Free Republic

A homeless woman was arrested Tuesday for allegedly spray-painting graffiti on several county government buildings in downtown Los Angeles, causing about $9,000 in damage. Officers were patrolling in the area of First Street and Soto Avenue Tuesday when they stopped a woman for having an open alcoholic beverage in public. “During the open container investigation, the officers immediately recognized the suspect,” Deputy Juanita Navarro-Suarez of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said.

To combat an alarming surge in racism, hate and bullying in the schools post-election, California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom called on local and county superintendents to act immediately to establish a zero-tolerance policy for hate in the schools and create a clearinghouse to report such incidents statewide. The Southern Poverty Law Center has tracked reported hate crime and racist incidents statewide and nationwide from Nov. 9 to Nov. 16. During that period California had more than 80 reported incidents, the most overall of any state in the country, Newsom said.

Family members of recipients and senior Obama administration officials surrounded the stage where the honorees sat, laughing as the president discussed the most notable accomplishments of each honoree. "Ellen counters what too often divides us," Obama said of DeGeneres, a gay comedian who he commended for coming out on such a public stage nearly 20 years ago. The president recognized NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabber for standing up for his Muslim faith "when it wasn't easy and it wasn't popular."

"Should California become a free, sovereign, and independent country?" The question could appear on a statewide ballot in 2018 if a group of secessionists has its way. Marcus Evans, the vice president of Yes California, filed a proposed ballot measure with the Attorney General's Office on Monday that would appear on the November 2018 gubernatorial ballot. If voters approve the measure, it would establish a special election in March 2019 to ask voters again if they want California to become an independent country, Yes California wrote in a ballot measure filing. More than half of the registered voters in the state must...

While the American Music Awards raged on, Drake and Taylor debuted their first official appearance as a not-couple: well, sort of. Drake posted their joint Apple Music ad, starring him and his bench press. In the cute and only mildly cringeworthy commercial, Drizz lifts to Taylor's sordid "Bad Blood," gifting us with his butt-popping dance moves, in full unabashed glory (as soon as his titan weight trainer has left the room). Similarly to how Taylor's first Apple Music ad (called "Taylor vs. Treadmill"), where she listened to Drake and Future's "Jumpman" ends... ...Drake, possessed by the ice cream sundae-essence of...

One of the many, many consequences of Donald Trump’s victory Tuesday night is that the nation will have to wait at least four more years to see a woman elected president. Hillary Clinton’s loss came as a devastating blow to many people across the country eager to see a woman take office. But among Tuesday’s winners is California’s new Democratic senator-elect, Kamala Harris, who may be the next best hope for shattering that glass ceiling.

Imagine that California had remained a competitive state in elections — and imagine the crisis we would have had for the past two weeks as a result. YouGov’s Will Jordan noted last night that the state has 2.8 million ballots still left to count nearly a fortnight after the election: Per California Secretary of State, currently more unprocessed ballots there (2.8 million) than the TOTAL cast for President in 35 states.— Will Jordan (@williamjordann) November 21, 2016 The Washington Post’s Philip Bump picked up on the news this afternoon: Unsurprisingly, California is already recording more votes cast than any...

In 2018, the issue of whether California should secede from the union could come to a head. Yes California Independence Campaign, a fringe political group that calls for the state to become an independent nation, filed a proposed ballot measure with the Attorney General's Office on November 21, The Sacramento Bee reports. If it garners the half a million signatures required to appear on the 2018 gubernatorial ballot, the measure would strike language from the state constitution that would help clear a path to secession. Still, a state holds no right to secede under federal law. Californians would need to...

A representative has confirmed that Kanye West is canceling the rest of his Saint Pablo tour, according to Pitchfork. The decision comes after the rapper ended his set in Sacramento, California, on Saturday early. He performed only three songs and delivered an extended rant about politics, Jay Z, and Beyoncé. "The Saint Pablo tour is the most relevant thing happening. If your old a-- keeps following old models, your a-- is going to get Hillary Clintoned. You might not like it, but you need to hear it," West said in the meandering rant, in which he also declared he was...

Anti-Trump secessionists filed formal paperwork Monday launching their petition drive aimed at separating California from the union by first putting the issue before voters on the 2018 ballot. A petition submitted by the Yes California Independence Campaign calls for repealing language in the state constitution that describes California as an “inseparable part” of the nation and holding a vote on independence on March 13, 2019.

Few states pay closer attention to food than California. We are the cradle of the Central Valley and almond milk lattes, the home of of Full Belly Farms and Alice Waters and Ikeda markets, the state that introduced America to soda taxes and tomatoes to die for and cage-free hens.

President-elect Trump isn't the only one thinking about splitting his time between two cities. When President Obama leaves the White House this January, his family is expected to become bi-coastal, with homes in both DC and California. Sources told the New York Post that the Obamas have purchased a home in Rancho Mirage, California.

Back in the summer of 2012 the City of Los Angeles realized that they had a serious budget problem on their hands and the culprit, as in so many other cities, was the city’s extremely generous pension plan for municipal workers. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, backed by the city council, jumped into the fray and passed what was then described as sweeping pension reform and patted themselves on the back for a job well done. (LA Times, 2012) Despite a raucous protest and threats of a lawsuit from city labor unions, the Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to roll...

A San Antonio police officer writing out a traffic ticket to a motorist was shot to death in his squad car Sunday outside police headquarters by another driver who pulled up from behind, authorities said. San Antonio police Chief William McManus identified the officer as Det. Benjamin Marconi, 50, a 20-year veteran of the force. McManus said the suspect had not been apprehended Sunday night. He said he doesn’t believe the man has any relationship to the original motorist who was pulled over, and no motive has been identified.

Gold Star family booed on flight as they headed to meet their soldier’s remains Staff Sgt. John W. Perry, 30, of Stockton, Calif., died Nov. 12 of injuries sustained from an apparent suicide bomber in Bagram, Afghanistan. Department of Defense Nicholas Filipas The Record (Stockton, Calif.) The father of a soldier who was killed last weekend in Afghanistan was disappointed and hurt after airline passengers booed him and his family as they flew to meet his son’s remains. Stewart Perry, an ex-Marine who lives in Stockton, said the ordeal left him feeling disrespected. “It was really disgusting on the passengers’...

Hollywood Latinos ‘Devastated’ and Even Bedridden as Trump Era Beckons “It’s a warning sign,” an insider tells TheWrap Meriah Doty | November 17, 2016 @ 3:24 PM Yannina Diaz gave birth to her son soon after President Obama’s election, and thought the world had changed. But it changed for her again when Donald Trump was elected. “Now I fear for my child and I fear for myself,” said Diaz, publicity director at the Jim Henson Company. “That he will have the same obstacles I did.” Few in Hollywood were happy about Donald Trump’s victory. But for entertainment-industry Latinos like Diaz,...

SACRAMENTO — Rapper Kanye West stormed off stage Saturday after showing up over an hour late, only playing three songs and going on a 20-minute rant at the Golden 1 Center.

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - Charges against 25 protesters who stopped traffic on the Bay Bridge in January were dismissed this morning by a San Francisco Superior Court judge, according to an attorney representing the group. The group, known collectively as the Bay Bridge 25, was arrested on Jan. 18 on the bridge on suspicion of misdemeanors, including obstructing traffic on a freeway, public nuisance and unlawful assembly, in addition to having their cars impounded.

San Francisco’s District Attorney said on Friday that he feels the need to reiterate that hate crimes won’t be tolerated, and undocumented immigrants will be protected. The declaration is in response to what George Gascon says is an uptick in hate-related incidents across the Bay Area and burgeoning concerns about the safety of immigrant communities after Donald Trump was elected president on Nov. 8. “The fear in the community is real,” he said. At the Hall of Justice, Gascon announced a hotline that people can use to report hate crimes. “This will not be a place where hate will be...

James Lopez may have charged an estimated 1,000 clients $1,200 each, officials say. Santa Clara County sheriff’s deputies have arrested a man accused of running a fraudulent immigration assistance service that duped an estimated 1,000 people, who were seeking help, but instead lost money and possibly their chance to stay in the United States. Neighbors in a Campbell business park on La Pradera Drive said that until recently the office of James Lopez was constantly filled with clients. But that stopped when investigators arrested the disbarred attorney, who was operating an illegal consulting service without state approval, several weeks ago....