Schwarzenegger calls for federal aid -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Wednesday the federal government should give money to states as part of a financial stimulus package, and he insisted that such assistance would not be a bailout. Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/12/08

DeVore to Schwarzenegger: Senate race? Bring it on! --- It's official: Republican Assemblyman Chuck DeVore will run for the seat of U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer in 2010 - and he has a message for Arnold Schwarzenegger if the lame-duck governor covets the seat as well: Bring it on. Jim Sanders SacBee Capitol Alert -- 11/12/08

Hoyer steps in Waxman-Dingell fight -- Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) has intervened in the fight between Reps. John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), hoping to resolve their battle over the chairmanship of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee, one senior Democratic aide confirmed on Wednesday. PATRICK O'CONNOR & JOHN BRESNAHAN Politico -- 11/12/08

Calif. may vote on gay marriage again in 2010 -- Gay rights groups in California may ask voters to overturn the ban on same-sex marriage they approved last week if legal challenges to Proposition 8 are unsuccessful. AP -- 11/12/08

Jury awards cop $3.6 million in retaliation suit -- A jury has awarded a Los Angeles police officer $3.6 million after finding that he was retaliated against for defending a fellow female officer being harassed. AP -- 11/12/08

Schwarzenegger summit: A sizable carbon footprint -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, seeking to further burnish his environmental credentials, is convening a global summit on greenhouse gas emissions next week in Los Angeles in an attempt to influence a United Nations conference on the topic next month. His conference, announced just six weeks ago, itself will be a sizable source of the gases blamed for global climate change, according to an analysis by The Associated Press. SAMANTHA YOUNG AP -- 11/12/08

New lawmakers brace themselves -- For the Assembly's freshman class, Wednesday was the calm before the storm. Twenty-eight newcomers attended a morning orientation in Assembly chambers, getting a feel of the desks, chairs and voting buttons before they're likely to be called upon to help solve a projected $11.2 billion shortfall this year. Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/12/08

Selling surplus property not a quick fix -- Faced with the prospect of higher taxes, Republicans in both houses have suggested selling surplus state property, such as prime real estate or buildings, as a way for the state to close its $11.2 billion revenue gap. Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/12/08

Issa seeks top GOP position on House oversight committee -- California Rep. Darrell Issa is trying to become the top-ranked Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, vowing to hold the line against President-elect Barack Obama's agenda "of big government, trillions in new spending, and higher taxes." Rob Hotakainen SacBee Capitol Alert -- 11/12/08

L.A. County joins Prop 8 challengers -- The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted this afternoon to join a lawsuit filed by the City of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Santa Clara County challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 8, the anti-gay marriage initiative voters passed by a narrow margin this month. Molly Hennessy-Fiske in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/12/08

After California loss, gay couples get right to wed in Connecticut -- sex couples began marrying in Connecticut today after a judge cleared the way, a partial rebound for gay-rights activists still enraged over the vote last week that cost them the right to wed in California. AP -- 11/12/08

Anger over gay marriage vote directed at Mormons -- Supporters of gay marriage, frustrated over a ballot-box defeat in California, have channeled much of their anger toward the towering white spires of Mormon temples. ERIC GORSKI AP -- 11/12/08

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson says banks are priority in bailout -- Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said today that the unprecedented federal actions to address the financial crisis have helped prevent "a broad systemic event" in the global economy, but the financial system "remains fragile" and requires a continued delay in plans to purchase troubled mortgage-backed securities. Jim Puzzanghera in the Los Angeles Times DEBORAH SOLOMONin the Wall Street Journal DAVID STOUT in the New York Times -- 11/12/08

Navy wins court battle over whales, sonar -- In a defeat for environmentalists, justices say sonar does not have to be turned off when whales are near. Foes say sonar panics whales, makes their ears bleed and may spur them to beach themselves. David G. Savage in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/12/08

Cheneys to host Bidens on Thursday -- As the Obamas did earlier this week, the Bidens will visit their future Washington residence on Thursday afternoon, a spokeswoman for Vice President Dick Cheney said Wednesday. Alexander Marquardt and Elaine Quijano CNN -- 11/12/08

Analyst says state deficit may near $28 billion -- California's budget deficit could reach nearly $28 billion over the next two years unless drastic steps - including raising new taxes - are taken to stem the fiscal bleeding, the nonpartisan legislative analyst's office said Tuesday. Matthew Yi in the San Francisco Chronicle Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee Judy Lin AP James P. Sweeney and Michael Gardner in the San Diego Union-Trib Timm Herdt in the Ventura Star -- 11/12/08

California budget analyst recommends raising car license fee -- Mac Taylor forecasts that the state will need to close a $27.8-billion budget gap in the next 20 months. He calls for a smaller sales tax increase than Gov. Schwarzenegger has suggested. Jordan Rau in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/12/08

Senator says GOP may need to back state tax hikes -- On a day when the legislative analyst suggested raising the state income tax by 5 percent, one termed-out Republican lawmaker said his party may have no alternative than to support tax hikes. Rebecca Kimitch in the Inland Daily Bulletin -- 11/12/08

Walters: Bigger deficit won't crack Capitol stalemate -- Legislative budget analyst Mac Taylor says the state budget deficit is even worse than Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's estimate – "truly awful" in his words. Furthermore, he says that without decisive action the gap will average $22 billion a year for the next five years, even if the economy recovers quickly, clearly an unsustainable prospect. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/12/08

Receiver says prison construction plan would boost economy -- California's prison medical czar tried to sell his $8 billion construction plan Tuesday as providing a much-needed financial jolt for a struggling state economy. At the same time, federal receiver J. Clark Kelso said he's willing to "step back" to examine the scale of his project. Andy Furillo in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/12/08

Schwarzenegger's furlough plan limited to executive branch -- If you work for the Legislature, relax, you're not threatened by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposal to furlough state workers for one day per month and eliminate two paid holidays. Schwarzenegger has no constitutional authority over the state's two other branches of government – legislative and judicial – so his "share the pain" proposal skips most Capitol doors. Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/12/08

Voros: Governor's tax hike hits small business -- For all of the talk we heard this political season about small business, Joe the Plumber and who in the business world tax hikes really whack, that talk took a walk only a few days after the confetti fell. Drew Voros in the Oakland Tribune -- 11/12/08

Weintraub: Prop. 11 paves the way for more reform -- One of the ironies of Arnold Schwarzenegger's time as governor of California is how he has failed to do some seemingly simple things – like balance the state budget – while at the same time tackling some of the most complex and arcane issues in government. Daniel Weintraub in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/12/08

Open primaries another path to moderation? -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger likely will go to the end of his days in the Capitol frustrated by the unwillingness of the two major parties to work together, especially in times of crisis. Steven Harmon in the Contra Costa Times -- 11/12/08

Feinstein, Whitman are governor race favorites -- U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein is the early favorite on the Democratic side of the 2010 race for governor, and former eBay CEO Meg Whitman is attracting attention in a likely battle for the GOP nomination, a new Field Poll shows. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle Edwin Garcia in the San Jose Mercury The item is also in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/12/08

DeVore targets Boxer for 2010 Senate seat -- Republican Assemblyman Chuck DeVore will announce Wednesday that he will run for U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer's seat in 2010. DeVore, R-Irvine, is declaring his candidacy just one week after winning his third and final term in the 70th Assembly District, representing Laguna Beach, Irvine, Newport Beach, Tustin and other portions of Orange County. Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/12/08

D.A. Harris plans run for attorney general -- Just days after the presidential election of Democrat Barack Obama, a political ripple effect at the state and local level might already have begun as a new breed of "generation Obama" politicians like San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris - a longtime friend and supporter of Obama - begin setting their sights on higher office in the wake of his robust victory. Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/12/08

More groups ask California Supreme Court to overturn Proposition 8 -- Anti-discrimination groups and bar associations send letters to the court contending that the initiative, which bans gay marriage, is a sweeping revision of the state Constitution, not an amendment. Maura Dolan and Gale Holland in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/12/08

Prop. 8 victors upset by personal attacks -- Supporters of Proposition 8 won the election but now are frustrated because they are still fighting for their cause. A week after a majority of voters passed the controversial measure to ban same-sex marriage, the conflict continues – in the courts, at protests and in personal attacks. Jennifer Garza in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/12/08

Lopez: Needed: a black Elton John -- It was a point I hadn't considered. But just before the Nov. 4 election, a black friend told me his theory: The attitude toward homosexuality and gay marriage won't change dramatically in the African American community until someone comes out of the closet and makes it more socially acceptable. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/12/08

Protests of Prop. 8 shaped on Internet -- A cavalcade of e-mails, text messages, blogs and social-networking Web sites is propelling a series of protests against last week's statewide vote to ban gay marriage. Jeff McDonald in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 11/12/08

Businesses inCoachella valley could be boycotted -- Some local gay and lesbian activists are threatening boycotts of Coachella Valley businesses that supported the recently passed gay marriage ban. Nicole C. Brambila in the Desert Sun -- 11/12/08

Googling Google: More than ever, it's become a political player -- Google is becoming much more than the search engine that transformed the online information world. It's become a political player, spending increasing sums on lobbying and campaign donations in Washington and Sacramento. It's also becoming a target. Dan Morain in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/12/08

U.S. announces mortgage affordability plan -- Federal officials hope that the simpler, quicker procedure for modifying loans held by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will keep struggling homeowners from losing their houses. Maura Reynolds in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/12/08

Key borrowers back move to rewrite troubled mortgages -- An economic meltdown spawned by 30,000 Sacramento-area foreclosures, and hundreds of thousands more nationally, has finally cracked the lending industry's resistance to streamlined rapid-fire loan workouts. Jim Wasserman in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/12/08

Bay Area homeowners owe more than home's worth -- Twenty percent of Bay Area homeowners owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth, according to a study being released today. This dubious distinction has entered the American lexicon as an all-too-familiar term - being underwater. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/12/08

1 in 7 homes in Santa Clara County is 'underwater' -- Among those who purchased homes in the past five years in the county, 27 percent owed more mortgage debt than their homes were worth in the third quarter. That's up from 24 percent in the second quarter of this year, according to real estate valuation site Zillow.com, in a study to be released today. Sue McAllister in the San Jose Mercury -- 11/12/08

Home values falling less sharply than prices -- San Diego home prices have been falling for three years as sellers facing financial distress accept lower offers from bargain-hunting buyers. But the course of home values tells a slightly different story. Roger Showley in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 11/12/08

Downey Financial shares fall below $1 on warning of possible seizure -- The Newport Beach mortgage lender says it might be seized by regulators if it can't get a capital infusion by the end of the year. Tom Petruno in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/12/08

China bailout boon for San Francisco groups in Shanghai -- China's $586 billion economic bailout, announced over the weekend, could not have come at a better time for Bay Area business delegations looking to make their mark here. Andrew S. Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/12/08

U.S., lenders ease delinquent loan workouts -- Government regulators and the mortgage industry started the broadest effort yet to stem the worsening foreclosure crisis, streamlining the modification process for hundreds of thousands of delinquent loans owned by mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. James Temple in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/12/08

Forecast bleak for holiday electronics spending -- The news keeps getting worse for a weak consumer electronics sector, with word of Circuit City's bankruptcy filing and continued reports of a bleak holiday shopping season for large chains and local specialty stores. Darrell Smith in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/12/08

Despite GM's troubles, Sacramento dealer has hopes for future -- Brian Castonguay has no regrets. This time last year, he was converting his Cadillac-Land Rover dealership into a General Motors superstore, dropping Land Rover and adding GM's Buick, Pontiac and GMC brands to his Hubacher Auto Center at the corner of Fair Oaks Boulevard and Howe Avenue in Sacramento. Mark Glover in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/12/08

Hernandez: Legislators dim Hollywood's luster -- California - the only state in the nation with a bonafide movie icon for a governor - is a fading star on the film-production front. Frankly, it has no one to blame but itself. Greg Hernandez in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 11/12/08

Obama's election: a turning point in the perception of blacks? -- African American men wonder if the wider culture will finally start to see them as true equals or if the president-elect will just be seen as yet another exception. Carla Hall and Marjorie Miller in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/12/08

McCain Tells Leno He's 'Proud' of Palin -- Republican presidential candidate John McCain shrugged off criticism of his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, saying Tuesday night that he expects her to "play a big role in the future of this country." The item is in the Washington Post -- 11/12/08

Charters lead state's traditional schools in achievement for poor children, survey finds -- The burgeoning charter school movement in California has largely made its mark as an alternative to low-performing inner-city schools. An analysis being issued today suggests that, at their best, charters are doing that job well, outperforming most traditional public schools that serve children in poverty. Mitchell Landsberg in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/12/08

ACLU sues district over student paper -- The American Civil Liberties Union has sued the Fallbrook Union High School District, saying that Fallbrook High's principal violated the free speech of students when he censored two articles, eliminated the newspaper's faculty adviser position, cut the journalism class and killed publication of the Tomahawk newspaper. Bruce Lieberman in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 11/12/08

Amyris brews barrels of diesel from sugarcane -- The Bay Area's latest motor fuel factory looks like a microbrewery run by Ph.D.s. Men in white lab coats tend gleaming metal vats filled with yeast and sugar. The air inside the converted Emeryville warehouse smells vaguely like hops. David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/12/08

Gas prices continue plunge, crude below $60 -- Retail gasoline prices dipped for a 17th week since July 4, falling below $2 per gallon in a number of states and approaching $1.50 at some service stations. The price of crude fell again, too, hitting a 20-month low. The item is in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/12/08

Long Beach, developer agree to wetlands preservation deal -- Long Beach officials on Tuesday announced a land swap with a developer that would preserve 175 acres of hotly contested urban salt marsh, some of the last remnants of a once vibrant wetland at the mouth of the San Gabriel River. Louis Sahagun in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/12/08

San Joaquin River restoration bill nears passage -- The San Joaquin River restoration effort, which has had many near-death experiences amid federal budget concerns and farmer worries, now appears poised for congressional approval as early as next week. Michael Doyle in the Fresno Bee -- 11/12/08

Crabs Coming, But How Many? -- As North Coast fishermen prepare to head out, some predict smaller commercial catch this year. ROBERT DIGITALE in the Santa Rosa Press -- 11/12/08

'Intelligent pill' prototype delivers drugs where needed -- The Dutch electronics company Philips, a maker of Webcams and cordless phones, has invented a battery-powered, programmable drug capsule it calls the "iPill." Bernadette Tansey in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/12/08

Trend to C-section births worries some doctors -- For her first baby, Naomi Laguana tried - with her doctor's encouragement - to give birth naturally. But after hours of anxiety-ridden labor, she ended up in the operating room, undergoing a cesarean section. Matthew B. Stannard in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/12/08

Google.org joins CDC in battle with flu -- Combatting flu outbreaks hinges on warning potential victims early enough so that they can get a vaccine. Google Inc., through its philanthropic arm, Google.org, is trying to help U.S. authorities fight the flu by introducing a new tool Tuesday that can spot potential epidemics in near real-time. Verne Kopytoff in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/12/08

Study finds obese kids have arteries like 45-year-olds -- Many overweight children and teenagers could have severe cardiovascular disease in their 20s and 30s, causing a healthcare crisis. Early identification of the problem is a key. Thomas H. Maugh II in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/12/08

Study chronicles drug-resistant TB in the U.S. -- Unlike what is happening in much of the developing world, new U.S. cases of tuberculosis have declined sharply over the last 15 years. Mary Engel in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/12/08

Matier & Ross: Ex-San Francisco firefighter's workers' comp problem -- A former San Francisco firefighter is facing criminal charges after she collected $140,000 in workers' compensation and disability payments - while she was participating in ultramarathons and triathlons from the Sierra to Germany. Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/12/08

UC lab worker charged in colleague's poisoning -- A postdoctoral researcher in the UCSF urology department has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly admitting that he twice tried to poison a colleague by putting laboratory chemicals in her drinking water, authorities said Tuesday. Jaxon Van Derbeken in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/12/08

Rosarito Beach losing tourists to crime fears -- The mayor still pushes his seaside city as a cut-rate paradise. 'Tourists are not targeted,' he says. But violence linked to the drug war has made it a harder sell. Richard Marosi in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/12/08

Orange County sheriff's crackdown on gun permits comes under fire -- Gun-rights advocates and some permit holders say the review of concealed weapons permits violates the 2nd Amendment. Sheriff Sandra Hutchens is surprised by the reaction. Stuart Pfeifer in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/12/08

Santa Rosa cat, missing 13 years, is back home -- More than 13 years after he went missing from his Santa Rosa home, George the cat is back. Rachel Gordon in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/12/08