Stockton Bankruptcy Heads to Federal Court
The Central Valley city of Stockton owns a bunch of superlatives it doesn't really want: America's foreclosure capital, annual contender on the Forbes "most miserable city" list and the largest U.S. city to declare bankruptcy. Next week a federal court will consider this question: What exactly does it mean for a city to be bankrupt?
A City in Recovery: Vallejo After Bankruptcy
Five years ago, Vallejo declared bankruptcy. The city treasury was empty, and Vallejo simply couldn't afford the rising costs of wages and retirement benefits for city workers. Shortly after bankruptcy, the economy fell into a deep in recession, worsening the city's fiscal ditch. Vallejo slashed and scratched its way toward solvency. It emerged from bankruptcy three years later, but its budget still isn't balanced. What scars remain from the bankruptcy and how have people adapted?
Retracing the History of Prop. 8
On Tuesday, March 26, more than four years after California voters approved Proposition 8, the state's ban on same-sex marriage will get a full hearing before the U.S. Supreme Court. It's been a long and winding road to the nation's high court -- a road paved with joy, anger, euphoria and fear. We retrace the history of Proposition 8, from the moment it became a ballot measure in 2008.
California Songs: Dave Stamey's 'The Vaquero Song'
Cowboy singer Dave Stamey's "Vaquero Song" is a nostalgic look back at the Rancho era of the 1840s, when California was still part of Mexico, and vaqueros, or cowboys, rode the range. Stamey lived for 25 years on the site of one of the historic ranchos on the Central Coast, now the town of Nipomo. We spoke to him about California's first cowboys and the intersections of past and present as part of our "California Songs" series.
Voices From Spring Training
Baseball season kicks off on March 31, and all five of California's major league teams are in the desert getting ready. Every year fans flock to spring training in Arizona to get a sneak peek of their teams and to get a little sun. We talked to some of those fans this week.