Abramoff firm paid for Doolittle aide's trip, records show -- Rep. John Doolittle's former chief of staff took a trip to Puerto Rico paid for by the firm where disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff worked. Members of Congress and aides aren't allowed to accept gifts of travel from registered lobbyists, according to House gift and travel rules. Lisa Zagaroli in the Sacramento Bee -- 2/9/06

Former Feinstein staffer edited Wikipedia entries / Changes raise questions about reference Web site -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein's office acknowledged today that a former staff member had edited the California Democrat's entry on the Internet encyclopedia Wikipedia, as well as altered entries about her husband Richard Blum's Chinese investments in 1997. Carolyn Lochhead in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/9/06

Democrats say education, public transit should be bond priorities -- Assembly Democrats, critical to the success of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's $222 billion public works program, on Thursday questioned how the proposal's bond money would be repaid and said their spending priorities differed somewhat from the governor's. TOM CHORNEAU AP -- 2/9/06

Mayor, White House clash over release of info on terror plot -- Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said Thursday he was blindsided by President Bush's announcement of new details about a purported 2002 plot to crash a plane into a city skyscraper, but the White House and state officials said the mayor's office was contacted. MICHAEL R. BLOOD AP -- 2/9/06

Pombo defends taxpayer-funded RV trip -- House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo defended himself Thursday over a published report that he spent two weeks visiting national parks in a taxpayer-funded RV. AP -- 2/9/06

Cindy Sheehan says she won't challenge Feinstein -- Peace activist Cindy Sheehan announced Thursday that she will not run against Sen. Dianne Feinstein in the Democratic primary. Sheehan, who camped outside President Bush's Texas ranch to protest the Iraq war that claimed her son's life, said she won't challenge the state's senior senator even though she thinks Feinstein hasn't done enough to oppose the war. AP -- 2/9/06

Jurors reject Anaheim's claim in Angels name change dispute -- A jury ruled Thursday that the former Anaheim Angels did not breach a contract with the city of Anaheim when the baseball team added Los Angeles to its name. GILLIAN FLACCUS AP -- 2/9/06

Oracle to cut 2,000 jobs -- Business software giant Oracle said Thursday it plans to cut 2,000 jobs, or about 3.5 percent of its global workforce, as it seeks cost savings following its just-completed $5.85 billion purchase of Siebel Systems. Therese Poletti in the San Jose Mercury -- 2/9/06

Stem-cell work could return money to California -- California could get a financial return on its $3 billion investment in the state's new stem-cell research institute, under a new proposal.The board overseeing the the stem-cell program, called the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, will consider approving a policy Friday that would require giving the state one-fourth of any revenue exceeding $500,000 that its research generates from new medicines or other treatments. Steve Johnson in the San Jose Mercury -- 2/9/06

Embattled Getty President Barry Munitz Calls It Quits -- Barry Munitz, the J. Paul Getty Trust's controversial leader for the last seven years, resigned suddenly today. In a statement announcing Munitz's resignation, the Getty said the trust's former chief executive will receive no severance package and has agreed — while admitting no wrongdoing — to pay the trust $250,000 "in order to resolve any continuing disputes." Jason Felch, Ralph Frammolino and Robin Fields in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/9/06

GOP divide over governor widens -- Still, no consensus has formed around the notion of withdrawing the state Republican Party's endorsement of Schwarzenegger. SORAYA SARHADDI NELSON in the Orange County Register -- 2/9/06

Governor drums up support for bond plan / Schwarzenegger says improvements good for economy -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger repeated familiar themes on Wednesday, touting the economic benefits of his $222 billion infrastructure plan for California. Carolyn Said, Lynda Gledhill in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/9/06

Governor defends his $222 billion blueprint -- Ramping up his push to rebuild antiquated schools, roads and levees, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger insisted Wednesday that whittling his decadelong, $222 billion infrastructure plan down to just one year would be ``unacceptable.'' Kate Folmar and Aaron C. Davis in the San Jose Mercury -- 2/9/06

Governor's prison bond still searching for GOP support -- Among the many pieces in the governor's ambitious $220 billion infrastructure investment plan, nothing screams Republican red meat quite like the prison bond. But strangely, the administration has not been able to find a Republican in the Senate to sponsor the governor's proposal for $6.8 billion in state borrowing to build new county jails and state prisons. Anthony York in Capitol Weekly -- 2/9/06

Arnold miser to schools, Education Coalition says -- Teachers and school administrators criticized Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed 2006-07 budget Wednesday, saying it fails to provide enough money for the state's educational needs. Harrison Sheppard in the Los Angeles Daily News Timm Herdt in the Ventura Star -- 2/9/06

The megatrends that explain California elections -- If you want to understand why Republicans have all but become a permanent minority party in California, a good place to start would be an ethnic breakdown of the state's voter registration rolls. Daniel Weintraub in the Sacramento Bee -- 2/9/06

Ross lining up ducks for 2006 elections -- Fabian Nuñez may be the longest tenured Speaker of the Assembly since Willie Brown, but more than two years before his term limits-mandated departure some say a quiet campaign has already begun to succeed him. As usual, veteran Democratic consultant Richie Ross is in the thick of it. Shane Goldmacher in Capitol Weekly -- 2/9/06

Going to interview with CTA? Be sure to look into the camera -- Late last year, as dozens of Assembly candidates ushered themselves from one interest group interview to the next, almost all of them inevitably arrived at the door of the California Teachers Association (CTA), one of the most powerful and well-heeled political players in Sacramento. There, they faced something no other interest group in the state used: a video camera. Shane Goldmacher in Capitol Weekly -- 2/9/06

'Duke Cunningham Act' could cut off pensions -- Sen. John Kerry plans to file a bill today that would strip government pensions from lawmakers who are convicted of official misconduct, adding a new element to congressional efforts to overhaul ethics and lobbying laws. The item is in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 2/9/06

Boehner's win seen to boost Thomas' stock -- The biggest winner in the election of Rep. John Boehner as House majority leader -- besides Boehner himself -- may be Bakersfield's Republican congressman, Bill Thomas. That is the consensus on Capitol Hill after Thomas made the nominating speech for Boehner (pronounced "Bayner") and helped round up votes for him for the House's No. 2 leadership post. VIC POLLARD in the Bakersfield Californian -- 2/9/06

Tales of forbidden love…Capitol couples cross party lines -- To hear many staffers tell it, long hours and stress make the Capitol a difficult place to maintain a relationship. But Currin and Hardeman are among several dating and married couples who make it work, even with the added complication of crossing party lines. Malcolm Maclachlan in Capitol Weekly -- 2/9/06

On the Capitol Grounds, Grass Roots Rising -- The fervor subsided only when two men dressed in brown and wearing swastikas goose-stepped toward the Minutemen and gave a Nazi salute. The men, straight out of "The Producers," handed out fliers encouraging the Minutemen to "end your alliance with the Republicans!!!" -- and join the American Nazi Party. Minuteman Project founder Jim Gilchrist called for an intermission "to resolve this situation." Dana Milbank in the Washington Post -- 2/9/06

Univision Board to Consider Sale -- Analysts see many potential suitors for the Spanish-language media giant. If a bidding war breaks out, the price tag could exceed $13 billion. Meg James in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/9/06

Fiorina's career prospects heading East -- Toppled from her perch as one of Silicon Valley's most powerful women one year ago today, Carly Fiorina has put together a new life that retains some of the trappings, if not the influence, of an elite corporate insider. Nicole C. Wong in the San Jose Mercury -- 2/9/06

Parents and Students Sue Over School Exit Exam -- A group of 10 high school students and their parents filed a lawsuit Wednesday in San Francisco Superior Court challenging the controversial exit exam nearly all California public high school students must pass to receive a diploma, on the grounds that it adds an unfair hurdle to graduation. Joel Rubin in the Los Angeles Times Laurel Rosenhall in the Sacramento Bee -- 2/9/06

UC Executive Pay Issue Draws Chief's Apology -- The university system's president, testifying on reports of extravagance and secrecy, pledges more accountability and tighter controls. Rebecca Trounson in the Los Angeles Times Tanya Schevitz, Todd Wallack in the San Francisco Chronicle Pamela Martineau in the Sacramento Bee TOM CHORNEAU AP Eleanor Yang in the San Diego Union-Trib Edwin Garcia in the San Jose Mercury Michelle Maitre in the Oakland Tribune -- 2/9/06

Florez questions First 5 spending -- Can one man eat $400 worth of food in three and a half days? How about when his lunches and breakfasts are already provided? Sen. Dean Florez, D-Shafter, is once again grilling First 5 Kern on its spending habits. The commission, which uses state tobacco-tax money for programs to help children through age 5, approved on Feb. 1 a plan to bring in a consultant for a county training session on curbing prenatal alcohol and drug use. SHELLIE BRANCO in the Bakersfield Californian -- 2/9/06

Schools chief's credit conflict / Some commissioners call Ackerman's charges excessive -- Outgoing San Francisco schools chief Arlene Ackerman racked up $45,625 in credit card charges in 2005 -- mostly in meals, airplane tickets and hotels -- which have been reimbursed by the San Francisco Unified School District at taxpayer expense. Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/9/06

Medical school plan takes another step -- UC Riverside hopes to have third- and fourth-year medical students at Inland area hospitals within two years as part of the university's efforts to launch a medical school. MARISA AGHA in the Riverside Press -- 2/9/06

Concerns keep money from schools -- Eight months after the state released $201 million for emergency repairs in poorly performing schools, only one Bay Area school district has applied for the money and less than $100,000 has been spent. Sarah Krupp in the Contra Costa Times -- 2/9/06

Panel Explores Standard Tests for Colleges -- A higher education commission named by the Bush administration is examining whether standardized testing should be expanded into universities and colleges to prove that students are learning and to allow easier comparisons on quality. KAREN W. ARENSON in the New York Times -- 2/9/06

Where school is cool -- Or downright cold at these high country campuseswhere students can bring their books and ski gear. Walter Yost in the Sacramento Bee -- 2/9/06

Why many disabled fight assisted suicide -- Bill would let doctors prescribe lethal drugs to the terminally ill. Clea Benson in the Sacramento Bee -- 2/9/06

UCI memo says anesthesia unit reviewed in'05 -- Document indicates at least one doctor complained of equipment, procedures. MARLA JO FISHER and BLYTHE BERNHARD in the Orange County Register -- 2/9/06

Limits on the Table for Food Warning Signs -- With California trying to give consumers more information on hazards, industry is lobbying Congress to give federal officials veto power. Richard Simon in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/9/06

Glitch Adds to Medicare Drug Plan Confusion -- I have a confession to make. I was defeated by the new Medicare drug program. The weapon used against me was Medicare's "plan finder," a website that churns out a list of private Medicare drug plans, along with their estimated annual costs, based on the prescriptions the user types in. Michael Hiltzik in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/9/06

Aged, disabled can sue states if nursing is cut -- Elderly and disabled people whose nursing care is halted because of state budget cuts can sue their states under a federal law requiring care for the needy, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/9/06

2 promising new AIDS drugs -- Prospects for a new class of effective AIDS medicines soared Wednesday when two drugmakers reported surprisingly strong results from clinical trials of their experimental pills. Sabin Russell in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/9/06

Study: Antidepressants pose risks for newborns -- A UCSD study released today is fueling concerns about the effects of certain antidepressant drugs on pregnant women, saying that their use late in pregnancy can significantly increase the chance of deadly lung problems in newborns. Cheryl Clark in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 2/9/06

Cancer's death toll declines -- For the first time in more than 70 years, annual cancer deaths in the United States have fallen, a turning point in the war on cancer likely achieved by declines in smoking and better tumor detection and treatment. Mike Stobbe AP -- 2/9/06

Trans fat gets supersized in McDonald's french fries -- McDonald's french fries just got fatter - by nutritional measurement. The world's largest restaurant chain said Wednesday its fries contain a third more trans fats than it previously knew, citing results of a new testing method it began using in December. AP -- 2/9/06

Waves of watchers a hazard to coast -- The sixth annual Maverick's Surf Contest near Half Moon Bay proved risky for more than the surfers. Native plants and sensitive tide pools were traversed. Spectators clambered about cliffs and embankments. Three people were hurt by falling rocks. Dozens of people standing on a marine-rich reef were whacked by a wave. Julian Guthrie in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/9/06

High Mercury Levels Found in Californians -- A study conducted by environmental groups, using hair samples from volunteers, links contamination levels to amount of fish in diet. Marla Cone in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/9/06

Who pays if Valley floods? -- The state does, but legislation wants to spread the burden. Terri Hardy and Carrie Peyton Dahlberg in the Sacramento Bee -- 2/9/06

U.S. Will Cover Orange County Wildfire Cost -- The Forest Service accidentally started the blaze, which erupted after a prescribed burn. Calming wind gives firefighters a break. Mai Tran in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/9/06

Toll road debate lures bond-finance experts on Capitol cash hunt -- Toll roads, despite a troubled history in California and an uneven record nationwide, are tucked deep into the governor's two-year, $12 billion transportation proposal. They are starting to draw attention from private investors--and from lawmakers who see scant public dollars available to ease traffic congestion. John Howard in Capitol Weekly -- 2/9/06

Polar bears to be considered for threatened species list -- Federal wildlife officials are considering declaring the polar bear a threatened species as a result of growing evidence that rising Arctic temperatures are melting the pack ice that is their home. Jane Kay in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/9/06

Family housing pushed / Plan would require 20% of new units to be child-friendly -- With hundreds of families fleeing San Francisco for the suburbs in search of cheaper housing and better schools, some of Mayor Gavin Newsom's policy experts are telling him to stem the tide by requiring developers to include so-called family friendly units in future housing projects. Ilene Lelchuk in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/9/06

PG&E to build pipeline for gas / Plant on Oregon coast would supply state if approved -- Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and two other firms plan to build a 250-mile pipeline linking California to a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal at Coos Bay on the Oregon coast, the company said Wednesday. David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/9/06

Tighter, new rules on what can go in the trash -- Residents and small business owners in the Bay Area and the rest of the state must take their computers, cell phones, radios and fluorescent bulbs to disposal centers beginning today, or could face potential fines for tossing them into the trash can. A 2-year-old state law has barred certain types of electronic waste from regular landfills. Jane Kay in the San Francisco Chronicle Marjie Lundstrom in the Sacramento Bee Douglas Fischer in the Oakland Tribune -- 2/9/06

San Joaquin Valley roads a priority in state plan -- The governor's 10-year, $222 billion plan includes $1 billion in bond money targeted for Highway 99 improvements. Plans are already drawn up on where to spend a good chunk of the money, said Mike Leonardo, central region director for the California Department of Transportation. E.J. Schultz in the Fresno Bee -- 2/9/06

Willie Nelson debuts soy fuel -- Country singer Willie Nelson introduced California on Wednesday to "BioWillie," his brand of clean-burning fuel made from soybeans. Seth Hettena AP Mark Maynard in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 2/9/06

Builders offer 'insane incentives' -- Residential builders, hoping to jump-start sluggish sales in San Joaquin County, are dangling long-unheard-of incentives in front of real estate brokers and new home buyers. MICHELLE MACHADO in the Stockton Record -- 2/9/06

More Rioting Erupts at Jails -- More than 20 are hurt at Castaic complex. Racial violence spreads to a downtown facility. Megan Garvey and David Pierson in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/9/06

Donations bring outside to inmates -- A fundraising ceremony Wednesday at San Quentin State Prison was a rare opportunity for 65 inmates to communicate with the outside world. They learned how well money can talk. The inmates presented checks of $2,070 for Children's Hospital Oakland to assist relatives of cancer patients and $3,527 for the American Red Cross to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. Peter Fimrite in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/9/06

SFPD brass get tough questions on force data -- San Francisco's Police Commission questioned top police officials Wednesday about why a much-discussed tracking system aimed at early identification of problem officers has yet to be implemented. Charlie Goodyear in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/9/06

State law protects officers from disclosure of complaints -- In California, unlike much of the country, police disciplinary records and citizen complaints against officers are kept secret by law. By contrast, at least 30 states allow partial or complete public access to police personnel records. The item is in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/9/06

Police use of deadly force tearing neighborhoods apart -- Residents in Rialto, Colton and other neighborhoods where police have used deadly force under disputed circumstances are vocal in their anger, distrust and fear. Just as Mariela Carrion has voiced those feelings after the shooting of her husband, Elio Carrion, last week by an sheriff's deputy in Chino, those closest to the victims pull no punches. Kenneth Todd Ruiz in the Inland Daily Bulletin -- 2/9/06

Hurricane Victims Still at Sea in L.A. -- As the end of federally funded housing nears for some, they aren't sure where to go. Stephen Clark in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/9/06

Judge to Hear Challenge to Use of Lethal Injection -- Foes say the practice may cause a very painful death, thus violating the U.S. Constitution. Henry Weinstein in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/9/06

LAPD Policy Change to Get Hearing -- City Council wants to know why the Police Commission decided behind closed doors to withhold the names of officers in shootings. Patrick McGreevy and Duke Helfand-- 2/9/06

Suit costs Caltrans $345,300 / Female employee endured hostile work environment -- Caltrans must pay $345,300 to an employee for creating a hostile work environment at a traffic-control center where co-workers swore, played music with derogatory lyrics and watched offensive movies, a Hayward jury has found. Henry K. Lee in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/9/06

One-of-a-kind stamp treasure, missing for 38 years, turns up -- It was the lost treasure in the philatelic world -- the only known envelope bearing a 90-cent Abraham Lincoln stamp from 1869. Stacy Finz in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/9/06

Broken quick-release lever puts brakes on trial over alleged bike defect / Jurors examine wheel mechanism -- and it reportedly breaks off -- A jury's deliberations into whether Wal-Mart Stores Inc. sold defective bicycles took an unexpected twist Wednesday when its forewoman explained to a Marin County judge how a quick-release lever on a bicycle had broken off in the jury room. Jim Doyle in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/9/06

Gonzales sluffs off scandal, points to tenure's successes -- Ron Gonzales didn't sound like an embattled mayor Wednesday night as he gave his eighth and final State of the City speech in San Jose's new City Hall, pointing to how much the city has accomplished in his seven years and describing his dreams for the next decade. Dave Murphy in the San Francisco Chronicle Deborah Lohse and John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury -- 2/9/06

ID theft initiative may hold until fall -- State Sen. Chuck Poochigian's proposed initiative to tighten identity-theft penalties will not make the June 6 ballot but could be on the November one. Hank Shaw in the Stockton Record -- 2/9/06

Lone Gun in War Reporting -- Michael Yon's blog made him a hero among backers of the effort in Iraq. As his profile grew, so did debate on the quality of his work. James Rainey in the Los Angeles Times -- 2/9/06