Each year, hundreds of thousands of Americans are implanted with tiny battery-controlled devices called ICDs that regulate the beating of their hearts. Those devices transmit streams of medical data directly to doctors -- but some patients fear they're being kept out of the loop.

The Obama administration's new budget for NASA was released last week -- and one California-based NASA project is likely to get more money. The SOFIA flying observatory, which is basically a telescope mounted on an airplane, is thought to be more nimble and cost-effective than other projects. Reporter Lauren Sommer recently caught a ride.

California's roads and highways aren't in great shape. A third of Bay Area roads are in poor condition and funding is dwindling on the state and federal level. That's something Congress is discussing in Washington this week. Meanwhile, researchers at two University of California campuses are trying to find ways to stretch those sparse dollars, by making pavement quieter, greener and more durable.

Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which includes Alcatraz Island, the Marin Headlands, Muir Woods and many other Bay Area landmarks, has added one more piece to its portfolio: a large chunk of the Peninsula south of Devils Slide. Negotiations to incorporate Rancho Corral de Tierra into the park took 10 years, and ended plans by a developer to build pricey homes in the Half Moon Bay area. Still, not all of the tensions with local residents have been resolved.