Legislators' outside jobs raise questions about conflicts of interest -- Assemblyman Mike Eng, one of more than two dozen California lawmakers who hold outside jobs, was a steady vote for the Los Angeles Unified School District's interests this year at the same time his law firm was working for the district under a $550,000 contract. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/28/08

Legislators' other jobs -- The list is in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/28/08

California Republicans may be willing to trade breaks for businesses for tax hikes -- As the Legislature's latest attempt to fix the state's fiscal mess ended once again in a bout of partisan sniping and no visible progress, something surprising happened: Hints began to emerge of the possible contours of a compromise. Mike Zapler in the San Jose Mercury -- 11/28/08

Kindergarten Legislature: A Schwarzenegger sequel? -- When Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the old "Kindergarten Cop" himself, accused the Legislature of acting like kindergarteners when the special session on the state's financial mess ended Tuesday in a rash of partisan name-calling and finger-pointing, he wasn't exactly being fair. The legislators were acting like politicians, who, unlike many 5-year-olds, really don't play well together. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/28/08

Tax-exempt benefit disputed in Prop. 8 campaign -- In the wake of Proposition 8's passage, opponents are railing that churches that supported the ballot measure violated their tax-exempt status. It's a common accusation at the now-weekly protests, gaining enough traction that Geoff Kors, a member of the No on 8 executive committee, said lawyers are investigating the issue. Matthai Kuruvila in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/28/08

Humane Society chief seeks animal-rights focus in D.C. -- Few political groups have been as successful in recent years at shaping state policies as the Humane Society of the United States under Wayne Pacelle. Now that the nation's largest animal rights group has effectively banned the caging of egg-laying hens in California, it is turning its focus to Washington. Aurelio Rojas in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/28/08

Walters: It's not incest biologically, just politically -- Although San Francisco isn't California's largest city, it has a sophisticated ambience that sets it distinctly apart, and a big part of that atmosphere is its cadre of old-money families, many with roots in the Gold Rush. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/28/08

Layaway popular again with strapped shoppers -- With tough economic times casting a pall over the holiday season, retailers are dusting off a ghost of Christmases past: the layaway plan. Sears Holdings Co., the parent company of both Sears and Kmart stores, started offering layaway at Sears after nearly a 20-year hiatus. Victoria Colliver in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/28/08

Online coupon sites see sharp rise in visitors -- Traffic to Web sites that compile coupons from a variety of stores has increased sharply over the past year, as consumers try to pinch pennies on everything from groceries to laptop computers to rugs. Verne Kopytoff in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/28/08

Silicon Valley retailers are worried as holiday shopping season begins -- In nearly 30 years as co-owner of Hicklebee's Books for children, Valerie Lewis has never had to slash prices in the weeks before Christmas. But this year is different. The famous bookstore in San Jose's Willow Glen neighborhood is planning at least one sale, if not more, in coming weeks. John Boudreau in the San Jose Mercury -- 11/28/08

Companies' holiday parties squeezed this year -- Last year, Barclays Global Investors held a posh holiday party inside San Francisco's ornate City Hall with drinks and tables of hors d'oeuvres for its 1,700 local employees plus their guests. But with the nation's economy on the skids, workers will have to do without the festivities this year. To save money, the company decided against holding the celebration. Verne Kopytoff in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/28/08

Holidays not as festive at the office -- They're swapping caviar for barbecued chicken, the Four Seasons for the conference room and the deejay for an iTunes playlist. It may be the season to be jolly, but businesses across the nation are trimming their budgets for their annual holiday party or nixing the tradition altogether -- part of a larger move to cut holiday-related costs after enduring months of losses. Catherine Ho in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/28/08

What to do when credit terms are tightened -- Nordstrom credit card holders recently received an apologetic letter from the service-oriented department store, telling them their credit terms had been tightened. Victoria Colliver in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/28/08

Over-indebted to credit -- Matt Sauer, a young, single mortgage broker, planned to get rich quick after graduating from college. By age 28, he owned properties in Pacific Beach, Las Vegas and Florida. Today, the houses are underwater – meaning mortgage debt exceeds market value – and Sauer's dreams of quitting his job to become a Christian missionary are on hold because of his financial obligations. Jenifer Goodwin in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 11/28/08

Some agencies consider trimming paid holidays because of budget woes -- It's become an American tradition: Most workers get the day off today, except for those who rarely get an extended Thanksgiving weekend – police officers, trash collectors, mall employees and, ahem, newspaper reporters. Craig Gustafson in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 11/28/08

Home Front: Improvement seen in forceclosure picture -- Is the foreclosure phenomenon at last beginning to peak in California? Home Front is hearing rumblings that October saw a "meaningful decline" in various foreclosure filings for the first time in two years. The familiar industry trackers – MDA DataQuick, ForeclosureRadar and Foreclosures.com – all acknowledge the change. Jim Wasserman in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/28/08

New mortgage crisis: commercial properties -- The full scope of the housing meltdown isn't clear, and already there are ominous signs of a new crisis - one that could turn out the lights on malls, hotels and storefronts nationwide. Even as the holiday shopping season begins, the same events poisoning the housing market are now at work on commercial properties, and the bad news is trickling in. Malls from Michigan to Georgia are entering foreclosure. Matt Apuzzo AP -- 11/28/08

West Coast ports face struggle to maintain relevance -- The slowdown in international trade has left the docks at the nation's biggest seaport complex quieter than they've been in years. Ronald D. White in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/28/08

As Cash Stops Flowing, Venture Capitalists Get Creative -- As venture-capital funds face a cash crunch driven by the financial downturn, they are taking extreme measures to ensure they can fund their investments. PUI-WING TAM in the Wall Street Journal -- 11/28/08

Cities and States Feel the Squeeze -- Despite the federal government's continuing efforts to thaw frozen lending markets, states and municipalities are still feeling left out in the cold. MICHAEL ANEIRO in the Wall Street Journal -- 11/28/08

Pet adoptions down as many families deal with economic hardships -- Year-over-year adoptions at the Thousand Palms shelter have been down since September, roughly the same time that the country really started reeling from the economic crisis. Erica Solvig in the Desert Sun -- 11/28/08

Go-getters seek jobs in Obama administration -- One member of President-elect Barack Obama's transition team measures meetings by the number of resumes arriving on his BlackBerry. Another says job-seekers have offered him tickets to Redskins football games, which he has turned down. And yet another has given his mother in Chicago "talking points" to deal with people trying to get to him by going through her. Jill Zuckman in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/28/08

Ex-Defense Contractor Helps With Other Probes -- Mitchell Wade, the former defense contractor who pleaded guilty in February 2006 to bribing former representative Randall "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.), has assisted the government in investigating five other members of Congress, numerous government employees and several private contractors, according to a memorandum filed by his attorney on Wednesday. Walter Pincus in the Washington Post -- 11/28/08

California's college applicants face cuts, fewer choices -- A succession of bad news over the past two weeks has turned the college plans of California high school seniors upside down. The Community College League of California announced that proposed state budget cuts at community colleges could drive away 262,000 students. Walter Yost in the in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/28/08

CSUN student launches newspaper aimed at African-Americans -- Saharra White knew that starting a newspaper wouldn't be easy given the state of the publishing industry and the souring economy - but she also knew it was the right thing to do. Justino Aguila in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 11/28/08

California commission to decide on safety of L.A. rail line -- A state authority is set to decide next week whether transportation planners have done enough to make the Expo Line safe as it passes two South Los Angeles schools. Some residents and school officials want the rail line to either be put underground or on a bridge near one or both schools. Steve Hymon in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/28/08

New land-use law's message: build near transit -- Many California planning and environmental groups are heralding the passage of legislation designed to address global warming by curbing suburban sprawl as a watershed moment, perhaps the state's most important land-use law in more than 30 years. James Temple in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/28/08

San Diego cuts funds to storm water watchdog unit -- San Diego's budget crunch not only has endangered libraries and recreation centers, it also has forced major cuts to the department responsible for curbing runoff that fouls bays and beaches. Mike Lee in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 11/28/08

Encinitas going solar -- The sunny skies of Encinitas are projected to save taxpayers $4.3 million in energy costs over the next 25 years, thanks to Encinitas City Hall's new solar energy system. Emily Vizzo in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 11/28/08

A Land Rush in Wyoming Spurred by Wind Power -- Ms. Bacon did not agree to the deal from the Little Rose representative, Ed Ahlstrand Jr. Instead, she joined her neighbors in forming the Bordeaux Wind Energy Association — among the new cooperative associations whose members, in a departure from the local culture of privacy and self-reliance, are pooling their wind-rich land. FELICITY BARRINGER in the New York Times -- 11/28/08

States can kill sea lions to save fish, judge rules -- A federal judge says state governments can proceed with plans to kill up to 85 California sea lions a year for five years in the Columbia River at Bonneville Dam, where they gather annually to plunder the spring chinook salmon run. AP -- 11/28/08

Indians in Bay Area e-mail, watch and pray -- In the Bay Area, anxious members of the Indian community, which is largely centered in the South Bay, were closely following developments in their homeland after terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Steve Rubenstein in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/28/08

Rabbi Marvin Hier calls for U.N. special session in wake of Mumbai attacks -- Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, this afternoon denounced the terrorist assaults in Mumbai, India, and called on the United Nations to hold a special session to counter suicide terrorism. Esmeralda Bermudez in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/28/08

Another police measure for Oakland? -- Mayor Ron Dellums is dropping hints that he may support another ballot measure to increase police staffing after a proposed parcel tax for additional officers failed at the polls Nov. 4. Kelly Rayburn in the Oakland Tribune -- 11/28/08

A family becomes collateral damage from the Sylmar wildfire -- Katrina Vieana's house survived the Nov. 14 inferno, but it's uninhabitable because the neighborhood is closed. Scott Gold in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/28/08

Lame-duck San Francisco supes hope to pass last-minute laws -- With one month left before their terms end, outgoing members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors are rushing to push through laws, including a litter tax on fast-food restaurants. Wyatt Buchanan in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/28/08

2,000 bike lights being given away -- Two thousand free bike lights will be distributed around San Francisco on Tuesday to put the spotlight on bicycle safety. The Municipal Transportation Agency and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition are jointly sponsoring the giveaway. Those who show up with a bike can get a light. Rachel Gordon in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/28/08

Spiritual thanks given on Alcatraz -- A powerful chant penetrated the chilling pre-dawn darkness of Alcatraz as an estimated 3,000 people gathered on Thanksgiving for the annual Indigenous People's Sunrise Gathering. Dani Gomez in the Oakland Tribune -- 11/28/08

Gun dealers aim to meet demand -- Fresno gun dealers are spending a lot of time on the phone these days, trying to find pistols, shotguns and military-style semiautomatic rifles to sell to anxious gun owners. Jim Guy in the Fresno Bee -- 11/28/08

Sacramento business leaders expect much of Mayor Johnson -- Sacramento Mayor-elect Kevin Johnson won his new post with a business-friendly campaign and thousands of dollars in business contributions gathered not only from Sacramento but from San Francisco to New York City. What does business want now? Jim Wasserman in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/28/08

Soups, stamps, magazines - it's all money in local prisons -- Officer Jodie Denney and Kern Valley State Prison staff suspected the woman was hiding something. So they asked to search her, and she agreed to it. She was visiting her husband, an inmate at the prison. Prison staff found six cigarettes — in her bra. JORGE BARRIENTOS in the Bakersfield Californian -- 11/28/08