Gloria Hillard

National polls show a growing acceptance of gay men and women, but the transgender community often feels left out of the discussion. Young transgender people face discrimination in all aspects of life, and many find themselves on the streets.

More than 1,000 sick and dying sea lion pups have been found stranded since the beginning of the year, from Santa Barbara to San Diego. As scientists try to figure out why, one animal rescue worker says that in nearly three decades on the job, he's never seen anything like it.

A 48-acre area in California that housed more than 200 species of birds was stripped bare by the Army Corps of Engineers, which manages the land. The Corps says the clearing was necessary to improve flood control and discourage homeless camps and drug dealing, but some are questioning whether the agency violated rules that protect wetlands and waterfowl.

In Los Angeles, where the car is the major mode of transportation, hit-and-run accidents involving pedestrians occur almost daily. But these crimes can be the most difficult for law enforcement to investigate and solve.

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. — blamed for the groundwater pollution case made famous in the movie -- is offering to buy homes in Hinkley, Calif., again, this time in areas previously believed to be unaffected by the contamination. Many families, some who have lived in the town for generations, are packing up.

Women in California prisons for killing their abusive partners may get a chance at freedom. Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed a bill that allows new evidence to be considered in decades-old cases.

Arefa, 6, suffered a life-threatening wound on her head as well as severe burns when her family's tent in Afghanistan was engulfed in flames from an IED. Doctors treating her at a hospital in Los Angeles say her struggle to stay alive for three years is nothing short of a miracle.

A number of studies have touted the health benefits of canine companions. But a new study says dogs can make for a happier, more productive workplace, too.

Before sunrise, cargo ships and oil tankers from around the world start lining up for entry into the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the busiest container handling complex in the nation. The giant ships cannot enter the port without the assistance of a harbor pilot, who boards the towering vessels in open seas. The average salary of harbor pilots nationwide is more than $400,000. But the highly-skilled pilots maintain they earn every dollar on a job that is often treacherous and unpredictable.

El Centro has something most hard luck small cities don't have — the Blue Angels. For three months every winter, the Navy's flight demonstration squadron makes the city its training home. It's been an enduring love affair for both the city and its adopted military family.