Kamala Harris

By this time in November, three women of color could be filling what are arguably the top three positions of justice and law enforcement in California -- the same state that was the first to send two women to the U.S. Senate. In Tuesday's primary, Los Angeles County's chief deputy district attorney, Jackie Lacey, put some voter daylight between herself and her second-highest challenger, fellow prosecutor Alan Jackson, in the race to succeed Steve Cooley as district attorney.

Two hikers who were hospitalized in critical condition after being found in the rugged terrain of Orange County's Trabuco Canyon are continuing to show signs of improvement, but a reserve deputy who fell during the rescue remains in serious condition. Nicolas Cendoya, 19, remains hospitalized in serious but stable condition at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, but is “progressing well,” said Tamara Sharp, the director of marketing and communications. He is expected to remain hospitalized over the weekend.

Authorities were still searching Friday morning for two missing teenagers who they believe ran away from their homes in Thousand Oaks and may be suicidal. Capt. Dave Wareham of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department said late Thursday that deputies had turned their attention away from a 2,000-acre park and had cast their net wider.   Kaylee Rebert, 14, and Nicholas Marino, 13, are believed to have run away from home early Thursday. Wildwood Park was a likely spot because Kaylee knew the park well and was there Wednesday, Wareham said.

Michelle Obama is kicking herself.  In proof that the mouth is faster than the brain, the first lady referred to herself as a "busy single mother" in a CBS interview. (Video below.) She then said, well, no, she's not single.  But, she told a Vermont CBS affiliate, "sometimes when you've got the husband who's president, it can feel a little single -- but he's there. "   She corrected her characterization to "busy working mom. " All things considered, it's a rather geniune slip-up from a mom who probably doesn't always have it easy.  Like first ladies throughout history, she's unpaid and has no official duties but is constantly in the spotlight.

The Medical Board of California would be stripped of its power to investigate physician misconduct under a sweeping reform plan by legislators who say the agency has struggled to hold problem doctors accountable. The medical board has come under fire for failing to discipline doctors accused of harming patients, particularly those suspected of recklessly prescribing drugs. Under the legislation, amended Thursday, investigations of doctors would be handled by the California attorney general, leaving the board to deal mostly with licensing doctors.

Does it matter that President Obama was right? That Kamala Harris is “the best-looking attorney general in the country”? Not really. As a quip, it failed; as an attempt at gallantry, it didn't need saying. The president cushioned his remarks at a fundraiser in Atherton thusly: “You have to be careful to, first of all, say she is brilliant and she is dedicated and she is tough, and she is exactly what you'd want in anybody who is administering the law, and making sure that everybody is getting a fair shake.

For anyone seeking the original source of the $11 million political donation from an obscure Arizona nonprofit, Monday morning's disclosure was unsatisfying. The out-of-state group said only that the money came from other nonprofits. But the disclosure was revealing in its own way, showing how a chain of blandly named organizations can shuttle money around the country with little transparency. It also showed more ties to Charles and David Koch, billionaire energy executives and secretive Republican donors.

The assault on Amanda Kiefer at dusk in San Francisco's posh Pacific Heights was extraordinary enough for its cruelty. A stranger, later identified as Alexander Izaguirre, snatched her purse and hopped into an SUV, police say. The driver sped forward to run Kiefer down. Terrified, she leaped onto the hood and saw Izaguirre and the driver laughing. The driver slammed on the brakes, propelling Kiefer to the pavement. Her skull fractured. Blood oozed from her ear.

SAN FRANCISCO - California Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris told local law enforcement agencies Tuesday that they were not obligated to comply with a federal program whose stated goal is to deport illegal immigrants convicted of serious crimes. It was Harris' first public assessment of Secure Communities. Under the program launched in 2008, all arrestees' fingerprints are sent to immigration officials, who may ask police and sheriff's departments to hold suspects for up to 48 hours after their scheduled release so they can be transferred to federal custody.

California Democrats, gathered for their annual convention in Sacramento this weekend, are expected to celebrate their victories -- holding every statewide elected office, winning super majorities in both houses of the Legislature in November and passing a tax increase to avoid funding cuts to schools. “California Democrats put it all on the line and came up aces in 2012,” said John Burton, chairman of the state party. “Victories of this magnitude are rare in politics so there's a lot to be thankful for. But we're not done yet and in fact, Democrats are just getting started.” But three of the most notable players are absent from the festivities -- Gov. Jerry Brown is in China on a trade mission, Sen. Dianne Feinstein is hunkered down in Washington as the Senate prepares to debate gun control, one of her top priorities, and Sen. Barbara Boxer is spending the weekend with her family in Rancho Mirage.