Johannes Mehserle Case Goes to the Jury
As the holiday weekend begins we turn to Oakland, where city officials are bracing for possible violence following the upcoming verdict in the trial of a white transit policeman who shot and killed an unarmed black man.
Oakland Prepares for Mehserle Verdict
Oakland officials are prepared to bring in hundreds of officers from around Northern California in case of unrest. But, as the city prepares for the worst ... it's still hoping for the best.
Finding a Home for Big Solar, Part II
California has set an ambitious goal for itself, that utilities in the state generate 33 percent of their electricity from solar and other green energy sources by 2020. But is it attainable? As part of our ongoing series 33 x 20, we go to the Panoche Valley on the Central Coast, where plans for a large solar energy project south of Hollister are bogged down in a big debate over where to put it.
A Cautionary Tale of Illegal Fireworks
Fourth of July weekend wouldn't be the same without fireworks. But in Los Angeles this week, local police confiscated four tons of illegal fireworks, with a street value of $275,000. If you're even tempted to buy or sell bootleg firecrackers, M-80s and other explosives over the holiday, listen to what happened to this couple from Lancaster.
Doomsday Bunkers Make a Comeback
Deep in the Mojave Desert, a real estate entrepreneur is counting on a big catastrophe. He's planning to build a string of luxury disaster shelters, with the first set to open near Barstow by next year. Investors think it's their best hope in the event of a massive natural disaster, terrorist attack or worse.