Free Republic

Frank Spencer Harm told his neighbors he was an ex-cop. He told his mother he was in the witness protection program. But a Santa Clara County sheriff's detective says Harm was a killer on the lam for more than 33 years, until authorities arrested him in Minnesota this week. Harm was jailed Thursday on a warrant charging him with shooting 25-year-old Fred Izzarelli to death after Harm broke into a Monte Sereno bungalow -- apparently in search of drugs -- where Izzarelli was living in 1972. Sheriff's Lt. Pedro Contreras said Harm was ``on the radar right from the beginning,''...

The votes in House District 12 have been counted, and recounted, and the case of one precinct, recounted again and again. But through it all, Democrat candidate Jeanne Windham has never come out ahead. After the final count, it ended up a tie, so now she's filing a lawsuit to try to steal the election away. Windham is contesting five ballots that were awarded to Constitution Party candidate Rick Jore. On all five ballots, the ovals for both Jore and Republican candidate Jack Cross were marked, but then each of the voters marked the ballots in such a way as...

The purpose of FreeRepublic.com's multiple message boards is to limit the topics for each board to particular topics. Posting the same message on all the boards defeats the purpose of multiple-boards for special topics. It is very annoying to see the same message on every bulletin board. PLEASE! DO THE READERS A FAVOR. STOP CROSS-POSTING YOUR MESSAGES!

SACRAMENTO - For eight months, two aides who questioned whether Assemblywoman Rebecca Cohn created an inappropriate, sexually charged work environment have been paid at least $75,000 in state salary to stay home from work. The Campbell Democrat's press secretary, Erika Weaver-Taylor, and office manager, Melissa Wilhite, remain on administrative leave while a powerful legislative committee continues to investigate their charges. Cohn, who is running for re-election in Santa Clara County's 24th Assembly District, said Wednesday that she could not comment on the investigation. The Mercury News first reported in February that the Assembly Rules Committee was looking into the complaints...

<p>WASHINGTON (AP) - The congressional year ends with the future of President Bush's vaunted energy bill uncertain and no decision on how to fix the nation's crumbling highways or avoid a looming trade war with Europe. With Republicans in control of the White House and both houses of Congress, it wasn't supposed to be this hard.</p>

<p>SACRAMENTO - With less than a week to go before a June 15 deadline for adopting a state budget, the gap between Democrats and Republicans appeared to widen Monday as the state treasurer and GOP Senate leader traded accusations over spending and politics.</p>

<p>Two years after an energy crisis repeatedly blacked out parts of the state and sent giant companies into bankruptcy, California's power market is still ripe for exploitation.</p> <p>The state's grid operator predicts a new round of market manipulation could add $50 million or more to annual electricity costs starting this summer.</p>