Clintons Report $20.4 Million in 2007 -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and former President Clinton reported $20.4 million in income for 2007 and more than $109 million since 2000 as they gave the public the most detailed look at their finances in eight years. JIM KUHNHENN AP Michael Muskal in the Los Angeles Times Mike McIntire and Lisa Tozzi in the New York Times Matthew Mosk in the Washington Post -- 4/4/08

Special license plates shield officials from traffic tickets -- It's 1:45 p.m. on a Wednesday in February and a Toyota Camry is driving west on the 91 Express Lanes, for free, for the 470th time. The electronic transponder on the dashboard – used to bill tollway users – is inactive. The Camry's owners, airport traffic officer Rudolph Duplessis and his wife, Loretta, have never had a toll road account, officials say. They've never received a violation notice in the mail, either. Their car is registered as part of a state program which hides their home address on Department of Motor Vehicles records. The agency that operates the tollway does not have legal access to their address. JENNIFER MUIR in the Orange County Register -- 4/4/08

Cheney to stump for Lungren -- Vice President Dick Cheney will be in Sacramento next Friday for a late afternoon fundraiser for Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Gold River. The event will be at a private residence. Lungren is running for a third term representing the 3rd Congressional District. David Whitney in the Sacramento Bee -- 4/4/08

Michigan Dems rule out new vote -- Michigan Democrats will not to go to the polls again to choose a presidential nominee, even though the national party has refused to recognize the results of their vote in January, the party announced Friday. Rebecca Sinderbrand CNN KATHY BARKS HOFFMAN AP -- 4/4/08

McCain Regrets Vote Against King Holiday -- John McCain spoke in Memphis for the 40th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination. Meanwhile, Hillary Rodham Clinton called for a cabinet-level poverty czar. ELISABETH BUMILLER and JOHN M. BRODER in the New York Times -- 4/4/08

Obama: Economy Sliding Into Recession -- The latest unemployment figures show the nation is "sliding into recession," Democrat Barack Obama said Friday, as he argued he has been the most aggressive presidential candidate in seeking remedies. CHRISTOPHER WILLS AP -- 4/4/08

Some Superdelegates More Super Than Rest -- Consider Art Torres, chairman of the California Democratic Party. He remains uncommitted, yet he could be the most powerful superdelegate of all. Torres gets to name five additional superdelegates, giving him control over six votes at the national convention this summer. STEPHEN OHLEMACHER AP -- 4/4/08

Clinton Aide Met on Trade Deal -- Hillary Clinton's chief campaign strategist met with Colombia's ambassador to the U.S. on Monday to discuss a bilateral free-trade agreement, a pact the presidential candidate opposes. SUSAN DAVIS in the Wall Street Journal -- 4/4/08

San Francisco advertises services for illegal immigrants -- The city wants undocumented workers to know they won't face discrimination when seeking public aid. John M. Glionna in the Los Angeles Times -- 4/4/08

Controller presses lottery chief for plan to repay party costs -- State Controller John Chiang turned up the heat Thursday on California Lottery Director Joan Borucki, demanding to know how she plans to repay $46,336 used for an employee party. Judy Lin in the Sacramento Bee -- 4/4/08

California Republicans offer bills on education funds -- While Democrats continue their push for taxes by highlighting cuts in the classroom, Assembly Republicans on Thursday unveiled a package of education bills that they say would free up existing funds. Judy Lin in the Sacramento Bee Ed Mendel San Diego Union-Trib weblog -- 4/4/08

Walters: Private tax-collecting firm has troubling record -- A state employee union is complaining about an embryonic scheme in the state Board of Equalization to hire one or more private collection firms to track down those who owe taxes to the state. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee -- 4/4/08

State wants to tax iTunes downloads -- We're already taxed on the music CDs and DVDs we buy, but some legislators are seeing a missed opportunity for tax revenue from the downloads. A new consumer study finds that Apple's iTunes is now the number one music. Nannette Miranda KGO-TV -- 4/4/08

Ose's personal spending on House race may help rival McClintock -- Doug Ose is drawing heavily from his personal fortune to pay for his aggressive Republican congressional primary campaign against Thousand Oaks Sen. Tom McClintock. McClintock could be a beneficiary. David Whitney in the Sacramento Bee -- 4/4/08

Breton: Fargo bleeding supporters in mayor's race -- Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo needs something good to happen in her mayoral campaign – and fast. With one month down and roughly two months to go until election day, challenger Kevin Johnson has had all the momentum. Marcos Bretón in the Sacramento Bee -- 4/4/08

Sacramento should look at charter shift to 'strong mayor,' Johnson says -- At a news conference in front of City Hall, the developer and former NBA star said changing the city charter to a "strong mayor" structure could catapult the city "from a small cow town" into a more metropolitan locale. Terri Hardy in the Sacramento Bee -- 4/4/08

Oil spill pilot says Coast Guard shares blame -- Lawyers for Capt. John Cota, pilot of the freighter Cosco Busan, claim that the Coast Guard shares responsibility for the accident that caused a huge oil spill in San Francisco Bay last fall. Carl Nolte in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/4/08

Heartache, hope fuel Olympic torchbearers -- Vladimir Prikupets, a 75-year-old Jewish refugee from the former Soviet Union, has attended 10 Olympics and run in three torch relays. He's about to make it four. Patricia Yollin in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/4/08

Newsom to voice concern about Tibet -- San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said Thursday he will raise concerns to International Olympic Committee members next week over the possible resurgence of violence in Tibet in June when the Olympic torch passes through that region of China. Wyatt Buchanan in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/4/08

Feds want $5.4 million back from San Francisco -- The U.S. Department of Justice wants San Francisco to repay $5.4 million in grant money earmarked to help fight the war on drugs in states bordering Mexico because federal auditors found the city was not eligible for the funding. Jaxon Van Derbeken in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/4/08

Justice Kennedy releases killer -- A U.S. Supreme Court justice on Thursday permitted the release of a convicted killer while Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appeals a lower-court decision granting the man parole. Justice Anthony Kennedy, in a one-sentence order, lifted a stay that had been keeping Fred McCullough in prison during the appeal. Don Thompson AP -- 4/4/08

The artist behind an iconic image -- John Hood, a Navajo and Vietnam vet, has created many works in his job as a Caltrans graphic artist. But the picture of an immigrant family running has resonated far beyond his office cubicle. Scott Gold in the Los Angeles Times -- 4/4/08

Prisons locked down after gang attack at Tehachapi -- Three officers and one inmate are hurt. Corrections officials make the move out of 'extreme caution.' Michael Rothfeld in the Los Angeles Times -- 4/4/08

For baby boomers, 'retirement' may just mean a new job -- John McGinness, the 50-year-old sheriff of Sacramento County, jokes that if he had to chase a criminal the bad guy would have to help him out of the patrol car first. M.S. Enkoji in the Sacramento Bee -- 4/4/08

Low-fare airline ATA abruptly shuts down -- The carrier is the second this week to end service. Travelers to Hawaii from LAX are left scrambling. Peter Pae in the Los Angeles Times George Raine, Ilana DeBare, David Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle Darrell Smith in the Sacramento Bee George Avalos in the Oakland Tribune -- 4/4/08

At 75, wine giant Gallo is refining its palate -- With its inexpensive brands pouring around the globe, the still family-run enterprise is intent on drinking up premium labels. Jerry Hirsch in the Los Angeles Times -- 4/4/08

Economy Shed Jobs in March, Fueling Fears of Recession -- A third-straight sharp drop in U.S. payrolls confirmed Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's recent warning that the U.S. economy may be in recession, as the unemployment rate moved sharply higher. BRIAN BLACKSTONE in the Wall Street Journal MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM in the New York Times Howard Schneider in the Washington Post -- 4/4/08

Housing bill helps business / But homeowners facing foreclosure get far less relief -- A measure billed as boosting the slumping housing market showers money-losing businesses with $25 billion in tax relief in the next few years but offers just $3 billion to homeowners. Andrew Taylor AP -- 4/4/08

Supporters defend proposed tax break for home builders -- The Senate began debate Thursday on a bill that leaders have pitched as much-needed relief for distressed homeowners, but would give an estimated $6 billion in tax breaks to help the home-building industry. Richard Simon in the Los Angeles Times -- 4/4/08

Home Front: Few solutions on horizon for strapped homeowners -- Speakers at the San Francisco Fed conference uniformly estimated that 2 million households will surrender their keys to lenders in the next year or two. That was their prediction despite all the voluntary lender-government agreements, the millions of dollars for new nonprofit loan counselors and the average $40,000 to $70,000 a lender loses with every foreclosure. Jim Wasserman in the Sacramento Bee -- 4/4/08

As values fall, owners of 41,231 Santa Clara County homes to get tax relief -- Starting next month, some Silicon Valley property owners will feel the latest impact of the mortgage meltdown: More of them will see the assessed value of their homes drop than at any other time in at least a decade. Deborah Lohse in the San Jose Mercury -- 4/4/08

States Move Fast on Mortgage Aid -- State governments are acting more aggressively to help homeowners avoid foreclosure, frustrated by what they view as the federal government's inadequate response to the mortgage crisis. But some of the programs are putting states at odds with mortgage lenders. RUTH SIMON and AMY MERRICK in the Wall Street Journal -- 4/4/08

40 years after King's death, how much progress? -- In the end, it was the cheek that he had turned so many times, in accordance with the Scripture, that a bullet tore through. Shattering the jaw from which his words had flowed in mighty torrents, the shot's terrible trajectory cut down the Rev. Martin Luther King 40 years ago today, ending in mid-stride his march through history. Bruce Newman in the San Jose Mercury -- 4/4/08

What if Martin Luther King Jr. had lived...? -- Some of civil rights leader's contemporaries ponder possibility on anniversary of his death. Angela Hill in the Oakland Tribune -- 4/4/08

King's work permeates issues of race -- Forty years after civil rights leader's assassination, Obama, pastor have U.S. discussing religion, identity. Rebecca Rosen Lum in the Contra Costa Times -- 4/4/08

Martin Luther King recalled more for humor -- Even on April 4, 1968 - the day 40 years ago on which King was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn. - Young's most vivid memory is of a motel-room pillow fight between the two just minutes before a deadly shot struck down King at the age of 39. Tony Castro in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 4/4/08

Starring John McCain -- The Republican presidential candidate's biography tour was crafted to show how he became the man he is. So far, the reviews are decidedly mixed. Maeve Reston and Robin Abcarian in the Los Angeles Times -- 4/4/08

Obama cuts into Clinton's superdelegate lead -- She trails him in fundraising and in pledged delegates. Now her superdelegate edge has shrunk to 30, from 87 in February. Even some who back her say they might reconsider. Peter Nicholas in the Los Angeles Times -- 4/4/08

Clinton lagging on fundraising front -- She takes in $20 million, but Obama raises twice as much, complicating her nomination bid. Michael Finnegan and Dan Morain in the Los Angeles Times -- 4/4/08

McCain's marriage is key to his finances -- As heiress to her father's stake in Hensley & Co. of Phoenix, Cindy McCain is an executive whose worth may exceed $100 million. Sharon Theimer AP -- 4/4/08

Oilman accused of fraud is major fundraiser for Hillary Clinton -- A Texas oilman who's accused of defrauding the Nigerian government by illegally pumping and exporting 10 million barrels of oil is a major fundraiser for Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign. Greg Gordon in the Sacramento Bee -- 4/4/08

California still lags in student writing skills -- Three-quarters of state's eighth-graders score at or below basic level. News is worse for L.A. Educators cite number of English-learners in classrooms. Mitchell Landsberg in the Los Angeles Times Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 4/4/08

Hiring of ex-schools chief urged to help turn around L.A. Unified -- Some encourage Supt. Brewer to make Ramon Cortines the district's No. 2 official. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times -- 4/4/08

Report: Lack of insurance kills thousands in state each year -- At least eight Californians die every day because they don't have health insurance, according to a new report on the state's uninsured. Julie Sevrens Lyons in the San Jose Mercury -- 4/4/08

Patient's killing shocks state hospital -- Already under pressure to make reforms, the Atascadero facility is now dealing with the death of Lawrence Paul Rael. Another patient has been charged with murder. Lee Romney in the Los Angeles Times -- 4/4/08

Over-the-counter DNA paternity test on sale in California -- Stores already are putting up their gift displays for Mother's Day. And consumers have turned their fashion attention to the latest in spring and summer wear. Now you can add a highly personal item to the list of products generating retail buzz: the first off-the-shelf paternity testing kit. Mike Antonucci in the San Jose Mercury -- 4/4/08

Navy releases extensive marine impact study -- The 1,796-page report examines potential harm to animals from sonar and training exercises. Critics continue to say the military's safeguards don't go far enough. Kenneth R. Weiss in the Los Angeles Times -- 4/4/08

Desert tortoises transferred to make room for tanks -- Scientists have begun moving the Mojave Desert's flagship species, the desert tortoise, to make room for tank training at the Army's Fort Irwin despite protests by some conservationists. AP -- 4/4/08

Blood Alley to get $49M -- State officials have approved a plan to spend as much as $49.4 million widening a treacherous, two-lane stretch of Highway 12 in the Delta, transportation officials said this week. Daniel Thigpen in the Stockton Record -- 4/4/08

Dukakis: Toll road bad news is high-speed rail good news -- The recent 8-2 California Coastal Commission vote against the Foothill-South Toll Road extension through Orange County may have been bad news for those who like to build and drive on crowded freeways, but it was great news for the traveling public. Michael Dukakis and Arthur Purcell in the Sacramento Bee -- 4/4/08

Aerial drones will hunt California pot growers in national forests -- The federal government plans to escalate its eradication of marijuana plantations in the backwoods of national forests this year, beginning in California with the deployment of larger strike teams and the controversial launching of miniature, remote-controlled spy planes to outfox growers, a top Bush administration official said Thursday. Chris Bowman in the Sacramento Bee -- 4/4/08

Pacific Northwest fault bad news for Bay Area? -- Earthquake along Cascadia subduction zone near Oregon and Washington could trigger San Andreas fault. Betsy Mason in the Oakland Tribune -- 4/4/08

One person's old sneakers are another's playground -- The shoes will go to Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe program, where they will be ground up and put in playground surfaces, synthetic soccer fields and basketball courts. Jennifer Gokhman in the Contra Costa Times -- 4/4/08

Sun So Strong, It Cooks -- The Frito-Lay plant in Modesto will start using a new ingredient of sorts to make its SunChips brand snack -- the sun. The company is installing a football field-sized farm of solar collectors next to its plant in the Beard Industrial District, with plans to flip the switch on Earth Day. CHRISTINA SALERNO in the Modesto Bee -- 4/4/08

Florez opposes chemical's use at Big West -- State Sen. Dean Florez has jumped into the debate over a local refinery's plans to expand. STACEY SHEPARD in the Bakersfield Californian -- 4/4/08

Wheels in motion -- For some bicyclists, the city streets are like the blacktops and dandelion-filled fields where other athletes' careers have begun. The Redlands Bicycle Classic is largely a professional event that awards a cash purse to top riders. Andrew Edwards in the San Bernardino Sun -- 4/4/08