Updating . .   

Criminal sentencing initiative draws well-heeled supporters -- The push by progressive foundations and a conservative evangelist to recast some of California's most common crimes as misdemeanors is drawing major financial support from the state's well-heeled activists. Paige St. John in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/14

Opponents of medical malpractice initiative hold money advantage -- Opponents of a ballot measure that would raise the limit on certain medical malpractice damages have far outpaced the initiative's supporters in fundraising and spending, according to campaign finance reports filed Monday night. Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/14

Democrats keep cash lead in races for financial posts -- Betty Yee, the Democratic candidate for controller, has more than double the amount of campaign funds available compared to her Republican rival, according to new documents filed with the state. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/14

Challenger Tuck outraises incumbent Torlakson in state schools chief race -- hallenger Marshall Tuck has outraised incumbent Tom Torlakson heading into the final stretch of the ideologically charged race for state superintendent of public instruction, though the tight battle could be decided by a late splurge of outside money. Alexei Koseff in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/7/14

Money race heats up in key Assembly campaigns -- Vulnerable Assembly Democrats are locked in tight fundraising races with their GOP challengers, according to campaign finance reports filed Monday. Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/14

Mailers muddy the issues in Peters-DeMaio race -- Dueling ads contain misleading statements as hard-fought campaigns continue to heat up. Mark Walker UT San Diego$ -- 10/7/14

Soda industry spends $7.7 million to defeat SF sugar tax — so far -- The American Beverage Industry has spent $7.7 million to try to defeat Proposition E, a measure to tax sodas and other sugary beverages, on San Francisco’s Nov. 4 ballot. Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/7/14

Fox: California Redistricting Commission in Jeopardy at US Supreme Court -- The key question the United States Supreme Court must address in deciding if state voters can create redistricting commissions for congressional districts is whether the people can be considered legislators when they create laws through the initiative process. It goes to the heart of the initiative power, which voters in both California and Arizona used to create citizens redistricting commissions. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 10/7/14

Rents in Southern California will climb faster in next two years, study says -- A new study from USC’s Lusk Center for Real Estate projects that rents will climb 8.2% in Los Angeles County by mid-2016, to $1,856 a month, on average. Tim Logan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/14

California Finally to Reap Fracking’s Riches -- For the past decade, the U.S. shale boom has mostly passed by California, forcing oil refiners in the state to import expensive crude. Alison Side and Cassandra Sweet in the Wall Street Journal$ -- 10/7/14

Is L.A. County ready for Ebola? Supervisor wants to know -- As U.S. officials continue to ramp up their response to history's worst outbreak of Ebola, Los Angeles County public health officials today are expected to be asked to explain what local measures are in place to guard against the threat. Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/14

Labor groups want L.A. city attorney to file complaint on bank deals -- Labor unions and their allies in the Fix LA Coalition are urging Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer to pursue a regulatory complaint over borrowing deals they argue are costing the city. Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/14

Minimum wage proposal seeks to put Los Angeles on path to $15 per hour -- A proposal that could increase Los Angeles' minimum wage to $15.25 per hour by 2019 was introduced Tuesday by members of the city council just as Vice President Joe Biden and Mayor Eric Garcetti met to discuss the wage issue at an event in Lincoln Heights. Alice Walton KPCC -- 10/7/14

Wal-Mart to end healthcare coverage for 30,000 part-timers -- Retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is cutting healthcare benefits for roughly 30,000 part-time employees, citing rising costs. Andrew Khouri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/7/14

Second Obamacare Enrollment Likely to Be Even Tougher Than First -- Alva, 28, works part-time at a video store and is about to graduate from Cal State Northridge. Getting insured is about the last thing on his mind. Anna Gorman and Julie Appleby KQED -- 10/7/14

Twitter sues U.S. over surveillance programs -- Twitter has joined the tech industry assault on the federal government's national security surveillance programs, suing Tuesday to strike down rules that bar the blogging giant from publicly disclosing the scope of demands for user information. Howard Mintz in the San Jose Mercury$ Dustin Volz National Journal Victor Luckerson TIME -- 10/7/14

Air turns corrosive in October heat wave -- Valley air authorities are urging residents to drive less, avoid letting vehicles idle at drive-up windows and put off yard work that involves gasoline-powered equipment. In other words, pretend it’s late August instead of early October. Mark Grossi in the Fresno Bee -- 10/7/14

Tapping Into the Ocean With San Diego’s Billion Dollar Desalination Plant -- San Diego's water supplies could be seriously tested if a punishing four-year drought extends through another winter. But there is relief on the horizon. Erik Anderson KPBS -- 10/7/14

Can California Make It Rain With Drones? -- Faced with extreme drought, California continues its experiment with weather modification. Brian Resnick National Journal -- 10/7/14

California water use drops 11.5 percent in August -- California water agencies are reporting their largest monthly decline in water use this year as the state confronts dire drought conditions. Fenit Nirappil Associated Press -- 10/7/14

Neel Kashkari’s campaign ad contest finalists -- Remember how Republican gubernatorial candidate Neel Kashkari offered a $25,000 scholarship to the California college student who could create the best campaign ad for him? Here are the four finalists. Which do you like best, and why? Josh Richman Political Blotter -- 10/7/14

Anti-ALEC Activists Pressure eBay to Drop Conservative Group -- More than 80 organizations are asking the e-commerce company to follow the lead of Google and other tech giants and divorce itself from the American Legislative Exchange Council. Dustin Volz National Journal -- 10/7/14

California Policy & Politics This Morning   

Gov. Jerry Brown returns PG&E donations amid inquiry -- Gov. Jerry Brown reported Monday that he returned campaign contributions from six Pacific Gas and Electric Co. officials, as the utility released more emails in the controversy surrounding its close ties with state regulators. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/6/14

Federal prosecutors probing PG&E-CPUC e-mails -- Federal prosecutors have told Pacific Gas and Electric Co. that they are investigating five years’ worth of back-channel communications between company employees and the California Public Utilities Commission, including several that enmeshed utility executives in a judge-shopping scandal, PG&E said Monday. Jaxon Van Derbeken in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/6/14

Hundreds fail to report bond-firm meals -- The dinners and other considerations came from Stone & Youngberg, a Bay Area firm that was paid $62.7 million in the past four years for issuing $10.4 billion of public bonds in California. Ricky Young and Jeff McDonald UT San Diego$ -- 10/6/14

California FPPC suggests money laundering fines for three GOP committees -- Three Republican central committees in California have admitted laundering money during the 2010 election, according to settlements the Fair Political Practices Commission announced Monday. Laurel Rosenhall in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/6/14

Democrats eye 2016 for tax extension vote -- As Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan lobbied for a school bond near the end of this year’s legislative session, she was asked at a Senate committee hearing why the measure could not wait two years, for the November 2016 ballot. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/7/14

Outside money flows in state schools superintendent race -- In the race to be the state’s schools chief, candidates Tom Torlakson and Marshall Tuck have roughly the same amount -- well under $1 million -- going into the election's final weeks, according to campaign reports filed with the state. Seema Metha in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/14

Jerry Brown grows war chest to $23.6 million -- Gov. Jerry Brown has increased his war chest to $23.6 million while continuing to refrain from any significant spending in his re-election bid, according to a campaign finance statement filed Monday. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/6/14

Neel Kashkari reports less than $700,000 on hand -- Republican gubernatorial candidate Neel Kashkari has less than $700,000 on hand for the final month of the campaign, as he continues to struggle raising money, according to a campaign finance report filed Monday. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/14

CalPERS board member now facing $4,000 fine over campaign disclosure problems -- CalPERS board member Priya Mathur, repeatedly fined for violating state campaign-finance disclosure rules, is facing a $4,000 penalty for her latest transgression. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ Marc Lifsher in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/14

Supreme Court upholds distress damages for fatal police shootings -- When police fatally shoot someone without justification, California law allows the victims’ estates to recover damages for economic losses, but not for the pain the victim suffered before death. That limitation will no longer apply in federal courts in the state, as the result of an order Monday by the U.S. Supreme Court. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/6/14

Walters: Legislature could regain power over congressional seats in Supreme Court case -- Political cognoscenti know that the most important factor in determining which politician and party wins a congressional or a state legislative seat is how the district lines are drawn. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/6/14

Jerry Brown endorses former aide in Oakland mayoral race -- Gov. Jerry Brown, a former mayor of Oakland, waded into the mayoral contest in that city Monday, endorsing a one-time aide over Jean Quan, the Democratic incumbent. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/14

Honda, Khanna spar in only 17th Congressional District debate -- Rep. Mike Honda and his Democratic challenger, Ro Khanna, sparred in their first and only debate Monday night on issues ranging from immigration reform to political ethics. But neither landed any solid punches. Josh Richman in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 10/6/14

Dem-on-Dem #CA17 debate: no knockouts, but plenty of jabs -- It’s no surprise that at the end of the lively debate between 7-term Rep. Mike Honda and challenger Ro Khanna, both sides in the Silicon Valley contest immediately declared victory. Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/7/14

CA17: Dems spend almost $100k on Honda’s behalf -- The television ad that Rep. Mike Honda, D-San Jose, debuted last week is remaining on the airwaves this week courtesy of the California Democratic Party. Josh Richman Political Blotter Jean Merl in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/14

Shriver raises $1 million, Kuehl only half that in supervisors race -- Former Santa Monica Mayor Bobby Shriver has raised nearly twice as much money -- a little more than $1 million -- than former state lawmaker Sheila Kuehl in the Nov. 4 election campaign to replace retiring Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. Catherine Saillant in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/14

Newsom, Harris clobbering GOP rivals in money race -- The Republican Party’s dim prospects for unseating Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris appeared to dim further Monday as new finance reports showed that both of their GOP challengers were close to broke. Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/14

GOP hopeful: I'm 'a proud gay American' -- California GOP House candidate Carl DeMaio speaks directly to the camera in his campaign’s newest ad, which aims to slap down Democratic attacks on him as an extremist who wants to cut education funding. Kevin Robillard Politico -- 10/6/14

Leaders vow to keep Golden State in the black -- Atkins, De León discuss how to keep CA's finances strong. Chris Nichols UT San Diego$ -- 10/6/14

(San Diego) City Hall's luxury suite perk may end -- Mayor Kevin Faulconer has opened discussions with the Chargers and Padres about ending a controversial perk where City Council members can distribute tickets to luxury viewing suites the city controls at Qualcomm Stadium and Petco Park. David Garrick UT San Diego$ -- 10/6/14

‘Kill the Messenger’ sheds light on dark time for late Sacramento reporter -- Gary Webb, the late Sacramento investigative reporter played by Jeremy Renner in the new film “Kill the Messenger,” seemed to come from a movie even before they made one about him. Carla Meyer in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 10/6/14

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Pensions   

L.A. business groups fear another defeat over minimum wage hike -- In a matter of weeks, three initiatives opposed by the chamber were embraced by the City Council: a ban on the use of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in underground oil extraction; a prohibition on e-cigarettes in most workplaces; and a sweeping overhaul of commercial trash pickup promoted by labor and environmental groups. David Zahniser, Emily Alpert Reyes in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/14

L.A.-area restaurants adding healthcare surcharge to cover workers -- Diners are discovering an unfamiliar new item when the bill comes for the truffled lobster Bolognese at Melisse and for the crunchy Spanish fried chicken and waffles at AOC — a 3% surcharge for employees' medical insurance. Shan Li in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/14

Drought cuts California food exports sharply, costing growers millions -- Exports of California food products took a dive in August, with fruit and tree nuts decreasing by 8 percent when compared to the same time last year and vegetables dropping by 7.8 percent, according to data released Friday by Beacon Economics. Allen Young Sacramento Business Journal -- 10/6/14

High-tech jobs key to L.A. County economy, report says -- Los Angeles County companies now employ more workers in high-technology jobs than they do in more entrenched sectors such as manufacturing, food services or construction, according to a new study. Chris Kirkham in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/14

While waiting for marijuana to be legalized, businesses in Orange County set up shop and hope -- In an office park near John Wayne Airport sit the headquarters of Terra Tech Corp., modern and non-descript, photos lining the walls of the butterhead lettuce, rosemary and mint sold under the company’s Edible Garden label. Not much suggests this company is building around the marijuana industry. Antonie Boessenkool in the Orange County Register$ -- 10/6/14

Meg Whitman Finds a Vision for HP -- By splitting Hewlett-Packard into two new entities, Meg Whitman is putting her own, decisive stamp on the iconic company she has led for three years. Quentin Hardy in the New York Times$ -- 10/6/14

Facebook bus drivers looking to unionize -- Drivers who whisk Facebook employees off to the company’s Silicon Valley headquarters each morning in Wi-Fi-equipped buses are looking to unionize, complaining of long hours, split shifts and wages so low they can’t buy homes near their jobs. Christine Mai-Duc in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/14

Education

L.A. school board, Deasy again at odds over involvement in lawsuit -- As the Board of Education mulls his fate, beleaguered Los Angeles schools Supt. John Deasy finds himself at the center of another dispute with his bosses, this time over his involvement in a lawsuit that criticizes district schools and policies. Howard Blume in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/14

Drug-sniffing dog raises questions at SD High School -- In little over a month since school started, San Diego Unified's new drug-sniffing dog has been deployed eight times - twice to San Diego High School - raising questions about a new initiative that some parents worry infringes on student rights and sets them up for criminalization. Maureen Magee UT San Diego$ -- 10/6/14

Cohn: What’s wrong with the Vergara ruling -- Nearly two decades ago, when I was superintendent in the Long Beach Unified School District, the superintendent in nearby Palos Verdes asked me if he could send some of his teachers to our workshops to help them improve their skills in teaching kids how to read. Carl Cohn EdSource -- 10/7/14

Drought  

California water officials aren’t following own call for conservation -- Mike Soubirous is a prodigious water user, pumping more than 1 million gallons per year at his lushly landscaped home on a hot, windy Southern California hilltop. Soubirous also is a member of the Riverside City Council, which in July voted unanimously to impose tough new water conservation rules in this desert city of 317,000. Lance Williams and Katharine Mieszkowski Center for Investigative Reporting -- 10/6/14

Team climbs high to assess redwoods threat -- Flood, fire and famine have been no match for California’s mighty redwoods. The giant trees that hug the coast from Big Sur to Oregon date back centuries, sometimes to the Roman Empire, and rank among the planet’s oldest living things. Kurtis Alexander in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/6/14

Health

L.A. County offers $61-million health plan for those still uninsured -- Los Angeles County will provide access to a primary care doctor for nearly 150,000 uninsured Los Angeles County residents, including many who are ineligible for Obamacare coverage because they lack legal immigration status. Eryn Brown in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 10/6/14

Also . . .

Greenhut: 'Power drunk' agency slams small winery -- Westover is a typical hobby winery. A big winery no doubt spills more than this East Bay winery produces. Its annual profits are $11,000. Owner Bill Smyth told me he is financially well off and is doing this for fun, so he’s decided to shut down rather than face the not-so-fun prospect of fighting the state. Steven Greenhut UT San Diego$ -- 10/6/14

POTUS 44    

Obama's midterm effort getting off to late start -- Even while he raises money for Democrats this week from coast to coast, Obama will steer clear of any public campaign events with Democratic candidates, which would hand Republicans easy opportunities to saddle their opponents with Obama's own political baggage. John Lederman Associated Press -- 10/6/14

Beltway

Why the Supreme Court punted on gay marriage -- The U.S. Supreme Court added fuel Monday to the same-sex marriage drive sweeping the country like wildfire, clearing the way for judicial rulings to add 11 more states to the 19 which already allow the practice. Josh Gerstein Politico -- 10/6/14

GOP Candidates May Benefit From Supreme Court’s Gay Marriage Decision -- The Supreme Court’s decision Monday clearing the way for same-sex marriages in five states may benefit an unlikely group: Republican lawmakers who can’t wait to stop talking about gay marriage, an issue that is increasingly becoming a drag for the party. Zeke J. Miller TIME -- 10/6/14

Here's How Mitt Romney Could Become a Contender in 2016 -- After two failed presidential campaigns, could the third time be the charm? Rebecca Nelson National Journal -- 10/6/14