Two years before an immense coastal earthquake plunged Japan into a nuclear crisis, a geologic fault was discovered about a half-mile from a California seaside reactor — alarming regulators.

Republicans will need Central Valley swing voters if they hope to capture the governor's and U.S. Senate seats next week. Republicans see these Central Valley towns as the centerpiece of their election-year strategy in California.

It's hard to turn off Meg Whitman. The most expensive campaign for governor in U.S. history — about $162 million and counting — is inundating California voters with an unprecedented array of ads.

The former chief executive of Hewlett-Packard Co. brought her economic message to Bakersfield and Fresno on Monday, in a region that has been hit hard by the recession.

Federal officials announced Thursday that California will get $2.25 billion for the development of high-speed rail connecting the state's major cities, including a segment from Fresno to Bakersfield.

Nicole Parra of Hanford, whose district includes a part of Bakersfield, says she's not surprised about being punished Monday for abstaining from a budget vote. Parra says she wants lawmakers to approve a comprehensive water bond package before she's willing to vote.