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Updating . . . Obama 'birther' critic Orly Taitz files for California AG race -- Last month, Orly Taitz was in a federal courtroom in Sacramento as part of her unsuccessful effort to wrest the presidency away from Barack Obama. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/19/14 Facebook buys WhatsApp for whopping $16 billion -- Anyone who though that the $1 billion price tag on Facebook's acquisition of Instagram was shocking will want to shield their eyes from the social network's latest purchase: The Menlo Park company announced Wednesday that it has agreed to acquire Mountain View-based WhatsApp for $16 billion. Jeremy C. Owens in the San Jose Mercury$ Jessica Guynn in the Los Angeles Times$ John Kell in the Wall Street Journal$ Jia Lynn Yang in the Washington Post$ David Gelles, Brian X. Chen and Nick Bilton in the New York Times$ -- 2/19/14 Why Facebook Just Paid $19 Billion for a Messaging App -- But if Zuckerberg and crew are to retain their hold on the world — and continue expand its efforts to serve money-makers ads to all those people — they must continue to evolve with the ever-changing tastes of the teenage set. Cade Metz WIRED -- 2/19/14 Nation’s biggest teachers union slams ‘botched’ Common Core implementation -- The nation’s largest teachers union is pulling back on its once-enthusiastic support of the Common Core academic standards, labeling their rollout “completely botched.” Stephanie Simon Politico -- 2/19/14 Beverly Hills moves to regulate sale, consumption of e-cigarettes -- The Beverly Hills City Council has joined its Los Angeles counterpart in voting to treat electronic cigarettes as tobacco products and to regulate their sale and use. Martha Groves in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 Pleasanton-based Safeway in discussions to sell company -- The announcement comes after months of downsizing, as Safeway sold its stores in Canada and shed 72 Dominick's stores in the Chicago area. Heather Somerville in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/19/14 Statewide poll supports soft drink warning labels -- Three-quarters of California voters support health warning labels on sodas and sugary drink products, similar to those on cigarettes, according to a Field Poll released Wednesday, which asked the question for the first time. Doug Oakley in the Contra Costa Times$ -- 2/19/14 Thirteen candidates file to run for vacant L.A. school board seat -- The deadline for candidates to file their declaration of intent passed Tuesday evening with a diverse group joining the crowded race -- including veteran educators, parents, political aides and a reality television personality. Stephen Ceasar in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 Campaign watchdog agency rescinds warning letters to Hahn, De Leon -- California's campaign finance watchdog agency on Wednesday rescinded warning letters that had been sent to state Sen. Kevin De Leon (D-Los Angeles) and U.S. Rep. Janice Hahn (D-Calif.) regarding disclosure of political spending. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 Valley farmers brace for 'devastating water news' -- Federal Central Valley Project leaders are expected to announce an unprecedented zero allocation for more than 2 million acres, spanning both east and west sides of the country's most productive farmland. Mark Grossi in the Fresno Bee -- 2/19/14 California drought: Gov. Jerry Brown proposes $687 million aid plan -- -Describing the drought as a "call to action," Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic legislative leaders unveiled a $687.4 million plan Wednesday afternoon to help California get through its water crisis and better prepare for the next one. Jessica Calefati in the San Jose Mercury$ Fenit Nirappil Associated Press Laila Kearney Reuters -- 2/19/14 Gov. Jerry Brown to unveil new $687-million
drought proposal -- Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic leaders will
unveil a $687-million proposal Wednesday afternoon aimed at helping
California deal with its drought emergency. Health insurance enrollment tops 825,000 in California -- The tally puts Covered California on pace to exceed its projected base enrollment for the first six months of the program through March, Executive Director Peter V. Lee said. Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ Chad Terhune in the Los Angeles Times$-- 2/19/14 State Sen. Evans proposes oil extraction tax for California -- State Sen. Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) on Wednesday revived a proposal to tax oil pumped from the ground in California, saying the $2 billion it would raise annually could help restore the affordability of higher education and improve social services and parks. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ Josh Richman Political Blotter -- 2/19/14 Film tax credit bill goes live -- Democratic Assemblymembers Raul Bocanegra and Mike Gatto released a film tax credit bill Wednesday that supporters say will protect jobs by keeping film crews in California. Allen Young Sacramento Business Journal -- 2/19/14 San Diego County hopes to lick high elections cost with vote by mail -- With a deluge of special elections running up big bills, San Diego County is pushing state legislation that would allow local governments to offer an all-vote-by-mail ballot. Michael Gardner UT San Diego$ -- 2/19/14 Sen. Barbara Boxer lays out Democrats' economic manifesto in San Francisco -- America must restore long-term unemployment benefits, raise the minimum wage, ensure income equality between genders, rebuild infrastructure, develop green jobs and enact immigration reform to end its economic doldrums, U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer said Wednesday. Josh Richman in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/19/14 Ultra-fast Google Fiber seeks to expand in 9 metro areas, including San Jose -- Google is inviting San Jose and 33 other cities around the country to begin talks on joining the gigabit-speed home Internet service known as Google Fiber, in a move that promises lightning-fast downloads to millions of consumers while transforming a former sideline into a substantial business for the giant tech company. Brandon Bailey in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/19/14 F.C.C. to Try Again on ‘Net Neutrality’ -- Regulators are taking another crack at their effort to keep the web free and open, introducing new rules that would discourage Internet service providers from charging companies to stream their movies, music and other content through a faster express lane. Edward Wyatt in the New York Times$ -- 2/19/14 Gavin Newsom backs Wendy Greuel to succeed Rep. Henry Waxman -- Former Los Angeles Controller Wendy Greuel has picked up the endorsement of Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom as she battles in a growing field of candidates for an open Westside-South Bay congressional district. Jean Merl in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 Newsom opposes high-speed rail - other Dems to follow? -- In California, where Democrats and Republicans don't agree on much, the emergence of Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom as the state's highest-ranking Democrat to pull his support for Gov. Jerry Brown's high-speed rail project is being closely watched as the possible harbinger of political change. Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/14 Bachelor degrees from community colleges on California horizon -- California's community college students could soon stay put -- and pay a lot less -- to earn what they thought they would have to go elsewhere to get: a four-year bachelor's degree. Katy Murphy and Paul Burgarino in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/19/14 Tentative deal reached to build Cal Expo soccer stadium -- Cal Expo and Ovations Fanfare have reached a tentative agreement on the construction of an 8,000-seat soccer stadium at the state fair site for Sacramento Republic FC, the lower-division franchise that debuts this spring. Ryan Lillis in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/19/14 Two solar projects approved on public lands in California and Nevada -- The projects are expected to generate about 550 megawatts of renewable energy, or enough to power about 170,000 homes, the Interior Department said in a statement Wednesday. Shan Li in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 U-T TV moves to digital -- News company moves off cable to focus on building video business on digital platforms. Karla Peterson UT San Diego$ -- 2/19/14 The Six States of California — New Laws or Old? -- The Attorney General’s office yesterday released the title and summary for Tim Draper’s initiative proposal to divide California into six states. Whether the Silicon Valley entrepreneur is serious about pursuing this idea we will soon find out. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 2/19/14
California Policy & Politics This Morning Caltrans kept Bay Bridge leaks from local officials -- Local transportation officials are demanding that Caltrans reveal any problems with the new Bay Bridge eastern span after the state agency failed to tell them for nearly two months that potentially corrosive rainwater was leaking into the steel superstructure. Jaxon Van Derbeken in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/14 Climate billionaire aims to set stage for 2016 -- California billionaire Tom Steyer turned heads in Washington with the news that he plans to spend $100 million to help make climate change a defining issue in this year’s elections. Darren Goode Politico Aaron Blake in the Washington Post$ -- 2/19/14 Voters may decide medical malpractice cap -- Lawyers and consumer groups are getting signatures for a ballot measure to increase 1975's pain and suffering limit of $250,000. Doctors and insurers have already raised $33 million to fight it. Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 De Leon, Hahn dispute warnings for campaign reporting issues -- State Sen. Kevin De Leon (D-Los Angeles) and Rep. Janice Hahn (D-Calif.) disputed warning letters by the state campaign watchdog group that alleged they did not meet all campaign finance reporting requirements. Representatives of both officials said they had complied and are challenging the warning letters. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 McLeod becomes sixth California House member to head for exits -- Rep. Gloria Negrete McLeod, a freshman Democrat, announced Tuesday that she will run for San Bernardino County supervisor rather than Congress, becoming the sixth California House member to head for the exits and potentially creating yet another competitive race. Jean Merl and Richard Simon in the Los Angeles Times$ Jim Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ Aaron Blake in the Washington Post$ Alex Isenstadt Politico Emily Cahn and Abby Livingston Roll Call -- 2/19/14 Ex-Rep. Baca bashes 'bimbo' Negrete McLeod, won't run for seat -- Former Rep. Joe Baca (D-Calif.) won't switch districts to run for Rep. Gloria Negrete McLeod's (D-Calif.) seat. Cameron Joseph The Hill -- 2/19/14 Both California parties losing ground among registered voters -- California's two major political parties are continuing to lose ground in voter registration as the ranks of independent voters continue to swell, a new report by the Secretary of State's office indicates. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ John Howard Capitol Weekly Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 Joe Baca Apologizes for Calling Negrete McLeod a ‘Bimbo’ -- Former Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif., apologized Tuesday for calling retiring Rep. Gloria Negrete McLeod a “bimbo” earlier in the day. Abby Livingston Roll Call -- 2/19/14 Former state GOP chair Ron Nehring running for lieutenant governor -- Ron Nehring, the former chairman of the California Republican Party, said Tuesday that he was running for lieutenant governor. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ Josh Richman Political Blotter Mark Walker UT San Diego$ Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/14 CalPERS decides to speed up rate increases for state -- The state’s annual contribution to its massive pension fund is about to go up substantially, and much sooner than expected. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ Fenit Nirappil Associated Press Tim Reid Reuters -- 2/19/14 CalPERS rate hike: governor wins, cities lose -- A divided CalPERS board yesterday approved a faster rate hike for the state urged by Gov. Brown, but opposed by unions. A proposal to give struggling cities the option of more time to phase in the rate hike, seven years instead of five, was rejected. Ed Mendel Calpensions.com -- 2/19/14 Walters: Court ruling indicates California gun laws may go too far -- For years, California has had some of the nation’s toughest gun control laws, but that hasn’t deterred its politicians from writing ever more restrictions on sale and possession of firearms and ammunition. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/19/14 Former reality TV star Omarosa enters LAUSD school board race along with a dozen others -- More than a dozen candidates, including a onetime reality TV star, filed papers for an open Los Angeles Unified School District seat by Tuesday’s deadline. Dakota Smith in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/19/14 Los Angeles Bishop Kept Altar Boy List From Police -- When Los Angeles police were investigating allegations of child abuse by a Roman Catholic priest in 1988, they asked for a list of altar boys at the last parish where the priest worked. Gillian Flaccus Associated Press -- 2/19/14 L.A. archdiocese settles final priest abuse case; $740 million spent -- The Los Angeles Archdiocese has settled what officials said is the last of its pending priest molestation lawsuits, bring to a close a decade of wrenching abuse litigation that cost the Catholic Church more than $740 million. Victoria Kim in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 A year after controversy, LAX wants more money for public relations contracts -- A year ago, it was a hot campaign issue in the race for Los Angeles city controller. Los Angeles International Airport wanted to spend $3.8 million over three years on three public relations consultants, all of which were based outside city limits. Brian Sumers in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/19/14 Oakland to pay $2 million to settle crash lawsuit -- The city of Oakland is poised to pay $2 million to settle a lawsuit filed by a man who was catapulted into a glass door when he was hit by a city public works van. Henry K. Lee in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/14 L.A. County to pay $1.8 million to family of woman shot by deputies -- Los Angeles County supervisors agreed Tuesday to pay $1.8 million to the family of a mentally ill woman killed by sheriff's deputies at a clinic in Rosemead. Abby Sewell in the Los Angeles Times$ Lauren Gold in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/19/14 Jail reforms underway at Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department -- Almost two years after scandal broke over allegations of deputy thuggery in the county jails, the Sheriff’s Department is close to implementing all the reforms sought by a blue-ribbon panel, an independent monitor said Wednesday. Christina Villacorte in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/19/14 News photographer robbed at gunpoint in Oakland -- Oakland police Wednesday night were looking for suspects who used guns to rob a Bay Area News Group photographer. Robert J. Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 Deaf Hawthorne man claims police beat, tased him as he tried to sign -- A deaf Hawthorne resident is suing the Police Department, claiming he was beaten, tased and arrested because officers failed to allow him to use his hands to communicate with them via sign language. Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 In wake of police shootings, Anaheim launching citizen review board -- In the wake of two controversial police shootings, Anaheim is launching a pilot citizens review board that would help monitor the city's Police Department. Adolfo Flores in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 Economy, Employers and Jobs L.A. County to expand one-stop approach to servicing homeless families -- The supervisors agreed to allocate $10.3 million in local, state and federal money to create an integrated system of services for those families. Abby Sewell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 Better credit cards, encryption considered to protect consumer data -- Lawmakers pushed on Tuesday for ways to prevent the kind of consumer data breaches that claimed voluminous amounts of information during the recent holiday season. Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ Marc Lifsher in the Los Angeles Times$ Timm Herdt in the Ventura Star$ -- 2/19/14 'Free' gift card promoters to pay $2.5 million in fraud case -- The owners of six companies, including three from Orange County, have agreed to pay $2.5 million to settle a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit that accused them of sending out millions of text messages offering free gift cards they never delivered. Stuart Pfeifer in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 Minimum-wage hike would help alleviate poverty, but could kill jobs, CBO reports -- President Obama’s proposal to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour would increase earnings for 16.5 million low-wage Americans but cost the nation about 500,000 jobs, congressional budget analysts said Tuesday. Zachary A. Goldfarb in the Washington Post$ -- 2/19/14 Education Independent study: Brown’s new online learning target -- After withdrawing an aggressive plan to enhance online learning in K-12 classrooms last year, Gov. Jerry Brown has returned with a less ambitious proposal – but one that may have broader impact. Tom Chorneau Cabinet Report -- 2/19/14 Renewed push to let community colleges award bachelor’s degrees -- When Michigan granted community colleges the authority to confer baccalaureate degrees a year ago, it became the 21st state to do so. An effort is under way to make California No. 22. Kathryn Baron EdSource -- 2/19/14 LAUSD appoints veteran educator as 'liaison' to vacant seat -- The Los Angeles Board of Education on Tuesday appointed a former district administrator to oversee the seat left vacant by the death of member Marguerite Poindexter LaMotte in December. Stephen Ceasar and Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 Debate at Cal State L.A. over ethnic studies requirement heats up -- A debate at Cal State L.A. over an ethnic studies requirement turned heated Tuesday as several students tried to shout down faculty members who responded by chanting "Let her speak, let her speak." Carla Rivera in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 Occidental College bans investments in assault weapons companies -- In a move that activists described as the first of its kind for any American college or university, Occidental College in Los Angeles is pledging to stay away from any investments in companies that manufacture military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines for general public sale. Larry Gordon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 UC Berkeley fined in deaths of lab animals -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday that it has fined UC Berkeley $8,750 for allowing five lab animals to die of thirst in 2011. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/14 Ed Center: Community schools can help break the cycle of poverty -- We’ve known for some time that children from low-income families are less likely to succeed in school relative to their higher-income peers. Many solutions to address this achievement gap have been explored, such as greater funding, more accountability for teachers or a longer school day. Ed Center EdSource -- 2/19/14 Health Lopez: Restaurant's healthcare surcharge draws strong responses -- The owners of Republique on La Brea have added a 3% fee to every bill to pay for insurance for every employee. But not all patrons are biting. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 Herdt: Health warnings on soda bottles -- What is likely to become one of the signature bills in this year’s session of the California Legislature could also very likely become an object of pop culture ridicule. Just ask former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Timm Herdt in the Ventura Star$ -- 2/19/14 Healthcare organizations under siege from cyberattacks, study says -- Add this to the list of things to freak you out: Healthcare organizations of all kinds are being routinely attacked and compromised by increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks. Chris O'Brien in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 L.A. suit accuses unlicensed care facilities of abuse -- A pastor and his wife are accused of abusing the physically and mentally disabled residents of their two care facilities in the Adams district. Richard Winton and Angel Jennings in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 Kaiser Permanente losing members to cheaper plans -- Kaiser Permanente's statewide membership losses in the California Public Employees' Retirement System this year also hold true for the Sacramento region. Kathy Robertson Sacramento Business Journal -- 2/19/14 USDA closes troubled Central Valley slaughterhouse over cleanliness -- A troubled Central California slaughterhouse that supplies beef to the National School Lunch Program was closed by federal inspectors Monday for failing to meet cleanliness standards. David Pierson in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 Environment Berkeley to kill squirrels, gophers at Cesar Chavez Park -- The chubby, whiskery ground squirrels that scurry over the Berkeley waterfront might be cute to some, but to Berkeley city officials, they're a burrowing menace that must be stopped. Carolyn Jones in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/19/14 Immigration/Border Border agent fatally shoots suspect who hit him with a rock -- The shooting occurred on a smuggling trail in the mountains east of San Diego after the agent was hit in the head during a rock attack. Richard Marosi in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 Also... Garcetti will visit Mexico City on his first foreign trip as mayor -- Mayor Eric Garcetti is planning to travel next month to Mexico City on the first of what he says will be many international trade missions to promote Los Angeles. Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 Ex-congressman and veteran makes his peace in North Korea visit -- On a recent trip to Pyongyang, former Bay Area Rep. 'Pete' McCloskey confronts his troubling combat memories by meeting and saluting a Korean War adversary. Lee Romney in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/19/14 Beltway Nancy Pelosi is hanging on in the House -- She’s an enduring hero, the first woman ever to lead a branch of the U.S. government. Or she’s all that’s wrong with Washington. David Lightman McClatchy DC -- 2/19/14 |
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