The Latest Breaking News from Erin Mellon

Newsom will not contest parole for former Manson follower Leslie Van Houten

Gov. Gavin Newsom will not challenge a California appellate court’s decision to allow parole for Leslie Van Houten, moving the former follower of Charles Manson closer to release following more than 50 years behind bars.

Los Angeles Times · Jul 8, 2023

Two veto referendum campaigns and California executive departments disagree on when referendums suspend fast food workers and oil and gas laws

The campaign Save Local Restaurants filed 1 million signatures for a veto referendum to overturn California Assembly Bill 257 (AB 257), also known as the FAST Act, on Dec. 5, 2022. At least 623,212 signatures must be valid. Counties have until Jan. 25, 2023, to check a random sample of…

Ballotpedia · Jan 12, 2023

Blackouts possible as California power grid enters ‘the most intense phase of this heat wave’

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Struggling to stave off rolling blackouts Labor Day evening, managers of California’s beleaguered power grid declared an energy emergency alert Monday and warned that Californians might have to double or triple their energy conservation efforts to prevent the lights from going out.

Tribune News Service · Sep 5, 2022