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Mitt Romney wins Florida GOP primary -- Mitt Romney won the Florida presidential primary Tuesday, taking a long stride toward capturing the GOP nomination and dealing a potentially mortal blow to the hopes of the once-resurgent Newt Gingrich. Mark Z. Barabak in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/31/12 Mitt Romney claims return to inevitability in Florida primary win -- Mitt Romney didn’t just claim victory Tuesday night — he sent a clear message to Newt Gingrich: The nomination is mine. REID J. EPSTEIN Politico -- 1/31/12 After defeat, Gingrich campaign mantra is '46 states to go' -- A small group of Newt Gingrich supporters was silent and grim-faced Tuesday night as the networks called the Florida primary for rival Mitt Romney moments after the polls closed. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/31/12 Ron Calderon drops bid for Congress, endorses Linda Sanchez -- California Sen. Ron Calderon is abandoning his bid for the newly drawn 38th Congressional District, opting to remain in the state Senate and back Democratic Rep. Linda Sanchez for the Southern California seat. Torey Van Oot SacBee Capitol Alert -- 1/31/12 Voter registration numbers show parties' decline -- The growth in “decline to state” voters in California continues to climb, while both the Democratic and Republican parties saw their voter rolls dip over the past year, new statewide voter registration figures show. Phil Willon LA Times PolitiCal Torey Van Oot SacBee Capitol Alert -- 1/31/12 After slow start, Gov. Jerry Brown ratchets up fundraising -- After taking most of 2011 off from the fundraising circuit, Gov. Jerry Brown is now focusing on raising the $30 million he says it will take to pass his initiative to raise taxes, which he hopes to place on the November ballot. Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times JULIET WILLIAMS AP -- 1/31/12 California campaign disclosure bill rejected by Assembly -- Legislation to require more public disclosure of contributors by independent expenditure committees supporting candidates or ballot measures was rejected today by the Assembly. Jim Sanders SacBee Capitol Alert Chris Megerian LA Times PolitiCal -- 1/31/12 Controller: State to run out of cash in March without action -- California will run out of cash by early March if the state does not take swift action to find $3.3 billion through payment delays and borrowing, according to a letter state Controller John Chiang sent to state lawmakers today. Kevin Yamamura SacBee Capitol Alert Chris Megerian LA Times PolitiCal -- 1/31/12 California Senate preserves redevelopment money for housing -- The day before local redevelopment programs begin shutting down, state lawmakers acted Tuesday to allow cities and counties to build affordable housing using $1.36 billion held for that purpose by agencies that are closing. Patrick McGreevy LA Times PolitiCal Torey Van Oot SacBee Capitol Alert DON THOMPSON AP -- 1/31/12 Jerry Brown, lawmakers back bill protecting school bus money -- Rural and urban school districts in California that make heavy use of buses appear safe -- for now. Kevin Yamamura SacBee Capitol Alert -- 1/31/12 Assembly changes mind and passes three-strikes legislation -- One day after turning thumbs down, the Assembly today passed legislation that would ask voters to alter California's "three strikes" criminal sentencing law. Assembly Bill 327, approved by a vote of 41-33, now goes to the Senate. Jim Sanders SacBee Capitol Alert -- 1/31/12 Loss in video-game lawsuit hits California taxpayers in wallet -- State lawmakers agreed Tuesday to pay $12.99 million to settle various claims, including those from lawsuits alleging that the state illegally tried to ban the sale of violent video games and that it provided inadequate protection of forests. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/31/12 Will David Dreier retire? -- Longtime California Republican Rep. David Dreier raised just over $10,000 in the final quarter of 2011, a figure that is certain to heighten speculation that he will retire this year. JAKE SHERMAN and JONATHAN ALLEN Politico -- 1/31/12 Feinstein begins to replenish campaign account -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein's re-election campaign is reporting that she raised nearly $950,000 in the final three months of 2011 as she works to overcome the disappearance of an estimated $4.7 million from her campaign coffers. KEVIN FREKING AP -- 1/31/12 Campaign kept Newt Gingrich company on payroll -- Newt Gingrich’s campaign paid him $47,000 for a list of supporters and paid one of his companies another $67,000 for web hosting, according to a report filed Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission. KENNETH P. VOGEL Politico -- 1/31/12 Colbert super PAC got $500 from California's Gavin Newsom -- Stephen Colbert, comedian and satirist, disclosed Tuesday that his “super PAC,” Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow, had raised more than $1 million, and among those who ponied up was California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/31/12 Obama campaign to use Square for fundraising -- In a coup for the San Francisco startup, which shares space with The Chronicle at Fifth and Mission, Obama for America will let staff members and volunteers accept donations through its mobile credit-card reader. Casey Newton, Benny Evangelista in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/31/12 Jerry Brown orders review, finds missing X-ray machine, dental chairs -- Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown was confiscating state-issued cellphones and cars. This year, he's finding grout pumps and chairs. Such is his attention to budget dust in austere times. David Siders SacBee Capitol Alert -- 1/31/12 L.A. Councilman Eric Garcetti being tweaked by fake tweets -- The satirical Twitter account, which goes under the handle @Eric_Garcetti, has churned out a series of tweets over the last 10 days that lampoon the 40-year-old councilman, portraying him as an urban sophisticate who is bit too concerned with aesthetic and environmental choices. David Zahniser and Kate Linthicum in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/31/12 Tensions rise over new round of defense cuts -- Facing a weak economy and looming military cuts that potentially include new base closures, a push is under way to extol the benefits that defense spending and military installations provide to local economies in six states of the Southwest, including California. John Howard Capitol Weekly -- 1/31/12 Fox: Ballot Measure Titles and Summaries Should not be Written by Attorneys General -- A couple of months ago, at a discussion on the initiative process at a Zocalo Public Square meeting in Los Angeles, the panelists were asked what one thing they would change with the initiative process. As a panelist, my answer: Take away the power to write the initiative title and summary from the attorney general’s office. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 1/31/12 Sragow: Americans Elect is not a Third Party, It’s a Second Nominating Process -- As Americans Elect, which will provide ballot access to a third presidential candidate this November, opens it doors to candidates and draft movements for the AE nomination, it will be helpful for you to know what AE is and what it isn’t. Darry Sragow Fox & Hounds -- 1/31/12 Feds probe nearly $1 million in payments by Coliseum officials -- Investigators for the U.S. Labor Department are looking into cash advances made by Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum officials to a union representative, sources said. Paul Pringle and Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/31/12 Riverside County workers launch one-day strike -- Thousands of Riverside County workers have launched a one-day strike to protest the pension cuts imposed on employees after contract negotiations reached an impasse late last year. Phil Willon in the Los Angeles Times DUANE W. GANG and DUG BEGLEY in the Riverside Press -- 1/31/12 Chorneau: Discipline changes eyed for first-time alcohol offenses among teachers -- In what would be a significant shift in statewide teacher disciplinary policy, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing is considering a plan to streamline oversight of first-time alcohol offenders. Tom Chorneau SI&A Cabinet Report via Capitol Weekly -- 1/31/12 Stanford scientists bypass stem cells to create nervous system cells -- Bypassing stem cells, mouse skin cells have been converted directly into cells that become the three main parts of the animal's nervous system, according to new research at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Lisa M. Krieger in the San Jose Mercury -- 1/31/12 Michelle Obama to visit L.A. -- and talk shows -- for 'Let's Move!' -- First Lady Michelle Obama will touch down in Los Angeles on Tuesday for a two-day visit in which she plans to appear on talk shows and meet with Democratic Party donors. Rick Rojas in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/31/12 Claremont McKenna College under fire for SAT cheating scandal -- Claremont McKenna College is under fire for exaggerating the collective SAT exam scores of incoming freshman classes for the last six years, boosting statistics used for national school rankings. Larry Gordon in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/31/12 Suits could force L.A. to spend huge sums on sidewalk repair -- The civil rights actions claim that broken sidewalks and missing curb ramps violate the Americans With Disabilities Act. The city could be on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars. Ari Bloomekatz in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/31/12
California Teachers Association backs Brown's tax plan -- The California Teachers Association officially agreed Sunday to back Gov. Jerry Brown's multibillion-dollar tax plan, which should provide the governor hefty financial support for his fall campaign. Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/31/12 Walters: Think Long committee falls short of ballot goal -- Would it be churlish to say that the much-ballyhooed Think Long Committee for California fell short on fortitude? Or merely accurate? Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/31/12 California's chief justice loses round over Judicial Council power -- The state’s top judge lost a political battle Monday when the state Assembly voted to shift key budget decisions from the state Judicial Council that she heads to local trial courts, some of which have complained about the panel’s handling of money. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/31/12 Legislation to amend three-strikes law gets KOd by Assembly -- The Assembly rejected legislation today that would have placed before voters a measure to alter California's "three strikes" criminal sentencing law. Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee Judy Lin AP -- 1/31/12 Los Angeles judge blocks state budget cut to Medi-Cal providers -- A Los Angeles federal judge has tentatively blocked Medi-Cal reimbursement cuts to doctors and other providers who treat low-income patients. Kevin Yamamura SacBee Capitol Alert -- 1/31/12 Republican Meg Whitman's HP likes Democrats -- An interesting factoid for the 2012 elections: HP, the Silicon Valley powerhouse run by Republican Meg Whitman, is busy bankrolling Democrats. John Howard Capitol Weekly -- 1/31/12 Jerry Brown urged to take control of California's campaign finance database -- A state senator who is running for secretary of state is urging Gov. Jerry Brown to take over California's beleaguered online campaign finance database, which was down for most of last month. Nicholas Riccardi in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/31/12 Federal judge may overturn CalPERS care rule -- CalPERS refuses to sell its long-term care insurance to the same-sex partners of state workers, on the grounds that federal law doesn't allow it. Now a judge in Oakland seems ready to overturn that federal ban. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/31/12 Earmarks gone, California finagles transportation -- California lawmakers and lobbyists must find new ways to steer federal transportation dollars to the state. Michael Doyle in the Fresno Bee -- 1/31/12 L.A. County supervisors violated open meeting law, D.A. finds -- Los Angeles County supervisors violated the law last fall by holding a closed-door meeting with Gov. Jerry Brown to discuss a plan to shift nonviolent state prisoners to county jail and supervision after release, according to the county district attorney's office. Jason Song in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/31/12 Two L.A. mayoral candidates surpass $1-million mark in fundraising -- City Controller Wendy Greuel has so far raised $1.1 million for her 2013 mayoral bid, narrowly outpacing Councilman Eric Garcetti, who recorded $1,062,815. Councilwoman Jan Perry, meanwhile, has raised $826,930. Stephen Ceasar in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/31/12 Bill would license pet groomers -- David Martin was stunned to find his beloved terrier-mix Lucy limping and bloodied when he retrieved her from the groomers after what he thought was just a routine bath and cut. Michael Gardner UT Sandiego -- 1/31/12
Occupy Oakland protesters split over violence -- For many Occupy activists outside Oakland and San Francisco, the violent clashes with police and destruction that attended protests in those cities over the past two weeks not only went against the Occupy message - they've started to undercut its essence. Kevin Fagan, Justin Berton in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/31/12 Oakland tries new tactics against Occupy -- City leaders are preparing new strategies to strike back against Occupy Oakland, but law enforcement experts say there is little authorities can do to keep the movement from continuing with costly demonstrations. Matthew Artz in the Oakland Tribune -- 1/31/12 Jean Quan plans to call national Occupy leaders -- Faced with ever-increasing violence between police and Occupy protesters, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan is seeking help from a new source: Occupy Wall Street. Carolyn Jones, Demian Bulwa, Henry K. Lee in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/31/12 After Mass Arrests, New Criticism of Oakland Police -- Two days after police arrested 409 Occupy Oakland protesters, sheriff's deputies were still in the process of booking suspects into county jails Monday afternoon, Alameda County Sheriff Gregory Ahern said. AARON GLANTZ Bay Citizen -- 1/31/12 Occupy protest rekindles debate about flag-burning -- Many in the crowd outside Oakland City Hall shouted "Burn it! Burn it!" as masked protesters readied to set fire to an American flag. That's when a woman emerged from the scrum, screaming for them to stop, that it would hurt the cause. TERRY COLLINS and BETH DUFF-BROWN AP -- 1/31/12 Saunders: Let Oakland protesters occupy a county jail cell -- Occupy Oakland is aptly named. When forces occupy a city, they know that occupied turf is not their home. They can maraud, loot, vandalize, abuse the locals, and then leave. They can treat other people's property as their own. Debra J. Saunders in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/31/12
545 in Corrections ranks get layoff warning notices -- The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has issued 545 layoff warning notices to employees, including 140 correctional officers. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/31/12 California has spent $277,000 fighting prison officers' union -- The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has spent more than a quarter-million dollars on outside attorneys to fight the long-running union paid leave battle with the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, spokeswoman Lynelle Jolley said in an email to The State Worker. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/31/12 Explainer: The end of redevelopment agencies -- The gist: In late December, the California Supreme Court upheld legislation that ended a roughly 60-year-old program intended to combat blight. As a result, more than 400 redevelopment agencies are slated to dissolve by tomorrow. Kendall Taggart California Watch -- 1/31/12 CA redevelopment agencies take plea to governor -- The California Redevelopment Association and League of California Cities have sent Gov. Jerry Brown an eight-page letter outlining all the ways the pending Wednesday dissolution of redevelopment agencies is a bad idea. Lisa Vorderbrueggen Political Blotter -- 1/31/12 City leaders offer to increase pension contributions -- The Costa Mesa City Council will vote Feb. 7 on the proposal by eight of the city’s highest-ranking executives to pay more than a third of their pension costs. SEAN GREENE in the Orange County Register -- 1/31/12
Fensterwald: CTA’s a team player for Jerry Brown -- The president of the California Teachers Association said Monday that in backing Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax initiative, the state’s largest teachers union is agreeing to “stay at awful” for now with the expectation that more money will flow again to schools in coming years. John Fensterwald educatedguess -- 1/31/12 Fresno State will keep College of Science and Math -- Fresno State officials have rescinded a controversial recommendation to eliminate the College of Science and Mathematics, marking a victory for faculty and students from the college who forcefully have opposed the idea since its announcement in the fall. Heather Somerville in the Fresno Bee -- 1/31/12 Heimpel: Foster youth deserve to be left out of Brown’s plan to combine categorical funds -- In 1981, the California State Legislature launched the Foster Youth Services program to address the educational needs of foster children, putting California at the vanguard of a national movement to level the educational playing field for students in foster care. Daniel Heimpel TopEd -- 1/31/12
Salinas hospital district discloses more executive pensions -- A Salinas public hospital that awarded one of the largest public pensions in state history to its former chief executive announced Monday that it would give lucrative retirement packages to four other top officials. Sam Allen in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/31/12 Kaiser workers striking Tuesday throughout Northern California -- Kaiser Permanente workers throughout Northern California will walk off the job Tuesday in a dispute over a new contract for mental health and optical employees. Sandy Kleffman in the Contra Costa Times -- 1/31/12 Mosquito fogging in jeopardy after new environmental regulations -- As fears grow that an unseasonably warm winter could lead to a severe West Nile virus season in the Bay Area, statewide vector control agencies are facing a huge new obstacle in their fight against the mosquito-borne illness. Matthias Gafni in the Contra Costa Times -- 1/31/12 A push for a single payer system, even as reforms take effect -- Sen. Mark Leno is trying to get 20 of his fellow California state senators to vote in favor of his single-payer healthcare legislation this week. The proposed law, dubbed the “Medicare for All” bill, doesn’t look likely to pass. Callie Shanafelt HealthyCal.org -- 1/31/12 California counties improve stroke system -- Seventy-five-year-old Leigh Weimers realized his left arm wasn’t working when he tried to pull his Costco card out of his back pocket. Callie Shanafelt HealthyCal.org -- 1/31/12 California Assembly votes to outlaw smoking on hospital campuses -- The Assembly passed a bill Monday that would expand current limits on smoking at hospitals to entire campuses. Existing law makes it illegal to smoke in buildings and areas adjacent to entrances. Michael J. Mishak in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/31/12
A Watered-down Bond for Water System Improvements? -- CA Senate President Pro Tem tells water conference $11 billion is too much. Kimberly Ayers KQED Climate Watch -- 1/31/12 Coastal California to see cooler temperatures through spring -- It’s pretty well established that the earth is warming up. Researchers and government agencies have the numbers to show it, and they have plenty of graphs and charts to document the trend. Susanne Rust California Watch -- 1/31/12
No transplant for dying dad who is illegal immigrant -- Without a new kidney, Jesus Navarro will die. The Oakland man has a willing donor and private insurance to pay for the transplant. But he faces what may be an insurmountable hurdle in the race to save his life: He is an illegal immigrant. Hannah Dreier in the San Jose Mercury -- 1/31/12
San Francisco official wants to restrict police role in terrorism probes -- A San Francisco politician wants tougher oversight of local police and the role they play in terrorism investigations following complaints from residents that they were unnecessarily targeted for questioning and surveillance by Joint Terrorism Task Forces. G.W. Schulz California Watch -- 1/31/12 Richmond cop's Twitter comment attacking Internet hackers draws anger, criticism -- A Richmond police officer is facing criticism and anger Monday for a Twitter comment he made about Internet hackers. Karl Fischer in the San Jose Mercury -- 1/31/12
Forget the high rollers: Obama planning a $100 a head fundraiser in San Francisco -- President Barack Obama plans a little something for everyone on his Feb. 16 fundraising swing to the Democratic political ATM of San Francisco: he’ll mine deep-pocketed VIP donors, but also star at a $100-a-head “rally” type fundraiser at the Regency Center ballroom, sources said. Carla Marinucci Chronicle Politics -- 1/31/12
Romney and Gingrich stage final bitter blitz in Florida -- The rivals for the Republican presidential nomination press daylong assaults on each other on the eve of the state's primary. Maeve Reston and Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/31/12 Why Newt Gingrich won’t quit -- For Newt Gingrich, the next great challenge of the 2012 campaign comes from within. ALEXANDER BURNS Politico -- 1/31/12 |
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