Supreme Court clashes over fairness of California death sentence -- The Supreme Court split Wednesday in reinstating a California inmate's death sentence, a decision that came down to the vote of retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Justices voted 5-4 to overturn an appeals court ruling that declared Ronald Sanders' sentence unconstitutional. Gina Holland AP -- 1/11/06

Abramoff scandal dominates tribal alliance conference -- California tribes confronted the Jack Abramoff scandal Wednesday with regret, indignation and determination to fight the tougher regulations it threatens to bring to Indian gambling. James P. Sweeney in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 1/11/06

No charges against Schwarzenegger in motorcycle accident -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's weekend motorcycle crash left him with a fat lip and a political black eye, but he won't be charged with a driving violation, officials said Wednesday. Michael R. Blood AP -- 1/11/06

Groups want plant closure proceeds invested in renewable energy -- Tribal leaders and environmental groups on Wednesday asked California energy regulators to take sale proceeds from the closure of a Nevada power plant and reinvest them in renewable energy projects. Terence Chea AP -- 1/11/06

Governor's Budget Cuts Welfare, Boosts Schools -- Schwarzenegger also seeks billions for transit. Lawmakers of both parties are lukewarm to the $125.6-billion election-year plan. Evan Halper and Dan Morain in the Los Angeles Times Lynda Gledhill in the San Francisco Chronicle Clea Benson in the Sacramento Bee Harrison Sheppard in the Los Angeles Daily News Aaron C. Davis and Kate Folmar in the San Jose Mercury HANH KIM QUACH and SORAYA SARHADDI NELSON in the Orange County Register Ed Mendel in the San Diego Union-Trib Steve Geissinger in the Oakland Tribune Timm Herdt in the Ventura Star Hank Shaw in the Stockton Record Mike Adamick in the Contra Costa Times -- 1/11/06

Budget is governor's best yet, Democrats say -- Democratic legislative leaders praised Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's budget yesterday as the best he's proposed since coming to office in late 2003. Yet they issued harsh criticism in the few areas in which they disagree with the governor. Bill Ainsworth in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 1/11/06

Governor prepared to see lots of changes in his bond plan -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's 10-year plan to pump $222 billion into repair of the state's aging public works could see plenty of changes before it becomes reality, the governor admitted Tuesday. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/11/06

No raises for state's rank and file included -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's new budget unveiled Tuesday contains no pay raises for the 156,000 rank-and-file state employees whose contracts have expired or are scheduled to run their course this year. Andy Furillo in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/11/06

Analysis: Governor steers to the middle -- At the start of his budget presentation Tuesday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger discussed his weekend motorcycle accident and chose an apt metaphor for how he hopes to steer his election-year spending plan through the Legislature. Gary Delsohn in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/11/06

Schwarzenegger may have given up on balancing state's budget -- Six years after former Gov. Gray Davis and state legislators created chronic budget deficits by squandering a one-time revenue windfall, and nearly three years after voters dumped Davis and elected Arnold Schwarzenegger to fix the state's tortured finances, the budget is still out of whack. And as spending climbs, it may ooze red ink indefinitely. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/11/06

California's new voices: Adjust your expectations -- In 30 years we've come from Gov. Jerry Brown's call to lower expectations to Arnold Schwarzenegger's invocation last week to raise them. Peter Schrag in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/11/06

Governor to Ditch Bike for Now -- His staff is reasonably confident that the motorcycle-loving Schwarzenegger won't ride again until he is properly licensed. Richard Winton and Amanda Covarrubias in the Los Angeles Times Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle Laura Mecoy in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/11/06

Governor illegally rode motorcycle at time of crash, LAPD says -- Police Lt. Paul Vernon said Schwarzenegger doesn't have the proper motorcycle endorsement on his California driver's license, contradicting statements made by his spokeswoman since the accident, which left the governor with 15 stitches in his upper lip. Steve Lawrence AP -- 1/11/06

Governor, Need a Sidekick for That Sidecar? -- Among the many questions that come to mind, this one tops my list: Who the heck has a motorcycle with a sidecar? Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/11/06

1st Suit in State to Attack 'Intelligent Design' Filed -- A group of parents in the small Tehachapi mountain community of Lebec on Tuesday filed the first lawsuit challenging the teaching of "intelligent design" in a California public school. Henry Weinstein in the Los Angeles Times Juliana Barbassa AP LAURIE GOODSTEIN in the New York Times LISA SCHENCKER in the Bakersfield Californian -- 1/11/06

Unlikely Allies Back Three-Strikes Change -- A new effort to restrict California's controversial three-strikes law to violent offenders has been launched by strange bedfellows — Los Angeles County's top prosecutor and a prominent criminal-defense lawyer. Jill Leovy in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/11/06

Panel Calls for Moratorium on Executions -- An Assembly committee approves a suspension of up to three years to study if the innocent are convicted. A critic calls idea an insult to victims. Jenifer Warren in the Los Angeles Times Mark Martin in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/11/06

License proposal re-introduced -- Despite six failed attempts over the past seven years, state Sen. Gil Cedillo on Tuesday re-introduced his proposal to allow illegal immigrants to apply for driver's licenses. Edwin Garcia in the San Jose Mercury -- 1/11/06

Lockyer's PG&E Suit Is Revived -- Appeals judges reverse a ruling that blocked the attorney general from seeking the return of as much as $5 billion to utility customers. Marc Lifsher in the Los Angeles Times Thuy-Doan Le in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/11/06

Alito Tells Skeptical Democrats He Would Keep an Open Mind -- Supreme Court nominee Samuel A. Alito Jr. sought to distance himself Tuesday from conservative political opinions he expressed more than 20 years ago, stressing in his confirmation hearing that good judges did not allow personal views to color their legal judgments. Maura Reynolds, David G. Savage and Richard Simon in the Los Angeles Times Carolyn Lochhead in the San Francisco Chronicle Margaret Talev in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/11/06

Nominee skirts Roe vs. Wade questions / But Alito backs right to privacy, protection for women's health -- Over and over at Tuesday's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Sen. Charles Schumer asked Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito if he still believes what he said in a 1985 Justice Department memo: that "the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion." Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/11/06

Feinstein criticizes 'cloudy' answers -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein used words like cloudy, cautious and rehearsed to describe Samuel Alito's performance on the first day of Judiciary Committee questions. DENA BUNIS in the Orange County Register -- 1/11/06

Democrats Cast Wide Net Seeking Alito Flaw -- The senators' critique showed the party's difficulty at coalescing around a single, clear argument against his high court nomination. Ronald Brownstein in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/11/06

IRS Improperly Freezes Refunds, Report Says -- The revenue service's taxpayer advocate says money owed to people, many of them working poor, is delayed without any notification. Joel Havemann and Peter Wallsten in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/11/06

Former Chavez Ally Took His Own Path -- Where Eliseo Medina has gone, unions have grown. His successes in organizing immigrants show what farmworkers lost -- but can find again, he believes. Miriam Pawel in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/11/06

U.S. attorney general: Court must stop mistreating immigrants -- Stung by mounting criticism of the nation's immigration courts, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on Tuesday took the extraordinary step of launching a ``comprehensive review'' of how the immigration system is handling the pleas of hundreds of thousands of refugees and others fighting deportation each year. Howard Mintz in the San Jose Mercury -- 1/11/06

Don't view immigrant as 'enemy,' bishop urges -- Bishop Gerald Barnes, leader of the Diocese of San Bernardino, will urge Inland Catholics this weekend to join a campaign by the nation's Catholic leaders to revise federal immigration laws and create programs to help foreign-born newcomers obtain legalized status. MICHAEL FISHER in the Riverside Press -- 1/11/06

Agents feel unprepared -- Border Patrol agents say few had knowledge of a warning that violent gang members are being paid to target them and that agents are ill-equipped to deal with such a threat. Sara A. Carter in the San Bernardino Sun -- 1/11/06

UC VP rebuked for favoritism in hiring but returns to work -- A University of California administrator placed on paid leave during an investigation into hiring decisions has been reinstated, although he was rebuked for the appearance of favoritism, and his hiring authority has been curtailed. Winston Doby returned to work Thursday as UC's vice president for student affairs. He was placed on leave Nov. 4. Michelle Maitre in the Oakland Tribune -- 1/11/06

Medi-Cal cutbacks will affect county care, say health workers -- Less than two weeks into the new year, physicians and administrators in private medical practices throughout the county are already seeing the ripple effects of Medi-Cal cutbacks. Beginning Jan. 1, the state cut its Medi-Cal reimbursement rate by 5 percent for doctors who treat California's poorest residents. The cuts will remain in effect through the end of this year. Marjorie Hernandez in the Ventura Star -- 1/11/06

Stem cell cloning gets fresh start -- California scientists are planning to jump into the field of cloning human embryonic stem cells now that a South Korean scientist who claimed to have mastered the technique has been exposed as a fake. Terri Somers in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 1/11/06

Transplant woes worsen -- UCI touts its bone marrow division as renowned, but records show it has met standards only once in a decade. WILLIAM HEISEL and BLYTHE BERNHARD in the Orange County Register -- 1/11/06

UCI raises record sum for research -- $165 million collected in first half of fiscal year that ends June 30; school is on track to end year with $285 million. GARY ROBBINS in the Orange County Register -- 1/11/06

Elder Care Reforms OKd -- An Assembly panel approves a plan to license and regulate conservators. Robin Fields in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/11/06

Despite ER closures, shortages, California is ranked first in U.S. -- California's emergency medical care system ranks first in the nation but faces serious challenges, including limited access to emergency care and increased emergency room closures, especially in the Los Angeles area, according to a study released yesterday. Toby Eckert in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 1/11/06

Gas prices climbing rapidly / California drivers see 13-cent increase in just one week -- The reprieve at the gas pump is over. After a monthslong slide, gasoline prices throughout California and the rest of the nation have bounced back up in recent weeks. David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/11/06

405 Carpool Lane Bill Speeds Toward Approval -- The measure allowing for a 'design-build" project to save time is expected to receive support of the governor. Caitlin Liu in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/11/06

EPA May Alter Test of Fuel Economy -- The plan would slash estimates for many vehicles by 20% in cities and 15% on highways. John O'Dell in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/11/06

Scientists Debate Bill to Restrict Chemicals -- Lawmaker seeks to ban compounds in plastic baby products that may pose health risks. Marla Cone in the Los Angeles Times Jane Kay in the San Francisco Chronicle Douglas Fischer in the Oakland Tribune -- 1/11/06

Feinstein demands military perform studies on perchlorate -- The Pentagon says there is no need for more research on the rocket-fuel chemical. DAVID DANELSKI in the Riverside Press -- 1/11/06

Boeing agrees to pay $30 mil -- The Boeing Co. has agreed to pay $30 million to settle claims by nearly 100 neighbors of the Santa Susana Field Lab that radioactive and toxic contamination at the nuclear research site made them ill, according to confidential documents provided by one of the plaintiffs. Kerry Cavanaugh in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 1/11/06

Home Prices Seen Slowing -- A trade group predicts an increase of about 5% in 2006, far below rates of the last five years. Reuters -- 1/11/06

Economist warns of housing slump -- One of the state's most prominent economists who has predicted the demise of the white-hot housing sector remained steadfast in that outlook Tuesday, as he bluntly described housing at present as a "bubble" market. George Avalos in the Contra Costa Times -- 1/11/06

More cash would flow for flood protection -- The Sacramento region's flood defenses would get a significant boost - ranging from bulldozers and dump trucks to engineers and maintenance workers - under the governor's proposed budget for next year. Deb Kollars in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/11/06

Planning panel backs harbor upgrade -- Construction in Dana Point could start next year if all necessary approvals come through. LAYLAN CONNELLY in the Orange County Register -- 1/11/06

Proposed power line energizes opposition -- The battle lines are being drawn, and they are far clearer than the route of a power line proposed by San Diego Gas & Electric Co. The big issue is whether the power company needs and will build a massive electrical transmission line in North County. J. Harry Jones in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 1/11/06

Lawsuit targets Valley's plan to reduce particulates -- Clean air advocates sued the federal government this week over the San Joaquin Valley's air, alleging no backup plan exists for clearing up potentially dangerous specks of pollution. Mark Grossi in the Fresno Bee -- 1/11/06

Death Row's oldest inmate loses appeal -- The state Supreme Court turned down an appeal Tuesday by condemned inmate Clarence Ray Allen, who argued that his scheduled execution next week would be cruel and unusual because of his advanced age and health problems. Henry K. Lee in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/11/06

Panels reject bill targeting sex offenders -- Supporters of the Jessica's Law measures, named after a Florida girl who authorities say was killed by a pedophile, said they now will redouble efforts to collect voter signatures to qualify an identical initiative for the Nov. 7 ballot. JIM MILLER in the Riverside Press -- 1/11/06

Low usage of LAPD computer system raises concern -- The Los Angeles Police Department has been striving to implement a computer system to track patterns of misconduct that is key to the federal consent decree overseeing the department. Now, an audit released Tuesday has illuminated another problem, beyond simply getting the Teams II system up and running: Cops have to actually use it. Dan Laidman in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 1/11/06

Union Ads Say Mayor Is Crying Wolf -- Taking another jab in its labor dispute with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a union representing 8,000 Los Angeles city employees began airing a radio advertisement Tuesday that accuses the mayor of planning to raise taxes unnecessarily. Patrick McGreevy and Steve Hymon in the Los Angeles Times Rick Orlov in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 1/11/06

Feinstein, Napa Rep. Thompson seek flood funds -- Using this month's floods as a call for action, two California legislators asked President Bush on Tuesday to include more funds for Napa River flood control projects in the federal budget he will unveil next month. Edward Epstein in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/11/06

Taking Sides on Same-Sex Marriage -- Political, religious and civil rights groups file briefs as the legal fight over gay unions builds. Lee Romney in the Los Angeles Times Josh Richman in the Oakland Tribune -- 1/11/06

DWP Scrutinizes Bottled-Water Buying -- The agency board asks staff for a report on the purchases, which one manager says may not be limited to the $31,160 paid to Sparkletts. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/11/06

Suit Alleges Race Bias by Orange County Assessor -- A senior auditor-appraiser in the Orange County assessor's office contends in a lawsuit that he was passed over for promotion to a mid-level management job because he is white. Jean O. Pasco in the Los Angeles Times -- 1/11/06

San Jose mayor's power diluted -- San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales pre-empted council debate Tuesday when he issued early memos agreeing to remove himself from key committees and to dilute his budget powers. John Woolfolk in the San Jose Mercury Herbert A. Sample in the Sacramento Bee -- 1/11/06

Berkeley case tests subsidies for Scouts -- On one side of the case, there's Berkeley - bastion of diversity and, some would argue, political correctness. On the other side, there's the Boy Scouts - champion of many good values but not the inclusion of gay or atheist members. Claire Cooper in the Sacramento Bee Josh Richman in the Oakland Tribune -- 1/11/06

A poet laureate of the people / Newsom taps Jack Hirschman to 'challenge the status quo' -- Two years ago, Jack Hirschman, a social activist and communist, backed Matt Gonzalez's run for San Francisco mayor. On Thursday, the business community's candidate and victor in that race, Mayor Gavin Newsom, will officially name him the city's new poet laureate. Rachel Gordon in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 1/11/06