With concern over the cost of capital punishment rising, California voters may be poised for a historic vote to abolish the state's death penalty, a new Field Poll indicates. Support for the measure, Proposition 34, remains below 50 percent. But the poll released this morning found 45 percent of likely voters favor replacing the punishment with life in prison, while 38 percent oppose doing away with capital punishment.

San Francisco's Exploratorium, famed as a crucible of innovation and pioneer in a worldwide revolution for hands-on science learning, will reopen April 17 at its new waterfront location on Pier 15. Almost $250 million has been raised toward the $300 million needed for construction and a permanent endowment, the institution's directors announced Thursday.

Violence erupting from Mission district gang tensions has led to two memorial services for gunned-down youths in just five days and a response from city officials who say they are flooding the area with resources to cool things down. The Police Department has increased the number of officers and undercover cops in the streets and is making more contacts with known violent offenders. Meanwhile, The City has allocated an additional $30,000 for the Community Response Network, which reaches out to youths to calm tensions and steer kids away from gang life.

Wondering what San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Sergio Romo meant when he wore that "I just look illegal" T-shirt at the championship parade Wednesday? Some fans were hoping Romo would clarify the eyebrow-raising message Thursday night as he appeared with teammate Barry Zito on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Chevron's refinery in Richmond, hobbled since early August by a disastrous fire, is expected to resume full production sometime during the first three months of 2013, company executives said Friday during a conference call with analysts. The San Ramon company is undertaking efforts to get a fire-scarred unit to process and distill crude oil back in operation. The unit, deemed to be the heart of the vast East Bay refinery, was knocked offline by the Aug. 6 fire at the Richmond fuel factory.

The turnout for Apple's release of the iPad Mini on Friday morning was -- just like the new 7-inch tablet -- noticeably downsized. By 7:30 a.m., a half-hour before the Palo Alto store opened its doors, about 35 customers had lined up, a sign perhaps that Apple fanboys and fangirls are growing weary of hyped product launches and the long lines that have in the past come with them.

Authorities on Thursday pulled a dead man from the water at Miramar Beach, the third body to wash up on the San Mateo County shore in less than two weeks. A tourist at a hotel in the area spotted the body in the surf about 9:30 a.m. and rescue workers found the man just past the surf line, San Mateo County Sheriff's Detective Rebecca Rosenblatt said. The man appears to be in his 30s and has not been identified.