Winning over the voters is a question of good timing -- Phil Angelides may have won the Democratic primary for governor last April when he ignited the state party convention with a fiery speech slamming Democrats who tried to work with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. But that same speech could end up costing the state treasurer the gubernatorial election on Nov. 7. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/29/06

Hollywood playing huge election role -- Star power aids campaigns in fierce fight for media attention. Laura Mecoy in the Sacramento Bee -- 10/29/06

Schwarzenegger: Reinvented leader shows new humility -- Early this spring, after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger had unveiled his proposal for a $68 billion state spending spree on roads, schools and prisons, Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez visited Schwarzenegger in the governor's Capitol office with a counter-proposal. Mark Martin, Tom Chorneau in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/29/06

Angelides: Wants to finish strong and score election upset -- Democratic candidate Phil Angelides was shocked to discover earlier this year that his 17-year old daughter, Arianna, had a listing on MySpace.com -- a social Web site all the rage among teens. Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/29/06

Rivals for governor go directly to voters -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and rival state Treasurer Phil Angelides are hoping breakneck stumping will translate into votes on Nov. 7. SORAYA SARHADDI NELSON in the Orange County Register -- 10/29/06

NAACP Convention / Candidates tout their records to black community -- Speakers at the second full day of the conference at the Marriott Hotel in Oakland included Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mayor Jerry Brown, Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi, Attorney General Bill Lockyer and Rep. Barbara Lee. All are running for office. Leslie Fulbright in the San Francisco Chronicle Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee Kamika Dunlap in the Oakland Tribune -- 10/29/06

Lockyer not tough enough for some -- Critics say the attorney general, now running for treasurer, has failed to diligently prosecute corrupt officials. He defends his record. Paul Pringle in the Los Angeles Times -- 10/29/06

Grit hits the fan on pollution credits -- California's landmark law to fight global warming by clamping down on greenhouse gas emissions has not even taken effect, and already the Democrats in the Legislature who crafted the bill are at odds with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who, if he is re-elected Nov. 7, will be responsible for making it work. Daniel Weintraub in the Sacramento Bee -- 10/29/06

Prison Break -- WHEN SCHWARZENEGGER WAS ELECTED, IT WAS LIKE WINNING THE LOTTERY FOR 126 INMATES SERVING LIFE IN PRISON. THE GOVERNOR HAS RELEASED 14 TIMES AS MANY AS HIS PREDECESSOR, GRAY DAVIS. Howard Mintz in the San Jose Mercury -- 10/29/06

Pothole politics, ethics dominate debate -- The candidates wanted to talk about each other's ethics. The residents of San Jose wanted them to talk about potholes. Phil Yost in the San Jose Mercury -- 10/29/06

GOP at a loss? Karl Rove has an 11th-hour plan to win -- He taps government resources to boost candidates in need. Tom Hamburger and Peter Wallsten in the Los Angeles Times -- 10/29/06

Abramoff case dogs Pombo -- Disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff has dogged Rep. Richard Pombo of Tracy like an unwanted shadow even before the congressman began his bid for an eighth term. Was Pombo a tool of "Black Jack," or did the two men exchange little more than passing pleasantries at Capitol Hill galas? Hank Shaw in the Stockton Record -- 10/29/06

Partisan rhetoric even in wartime sets Bush apart -- President Bush and Republicans in many of the nation's key races are presenting divergent, even contradictory, visions of how Washington should operate after next week's election. Ronald Brownstein in the Los Angeles Times -- 10/29/06

Bush picks his battles in friendly country -- The president is in public campaign mode for Republicans -- and making sure to go only where he's wanted. Molly Hennessy-Fiske and James Gerstenzang in the Los Angeles Times -- 10/29/06

U.S. Investigates Voting Machines’ Venezuela Ties -- The federal government is investigating the takeover last year of a leading American manufacturer of electronic voting systems by a small software company that has been linked to the leftist Venezuelan government of President Hugo Chávez. TIM GOLDEN in the New York Times -- 10/29/06

Electronic voting is a touchy subject -- Next week's election will usher in a new era of electronic voting, whether Americans are ready for it or not. On Nov. 7, more than one-third of the nation – including many in San Diego County – will cast touch-screen ballots on electronic voting machines for the first time. Leslie Wolf Branscomb in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 10/29/06

Prop. 87 shines light on state's oil history -- For more than 100 years, oil workers have drilled the dry grasslands of the San Joaquin Valley. Fred Holmes wants to squeeze out a little bit more. David R. Baker in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/29/06

Redford visits to promote Prop. 87 -- Standing under a clear blue sky at San Diego Bay yesterday, actor and environmentalist Robert Redford said the scene reminded him of how his native Los Angeles looked before a permanent cloud of pollution moved in. Craig Gustafson in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 10/29/06

Proposition 89: Corporate contribution limits called ploy, fair -- Dollar limits on free speech? Perhaps. A fiercely contested measure on the Nov. 7 ballot would make California the first state to restrict corporate spending on ballot measures, a practice that has been treated as free political speech for decades. Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee -- 10/29/06

Parental notice bankrolled by weekly's owner -- He's the owner of one of the largest alternative newspapers in the country, a father of seven and a Vietnam veteran decorated with a pair of Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart. He's also a conservative Catholic who attends Mass every day, teaches Latin to home-schooled students and rides the public bus from his Coronado home to his office in Little Italy. Sandi Dolbee in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 10/29/06

Prop. 85 sets off emotional hailstorm -- It happened about 30 years ago, but the physical and emotional pain Mary Ann Ambroselli felt after getting an abortion still haunts her to this day. Marjorie Hernandez in the Ventura Star -- 10/29/06

Prop. 90 addresses anxiety of Valley firm -- The Cosmopolitan Tavern in Fresno has survived two world wars, the Great Depression and even Prohibition. But the bar and grill, its owner fears, is no match for eminent domain. E.J. Schultz in the Fresno Bee -- 10/29/06

Dems face a tug-of-war in own tent -- It is an article of faith among many liberals that Democrats must advance a bold agenda if they win a majority in the House of Representatives next month. Marc Sandalow in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/29/06

Left for politically dead, Lieberman rises to top -- Three months ago, Sen. Joe Lieberman was written off as political roadkill after being beaten by Greenwich businessman Ned Lamont in a Democratic primary that was seen as a referendum on the 18-year incumbent's support for the Iraq war. Zachary Coile in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/29/06

To stir up votes, GOP paints Pelosi as threat -- Meet the woman Republicans are casting as their new Hillary Clinton, the lady they love to hate. Margaret Talev in the Sacramento Bee -- 10/29/06

Bay Area Democrats eye leadership posts -- In terms of power, prestige and the ability to set the national agenda, a Democratic victory Nov. 7 would be like going from a 12-year famine to a feast for the Bay Area House delegation. Edward Epstein in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/29/06

Where We Went Wrong -- Somewhere along the road to a "permanent majority," the Republican Revolution of 1994 went off track. For several years, we had confidence in our convictions and trusted that the American people would reward our efforts. And they did. Dick Armey in the Washington Post -- 10/29/06

Democrats' agenda is sketchy -- Minimum-wage hike, lobbyist limits and oil-subsidy repeal are identified as early priorities. Margaret Talev and Kevin G. Hall in the Sacramento Bee -- 10/29/06

The cost of citizenship may go up -- Immigrant rights groups say fee hikes and online filing would be a barrier. Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times -- 10/29/06

Voters hold power to change campaigning methods -- We're at that point in the election campaign when voters start the traditional complaining about negative advertising and confusing ballot propositions. But they're not just being whiners. Their complaints are real, at least when it comes to the quality of the political debate. Jim Boren in the Fresno Bee -- 10/29/06

Pre-election protest calls for end to Iraq war / Market Street march draws colorful crowd -- About 1,000 anti-war activists marched through San Francisco on Saturday in a lively protest that combined chants, cheers and street theater. Glen Martin, Carolyn Jones in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/29/06

Protester will walk the walk -- It will be a grueling, tiring walk. But it's been a grueling, tiring war. Bill McDannell is going to walk across the country – through desert, mountains, plains, towns, cities – and ask people to sign a petition to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Michael Stetz in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 10/29/06

New tools for a new world order -- Amid all the frightening uncertainties of the decades-long Cold War, one thing was reassuringly clear: If a nuclear bomb ever fell on America, everybody would know where it originated, and retribution would be swift and sure. Matthew B. Stannard in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/29/06

More Vietnam trade expected -- With Vietnam set to become a member of the World Trade Organization in the coming weeks, an already rapidly growing trade between the United States and its former wartime adversary is set to grow even faster, according to Bay Area officials and trade experts. David Armstrong in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/29/06

CHP comp claims probed -- The Sacramento County grand jury has issued subpoenas as part of a criminal investigation into workplace injury claims at the California Highway Patrol, according to two sources who have given testimony to the grand jury. John Hill in the Sacramento Bee -- 10/29/06

Why were levees not maintained? -- The Hurricane Katrina disaster in New Orleans was a wake-up call for California, whose capital city of Sacramento faces a similar calamity should its aging and deteriorating river levees be breached by storm surges. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee -- 10/29/06

Family pays tribute to fallen fireman -- Jason McKay was going to formally propose to his girlfriend on Christmas. It wouldn't be a total surprise - the 27-year-old U.S. Forest Service firefighter from Phelan had already popped the question - but he wanted to do it right: Ask her father and get the perfect ring, his family said Saturday. Andrew Silva in the San Bernardino Sun -- 10/29/06

Residents allowed short visits home -- In Ty Reddish's house only the porcelain survived. The Esperanza Fire took everything else, he said, when it tore through early Thursday morning. On Saturday, the 17-year Twin Pines resident and father of four had recovered only a porcelain baby shoe and a China dinner bell, two of his house's most delicate possessions. Jeff Horwitz in the San Bernardino Sun -- 10/29/06

First 5: A question of oversight -- The bad news isn't just that university researchers spent tax dollars on a convertible, beachside retreats and sofas. GRETCHEN WENNER in the Bakersfield Californian -- 10/29/06

More straight talk from Cosby -- At a forum on bettering the education of black children, the comedian has pointed remarks for parents, teachers -- even some churchgoers. Deborah Schoch in the Los Angeles Times -- 10/29/06

Students put to the test -- Random drug screening at Orange County schools spurs debate over privacy rights and deterrent effect. JENIFER B. McKIM in the Orange County Register -- 10/29/06

Seeking an equal say in schools' future -- Parents, teachers and community groups speak out at a forum on L.A. Unified. The focus is on which campuses the mayor will oversee. Carla Rivera in the Los Angeles Times -- 10/29/06

Strange, new world for USC -- USC lost Saturday, fallen 33-31 to a good but not great Oregon State team in Corvallis, Ore. It was more than just some simple loss, however. It was a loss that confirmed what a nation had increasingly come to suspect - these Trojans do not resemble the great USC teams of recent seasons. Steve Dilbeck in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 10/29/06

Construction plans deepen rift between city of Berkeley, university -- Perhaps these star-crossed partners simply are doomed to a lifetime of unhappiness, unable to escape their uneasy alliance. Matt Krupnick and Martin Snapp in the Contra Costa Times -- 10/29/06

Stark seeks alterations to medicare -- Democratic Rep. Pete Stark of Fremont says until recently he's felt a little like the Maytag repairman. "Nobody has wanted to talk to us for 12 years," he said. "It's kind of exciting." Rebecca Vesely in the Oakland Tribune -- 10/29/06

A dream dies as Dome Village is dismantled -- Residents of the homeless encampment in downtown L.A. are leaving, unable to meet a sevenfold rent hike. Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times -- 10/29/06

Certifiers weed through plenty to keep organic farmers in the green -- Robert Magenheimer depends on ducks, mosquito fish and smart irrigation techniques to take care of his 500 acres of organic rice on a farm northwest of Lodi. "It's a fun challenge," he said. Ryan Sholin in the Oakland Tribune -- 10/29/06

U.S. Asians drawn to life in Irvine -- Good schools, low crime rates, well-paying jobs lure many, especially Chinese Americans. David Kelly in the Los Angeles Times -- 10/29/06

Burbank eyes prohibition on smoking -- Another city where smokers can puff away in public may be butting out. Following examples set by Calabasas and Santa Monica, the Burbank City Council has ordered the city attorney to research a municipal smoking ban. EUGENE TONG in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 10/29/06

Orange Line hastens mass-transit embrace -- On a recent morning, commuters packed a busy Orange Line hub, some with skateboards tucked under their arms, others with children in tow. While the scene may be common in Chicago or New York, where riding mass transit is second nature, it was an extraordinary sight in the San Fernando Valley - especially on a Sunday morning. RACHEL URANGA in the Los Angeles Daily News -- 10/29/06

Port gets high mark on Delta barge idea -- A Port of Oakland plan to replace as many as 400 trucks on Interstate 80 with a couple of huge barges that would transport cargo on the Delta to Sacramento has merit, but only with the support of taxpayers and the maritime industry, a new study has found. Paul T. Rosynsky in the Oakland Tribune -- 10/29/06

Tempest in a coffee cup boils over -- Thanks to some big names and questions about strings being pulled, what started as a little coffee toss in San Francisco's Marina district has turned into a full-blown police potboiler, with two cops under investigation and a deputy district attorney suspended. Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/29/06

Manhunt for killer continues -- Link to man found dead in van unlikely, sheriff says. Dorothy Korber, Ryan Lillis and Christina Jewett in the Sacramento Bee -- 10/29/06

Prison tour program tries to keep boys on right path -- More than 100 inmates in orange jumpsuits flashed gang signs and screamed at the four Oakland teenagers entering San Quentin Prison's cell block courtyard, urging the youths to join them and to "keep thuggin'." One boy turned his head, wincing as his gaze fell on an open-air toilet. Jason B. Johnson in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/29/06

Girls reporting high stress over looks, weight -- Girls are more stressed than ever about their weight, grades and sex, according to three new studies by Girls Inc., which runs a collection of empowerment programs across the nation. Ilene Lelchuk in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 10/29/06

New trial sought for Hayat -- Defense lawyers accuse the jury foreman in the Lodi man's terror case of bias and racial slurs during deliberations. Denny Walsh in the Sacramento Bee -- 10/29/06