San Diego is cracking down on vacant lots, vacant foreclosures and vacant buildings in the city.

A 3-week-old African elephant born at the San Diego Zoo's Safari Park was given a hard-to-say name in a little-known language that means to act with energy, to fulfill one's word or speak the truth, zoo officials said today.

A state and federal investigation has yielded charges against the people considered ringleaders in the effort to get financial aid even though they weren’t attending school.

An effort by California’s campaign finance watchdog to regulate paid political bloggers is being put on hold until after the November election.

A veteran in Colorado who depends on his service dog to manage his PTSD symptoms might be forced to euthanize the beloved animal because he can't afford to pay for his veterinary bills.

Democratic congressional candidate Scott Peters unveiled an endorsement he hopes will appeal to key swing voters in the 52nd Congressional district.

The city's teachers agreed Tuesday to return to the classroom after more than a week on the picket lines, ending a spiteful stalemate with Mayor Rahm Emanuel that put teacher evaluations and job security at the center of a national debate about the future of public education.

The city and county of San Diego were awarded more than $66,000 in state grants to make sure landfills, recyclers and other solid waste handlers are properly permitted and following regulations.

A low-cost, state-backed program aimed at getting commercial property owners to invest in energy-saving projects was begun today in San Diego County.

A U.S. senator is calling on the Department of Veterans Affairs to change its new policy that denies benefits for veterans who need service dogs to help treat their post-traumatic stress disorder.

A joint effort between San Diego county and city, CalFire and SDG&E to share technologies to aid in fighting wildfires was unveiled today.

Skateboarders in City Heights skate wherever they can, in hopes that a skatepark will someday be built in their neighborhood.

Researchers found that a little "I Voted" button on Facebook may have inspired more than 300,000 voters to go to the polls in November 2010.

California Governor Jerry Brown has signed a law that makes it illegal to disrupt military funerals, and requires protesters to stay at least 300 feet away from funeral services. Penalties for disobeying the new law include a $1,000 fine and possible jail time.

Folks from the military, law enforcement, and medical fields will soon be experts in how to deal with the undead, thanks to next month's Counter-Terrorism Summit in San Diego, put on by a private security firm. The HALO Corporation will bring in a crop of zombies to the five-day event to train first-responders how to deal with a possible future zombie threat.

NATO's announcement Monday that it is suspending some joint operations with Afghan forces could have a "huge impact" on coalition forces' work in Afghanistan, NPR's Soryaya Sarhaddi Nelson said earlier today on Morning Edition.

Three U.S. Navy warships and an expeditionary force of Camp Pendleton-based Marines trained to extract Americans who get caught up in mob violence overseas departed Monday for a seven-month deployment to the Middle East and Western Pacific.

Gov. Jerry Brown authorized extensive changes to California's $16.2 billion workers' compensation insurance system during bill-signing ceremonies Tuesday with business and labor leaders in Barrio Logan.

Plans were under way today to induct late San Diego Charger linebacker Junior Seau into the Hall of Champions at the Hall's next annual banquet.

The state will soon get tougher on retailers who sell tobacco to kids.

The nation's first black Marines recognized with highest civilian medal 70 years after their rigorous training at Camp Montford Point.

The people who created the California Online Budget Challenge are unveiling the federal version of the educational tool today.