Is Mulholland the "oppo" research man who will bring down Schwarzenegger? -- With ultra campaign insider Bob Mulholland heading out of the Angelides camp and officially back to the fold (and the paycheck) of the California Democratic Party, the buzz has boomed from California conspiracy theorists: what exactly is he up to? Carla Marinucci Chronicle Politics Weblog -- 9/1/06

State firefighter pay could rise -- State firefighters would be in line for substantial raises under the terms of a last-minute bill approved by the Legislature. Assembly Bill 2683, passed in the waning hours of the session Thursday, would require the state to link firefighter compensation to the average pay statewide for jurisdictions with 75 or more firefighters. John Hill in the Sacramento Bee -- 9/1/06

GOP finds faked voter affidavits -- Several GOP voter-registration workers created fake individuals in documents submitted to the California Republican Party, which said Thursday that it discovered the fraudulent activity through an internal review and forwarded its findings to Secretary of State Bruce McPherson. Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee -- 9/1/06

Woman set on fire in Oakland -- A woman was clinging to life today after being found hogtied, beaten and set on fire in the parking lot of a city-run art center in North Oakland's Temescal neighborhood in what police are investigating as an attempted homicide. Henry K. Lee in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/1/06

Intel exepected to announce large job cuts next week -- It will be a long holiday weekend for about 100,000 Intel Corp. employees, with the world's largest chipmaker -- facing tough competition from chief rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc. -- expected to announce as many as 20,000 job cuts next week, its most massive retrenchment in two decades. Jessica Guynn in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/1/06

Legislature Halts Gambling Expansion, Prison Reforms -- A suddenly recalcitrant Legislature refused Thursday, on its final day in session, to pass Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's major expansion of Indian gambling and was sharply divided over his proposed changes to California's prison system. Dan Morain and Nancy Vogel in the Los Angeles Times Lynda Gledhill in the San Francisco Chronicle Clea Benson in the Sacramento Bee Steve Geissinger in the Oakland Tribune JIM MILLER and MICHELLE DeARMOND in the Riverside Press -- 9/1/06

Indian gaming is dealt big setback in California -- Five of the state's richest, most powerful gambling tribes suffered perhaps their biggest political defeat yesterday when the Legislature refused to ratify their lucrative new gaming deals and then adjourned for the year. James P. Sweeney in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 9/1/06

Casino Compacts: Succeeding By Failing -- When does a politician succeed by failing? When the less than ideal deal he strikes with one controversial interest group, famed for its spending against politicians who cross it, is defeated by a less controversial interest group. Five wealthy Indian casino tribes struck compacts with the administration of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger which would have increased the number of slot machines in the state by nearly 40 percent. The deals would have greatly increased state revenue, but lacked labor provisions present in earlier Schwarzenegger compacts and so were strongly opposed by organized labor. Bill Bradley NWN weblog -- 9/1/06

Assembly ends session in flurry of bills -- State lawmakers, winding down the last hours of their 2006 session, sent Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger bills on Thursday that would create a state-run health care system, boost the minium wage by $1.25 and make it easier for telephone companies to jump into the cable television market. Greg Lucas, Tom Chorneau, Matthew Yi in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/1/06

Flood bill killed in Assembly -- The California Legislature's last-gasp attempt to pass a package of flood-control proposals designed to lessen disaster risk and increase public safety died Thursday night in an Assembly committee. "I am extremely, extremely disappointed," said Assemblywoman Lois Wolk, a Davis Democrat who had worked all year on the flood-control package but ultimately supported its demise on the final night of the legislative session. Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee -- 9/1/06

Universal health care bill sent to governor -- Legislators on Thursday sent Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger a universal health care bill he is likely to veto and measures increasing the minimum wage and regulating greenhouse gases he is likely to sign. Lawmakers battled a midnight deadline to deal with nearly 200 bills before the end of the two-year legislative session. Clea Benson and Andy Furillo in the Sacramento Bee -- 9/1/06

Schwarzenegger on a big-time roll with voters and legislators -- Is Arnold Schwarzenegger on a big-time roll, or what? The Democrat-controlled Legislature has spent the final week of its 2006 session giving the Republican governor a cornucopia of measures that he will roll out in elaborate signing ceremonies in September -- thereby enhancing the image he seeks of an engaged and effective governor deserving of re-election. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee -- 9/1/06

Sacramento seals the 'Year of the Deal' -- After a partisan battle over Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's failed “Year of Reform” initiatives last fall, the Republican governor and Democratic legislators yesterday wrapped up what could be called the “Year of the Deal.” Ed Mendel in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 9/1/06

GOP finds faked voter affidavits -- Several GOP voter-registration workers created fake individuals in documents submitted to the California Republican Party, which said Thursday that it discovered the fraudulent activity through an internal review and forwarded its findings to Secretary of State Bruce McPherson. GOP spokesman Patrick Dorinson said the party caught the undisclosed number of falsified voter affidavits early enough that it avoided registering any fraudulent names with the state. Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee -- 9/1/06

NASA Taps Lockheed to Build Orion -- In a blow to the SoCal aerospace industry, NASA picks Lockheed Martin to build the Orion vehicle. Peter Pae in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/1/06

Schwarzenegger Gets Bill to Restrict Use of Cellphones by Drivers -- Bills that received final legislative approval and were sent to the governor Thursday included a measure to ban drivers from talking on cellphones unless they use a headset that frees their hands. Nancy Vogel in the Los Angeles Times Judy Lin in the Sacramento Bee -- 9/1/06

State lawmakers vote to replace Starr King's statue with Reagan's -- Thomas Starr King, "the orator who saved the nation" and the namesake of a San Francisco elementary school, is about to have his statue booted out of the National Statuary Hall Collection in the U.S. Capitol. Each state decides which two figures to honor in the hall, and lawmakers in Sacramento passed a bill Thursday designating another great orator to take Starr King's place -- Ronald Reagan. Kimberly Geiger in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/1/06

California Emission Plan Needs Allies -- California faces a tough obstacle in its efforts to curb global warming without driving away business: Success requires joining other countries, or persuading other states or the federal government to join it. JEFFREY BALL in the Wall Street Journal -- 9/1/06

For Campaign, Governor's Hand May Be Stronger -- California's agreement to cut emissions tied to global warming is likely to boost a resurgence in Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's popularity, many political pundits say, potentially making it more difficult for Democratic challenger Phil Angelides to unseat him in November. JIM CARLTON in the Wall Street Journal -- 9/1/06

Global Warming Plan Could Be Costly -- California's ambitious plan to curb global warming will be costly to businesses and consumers, experts said Thursday, and its effect on the climate could be negligible — unless other states and nations follow. Although it is too early to know what will happen over the next two decades, the state's basic industries, including utilities, oil refineries and steel mills, can expect to make major changes in how they do business. And consumers may face higher bills for electricity, gasoline and other goods that use energy. Marc Lifsher in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/1/06

California's action could spur feds, other states to cut emissions, experts say -- California's new effort to curb greenhouse gases will cut less than one-half of 1 percent of the world's emissions, slowing global warming by just a tiny fraction of a degree, scientists say. But the groundbreaking program is likely to be a catalyst for other states and the federal government to curtail fossil fuel emissions and will spur development of innovative technologies and policies, experts said Thursday. Jane Kay in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/1/06

Air Resources Board stands to gain great economic influence -- The agreement between Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic legislators to cap greenhouse gas emissions will give a state agency with a history of shaping national environmental policy tremendous new clout over the California economy. Mark Martin in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/1/06

Is green good or bad for state's economy? -- Take your pick: Will California's drive to cut greenhouse gases reshape the state's industries, weaning businesses away from fossil fuels and setting the stage for the state's next golden age? Or will it drive away businesses, ship jobs to Nevada and kill the California economy? David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/1/06

Analysts say it's an inevitable sea change -- California's sheer size ensures plenty of fallout from its new initiative on global warming, analysts said, as businesses and politicians alike see an inevitability to the regulation of carbon dioxide emissions. Leading Republican politicians have been slowly drifting into the emissions reduction camp, despite steadfast opposition by the Bush administration. Carolyn Lochhead in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/1/06

California needs to hustle to stay ahead -- The Golden State is poised to recolor itself green. That was the sentiment in high-tech circles Thursday as lawmakers sent Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger a historic bill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. His expected signature is being seen as a boon for some already fast-growing fields such as solar energy, wind power and environmental remediation. Tom Abate in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/1/06

Republican Advantage on Issue Of National Security Erodes -- In both national elections since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, President Bush and congressional Republicans successfully played the national-security card to win big victories against the odds. Now, with their party's control of Congress at stake, Republicans are betting on the issue again. But it may not be the trump card it used to be. JACKIE CALMES in the Wall Street Journal -- 9/1/06

Judge Orders Changes in Term Limits Measure -- A Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled Thursday that the title of a fall ballot measure to ease term limits for the L.A. City Council must be modified to better inform voters of the measure's intent. Ruling on a lawsuit brought by several residents, Judge Robert H. O'Brien said the title must say the measure would "lengthen" rather than merely "change" council members' term limits. Steve Hymon in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/1/06

Can Not Too Hot, Not Too Cold Be Just Right? -- They're as integral to Vietnamese and Chinese holidays as turkey is to Thanksgiving. One consists of rice cake sopping in the juices from fatty pork, tucked into leaves and tied together like a present. Another is a hockey puck-size mound of delicate brown crust wrapped around a rich lotus paste and a duck egg yolk. In recent years, however, moon cakes and other delicacies have become targets of food inspectors, who have cited merchants for allowing the treats to sit at room temperature for more than four hours, potentially allowing bacteria to accumulate. David Pierson and Mai Tran in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/1/06

Shareholders Bid Farewell as Golden West Heads Into Sunset -- Golden West Financial Corp. shareholders approved the company's sale to Wachovia Corp. on Thursday, moving a step closer to ending the 43-year reign of the savings and loan's folksy co-chief executives, Herb and Marion Sandler — the only married couple running a Fortune 500 business. Michael Liedtke AP -- 9/1/06

Tougher Audience for Immigration Rallies -- Immigrants and their supporters will take to the streets today to start a weeklong encore of the rallies that brought millions out in the spring. But as they prepare marches in Chicago, Washington, Phoenix and Los Angeles, immigration advocates are facing a less friendly political climate in the nation's capital. Although Congress may take up immigration overhaul when it returns next week, few on Capitol Hill are optimistic about passing legislation before November's midterm elections. And any new initiatives are likely to focus solely on enforcement, not on providing more legal options for illegal immigrants. Nicole Gaouette in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/1/06

Bill Pledging $3 Billion to Boost Low-Performing Schools Goes to Schwarzenegger -- A plan to spend nearly $3 billion over the next seven years to reduce class sizes, improve teacher training and add counselors at California's lowest-performing schools was sent to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk for approval Thursday, marking the end of a bitter dispute between the governor and the state's largest teachers union. Carla Rivera in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/1/06

Far Fewer California Schools Meet Targets in State Testing -- Just over half of California's schools met their state testing improvement targets — far fewer than last year — a disappointing result that was fueled by schools' inability to keep pace with rising expectations. This leveling off was especially worrisome in the data for poor students and African Americans. Howard Blume and Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle NAUSH BOGHOSSIAN in the Los Angeles Daily News Luis Zaragoza and Dana Hull in the San Jose Mercury Momo Chang and Grace Rauh in the Oakland Tribune -- 9/1/06

Bill Renews Debate Over Helping English Learners -- Glendale teacher Rebecca Quintero spent a recent morning encouraging her fourth-graders to write about the joys of summer for an English assignment. But some of her Spanish, Armenian, Korean and Tagalog speakers were confused at how to begin and their textbook offered limited guidance. What Quintero needed, she said, was a fourth-grade book that would support students with varying degrees of English proficiency. Carla Rivera in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/1/06

Self-affirmation assignment boosts minority kids' grades -- A simple 15-minute writing task at the start of the school year was enough to significantly improve the grades of African American students and close 40 percent of the "achievement gap" with white students in one suburban school, researchers said Thursday. Carl T. Hall in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/1/06

Medi-Cal funding in jeopardy for 4 state transplant centers -- The state has warned administrators of organ transplant programs at four hospitals that they could lose their ability to treat Medi-Cal patients because of excessive patient deaths or low surgery rates. Heart transplant programs at the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco and Sutter Memorial Hospital in Sacramento received letters from the state Department of Health Services, as did liver transplant centers at UC Davis Medical Center and USC University Hospital in Los Angeles. Victoria Colliver in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/1/06

Cleaner Diesel Fuels Concerns -- Six weeks ahead of the rest of the nation, California will roll out a new kind of diesel fuel today that promises to be easier on the environment but may be harder on trucking company profits. Those higher costs could end up squeezing consumers who buy the products carried by truck or drive diesel-powered cars. The cleaner fuel, called ultra-low sulfur diesel, is nearly free of sulfur, a substance that corrodes an engine's pollution-control equipment. Ronald D. White in the Los Angeles Times Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury -- 9/1/06

Officials admit they erred on cleanup of lab -- State toxics regulators admitted Wednesday they made a mistake and are now taking a closer look at a Santa Susana Field Lab burn pit where workers detonated and burned hazardous materials from 1958 to 1990. KERRY CAVANAUGH in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 9/1/06

Pipeline bill offers protection -- Nearly two years after five laborers died when a petroleum pipeline exploded at a Walnut Creek excavation site, legislation requiring training and certification for workers marking locations of dangerous underground utilities has reached the governor's desk. Thomas Peele in the Contra Costa Times -- 9/1/06

Hispanic group pushes for more diversity on bench -- As Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez wrangled over the lack of minority judges appointed by the governor, the Hispanic National Bar Association, meeting this week in San Francisco, focused on helping Latino lawyers develop the political savvy to snag an appointment. Tyche Hendricks in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/1/06

Singing Irish Bartender Loses Deportation Ruling -- A Seal Beach bartender who has charmed patrons with his singing in a thick Irish accent can be deported for his role in the murder of two British soldiers 18 years ago, an immigration appeals board has ruled. The ruling overturns a 2004 decision by an immigration judge who blocked deportation of Sean O'Cealleagh. But the ruling, reached Wednesday by the Board of Immigration Appeals in Virginia, does not mean that O'Cealleagh, an Irish citizen, will be booted out of the country any time soon. H.G. Reza in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/1/06

Freeway Golf Sign: an Attempt to Bag Drivers? -- Is billionaire developer Donald Trump using the freeway to fill his fairways? That's what it looked like Thursday in Brentwood to motorists on Sunset Boulevard near the 405 Freeway. An official-looking sign at Sunset's southbound freeway onramp pointed the way to the Trump National Golf Club with a giant arrow. Bob Pool in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/1/06

Ruling Denies Public Access to Police Officer Records -- Police disciplinary records will become more secret under a far-reaching ruling Thursday by the California Supreme Court. The court ruled 6 to 1 that the public may not have access to police discipline records filed during administrative appeals, including the names of officers who have been terminated, unless the officers waive their rights to privacy. Maura Dolan in the Los Angeles Times Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/1/06

FBI Had Student Data Searched -- The Education Department acknowledged Thursday that at the request of the FBI, it had scoured millions of federal student loan records for information about suspected terrorists in the five years since the Sept. 11 attacks. The data mining — known as "Project Strike Back" — was intended to determine whether terrorism suspects had illegally obtained college aid to finance their operations through identity theft or other means. Richard B. Schmitt in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/1/06