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At Whitman event, a ‘rabble-rouser,’ police and undercover video -- Meg Whitman's campaign events have been raucous affairs in recent days, with reporters shouting questions as aides shuttle the candidate out of sight and the exchanges documented on the Internet. Michael Rothfeld in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/11/10

Whitman stages townhall rally -- Steve Poizner’s campaign came up with yet more boffo video of Meg Whitman — this time staging a townhall meeting Wednesday night in Orange County, apparently for a future campaign ad. Steve Harmon Political Blotter weblog -- 3/11/10

California Senate challenger says his time has arrived -- In many other states, U.S. Senate candidate Chuck DeVore could be a rising political star, aligning himself with the budding tea party movement and the growing animosity toward increases in government spending. KEVIN FREKING AP -- 3/11/10

Governor's job doesn't interest glitterati -- If anyone else wants to run the world's eighth-largest economy, Friday is the deadline to file the paperwork to be governor of the Golden State. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/11/10

California murder suspect broke parole -- A convicted sex offender charged with murdering one California teenager and under investigation for another killing violated his parole by moving too close to a school but was allowed to remain free, according to records obtained Thursday by The Associated Press. DON THOMPSON AP -- 3/11/10

Gavin Newsom to enter lieutenant governor’s race -- San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom will announce Friday that he is running for lieutenant governor, people who have been contacted by him say. Capitol Weekly's Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/11/10

No Meg Whitman news conference at Republican convention -- After giving bumpy news conferences at the last two Republican conventions, GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman has made sure there's no repeat at this weekend's state Republican party gathering in Santa Clara. Jack Chang SacBee Capitol Alert -- 3/11/10

Half-hour Meg Whitman TV ads coming -- California TV viewers will be seeing a lot more of Meg Whitman in coming weeks as the GOP gubernatorial candidate starts running half-hour television ads on cable stations around the state, campaign strategist Mike Murphy says. Jack Chang SacBee Capitol Alert -- 3/11/10

Pérez to call for cuts in Assembly budget -- New Assembly Speaker John Pérez (D-Los Angeles) will call for a 15% cut in the Assembly's operating budget in a speech in Los Angeles on Friday. Capitol Weekly's Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/11/10

Perez to take oath as Assembly leader -- again -- Pérez will take the oath of office in a ceremony at the Japanese-American Museum in Los Angeles, 11 days after a similar swearing-in attended by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and numerous other elected officials was held on the Assembly floor. Jim Sanders SacBee Capitol Alert -- 3/11/10

Buyers scramble for California bonds -- Big orders from institutional investors prompt Treasurer Bill Lockyer to increase this week's sale to $2.5 billion from $2 billion. Tom Petruno in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/11/10

State regulators approve $9 million in solar research grants, PG&E solar contract -- The California Public Utilities Commission approved more than $9 million in solar research grants Thursday and also gave the go-ahead to a solar contract for the Pacific Gas & Electric Co. Tiffany Hsu in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/11/10

Simple-majority budget anchors Democrats' reform package -- Targeting California's bitter budget fights, Democratic legislative leaders proposed a wide-ranging overhaul Thursday that would allow lawmakers to pass budgets by a simple-majority vote and would require them to forfeit pay if they are late in passing a spending plan. Jim Sanders SacBee Capitol Alert Lisa Vorderbrueggen Political Blotter weblog Dan Weintraub HealthyCal.org CATHY BUSSEWITZ AP -- 3/11/10

Republicans say elements of "reform" plan DOA -- Just minutes after Democratic legislative leaders rolled out a package of "comprehensive reforms" Thursday that they said will help fix California's budget process and stabilize the state's rocky financial situation (and at a press conference where "bipartisan" and "bicameral" were said at least a dozen times) Republicans hit back, making it clear this effort is likely to be anything but bipartisan. Marisa Lagos Politics Weblog -- 3/11/10

Legislature, Heal Thyself -- Listening to today's news conference from legislative leaders announcing a package of proposals to fix the dysfunction that permeates the state Capitol brought to mind those late night TV commercials for incredible whiz bang products, where after you're offered more items for a low price than you could ever imagine, the announcer always says, "But wait, there's more!" John Myers Capitol Notes weblog -- 3/11/10

Taxpayers pony up for Duvall's 'million-dollar' sexual bragging -- Here's the taxpayer tab for former Assemblyman Mike Duvall's boasts of sexual conquests: $1.6 million. A key question, now, is whether state or county coffers will eat it. Jim Sanders SacBee Capitol Alert -- 3/11/10

Air cleanup penalty $29M, but who pays? -- Businesses from Stockton to Bakersfield are on the hook for a penalty that will start at $29 million a year because the Valley missed an air-pollution cleanup deadline. Mark Grossi in the Fresno Bee -- 3/11/10

Calpers May Challenge Apple, BlackRock on Election of Directors -- The California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the biggest state-run U.S. public pension, may use its financial clout to force Apple Inc., BlackRock Inc. and other companies where it has large holdings to change the way they elect directors. Michael B. Marois Bloomberg -- 3/11/10

CalPERS' Boston project dies -- The demise of Columbus Center, a mixed-use project to be built over the Massachusetts Turnpike in the heart of Boston, is the latest in a string of real estate failures to hit the California Public Employees' Retirement System. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee -- 3/11/10

Lawmakers seek to limit 'pension spiking' -- Two new measures introduced by Democrats take aim at state workers boosting their final state salary to increase their lifetime pension benefits -- a practice known as "pension spiking." Capitol Weekly's Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/11/10

Whitman takes heat for avoiding reporters -- Some leading Republicans expressed concern Wednesday that GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman broke new political ground this week in Oakland - and not in a good way - saying the billionaire CEO's stubborn sidestepping of news reporters and news conferences may be a "defining moment" for political campaigns in California. Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/11/10

Court: 'Under God' in Pledge is constitutional -- The words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance are an appeal to patriotism, not religion, and do not violate the separation of church and state, a federal appeals court ruled today - the same court that declared the pledge unconstitutional in 2002. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle Carol J. Williams in the Los Angeles Times Howard Mintz in the Oakland Tribune -- 3/11/10

Central file on Gardner is kept unavailable -- So, could parole agents have had similar troubling lapses when monitoring John Albert Gardner III — charged with rape and murder in the death of Poway teenager Chelsea King — while he was under their watch from 2005 to 2008 for a previous sex crime? The public has no way to know. Mike Gardner in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 3/11/10

State corrections officials defend new law, say violent criminals will get heavier monitoring -- State corrections officials questioned Thursday claims by the L.A. police union that the recent arrest of a man with a long criminal history showed shortcomings in a new law designed to ease prison overcrowding. Andrew Blankstein in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/11/10

California exports rise in January -- California exports continued to rebound in January, with the value of shipments up nearly 18.5 percent compared with the same month last year. Mark Glover in the Sacramento Bee -- 3/11/10

Americans' net worth up for 3rd straight quarter -- Americans regained more of their shrunken wealth last quarter, mainly because the healing economy boosted stock portfolios. But the gain was less than in the previous two quarters. AP -- 3/11/10

3 teachers in Black History Month incident to be reassigned, Cortines says -- The superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District said Thursday that he would reassign three South Los Angeles elementary school teachers after they had their students display pictures of O.J. Simpson, Dennis Rodman and RuPaul in a Black History Month parade. Alexandra Zavis in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/11/10

UCI hospital out of compliance again -- Federal regulators visiting UC Irvine Medical Center found two cases of immediate jeopardy — the most serious finding of potential danger to patients — during an inspection last week, according to a memo sent to hospital employees. COURTNEY PERKES in the Orange County Register -- 3/11/10

Electric car startup aims to keep Nummi open with zero-emission -- Electric car hopeful Aurica Motors LLC is floating a plan to keep open a California joint venture between Toyota and General Motors by building zero emission vehicles there. Hans Greimel Automotive News -- 3/11/10

Sewer district spent a half-million on travel over three years -- Every few weeks, the senior scientist for the Orange County Sanitation District’s Environmental Compliance Division – who also happens to have accumulated OCSD’s biggest travel bill over the past three years- packs his bag, shows his ID to a security guard and boards an airplane. Teri Sforza in the Orange County Register -- 3/11/10

California agencies' pay cuts hit departments unevenly -- The state paid civil service and California State University workers about 4 percent less in 2008 than in 2009, but the cuts were applied unevenly and about one-quarter of state workers' pay actually increased, according to a Bee analysis of new data from the state controller's office. Phillip Reese and Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee -- 3/11/10

Unused vacation time could wash out state furlough savings -- State workers last year used nearly a third less of their paid vacation time than in 2008, a tangible sign that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's furloughs will carry a deferred cost to the state for many years to come. Jon Ortiz and Phillip Reese in the Sacramento Bee -- 3/11/10

Ad Watch: Meg Whitman ad ignores her Boxer endorsement -- GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman is running a series of ads attacking opponent Steve Poizner as she seeks her party's primary nomination. Amy Chance and Jack Chang in the Sacramento Bee -- 3/11/10

Saunders: Meg Whitman can manage but can she govern? -- It took me five months to get my first interview with former eBay CEO and GOP gubernatorial hopeful Meg Whitman. When I did, it was after a press event where the news reporters were not allowed to ask questions. Swell. Debra J. Saunders in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/11/10

Poizner takes a calculated risk in delaying fight with Whitman -- Some say the GOP governor candidate's strategy has given his rival too big an edge. Michael Rothfeld in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/11/10

Steve Poizner targets Meg Whitman's media dodging -- Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Poizner has seized on Meg Whitman's penchant for skirting open news conferences, mocking Whitman in a new Internet video. Capitol Weekly's Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/11/10

Poizner takes aim at "Runaway Meg" -- It's getting hot in the California GOP gubernatorial campaign heading into this week's Republican statewide convention -- as Steve Poizner launched a new video attack on former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, labeling the press shy GOP candidate "Runaway Meg.'' Carla Marinucci Chronicle Politics Weblog -- 3/11/10

Steve Poizner book touts his teaching, White House stints -- Every gubernatorial candidate, it appears, is touting a memoir complete with motivational lessons this election cycle, and Republican Steve Poizner's forthcoming book "Mount Pleasant" fits the bill. It also arrives just in time for the California Republican Party convention this weekend. Jack Chang SacBee Capitol Alert -- 3/11/10

California state worker unions line up behind Jerry Brown -- A quick tally of donations to the Democrat's campaign shows that four state labor groups have given about $50,000 so far combined, even though he's had no real opposition in the run-up to the June primary. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee -- 3/11/10

Skelton: Prop. 14 fight comes down to words -- The fate of an open primary proposal on the June ballot may well hinge on the outcome of a bitter court fight this week over a dozen or so words. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/11/10

Opponents not rushing to spend against 'top two' primary system -- Critics of Proposition 14 are eager to assail the ballot measure that would change California's primary system as a "backroom deal" that would derail the democratic process. Torey Van Oot in the Sacramento Bee -- 3/11/10

Campaign-finance measure's backers sue over ballot arguments -- Supporters of a measure that would create a pilot program of public financing for elections have sued foes who claim the plan would raise taxes and let politicians pay cronies with taxpayers' money. Josh Richman in the Oakland Tribune -- 3/11/10

LG deadline approaching: Is Florez in our out? -- He has not reported any campaign donations since early January and has not attended several recent endorsement meetings -- which begs the question: Is Dean Florez still gonna run for lieutenant governor? EJ Schultz Fresno Bee News Blog -- 3/11/10

PG&E price tag for Prop. 16 could reach $35 million -- Fueled entirely by $15.5 million of its own money, and with another $10 million to $20 million on tap, Pacific Gas and Electric Corp.’s effort to limit the creation of local electricity districts without the approval of two-thirds of local voters is picking up steam – including a $9 million check in one day. John Howard in Capitol Weekly -- 3/11/10

Ted Costa, who pushed to suspend AB 32, now opposes effort -- A leader in pushing for a ballot initiative to suspend California's landmark greenhouse-gas emissions law said Wednesday that he now opposes the effort and is willing to write a ballot argument against it. Jim Sanders SacBee Capitol Alert Margot Roosevelt in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/11/10

Special interests drop $1 billion in California -- Labor unions, pharmaceutical companies and Indian tribes have contributed the most money to political campaigns and paid the highest in lobbying activities in California since 2000, according to an analysis unveiled today by the Fair Political Practices Commission. Lisa Vorderbrueggen Political Blotter weblog -- 3/11/10

Teachers union tops list of state political spenders -- Fifteen special interest groups including casino operators, drug firms and unions for teachers and public employees spent more than $1 billion during the last decade trying to influence California public officials and voters, the state’s watchdog agency reported today. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times Dan Walters SacBee Capitol Alert Marisa Lagos in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/11/10

Inland tribes rank among biggest spenders -- Some Inland tribes with casinos are among the state's top political spenders since 2000, according to a new report from the state's campaign-finance watchdog. Jim Miller in the Riverside Press -- 3/11/10

Commission to conside legislative pay cut -- Still smarting from an 18 percent slice to their paychecks last December, California's constitutional officers and legislators may take another salary-and-benefits hit next month. Steve Wiegand in the Sacramento Bee -- 3/11/10

A Push to Supplement Tuesday Voting With Weekends -- San Francisco would become an electoral test tube under a proposed ballot measure to establish a second day of voting in next year’s general election, the Saturday before the traditional Tuesday in November. JESSE McKINLEY in the New York Times -- 3/11/10

Los Angeles Maps Rail Plan With a Key Stop: Washington -- Three decades is a long time to wait for a train. So Los Angeles is asking the federal government for help in borrowing $9 billion to speed construction of 12 new mass-transit rail lines. TAMARA AUDI in the Wall Street Journal -- 3/11/10

Issa raises questions on Sestak -- The top Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee says the Obama administration may have broken the law by offering Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.) a job in order to persuade him not to mount a primary challenge against Sen. Arlen Specter. JAKE SHERMAN Politico -- 3/11/10

Ashburn changes narrative by publicly revealing sexual orientation -- In many ways, the recent story of Sen. Roy Ashburn is quite familiar: a Republican politician with a history of anti-gay votes who gets caught in a compromising same-sex situation and sees his political career derailed. Malcolm Maclachlan in Capitol Weekly -- 3/11/10

CalBuzz: eMeg Meltdown II & What Poiz Will Renounce Next -- eMeg Shipwreck, The Sequel: Meg Whitman got a little payback Wednesday for her year-long campaign to stiff the California political press corps in favor of giving interviews to friendly national types, when The Fix, the Washpost’s widely read national politics blog, did a long post that featured video of her embarrassing media meltdown in Oakland the day before. Jerry Roberts and Phil Trounstine CalBuzz -- 3/11/10

Despite more good news for California's finances, state may delay $600 million in payments -- Despite another month of good news for California's slowly recovering tax revenues, finance officials are preparing to delay hundreds of millions of dollars in payments to the state's trial courts, community colleges and universities. Denis C. Theriault in the San Jose Mercury -- 3/11/10

Sacramento's jobless rate climbs to record 13.1% in January -- Post-holiday layoffs by retailers drove Sacramento's unemployment rate past 13 percent and into record territory in January, state officials said Wednesday. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee -- 3/11/10

Stanislaus unemployment at 18.9%, hits 16-year high -- Stanislaus County's unemployment rate spiked to its highest point in 16 years in January, when more than 44,600 people were out of work. Marijke Rowland in the Modesto Bee -- 3/11/10

Ready-to-go road projects likely if federal funds flow again -- Should federal officials pour more money into road and transit projects akin to the federal stimulus bill, local transportation officials will focus on projects already well on their way to completion. Dug Begley in the Riverside Press -- 3/11/10

Microsoft unveils job initiative in California -- The company will issue 166,500 vouchers for free access to its online computer and software courses. W.J. Hennigan in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/11/10

Fensterwald: State replaces 3 dozen schools on ‘worst’ list -- The State Board of Education will be asked today to approve a list of 188 failing schools that is significantly different from those that the State Department of Education proposed on Monday. John Fensterwald educatedguess.org -- 3/11/10

Panel Proposes Single Standard for All Schools -- A panel of educators convened by the nation’s governors and state school superintendents proposed a uniform set of academic standards on Wednesday, laying out their vision for what all the nation’s public school children should learn in math and English, year by year, from kindergarten to high school graduation. SAM DILLON in the New York Times -- 3/11/10

Fensterwald: Draft common core finally is out -- California got its first glimpse of Wednesday of draft common-core standards in math and English language arts that, sight-unseen, the Legislature has put the state on a path to adopting this summer. John Fensterwald educatedguess.org -- 3/11/10

UC regents to look at changing policy on fees -- If professional schools within the University of California want to raise student fees, they might soon be allowed to set new prices by considering what private universities are charging. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/11/10

16% rise in undergrads on California's state campuses predicted -- Report cites need for funding to cope with the expected enrollment crush. An additional 387,000 undergraduates are expected by 2019. Carla Rivera in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/11/10

Why Black Students Are So Scarce at UCSD -- The San Diego school has trouble convincing black students who are admitted to say yes, partly because it plays second banana to more alluring schools, partly because of a bad reputation in the black community. It also uses an admissions formula that critics believe disadvantages black students because it doesn't adequately weigh their grades and scores against the opportunities they may or may not have. EMILY ALPERT Voiceofsandiego.org -- 3/11/10

Los Angeles Electric Rate Linked to Solar Power -- Now, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the largest municipal utility in the United States, is poised to pass a roughly 5 percent rate increase on electricity use. JENNIFER STEINHAUER in the New York Times -- 3/11/10

DWP drops plan to build 85-mile power transmission line across the desert -- Environmental groups opposed the $800-million Green Path North Transmission Line because it would have crossed wilderness preserves and scenic ridgelines. Louis Sahagun in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/11/10

Few customers collecting from health-care settlement -- More than a year after a settlement was reached between state lawmakers and health plans over restitution for 6,000 health insurance customers who had their policies improperly cancelled, only 170 people have recouped costs from the companies that terminated their coverage. Anthony York in Capitol Weekly -- 3/11/10

Medicare cuts ties with drug plan that left patients in the lurch -- Medicare officials announced Tuesday that they are tearing up their contract with a New York-based company – with 4,100 California clients – that delayed or denied patients access to medications they needed. Christina Jewett California Watch -- 3/11/10

Immigration provision has Hispanic Caucus threatening ‘no’ health vote -- A group of Hispanic lawmakers on Thursday will tell President Barack Obama that they may not vote for healthcare reform unless changes are made to the bill’s immigration provisions. Jared Allen The Hill -- 3/11/10

Center accuses law firm of defrauding Korean immigrants -- The Asian Pacific American Legal Center says many lost thousands of dollars because they were falsely promised that the firm's services would prevent foreclosures. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/11/10

In St. Louis area, Obama pounds drum for health-care initiative -- President Obama made an impassioned case Wednesday for his health-care proposal, delivering a folksy, partisan argument for reform as industry groups prepare a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign to defeat it. Scott Wilson in the Washington Post -- 3/11/10

Feds wouldn't tell Napa about Wine Train contractor -- California Watch wasn’t the only one trying to pry loose government documents on the Alaska Native Corporation that got a $54 million federal stimulus contract to relocate the tracks for the Napa Valley Wine Train. Lance Williams California Watch -- 3/11/10

State high court to consider body-armor law -- The California Supreme Court said Wednesday that it will hear a prosecution appeal of a ruling throwing out a state law that bans anyone who has been convicted of a violent felony from owning body armor. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 3/11/10

L.A. County supervisors spend millions on pet projects -- From chauffeurs to charities to parties, the five-member board hands out money from its discretionary accounts with little oversight. Garrett Therolf in the Los Angeles Times -- 3/11/10

Leaders in House Block Earmarks to Corporations -- House Democratic leaders on Wednesday banned budget earmarks to private industry, ending a practice that has steered billions of dollars in no-bid contracts to companies and set off corruption scandals. ERIC LICHTBLAU in the New York Times Paul Kane in the Washington Post -- 3/11/10