Shades of 2007, as lead-contaminated toys have been discovered by a California advocacy group. To make matters worse, the lead was found in two children's favorites: Barbie and Disney toys.

California legislators have been busy enacting several new laws that directly impact the California Housing market for both the homebuyer and homeowners.

Sunday October 11, 2009, California Governor Schwarzenegger signed the Buyer’s Choice Act, Assembly Bill 957, into law. The new law prohibits owners (typically banks) of foreclosed properties from forcing California homebuyers to use a particular title company, Escrow Company or other real estate service provider. The Buyer's Choice Act requires that a disclosure notice be provided to buyers informing them of their rights to choose their own real estate services companies to close their transactions

Jaycee Dugard, the now 29-year-old woman who was kidnapped 18 years ago while her stepfather watched helplessly, has finally been shown to the world. Jaycee Dugard pictures appear in this week's People Magazine, and the resemblance to her earlier photos is obvious.

First their weights and now their cellphones. Come on! No love for the inmates of California's prisons as prison officials have confiscated more inmate cellphones this year than in the previous three years combined. All told, California prison officials have confiscated 4,130 inmate cellphones this year according to an internal prison report which adds that inmates are using the cellphones to commit crimes.

Meg Whitman, former CEO of eBay and billionaire, has joined the California governor's race, on the GOP side of the aisle. Current governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has been termed out and cannot run next year.

The Merced (CA) Internal Affairs division is investigating a report that a Merced police officer twice used a Taser on a double-leg amputee in a wheelchair. The man, who is missing both legs, was carrying no weapons.

An Orange County lawmaker, Assemblyman Mike Duvall (R-Yorba Linda) abruptly resigned from office this afternoon. He had inadvertently broadcast explicit remarks about his sexual conquests over an open microphone during a slow period in a Sacramento hearing.

California renewable power mandate's best-case scenario: 7% rate increase.

It's been said that official unemployment numbers undercut the true unemployment numbers, with many dropping off the radar as their unemployment benefits expire, and with many taking jobs that "underemploy" them. Still, this study comes as a shock, saying that 2/5 of Californians of working age are out of work.

California's sex offender registry has a big problem. While the number of people being added to California's sex offender registry grows, the number of officials assigned to monitor these sex offenders just can't keep up.