Some juveniles may be too immature to face trial, court holds -- A California appellate court has held for the first time that some juvenile defendants may simply be too young to stand trial. Hudson Sangree in the Sacramento Bee -- 5/10/07

Governor wants to privatize lottery; union doesn't -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration released details Thursday of a proposal to privatize the California Lottery, a plan that a union representing many state lottery workers immediately denounced as a "ripoff" that would allow Wall Street to profit off a taxpayer asset. Judy Lin in the Sacramento Bee AARON C. DAVIS AP -- 5/10/07

Business leaders support health reform effort in Sacramento -- A coalition of California business leaders said Thursday they would like to see health care reform accomplished this year, essentially signing onto Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's universal coverage proposal. Laura Kurtzman AP -- 5/10/07

GOP Raise $10.5 Million at Gala -- President Bush helped raise $10.5 million for the national Republican Party at its annual gala on Thursday night, the smallest take in years for the event that came only months after the GOP lost control of both houses of Congress. JENNIFER LOVEN AP -- 5/10/07

Allstate to stop writing new policies -- Allstate Corp., California's third-largest homeowners' insurance company, will stop writing new policies this summer, saying it feared the threat of costly natural disasters. Gilbert Chan in the Sacramento Bee -- 5/10/07

State board approves mandatory exit exam for special ed students -- The state Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday to make the high school exit exam mandatory for students with disabilities, rejecting alternatives and risking further litigation from critics who argue that the test does not measure those students' skills. JULIET WILLIAMS AP -- 5/10/07

Judge orders environmental review of state trout program -- The California Department of Fish and Game must review whether its annual practice of adding millions of hatchery-raised trout to the state's rivers and lakes has contributed to declines in native fish and frogs, a judge ruled Thursday. Samantha Young AP -- 5/10/07

Speaker puts Spitzer in the 'doghouse' -- Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez has relegated Assemblyman Todd Spitzer, R-Orange, to the "doghouse," as the smallest, 391-square foot office in the Capitol is affectionately known. Shane Goldmacher SacBee Capitol Alert -- 5/10/07

Immigration Compromise Falters on Hill -- Efforts to reach an immigration compromise faltered Thursday as Democrats and Republicans staked out divergent positions and prepared to blame each other for scuttling the best chance for a broad overhaul this year. JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS AP -- 5/10/07

Paris can wait, health care is urgent -- When captains of industry get together with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for a meeting and public discussion, you might expect a serious press conference about a serious topic. That's how thing started out on Thursday afternoon. Then, it turned weird. Bill Ainsworth San Diego Union-Trib Polblog -- 5/10/07

He won't be "baaaaaaaack?" -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ends just about all his speeches with a signature applause line well known to his audiences: "I'll be baaack." Carla Marinucci Chronicle Politics Weblog -- 5/10/07

OMG: Paris Hilton not getting a lot of love from Schwarzenegger -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger priorities apparently don't include pardoning Paris Hilton for her DUI conviction. Paul Feist Chronicle Politics Weblog -- 5/10/07

State Assembly approves hemp farming bill -- The state Assembly on Thursday approved legislation that would allow farmers to grow hemp, narrowly overcoming objections that it violates federal drug laws and could put growers behind bars. SAMANTHA YOUNG AP -- 5/10/07

Pombo won’t run again; takes lobbying group chair -- Former House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, who was unseated last November by Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, has announced he’s the new national chairman for the Partnership for America, which refers to itself on its Web site as “a large national grassroots education and advocacy organization that lobbies for greater public access to public lands, reform of the Endangered Species Act and less reliance on foreign energy.” Josh Richman Political Blotter weblog -- 5/10/07

Sullivan would consider running for Doolittle's seat -- Sacramento radio host Tom Sullivan said Thursday he will "seriously consider" running for Rep. John Doolittle's House seat if the beleaguered Roseville Republican were to resign because of the ongoing federal investigation into the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal. David Whitney in the Sacramento Bee -- 5/10/07

DNC chair Dean says party needs to invite young evangelical Christians --Democratic National Committee chair Howard Dean - who once drew criticism by dismissing the GOP as a "white Christian party'' -- told a San Francisco audience that his party should open its arms to a new group of converts: young evangelical Christian voters. Carla Marinucci Chronicle Politics Weblog -- 5/10/07

Schwarzenegger's GOP fund-raiser canceled -- A major fund-raiser planned with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last night to raise money for the debt-ridden California Republican Party was canceled because it failed to generate enough interest, sources told Political Muscle. The official line from the state GOP is that Wednesday's fund-raiser in Sacramento was "consolidated" with another event planned for May 22 in Los Angeles. Robert Salladay LA Times weblog -- 5/10/07

Receiver releases prison medical plan -- The state prison medical care czar's long-awaited "plan of action" released Thursday includes establishing a series of "crisis response teams" to bring the $1.9 billion system up to constitutional standards. Andy Furillo in the Sacramento Bee -- 5/10/07

Latest outsourcing trend: Web site taps India to cover local news -- The job posting was a head-scratcher: "We seek a newspaper journalist based in India to report on the city government and political scene of Pasadena, California, USA." JUSTIN PRITCHARD AP -- 5/10/07

Schwarzenegger may try to privatize California lottery -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is poised to call for privatizing the state lottery, a move that would bring California a cash infusion of as much as $37 billion to help solve pressing budget problems but also could sacrifice a major revenue source for decades to come. Evan Halper in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/10/07

Governor finds a true believer in unusual place -- Unlike many CEOs, Safeway's Burd backs universal coverage. Bill Ainsworth in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 5/10/07

The Phantom Menace -- Thanks to legislative leadership, the Moderate Caucus does not exist. But moderates still hold the key to passing, or killing, legislation in the Senate. Anthony York in Capitol Weekly -- 5/10/07

GOP keeps the heat turned up on Pelosi -- Firebrand Republicans would have you believe that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi might have engaged in corruption for her husband, tried to grab a luxury "Air Force Three'' jetliner for her personal use, consorted with an American enemy in Syria and disrespected the top American general in Iraq. These and other charges Pelosi has faced reflect the rough political atmosphere in the Capitol, and experts say that even though the Republican allegations generally fade after a few days, they won't stop. Edward Epstein in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/10/07

Indians, Feinstein strike deal that keeps casino from growing -- The Lytton Band of Pomo Indians -- who stirred an outcry by proposing a megacasino with 5,000 slot machines in the East Bay -- have agreed to a deal with Sen. Dianne Feinstein to abandon future plans to offer slot machines and build a Las Vegas-size facility at Casino San Pablo. Zachary Coile in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/10/07

Tribes go on offensive with gambling pacts -- A local lawmaker has found herself caught up in a battle between two of the Capitol's most powerful interest groups: Indians and labor unions. Hank Shaw in the Stockton Record -- 5/10/07

Doolittles: Raid aimed to intimidate -- Rep. John Doolittle said Wednesday that the Justice Department tried to get him to admit to a crime before FBI agents raided his house looking for evidence in connection with the Jack Abramoff political corruption scandal. David Whitney in the Sacramento Bee -- 5/10/07

Lawmakers strip racing board of its budget -- Angry over what he calls shoddy treatment of Bay Meadows, state Sen. Leland Yee persuaded a legislative committee Wednesday to strip the seven-member horse racing board of its $10.3 million operating budget. Greg Lucas in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/10/07

Quake agency grapples with critical financing -- Thirteen years after the Northridge earthquake shook Southern California, the state still is wrestling with how to best protect homeowners in the event of another quake--and what obligation the insurance industry has to provide quake insurance to consumers. It's no academic question. John Howard in Capitol Weekly -- 5/10/07

Governor still set on two new dams -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pledged Wednesday to continue pursuing his $5.9 billion water plan after it stalled last month in the state Senate, and he reiterated his desire to build new dams in California despite Democratic opposition. Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee -- 5/10/07

UC to test vote machines -- Secretary of State Debra Bowen is asking computer scientists from UC Davis and UC Berkeley to try to hack into election systems across California to ensure that voting equipment is safe from fraud or abuse. Peter Hecht in the Sacramento Bee -- 5/10/07

What's next for the Chiropractic Board? -- For years, many chiropractors and professional organizations in California have been in open warfare with staff at the California Board of Chiropractic Examiners. After a chaotic March 1 board meeting that saw accusations of stolen tapes and police intervention, the conflict spilled into the media and the state Legislature. Malcolm Maclachlan in Capitol Weekly -- 5/10/07

State audit squeezes tomato group --The Fresno-based California Tomato Commission may have broken the law by spending lavishly on trips and meals, a state audit has found. Dennis Pollock in the Fresno Bee -- 5/10/07

Office of eServices helps state agencies begin to transform their Web sites -- If you log on to any of the state's myriad department, agency and board web sites you'll find little consistency in how to access services. Some sites' links are nearly invisible. Others' search features don't search at all. Still, other web sites are so overloaded with information you have to jump around to find what you're looking for. Daniel Macht in Capitol Weekly -- 5/10/07

Univision Gives Citizenship Drive An Unusual Lift -- Backed by the largest Spanish-language broadcast network in the U.S., a massive campaign by Latino media and grass-roots groups to spur millions of eligible Hispanic residents to become U.S. citizens is showing results that could influence the agenda and outcome of the 2008 election. MIRIAM JORDAN in the Wall Street Journal -- 5/10/07

Immigration Overhaul May Hit Farms -- As immigration overhaul teeters in the Senate, the White House and lawmakers are back facing the issue that started the whole debate: the treatment of undocumented immigrant farm workers. DAVID ROGERS in the Wall Street Journal -- 5/10/07

Giuliani to Support Abortion Rights -- After months of conflicting signals on abortion, Rudolph W. Giuliani is planning to offer a forthright affirmation of his support for abortion rights in public forums, television appearances and interviews in the coming days, despite the potential for bad consequences among some conservative voters already wary of his views, aides said yesterday. ADAM NAGOURNEY and MARC SANTORA in the New York Times -- 5/10/07

G.O.P. Moderates Warn Bush Iraq Must Show Gains -- Moderate Republicans gave President Bush a blunt warning on his Iraq policy at a private White House meeting this week, telling the president that conditions needed to improve markedly by fall or more Republicans would desert him on the war. CARL HULSE and JEFF ZELENY in the New York Times -- 5/10/07

Tauscher to back habeas corpus bill -- An East Bay congresswoman will co-sponsor a bill that would restore a time-honored civil liberty curbed last year by an anti-terrorism law. Josh Richman in the Oakland Tribune -- 5/10/07

Cisco accused of bias in hiring -- Cisco Systems, one of Silicon Valley's biggest employers, has been accused by a federal agency of discriminating against minority job candidates. Sarah Jane Tribble in the San Jose Mercury -- 5/10/07

Democrats spike Parra's business-friendly bill -- A bill to make it harder to file class-action lawsuits, introduced by Kern County Assemblywoman Nicole Parra, died an ugly death this week. VIC POLLARD in the Bakersfield Californian -- 5/10/07

State teachers oppose the 2014 deadline of No Child act -- As Congress prepares to renew the controversial No Child Left Behind Education Act, California teachers announced Wednesday their intention to try and gut its core: the requirement that every student score at grade level by 2014. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/10/07

Scott looks to overhaul school-finance system -- A longstanding dispute over how to fund California's public schools has resurfaced this year. Leading the charge is Sen. Jack Scott, D-Alta Dena, who wants to move schools away from the average daily attendance, or ADA, system used to calculate state payments to public schools. Anthony York in Capitol Weekly -- 5/10/07

Exit exam ruling due for disabled students -- The State Board of Education is poised to make a decision today in what's been the most difficult part of creating the California High School Exit Exam: whether students with disabilities should be required to pass the test to graduate. Laurel Rosenhall in the Sacramento Bee -- 5/10/07

Parents withdraw deaf students from state tests -- Rigo Corona doesn't put too much stock in annual achievement tests. Each spring, students throughout Ventura County and the rest of the state go through days of Standardized Testing and Reporting, taking the STAR exams developed to measure their knowledge of academic standards. Cheri Carlson in the Ventura Star -- 5/10/07

UC Faculty votes down tobacco ban -- Faculty leaders at the University of California decided Wednesday that the welcome mat should remain out for tobacco companies and their research money. Tanya Schevitz in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/10/07

Glover skips graduation over strike -- Scheduled keynote speaker Danny Glover snubbed UC Berkeley's main graduation ceremony Wednesday as campus custodians picketed for higher wages, and Oakland hip-hop musician Boots Riley canceled his weekend speech at the African American Studies Department commencement in support of the workers. Rick DelVecchio in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/10/07

Legal battle proving costly for education department -- The state Department of Education has set aside nearly $4 million to pay private attorneys to defend itself and the former school superintendent in a six-year legal battle that has begun drawing scrutiny from a legislative committee. Juliet Williams in the San Jose Mercury -- 5/10/07

For some college hopefuls, wait goes on and on and on ... -- Some colleges have longer wait lists than in previous years, offering a chance of openings if enough accepted applicants don't enroll. Larry Gordon in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/10/07

Locke High seeks to leave L.A. Unified -- Its teachers have signed petitions urging control be given to Green Dot charter schools. The loss would be a blow to the district and union. Joel Rubin in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/10/07

House Passes Ban on Gifts From Student Lenders -- The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to ban gifts and payments by student loan companies to universities, showing bipartisan resolve to clean up the $85 billion industry. SAM DILLON and JONATHAN D. GLATER in the New York Times -- 5/10/07

L.A. Unified offers help centers to fix pay issues -- A slowly improving but still-sputtering payroll system has prompted Los Angeles school district officials to set up regional help centers to spare employees the new and unwelcome ritual of tromping downtown to get paid. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/10/07

Hunger strike against weapons -- A group of more than 30 protesters at UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara and UC Santa Cruz said Wednesday that they have begun a hunger strike to oppose the University of California's role in nuclear weapons production. Rick DelVecchio in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/10/07

Huntington school district drops Bible lit talk -- A proposal to start a "Bible as Literature" course as an elective at local high schools has died for lack of support. ANNIE BURRIS in the Orange County Register -- 5/10/07

Debt for retiree health care finally gets a number -- For decades, California has been promising its employees health care for life in retirement if they worked at least 10 years for the state. For as long as that promise has been offered, however, no one ever bothered to add up how much it would cost to keep. Daniel Weintraub in the Sacramento Bee -- 5/10/07

Senate passes sweeping drug-safety bill -- The FDA's powers and staff would be enlarged to more quickly scan the marketplace for risky medications. Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/10/07

Study casts new doubts on HPV vaccine -- The highly touted treatment to prevent cervical cancer may be less effective than previously thought, findings suggest. Thomas H. Maugh II and Jia-Rui Chong in the Los Angeles Times Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/10/07

Governor acts to salvage solar in California -- Legislative deal will lower electricity rates linked to state rebates. Installations fell as law's fine print added costs. Marc Lifsher in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/10/07

Lawmakers look at coal to break oil dependence -- But the process of turning the abundant resource into a liquid emits carbon dioxide, making it more damaging to the environment than gasoline. Richard Simon and Janet Wilson in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/10/07

Dealer prices gas over $4 in protest -- It has become almost a regular stop for San Francisco tourists. Once they've seen the Golden Gate Bridge and the Transamerica Pyramid, they can drive down Harrison Street to see the most amazing sight of all. Regular gas for $4 a gallon. C.W. Nevius in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/10/07

Gas prices take a breather after months of increases -- Increases in gasoline prices in the Bay Area and statewide have slowed during the past few days, according to AAA of Northern California, suggesting that the recent run-up in fuel costs may have reached a plateau. Verne Kopytoff in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/10/07

Berkeley Lab scientists say House wastes energy -- The lights may burn long into the night in the U.S. House of Representatives office complex and the Capitol in Washington in coming months, but they just might be energy-efficient lights, thanks to the work of a team of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientists. William Brand in the Oakland Tribune -- 5/10/07

Point Reyes oyster battle -- farmer vs. the Park Service -- An oyster farmer and the National Park Service are waging a greener-than-thou battle at Point Reyes National Seashore over the future of Drakes Bay, one of the cleanest estuaries on the West Coast. Glen Martin in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/10/07

Bill could imperil tollway extension -- House committee member seeks amendment that could scuttle road that would go through San Onofre state park. Dan Weikel and David Reyes in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/10/07

EPA sued over inaction on cruise-ship pollution -- Environmentalists sued the Bush administration Wednesday over its inaction on pollution from cruise ships, saying the government has failed to respond to a petition filed more than seven years ago by groups seeking tighter controls on sewage and toxic discharges from the fleets of "floating cities.'' Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/10/07

Shell to pay $2.85 million fine for carbon monoxide release -- The Shell oil refinery in Martinez has agreed to pay a $2.85 million fine for spewing 925 tons of carbon monoxide gas into the air during seven days in March after key pollution control devices failed. Denis Cuff in the Contra Costa Times -- 5/10/07

Santa Paula OKs twice-defeated luxury housing -- Santa Paula voters have overwhelmingly approved plans to expand the city's development boundaries to include neighboring Adams Canyon, clearing the path to build hundreds of luxury homes, a private golf course and a 200-room hotel-spa. Gregory W. Griggs in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/10/07

More planned housing riles Disney -- The company and Anaheim are already knee-deep in conflict over a 1,500-unit plan. A 449-unit plan promises even more. Dave McKibben in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/10/07

Plan for L.A. River OKd -- Embracing an ambitious and expensive vision, the Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday approved a long-awaited blueprint for revitalizing the much-maligned Los Angeles River. Steve Hymon in the Los Angeles Times KERRY CAVANAUGH in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 5/10/07

Mass poisoning swamps marine animal rehab centers -- An outbreak of toxic algae is called the worst on record; its cause is unclear. Sea lions and seabirds take a big hit. Kenneth R. Weiss in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/10/07

Border sewage plant delayed -- A major effort to improve treatment of Tijuana sewage has stalled at the U.S. agency that is under orders to upgrade its faulty wastewater plant in San Ysidro. Mike Lee in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 5/10/07

CDF: This could be worst season for fires -- The spurts of fire that broke out in the region this week highlighted fears that this fire season could be especially destructive. Melissa Pinion-Whitt and Jason Pesick in the San Bernardino Sun -- 5/10/07

A text message could save your life -- In California there are many types of disasters that can bedevil the state; Earthquakes, fires, mudslides, floods, terrorism -- even tsunamis. What if you had the ability to be alerted within minutes, via your cell phone, when such an event occurred nearby? Would you sign up? State and federal officials and representatives from the wireless industry say they are working to establish just such a voluntary system. Daniel Macht in Capitol Weekly -- 5/10/07

Aviation leader to run L.A. airports -- Villaraigosa picks Gina Marie Lindsey, who oversaw growth at the Seattle-Tacoma facility, to manage Los Angeles World Airports. Jennifer Oldham and Duke Helfand in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/10/07

Precision nighttime flying was crucial to halting fire -- Specially trained copter pilots braved towering flames and blinding smoke to hit the blaze. Paul Pringle in the Los Angeles Times -- 5/10/07

Governor increases fire resources -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered state firefighting agencies Wednesday to bolster air and ground forces as a parched California faces what may be its worst fire season in 20 years. Steve Geissinger and Rodney Foo in the San Jose Mercury -- 5/10/07

Low tide reveals history at Ocean Beach -- The bones of a 129-year old shipwreck that surfaced on San Francisco's Ocean Beach this week appear and disappear every 20 years or so, like Brigadoon, the mythical Scots village that appears out of the spring mist. Carl Nolte, Meredith May in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 5/10/07