The deadly excursion boat fire which killed 34 people off the Santa Barbara County coast this summer has prompted some proposed new federal boat safety laws. Legislation introduced in the House of Representatives, and the U.S. Senate would require small passenger vessels to have at least two means of escape from different parts of the boat.

A mountain lion was tranquilized, and safely captured in the yard of a Ventura County home, but authorities it’s not the same big cat blamed for attacks on two dogs in the area last week. The mountain lion was spotted Thursday morning in the area of Belburn Place and Broadmoor Avenue in Simi Valley. State Fish and Wildlife wardens were able to tranquilize the mountain lion while it was in the back yard of a house.

The Central Coast was the scene of a mysterious missile test launch. What's being called a prototype ground launched ballistic missile was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base Thursday morning. The unarmed missile flew more than 500 kilometers before crashing into the ocean.

A Ventura County man in jail on sexual assault charges is facing some new counts, after detectives say he tried to hire someone to kill the victim in the pending case.

Omar Lara of Ventura has been in custody since February on charges ranging from burglary to rape.  Ventura County prosecutors say while in custody, the 34 year old man tried to hire someone to kill the victim in his case.