California's war death toll reaches 500 -- Marc Retmier, 19, of Hemet is killed in Afghanistan. His parents are left questioning the war. David Kelly in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/21/08

California unemployment hits 6.8% -- That's 1.5 percentage points higher than last year, the state reports. The May rate is the fifth highest in the nation. Marc Lifsher in the Los Angeles Times Sam Zuckerman in the San Francisco Chronicle Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/21/08

Silicon Valley jobless rate rises even as more workers are on payrolls -- The prospect for those seeking and hoping to keep jobs last month was mixed in Santa Clara and San Benito counties, according to data released Friday by California's Employment Development Department. Steve Johnson in the San Jose Mercury -- 6/21/08

Few jobs for teens -- Welcome, teens, to the job market of summer 2008, where amid a troubled economy young people face one of the toughest job markets in decades, and those who started early have the best chance of landing work. Sonia Narang in the San Jose Mercury -- 6/21/08

Fuel costs may raise mass transit fares -- Escalating fuel prices that have pushed more commuters out of their cars and onto buses, ferries and trains also have put an added financial strain on transit operators and could lead to higher fares. Rachel Gordon in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 6/21/08

Ridership is up, but RT faces budget cuts -- This should be a happy time for backers of public transportation in Sacramento. With gas at $4.50 a gallon and rising, record numbers of commuters are parking their cars to ride buses and light rail. Construction on Interstate 5 has led many commuters to buy fare tickets for the first time. But instead of rejoicing, Sacramento transit leaders are in battle mode. Todd Milbourn in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/21/08

'Staycations' help cut the costs of summer -- Mack and other travel industry experts say people are staying closer to home, shortening trips and staying with relatives instead of in hotels. There's even a new buzzword for vacations taken by travelers staying home or close to home. They're called "staycations." Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 6/21/08

Rough road for senior meal deliveries -- The 70-year-old San Fernando woman is homebound and gets a hot lunch delivered to her on weekdays, thanks to a program operated from the Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center. It's not only the most nutritious meal she has all day, it's also often her only human contact. But with looming budget cuts, program administrators are looking at cutting off meal service to about 110 seniors in the city of San Fernando later this year. Jerry Berrios in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 6/21/08

Milk prices set to rise in July -- Retail milk prices in Northern California will rise in July by roughly 20 cents a gallon, or about 7 percent, reaching their highest levels since January, according to data from the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Jim Downing in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/21/08

School lunch prices rise -- Chicken nuggets, burritos and the ever-popular pizza will cost more in the fall, as school districts throughout the county raise lunch prices to meet the skyrocketing cost of groceries and gas. Maureen Magee in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 6/21/08

High fuel prices inspire marketers -- While no one is feeling pumped at the pump these days, consumers are flocking to gas giveaways and other marketing gimmicks to seek relief from high fuel prices. Penni Crabtree in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 6/21/08

White House invokes executive privilege in EPA inquiry -- The Bush administration refuses to turn over subpoenaed documents related to the agency's decision to prevent California from enacting stricter emissions standards than the federal government. Richard Simon in the Los Angeles Times Erica Werner AP Rob Hotakainen in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/21/08

Schwarzenegger says drilling ban not to blame for high gas prices -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Wednesday he opposes lifting a ban on new oil drilling in coastal waters, breaking with President Bush and Republican presidential candidate John McCain. AP -- 6/21/08

Chief of prison guards union defends hiring of parolee -- California's prison watchdog agency is investigating the state correctional officers union and its president for giving a paid internship to a paroled carjacker. Andy Furillo in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/21/08

Carona told sheriff's employee to deny they had sex, prosecutors allege -- The detail is contained in a motion seeking to allow the woman to testify at Carona's trial. Carona's lawyer calls it an attempt to get 'unreliable evidence' admitted. Stuart Pfeifer and Christine Hanley in the Los Angeles Times LARRY WELBORN in the Orange County Register -- 6/21/08

Uncle of girl who died from heatstroke is fired -- The uncle of Maria Jimenez, the teenager who died May 16 of heatstroke while pruning a vineyard near Farmington, was fired Wednesday by the contractor who replaced Merced Farm Labor. That was the same day his sister, Maria's mother, filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the vineyard company and the contractor in charge when Maria Jimenez became ill. Jennie Rodriguez in the Stockton Record -- 6/21/08

Gay rights groups ask California Supreme Court to block initiative banning same-sex marriage -- The supporters argue that an initiative on the November ballot would revise the state Constitution rather than just amend it and that requires the involvement of the Legislature. Maura Dolan in the Los Angeles Times Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 6/21/08

In lieu of wedding gifts, gay couples asking for political donations -- So instead of registering their July 6 wedding at a department store, the San Francisco couple entered their names in the wedding registry on the Equality California Web site, asking wedding guests and friends to make a political donation to support gay marriage instead of buying them a wedding gift. Mike Swift in the San Jose Mercury -- 6/21/08

Day of the dollar: A global connection -- The weak U.S. currency is changing the lives of billions. Some are getting richer, some are barely making it. From a fish market in Tokyo to a sushi restaurant in Los Angeles, a look at why the greenback matters. Jeffrey Fleishman in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/21/08

What's behind the dollar's decline in value? -- Some say it's epochal, others merely cyclical. But part of it boils down to supply and demand: The world is awash in dollars these days. Tom Petruno in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/21/08

California cuisine follows state's delegation to Capitol Hill -- Californians are the new diet police in Washington, using their enhanced influence to launch makeovers of the cafeterias and restaurants that serve the nation's most powerful lawmakers and their staffers on Capitol Hill. Rob Hotakainen in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/21/08

McClellan testifies he was wary of Libby's leak denial but went along -- The ex-press secretary who wrote a memoir of his White House days tells a House panel he was 'reluctant' to back Cheney's chief of staff but that Libby unequivocally denied exposing Valerie Plame's id. Johanna Neuman in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/21/08

Sacramento County's struggle to close $123.7 million budget gap leaves workforce mostly untouched -- Payroll accounts for 45 percent of the county's $2.2 billion in general fund spending. And while general fund spending is expected to dip slightly from the current budget year to the next, the county's payroll will increase by 7 percent, or $74.5 million. Ed Fletcher in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/21/08

City of Sacramento loses track of thousands of water meters -- Sacramento's Department of Utilities is in such disarray that thousands of city-owned water meters valued at $1.3 million are unaccounted for, according to a scathing audit released Friday. Terri Hardy in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/21/08

Levi's may leave San Francisco when lease expires -- San Francisco's 155-year-old jeans maker, Levi Strauss & Co., is considering moving its headquarters outside the city when its lease expires in 2013. Victoria Colliver in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 6/21/08

Governor stars in tourism ads -- What's on TV in Japan this weekend? On millions of screens, it's former movie actor and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pitching the tourist attractions and lifestyles of California. Jim Wasserman in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/21/08

Wiegand: Different year, same yammering about California's budget deficit -- It can be accurately – if indelicately – stated that history is sometimes like a big plate of beans: It repeats itself, often in a disagreeable manner. Steve Wiegand in the Sacramento Bee -- 6/21/08

Parra blasts back, says she's staying a Democrat -- The Kern County Democrats’ intraparty slugfest continued Friday as Assemblywoman Nicole Parra lashed out at the county party’s central committee and her longtime rival, State Sen. Dean Florez, even as she called for an end to too much partisanship. JAMES GELUSO in the Bakersfield Californian E.J. Schultz in the Fresno Bee -- 6/21/08

Search warrants focused on Inland GOP donor, court documents show -- Investigators from the Riverside County district attorney's office served multiple search warrants on a Republican donor's businesses and bank accounts to gain information that led to four indictments, according to court documents unsealed Thursday. MICHELLE DeARMOND in the Riverside Press -- 6/21/08

Cellphone law may not make roads safer -- As California joins five other states in requiring drivers to use hands-free devices when talking on cellphones, an increasing body of research suggests the legislation will accomplish little. Myron Levin in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/21/08

State legislators in overdrive on motor vehicle laws -- Proposed ban on lap dogs is just the latest in the bumper crop of bills. Some say safety measures are essential; others say Californians' mobility is at stake. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/21/08

Clinton to make first campaign appearance with Obama -- The New York senator's fundraising machine is starting, with some reluctance, to work for the presumptive Democratic nominee. Dan Morain and Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/21/08

McCain, Obama each surpass $21 million in May fundraising -- It marks the first time the GOP candidate has matched his powerhouse rival in monthly fundraising. But campaign experts are quick to offer caveats. Dan Morain in the Los Angeles Times JEANNE CUMMINGS Politico -- 6/21/08

Obama alienates the editors -- But Obama’s announcement Thursday that he would become the first candidate to opt out of the public financing program for the general election was a big deal for some of the nation’s most influential newspaper editorial boards, which have long been ardent champions of campaign finance reform and which had thought they’d found a kindred spirit on the issue. KENNETH P. VOGEL Politico -- 6/21/08

Graduation rates declining in L.A. Unified despite higher enrollment, study finds -- Experts say the exit exam is having a huge effect on dropouts. The UC-led report showed that middle school experiences and teacher quality were also major factors. Mitchell Landsberg in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/21/08

Program helps kids be college-bound students -- In Richmond - a city regularly rocked by youth violence - there was a spark of hope Friday night when more than three dozen high school students held onto their dreams of a different life and were honored in a joyous ceremony. Cory López in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 6/21/08

SAT will let students pick which scores to show colleges -- Youths who take the exam multiple times can choose just the best results. Some people see a reduction in stress, but others say the move will mostly help the affluent because of the test's cost. Seema Mehta and Larry Gordon in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/21/08

Teacher instills a love of words, but the lesson is about life -- Phil Holmes has taught English for decades, first to the privileged but lately to the disadvantaged. His method and his intensity make a solid connection with both extremes. Mitchell Landsberg in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/21/08

Kyoto Prize goes to UC Berkeley professor -- Richard Karp of the University of California wins for his work in computer science. Two Canadian academics also win awards for achievements in arts and sciences. Each will get $460,000. AP -- 6/21/08

Colleges battling bite of the bedbugs -- College students beware: Don't let the bedbugs bite. Universities and colleges nationwide are trying to figure out how to keep the biting insects out of dormitories - no easy task when it comes to creatures that can survive pesticides. Matt Krupnick in the San Jose Mercury -- 6/21/08

Caltrans supports proposal to eliminate school routes from public bus lines -- The state has weighed in on what local transit and education officials say is the wrong side of a dispute with the federal government concerning banning buses that get thousands of East Bay children to school. Erik N. Nelson in the Oakland Tribune -- 6/21/08

Delta water plan will cost billions -- Meeting the long-term water needs of a growing population - now at nearly 38 million - while balancing protections for water quality and wildlife could cost between $12 billion and $24 billion over the next 10 to 15 years. The cost could be as high as $80 billion, according to a draft plan sent to a task force formed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Samantha Young AP Mike Taugher in the Contra Costa Times -- 6/21/08

Tree sitter comes down voluntarily; at least seven remain in oaks -- Tristan Anderson, 37, who used the name Skunk Boy, came down from the tree without incident about 10:30 p.m. Thursday. He was cited for trespassing and violating a court order to stay out of the trees, and was released, said university spokesman Dan Mogulof. Kristin Bender in the Oakland Tribune -- 6/21/08

Saint Agnes suspends open-heart surgeries -- A day after news of a state report accusing Saint Agnes Medical Center of not protecting patients amid an outbreak of infections, the Fresno hospital suspended open-heart surgeries. Barbara Anderson in the Fresno Bee -- 6/21/08

Boy's abuse was no secret -- Friends and family say they suspected that Starkeisha Brown beat her 5-year-old son -- but nobody called authorities. Such inaction has its roots in distrust of police and child-protection workers. Ari B. Bloomekatz, Cara Mia DiMassa and Andrew Blankstein in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/21/08

Federal officials to audit staffing levels of air traffic controllers at LAX -- The inspector general of the Department of Transportation will also review two other California facilities at the request of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who says control towers nationwide are understaffed. Dan Weikel in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/21/08

L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is getting in plenty of travel -- He just got back from a homeland security trip to Israel and now he's off to Florida, in part to raise funds for his reelection bid. One critic says there's 'plenty of work' for Villaraigosa in L.A. David Zahniser and Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/21/08

Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach celebrates its 10th year -- The aquarium has grown up nicely. It now boasts a long list of preservation activities, popular exhibits and culturally themed events, and it was the world's first breeder of the weedy sea dragon. Louis Sahagun in the Los Angeles Times -- 6/21/08

A year later, Angora Fire victims rebuilding -- It seems as if the smell of fire will never leave Nancy Muller's street in South Lake Tahoe. Meredith May in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 6/21/08

Forest Service to beef up firefighting ranks -- The fast-spreading fire that broke out Friday in Santa Cruz County has put state and federal fire officials on edge as scorching temperatures throughout California threaten to make an already-bad fire season worse. Peter Fimrite in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 6/21/08

Closed city pools keep some in the Valley hot -- Thousands of Angelenos will beat the record heat by splashing in the cool waters of 30 city pools opening today on the first full day of summer. But residents stuck in three sweltering San Fernando Valley neighborhoods will have to settle for the garden hose. Susan Abram in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 6/21/08