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California Supreme Court won't intervene on top-two primary -- The California Supreme Court has denied a request to intervene in the legal challenge against the top-two primary system set to take effect Jan. 1, leaving the case at the appeals court level. Torey Van Oot SacBee Capitol Alert -- 12/15/10 Pérez announces leadership, committee assignments -- Many chair and vice-chair posts vacated by termed-out members were filled by members of the freshman class, while most returning committee chairs retained their posts. Torey Van Oot SacBee Capitol Alert -- 12/15/10 Boxer, Feinstein support Obama’s tax deal -- Both of California’s U.S. Senators voted in favor of the tax cut and unemployment insurance extension package negotiated between President Barack Obama and Senate Republicans. Josh Richman Political Blotter -- 12/15/10 Reality hits for new attorney general Kamala Harris: budget first priority -- Attorney General-elect Kamala Harris today introduced a cast of law enforcement, technology, environmental and industry leaders as members of her transition team. Marisa Lagos Chronicle Politics -- 12/15/10 Eshoo’s TV ad volume bill is signed into law -- President Barack Obama today signed into law S.2847, the Commercial Advertising Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act, which forbids television ads from playing at a volume noticeably louder than the programs during which they air. Josh Richman Political Blotter -- 12/15/10 Final six members selected for state's redistricting commission -- TMembers chosen today were Democrats Gabino Aguirre and Maria Blanco, Republicans Gil Ontai and Michael Ward, and two people not affiliated with either party -- Michelle DiGuilio-Matz and M. Andre Parvenu. Jim Sanders SacBee Capitol Alert LA Times PolitiCal -- 12/15/10 Jerry Brown checking out midtown Sacramento apartments -- Gov.-elect Jerry Brown may become a midtown hipster. Brown - wearing a jogging suit - visited the loft apartment building at 1530 J street on Wednesday morning, and reports are he and his wife, Anne Gust Brown, are considering it for their Sacramento home. Bob Shallit SacBee Capitol Alert -- 12/15/10 Ducheny’s new job renews focus on state boards -- The recent appointment of former state Sen. Denise Ducheny of San Diego and two other ex-lawmakers has rekindled criticism about the value of some obscure state boards — particularly one that pays members six-figure salaries. Michael Gardner in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 12/15/10 House Democrats resigned to tax bill's passage -- For House Democrats, reality finally set in. CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN & JAKE SHERMAN Politico -- 12/15/10 Fox: White House-Business Bridge Building a Model for California -- The White House is attempting to build bridges to the business community in a model that would well serve California. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds weblog -- 12/15/10 Chuck DeVore to run in 2012 -- he just doesn't know what for -- Republican Chuck DeVore has been out of elective office for two weeks. But the former Irvine assemblyman is already itching to get back and declared to supporters Tuesday that he intends to be back on the ballot in 2012 -- he just doesn't know what office he'll be running for. Shane Goldmacher LA Times PolitiCal -- 12/15/10 Fight to counter Issa on oversight panel heats up -- Who's going to watch the watchdog? That's what Democrats are trying to figure out as candidates vie for the top minority seat on the House Oversight Committee in the next Congress. Ben Goad in the Riverside Press -- 12/15/10
Brown promises austere budget at forum focused on education -- Gov.-elect Jerry Brown had some words of advice for those gearing up for the budget he will propose next month: "Please sit down if you're reading the stories on the budget on Jan. 10. If you're driving, fasten your seat belt because it's going to be a rough ride." Steven Harmon in the Contra Costa Times Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times David Siders SacBee Capitol Alert Wyatt Buchanan in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/15/10 Walters: Brown's doomsday strategy very risky -- In Washington, they call it the "Washington Monument strategy," on the belief that every time the National Park Service faces a budget cut, it reacts by threatening to close the revered obelisk. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/15/10 Herdt: Only 69 sunsets in Brown's 'first 100 days' -- Although Gov.-elect Jerry Brown won’t be sworn in for another three weeks, the clock has already started ticking on his first 100 days. Timm Herdt in the Ventura Star -- 12/15/10 FEC shoots down cell phone campaign donations -- Picture this: It's October, the leaves are just starting to turn on a cool Sunday night, and you're sitting in your living room, catching up on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Chase Davis California Watch -- 12/15/10 Democrat Garamendi blasts Obama on tax cuts, Afghan war -- Barely a year after taking office, Democratic Rep. John Garamendi is criticizing his party's president in no uncertain terms, accusing him of backing "the fabulously wealthy." Rob Hotakainen in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/15/10 Dr. H Returns, Calbuzz Classic, Weird Holiday Dogs -- Despite his annual struggle against Seasonal Affect Disorder, Calbuzz staff psychiatrist Dr. P. J. Hackenflack has bravely battled his way through the stacks of mail that have piled up since the election, and graciously agreed to return today to answer our readers’ burning psycho-political questions. Jerry Roberts and Phil Trounstine CalBuzz -- 12/15/10 PacifiCare ordered to not pay $120 million in dividends -- California insurance chief Steve Poizner says the health insurer may need the funds slated for two units of its parent firm to cover possible penalties stemming from allegations of mismanagement. Duke Helfand in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/15/10 14 stars join California's Hall of Fame galaxy -- A high-powered night of networking and torch-passing marked the fifth California Hall of Fame ceremony Tuesday, as legends such as Barbra Streisand and Serena Williams shared the stage at the California Museum for History, Women and the Arts to honor 14 mega-achieving Californians. Jack Chang in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/15/10
San Francisco Board Says 'Aye' to America's Cup Bid -- Within 17 days, San Francisco could learn whether it will host the next America’s Cup regatta – an obscure but feted sporting event that could inject $1 billion into the region’s economy. John Upton Bay Citizen -- 12/15/10 California ranks as second-worst state for retirees -- In disconcerting news for California seniors, a web site has ranked California the second worst state for retirement living, largely because of the state budget crisis and high cost of living. Worst state? Illinois, which edged out California because of its cold weather. Anita Creamer in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/15/10 Judge orders Orange County garment company to pay $887,000 to underpaid workers -- An Orange County garment manufacturer has been ordered to pay $887,000 to current and former workers for failing to pay the minimum wage and overtime, the U. S. Department of Labor announced Tuesday. Stuart Pfeifer in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/15/10 Luxury shoppers are making a comeback -- Picking up a gift at Tiffany & Co. can easily set you back a month's rent, but here it is on a Wednesday afternoon and more than two dozen customers are packed around the jewelry cases at the South Coast Plaza store, eyeing $8,000 watches and $5,000 diamond earrings. Andrea Chang in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/15/10 Feds shifting jobs from San Francisco to Oakland -- A federal agriculture agency is moving local operations and 40 jobs to Oakland and will leave San Francisco, while three regional governmental organizations have begun to scout for a single new headquarters in Oakland or San Francisco for nearly 500 employees, officials said Tuesday. George Avalos in the Oakland Tribune -- 12/15/10 Yahoo Will Lay Off 600, or 4% of Work Force -- Yahoo will lay off about 600 employees, mostly in the company’s product group, a spokeswoman, Kim Rubey, said. The company began notifying employees on Tuesday, she added. Yahoo issued a statement on Tuesday that the company would continue to hire globally to support crucial priorities. Reuters -- 12/15/10 Hiltzik: Social Security payroll tax cut is no way to give workers a break -- The 'temporary' tax cut skips over millions of Americans, including some of the poorest laborers. And it potentially undermines Social Security. Why not simply reduce withholding, as was done for Making Work Pay? Michael Hiltzik in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/15/10
Jerry Brown: 'Fasten your seat belt' for school spending cuts -- Gov.-elect Jerry Brown told education leaders in Los Angeles on Tuesday to "fasten your seat belt" for dramatic spending cuts to schools, while not rejecting their appeals for tax-revenue relief. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/15/10 Fensterwald: Educators to Brown: give us flexibility -- Gov.-elect Jerry Brown warned educators at a forum at UCLA on Tuesday that they, along with everyone else, should brace for bad news (“Please sit down if you’re reading the stories on the budget on Jan. 10”) when he releases next year’s budget. John Fensterwald educatedguess -- 12/15/10 Report sees bleak future for teaching in California -- The teaching profession in California is facing a gloomy future, according to a report released Tuesday by the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning. Melody Gutierrez in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/15/10 McRae: Value-added evaluations can be designed but can limitations be understood? -- The notion of using student test scores for teacher evaluations has been a professional dilemma for me for many years. Doug McRae TopEd -- 12/15/10 Judge leaning toward approving changes in teacher seniority rules in L.A. Unified -- A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge on Tuesday stuck to a tentative ruling that would change the "last hired, first fired" rules that control which teachers get laid off during budget cutbacks in the L.A. Unified School District. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/15/10 McKinley parents allege intimidation -- Several parents who are working to have a charter company take over a low-performing Compton elementary school alleged Tuesday that they and their children are being threatened and intimidated by teachers and other school personnel. Carla Rivera in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/15/10 L.A. schools to get sponsors, Aug. 15 start -- The Los Angeles Unified Board of Education moved forward Tuesday on two initiatives that generated controversy: a policy to attract corporate sponsors and an earlier start to the school year. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/15/10 Natomas Unified meeting focuses on possible state takeover -- The bankruptcy and possible state takeover of Natomas Unified School District became very real to parents and school employees Tuesday. Diana Lambert in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/15/10 Rising generation of iKids slipping iPads in school backpacks and heading on home -- Before, during and even between classes at Hillbrook School this fall, seventh-graders have been spotted on the Los Gatos campus, sometimes burbling Spanish or Mandarin phrases into the glowing screen in their hands, other times staring into it like a looking glass. Bruce Newman in the San Jose Mercury -- 12/15/10
Judge says Delta pumping rules, meant to protect fish, are too restrictive -- The same federal judge who helped set in motion protests in California's farm country when he ruled three years ago that Delta pumping limits were too lax to prevent fish from going extinct determined Tuesday the new regulations go too far the other way. Mike Taugher in the Contra Costa Times Bettina Boxall in the Los Angeles Times Kelly Zito in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/15/10 Effort Falters on San Francisco Bay Delta -- A high-stakes effort to remake the San Francisco Bay Delta, the West Coast’s largest estuary, is looking as fragile as the degraded delta itself these days. FELICITY BARRINGER in the New York Times -- 12/15/10 Timber companies stand to benefit from new climate law -- California timber firms could emerge as big winners in the state’s fight against global warming, earning millions of dollars through the sale of carbon credits if a new set of rules are approved by the Air Resources Board this week. Mark Schapiro and Sarah Terry-Cobo California Watch -- 12/15/10 San Jose bans plastic bags -- San Jose became the largest U.S. city to ban plastic carry-out bags Tuesday with an ordinance that supporters said was the most far-reaching in the country aimed at encouraging shoppers to bring reusable totes. John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury -- 12/15/10 San Francisco kills plan to charge $6 entrance fee from south -- Bowing to intense pressure from the Peninsula, San Francisco supervisors Tuesday killed a plan to charge commuters up to $6 daily to enter or exit the city from the south. Mike Rosenberg in the Contra Costa Times -- 12/15/10 Renewable-energy program has chance of extension -- A federal stimulus program that has helped keep renewable-energy projects afloat during the recession could get a second wind despite industry fears that it might become a casualty of partisan bickering in Congress. Tiffany Hsu in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/15/10 Carbon Storage Could Be Shaky Proposition -- Some say storing carbon underground as a way to curb greenhouse gas emissions is risky. The container has to last essentially forever, and what if an earthquake rips through the seal? But new research is showing that pumping CO2 underground could itself trigger earthquakes. Alison Hawkes KQED Climate Watch -- 12/15/10
Is it ethical to stunt the growth of severely disabled kids? -- A group of scholars, experts and concerned parents concluded that it can be ethically acceptable to give gravely disabled children medical treatments that will stunt their growth. Christina Jewett California Watch -- 12/15/10 Amgen drug delayed spread of prostate cancer to bones, study finds -- Shares of the Thousand Oaks company jump 4.9% on the positive report on the drug Xgeva, which is in the final phase of testing usually needed for U.S. approval. Bloomberg -- 12/15/10
Donnelly: No in-state tuition for illegal immigrants -- When Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, R-Claremont, was running for office, there was no shortage of fiery rhetoric about illegal immigration and the need for drastic action in Sacramento. James Rufus Koren in the San Bernardino Sun -- 12/15/10 Dream Act may come back to haunt the GOP -- As Latino voters' clout grows, Republicans could come to regret their shift against the Dream Act, designed to give young illegal immigrants a path to citizenship. Kathleen Hennessey in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/15/10
PG&E's San Bruno Pipe Had Undisclosed Welds -- The natural gas pipeline that exploded in San Bruno split open at welds that pipeline owner Pacific Gas & Electric had told state regulators did not exist, federal investigators found. John Upton Bay Citizen Rich Connell and Ralph Vartabedian in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/15/10 NTSB reports sections of seam on exploding San Bruno pipeline were welded only on outside -- Some sections of a seam on the Bay Area natural gas pipeline that exploded in a deadly firestorm in a residential area in September were welded only on the outside, according to newly released investigative findings from the National Transportation Safety Board. Rich Connell in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/15/10 NTSB San Bruno report: Cause of explosion still unclear -- Federal investigators looking into the Sept. 9 natural gas explosion in San Bruno that killed eight people and destroyed 35 homes reported Tuesday that they still don't know what caused that section of pipe to burst, but have ruled out external corrosion and have found no sign of damage from excavation. Steve Johnson in the San Jose Mercury -- 12/15/10
Violent crime plunges in former murder capital -- Crime in the city of East Palo Alto is a shadow of its former self. But even the shadow is menacing. Ryan Gabrielson California Watch -- 12/15/10 New judges' poor ratings could be made public -- A governor's appointment of a judge who had been rated unqualified by the State Bar would have to be disclosed to the public under a proposal that California judicial leaders endorsed Tuesday. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/15/10 Blu says MOCA's removal of his mural amounts to censorship -- The Italian street artist Blu, whose anti-war mural was removed from the wall of the Geffen Contemporary building last week before the public could see it, has called the destruction of his mural by the Museum of Contemporary Art a form of censorship. Others say it was spectacularly bad planning on the part of the museum, which did not receive a proposal from the artist in advance of his starting work. Deborah Vankin in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/15/10 Pot shops to be forced closed in Sunset Beach -- The future of Sunset Beach's medical marijuana dispensaries has been hazy for months as Huntington Beach officials worked through the annexation process of the 84-acre county island. JAIMEE LYNN FLETCHER in the Orange County Register -- 12/15/10 LAPD defends use of red-light traffic cameras -- Assistant Chief Michel Moore tells the Police Commission that the cameras, at 32 intersections in the city, are effective tools in reducing accidents. But he questions the county court system for its method of collecting fines. Joel Rubin in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/15/10 Villaraigosa's DWP pick an outsider -- Los Angeles' mayor chooses Seattle-based Ron Nichols, who has 30 years' experience in the utility industry, to head the embattled department. David Zahniser and Patrick J. McDonnell in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/15/10 Latest tourist activity: Be a paparazzo for a day -- It used to be that tourists visiting Los Angeles peeked into hip and trendy bars and restaurants in hopes of spotting a celebrity. Hugo Martin in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/15/10 'God' motto gets approval -- The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved the displaying of the "In God We Trust" motto in its chambers, making it the second county in the state to do so. Joe Nelson in the San Bernardino Sun -- 12/15/10 Lopez: Baca's done it again, and this one's a doozy -- Ordering deputies not to talk to the L.A. Times is just the latest in a series of missteps by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/15/10 Berkeley council backs away from honoring soldier at center of WikiLeaks probe -- The Army private accused of giving sensitive wartime documents and a graphic combat video to the web site WikiLeaks.org did not gain hero status in the eyes of the Berkeley City Council Tuesday night. Doug Oakley in the Oakland Tribune -- 12/15/10
Obama plans 2011 staff makeover -- President Barack Obama has delayed the most significant staff shuffle of his presidency until after New Year’s — but the changes may be more sweeping than anticipated and could include the hiring of high-profile Democrats defeated in the midterms. CAROL E. LEE & GLENN THRUSH Politico -- 12/15/10
Senate spending bill contains thousands of earmarks -- Weeks after swearing off earmarks, many senators stand to gain tens of millions of dollars for pet projects in a massive spending bill that could be their last chance at the money before a more conservative Congress begins next month. Philip Rucker and Paul Kane in the Washington Post -- 12/15/10 In poll, many still skeptical of GOP -- Republicans may have made major gains in the November elections, but they have yet to win the hearts and minds of the American people, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Dan Balz and Jon Cohen in the Washington Post -- 12/15/10 Consensus on tax strategy still out of reach for Pelosi's frustrated caucus -- Frustrated House Democrats were no closer to a consensus on how they want to handle President Obama’s tax proposal after another marathon venting session Tuesday night. Russell Berman and Mike Lillis The Hill -- 12/15/10 Michael Steele's move stuns GOP donors -- Some of the Republican Party’s most prominent donors reacted Tuesday with shock — and then fury — to Michael Steele’s decision to seek re-election, bluntly warning that they would not raise money for the party if the controversial chairman wins another term. JONATHAN MARTIN Politico -- 12/15/10 |
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