LA Times editor fired in dispute -- The Los Angeles Times fired its top editor after he rejected a management order to cut $4 million from the newsroom budget, 14 months after his predecessor was also ousted in a budget dispute, the newspaper said Sunday. JOHN ROGERS AP RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA in the New York Times Howard Kurtz in the Washington Post -- 1/20/08

Obama needles Clinton campaign -- Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) told one of the nation’s most prominent black congregations Sunday that it is time to purge the “poison” from politics and made a sly reference to a Clinton campaign reference to his youthful drug use. Mike Allen Politico -- 1/20/08

GOP Field Faces First True Test In Florida -- All Top Contenders Finally Go All-Out In a Closed Primary. Dan Balz in the Washington Post -- 1/20/08

Split decisions set up GOP fight for Florida -- Needing to prove he can prevail in a conservative-dominated contest, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) came through here on Saturday. With wins now in New Hampshire and South Carolina and a second-place showing against Mitt Romney in Michigan, McCain has established himself as a top contender for the GOP nomination. And he has also demonstrated, yet again, his resilience. Jonathan Martin Politico -- 1/20/08

Governor's health care bill faces long hearing, close vote -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's $14 billion health care expansion bill moves to the Senate, where it will face an extended hearing this week and the likelihood of a close vote in the Health Committee. STEVE LAWRENCE AP -- 1/20/08

In twist, GOP candidates eye California's Democratic districts -- California's 33rd Congressional District is hard-core Democrat. Ethnically diverse, cutting a swath from Hollywood through the city's historic black heartland, it's so thick with Democrats that John Kerry won 83 percent of the vote during the 2004 presidential election. Republicans didn't even bother to field a candidate in the last U.S. House race. So why would Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney be interested in voters here? MICHAEL R. BLOOD AP -- 1/20/08

Schwarzenegger stays neutral in presidential race -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Saturday put to rest months of speculation that he would shake up presidential politics by endorsing one of the candidates. Evan Halper in the Los Angeles Times Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/20/08

Private properties' fate goes to voters -- The fate of billions of dollars worth of private property in California will be at stake this year in a political battle over how much power the government should have to seize homes and businesses for redevelopment. Harrison Sheppard in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 1/20/08

Carjacked politico gets new set of wheels -- State Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata has gotten himself a new set of wheels - a used, silver, 2007 Ford Crown Victoria. "I figure that no one will mess with me if I look like an undercover cop," the Oakland Democrat said. Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/20/08

State Ballot Measures: Casinos want to add 17,000 slot machines -- A change in legislative term limits and a cut in fees at community colleges will also go before voters Feb. 5. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/20/08

Stakes high in fight over tribal casinos -- Based on the blizzard of campaign advertising alone, California voters on Feb. 5 will decide a $108 million question on Indian casino gambling – whether to add as many as 17,000 slot machines. Peter Hecht in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/20/08

A California primary that matters -- Presidential candidates seeking vital votes, term limit changes, college funding -- it's not the usual June exercise. Cathleen Decker in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/20/08

Baldassare: California independents an election enigma -- The biggest story in the early presidential primaries has been the surprising role of independent voters in what have historically been partisan contests. Mark Baldassare in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/20/08

Saunders: Gaming California -- Why should four rich tribes enjoy a monopoly on new slots? If Californians want more gambling to provide easy money for a strapped state government, think of all the dough to be made by opening up gambling outside of tribal lands. Debra J. Saunders in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/20/08

Errant members, gangster friends give San Manuel casino headaches, ex-employees say -- One of Southern California's busiest Indian casinos is plagued by criminal tribal members and Inland gangsters. According to former tribal employees, a source close to the tribe, court documents and internal tribal documents, criminal elements have started brawls, assaulted people, brought in guns and used drugs inside the facility. MICHELLE DeARMOND in the Riverside Press -- 1/20/08

Tribe still waits for gaming pact sign -- More than four months after the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians got news that the state Legislature had ratified its amended compact, the tribe still awaits publication of the compact's approval in the Federal Register. That would allow the tribe to have up to 7,500 slot machines in its casino near San Bernardino and Highland. It currently has 2,000 slot machines. Joe Nelson in the San Bernardino Sun -- 1/20/08

Walters: Tax breaks are costly, but popular -- Democratic legislators want to raise taxes to close a whopping state budget deficit, but as they denounce Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's initial proposal to slash spending, they're shying away from directly calling for general tax increases. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/20/08

Weintraub: Paying for benefits upfront will keep spending in focus -- After a year of study, public hearings and discussion, a commission appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders to review the state's huge, unfunded liability for public employee retirement benefits has come back with its verdict: pay in advance. Daniel Weintraub in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/20/08

Analysis: Prisons on both sides of budget -- Governor's spending plan calls for new construction but also early releases. Andy Furillo in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/20/08

GOP on notice to resist higher taxes -- The anti-tax creed is so ingrained in the Republican Party that all but one of the 47 GOP state lawmakers has signed a pledge to never raise taxes. Steven Harmon in the San Jose Mercury -- 1/20/08

Boren: We just can't trust what the governor says or does -- I'm getting the idea that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is messing with us. One day, he's acting like a serious policy wonk with a vision for California that would put him in the statesman category. The next day, he's double-talking himself through a flip-flop on term limits that has you wondering whether he's a political amateur or a calculating horse trader who'll say anything to get a deal. Jim Boren in the Fresno Bee -- 1/20/08

A conversation with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger -- On Wednesday Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger met with The Bee's editorial board to discuss the state budget and its $14.5 billion shortfall, among other topics. Following are edited excerpts from his 90-minute conversation. The item is in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/20/08

Gamed by the System -- The following is excerpted from "Basic Brown: My Life and Our Times" by Willie Brown, which publishes Feb. 5, the date of the California primary. The item is in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/20/08

These political calls aren't just annoying -- Recorded messages are illegal if not preceded by a live voice. But that law isn't enforced. David Colker in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/20/08

Florida becomes showdown state for GOP -- It's a microcosm of the party: part northern, part Southern and part evangelical. Doyle McManus in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/20/08

McCain savors his sweetest victory -- The senator's win helps wash away the bitterness of the 2000 South Carolina defeat that ended his presidential campaign. Maeve Reston in the Los Angeles Times Joe Garofoli, Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/20/08

Clinton wins Nevada -- She outpolls Obama among women, the less affluent and Latinos. Romney trounces his Republican rivals, but Ron Paul takes 2d.. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/20/08

Leavenworth: Researching the candidates -- Fred Thompson is hungry for "regime change" in Iran. John Edwards seeks a law against predatory lending. Hillary Clinton backs California in its lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency. Mike Huckabee wants more music in schools, presumably of the hymnal variety. Stuart Leavenworth in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/20/08

Berman likely to head House Foreign Affairs Committee -- Rep. Howard Berman, the Van Nuys Democrat who voted to authorize the invasion of Iraq and was among the last Democrats to withdraw his support from the war, is expected to be named the next chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Lisa Friedman in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 1/20/08

Internet whiz connects Grand Old Party to what's new -- Cyrus Krohn left his high-level, high-paying job at Yahoo to return to politics in D.C. Jim Puzzanghera in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/20/08

Border Patrol agent killed by vehicle -- Officer laying spike strips is hit by a Hummer that had illegally crossed into southeast California. Richard Marosi and Rebecca Trounson in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/20/08

Map omits firms of mayor, councilman -- Boundaries were changed to remove conflicts and allow them to vote, official says. Other merchants say it's unfair. Jennifer Delson in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/20/08

Critics: Term limit plan falls short -- Ballot question could actually extend some stays in office, opponents argue. Steve Harmon in the Oakland Tribune -- 1/20/08

From green card to U.S. passport -- Orlino and Jonah Ordona of San Jose were concerned about rising immigration fees. Premed student Shilpa Muddagowni of Cupertino has her eye on a medical residency. Kenneth Leung of Berkeley wants to vote for John McCain in the Feb. 5 primary. Mike Swift in the San Jose Mercury -- 1/20/08

Thousands march against abortion in San Francisco -- Thousands of abortion protesters marched along San Francisco's waterfront Saturday, hectored by a smaller band of abortion rights supporters, as both sides marked the impending anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that established those rights 35 years ago. Anastasia Ustinova, Sabin Russell in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/20/08

Angry passengers sue airlines -- Kate Hanni, the Bay Area woman who has spent the past year campaigning for an airline passengers' bill of rights, is preparing to take her case to court. Michael Martinez in the San Jose Mercury -- 1/20/08

Obama passes on donations -- He'll give $40,350 in campaign contributions to charity after filings for a patron's kickback trial suggest the money is tainted. Dan Morain in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/20/08

Internet draws eager supporters to Rep. Ron Paul's long-shot run -- He opposes the Iraq war, advocates gold standard, vows and end to the IRS. Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/20/08

A question of style, history among Democrats -- At Tuesday night's Democratic debate in Las Vegas, some questions were posed to the three main presidential hopefuls from viewers. And the one from Margaret Wells from San Diego stuck with me. She said given that the policy differences among the candidates are so slight, voters appear to be left to choose on the basis of a candidate's personality and life story. You're right, Ms. Wells. DENA BUNIS in the Orange County Register -- 1/20/08

Hunter ends quest for GOP presidential nomination -- Rep. Duncan Hunter, whose long-shot bid for the Republican presidential nomination never really got off the ground, dropped out of the race last night after a dismal showing in Nevada, which was seen as the last hope to salvage his candidacy. John Marelius in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 1/20/08

Borrowers stretched to the limit -- The upsurge in problems hitting residents with solid credit surprises Safe CEO. Jim Wasserman in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/20/08

Will a slower economy sink Silicon Valley's fortunes, too? -- The dollar is dropping, financial firms have lost billions of dollars in subprime loans, credit is tight and the stock market this month has given up all the gains it made last year. But there's an almost surreal disconnect between the economic chill that has gripped the rest of the country and the forecasts for Silicon Valley. Pete Carey in the San Jose Mercury -- 1/20/08

Proposed budget cuts put special ed at risk -- School districts in San Mateo County and elsewhere face dramatic increases in their share of special-education costs based on the governor's austere statewide budget proposal released last week. Neil Gonzales in the Contra Costa Times -- 1/20/08

Salaries of school chiefs soar nationally -- Fresno Unified trustees came under fire this month for abruptly boosting schools chief Michael Hanson's pay by more than one-third. But many recruitment experts say the laws of supply and demand gave them little choice. Pablo Lopez in the Fresno Bee -- 1/20/08

Bacteria race ahead of drugs -- At a busy microbiology lab in San Francisco, bad bugs are brewing inside vials of human blood, or sprouting inside petri dishes, all in preparation for a battery of tests. Sabin Russell in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/20/08

Family still battling drug-resistant staph -- Tom Gray's newborn son, Quinn, was just 4 days old in January 2005 when the family pediatrician noticed a small cluster of pimples during a routine baby exam. By the time his tests came back positive for drug-resistant staph, Quinn was already taking an effective antibiotic, and the infection near his groin faded away. Sabin Russell in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/20/08

Man grateful to be alive after staph infection -- Sao Tomé is a tiny volcanic island astride the equator, 200 miles off the coast of western Africa, and a world away from San Francisco, where Ned Seligman grew up. Sabin Russell in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/20/08

Lazarus: Is this a healthy way to choose who gets care? -- We've heard a lot from state and national political leaders recently about the need to reform the U.S. healthcare system, and not least to extend coverage to the 47 million Americans who now lack insurance. But what about those who are fully insured and still struggle for coverage of necessary treatments? David Lazarus in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/20/08

Kaiser to study mystery illness -- Morgellons patients feel as if bugs are crawling under their skin. Barbara Feder Ostrov in the Oakland Tribune -- 1/20/08

Growing reach creates massive 'megaregion' -- On Nov. 27, thousands of Sacramento County commuters crept into the darkness to begin what for some would be a two-hour trip to work in the East Bay, San Francisco or Silicon Valley. Erik Nelson in the Oakland Tribune -- 1/20/08

Massive ranch will be protected -- San Felipe Ranch, the largest privately owned property in Santa Clara County and a rustic, personal retreat for Silicon Valley pioneers Bill Hewlett and David Packard for more than four decades, will forever be protected from development under a landmark deal to be announced Monday. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury -- 1/20/08

Drought plan opens rifts over fairness -- Foes say the Metropolitan Water District proposal slights small, older cities with less clout. Backers say it spreads the pain. Deborah Schoch in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/20/08

Proposed wood burning ban draws fire -- A proposed ban on burning wood in the Bay Area's 1 million fireplaces and stoves on bad-air days has drawn praise - and heat - from hundreds of residents as regulators consider how to balance the health risks of inhaling smoke against the need to stay warm. Jane Kay in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/20/08

Santa Ana aims to be Orange County's heart -- The city's Renaissance Plan envisions a revitalized, vibrant downtown in the county seat. Jennifer Delson in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/20/08

Bay Bridge's single-tower span gets off ground -- The Bay Area will finally get a chance to see what it's long been waiting for - the construction of a soaring single-tower suspension bridge east of Yerba Buena Island. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/20/08

Delta's struggles turn fishing festival serious -- California's largest hunting and fishing festival became a platform for environmental action Saturday as organizers turned over the stage to a panel of advocates working to restore Delta fish species. Matt Weiser in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/20/08

Water-purifying tricycle wins innovation competition -- At first glance, the aqua blue tricycle looks like a sidewalk cruiser for seniors, but this deceptively simple bike can potentially deliver safe drinking water to millions of needy people around the world. Joe Rodriguez in the San Jose Mercury -- 1/20/08

Lopez: Good cop makes a bad decision -- Remember the televised chase that ended with a Los Angeles police officer beating a suspected car thief with a flashlight? Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/20/08

Tijuana's new chief knows the cartel's killers are after him -- They've already shot up his house and gunned down three cops. He urges citizens to stand with him. Richard Marosi in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/20/08