delays ate away at the sleek and soaring vision of a bullet train linking San Francisco to San Diego. A project meant to drive home Californias role as the technological vanguard of the nation was looking more and more like a pepped up Amtrak route through the Central Valley. During his first State of the State address on Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced he was scaling back the dollar 77 billion project. While his wording was open to interpretation, it signaled to many a death knell not necessarily of the project itself, but to that original dream.

Plus: After Newsom announced plans to scale back the high speed rail project, President Trump demanded that California return billions of dollars to the federal government. In a tweet Wednesday, Trump said the state had been forced to cancel the project and referred to it as a green disaster. Newsom fired back in his own tweet, decrying what he called fake news.

A closer look at the sheriffs numbers

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva says the jails he now supervises are a dangerous mess: Inmates increasingly are assaulting one another, staff members are suffering more attacks and use of force has gone way up. He also says that his immediate predecessor, Jim McDonnell, covered up data on the jail violence in order to hide the problem from the public. But many of the numbers Villanueva is using to make his case are known to be unreliable.

Cracking down on Huawei

The White House is preparing a sweeping executive order that could bar Chinese companies from selling equipment for use in future U.S. telecommunications networks, claiming Beijing could exploit the technology to carry out cyber intrusions and espionage. The main target of the draft order, expected to be released in days, is Huawei, the worlds largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer. The order would not affect U.S. consumer electronics companies whose products incorporate components from China.

L.A. STORIES

Wet weather: A storm that forecasters say is the strongest this winter created havoc in Northern California, then descended on Southern California.

Plus: Atmospheric rivers are pounding the state. What are they exactly?

The tide turns: Three of West Hollywoods five City Council members have called for Mayor John Duran to resign amid allegations that he sexually harassed fellow members of the Gay Mens Chorus of Los Angeles.

USC update: As federal regulators continue investigating USCs handling of a campus gynecologist accused of sexual abuse, the university is pressing forward with a dollar 215 million class action settlement with former patients.

A good Valentines Day read: Fall in love with the work of Yesika Salgado, a Salvadoran poet in Silver Lake.

IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER

Headed to the clink: Drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman twice escaped from prison in Mexico. With his conviction on drug trafficking and murder charges in U.S. federal court this week, he is likely headed to a much more secure facility: the so called Alcatraz of the Rockies.

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Rough stuff: Michael Avenatti agreed to relinquish financial control of his longtime law firm hours after a former partner filed papers accusing him of hiding millions of dollars from the court that oversaw its bankruptcy.

A wild wall: Can Democrats prevent Trump from using his executive power to build a wall?

Gross: All that trash on Bay Area highways? Caltrans is under threat of fines if its not cleaned up.

CRIME AND COURTS

Big news: Los Angeles County supervisors this week narrowly approved tearing down the dungeon like Mens Central Jail downtown and building at least one mental health treatment facility in its place.

Manhunt ends: A man who was placed on the FBIs Ten Most Wanted list when he skipped bail after his arrest in connection with a series of sexual assaults in the Los Angeles area was shot and killed by federal agents in North Carolina, authorities said Wednesday.

Wild: Billionaire Henry T. Nicholas III was charged in Las Vegas with multiple counts of narcotics trafficking six months after police discovered heroin and meth in the Broadcom co founders massive suite at the Encore hotel.

Arrested: A 20 year old North Carolina man who federal authorities say is part of a hacker collective was arrested Tuesday and charged with threatening Southern California schools and Los Angeles International Airport.

Trouble in Fresno: Is Granite Park still cursed? The Fresno district attorney is reviewing an audit tied to a local developer and newly elected Rep. TJ Cox.

THE ENVIRONMENT

A helping hand: Gov. Newsom signed a pair of bills into law to immediately provide dollar 131.3 million in funding to expand access to clean drinking water, improve emergency preparedness and support wildfire ravaged communities.

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

RIP: Opportunity, the intrepid NASA rover that spent 15 years on Mars climbing in and out of craters to gather evidence of the planets watery past has been brought down by tiny particles of dust.

Laker trouble: Luke Waltons job is said to be safe, even as the Lakers keep losing games.

Be like Mike: LeBron James wants to own an NBA team.

Not just for the office pool: New Jersey has become the first state in the United States that will take legal Oscars bets.

Plus: How Hollywoods diversity push is also changing the makeup industry.

Troubling story: Musician Ryan Adams dangled success. Though the musician denies wrongdoing, women say they paid a price.

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles area: rainy, 63, Thursday; rainy, 57, Friday. San Diego: rainy, 63, Thursday; cloudy, 61, Friday. San Francisco area: showers, 56, Thursday; showers, 52, Friday. San Jose: showers, 60, Friday; showers, 52, Friday. Sacramento: thunderstorms, 55, Thursday; showers, 52, Friday.

AND FINALLY

Todays California memory comes from Dorothy Daily:

Arroyo Seco Parkway, one of the first, if not the first, freeways. My mother drove our 1936 Dodge from Pasadena to downtown Los Angeles to do our annual school shopping. I dont think we passed more than two dozen cars. Of course it was wartime 1942 1944 and gas and tires were rationed. After shopping at the May Co. we had lunch at Cliftons cafeteria. My favorite was the orange sherbet.

For more infomation >> Essential California The long fall for Californias bullet train Los Angeles Times - Duration: 5:25.

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Essential California The long fall for Californias bullet train Los Angeles Times - Duration: 5:24.

Essential California The long fall for Californias bullet train Los Angeles Times

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California . Its Thursday, Feb. 14, and heres whats happening across California:

TOP STORIES

It was billed as the most ambitious public works project since the transcontinental railroad opened up the West. But bite by bite, huge cost overruns, mismanagement, political concessions and delays ate away at the sleek and soaring vision of a bullet train linking San Francisco to San Diego. A project meant to drive home Californias role as the technological vanguard of the nation was looking more and more like a pepped up Amtrak route through the Central Valley. During his first State of the State address on Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced he was scaling back the dollar 77 billion project. While his wording was open to interpretation, it signaled to many a death knell not necessarily of the project itself, but to that original dream.

Plus: After Newsom announced plans to scale back the high speed rail project, President Trump demanded that California return billions of dollars to the federal government. In a tweet Wednesday, Trump said the state had been forced to cancel the project and referred to it as a green disaster. Newsom fired back in his own tweet, decrying what he called fake news.

A closer look at the sheriffs numbers

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva says the jails he now supervises are a dangerous mess: Inmates increasingly are assaulting one another, staff members are suffering more attacks and use of force has gone way up. He also says that his immediate predecessor, Jim McDonnell, covered up data on the jail violence in order to hide the problem from the public. But many of the numbers Villanueva is using to make his case are known to be unreliable.

Cracking down on Huawei

The White House is preparing a sweeping executive order that could bar Chinese companies from selling equipment for use in future U.S. telecommunications networks, claiming Beijing could exploit the technology to carry out cyber intrusions and espionage. The main target of the draft order, expected to be released in days, is Huawei, the worlds largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer. The order would not affect U.S. consumer electronics companies whose products incorporate components from China.

L.A. STORIES

Wet weather: A storm that forecasters say is the strongest this winter created havoc in Northern California, then descended on Southern California.

Plus: Atmospheric rivers are pounding the state. What are they exactly?

The tide turns: Three of West Hollywoods five City Council members have called for Mayor John Duran to resign amid allegations that he sexually harassed fellow members of the Gay Mens Chorus of Los Angeles.

USC update: As federal regulators continue investigating USCs handling of a campus gynecologist accused of sexual abuse, the university is pressing forward with a dollar 215 million class action settlement with former patients.

A good Valentines Day read: Fall in love with the work of Yesika Salgado, a Salvadoran poet in Silver Lake.

IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER

Headed to the clink: Drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman twice escaped from prison in Mexico. With his conviction on drug trafficking and murder charges in U.S. federal court this week, he is likely headed to a much more secure facility: the so called Alcatraz of the Rockies.

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Rough stuff: Michael Avenatti agreed to relinquish financial control of his longtime law firm hours after a former partner filed papers accusing him of hiding millions of dollars from the court that oversaw its bankruptcy.

A wild wall: Can Democrats prevent Trump from using his executive power to build a wall?

Gross: All that trash on Bay Area highways? Caltrans is under threat of fines if its not cleaned up.

CRIME AND COURTS

Big news: Los Angeles County supervisors this week narrowly approved tearing down the dungeon like Mens Central Jail downtown and building at least one mental health treatment facility in its place.

Manhunt ends: A man who was placed on the FBIs Ten Most Wanted list when he skipped bail after his arrest in connection with a series of sexual assaults in the Los Angeles area was shot and killed by federal agents in North Carolina, authorities said Wednesday.

Wild: Billionaire Henry T. Nicholas III was charged in Las Vegas with multiple counts of narcotics trafficking six months after police discovered heroin and meth in the Broadcom co founders massive suite at the Encore hotel.

Arrested: A 20 year old North Carolina man who federal authorities say is part of a hacker collective was arrested Tuesday and charged with threatening Southern California schools and Los Angeles International Airport.

Trouble in Fresno: Is Granite Park still cursed? The Fresno district attorney is reviewing an audit tied to a local developer and newly elected Rep. TJ Cox.

THE ENVIRONMENT

A helping hand: Gov. Newsom signed a pair of bills into law to immediately provide dollar 131.3 million in funding to expand access to clean drinking water, improve emergency preparedness and support wildfire ravaged communities.

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

RIP: Opportunity, the intrepid NASA rover that spent 15 years on Mars climbing in and out of craters to gather evidence of the planets watery past has been brought down by tiny particles of dust.

Laker trouble: Luke Waltons job is said to be safe, even as the Lakers keep losing games.

Be like Mike: LeBron James wants to own an NBA team.

Not just for the office pool: New Jersey has become the first state in the United States that will take legal Oscars bets.

Plus: How Hollywoods diversity push is also changing the makeup industry.

Troubling story: Musician Ryan Adams dangled success. Though the musician denies wrongdoing, women say they paid a price.

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles area: rainy, 63, Thursday; rainy, 57, Friday. San Diego: rainy, 63, Thursday; cloudy, 61, Friday. San Francisco area: showers, 56, Thursday; showers, 52, Friday. San Jose: showers, 60, Friday; showers, 52, Friday. Sacramento: thunderstorms, 55, Thursday; showers, 52, Friday.

AND FINALLY

Todays California memory comes from Dorothy Daily:

Arroyo Seco Parkway, one of the first, if not the first, freeways. My mother drove our 1936 Dodge from Pasadena to downtown Los Angeles to do our annual school shopping. I dont think we passed more than two dozen cars. Of course it was wartime 1942 1944 and gas and tires were rationed. After shopping at the May Co. we had lunch at Cliftons cafeteria. My favorite was the orange sherbet.

For more infomation >> Essential California The long fall for Californias bullet train Los Angeles Times - Duration: 5:24.

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Free speech nonprofit sues California Attorney General Becerra The Sacramento Bee - Duration: 3:54.

Free speech nonprofit sues California Attorney General Becerra The Sacramento Bee

February 14, 2019 02:43 PM

A free speech group sued California Attorney General Xavier Becerra on Thursday over his refusal to release police misconduct records under a new state law.

The First Amendment Coalition, , filed a lawsuit against Becerra alleging the California Department of Justice rejected a Jan. 4 records request under the transparency law,

As the highest law enforcement officer in the state, the Attorney General has an obligation to not only comply with the California Public Records Act, but to send the right message about transparency to police departments across the state, FAC Executive Director David Snyder said in the release. Unfortunately, the Attorney General has done neither. By denying public access to these crucial files, he has given a green light to other departments to disregard the new law.

that the attorney generals office rejected a freelance reporters records request, saying that the law did not apply to records dating before Jan. 1, when SB 1421 took effect. Becerras office said last week it would not issue records about law enforcement officers it employs until the matter is decided by the courts.

Get six months of free digital access to The Sacramento Bee

Historically, under state statute, peace officers have had a significant privacy right in their personnel records. Several cases have recently raised the issue whether SB 1421 ... requires the disclosure of records relating to conduct that occurred before January 1, 2019, which is SB 1421s effective date. Given the ongoing proceedings, at this time, we are prepared to disclose only records beginning January 1, 2019, Becerras office said in a statement emailed to The Bee. When it comes to disclosing a persons private information, you dont get a second chance to get it right.

Becerra sent out a bulletin to all California law enforcement agencies Jan. 3 ordering them to preserve all records that may be subject to disclosure under the law.

On Feb. 8, a Contra Costa County judge ruled , according to the Associated Press.

Republican Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham, who represents the 35th District in San Luis Obispo and was a supporter of SB 1421, implored Becerra in a prepared statement to follow the law.

As a strong supporter of the First Amendment, and supporter of SB 1421, I think the Attorney General of California should follow the law. One court already has ruled that the law applies retroactively, Cunningham said in his statement. The AG is the top law enforcement officer in the state and he has a constitutional duty to follow California law. He shouldnt shirk his duty. SB 1421 was narrowly tailored, and where it applies, the public has a right to the information.

The Sacramento Bee and the Los Angeles Times on Jan. 25 in a legal test of SB 1421, which requires the disclosure of

The that personnel records are protected and the law did not apply retroactively, according to previous reporting by The Bee.

Officials at several public agencies, including Placer County officials, have told The Bee they are following the Justice Departments position.

Democratic Senator Nancy Skinner, who authored SB 1421 and represents the 9th District in Berkeley, said in a prepared statement that the law does apply retroactively.

Some agencies seem to feel that since releasing a record is an irreversible decision, they shouldnt have to do so until all court actions on SB 1421 are resolved. However, California law doesnt work that way, Skinner said in her statement. Unless the state Supreme Court issues an injunction, which it has chosen not to do, SB 1421 is the law and covers pre 2019 records as the Legislature intended. The only agencies that can legitimately hold records are those agencies in the few counties where lower courts have issued a stay.

Vincent Moleski covers breaking news for The Bee and is a journalism student at Sacramento State. He was born and raised in Sacramento and previously wrote for the universitys student newspaper, the State Hornet.

February 15, 2019 07:54 AM

A truck fire on Interstate 5 in south Sacramento County is stalling Friday morning traffic nearly seven hours after it was extinguished, according to reports by California Highway Patrol.

Get six months of free digital access to The Sacramento Bee

Real time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

For more infomation >> Free speech nonprofit sues California Attorney General Becerra The Sacramento Bee - Duration: 3:54.

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California attorney general sued over release of records of p0lice sh00tings and misconduct probes - Duration: 2:09.

California attorney general sued over release of records of p0lice sh00tings and misconduct probes

A free speech organization over his offices failure to release internal police records.

The San Rafael based First Amendment Coalition sued Becerras office in San Francisco Superior Court on Thursday after the attorney general did not turn over records related to investigations of shootings or confirmed cases of sexual assault by officers. A opened such records to the public following decades of secrecy surrounding internal law enforcement investigations.

But numerous police unions around the state , arguing that the new law should not unseal records of incidents that occurred prior to its taking effect on Jan. 1. Becerra cited those ongoing cases in declining to turn over the records, saying that the public interest in protecting officer privacy outweighs transparency until the courts decide the issue.

The laws author, Sen. Nancy Skinner D Berkeley , that the Legislature intended to make public all qualifying records in a departments possession, no matter when an incident occurred.

Dave Snyder, the First Amendment Coalitions executive director, said Becerras refusal to turn over the information reflects poorly on his office.

As the highest law enforcement officer in the state, the attorney general has an obligation to not only comply with the California Public Records Act, but to send the right message about transparency to police departments across the state, Snyder said in a statement. Unfortunately, the attorney general has done neither. By denying public access to these crucial files, he has given a green light to other departments to disregard the new law.

The Times is one of multiple media organizations around the state that have filed legal briefs urging courts to rule against the unions lawsuits. A Contra Costa County Superior Court judge that departments must release older records. But this week, a judge in Ventura County granted a preliminary injunction blocking the release of such records in a separate case.

In a statement, Becerra said it was prudent to wait until courts had provided more clarity over the status of the records given that the state has historically provided strong privacy protections to police personnel information.

When it comes to disclosing a persons private information, you dont get a second chance to get it right, Becerra said.