Judge Tosses Calif Global Warming Suit -- A federal judge on Monday tossed out a lawsuit filed by California that sought to hold the world's six largest automakers accountable for their contribution to global warming. In its lawsuit filed last year, California blamed the auto industry for millions of dollars it expects to spend on repairing damage from global-warming induced floods and other natural disasters. PAUL ELIAS AP -- 9/17/07

Schwarzenegger says he will keep vetoing gay marriage bill -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Monday that he won't reconsider his decision to veto a bill legalizing gay marriage and will keep vetoing the measure as long as lawmakers send it to him. AP -- 9/17/07

Greenspan: Recession Odds Have Grown -- Alan Greenspan said the odds of a recession have grown since earlier this year, even though "the economy is not doing badly at this stage." JEANNINE AVERSA AP -- 9/17/07

Coalition of water agencies launches television ad campaign -- A coalition of water districts began a statewide television campaign Monday intended to persuade Californians that their water supply is in crisis. The campaign by the Association of California Water Agencies is estimated to cost between $7 million and $9 million and will include radio and television commercials in the state's major media markets, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego and the Central Valley. AP -- 9/17/07

Los Angeles business group backs Schwarzenegger's health plan -- The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce will back Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's comprehensive plan for health care at a news conference on Monday afternoon. Bill Ainsworth San Diego Union-Trib weblog -- 9/17/07

Chemerinsky is back as UC Irvine dean -- C Irvine Chancellor Michael V. Drake and Erwin Chemerinsky have reached an agreement that will return the liberal legal scholar to the dean's post at the university's new law school, the university announced this morning. With the deal, they hope to end the controversy that erupted when Chemerinsky was dropped as the first dean of the Donald Bren School of Law. Garrett Therolf in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/17/07

Retired judge picked to replace Gonzales -- Bush selects Michael B. Mukasey to be attorney general. A leading Democrat praises the nominee's 'strong professional credentials' and 'reputation for independence.' James Gerstenzang and Richard B. Schmitt in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/17/07

New York Times to Stop Charging Web Fees -- The New York Times is scrapping a two-year-old program to charge fees for access to parts of its Web site, including op-ed columnists and archives dating back to 1987. As of midnight Tuesday, the Times will discontinue its TimesSelect feature, which cost $49.95 per year or $7.95 by the month. Home delivery subscribers were able to sign up for free. SETH SUTEL AP -- 9/17/07

State civil rights panel facing cuts / Dems, others fight plan to rid group of its staff lawyers -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration is moving to strip California's civil rights commission of its staff of lawyers who hear discrimination cases, a move that has stirred opposition among civil rights groups, Democrats in the Legislature and an advocate for employers. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/17/07

Consensus iffy in special legislative session -- After a year of gridlock, lawmakers say they want to reach deals with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to reform health care and improve the state's water supply. But a special legislative session called last week by the governor might not result in consensus and compromise. LAURA KURTZMAN and SAMANTHA YOUNG AP -- 9/17/07

Schwarzenegger makes health care push -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's self-proclaimed "Year of Health Care Reform" has turned out to be a year of gridlock with the state Legislature. But the ever-optimistic governor is still clinging to his dream of bringing universal health care to California. The governor has called lawmakers back to town for an overtime shift - formally known as a special session of the Legislature - with the hopes of cutting a deal. Mike Zapler in the San Jose Mercury -- 9/17/07

'Will of people' likely Schwarzenegger mantra on same-sex marriage -- If Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger goes through with his expected veto of San Francisco Assemblyman Mark Leno's measure to allow same-sex marriage in California, it's almost guaranteed the governor will say he's following "the will of the people." Haley Davies, John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/17/07

Big raises for state medical workers -- Thousands of state medical workers will get an unexpected pay raise -- as much as $2,114 more a month -- in hopes they won't shop for a better offer at another state agency. Judy Lin in the Sacramento Bee -- 9/17/07

Term limits drive is divided -- Fractures are developing in a campaign to alter legislative term limits that began with dreams of a Republican governor teaming with Democratic lawmakers, business with labor, and incumbent lawmakers with watchdog groups. Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee -- 9/17/07

A lost chance to reform redistricting -- Could have fooled me, and did. Was I ever gullible. It really did seem like legislative leaders would honor their word and surrender the power to draw their own districts, a direct conflict of interest. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/17/07

Governor enters a pair of minefields -- Arnold Schwarzenegger often portrays himself as someone who enjoys taking on big, complicated issues -- and there's some truth to that. Whether the bodybuilder-movie star-politician can resolve big issues is another tale. So far, his batting average is mediocre at best, despite his claims of success. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee -- 9/17/07

Local anti-war measure may land on February ballot -- The anti-war movement hit Los Angeles City Hall last week, and an effort is under way to get the city to put a referendum on the Iraq war on the Feb. 5 ballot. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last week vetoed a measure that would have put a call for a U.S. troop pullout on the California ballot, saying he was concerned it "would only further divide voters and shift attention from other critical issues that must be addressed." RICK ORLOV in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 9/17/07

Rural areas reap little from Prop. 63 -- A dismayed Chuck Finck stood at his daughter's hospital bedside in Redding, a winding two-hour drive from his home in the alfalfa-rich Big Valley. It was Cheryl Medeiros' fourth hospitalization for psychiatric-related problems in the last few years, each time hours from the family's home in Modoc County, in the state's remote northeastern corner. Lee Romney and Scott Gold in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/17/07

AG Brown breaks tradition in helping shape legislation -- One of the traditional tasks performed by the state attorney general is to provide opinions on pending legislation. Or, at least it was until Jerry Brown took office. Steve Geissinger in the San Jose Mercury -- 9/17/07

The Buzz: Tongues loosen as time runs short -- One thing marathon end-of-legislative sessions are good for -- and we're struggling to think of others -- is that more than a few memorable quotes pop out. Among this year's best of show: Assemblyman Hector De La Torre, D-South Gate, musing that he got a bunch of promises of support for a proposed constitutional amendment dealing with eminent domain, only to see them evaporate in the session's final hours: "It's pretty clear what I got over the last couple of months was the ol' 'okey doke.' " Steve Wiegand in the Sacramento Bee -- 9/17/07

Deported criminals slip back into U.S. -- By the time Jesús Ricardo Mendoza led police on a 90-mph chase down Interstate 215 in Riverside County two years ago, he had served four prison terms and had been deported four times already. Mendoza, 33, had been convicted of assault, vehicle theft, drug possession and illegal entry. Although he had immigrated legally from Mexico as a child, he had since lost his legal status and been deported first through Nogales, Ariz., then twice through San Ysidro, then Calexico. Each time, he came back. Leslie Berestein in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 9/17/07

Monday Morning Quarterback -- . Hillary Clinton tried a few days ago in Los Angeles to match Barack Obama’s huge Oprah Winfrey fundraiser with an event hosted by Lakers great Magic Johnson. But even though the two campaigns are busy training California volunteers, the week ahead in presidential politics is about Iraq. Bill Bradley NWN weblog -- 9/17/07

Iraq -- From Victory To 'Success' -- In the president's latest prime-time speech on Iraq he never used the word "victory". His new banner headline is "Return on Success." Try draping that on an aircraft carrier. It sounds more like an investment firm slogan than a victory yelp! Sherry Bebitch Jaffe Political Perspectives -- 9/17/07

Compromise on Health Care Bill Sets Stage for Veto -- Senate and House negotiators said Sunday that they had agreed on a framework for a compromise bill that would provide health insurance to four million uninsured children while relaxing some of the limits on eligibility imposed by the Bush administration. ROBERT PEAR in the New York Times -- 9/17/07

Protesters target Simi church -- Dozens of angry, loud people stood on each side of a Simi Valley church's driveway using bullhorns and overworked vocal cords to hurl insults at each other in an immigration protest Sunday. They faced off at the United Church of Christ, where a congregation of about 80 people is sheltering an illegal immigrant from Oxnard and her U.S.-born infant son. Wanted for deportation, the woman is living in the church's former parsonage as part of a national New Sanctuary Movement aimed at keeping families together. Tom Kisken in the Ventura Star -- 9/17/07

A ‘Disappointed’ Greenspan Lashes Out at Bush’s Economic Policies -- In an interview timed with the release of his memoir Monday, Mr. Greenspan sought to distance himself from the economic policies of President Bush and refute critics who say his policies at the Fed contributed to the housing bubble and bust that is now roiling the economy. EDMUND L. ANDREWS in the New York Times -- 9/17/07

Fed unlikely to take a big ax to rates -- Despite a bad job report, jitters on Wall Street and a housing slump that could cause a recession in states such as California, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke and a number of Fed policymakers appear deeply reluctant to try to jolt the economy by aggressively cutting the central bank's key short-term interest rate. Peter G. Gosselin in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/17/07

Monitor to oversee school payroll repair -- Many teachers and other L.A. Unified employees still are not paid correctly, and soon tax forms and state reports may be affected. Joel Rubin in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/17/07

Movie shot around Bay Area addresses teen cyber-bullying -- "Adina's Deck," a new film about teenage cyber-bullying, got its start with a tip from Sarah Moody, a Canyon Middle School counselor. The 30-minute movie was fleshed out in talks with students at Kennedy Middle School in Redwood City and La Entrada Middle School in Palo Alto. Karen Holzmeister in the Oakland Tribune -- 9/17/07

South African American dream -- Woman hurdled language, financial barriers to earn Stanford scholarship. Eric Louie in the Oakland Tribune -- 9/17/07

Thirsty state could lose key supply of water -- For years, environmentalists have promoted water transfers as a cost-effective, fish-friendly alternative to new dams. But a federal judge's decision to protect a tiny, endangered fish in the Sacramento Delta could jeopardize north-to-south water sales when transfers may be crucial. Michael Gardner in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 9/17/07

A trickle of water might save estuary -- The Colorado River Delta was once a watery labyrinth of willow thickets, mesquite and cottonwood, bigger than the state of Rhode Island and teeming with bird and animal life. Today it is a barren expanse of salt-stained mudflats where the river used to meet the sea south of Yuma. Frank Clifford in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/17/07

Species-protection ruling dams use of Delta waters -- A court order to protect fish has ushered in a new era of limits on water taken from the Delta for California's farms and cities. State agencies and farm interests say the mandated cutbacks reinforce the governor's plan to build reservoirs and perhaps a Peripheral Canal. Environmentalists say the order is a wakeup call for Californians to reduce their dependence on Delta water. Either way, few expect that the water supply cuts imposed in the judge's order will be reinstated any time soon. Mike Taugher in the Oakland Tribune -- 9/17/07

Surfers paddle out to attack pollution -- Like warriors doing battle, upward of 1,000 surfers in Ocean Beach yesterday morning banged on their boards, whooped war cries and charged the enemy: coastal pollution. Among their numbers were grandmotherly types, dads with kids and local surfing legends. They stormed the rough, fog-ensconced waters surrounding the pier in a symbolic fight against dirty water that ravages coastlines from San Diego to South Africa. David Washburn in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 9/17/07

Orange County's regional airport wrestles with success -- Even as the concrete dried, airport planners realized the new terminals at John Wayne Airport would not be enough to support passenger growth. Now, 17 years later, the number of passengers pouring into John Wayne is setting records, and a half-billion-dollar expansion project to handle more travelers with a third terminal, added parking and a customs office to inaugurate international flights has begun. The work is expected to be completed in four years. David Reyes in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/17/07

Anger Over Airline Delays Spurs Passengers' Coalition Into Action -- Just a few months ago, Kate Hanni wasn't thinking much about the woes of air travelers. The Northern California mother of two was a popular real estate agent, living in a 3,200-square foot home on a golf course, singing in a Motown band and driving a Lotus race car. Del Quentin Wilber in the Washington Post -- 9/17/07

Airport officials plan to revamp SFO terminal -- A portion of this story was mistakenly published in Sunday's Tribune. Here is a complete version of the story. SFO — Rising passenger traffic and an influx of low-fare carriers has San Francisco International Airport officials thinking expansion. The old international terminal, which has been closed since 2000, is on tap for a $250 million renovation. Tim Simmers in the Oakland Tribune -- 9/17/07

Millionaire aids East Bay park expansion -- In its largest land deal in 17 years, the East Bay's regional park agency is teaming up with a high-tech millionaire to buy 1,476 acres of hilly grasslands and oak forests to expand Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park. The $6.63 million sales agreement was unveiled Friday in advance of a park board vote Tuesday. Denis Cuff in the Oakland Tribune -- 9/17/07

Water conservation efforts paying off -- As summer draws to a close, water officials say the combined efforts of people like Koepfle have helped Sonoma County exceed a state-mandated reduction in Russian River use. CLARK MASON in the Santa Rosa Press -- 9/17/07

Bullet train: benefit or burden? -- When officials first considered building a 220 mph bullet train more than a decade ago, they focused on one goal: faster travel from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Day trips to Disneyland, anyone? Alex Breitler in the Stockton Record -- 9/17/07

Want a water study? Dig deep -- How much water is there below Fresno County's Sierra foothills? How much development can that water support? Those questions have nagged Fresno County officials for years. Now, scientists hope to find answers by creating a three-dimensional computer map of the water trapped in rock fissures and underground pools. All they need is money. Marc Benjamin in the Fresno Bee -- 9/17/07

Bay Bridge FasTrak stuck in the slow lane -- When it comes to rush hour on the Bay Bridge, FasTrak isn't very fast anymore. In fact, on many mornings, the backup in the supposedly speedy new FasTrak lanes is worse than in the regular cash lanes. Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/17/07

Memo questions plan to cut Orange County deputies' pensions -- After seeking legal advice that questions their success, supervisors slow their move to challenge the 2001 deal to increase retirement pay. Christian Berthelsen in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/17/07

Some L.A. officials go far and wide for new ideas -- The Los Angeles City Council returned from its three-week recess last week and wasted little time diving into difficult issues. Even before lunch, four members -- Eric Garcetti, Wendy Greuel, Tom LaBonge and Jan Perry -- stepped outside the heavily air-conditioned City Hall to hold a news conference and take a provocative stand against power outages. Steve Hymon in the Los Angeles Times -- 9/17/07

Fixing mess at Hunters View won't be quick, easy or cheap -- Tamika Trammell has glorious views of the San Francisco skyline, Treasure Island, sunlight bouncing off the bay. But the picture window she peers through is covered in thick, noxious mold that returns no matter how many times she cleans it. Her 1-year-old son already relies on a respirator to breathe at night. Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/17/07

Agencies must slog through paperwork for federal housing grants -- Applying for federal dollars to rebuild public housing developments has been made far more demanding over the years while the amount of money has gotten smaller and smaller. Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/17/07

Sharing could use community to provide free Wi-Fi -- The recent collapse of San Francisco's plan to provide free Wi-Fi has spawned a new, community-based effort that could provide a model for other cities that have found themselves in the same situation. "This is a great opportunity to create a people-powered Wi-Fi sharing platform," said Joanna Rees, U.S. chief executive of FON, a Wi-Fi provider that encourages its users to share their wireless signal. Ryan Kim in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 9/17/07

Plan touts 'no child left inside' -- Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights urges kids to discover nature. M.S. Enkoji in the Sacramento Bee -- 9/17/07

No letup in city's murder rate -- On Aug. 28, family and friends gathered for a candlelight vigil for Lavar Crayton, who became Oakland's 93rd homicide victim last year when he died hours after being found with gunshot wounds in East Oakland. In the few weeks since Crayton's vigil, more than 10 people have been killed in Oakland — several of whom were innocent victims ensnared in the violence. Angela Woodall in the Oakland Tribune -- 9/17/07