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All signs point to Villaraigosa Senate run, Nuñez says -- One of Antonio Villaraigosa’s closest friends and advisors said Thursday that all signs were pointing toward the former Los Angeles mayor declaring his candidacy for U.S. Senate within the next two weeks. Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/5/15

California authorizes oilfield dumping into drinking water -- Regulators in California, the country's third-largest oil-producing state, have authorized oil companies to inject production fluids and waste into what are now federally protected aquifers more than 2,500 times, risking contamination of underground water supplies that could be used for drinking water or irrigation, state records show. Ellen Knickmeyer Associated Press -- 2/5/15

Isadore Hall wants Janice Hahn's House seat if she runs for county post -- Democratic state legislator Isadore Hall, who won his state Senate seat in a special election just two months ago, said Thursday he would run for Rep. Janice Hahn's U.S. House post if she decides to try for Los Angeles County supervisor next year. Jean Merl in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/5/15

Peter Harbage, dedicated health care reformer, dies at 43 -- Peter Harbage, a key influencer in support of health care reform under the state Capitol dome and nationwide, died last night of complications from leukemia. He was 43. Cynthia H. Craft in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/5/15

‘Tireless’ Steinberg endorses a ‘grateful’ Kamala Harris -- In a prepared statement, Steinberg, the Sacramento Democrat and former Senate president pro tem, praised Harris for her work on the state’s Homeowner Bill of Rights, which forbids lenders from proceeding with a home foreclosure while simultaneously processing an application for loan modification. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/5/15

See the 20 most expensive political campaigns in California -- Senate races in the Central Valley and the south coast burned through almost $28 million during the 2013-14 election cycle, according to end-of-year spending reports that showed candidates and independent groups collectively spent more than $150 million on Assembly and Senate contests statewide over the two-year election cycle. Jim Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/5/15

Anthem 'lucky' that employee spotted breach, expert says -- The computer security breach at health insurance giant Anthem Inc. lasted about seven weeks, but the consequences could have been much worse if not for a lucky break, cybersecurity experts said. Paresh Dave in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/5/15

Anthem hack Q&A: What you need to know -- As many as 80 million people may have had their personal information stolen in a massive hack at health insurance giant Anthem Inc. The data breach could be the largest cyber theft in the history of the healthcare industry. Andrew Khouri in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/5/15

Sony co-chair Amy Pascal steps down after hacking scandal -- Sony Pictures Entertainment Co-Chairman Amy Pascal is stepping down and will launch a new production company at the studio, the company said Thursday. Ryan Faughnder in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/5/15

Stockton bankruptcy judge puts key CalPERS rulings in writing -- In the first, Klein said Stockton had the legal authority to break its contract with the California Public Employees’ Retirement System and scale back its pension plan. In the second, the judge decided to approve Stockton’s reorganization plan even though it kept the pensions fully intact. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/5/15

Quinn: An Open Senate Race and New Rules -- The 2016 US Senate race will be the first serious statewide contest under the new rules of the open primary-top two runoff. If politicians have not figured out how much it has changed California politics, they will soon. Tony Quinn Fox & Hounds -- 2/5/15

Fox: Reason Foundation Argues: 10 Reasons to Support Mileage-based User Fees -- Taxpayer advocates have complained that money for the roads has been used for other purposes, especially during the recession. Meanwhile, some electric car users say the gas tax should be increased as if there is no cost to the roads from electric vehicles even though electric car manufacturers and purchasers have received subsidies from the state. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 2/5/15

What Uber says about San Diego commuters -- In a recent post on its website, Uber says about 30 percent of the rides it gives on a typical weekday in San Diego originate within a quarter mile of a bus or trolley stop. A spokeswoman for the company said the service gives out tens of thousands of rides per day. Jonathan Horn UT San Diego$ -- 2/5/15

California violates Motor Voter Act, activists say; lawsuit threatened -- Voting-rights advocates warned Thursday that they may sue California based on claims that the state is not complying with the so-called Motor Voter Act, a federal law mandating that states offer people an easy way to register to vote when they obtain their driver’s licenses. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ Marisa Lagos KQED -- 2/5/15

The anti-vaccine crowd gets its Hollywood moment at premiere -- Some of the biggest names in the national debate over vaccine safety were given the Hollywood treatment Wednesday at the premiere of a documentary challenging mainstream medicine’s denial that there’s a link between autism and childhood vaccines. Emily Foxhall in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/5/15

Patch of California emerges from drought, experts say -- After years of historically low rain totals and record-setting temperatures, California’s drought situation is looking ... less awful. The latest evidence of this is a patch of southeastern California near Lake Havasu and the Colorado River. But if you want to see it on a map, you'd better take out a magnifying glass. Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/5/15

An analysis of San Francisco's startups shows where the 'real' Silicon Valley is -- By coding startup characteristics and looking out companies' success six years down the line, researchers at MIT say that they were able to map out exactly which areas of California have the highest entrepreneurial quality, as well as identify which characteristics tend to typify companies that "make it big." Arielle Duhaime-Ross The Verge -- 2/5/15

Shuttle bus drivers for Apple, Yahoo and other tech giants to vote on unionization -- As organized labor steps up its efforts in Silicon Valley, shuttle bus drivers who transport the employees of Apple, Yahoo and other tech giants will vote on whether to unionize later this month. Julia Love in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/5/15

Group unveils new website for California parks -- A new mobile-friendly website has launched that blends social media, Internet databases and the mapping muscle of Apple and Google to explore California’s vast web of local, state and federal parks. It’s like Yelp! for outdoor recreation statewide. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/5/15

Can we have economic growth without growing inequality? -- Could our growing inequality be connected to the very type of economic activity that is driving innovation and the new economy? Anthony York Grizzly Bear Project -- 2/5/15

Survey finds college freshmen party less, worry about money more -- The current crop of college freshmen showed up at school as less experienced party animals than their older peers but with more mental health and emotional issues, according to a national survey by UCLA researchers. Larry Gordon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/5/15

No head, no limbs, just a torso found in Northern California field -- The remains were found Tuesday afternoon in a field three to five miles north of Robbins, a small agricultural town between Sacramento and Yuba City, said Sutter County Sheriff’s Office Undersheriff Jeff Pierce. Joseph Serna in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/5/15

California Policy & Politics This Morning   

Health insurer Anthem hacked; data on millions of patients, employees exposed -- Anthem, formerly known as WellPoint, is California's largest for-profit health insurer and the top company by enrollment on the Covered California insurance exchange. Ryan Parker, Chad Terhune in the Los Angeles Times$ Katie Nelson in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/5/15

Road user fee drives California Assembly Speaker’s transportation plan -- Drivers would fund repairs to California’s roads with a new user charge under a proposal unveiled Wednesday by California Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, D-San Diego. Jeremy B. White in the Sacramento Bee$ Fenit Nirappil Associated Press Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ Melody Gutierrez in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/5/15

Jerry Brown’s state insurance plan could hurt retirees -- The governor’s plan envisions a new high-deductible, lower-premium health insurance policy for state workers. It would be paired with a tax-advantaged health savings account and take effect Jan. 1, 2016. Jon Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/5/15

California bill would require more vaccinations -- With measles breaking out in California 15 years after it was thought to be eradicated, two state senators introduced legislation Wednesday that would make it harder for parents to opt out of vaccinating their children. Laurel Rosenhall in the Sacramento Bee$ Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ Lisa M. Krieger and Jessica Calefati in the San Jose Mercury$ Fenit Nirappil Associated Press Chris Nichols UT San Diego$ -- 2/5/15

California Gov. Jerry Brown appears open to restricting vaccine waivers -- The governor's new flexibility highlighted a growing momentum toward limiting vaccination exemptions partly blamed for the state's worst outbreak of measles since 2000 and flare-ups of whooping cough and other preventable illnesses. Patrick McGreevy and Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/5/15

With climate change on the California Legislature’s agenda, utilities ‘making the rounds’ -- Soon after Gov. Jerry Brown proposed expanding greenhouse gas reduction policies in his State of the State address, California’s influential utilities praised Brown’s agenda but moved quietly to craft a version that could be easier for them to meet. David Siders in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/5/15

Harris appeals court ruling against California foie gras ban -- Califronia Attorney General Kamala Harris gave notice Wednesday that she will appeal a recent federal court ruling overturning the state’s ban on foie gras sales. Jim Miller in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/5/15

California Assembly bill would digitize driver’s licenses, identification cards -- There might come a day when a cop asks to see your driver’s license, and you simply whip out your cell phone and activate an app. Gregory J. Wilcox in the Los Angeles Daily News$ Ben Adler Capital Public Radio -- 2/5/15

Additional allegations filed against former state Sen. Leland Yee -- Former state Sen. Leland Yee’s legal troubles have worsened with a second superseding indictment issued by a federal grand jury alleging additional wrongdoing by the Democrat from San Francisco. Paige St. John and Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/5/15

Skelton: All-powerful Democrats find new adversaries: each other -- Latinos feel insulted by blacks. Angelenos are suspicious of San Franciscans. Democrats are squabbling. It's inevitable. George Skelton in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/5/15

San Francisco embezzling suspect’s Oregon beach house is for sale -- The Oregon beach house that a former Association of Bay Area Governments official suspected of embezzling $1.3 million from a South of Market community fund bought three days after the money disappeared is back on the market. J.K. Dineen, Michael Cabanatuan and Heather Knight in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/5/15

Man accused of murdering two deputies in Sacramento-area rampage: ‘I killed those cops’ -- In a dramatic scene in Sacramento Superior Court, the man accused of killing two deputies in a daylong rampage last October announced Wednesday that he was guilty and defiantly asked to be executed. Andy Furillo in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/5/15

L.A. County supervisor vacancy leaves Rep. Janice Hahn a choice to make -- As Rep. Janice Hahn weighs a run for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors — where her late father held a seat for four decades — the San Pedro Democrat faces a rapidly changing district and potentially strong competition for one of the most powerful local elected jobs in the nation. Seema Mehta in the Los Angeles Times$ Emily Cahn Roll Call -- 2/5/15

Oil industry doubled spending on lobbying in California last year -- The oil industry nearly doubled its spending on lobbying in California last year, as the Jan. 1, 2015 date approached for gasoline to be included in the state’s cap-and-trade program. Laurel Rosenhall in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 2/5/15

Another problem for new Bay Bridge span: Elevator doesn’t work -- A $4 million elevator intended to take maintenance workers and well-connected investor-tourists to the top of the signature tower on the new Bay Bridge eastern span failed after just a few uses, and Caltrans is trying to figure who will pay the bill, The Chronicle has learned. Jaxon Van Derbeken in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/5/15

Capitol minister aims to deliver state leaders from temptation -- Amid the crush of lobbyists, lawyers and lawmakers packing the hallways of the Capitol in the final days of each legislative session, one figure moves through the corridors with noticeable serenity. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/5/15

Carly Fiorina talks 2016, being called 'the token bimbo' and her very public firing from HP -- It's been a decade, almost to the day, since Carly Fiorina was fired from Hewlett-Packard, ending her six-year tenure atop the world's largest technology company. Caroline McMillan Portillo Silicon Valley Business Journal -- 2/5/15

State senator wants Sally Ride statue in U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall -- A California state senator is proposing to place a statue of pioneering astronaut Sally Ride in the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall, which would make Ride the first woman to represent California and the first known gay person to be included in the collection. Melanie Mason in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/5/15

Saunders: Smart medicine, foolish politicians -- I believe parents should vaccinate their children. Because children are vulnerable, the media have a responsibility to inform parents about the risks involved when they don’t vaccinate their children. Debra J. Saunders in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/5/15

The Influencers Index: Congressional second guessing, green energy and Hammer Time -- After a busy first half of January, calm and normalcy has been restored in California politics, and the Tweets of our California Influencers Index reflect that. This installment covers the Twitter activity of more than 300 California political insiders over a ten-day window from Jan 24-Feb. 2. Anthony York Grizzly Bear Project -- 2/5/15

Taxes, Fees, Rates    

SDG&E rate plan criticized -- The City Council’s Environment Committee criticized San Diego Gas & Electric’s proposed rate restructuring on Wednesday as anti-environment, bad for low-income residents and unfair to people who conserve power. David Garrick UT San Diego$ -- 2/5/15

Baldassare: The Debate Over Extending Proposition 30 -- The governor says this tax increase is meant to be temporary. But others say that the state budget situation has improved because of Proposition 30, and it could deteriorate if we allow the sales and income tax increases to fully expire in 2018. Mark Baldassare Fox & Hounds -- 2/5/15

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions    

West Coast port employers: Shutdown could be 5 days away -- West Coast seaports could shut down in as soon as five days — hobbling U.S. trade with Asia — if dockworkers and their employers cannot reach a new contract, the head of a maritime association warned Wednesday in remarks intended to pressure an agreement after nine months of negotiations. Justin Pritchard Associated Press -- 2/5/15

FCC’s net neutrality plan a win for startups, consumers -- Consumers and tech startups stand to benefit most if the Federal Communications Commission regulates the Internet as a utility, a move the agency’s chairman proposed Wednesday. Joe Garofoli in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/5/15

What Is Apple Doing With Its Mystery Minivans? -- The sightings have touched off a flurry of speculation about what the secretive tech giant is up to, with theories ranging from mapping to self-driving cars. An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment. Concord Community Relations Manager Leslye Asera told SiliconBeat that Apple has not told the city anything about its plans. Julia Love in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 2/5/15

Bay Area commutes are lousy, but at least they’re reliable -- Bay Area commutes — the third most-congested of the nation’s 10 largest metro regions — are also the most reliable, according to data analyzed by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission in its Vital Signs report. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/5/15

Obama proposes $5 million for earthquake early warning system -- President Obama has proposed spending $5 million in the upcoming federal budget on the West Coast’s earthquake early warning network, which would be a significant boost to the fledgling system if Congress approves the funding. Rosanna Xai and Rong-Gong Lin II in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/5/15

Greenhut: Laborers have no say in their contract -- The state is arguing it has the right to impose a contract on a group of Fresno-area farm workers — but the workers have no right to even attend the hearings in which that contract is hammered out. This is one “Alice in Wonderland” scenario in a slow moving and bureaucratic labor battle that pits workers against a union. Steven Greenhut UT San Diego$ -- 2/5/15

Education 

LAUSD superintendent calls for check on large classes -- Citing criticism of large class sizes, Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Ramon Cortines sent school administrators new data on Tuesday that show many middle school and high school classes have over 45 students. Adolfo Guzman-Lopez KPCC -- 2/5/15

PPIC: Many districts still not equipped for digital learning -- Most schools in the state likely have sufficient online capacity to administer this spring’s new, computer-assisted student assessments but more work is needed if they are to maximize digital learning opportunities moving forward, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. Kimberly Beltran Cabinet Report -- 2/5/15

Classroom coaches critical as teachers shift to Common Core -- To break down the isolation that many teachers experience in their classrooms, California schools are using instructional coaches as a key tool to help teachers adapt their instruction to implement the Common Core standards in math and English language arts. Laurie Udesky EdSource -- 2/5/15

UC Berkeley program on human rights, war crimes wins $1-million grant -- A UC Berkeley law school program that researches war crimes and other human rights violations around the world and seeks to aid victims has been awarded a $1-million grant by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Larry Gordon in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/5/15

Health 

Many California child-care centers have low measles vaccination rates -- John Leddy was all set to send his 2-year-old daughter Vanessa to the YWCA Family Cooperative Preschool in Santa Monica recently when he and his wife decided at the last minute to ask about its measles vaccination rate. Rosanna Xia, Rong-Gong Lin II and Sandra Poindexter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/5/15

Feinstein, Boxer urge California to reconsider vaccine exemptions -- California’s two U.S. senators on Wednesday called on state officials to reconsider California’s policy on allowing exemptions to childhood vaccinations. Phil Willon and Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/5/15

Why you should, and shouldn't, worry about measles -- Measles has become relatively rare in the United States, thanks to very effective vaccine. A recent outbreak tied to Disneyland has shown that even among some doctors, knowledge of the once-common illness is spotty. Mike Stobbe Associated Press -- 2/5/15

California lawmakers target $1,000 hepatitis pill, other costly drugs -- California lawmakers are joining the national debate over what effect high-priced specialty drugs are having on medical costs for consumers and taxpayers. Chad Terhune in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 2/5/15

Bill Would Require Insurers to Update Provider Directories -- After reports of inaccurate provider directories, a California state senator and three advocacy groups are hoping to require insurers to keep their doctor lists up to date. Hannah Guzik healthycal.org -- 2/5/15

Also . . . 

Blogger’s Mission fire victim fund tops $110, 000 -- It was a fire that would kill one person, injure six others, and displace businesses and about 40 people living in 19 units above them. And 26-year-old Zack Crockett — disgusted at what appeared to be onlookers more interested in capturing dramatic images for social media than in helping distraught fire victims — would surprise himself by finding a way for everyone to help. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 2/5/15

This photo of a man on his phone ignoring a whale right next to him says everything about us --Photographer says this guy did not look up once as a whale surfaced just feet away. Debbi Baker UT San Diego$ -- 2/5/15

Beltway 

Jeb on running as a Bush: 'Interesting challenge' -- Jeb Bush said Wednesday that running in 2016 as the son and brother of former presidents would be “an interesting challenge” and that he would have to establish himself as his “own person” in order to win. James Hohmann Politico -- 2/5/15