|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jerry Brown warns of federal budget cuts' impact on state -- Billions in cuts to defense, healthcare and other programs are set to go into effect on March 1 unless Republicans and Democrats in Washington can come up with a replacement deal. Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/14/13 Warehouse worker finds Sacramento County uncounted ballots -- The Sacramento County Elections office reported today that a member of its warehouse crew found 407 uncounted ballots cast in the Nov. 6 election sitting unopened in a sealed bag on a shelf. Loretta Kalb in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/14/13 NBA's Stern: Expansion unlikely, 'idea of leaving Sacramento is not a good one' -- NBA Commissioner David Stern dealt a blow to the dreams of basketball fans in both Seattle and Sacramento that the ongoing Kings saga will result in teams in both cities. Ryan Lillis in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/14/13 San Diego Ex-mayor gambled away $1 billion -- Former San Diego Mayor Maureen O’Connor took $2 million from a nonprofit foundation to feed a gambling addiction in which she lost more than $1 billion over an eight-year period, federal prosecutors said Thursday. Greg Moran UT San Diego$ -- 2/14/13 Yee calls death threat over gun measures explicit and chilling -- State Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) has received death threats before, he said Thursday, but this one was “unlike any other.” The emailed warning that arrived four weeks ago was explicit and chilling, the San Francisco Democrat told reporters two days after a suspect was arrested in the case, so particular that it could not be ignored as “racist ranting” or protected speech. Maria La Ganga in the Los Angeles Times$ Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$-- 2/14/13 Steve Wozniak says withhold judgment on man accused of threatening state senator -- Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak says people should withhold judgment on the Santa Clara man accused of threatening a state official and speculated the explosive materials found in Everett Basham's home were for homemade electronic devices. Eric Kurhi in the San Jose Mercury -- 2/14/13 Parks problems caught years ago but not fixed, audit says -- State finance officials caught accounting discrepancies at the California parks department as far back as 1999, but the issue was not resolved until it mushroomed into an embarrassing scandal last year, according to a new audit released Thursday. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/14/13 Carry-a-condom law proposed by San Francisco assemblyman -- Arrested for carrying condoms? No longer, under proposed legislation to bar police from using condoms against prostitutes. Assembly Bill 336 would disallow possession of one or more condoms as evidence of sexual solicitation in arrests or prosecutions. Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/14/13 Mark Zuckerberg Chris Christie Fundraiser Draws Protest In Palo Alto -- Dozens of demonstrators gathered outside the home of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg Wednesday night to protest the Internet prodigy's first political event -- a fundraiser for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Robin Wilkey Huffington Post -- 2/14/13 Tesla's Elon Musk fires back at The New York Times -- Tesla Motors (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk has fired back at The New York Times, releasing vehicle logs that contradict the Times' recent story about a road trip in a Model S sedan and calling on the venerable news organization to "investigate the article and determine the truth." Dana Hull in the Contra Costa Times -- 2/14/13 Barbara Boxer pushes forward on “planetary emergency” -- Sens. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., formally introduced their fee-and-dividend climate bill Thursday, as you learned here Wednesday. Carolyn Lochhead Chronicle Politics -- 2/14/13 Could tax scheme create higher ed windfall? -- Sen. Kevin DeLeon (D-Los Angeles) is promoting a scheme through which he says taxpayers could seize on a loophole that recently emerged in federal tax law to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for higher education. Like all tax schemes, it is complicated. And this one is somewhat ironic, coming from a lawmaker who has spent a good part of his career crusading against tax-avoidance schemes. Evan Halper in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/14/13 President of UC Berkeley Math Club comes out as a DREAMer — and explains the math of immigration reform (VIDEO) -- Terrence Park, 24, is whip-smart, Korean-born, a bio-statistics major and the current head of the U.C. Berkeley math club who’s been accepted to Yale for graduates studies. And today, he’s telling the world for the first time — in a nationally released video — about one other key thing that defines him: he’s an undocumented immigrant, one of the estimated 2.1 million so-called “DREAMers” brought to this country by an immigrant parent as a child. Carla Marinucci Chronicle Politics -- 2/14/13 App helps Facebook friends get benefits -- Bang With Friends is a controversial app that, as the name implies, is supposed to be no-nonsense way to learn which of your friends is interested in having sex. The app's logo and introductory screen shot leave no doubt about its intent. Benny Evangelista in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/14/13 Ban on flea-market animal sales proposed by California lawmaker -- Puppies, kittens and other live animals could not be sold at flea markets or swap meets under legislation proposed this week by a Sacramento legislator. Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/14/13 Fox: Minimum Wage Proposals Another Punch at Small Business -- Minimum wage is back in the spotlight highlighted by President Barack Obama in the State of the Union address and a bill in the California legislature. For small business, the idea feels like another jab following the one-two punch from government with increases in health care mandates and taxes. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 2/14/13 Dorner manhunt: 'Hot gas' that burned cabin was last resort -- SWAT officers in the cabin standoff with murder suspect Christopher Dorner decided to use highly flammable "hot gas" canisters as a last resort after other efforts to persuade Dorner to surrender failed, according to law enforcement sources. Andrew Blankstein, Phil Willon and Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/14/13 0][0
California man held in threat against state senator -- A threat to a California state senator has led to the arrest of a Santa Clara man and the confiscation of explosive materials and a loaded handgun, authorities said. DON THOMPSON Associated Press Michael J. Mishak in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/14/13 Brulte: California GOP debt could be as high as $800,000 -- The former GOP Senate leader, who is expected to take helm of the embattled party next month, said Wednesday that the CRP is between $500,000 and $800,000 in the red, a figure he says could vary based on the potential for legal battles with former vendors. Torey Van Oot in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/14/13 California first to set standard for health benefits -- California's health benefits exchange became the first in the nation Wednesday to set a standard benefits design to help people comparison shop for insurance under the federal health care overhaul. JUDY LIN Associated Press John Myers News10 Timm Herdt in the Ventura Star Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ Daniel Weintraub HealthyCal.org Kenny Goldberg KPBS -- 2/14/13 Edison manipulated costs at San Onofre, complaint alleges -- An advocacy group filed a complaint Wednesday with the California Public Utilities Commission alleging that Southern California Edison manipulated inflation calculations to recover more money from ratepayers for defective replacement steam generators at the San Onofre nuclear plant. Abby Sewell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/14/13 Report excoriates L.A. County agency in child deaths, torture -- Thirteen recent child deaths might not have happened if Department of Children and Family Services social workers had taken basic steps to assess the risks, an investigation finds. Jason Song and Garrett Therolf in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/14/13 US judge chides Brown administration over 'smear' -- A federal judge said Wednesday that he is "dismayed" that Gov. Jerry Brown's administration is questioning the objectivity of a court-appointed special master who oversees the treatment of mentally ill prison inmates. DON THOMPSON Associated Press Paige St. John in the Los Angeles Times$-- 2/14/13 Labor unions move to challenge California pension changes for public workers -- Before they sought to persuade voters last year to raise taxes, Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic legislative leaders agreed on sweeping changes in pension law they said would save California government significant money over time. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/14/13 State Agency Rules Against San Diego’s Pension Reform Initiative -- An administrative law judge with the state’s Public Employment Relation Board, or PERB, has ruled San Diego leaders should have negotiated with labor unions on eliminating pensions before taking the issue to the ballot. Katie Orr KPBS -- 2/14/13 Skelton: Dorner case shows folly of arming oneself to combat government -- The nutty notion that a citizen can be heavily enough armed to fight off the government went up in smoke near Big Bear Lake. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/14/13 L.A. Archdiocese adds priests' names to abuse list -- The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has quietly added two dozen priests and brothers to its list of clergy accused of child molestation. Harriet Ryan in the Los Angeles Times$ Barbara Jones in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 2/14/13 California official chides State Farm for indirect Iran investments -- California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones is declaring a big success his department's 4-year-old program to pressure state-licensed insurance companies to stop investing in multinational firms that do business in Iran. Marc Lifsher in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/14/13 Government wins round in suit accusing Wells Fargo of FHA abuse -- A government lawsuit accusing No. 1 home lender Wells Fargo & Co. of defrauding a federal mortgage-insurance program is shaping up as a knock-down battle between the San Francisco bank and the U.S. Justice Department. E. Scott Reckard in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/14/13 CA legislator wants to allow 17-year-olds to cast primary vote -- A new proposal introduced in the California Legislature would let the state's teens cast their first ballot at age 17. Torey Van Oot in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/14/13 Will Ferrell endorses Eric Garcetti for L.A. mayor -- Comedian Will Ferrell is getting involved in some local California politics. CAITLIN MCDEVITT Politico -- 2/14/13 L.A. mayor candidate Perry treats Villaraigosa as friend, then foe -- Does mayoral candidate Jan Perry think that current Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is a really good guy to have in her corner? Or maybe she thinks hizzoner’s support marks the recipient as another hapless representative of the status quo at City Hall. James Rainey in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/14/13 Bill would require condom use in California porn -- The California Legislature remains, er, hard at work. Assemblyman Isadore Hall III, D-Los Angeles, announced he’s holding a news conference tomorrow – Valentine’s Day – to introduce a bill requiring condom use in all adult films produced in California. Josh Richman Political Blotter -- 2/14/13 Mirkarimi organizing Valentine's Day jail dance as part of anti-domestic violence campaign -- You might say that Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi is trying to dance his way out of the domestic-violence controversy that almost cost him his career. Josh Richman in the San Jose Mercury -- 2/14/13 Osama bin Laden's killer struggles -- The man who shot and killed Osama bin Laden sat in a wicker chair in my backyard, wondering how he was going to feed his wife and kids or pay for their medical care. Phil Bronstein in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/14/13
California housing recovery may gain momentum, experts say -- A sharp drop in new foreclosures in January and the resulting decline in bank-owned properties listed for sale are among factors that may boost the industry. Alejandro Lazo in the Los Angeles Times$ Gregory J. Wilcox in the Los Angeles Daily News JEFF COLLINS in the Orange County Register -- 2/14/13 Silicon Valley commercial real estate market will continue to sizzle, report says -- Silicon Valley's office and research leasing and development sectors this year look more robust than in 2012, according to a high-profile report released Wednesday. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury -- 2/14/13 World Ag Expo: States try to lure California dairies away -- Faced with continued low milk prices and high feed costs, California dairy operators are increasingly being wooed by states offering cheaper costs and expanding markets. Texas, Nevada, South Dakota, North Dakota, Illinois and Kansas were among states at the World Ag Expo in Tulare on Wednesday trying to entice California dairies and anyone else interested in relocating. Robert Rodriguez in the Fresno Bee -- 2/14/13
More support soda tax if for kids' health -- An overwhelming majority of California voters believe that sugary sodas are a major cause of obesity and that such beverages should be taxed - but only if the money raised goes toward improving nutrition and fitness programs in schools, according to Field Poll results released Wednesday. Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/14/13 L.A. tax measure could help pay for raises for city employees -- The raises will cost $167 million annually within a few years, records say. Those costs will equal three-fourths of revenue that would be raised by sales tax hike. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/14/13 San Jose to consider business tax break -- San Jose officials Wednesday suggested those earning less than $11,000 a year shouldn't have to pay either city business taxes or exemption fees in response to complaints from youth sports officials that the city was burdening them with payment demands for what they called essentially volunteer work. John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury -- 2/14/13
California preschool advocates want Obama to show them the money -- President Barack Obama's call for states to provide high-quality preschool for every child was met Wednesday with both applause and skepticism in California, where officials are ready, willing – but not yet able. Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/14/13 Brown’s budget plan takes another shot at eliminating BIP mandate -- After losing a decades-long battle with schools over the state’s responsibility to reimburse districts for developing behavior intervention plans for special education students, Gov. Jerry Brown has proposed legislation that would severely limit what ultimately will be paid back. Lee Funk SI&A Cabinet Report -- 2/14/13 Report questions impact of Brown’s finance formula on career tech -- In proposing to give school districts almost all of their money with no strings attached, Gov. Jerry Brown is confident that local school boards and superintendents are best able to make the right decisions so that all students can graduate ready for college and work. A report released today by Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), a Stanford University-based research group, questions that assumption. Susan Frey EdSource -- 2/14/13 USC building a new $50-million home for its media school -- The new five-story home for USC's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism has been carefully designed to resemble a stately 19th century college edifice. Roger Vincent in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/14/13
Ex-cops like Dorner may own banned guns -- The case of fired Los Angeles police Officer Christopher Dorner highlights a significant exemption in California's assault weapons ban: Law enforcement officers can purchase high-powered weapons that the general public is forbidden to possess, and they can keep them if they retire or are dismissed from the force. Wyatt Buchanan in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/14/13 Los Angeles residents buying 200 guns a day -- Los Angeles residents apply to buy 200 guns a day, an alarming number making it difficult to get weapons off the street, City Attorney Carmen Trutanich said in a preliminary report on gun purchases in Los Angeles. Rick Orlov in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 2/14/13
Medicare Audit Forces San Diego Hospice To Close -- San Diego Hospice, which has been one of the country’s leading end-of-life care providers for more than 30 years, is closing its doors. The organization’s announcement yesterday came after drastic downsizing, layoffs and finally a bankruptcy filing, all in response to an ongoing federal investigation into patient eligibility. Joanne Faryon KPBS -- 2/14/13 New WellPoint CEO gets cool reception on Wall Street -- WellPoint, which runs Anthem Blue Cross in California and health plans in 13 other states, picked Joseph Swedish to lead the company through a tumultuous time in the industry as insurers prepare for drastic changes under the federal healthcare law. Chad Terhune in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/14/13 UCSC students oppose health care caps, fear potential fee increase -- The UC Santa Cruz Health center became the site of a "sick picket" Wednesday, as protesters wearing masks over their mouths hobbled on crutches back and forth across the road, receiving honks of support from cars and buses. The protesters demanded changes to the UC Student Health Insurance Plan, often called UC SHIP, which has recently been criticized for limiting medical benefits enrolled students can receive. Kelly Servick in the Santa Cruz Sentinel -- 2/14/13
Forum on Delta braces residents for battle against state water tunnel plan -- The future of the Delta hangs in the balance, and it will take an extensive grassroots effort to stop state plans that would negatively alter its ecosystem. That was the message relayed often Wednesday night to a capacity crowd of over 200 concerned East Contra Costa residents that packed the Discovery Bay Elementary school gymnasium. Paul Burgarino in the Contra Costa Times -- 2/14/13 Smelt threat eases, so pumping is increased -- Federal wildlife officials ruled Tuesday that water exports from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta will be allowed to increase again, following signs that the threatened Delta smelt may be out of harm's way. Matt Weiser in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/14/13 More Applicants Than Openings in LADWP Solar Pilot Program -- Even though the L.A. Department of Water And Power (LADWP)'s new solar incentive program has taken some heat for not offering enough cash per kilowatt, the new Feed-in Tariff (FiT) already has more applicants for its first round than were planned for in the whole program. Chris Clarke KCET Rewire -- 2/14/13
U.S. senators introduce high-skill immigration bill in nod to Silicon Valley -- Arguing that Silicon Valley and the nation are "losing talent and jobs by the day to countries like Canada, Chile and the United Kingdom," a bipartisan group of U.S. senators on Wednesday introduced a bill to grant up to 75,000 green cards each year to immigrant startup entrepreneurs and 50,000 to students with advanced science and engineering degrees from American universities. Matt O'Brien in the San Jose Mercury -- 2/14/13
Federal appeals court weighs overturning Barry Bonds' conviction -- A three-judge panel considers whether Bonds obstructed justice by giving an evasive answer to a grand jury probing illegal distribution of performance-enhancing drugs. Maura Dolan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/14/13 Texans Head West With a Political Fight -- On Wednesday, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican, wrapped up a visit to Silicon Valley and Southern California, where he was trying to woo companies to Texas. The trip followed a radio advertisement in California last week, in which Mr. Perry was featured discussing the business benefits of moving to the Lone Star State. Vauhini Vara in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 2/14/13 VSP chief praises California business climate -- A few months ago, the CEO of Rancho Cordova insurer Vision Service Plan was so angry at California officials, he put hundreds of new jobs on hold and made vague threats about leaving the state. Now Rob Lynch is defending California's honor against Texas Gov. Rick Perry. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/14/13 Jon Fleischman - Rick Perry -- FlashReport Publisher Jon Fleischman sits down for a video interview with Texas Governor Rick Perry in Orange County. YouTube -- 2/14/13 Oakland Struggles to Cope as Crime Surges -- Crime is surging in Oakland, bucking a national trend, with murders last year hitting their highest level in six years as the city's police department continued to shrink. VAUHINI VARA in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 2/14/13 Yost: Use California cap-and-trade funds for Green Prize to reward climate-change innovation -- California has a unique opportunity to use competition to combat climate change and generate jobs and innovation. Daniel Yost in the San Jose Mercury -- 2/14/13
Obama hits the road to sell his agenda -- President Obama took his State of the Union proposals on the road Wednesday, beginning a three-day tour in Asheville, N.C., by positioning himself as the champion of a U.S. manufacturing revival. Justin Sink and Amie Parnes The Hill -- 2/14/13
The anti-establishment establishment -- If you were to map the geographic center of the conservative uprising against the national GOP establishment, you might settle on a point somewhere in Alexandria, Va. – just within the ring of the Capital Beltway – where a pair of decades-old public relations firms work overtime to stoke and channel the fires of activist outrage. ALEXANDER BURNS Politico -- 2/14/13 |
Follow on Twitter
