CAlifornia

A building called Sustainability Base, at NASA's Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif., has an energy-efficient design that allows in sunlight. So for most of the year, the interior is illuminated by natural light.

NASA Uses Lessons From Space To Design An Efficient Building

7:24pm November 30, 2015

by Joe Palca

Named Sustainability Base, a NASA facility in California is a model for energy-efficient federal buildings. It's powered by a fuel cell like those used on spacecraft and recycles water for flushing.

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Workers install a solar farm outside Sacramento, Calif. The state aims to attain half of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

California, An Environmental Leader, Eyes A Key Role In Climate Talks

3:51pm November 24, 2015

by Lauren Sommer

World leaders are set to meet in Paris, trying to agree on how to combat climate change. Also attending will be California Gov. Jerry Brown, who is spearheading his own international climate movement.

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California's death row at San Quentin State Prison.

National

Federal Appeals Court Upholds California's Deliberative Death Penalty Process

1:16pm November 12, 2015

by Eyder Peralta

A judge ruled last year that the decades of uncertainty California death row inmates have to endure violated their rights. An appeals court said it couldn't uphold that constitutional interpretation.

Women can get a free pregnancy test and a free ultrasound at the clinic, as well as counseling regarding three options — parenting, adoption and abortion. The clinic will not refer clients for abortions.

California Law Adds New Twist To Abortion, Religious Freedom Debate

12:36pm November 05, 2015

by Kelly McEvers

A California law will soon require pregnancy centers that oppose abortion to provide notice to their clients of the availability of abortion services in the state. Clinics are crying foul — and suing.

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A slew of Yelp reviewers said they got sick after eating at Mariscos San Juan #3 restaurant in San Jose, Calif. The county health department quickly closed the restaurant and identified an outbreak involving more than 80 cases of food poisoning.

Yelp Reviews Can Take Food Poisoning Viral

2:20pm October 23, 2015

by Barbara Feder Ostrov

Some public health researchers say consumer review sites like Yelp might just help them identify and investigate food poisoning outbreaks. But is the information reliable?

A stained-glass window depicting Father Junipero Serra in the Basilica Parish in Mission Dolores.

Savior Or Villain? The Complicated Story Of Pope Francis' Next Saint

6:41am October 20, 2015

by Shereen Marisol Meraji

The pope will canonize 18th-century Spanish priest Junipero Serra in the U.S. later this month. But descendants of the Mission Indians in California say Serra destroyed their traditional way of life.

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Marquette University scientist Michael Schläppi grows rice in paddies on his lab's rooftop.

Rice Finds A Welcome Home In Wisconsin Paddies

6:27am October 20, 2015

by Susan Bence

A Marquette University scientist slogged through more than 200 rice varieties to find the most promising few; he then subjected those to real Wisconsin weather on rooftop paddies outside his lab.

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Vehicles are stuck on a road after being trapped by a mudslide on California Highway 58 in Mojave, Calif., on Friday.

Mess Left By Mudslides In California Could Take Days To Clean Up

2:21pm October 17, 2015

by Eyder Peralta

Some vehicles on Highway 58 were covered by mud that was 6 feet deep. Luckily, there were no reports of injuries or deaths.

California Becomes 2nd State To Automatically Register Voters

5:46pm October 13, 2015

by Brakkton Booker

California Gov. Jerry Brown signed new legislation on Saturday that will allow eligible state residents to automatically become registered to vote when they get their driver's licenses.

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Middletown High School Principal Bill Roderick stands with his insurance agent, Lisa Gerber, at what used to be the front door of his home. Behind him is Roderick's wife's 16th birthday present, a '66 Ford Mustang. The couple had hoped to restore it this

School A Welcome Escape From Reality For Calif. Area Ravaged By Fire

4:26pm October 12, 2015

by Kirk Siegler

The Valley Fire leveled hundreds of homes and businesses in the small community of Middletown, Calif. School is helping students and educators alike make it through the recovery process together.