Cobain's mother gets guardianship of granddaughter

A court filing shows the only daughter of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love has been placed in a temporary guardianship. The filing states Cobain's mother Wendy O'Connor and his sister Kimberly Dawn Cobain are now caring for the 17-year-old daughter.

SF plant thought extinct found near Golden Gate

A San Francisco native plant thought extinct by botanists has been discovered near the Golden Gate Bridge. The last, wild Franciscan Manzanita was believed to have perished in the 1940s when the city cemeteries where it grew were moved south to allow for neighborhood expansion.

San Diego judge who ruled against Boy Scouts dies

Napoleon A. Jones Jr., San Diego's second black federal judge who once ruled that the Boy Scouts were a religious group and couldn't lease city land, has died. He was 69. Jones' wife says he died Saturday at his home in northern San Diego County after a long battle with prostate cancer.

UC Berkeley awards degrees to WWII internees

Forty-two former University of California, Berkeley students have received their diplomas nearly seven decades after their studies were disrupted when they were sent to internment camps during World War II. The Japanese Americans, now in their 80s, were awarded honorary degrees at a special ceremony Sunday at UC Berkeley. Also attending were family members of 78 other former students who had died or were too infirm to attend.

Schwarzenegger says states key to climate fight

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says countries cannot solve the problem of climate change without the help of local governments. In a speech planned Tuesday before the U.N. climate conference in Copenhagen, Schwarzenegger will encourage international agreements but say that won't be enough to combat global warming.

Hero pilot sells hat for $5,800 to help 3 schools

Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger has auctioned one of his pilot's caps for $5,800 and will donate the proceeds to three San Francisco Bay area public schools. The signed hat - which was not worn the day Sullenberger safely landed a disabled jet into the Hudson River - drew 68 bids on eBay.

Gustine man convicted in Sierra marijuana bust

Federal prosecutors say a jury has convicted a Gustine man for growing marijuana in California's Sierra Nevada, where he worked as a cook for illegal pot-growing crews last summer. The federal jury in Fresno also found 54-year-old Heriberto Sicairos-Quintero guilty of aiding and abetting the growing of marijuana and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

New Assembly leader faces enormous challenges

Democratic Assemblyman John Pérez emerged as the winner last week after a bruising battle for leadership of the state Assembly, a fight that had no shortage of contestants. But as the state heads into another year of staggering budget deficits and difficult...

S.F. officials earn more than state counterparts

There is one consolation for Mayor Gavin Newsom now that hes dropped out of the governors race - he wont have to take a $72,477-a-year pay cut. Newsom, who earns $246,464 as mayor of San Francisco, would have seen his pay drop to $173,987 if he had won the...

Car filled with owners possessions burns

A car filled with the personal possessions of a woman who was moving was found ablaze in Richmond early today, in what could be the latest in a series of vehicle arsons in west Contra Costa County. The Toyota Camry was found on fire on the 200 block of South...

Recession increases holiday toy shortage

Luis Osorio was very good this year. The 6-year-old San Francisco boy was nice to his little sister, never complained when his family lived in a van for seven months, and even learned to write - a valuable skill at this time of year. I love you Santa because...

Study: New teachers lack skills needed today

Fewer college graduates are becoming teachers in California, and those who do often lack the increasingly demanding skills needed when they get to the classroom, according to the newest research out of the Center on the Future of Teaching and Learning. About...

Oaklands property tax bills to fund solar work

Oakland has become the latest city to allow residents to finance solar panels, insulation, new refrigerators and other efficiency improvements through their property tax bills. This is a dream way to do solar, City Council President Jane Brunner said. The...

Report: KGO-AM parent to seek Chapter 11
A report by the Wall Street Journal says KGO-AM 810 parent Citadel Broadcasting Corp. hopes to slash its $2 billion in debt through a special Chapter 11 deal with its creditors.

S.F. show ‘Trauma’ not quite dead yet
NBC has ordered three more episodes of flatlined San Francisco drama “Trauma,” according to news reports.

Oracle seeks to allay EU fears over MySQL
Oracle Corp. promised to support, develop and invest in open source system MySQL in hopes of speeding up European approval of its $7.4 billion deal to buy Sun Microsystems Inc. (ORCL) (JAVA)

North Face sues South Butt
The North Face Apparel Corp. has sued the South Butt LLC, seeking to put a stop to University of Missouri college freshman Jimmy Winkelmann’s parody clothing line.

Stanford taps medical school development chief
Stanford Medical School hired Laurel Price Jones to lead its money-raising efforts.

LDK Solar makes sale in Belgium
LDK Solar Co. will sell about 50 megawatts worth of solar modules to Belgian renewable energy business Enfinity. (LDK)

Man Gunned Down In Daylight On Richmond Corner
Police were searching for a gunman who shot a man in the city's Southern District Monday morning, Richmond police Sgt. Bisa French said.

Latest CoCo Car Fire Unreleated To Other Torchings
Authorities said an early Monday morning car fire in Contra Costa County appeared to be unrelated to the torchings of more than two-dozen vehicles across the area since late October.

'Sully' Hat Auction Raises Money For Local Schools
Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger auctioned one of his pilot's caps on eBay Monday for $5,800, and will donate the proceeds to three Bay Area public schools.

New Details In Gilroy Girl's Alcohol Death
Gilroy police will announce several new developments Monday in the case of a 15-year-old girl who died after she was found passed out at a friend's home earlier this month.

More Rain On Way For Northern California
Forecasters say more rain is on the way after a wet weekend across Northern California. After heavy rains soaked the region Friday and Saturday, the National Weather Service says another storm system will bring more heavy rain to the area late Tuesday and early Wednesday.

Plant Thought Extinct Since 40's Found In Presidio
A San Francisco native plant thought extinct by botanists has been discovered near the Golden Gate Bridge.