From The Capitol

A late State of the State

Capitol watchers ordinarily would prepare this week for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s annual State of the State address, but the governor is delaying matters until a week from Thursday. Schwarzenegger aides aren’t saying exactly why the governor has decided to move his annual address to Jan. 15, but speculation is that the governor may want to broker a midyear budget deal before he speaks to his fellow Californians. Perhaps it’s better to have reached a partial budget solution than to explain that things in Sacramento are completely fouled up. Senate President Pro Tem ...

Sierra Drivers Hit With Heavy Traffic, Snow

New Year’s revelers headed home from the Lake Tahoe area faced dangerous driving conditions Friday.

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Popcorn Trail Leads Police To Suspect

A trail of popcorn on New Year’s Day led Sacramento police to a man wanted on a warrant, authorities say.

Armed Retired Firefighter Killed By Police

An armed former firefighter was shot and killed by police early Thursday during a chase, authorities say.

Legislative leaders react to Schwarzenegger’s latest budget

If you’ve been keeping track at home, today marked the sixth time in 2008 that the administration of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger unveiled a budget plan. Here’s the message Schwarzenegger gave in a statement accompanying his budget plan: Today’s announcement represents the sixth budget I have proposed to the legislature this year. The fact that the legislature has failed to reach a compromise between Republicans and Democrats and take action during the last three special sessions is inexcusable. My proposal today follows the same blueprint of my last two proposals which balance cuts with ...

Atheist Wants ‘God’ Out Of Inauguration

Exactly three weeks before Barack Obama is sworn in as president, a local man is trying to make sure God is not included in the inauguration. Michael Newdow, a self-proclaimed atheist, is most known for his fight to change the Pledge of Allegiance to remove the phrase “under God.” On Tuesday, Newdow and 17 other plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in federal court in Washington, D.C. The lawsuit says that a pastor should not be allowed to say prayers at Obama’s swearing-in ceremony and the chief justice of the Supreme Court should not ...

Teen Beaten With Hammer In Woodland

A 15-year-old boy was beaten on the head with a hammer on Monday morning, Woodland police said. The victim and a friend, who were visiting from Sacramento, told police they were walking near West Beamer and California streets when a suspect contacted them, then said something in Spanish. The victim said something in Spanish back. The pair later heard footsteps behind them on Buckeye Street, police said, and the friend saw the suspect hitting the victim several times in the head with a hammer. The teen was taken to the UC Davis ...

Kings Pathetic Loss to the Celtics

Kevin Garnett logged 21 points and 11 rebounds in just 23 minutes of action and the Boston Celtics breezed back into the win column with a resounding 108-63 victory over the Sacramento Kings. Ray Allen, coming off a seven-point effort against Golden State, shot 7-for-8 from the field en route to 19 points for Boston, which was coming off back-to- back losses for the first time this season. Eddie House and Paul Pierce posted 15 and 13 points, respectively, in the laugher. John Salmons was the only Kings player in double figures ...

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At-Risk Missing Man Found

Sacramento police say an at-risk missing man has been found.

Injured Teen Improves After Home Blast

The 17-year-old survivor of a fatal Christmas Eve home explosion has improved to good condition at a Sacramento burn center. Shriners Hospital for Children spokeswoman Catherine Curran said the hospital upgraded Sunny Dickson from critical to good condition Saturday. Her mother, 44-year-old Kim Dickson, remained in critical condition Saturday at the UC Davis Burn Center in Sacramento, hospital representative Phyllis Brown said. Wilbert “Bill” Paana, 72, died Wednesday after the suspected natural gas explosion leveled the home on Paiute Way in Rancho Cordova where the three were living. Paana ...