Darrell Steinberg has his work cut out for him -- Darrell Steinberg, the next leader of the California Senate, has always relished the uphill battle for the unpopular cause. While a law student at UC Davis, he pressed for wheelchair lifts in the moot courtroom. Administrators caved to his demands after Steinberg discovered they were sitting on a pot of money that had been allocated for just such projects. Jordan Rau in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/29/08

A tale of two Peratas -- For Don Perata, it truly has been the best of times and the worst of times. The Oakland lawmaker's four years as state Senate president pro tem, arguably California's most powerful elected Democrat, showed much of the ambition that had fueled the one-time schoolteacher's climb from the Alameda County Board of Supervisors to the Assembly to the Senate. Josh Richman in the Oakland Tribune -- 11/29/08

What will it take to break Capitol budget gridlock? -- 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 Oakland Tribune -- 11/29/08

Five newcomers to watch in California Assembly -- State lawmakers, facing a two-year, $28 billion budget hole, convene at the Capitol on Monday to take their oaths of office and begin a new two-year legislative session. Capitol Alert's Shane Goldmacher is keeping an eye on the incoming class of 25 new Assembly members – 15 Democrats and 10 Republicans. The item is in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/29/08

Juvenile prison system called troubled 4 years after consent decree -- Joseph Daniel Maldonado became a poster boy for all that is wrong with juvenile prisons by hanging himself after eight weeks on 24-hour lockdown in 2005. The state recently paid the 18-year-old's family $350,000 to resolve a lawsuit that alleged obvious signs that Maldonado was in the process of attempting suicide were ignored. Denny Walsh in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/29/08

Dominoes fall as lawmakers prepare to take office for next session -- If there's one upgrade Senator-elect Mark DeSaulnier is looking forward to, it's the daylight he will have in his new office. DeSaulnier, a Concord Democrat elected to the Senate after two years with a windowless Assembly office, will finally have a view of the outdoors as he moves to the upper chamber. Steven Harmon in the Contra Costa Times -- 11/29/08

No on Proposition 8 campaign official defends strategy -- In the weeks since the election, those who ran the No on Prop. 8 campaign have come under criticism for what some considered the weaknesses of the effort. Shelby Grad in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/29/08

Historians say marriage traditions have been fluid -- What is traditional marriage? That question lies beneath the surface of the Proposition 8 debate. The measure that bans same-sex marriage in California, which is now being challenged in court, defines the union as between a man and a woman. This, supporters argue, is as religious precepts and social customs demand. It is traditional. Jennifer Garza in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/29/08

Amtrak violated state maintenance contract, Caltrans says -- California officials have accused Amtrak of neglecting and delaying maintenance on state-owned passenger trains while it pockets extra money fixing private rail cars at an Oakland maintenance center largely built with state taxpayer funds. Andrew McIntosh in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/29/08

Black Friday shoppers spend -- with caution -- Consumers carted out flat-screen TVs, loaded up on the latest Elmo toys and raced to grab designer shoes Friday as retailers across the country anxiously held their breath. It was the traditional start of the holiday shopping season, complete with the usual predawn rush, "door-buster" deals and jaw-dropping bargains. Andrea Chang in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/29/08

Some stores, and customers, aren't completely sold on the concept -- Sacramentans flocked to the region's shopping centers in the annual post-Thanksgiving retail ritual, but the accent was on frugality. While crowds were heavy, particularly for the early morning "doorbusters," shoppers were being deliberate and disciplined. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/29/08

Back in black -- For local merchants, Black Friday's sales turned out better than expected, though no final numbers will be available until the end of the weekend. Joshua Melvin in the San Jose Mercury -- 11/29/08

Black Friday in the Valley -- Despite the worst predicted holiday shopping season in years, consumers still lined up in the dark and swarmed post-Thanksgiving store openings in the central San Joaquin Valley. Bethany Clough, Robert Rodriguez and Eddie Jimenez in the Fresno Bee -- 11/29/08

Yahoo stock rallies after Carl Icahn increases stake -- The price jumps 9% on news that the billionaire had purchased 6.8 million shares of the struggling Internet company. The move is likely to fuel speculation over the search for a new CEO. Jessica Guynn in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/29/08

Colorado county tax probe targets illegal workers -- Weld County officials searched thousands of records at a tax service, looking for immigrants using stolen Social Security numbers. So far, 28 people have been arrested. DeeDee Correll in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/29/08

North Hollywood rescue mission stretched to limit -- The women of the rescue mission awaken early each morning to a mural that depicts their dreams: A two-story house with a kitchen, a bedroom and a television with the words "Homeward Bound" written nearby. Susan Abram in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 11/29/08

Obama policy a lift for stem cell researchers -- Stem cell research advocates have waited nearly eight years for the policy change President-elect Barack Obama has signaled he'll make in the early days of his administration: lifting the restrictions imposed by President Bush on federal funding for research on human embryonic stem cells. Bernadette Tansey in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/29/08

Liberal groups feel welcome again in Washington -- Environmentalists, labor unions, civil rights advocates and others place their hopes on Obama. Mike Dorning and Jim Tankersley in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/29/08

Rutten: An idea lost on fanatics -- Those behind the Mumbai attacks will never fathom religious liberty. Tim Rutten in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/29/08

Modesto pastor condemns votes for Obama -- Father Joseph Illo, pastor of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, has told parishioners in a homily and in a follow-up letter that if they voted for Barack Obama, they should consider going to confession because of the president-elect's pro-choice position. Sue Nowicki in the Fresno Bee -- 11/29/08

Animal rights extremists target UCLA researcher in arson attack -- Animal rights activists destroyed one vehicle and badly damaged two others in a Palms-area arson attack last week, authorities said. The incident occurred Nov. 20 and appears to be part of a botched attempt to target a UCLA animal researcher, authorities said. Andrew Blankstein in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/29/08

Out-of-state colleges boost recruiting efforts in California -- Dory Streett didn't beat around the bush when she spoke to students recently at a high school near downtown Los Angeles about Colby College, a liberal arts school in Maine. It's 3,000 miles from home, there's snow for long stretches and its community of Waterville has only 16,000 residents. Larry Gordon in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/29/08

UC restores labor program governor tried to cut -- UC President Mark Yudof agreed this week to fund labor and employment research programs at UC Berkeley and UCLA that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger had sought to eliminate by removing their funding from the state budget in September. George Raine in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/29/08

Play-nice schools board faces tough decisions -- For months, San Francisco school board members have played nice, maintaining civility and mostly public harmony despite the city's penchant for political feuds between the left and the more left. And don't look for anyone to start tossing sand when the new school board is seated in January. Jill Tucker in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/29/08

San Juan High School students earning credit for online courses -- San Juan High School Principal Ward Andrus doesn't think his students ought to limit their learning to the confines of a traditional campus. And because Andrus can't offer some courses, such as German, he's found a way for students to take for-credit lessons outside school and on the Internet. His students are taking Spanish III or German I at home, at the local library or at coffee shops – wherever they have Web access. Ten students are part of his pilot program. Melissa Nix in the Sacramento Bee -- 11/29/08

Recount demand for Measure B: BART tax is headed to court -- With the controversial BART-to-San Jose ballot measure clinging to a slim margin of victory, opponents have filed a lawsuit to block certification of the Nov. 4 election results and compel the county registrar's office to conduct a recount. Karen de Sá in the San Jose Mercury -- 11/29/08

State water supplies increasingly cloudy -- Keep your eyes on the clouds rolling east this week. If they're fat enough, they'll get squeezed. Thirsty California water and power agencies - including those serving San Joaquin County - this winter are again sending pilots out to seed the clouds over key watersheds. Dana M. Nichols in the Stockton Record -- 11/29/08

Disbelief over a charred Chino Hills State Park -- For more than 20 years, Chino Hills State Park has stood as an island of wilderness circled by freeways and untrammeled development. Swaying grasslands and remote canyons offered solitude to hikers and bikers. Rare plants and wildlife flourished. David Kelly in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/29/08

Point Reyes beach closures give elephant seals some quiet time -- People and dogs have been banned from a five-mile stretch of Point Reyes National Seashore for the next five months to let elephant seals breed in peace, park rangers said Friday. Steve Rubenstein in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/29/08

Neighbors oppose El Mercado expansion -- The owner of the massive Boyle Heights marketplace wants to expand and says he needs a full liquor license to compete with nearby restaurants. Neighbors say his crowds are too rowdy as it is. Alicia Lozano in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/29/08

Lazarus: Getting smokers to quit littering -- It's one of those things so mundane and commonplace, most of us probably don't even notice when it happens, let alone get worked up over it. I don't know why it bugged me so much when I saw it again the other day. David Lazarus in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/29/08

State proposes food container ban -- A state body that looks out for the Pacific Ocean is proposing to ban foam plastic take-out containers that hold greasy fast-food burgers and piping hot coffee in a bid to shave the amount and type of trash washing into the sea. DAVE DOWNEY in the North County Times -- 11/29/08

Valley drug war has high-profile ally -- The Central Valley's award-winning anti-drug forces have some friends in the Obama administration. Michael Doyle in the Modesto Bee -- 11/29/08

Many Experts Say Health-Care System Inefficient, Wasteful -- Talk to the chief executives of America's preeminent health-care institutions, and you might be surprised by what you hear: When it comes to medical care, the United States isn't getting its money's worth. Not even close. Ceci Connolly in the Washington Post -- 11/29/08

Reward doubled in cyclist's hit-run death -- The reward for information leading to the conviction of the hit-and-run driver who killed a Martinez bicyclist Monday has been doubled to $10,000, the California Highway Patrol said today. Mark Pendleton, 49, died after being struck by a motorist who failed stop after the accident. Pendleton was hit about 5 p.m. Monday as he rode south on McEwen Road near Highway 4 south of Port Costa. Christopher Heredia in the San Francisco Chronicle Robert Salonga in the San Jose Mercury -- 11/29/08

Los Angeles County D.A. scrutinizes lobbying activity by two former L.A. officials -- Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley has opened an inquiry into the lobbying work of former Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alatorre and whether he violated city laws by failing to disclose those activities, several sources said. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/29/08

Vatican accepts resignation of Sacramento bishop -- Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of Sacramento's bishop, who has had health problems, and appointed the California diocese's coadjutor as his successor. The Vatican said in a statement Saturday that Bishop William Weigand, who led the 900,000-member diocese for 15 years, will be replaced by Jaime Soto, who became coadjutor bishop in 2007. AP -- 11/29/08

Number of Iraqi refugees admitted to U.S. up sharply -- California is the top state for resettlement. Among those fleeing the violence is a prosperous family that had to leave many possessions behind and is struggling to make a new life in Los Angeles. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/29/08

Freedom From Religion Foundation sues Rancho Cucamonga over removed billboard -- A group that promotes separation of church and state filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the city of Rancho Cucamonga after a billboard on Route 66 that read "Imagine No Religion" was taken down and destroyed. Raja Abdulrahim in the Los Angeles Times -- 11/29/08

Wheelchair athlete sets high goals -- Bob Coomber cannot walk, but he sure can hike. The disabled Livermore outdoorsman is preparing for the hike of his life - an ascent of 19,000-foot Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa or 22,841-foot Cerro Aconcagua in South America. Peter Fimrite in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/29/08

Teen achiever starts up humanitarian nonprofit -- Clara Tsao's slacker gene - if it ever existed - must be in deep hibernation. The Moraga teenager, whose schedule would give many adults vertigo just to contemplate, has embarked on a new enterprise by which she hopes to help alleviate humanitarian crises in developing countries. Charles Burress in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 11/29/08