Updating . . .    

Gov. Jerry Brown endorses strong action against Donald Sterling -- Gov. Jerry Brown said Wednesday that remarks about African Americans attributed to Donald Sterling were a “horror” and required a "strong" response against the owner of the Clippers. Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

California livestock antibiotics bill shelved -- An Assembly bill curtailing the use of antibiotics on livestock is done for the year. Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/30/14

Jerry Brown won't answer multiple choice voter guide questions -- Gov. Jerry Brown's high public approval rating and relatively safe re-election prospects have allowed the Democratic governor to run the barest of races, with no pressure to pay for advertising, to put on public events, or to otherwise take on the grind of a traditional campaign. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/30/14

Oprah Winfrey in talks with Geffen, Ellison for possible Clippers bid -- Talk show host turned entertainment mogul Oprah Winfrey is in talks with billionaire media executive David Geffen and Oracle Corp CEO Larry Ellison to make a bid to buy the Los Angeles Clippers should the team become available, her spokeswoman said On Wednesday. Eric Kelsey Reuters -- 4/30/14

Mary Hayashi’s campaign foe puts shoplifting case front and center -- Mary Hayashi brought her campaign for an East Bay/South Bay state Senate seat to bemused sports fans the other night in Oakland, San Francisco and the Peninsula, as well as to her district, when she ran a 30-second TV ad in the middle of the Giants-Padres baseball game. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/30/14

California's workers compensation benefits among lowest -- California workers who suffer permanent, job-related injuries and illnesses are entitled to workers compensation payments that are among the lowest in the nation, an exhaustive state-by-state comparison reveals. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/30/14

Senate Republicans block minimum wage increase bill -- The Senate voted on Wednesday against going ahead on a bill that would gradually increase the federal minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $10.10 an hour, another rejection for legislation that has been a major focus of the Democrats' 2014 midterm campaign. Wesly Lowery in the Washington Post$ Burgess Everett Politico Niels Lesniewski Roll Call Alan Fram Associated Press Alex Rogers TIME -- 4/30/14

From jail, Raymond Chow on journalism panel -- Chinatown tong leader Raymond "Shrimp Boy" Chow remains jailed without bail on federal racketeering charges - but he was able to take part by phone the other night in a journalism symposium at UC Berkeley. Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/30/14

Members file rebuttal to CalPERS' argument that long-term care lawsuit should be thrown out -- A small band of CalPERS long-term care policyholders have again blasted the system and its leadership in court documents that allege dishonestly and mismanagement of the private insurance program have led to soaring rate hikes planned for next year. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/30/14

Climate change: Pacific Ocean acidity dissolving shells of key species -- In a troubling new discovery, scientists studying ocean waters off California, Oregon and Washington have found the first evidence that increasing acidity in the ocean is dissolving the shells of a key species of tiny sea creature at the base of the food chain. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/30/14

Santa Clara, Alameda counties are fastest growing in state -- San Jose's population topped 1 million in 2013 and is the third largest city in the state, behind Los Angeles, which has a population of 3.9 million, and San Diego with a population of 1.3 million. Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/30/14

California population continues slow growth, hits 38.3 million -- California's population continued its relatively slow growth in 2013, adding 356,000 more residents, the state Department of Finance reported Wednesday. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ Scott Gold in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

Latino population surges even as immigration on decline -- While the population of U.S.-born Latinos continues to surge, the Latino immigrant population is falling, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis. Franco Ordoñez in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/30/14

Auburn Dam: The Water Project That Won’t Die -- In California, it’s as dependable as the rainy season. Okay, more so. Whenever there’s too much water or not enough, people start talking about Auburn Dam. It’s California’s biggest dam that has never been built — and probably never will be. Craig Miller KQED -- 4/30/14

Air quality gains could be eroded by drought, climate change -- Almost 15 years of steady improvement to the air breathed by Southern Californians is being threatened by a statewide drought causing the release of lung-damaging particles from dry riverbeds, home fireplace chimneys and local wildfires, according to a national health organization. Steve Scauzillo in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 4/30/14

Farmers Forecasting Less Rice, Higher Prices Because of Drought -- California supplies virtually all of the nation’s sushi rice and half of it is exported. But of all the food crops in the state, rice is likely to be affected by the drought the most. The mere speculation of losses is already driving up prices. Amy Quinton Capital Public Radio -- 4/30/14

UC Riverside is best college value, according to Time -- What college offers the best bang for your buck? High school seniors and their parents face that difficult question annually, but Time magazine may have found the surprising answer: University of California, Riverside. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/30/14

UC Irvine tops Times Higher Education's U.S. schools under 50 years old -- As the University of California, Irvine approaches the milestone of its 50th year of operation in 2015, the campus has been honored again by Times Higher Education magazine as the top-rated university in the United States for schools under 50 years old. Raymond Mendoza in the Orange County Register$ -- 4/30/14

Elon Musk Wants SpaceX to Replace Russia as NASA's Space Station Transport -- SpaceX, the rocket and space exploration company founded by entrepreneur Elon Musk, filed a protest against the U.S. Air Force this week, saying that the military has unfairly prevented it from competing for space satellite launches. Justin Bachman Bloomberg Businessweek -- 4/30/14

Panel backs bill to expand preschool programs in California -- A bill to create a pilot program that would expand access to preschool for children from low-income families by allowing corporations to donate money for that purpose and receive a tax credit in return advanced in the Legislature this week. Timm Herdt in the Ventura Star$ -- 4/30/14

Janet Napolitano, UC's flak catcher, on admissions policy, tuition hikes and more -- Which is the frying pan and which is the fire? Janet Napolitano resigned as head of Homeland Security to head the University of California. Patt Morrison in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

California of Two Minds on Warrantless Searches of Cellphones -- In California, the governor told the legislature not to require warrants for cellphone searches, saying the issue belongs in the courts. The state’s attorney general says just the opposite: the justices should not require warrants for cellphone searches, because the matter should be decided by the legislature. Jess Bravin in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 4/30/14

Berkeley council takes cautious look at issue of drones -- Speakers at Tuesday evening's City Council workshop to develop domestic drone policy ranged from those who called for making the city a "drone free zone," to supporters of limited drone use in police and fire emergencies. Judith Scherr in the Oakland Tribune -- 4/30/14

Condoleezza Rice to perform in jazz, classical, gospel concert -- Condoleezza Rice, former U.S. secretary of state and an accomplished pianist, will perform in a benefit concert Saturday in Palo Alto. Sharon Noguchi in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/30/14

Longtime progressive activist Tim Carpenter dies -- Tim Carpenter, one of Orange County’s leading progressive activists for nearly 30 years, died of cancer Monday in Massachusetts. He was 55. Martin Wisckol in the Orange County Register$ -- 4/30/14

Californians used less electricity in 2013 -- Whether by conservation or efficiency or some other reason, California in 2013 used 1.3 percent less electricity than it did in 2012. The state’s annual peak load in 2013 was down 3.7 percent compared to 2012’s peak — and 2013 was a five-year low. Mark Anderson Sacramento Business Journal -- 4/30/14

Speedy Fix50 construction means big changes for commuters this week -- The Fix50 project, because it is five days ahead of schedule, will shift which lanes are closed on eastbound Highway 50 -- and close four ramps to motorists this week. Bill Lindelof in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/30/14

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler defends proposed net neutrality reform -- Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler strongly defended rules he has proposed for the Internet that critics fear would result in preferential treatment for big companies and place too much power in the hands of the nation's broadband providers. Joe Flint in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

Elizabeth Warren: Internet 'Fast Lanes' Will Help 'Rich and Powerful' -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren urged the Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday to enact strong net-neutrality rules to ensure that all websites receive equal service. Brendan Sasso National Journal -- 4/30/14

Kochs are center stage (in absentia) at Senate hearing -- Though they were absent, Republican megadonors Charles and David Koch were the headliners in a heated partisan clash on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. Byron Tau Politico -- 4/30/14

Retired Justice John Paul Stevens tells Congress 'money is not speech' -- Unlimited campaign expenditures “impair” the democratic process, retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens told senators Wednesday, urging Congress to amend the Constitution to allow “reasonable limits” on election spending. Daniel Rothberg in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

Tesla Motors To Open Operations In San Joaquin County -- Tesla Motors has started work on building modifications at a plant in Lathrop in San Joaquin County. The electric automaker is already seeking job applicants for the new facility. Rich Ibarra Capital Public Radio -- 4/30/14

California Bill Would Require Fair Health Insurance Pricing -- As The Affordable Care Act provides health insurance to millions more Californians, Democratic Assemblyman Tom Ammiano says his bill would make sure that the coverage remains affordable. Max Pringle Capital Public Radio -- 4/30/14

Fox News denies report Shepard Smith demoted for asking to come out -- Fox News is denying allegations that anchor Shepard Smith was demoted after approaching network chief Roger Ailes about the possibility of publicly coming out as gay. Meredith Blake in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

Fracking-inspired moratorium on oil drilling to expire in Carson -- An effort to extend a moratorium on all oil drilling in the city of Carson failed Tuesday night after the five-member City Council failed to reach the four-fifths supermajority needed to keep the ban in place. Christine Mai-Duc in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

Senator Franken, Comcast’s fiercest critic, tries to lure allies from Silicon Valley -- Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) has become Capitol Hill's loudest opponent of Comcast's bid for Time Warner Cable. Now, he's trying to root out like-minded critics from Silicon Valley. In a letter to the trade group Computer & Communications Industry Association, Franken asked for the group's opinion on the $45 billion merger. Cecilia Kang in the Washington Post$ -- 4/30/14

What’s Really in Taco Bell Beef -- The beef ingredients section of Taco Bell’s website is going viral this week, as ABC News, USA Today, and Business Insider claim the page has been updated with colloquial explanations of the ingredients in its beef, which is 88% beef, while the other 12% is called “Signature Recipe.” Olivia B. Waxman TIME -- 4/30/14

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning

Caltrans' simple, cut-rate fix for Bay Bridge problem -- Even as Caltrans spends $10 million to study whether more than 2,000 rods and bolts on the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge are vulnerable to cracking, the agency has quietly installed a relatively cheap and simple fix for dozens of the galvanized-steel parts, The Chronicle has learned. Jaxon Van Derbeken in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/30/14

State begins early releases of nonviolent prisoners -- The state is releasing some low-level, nonviolent prisoners early as Gov. Jerry Brown complies with a federal court order to reduce crowding in its lockups — a turning point in the governor's efforts to resolve the issue. Paige St. John in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

Assembly rejects bills to put parolee supervision back on state -- California lawmakers rejected proposals Tuesday to give state parole officers greater authority over released inmates now being watched by counties, legislation aimed at relieving probation departments that say they are ill prepared for their new caseload. Brad Branan in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/30/14

California still owes big bucks for unemployment insurance -- As severe recession struck the nation a half-decade ago, California and most other states borrowed heavily from the federal government to prop up their unemployment insurance programs. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/30/14

Jerry Brown signs tax break for private space companies -- The bill, which passed the Legislature with bipartisan support, was promoted by its author, Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi, D-Torrance, as a measure to help California become a hub for the private space industry, including firms such as Hawthorne-based SpaceX. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

California water bond fight in flux -- The drought-driven quest to put a new water bond before California voters has fluctuated over the last few weeks, marked by new measures appearing, old ones evaporating and legislators shifting allegiances. Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/30/14

Republican Andrew Blount leaves governor’s race -- Blount, the mayor of Laguna Hills in Orange County, said unspecified health issues have made it impossible for him to continue what he admitted has been a largely invisible campaign to oust Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

Jeb Bush endorses Neel Kashkari in California governor's race -- Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush endorsed California Republican gubernatorial candidate Neel Kashkari on Tuesday, saying Kashkari had the skills to fix the state’s troubled schools and grow its economy. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

New Kashkari endorsements say plenty about Donnelly -- Republican Neel Kashkari has been pulling in some big-name GOP endorsements for his governor’s campaign, but they may say as much about worries over his Tea Party-friendly opponent as they do about any great love for — or even much knowledge of — the former U.S. Treasury Department official. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/30/14

Conservative radio hosts say Kashkari, Donnelly will debate -- It appeared unlikely as little as a month ago that Republican rivals Tim Donnelly and Neel Kashkari would debate before the June primary election. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

Jerry Brown will lead trade mission to Mexico -- California’s neighbor has a role to play in the Golden State’s push to address its energy and environmental needs, Brown had said in his State of the State address in January. Josh Richman Political Blotter Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

Herdt: A fresh deck for iPoker in California -- It is an axiom in Sacramento that well-heeled interest groups can bottle up any proposed legislation. But when those interest groups come together, magic can happen. Timm Herdt in the Ventura Star$ -- 4/30/14

Sex assault bill named for Saratoga teen clears state Senate -- Legislation called "Audrie's Law" that would broaden the state's definition of rape to include the sexual assault of an unconscious or developmentally disabled person cleared a key legislative committee Tuesday morning. Jessica Calefati in the Contra Costa Times$ -- 4/30/14

State asked to investigate religious discrimination claim -- When 13-year-old Noorah Abdo went with her family in August to the Boomers amusement park in Livermore, the ride she especially looked forward to was the go-karts. But when she got to the ticket window, she was told her head scarf, which she wore for religious reasons as a Muslim, violated the park's no-headwear safety policy for that ride. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/30/14

Nuclear settlement costs investors $96M -- A San Onofre settlement proposal held back first-quarter earnings at Southern California Edison by $96 million, the Rosemead-based utility said Tuesday in federal financial filings. Morgan Lee UT San Diego$ -- 4/30/14

Walters: California’s 1990s culture revisited in two bills -- Although not apparent at the time, the 1990s were a pivotal period in the cultural and political history of California. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/30/14

ShotSpotter Lobbied Oakland Officials In Apparent Violation of Law -- The gunshot detection company pressed city officials to renew its contract despite the fact that it had failed to register as a lobbyist in Oakland. Darwin BondGraham and Ali Winston East Bay Express -- 4/30/14

Sheila Kuehl seeks a legislative encore with L.A. supervisor bid -- It was 1959 when Sheila Kuehl, an 18-year-old UCLA student, first fell in love with a woman. For a year, Kuehl stashed daily letters from her in a dresser drawer at her Westwood sorority house. Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

California lawmakers want to help men change baby diapers -- Senate Bill 1358 by Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis, would require restaurants, movie theaters, shopping centers and other public venues to provide diaper changing tables in the restrooms for both men and women. Laurel Rosenhall in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/30/14

Sterling    

Donald Sterling has options to weigh after NBA ban -- Donald Sterling could choose to sell the L.A. Clippers — possibly for upward of $1 billion — or he could stand and fight. David Wharton, Stuart Pfeifer, Tiffany Hsu in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

Donald Sterling banned for life, fined $2.5 million -- Punishments for the Clippers owner include a lifetime ban and a $2.5-million fine. Silver also said he would urge NBA owners and the board of governors to force Sterling to sell the team. Houston Mitchell in the Los Angeles Times$ Cindy Boren in the Washington Post$ Chris Herring in the Wall Street Journal$ Lynn Zinser in the New York Times$ -- 4/30/14

Kings’ chairman Ranadive supports Sterling ban, will seek Clippers sale --Vivek Ranadive, the Sacramento Kings chairman, voiced full-fledged support today for the lifetime ban imposed on Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling and said he plans to vote to force Sterling to sell the team. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/30/14

Court documents show controversy involving Donald Sterling's wife -- An apartment tenant and managers claimed the wife of embattled Clippers owner Donald Sterling denigrated African Americans, Latinos and once posed as a health inspector, according to court records. Nathan Fenno in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

UCLA cancels $3-million research gift from Sterling Foundation -- UCLA will return $425,000 recently donated by the Donald T. Sterling Charitable Foundation for kidney research and will cancel an agreement that would have brought Sterling’s gift to $3 million over seven years, the university announced Tuesday. Larry Gordon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

David Geffen Interested in Buying Clippers -- A basic rule in the sports business is that high-quality franchises in major markets don't come up for sale very often. Matthew Futterman in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 4/30/14

Donald Sterling could tie up Clippers sale 'for the rest of his life' -- The Clippers could have a new owner within a few months if Donald Sterling accepts the lifetime ban from the NBA and $2.5-million fine issued against him by the league Tuesday morning, analysts said. But if the real estate mogul and trained lawyer decides not to cooperate, the sale of the team could drag on indefinitely. Tiffany Hsu, Stuart Pfeifer in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

Sterling controversy catapults Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson onto national stage -- Kevin Johnson walked slowly to a microphone outside Los Angeles City Hall on Tuesday, more than ready to face dozens of reporters and the defining moment of his political career. Ryan Lillis in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 4/30/14

Lopez: Donald Sterling ban by NBA gets a rousing approval at L.A. barbershop -- "He just cut him down and cut him out." That was the response from South Los Angeles barbershop owner Lawrence Tolliver moments after the NBA commissioner told Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling to leave the building, and not just for a day or two, but for life. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

Economy, Employers, Jobs   

Mayor Eric Garcetti seeks cooperation with Long Beach on port issues -- Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Tuesday spoke of his desire to work with neighboring Long Beach on port issues, prioritized a “back-to-basics approach” that brings and retains business at the Port of Los Angeles and offered his “trusted ear” to longshore workers and employers in upcoming labor talks. Karen Robes Meeks in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 4/30/14

U.S. FCC chief details pledge to police Internet 'fast lanes' -- The top U.S. communications regulator on Tuesday said he would use "every available power" to prevent Internet providers from restricting users' access to any web content as he seeks to calm a consumer storm over his proposed new Internet traffic rules. Alina Selyukh Reuters -- 4/30/14

Franken: New FCC Rules Would 'Destroy' Open Internet -- The Minnesota Democrat sent FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler a letter blasting the net-neutrality regulations he introduced last week, saying the "fast lanes" undermine the core principles of net neutrality: openness and competition. Laura Ryan National Journal -- 4/30/14

California House delegation urges Postal Service to nix Staples deal -- A California House delegation led by Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) is calling on Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe to reject a recent pilot program with Staples to operate retail mail counters at 82 U.S. stores. Ricardo Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

Firefighters allege age discrimination in lawsuit -- Current and former high-ranking San Bernardino County firefighters are alleging age discrimination in a lawsuit against the county, arguing that the Fire Department has been trying to oust older firefighters since Chief Mark Hartwig took the helm three years ago. Joe Nelson in the San Bernardino Sun -- 4/30/14

White House opens door to tolls on interstate highways, removing long-standing prohibition -- With pressure mounting to avert a transportation funding crisis this summer, the Obama administration Tuesday opened the door for states to collect tolls on interstate highways to raise revenue for roadway repairs. Ashley Halsey III in the Washington Post$ -- 4/30/14

Oakland merchants seek help as bus lanes limit car traffic -- You can't sell dishwashers to people who ride the bus, Oakland merchant Vincente Soto said. Will Kane in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/30/14

Education

Baldassare: Trouble ahead for local school bonds and parcel taxes? -- The elections this year offer the first statewide look at Californians’ willingness to raise revenue for their local schools since passage of Proposition 30, the tax initiative to benefit education that voters passed in November 2012. Mark Baldassare EdSource -- 4/30/14

Milken conference: Technology innovations poised to change education -- Innovations in technology are poised to upend how students learn and the way educational institutions impart knowledge to people around the world, according to panelists at the Milken Institute Global Conference. Shan Li in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

Commission reverses itself, authorizes military instructors to teach physical education -- The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing reversed itself and voted earlier this month to offer military instructors a limited authorization to teach physical education. In the eyes of physical educators, respect for their field was dealt another blow. Jane Meredith Adams EdSource -- 4/30/14

LA schools' maintenance budget trails other large districts --The Los Angeles Unified spends the least on maintenance and operations of California's largest school district, according to new analysis by a district committee. Annie Gilbertson KPCC -- 4/30/144/29/14

Immigration / Border

Boehner assures Republicans he won't push immigration reform -- House Speaker John Boehner on Tuesday reassured fellow Republican lawmakers that he will not push them to pass immigration reform and said he was just teasing last week when he criticized his caucus's reluctance on the issue. Julia Edwards Reuters -- 4/30/14

Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren introduces 'private bill' to stop deportation of Bay Area woman -- In a political maneuver aimed at helping the mother of a San Jose State engineering student, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren has introduced a "private bill" aimed at stopping the deportation of the former Bay Area woman, who has been separated for three years from her three children. David E. Early in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 4/30/14

Environment

L.A., Central Valley have worst air quality, American Lung Assn. says -- Los Angeles has again topped a list of the cities with the worst smog in the nation, violating federal health standards for ozone an average of 122 days a year. Tony Barboza in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

Supreme Court upholds EPA rule limiting cross-state pollution -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday resurrected an Environmental Protection Agency rule targeting air pollution that drifts across state borders, handing the Obama administration a victory on one of its major environmental efforts. Robert Barnes and Darryl Fears in the Washington Post$ -- 4/30/14

Also . . .

Oakland police monitor notes progress on compliance -- Oakland's Police Department has reached the highest level of compliance ever in its decade-old effort to comply with court-ordered reforms stemming from a class-action lawsuit that accused police of misconduct. Will Kane in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/30/14

Hundreds Of Iraqis In San Diego Cast Overseas Vote In Parliamentary Election -- Hundreds of San Diego Iraqis cast their overseas ballot on Sunday and Monday at the Crystal Ballroom in El Cajon. It's the first parliamentary election of their home country since the withdrawal of U.S. troops in 2011. Susan Murphy KPBS -- 4/30/14

Blind architect sports an upbeat vision -- Blind architect Chris Downey says that city planners and property owners should view future construction projects through a different set of eyes. Bob Pool in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 4/30/14

Beltway

Unemployment Extension Negotiations Continue: Boehner Gives Heller His Demands -- Speaker John A. Boehner talked to the leading Republican pushing for an unemployment insurance extension, telling Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada on Tuesday that he won’t budge from demands for add-ons that would create jobs before he will put the measure on the House floor. Steven Dennis Roll Call -- 4/30/14

Reid opens door to Keystone pipeline vote -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, in an abrupt election-year shift in strategy, opened the possibility on Tuesday of allowing a vote on congressional approval of the long-delayed Keystone XL oil pipeline. Richard Cowan, Timothy Gardner and Thomas Ferraro Reuters -- 4/30/14

Toyota move gives Perry win for possible '16 run -- With eight months left in office, Gov. Rick Perry is away from Texas almost as much as he's home — hitting the road hard to tout his state as America's best place to do business. Will Weissert Associated Press -- 4/30/14