Updating . .

Republican governor candidate fires borrowed guns despite probation -- Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, Republican candidate for governor and outspoken gun-rights advocate, appears to have violated his probation agreement while firing borrowed weapons at an indoor gun range last week. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14

Senators’ Debt Limit Votes Kept Off Microphones; Reporters Protest -- In a major departure from procedure during Wednesday’s climactic vote on suspending the federal debt limit, the Senate kept some senators’ votes secret while the nearly hourlong tally was under way — a move that has drawn sharp criticism from Capitol Hill reporters. Niels Lesniewski Roll Call -- 2/13/14

Wendy Greuel, Ted Lieu roll out additional endorsements --Former Los Angeles Controller Wendy Greuel and state Sen. Ted Lieu of Torrance, the two best-known Democrats in a crowded field to succeed retiring Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Beverly Hills), have added to their lists of endorsements. Jean Merl in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14  

Lady Gaga: California's new drought spokeswoman -- Lady Gaga has a new message for all of her “little monsters”: Save water. The five-time Grammy Award winner will soon be on the air with a public service announcement urging Californians to do their part to help with the state’s drought. Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14

House Democrats will seek to force vote on minimum wage --Democrats will seek to force a House vote on raising the federal minimum wage, party leaders said Thursday, but even getting the proposal to a vote will be an uphill fight. Michael A. Memoli in the Los Angeles Times$ Mike Lillis The Hill -- 2/13/14

Court strikes California law restricting concealed weapons -- California must allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms in public, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday, striking down the core of the state's permit system for handguns. Bob Egelko  in the San Francisco Chronicle Paul Elias Associated Press Kristina Davis UT San Diego$  Maura Dolan in the Los Angeles Times$ Josh Richman in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/13/14

Boxer ramps up San Onofre fight with NRC -- Sen. Barbara Boxer is continuing her aggressive search for what she calls missing Nuclear Regulatory Commission documents as part of her committee's investigation of a radioactive gas leak at the shuttered San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. David Hood in the Orange County Register$ -- 2/13/14

Health warning labels proposed for soda sold in California -- Citing studies linking soda to obesity, a state lawmaker and medical experts proposed a first-in-the-nation bill Thursday that would require sugary drinks sold in California to have health warning labels similar to those on packs of cigarettes. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$  Josh Richman Political Blotter Jeremy B. White  in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/13/14

Bill Bratton endorses Jim McDonnell in L.A. County sheriff’s race -- Former Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton announced his support Thursday for Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell for Los Angeles County Sheriff. Beatriz Valenzuela in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/13/14

An Historic Republican Win in San Diego --  Better get to know Kevin Faulconer. He is now the highest ranking Republican elected official in California and the most important urban Republican in America. Not bad for a guy who was hardly known at all just a week ago.  Tony Quinn Fox & Hounds  -- 2/13/14

California Schools Have $37.5 Billion in Unissued Bonds  -- Though California has exhausted its authorization to issue state bonds for schools, school and community college districts have $37.5 billion in approved but unissued local school construction bonds.   Keeley Webster The Bond Buyer  -- 2/13/14

Google reduces public disclosure of acquisitions -- Google is becoming more secretive about its acquisitions as the Internet company hunts for promising innovations and engineering talent to help shape the future of technology. Michael Liedtke Associated Press -- 2/13/14

California Policy & Politics This Morning

3 former California governors back proposed death penalty initiative -- Three former California governors are set to announce their endorsement Thursday of a proposed initiative sponsors say would end lengthy death penalty appeals and speed up executions. Maura Dolan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14

Is the Death Penalty Dying? -- The immediate consequence of Washington Gov. Jay Inslee's decision to suspend the state's death penalty Tuesday fits into a national trend. Eight states in the past decade have rolled back the death penalty, an accelerated pace mimicking the rapidly changing public opinion surrounding same-sex marriage that started at the same time.  Scott Bland National Journal  -- 2/13/14

Bill would ban lobbyists from hosting fundraisers -- Reacting to this week's announcement that a Sacramento lobbyist is paying a six-figure fine for making illegal campaign contributions by hosting lavish political fundraisers at his home, Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia introduced a bill Wednesday to ban the practice. Laurel Rosenhall in the Sacramento Bee$ Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14

Skelton: Extension of deadline on prison crowding looks like a win-win -- It's a victory for Jerry Brown, but if all goes as planned, the taxpayers and many inmates may ultimately benefit too. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14

San Diego mayor-elect's win a boost to state GOP, experts say -- San Diego mayor-elect's win a boost to state GOP, experts say -- As Mayor-elect Kevin Faulconer prepares to take power at City Hall, some are wondering what his easy victory over Democratic Councilman David Alvarez means for the statewide GOP. Faulconer beat Alvarez 55% to 45 Tony Perry in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14

Bragging rights for California Republicans: A win in San Diego -- Democrats in California can look forward to a good November: The governor is riding high. Republicans are scrambling to find enough candidates to fill a statewide slate. Congressional and legislative races will go lopsidedly Democratic, since Democrats already control the delegations and few are threatened. Cathleen Decker in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14

How Faulconer won it -- Kevin Faulconer was elected mayor with good name recognition, a middle-of-the-road campaign platform and a get-out-the-vote effort that rivaled the union-led forces backing opponent David Alvarez. Mark Walker UT San Diego$ -- 2/13/14

Faulconer brings city to familiar ground -- The elevation of Kevin Faulconer from city councilman to mayor is a return to familiar territory for San Diego voters as he represents the moderate Republican archetype that they’ve repeatedly chosen to lead the city for much of the past four decades. Craig Gustafson UT San Diego$ -- 2/13/14

Pollster: Mayor result ‘sobering’ -- Pollster Jay Leve says Kevin Faulconer’s trouncing of David Alvarez in Tuesday’s mayoral election after his SurveyUSA poll released Sunday showed the race a virtual dead heat is humbling. Mark Walker UT San Diego$ -- 2/13/14

Inland Empire Rep. Gary Miller bows out of reelection campaign -- Facing one of the toughest campaigns of any Republican congressman in the country, Rep. Gary Miller announced Wednesday that he would not seek reelection to his Inland Empire seat, increasing prospects for a Democratic pickup. Richard Simon in the Los Angeles Times$ Alex Isenstadt Politico Jim Loney Reuters Abby Livingston Roll Call -- 2/13/14

Hoffenblum: The Waxman Berman Machine -- With Howard Berman’s defeat for reelection in 2012 and Henry Waxman retiring this year, I thought I would look back on the early years of the Waxman-Berman political operation – how it came about, why it became so effective and my experience in going up against them. Allan Hoffenblum Fox & Hounds -- 2/13/14

California Republicans seeking to capitalize on health law vulnerabilities -- The Barack Obama impersonator is well into promoting the president’s health insurance overhaul when he concedes a deficiency of the law: “It’s not going to stop you from doing stupid things.”  Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/13/14

Gov. Brown says he can help solve state's water crisis -- Gov. Jerry Brown came to this town halfway between Fresno and Bakersfield on Wednesday to briefly tour the World Ag Expo and continue his unofficial reelection bid in the heart of Republican California.  Anthony York  in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14

Bay Delta tunnel plan cost hammered -- Pointing to cost overruns with California's high-speed rail project, lawmakers on Wednesday pressed state officials on the funding sources and ultimate price tag for the governor's water tunnel plan. Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/13/14

Neel Kashkari blames Jerry Brown for drought -- Republican Neel Kashkari blamed Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday for California's ongoing drought, saying a "lack of leadership in Sacramento" has left the state unprepared for dry years. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/13/14

Garcetti calls for conservation in face of drought -- Emphasizing the need to save water during the worst drought in recent history, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and the region’s major supplier of water called on residents Wednesday to take steps to conserve as much as possible and follow existing conservation guidelines. Rick Orlov in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 2/13/14

California prison doctor linked to sterilizations no stranger to controversy -- A prison doctor investigated by the California medical board after ordering tubal ligations without state approval is responsible for hundreds of other inmate sterilizations, The Center for Investigative Reporting has found. Corey G. Johnson Center for Investigative Reporting  -- 2/13/14

Oakland police top official, Thomas Frazier, fired -- A federal judge overseeing reforms of Oakland's Police Department fired the man he appointed last year to the top job of compliance director, saying the $270,000-a-year role proved to be ineffective. Will Kane in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/13/14

Greenhut: Faulconer win has lessons for state GOP -- Kevin Faulconer’s decisive victory in San Diego’s mayoral special election on Tuesday doesn’t mean the California Republican Party has found its way out of the wilderness, but it does suggest the party may have learned some lessons that improve its chances for survival. Steven Greenhut UT San Diego$ -- 2/13/14

Herdt: Local lawmaker's dog stealing spotlight from California's 'first dog' -- Playing off the popularity of Gov. Jerry Brown’s “first dog” Sutter, Republican Assemblyman Scott Wilk has designated his mixed-breed rescue dog Simi V as first dog of the 38th Assembly District — and added her canine voice to the California political debate. Timm Herdt in the Ventura Star$ -- 2/13/14

The selling of a message: How Brown’s wife came up with Corgi cards -- Anne Gust Brown says she one big goal in mind when she came up with the cuddly idea of a pack of Corgi playing cards — starring California’s first dog — to communicate husband Gov. Jerry Brown’s mantra of fiscal prudence. Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/13/14

Openly gay GOP congressional candidate DeMaio includes partner in new ad -- Carl DeMaio is a moderate Republican running for Congress in Southern California who is openly gay. On Wednesday, he released a new Web ad that includes footage of him and his same-sex partner, an apparent first in the realm of congressional campaigns. Sean Sullivan in the Washington Post$ Mark Walker UT San Diego$ -- 2/13/14

Butler, Howorth enter contest for Ted Lieu Senate seat -- The field of candidates competing for the coastal Senate district seat being vacated by Ted Lieu grew Wednesday with former Assemblywoman Betsy Butler and Manhattan Beach Mayor Amy Howorth, both Democrats, announcing their candidacies. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14

CalPERS poised to raise rates, but not on Brown’s timetable -- CalPERS officials today called for significantly higher contributions from state and local governments but are sticking to a timetable that Gov. Jerry Brown has called “unacceptable.” Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/13/14

Animosity between head of AIDS group, L.A. County supervisor emerges -- Long-simmering animosity between two Los Angeles political figures reached new heights this week when their bad blood surfaced in a footnote attached to a federal judge's ruling. Abby Sewell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14

Orange County IT Chief Suddenly Announces Retirement -- Orange County's technology chief, Mahesh Patel, who presides over a department that has long been plagued with cost overruns and blown deadlines, suddenly announced his retirement earlier this week. Nick Gerda VoiceofOC.org -- 2/13/14

California ditches Empire Mine tunnel tourism project in Grass Valley -- In Nevada County, this 850-foot tunnel into history was supposed to be the crowning attraction for a region whose heritage is gilded with gold. Peter Hecht in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/13/14

Economy, Employers and Jobs

L.A. policy on breaks for trash truck drivers could prove costly -- Break rules intended to avoid perception of drivers asleep on the job could mean a $26-million payout. David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14

Western Digital unit plans expansion that could bring 1,700 jobs to San Jose -- HGST, a unit of Western Digital, intends to construct two big, new buildings in south San Jose in an expansion of its campus that could create up to 1,700 jobs and help develop a transit and technology village for the area, according to documents filed with city planners. George Avalos in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/13/14

Southland home sales tumble in January, price increases slow -- Southern California home prices in January posted their smallest year-over-year gain in more than a year, as the housing market showed signs of slowing. Andrew Khouri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14

Computer system upgrades delay licensing for nursing graduates -- Problems with a new state computer system used by 37 boards and agencies delay licenses for many recent graduates. The software was intended to improve efficiency. Eryn Brown in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14

Comcast strikes deal to buy Time Warner Cable for $45 billion -- Comcast Corp. has reached an agreement to buy Time Warner Cable in a deal valued at $45.2 billion, according to people familiar with the negotiations. Meg James and Joe Flint in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14

Scorned Oakland 'gentrifier' accepts the label but calls for truce -- Steve Kopff was one of many San Franciscans who cascaded last year into sunnier, cheaper, hipper Oakland. Matt O'Brien in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/13/14

Union representing L.A. County social workers approves new contract -- After months of contentious negotiations that culminated in a six-day strike by county social workers in December, county employees represented by Service Employees International Union Local 721 voted to approve a new labor agreement. Abby Sewell in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14

Assembly moves to reign in 'abuse' of government outsourcing -- The bills are part of a greater movement among states to stop contracting out in cases when the work is seen as better suited for public employees -- an effort largely organized by the nation’s largest public services employees union, AFSCME. Allen Young Sacramento Business Journal  -- 2/13/14

Sacramento State auxiliary expanding internship program -- An internship program for California State University Sacramento students is expanding its efforts to place students with private employers. The program is run by University Enterprises Inc., a nonprofit affiliate of Sacramento State. Until 2012, most of its interns were placed with state agencies. Allen Young Sacramento Business Journal  -- 2/13/14

Education

State schools superintendent endorses mandatory child abuse training legislation -- Tom Torlakson, state Superintendent of Public Instruction, announced his support Wednesday for legislation that would require school districts to train employees in identifying and reporting suspected child abuse. Theresa Harrington in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/13/14

California leads nation in new charter schools and students -- California led the country in opening new charter schools this fiscal year, adding 104 campuses and 48,000 students, according to a report released Wednesday. Theresa Harrington in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/13/14

Ex-charter school board member accused of stealing $750,000 -- A former board member with a Newport Beach-based charter school nonprofit is being accused of stealing $750,000 that he promised to invest on behalf of the organization, according to charges filed by the Orange County district attorney's office. Jeremiah Dobruck in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14 

Health

State cosmetic database focused on chemicals falling short of mission -- A widely touted state program to give the public more information about harmful chemicals in cosmetics is falling short of its mission, hobbled by a lack of participation from the cosmetics industry, outdated information and a loophole that lets companies keep their ingredients secret. Heather Somerville in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/13/14

Poll: Obesity overtakes drug use as top health worry about California's kids -- The poll, conducted for the California Endowment, shows that the number of Californians who list unhealthy eating or a lack of physical activity among kids' two top health risks grew from 53 percent a decade ago to 59 percent today. David E. Early in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/13/14

The plot to make Big Food pay -- Lawyers are pitching state attorneys general in 16 states with a radical idea: make the food industry pay for soaring obesity-related health care costs. Helena Bottemiller Evich  Politico  -- 2/13/14

Obamacare enrollment continues to increase -- Health insurance sign-ups under President Obama’s healthcare law have continued to surge, as more than 1.1 million Americans selected a private plan in January on new marketplaces created by the law. Noam N. Levey in the Los Angeles Times$ Sarah Kliff in the Washington Post$ -- 2/13/14

Environment

L.A. backyard beekeeping picking up buzz  -- Keeping bees is officially banned in L.A.'s residential neighborhoods, but widely tolerated. Now the City Council is exploring regulations to permit home beekeeping.  Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14

Also...

Journalist can sue BART on claims he was targeted for arrest -- A journalist who was arrested during protests against BART police in San Francisco can go to trial with his suit claiming that transit officers targeted him because of his critical coverage, a federal magistrate has ruled. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/13/14

PayPal president punches holes in chip-card conversion argument -- Marcus said hackers probably cloned his credit card during his recent trip to the United Kingdom, even though the card was outfitted with chip technology that makes it harder to replicate plastic. Danielle Douglas in the Washington Post$ -- 2/13/14

Lopez: Animal lover's pet cause is on wheels -- Joey Herrick's mobile spay and neuter clinic offers the procedures at low cost or for free. The goal is to reduce the number of cats and dogs euthanized in shelters. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14

French president Francois Hollande visits San Francisco -- During a one day visit to San Francisco, French President Francois Hollande met with local dignitaries including Mayor Ed Lee, Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom and Former Secretary of State George Shultz at City Hall to discuss San Francisco's booming tech economy and its model might transfer the French tech industries. The item is in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/13/14

Vive la tech: French president meets with Silicon Valley titans -- Calling Silicon Valley "the place where tomorrow's world is being invented," French President Francois Hollande on Wednesday received a key to this city and then met with tech titans, hoping to strengthen the business and innovation connections between the United States and France. Dan Nakaso in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/13/14

Nuclear fusion reactions mark a 'milestone' -- Physicists create nuclear fusion reactions that produce more energy than the fuel involved — the power at work in the sun and other stars. It may be a step toward a cleaner form of nuclear energy. Amina Khan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14

4 things Pulitzer winners have in common -- The winners of four 2013 Pulitzer Prizes came together Tuesday night at Poynter to talk about their work and their wins.  Kristen Hare Poynter.  -- 2/13/14

The iPhone 6 Is Going To Have A Bigger, Higher-Resolution Scratch-Proof Screen, *And* It's Going To Be Lighter -- Here's the latest gossip on the iPhone 6.  Apple will release two new phones, one with a 4.7-inch screen, and one with a 5.5-inch screen in September, says Angela Meng at the South China Morning Post, citing "industry insiders" who have seen prototypes of the new phones. Jay Yarrow Business Insider  -- 2/13/14

POTUS 44

Obama raises minimum wage for federal contractors -- After promising for weeks to do so, President Obama on Wednesday signed an executive order raising the minimum wage for federal contractors -- but only after wagging his finger at Congress for failing to “give America a raise” by hiking the overall minimum. Christi Parsons in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14

NSA / Surveillance

Rand Paul files suit against Obama, NSA Wednesday -- Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul (R) and Matt Kibbe, president of the conservative organizing group FreedomWorks, are filing a class action lawsuit against President Obama and other members of his administration over the National Security Agency's collection of phone metadata, a practice they believe violates the Fourth Amendment. Jaime Fuller in the Washington Post$ Katie Glueck Politico -- 2/13/14

Foreign regimes use spyware against journalists, even in U.S. -- Mesay Mekonnen was at his desk, at a news service based in Northern Virginia, when gibberish suddenly exploded across his computer screen one day in December. A sophisticated cyber­attack was underway. But this wasn’t the Chinese army or the Russian mafia at work. Craig Timberg in the Washington Post$ -- 2/13/14

Beltway

Senate clears debt ceiling bill in dramatic vote -- Congress gave final approval Wednesday to legislation allowing more federal borrowing to pay the nation's bills, ending the last three years of partisan brinkmanship over the debt limit, but not without a last-minute protest led by tea party Republicans in the Senate. Lisa Mascaro in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/13/14

Senate votes to restore benefits to veterans -- Senators voted 95 to 3 Wednesday to restore military retiree benefits cut last year as part of a compromise budget deal, adopting a House bill that covers the move by extending reductions to Medicare. Wesley Lowrey in the Washington Post$ -- 2/13/14

Nancy Pelosi's play for women -- House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is trying to make the midterm elections all about women. John Bresnahan and Seung Min Kim Politico -- 2/13/14

Cantor taking on Obama, libertarians -- House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) plans to take on both President Obama and the rising libertarian wing of his own party in a Monday speech on national security.  Russell Berman The Hill  -- 2/13/14

Election mode hits the Capitol -- This unusually cautious approach comes nine months before Election Day and illustrates how both parties are reluctant to tackle anything that doesn’t poll well.  Alexander Bolton  The Hill  -- 2/13/14