California

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>

California Cops: Suspect Is Backstreet Boys Lookalike

AJ McLean doppelganger stole packages from Irvine apartment complex

(Newser) - Police in Irvine, California, are looking for a thief they say strongly resembles Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean. Police say the doppelganger stole packages from an apartment complex's secured mailroom, KTLA reports. "We're pretty sure this isn't AJ McLean," the Irving Police Department said in...

In Their Late Mom's Attic, the 'Pinnacle of Comic Collecting'

Family members sell 1939 Superman issue via Heritage Auctions for $9M-plus, a record sale

(Newser) - A nearly forgotten copy of the first Superman comic book, discovered in a California attic, has set an auction record by selling for upward of $9 million. The comic, published in 1939 by DC Comics and known as "Superman #1," was discovered by three brothers while clearing out...

Trump Plans New Oil Drilling Off Florida, California Coasts

Oil industry has been pushing for access to new offshore areas

(Newser) - The Trump administration announced on Thursday new oil drilling off the California and Florida coasts for the first time in decades, advancing a project that critics say could harm coastal communities and ecosystems, as President Trump seeks to expand US oil production. The oil industry has been seeking access to...

California Kills Wolf Pack, Finds Another One

Officials say population is 'robust' and growing

(Newser) - California wildlife officials have confirmed the existence of a new wolf pack in southern Plumas County, bringing the state's total number of wolf packs back to 10. The new group, known as the Grizzly pack, was given official status after a pup was spotted on a remote trail camera,...

Billionaire Enters California Race by Knocking the Rich: 'Bulls---, Man'

Tom Steyer throws his hat into the ring for California governor

(Newser) - He made a run for the Oval Office in 2020. Now billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer has set his sights on the California governor's mansion. NBC News reports Steyer on Wednesday entered a crowded field aiming to succeed outgoing and term-limited Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, among them former Health and...

Storm-Stranded Rock Climbers Are Hanging Out—2.6K Feet Up

Sasha DiGiulian, Elliot Faber have spent 5 days in tiny tents blowing in the wind on El Capitan

(Newser) - Rock climber Sasha DiGiulian, known for her record-setting ascents and multiple US National Championship titles, is currently holed up 2,600 feet above the ground on Yosemite's El Capitan, riding out a storm. She'd already been there for four days when Outside called her Monday, asking how it...

That '70s Show Star Seeks Retrial
Danny Masterson
Wants a Retrial
Nov 18, 2025 12:30 AM CST

Danny Masterson Wants a Retrial

Actor says key witnesses were ignored in high-profile rape case

(Newser) - Danny Masterson, the actor best known for his role on That '70s Show, is seeking a new trial, claiming his lawyer mishandled his defense in the high-profile rape case that led to his conviction and a 30-year prison sentence, NBC News reports. Masterson, who was found guilty of raping...

7-Year-Old, Father Killed by 'Very Big' Wave

Mother survives after trying to assist pair at California's Garrapata State Beach

(Newser) - A family outing at a Northern California beach ended in double tragedy over the weekend, as a 7-year-old girl was swept away by a large wave and her father drowned trying to rescue her. The incident took place Friday at Garrapata State Beach in Monterey County. Mike Dippel, chief ranger...

Southern California's Latest Storm Is a Doozy

Floods, mudslides, even a possible tornado are all risks as state is hit with atmospheric river

(Newser) - Southern California is bracing for the full force of a powerful atmospheric river, with forecasts predicting up to 5 inches of rain in just two days' time in low-lying areas, and even higher totals in the mountains by Sunday. The storm, which first began drenching more northern parts of the...

Girl Still Missing After Family Day at Ocean Ends in Tragedy

Dad dies after being swept away with 5-year-old daughter by waves in California's Big Sur

(Newser) - A family outing at Garrapata State Park in Big Sur turned tragic on Friday when a father died and his 5-year-old daughter went missing after they were swept into the ocean by powerful waves, according to the Monterey County Sheriff's Office. The incident happened just before 1pm along Highway...

DOJ Sues to Halt California's New House Map

Complaint says the redistricting 'tramples on civil rights and mocks the democratic process'

(Newser) - The Justice Department on Thursday sued to block new congressional district boundaries approved by California voters last week, joining a court battle that could help determine which party wins control of the US House in 2026. The complaint filed in California federal court targets the congressional map pushed by Democratic...

Ex-Newsom Aide Charged With Stealing Campaign Funds

Dana Williamson allegedly involved in scheme to siphon $225K from Xavier Becerra's account

(Newser) - California Gov. Gavin Newsom's former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, was arrested Wednesday on multiple fraud charges as part of a public corruption case. The indictment, reviewed by the Sacramento Bee , alleges Williamson and others conspired to divert about $225,000 from a dormant political account belonging to former...

Newsom: Trump's Drilling Plan 'Dead on Arrival' in California

Plan would allow new drilling for the first time in decades, sources say

(Newser) - The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to open the California coast to new oil and gas drilling for the first time in about 40 years, according to three sources who spoke to the New York Times . The move is expected to trigger a showdown with the state's Democratic Gov....

Nancy Pelosi's Daughter Won't Run for House Seat

'I like the thought of forging my own path,' says Christine Pelosi, who plans state Senate run

(Newser) - Christine Pelosi, daughter of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, announced Monday that she'll seek a seat in the California state Senate instead of running for her mother's soon-to-be-vacant US House seat. The younger Pelosi, an attorney and veteran Democratic organizer, had been widely seen as a possible successor...

California Town Bans All Tobacco Sales

Ban covers all products, deliveries, and even residential lease agreements

(Newser) - A small town just north of San Francisco has enacted what is being called the nation's strictest tobacco sales ban. The Tiburon Town Council voted unanimously Wednesday to prohibit the sale of all tobacco and nicotine products within the southern Marin County community—including cigarettes, cigars, and vaping devices....

OpenAI Slammed With Lawsuits Over 'Dangerous' ChatGPT

Complaints say AI-driven chatbot drove people even without prior mental health issues to suicide

(Newser) - OpenAI is facing seven lawsuits claiming ChatGPT drove people to suicide and harmful delusions, even when they had no prior mental health issues. The lawsuits filed Thursday in California state courts allege wrongful death, assisted suicide, involuntary manslaughter, and negligence, per the AP . Filed on behalf of six adults and...

California Redistricting Foes Bungled Their Response

Politico: Infighting, donor fatigue, and missed signals doomed Prop 50 opposition

(Newser) - In the high-stakes clash over California's congressional map, a coalition of good-government advocates, Republicans, and former allies struggled to stop Gov. Gavin Newsom's controversial redistricting measure. But the effort, spearheaded by physicist and GOP mega-donor Charles Munger Jr., quickly unraveled under the weight of fundraising woes, infighting, and...

California Republicans Sue Over State's New House Map

'The map is designed to favor one race of California voters over others,' lawyer says

(Newser) - California Republicans filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday to block a new US House map that voters just decisively approved at the ballot. Proposition 50, backed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, is designed to help Democrats flip as many as five congressional House seats in the midterm elections next year. The...

Hunter Emerges After 19 Days Lost in Forest

'I've never been so happy in my life to see people,' says California's Ron Dailey

(Newser) - A man who planned to spend a day hunting in California's Sierra National Forest ended up spending nearly three weeks lost and struggling to survive. Ron Dailey, 65, of Selma, set out for the solo trip on Oct. 13. Family members said the experienced outdoorsman had planned to hunt...

Big Takeaways From Tuesday's Election
Big Takeaways
From Tuesday's
Election
THE RUNDOWN
Nov 5, 2025 6:42 AM CST

Big Takeaways From Tuesday's Election

Victories in key races signal shifting voter sentiment in favor of Democrats

(Newser) - Democrats scored sweeping victories across major states in Tuesday's elections, signaling a sharp backlash to President Trump's policies and offering their party new momentum ahead of the 2026 midterms. Voters turned out in "extraordinary" numbers for an off-year contest, per the New York Times , delivering wins for...

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>
Most Read on Newser