201903.14
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Behind the story: Sailing to a steel behemoth worthy of Melville

in News

“The Crystal Ship” is about to set sail. When I first heard the rumor that Platform Holly, one of nearly two dozen oil platforms in the Santa Barbara Channel, had inspired the signature image for the Doors’ dirge to lost love, I was skeptical. Drilling platforms are nothing especially poetic. By…

201903.13
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Charles Merritt’s daughter: ‘I don’t have any reason to lie for him’

in News

The daughter of McStay family slaying defendant Charles “Chase” Merritt testified Wednesday that her parents quarreled after Merritt didn’t answer a phone call from Joseph McStay on the evening of Feb. 4, 2010. Prosecutors contend that Merritt, in fact, was killing McStay and his family in their Fallbrook home on that very night. Sara Taylor…

201903.13
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Gov. Gavin Newsom’s death penalty moratorium lauded and lambasted

in News

As workers dismantled California’s apple-green execution chamber Wednesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s death penalty moratorium was criticized as a slap in the face to voters and praised as a strike for humanity. Newsom’s executive order, blocking execution for 737 prisoners on death row at San Quentin State Prison, came just as efforts to hasten executions were…

201903.13
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Charity was used as cover for college bribery scandal, prosecutors say

in News

On paper, the Key Worldwide Foundation might bring tears to your eyes — teaching empowerment to underserved girls, schooling homeless kids in entrepreneurship, bringing the Crips and Bloods together to play basketball “and develop consensus building programs to stop gang violence.” But these feel-good, make-the-world-better initiatives — detailed in the nonprofit’s annual reports to the…