Free Republic

Two days after Emma Roark went missing from her Rancho Cordova home on Jan. 27, her father got a call from a man who was using her cellphone. Gabriel Roark then called sheriff’s deputies and told them he was going to meet him. He found a man named Cedric Sandiford, who handed over the phone. Sandiford told Roark he had purchased it from Mikilo Morgan Rawls, the man now accused of killing Emma Roark, newly filed court documents say.

Democratic state lawmakers are proposing laws to curb “misinformation” on social media sites and other online platforms, mirroring efforts by Democrats in Congress. “Social media algorithms are specially programmed to spread disinformation and hate speech at the expense of the public good,” said New York state Sen. Brad Hoylman, who announced a bill Monday aimed at preventing social media companies from promoting “false” or “fraudulent” content that could endanger the public. “The prioritization of this type of content has real life costs to public health and safety.” California Assemblyman Ed Chau introduced a bill, AB 35, in December 2020 that...

Family members of a man recently arrested for an alleged robbery and anti-Christian disturbance at Stoneridge Shopping Center say the incident was all a misunderstanding. Abdul Walid Hamid of Hayward appeared before Judge Christine Moruza yesterday for an arraignment on charges of battery, grand theft, terrorist threats and exhibition of a deadly weapon. The arraignment was postponed until 9 a.m. today, however, as he required a translator. Hamid, 22, who works at a kiosk in the mall, was arrested by Pleasanton police Nov. 4 after he reportedly yelled "Allah is power" and "Islam is great," while holding a pen in...

They said, "Go west," but many Californians are going north and east. For the fourth year in a row, more residents left the Golden State than moved here from other states, according to a report released Wednesday by the California Department of Finance. The outflow -- last seen during the economic and social struggles of the 1990s -- started when it became too expensive for most people to buy homes in the state, and has kept going throughout the bust with the loss of so many jobs. The trend underscores the state's sour economy as layoffs continue, the fiscal strain...

The court is poised in coming weeks to seal Lawrence's fate, along with that of nine other convicted murderers seeking freedom. The justices are expected to answer some difficult questions: When should a killer be set free? What are the limits, if any, on the governor's power to decide? Are such factors as an inmate's prison record and age ever more significant than a horrendous crime committed decades ago? The state parole board had approved Lawrence's release four times since 1993, but three governors vetoed those decisions. Schwarzenegger blocked Lawrence's release twice before judges on the state Court of Appeal...

Organizers to host ' wear a hijab/turban to work/school' day  By Jonathan Jones, STAFF WRITER Article Last Updated:11/12/2006 02:35:04 AM PST     FREMONT — In response to the slaying of Alia Ansari, a group of local organizations is sponsoring "Wear a Hijab/Turban to Work/School Day" on Monday to show solidarity with Fremont's Asian and Middle Eastern community. At noon on Monday, several organizations including the Foundation for Self-Reliance, American Muslim Alliance and SEMAH, a group that focuses on domestic violence prevention, are hosting a moment of silence near Lake Elizabeth in Central Park at 40000 Paseo Padre Parkway....

<p>IN the middle of December, California had a huge budget crisis. It forced Gov. Gray Davis to propose $10 billion in cuts halfway through the budget year, and to ask the Legislature to meet in a special session so the cuts could be enacted promptly.</p>