Officials in Paradise limited evacuation alerts as fire moved in
When the Camp fire barreled toward this Sierra foothill town last Thursday morning, officials had a crucial choice to make right way: How much of Paradise should be evacuated? The decision was complicated by history and topography. Paradise sits on a hilltop and is hemmed in by canyons, with only…
56 dead in Paradise fire; 10,300 structures lost
Cal State approves plans to boost enrollment by 21,000 students without raising tuition
California State University trustees on Wednesday approved plans to add 21,000 more students and boost efforts to improve graduation rates — without raising tuition — in the next academic year. Trustees, wrapping up a two-day meeting in Long Beach, approved a $7.3-billion operating budget for 2019-20,…
91 Express Lanes to close this weekend in Riverside, Orange counties
Intermittent closures are coming to 91 Freeway toll and general-purpose lanes in Riverside and Orange counties over three or four weekends, beginning Friday, Nov. 16. The closures will allow the Riverside County Transportation Commission to install new transponder technology and repaint express-lane entrance and exit points at the Riverside-Orange county Line, an agency news release…
Hemet man pleads guilty to killing girlfriend; gets 18 years to life in prison
MURRIETA — A Hemet man who beat and fatally stabbed his 47-year-old girlfriend on a Winchester street pleaded guilty Wednesday to second-degree murder and other charges and was immediately sentenced to 18 years to life in state prison. Jeffrey Michael Kruger, 49, admitted the murder count, as well as a domestic violence charge with a…
10 of 12 Borderline shooting victims died of multiple gunshot wounds, officials say
Most of the 12 victims killed by a gunman at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks on Nov. 7 died of multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office. Among the 10 victims who died of more than one gunshot wound was Ventura County sheriff’s Sgt. Ron Helus, 54, who was…
Apparent pipe bomb spotted in Tustin, condominiums evacuated
Orange County sheriff’s deputies responding to a report of an explosion at a condominium near Tustin spotted a potential explosive device today, prompting evacuations of nearby condominiums. Deputies were called just before 9 a.m. Wednesday to the residence in the 12700 block of Newport Avenue, according to Carrie Braun of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department….
Anaheim moves ahead with one homeless shelter, delays vote on a second one
A 200-bed homeless shelter in Anaheim to be run by the Salvation Army will go forward with city approval, but a second shelter for 125 more people on La Palma Avenue is on hold until at least Nov. 20 so city officials can address concerns and potentially consider other sites. The two shelters are part…
Amtrak to close Riverside call center, eliminating 550 jobs
Amtrak said Wednesday it will close its Riverside reservation center in January, laying off all 550 employees. The company announced the move in a message emailed to workers Nov. 14. Operations in Riverside will cease Jan. 18. In the message, Tim Griffin, Amtrak’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer, said operations in Riverside would…