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The State of California is the most populous state of the United States of America. Located on the Pacific coast of North America, it is bordered by Oregon, Nevada and Arizona in the United States, and Baja California in Mexico. The state’s four largest cities are Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose and San Francisco. California is known for its diverse climate and ethnically diverse population. The state has 58 counties.
Inhabited by indigenous people for millennia, Alta California was first colonized by the Spanish Empire in 1769, and after Mexican independence in 1821, continued as part of Mexico. Following one brief week as the independent California Republic in 1846, and the conclusion of the Mexican-American war in 1848, California was annexed by the United States and was admitted to the Union as the thirty-first state on September 9, 1850.
California’s diverse geography ranges from the sandy beaches of the Pacific coast to the rugged, snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains in the east. The central portion of the state is dominated by the Central Valley, one of the most vital agricultural areas in the country. The Sierra Nevada contains Yosemite Valley, famous for its glacially-carved domes, and Sequoia National Park, home to the largest living organisms on Earth, the giant sequoia trees, and the highest point in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney. The tallest living things on Earth, the ancient redwood trees, dot the coastline, mainly north of San Francisco. California is also home to the second lowest and hottest place in the Western Hemisphere, Death Valley. Bristlecone pines located in the White Mountains are the oldest known trees in the world; one has an age of 4,700 years.part of the Ozarks.

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Local News from San Diego Union-Tribune via Yahoo! News

Graham resigns as president of CCDC

Jul 25, 2008 1:11 am

Nancy Graham, president of the Centre City Development Corp., resigned Thursday, saying she needed to care for her ailing mother in Tennessee and could not effectively run San Diego's downtown redevel...

48-year-old prank finally uncovered

Jul 24, 2008 1:56 pm

Nearly 50 years ago, Dick Hager of Indio and Craig Ashley of La Mesa were about to graduate from Grossmont High School and aching to leave their mark with a prank.

Governor pumps up Olympians

Jul 24, 2008 1:55 pm

Olympic athletes on their way to compete in Beijing received special encouragement last week from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who toured the Olympic Training Center on Friday.

This isn't just one of fishing's tall tales

Jul 24, 2008 1:11 pm

Wayde Nichols and four fishing pals looked forward to catching hard-fighting tuna as their sport-fishing boat motored out of Mission Bay on Friday night. They never expected to become the catch themse...

This summer, kids' recreation is a gift

Jul 24, 2008 1:11 pm

Alyssa Novoa, 9, loves dancing to R&B music, especially songs by the artist Rihanna. But Alyssa almost didn't get to participate in the Chula Vista Recreation Department's free hip-hop dance class...

Sales tax measures going on ballots

Jul 24, 2008 1:11 pm

El Cajon and La Mesa city officials will ask the voters for a sales tax increase to help solve an ongoing fiscal crisis that threatens services in both East County cities.

Crossing is unsafe, residents again say

Jul 24, 2008 1:10 pm

After a vehicle struck and killed 67-year-old woman at a Bird Rock intersection this month, local residents grieved. But they also were angry: They have worried about the intersection for years and sa...

City, unions reach pension accord, sidestepping ballot measure

Jul 23, 2008 1:12 pm

Hoping to avoid a November ballot measure, San Diego's labor unions instead gave in to many of Mayor Jerry Sanders' demands in a last-minute deal that reduces retirement benefits for future employees.

SEDC appointments lag

Jul 23, 2008 1:12 pm

Eight of the nine Southeastern Economic Development Corp. board members mulling over the mayor's request that they fire President Carolyn Smith today are serving on expired terms, due to inaction by t...

Probe: Police dog died of heatstroke

Jul 23, 2008 1:12 pm

The San Diego police dog left in the back of his handler's patrol car last month died of heatstroke, county investigators said yesterday, and it will be up to the District Attorney's Office whether it...

Local News from Monterey County Weekly via Yahoo! News

Elkington By Any Other Name

Jul 24, 2008 7:08 am

Salinas City Councilman Sergio Sanchez wants the city to explore changing street names claimed by gangs. Gang-associated streets, Sanchez says, give neighborhoods a negative connotation, even though m...

Rebuilding Big Sur

Jul 24, 2008 7:08 am

A day before Federal Emergency Management Agency officials came to town to survey buildings burned out in the Basin Complex Fire, Monterey County supervisors took initial steps to help rebuild structu...

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Jul 21, 2008 7:08 am

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Hanging by a thin line

Jul 21, 2008 7:08 am

To protect turtles, California state legislators pass a resolution to ban long line fishing. The federal fisheries council may not care.

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Jul 20, 2008 7:07 am

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Tassajara Road Reopens to residents

Jul 19, 2008 7:07 am

On Thursday July 18th the U.S. Forest Service announced that the mandatory evacuation order has been lifted for Tassajara Road, as of 7:30pm. The lower Cachagua area was downgraded from a mandatory to...

Local News from The Fresno Bee via Yahoo! News

Jul 25, 2008 7:10 am

PDL playoffs

Girl drowns in crowded pool

Jul 25, 2008 6:55 am

HURON -- The parents of a 10-year-old girl want to know how their daughter drowned in a public pool surrounded by dozens of adults and children and with four lifeguards on duty.

Laton firemen not tied to country club blaze

Jul 25, 2008 6:55 am

Kings County officials said Thursday that neither of the two Laton volunteer firefighters arrested in a string of arsons and later released from jail was involved in the Kings Country Club fire.

House OKs bridge safety legislation

Jul 25, 2008 6:55 am

WASHINGTON -- The House on Thursday approved an ambitious bridge safety bill that could help protect some of the 3,140 structurally deficient bridges in California, a grim-sounding roster that include...

More airmen help fight fires

Jul 25, 2008 6:40 am

An additional 200 airmen from across California recently joined to form the second group of 2,000 Air Guard firefighters called up by Gov. Schwarzenegger to combat fires that have scorched more than a...

Intruder shot at Tulare Co. food plant

Jul 25, 2008 6:40 am

Porterville police shot and killed a knife-wielding intruder at the city's Foster Farms food processing plant shortly after noon Thursday when the man tried to break into an employee break room.

13 Valley school districts get state project funding

Jul 25, 2008 6:40 am

Thirteen Valley school districts were among those across the state receiving a total of $234 million for construction, modernization and repairs in the latest round of funding announced Thursday by th...

News briefs

Jul 25, 2008 6:40 am

Police

Around the Valley

Jul 25, 2008 6:40 am

Youth choir sings tonight

Sneak preview: All-Star football, boxing

Jul 25, 2008 6:14 am

Sneak preview: Football

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