Sharon McNary

An intense winter storm has pummeled the Bay Area on its way to Southern California, knocking out power, causing flight delays and prompting schools and local businesses to close.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works' network of storm channels has captured more than 1.4 billion gallons of the muddy wet stuff by midday Wednesday.

A late autumn rain storm has blanketed Southern California. Evacuations in Camarillo Springs have been lifted, with homes in the area spared from damage.

The 135-mile footrace -- billed as the world's toughest due to brutal desert heat -- had been barred from Death Valley National Park in July

Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald plans sweeping changes at the scandal-tainted agency. Veterans report waiting months for care; some have died waiting.

The Republican majority takes over in January; California Democrats — including Senators Feinstein and Boxer — challenge the GOP to govern.

Democrats won outright or were poised to win highly contested Southern California seats. Still, retirements and redistricting mean a flotilla of freshmen are headed to Capitol Hill.

Former Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell won the race for L.A. County Sheriff. Meanwhile, it'll be a long night for the rivals to fill Zev Yaroslavsky's seat on the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.

Mail-in ballots are coming in at slower rates than 2012 and 2010. Low turnout elections tend to reduce the representation of young voters, and voters of color.

Some LAPD officers paid with airport funds were sent to do security sweeps at the Oscars and NBA finals, far from the LAX turf where they were assigned.

The head of the union that represents rank-and-file airport police officers says they are understaffed and under-equipped. Police Chief Pat Gannon disputes that

Some state legislative candidates raised $1 million or more in campaign funds to face opponents who only raised a couple thousand dollars.