Rough & Tumble Page 2

Former Assembly speaker's son charged with murder -- The 19-year-old son of former California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and three friends have been charged with murder in the stabbing death of a college student after police say they sought revenge when they were turned away from a fraternity party. ELLIOT SPAGAT AP -- 12/3/08

Brown concedes to McClintock -- Democrat Charlie Brown conceded defeat Wednesday in Northern California's 4th Congressional District race, 29 days after Election Day and two days after opponent Tom McClintock declared victory. Peter Hecht in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/3/08

Judge backs patients in hospital billing disputes -- A Sacramento judge affirmed state regulations that sought to protect consumers in payment disputes between hospitals and insurers, easing the financial burden on untold thousands of patients who get stuck with the cost of expensive emergency care that they assumed would be paid by their medical policies. Bobby Caina Calvan in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/3/08

Adobe to cut 600 jobs -- Citing the global economic crisis and slower-than-expected sales of its Creative Suite software, Adobe Systems said today it will cut 600 jobs around the world, about 8 percent of its workforce. Brandon Bailey in the San Jose Mercury -- 12/3/08

Chinese-American activists oppose any Bill Richardson cabinet nomination -- In a move bound to create political tension between Latinos and Asian-Americans, a group of Chinese-American activists in Silicon Valley has launched a nationwide grass-roots movement to fight President-elect Barack Obama's nomination today of Bill Richardson as commerce secretary. The group is upset at the New Mexico governor for his handling of the nearly decade-old case of Taiwanese-American Wen Ho Lee, a former nuclear scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Ken McLaughlin in the San Jose Mercury -- 12/3/08

Possible gang link probed in arrest of Nuñez's son -- Police do not elaborate on the case involving a fatal stabbing in San Diego. The former Assembly speaker's son, 19, is one of four suspects in the crime, which occurred after a party in October. Tony Perry in the Los Angeles Times also Greg Bledsoe NBCsandiego.com -- 12/3/08

Groups sue state for legislative records -- Berkeley-based MAPLight.org — a nonpartisan nonprofit that illuminates connections between Money And Politics with its database of campaign contributions and legislative outcomes — and the San Rafael-based California First Amendment Coalition filed a lawsuit today in Sacramento County Superior Court against the state Office of Legislative Counsel demanding California’s legislative voting records in electronic format. Josh Richman Political Blotter weblog -- 12/3/08

Proposition 8 inspires star-studded musical -- Written by Marc Shaiman and directed by Adam Shankman, the piece shows gay marriage backers and foes debating the issue in song against the backdrop of a Sacramento community college theater. John C. Reilly and Allison Janney lead the gay marriage foes -- all dressed in dark Sunday-best suits. The anti-Prop. 8 crowd includes Neil Patrick Harris and Andy Richter. Shelby Grad in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/3/08

Treasury Considers Plan to Stem Home-Prices Decline -- The plan, which is in the development stages, would use mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to bring loan rates down as low as 4.5%, a full percentage point lower than the prevailing rates for 30-year fixed mortgages. DEBORAH SOLOMON and DAMIAN PALETTA in the Wall Street Journal -- 12/3/08

Ex-Assembly Speaker Núñez's son held in homicide -- The 19-year-old son of former Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez was arrested in Sacramento County along with three others Tuesday on suspicion of homicide in the Oct. 4 stabbing of a 22-year-old college student in San Diego. Stan Oklobdzija in the Sacramento Bee Tony Perry in the Los Angeles Times Pauline Repard in the San Diego Union-Trib ELLIOT SPAGAT AP -- 12/3/08

Can new Senate leader bring change to Capital? -- Freshly sworn-in Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, is the new guy, and "it" is the dysfunctional Capital, where crises seem the norm and lawmakers' inability to resolve them help perpetuate an endless cycle of frustrations. Steven Harmon in the Contra Costa Times -- 12/3/08

Walters: California Democrats' tax hikes include political cover -- The two big tax changes that Democrats proposed last month to cover part of the state's ever-worsening budget deficit were carefully chosen to give political cover to legislators who voted for them. Dan Walters in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/3/08

State lawmakers weigh in on Prop. 8 -- Leaders of the California Legislature and members of its gay and lesbian caucus have introduced measures supporting the repeal of Proposition 8, the constitutional ban on same-sex marriage approved by voters last month. Wyatt Buchanan in the San Francisco Chronicle Aurelio Rojas in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/3/08

McClintock appears headed for Congress -- Four weeks after election day, Republican Tom McClintock finally can order his plane ticket to Washington. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/3/08

More than 60% of California's eligible voters went to the polls -- In only registered voters are tallied, the turnout was 80.6%. Final races are tallied: McClintock and Strickland win. Prop. 11 and Beverly Hills condo measure pass. Patrick McGreevy and Martha Groves in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/3/08

Matier & Ross: Oakland A's talk of new stadium closer to BART -- Here's a possible game changer - the Oakland A's will sit down this week with BART officials to discuss moving the team's proposed Fremont ballpark to within walking distance of the planned Warm Springs BART station. Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/3/08

Good news for Bay Area retailers all weekend -- The Friday after Thanksgiving, the traditional kickoff to the holiday shopping season, saw throngs of shoppers and increased sales from last year, both nationally and locally, according to research firms and reports from Bay Area retailers. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/3/08

Yahoo acquisition rumor buoys stock -- Shares of Yahoo jumped 7 percent Tuesday following a report that former AOL chief executive Jonathan Miller was interested in buying the struggling search company. Ryan Kim in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/3/08

Economy could make it hard for L.A. Live to be the life of the downtown party -- Expectations for the high-end entertainment complex have been high since work began three years ago, but the downturn is putting more pressure on it to be a success. Cara Mia DiMassa in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/3/08

Coachella Valley Home prices hit '03 levels, spark sales -- Two-thirds of county properties in escrows that closed in October had been foreclosed on, data show. Debra Gruszecki in the Desert Sun -- 12/3/08

Economists see San Diego county recession's long reach -- Although the nation's leading economists have determined that the national recession began in December 2007, regional economists are split over when San Diego County slipped into recession. Dean Calbreath in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 12/3/08

Best place to work? San Diego is No. 2 -- Hey, San Diego, don't mope about falling home prices, rising unemployment and fogged-in Lindbergh Field. According to the Human Capital Institute, a Washington, D.C., think tank, this is one of the top places where America's dream-job seekers want to live. Roger Showley in the San Diego Union-Trib -- 12/3/08

Google Gears Down for Tougher Times -- Corporate austerity is reaching one of the most extravagant spenders of the boom years. Google Inc. has begun to tighten its belt. JESSICA E. VASCELLARO and SCOTT MORRISON in the Wall Street Journal -- 12/3/08

Obama promises governors he'll be listening -- President-elect tells a gathering of 48 state chief executives that he wants their input on a national economic recovery plan. Christi Parsons in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/3/08

UC chief changes buyout policy -- The new president of the University of California system pledged Tuesday that employees in his office no longer will be allowed to collect full severance checks and then be rehired at other UC locations. Jim Doyle in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/3/08

California passes college affordability test -- An independent report on American higher education flunks all states but California when it comes to affordability - an embarrassing verdict that is unlikely to improve as the economy contracts. Justin Pope AP Gale Holland in the Los Angeles Times Lisa M. Krieger in the San Jose Mercury -- 12/3/08

Top Stanford execs to take 10% pay cut -- Stanford University, the nation's third-wealthiest educational institution, announced Tuesday that several top administrators will take pay cuts as part of a two-year cost-cutting plan that will likely include layoffs. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/3/08

L.A. school board takes no action on fate of Supt. David Brewer -- The panel met in closed session on the schools chief, who is facing increasing pressure to resign. The absence of board member Marguerite Poindexter LaMotte complicated the deliberations. Howard Blume, Jason Song and David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/3/08

Vallejo police pulling officers from schools -- The Police Department in bankrupt Vallejo will pull its officers off public school campuses - where more than 1,600 middle and high school students were suspended or expelled for violence, weapons or drugs last year - and quit providing security at school sporting events, dances and graduations, angry school officials said Tuesday. Nanette Asimov in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/3/08

More funds urged for California's school meal program -- The poor economy is hitting the bellies of 3.1 million California school children. State Superintendent of Public Schools Jack O'Connell warned Tuesday that, because of increased demand, state funding for the Free and Reduced-Price Meal program could run dry before the end of the school year. He urged lawmakers to increase state funding for the hot meal service by $31 million. Melissa Nix in the Sacramento Bee Mary MacVean in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/3/08

State's kids struggle to get fit without school gyms -- State law says elementary school students are supposed to get three hours and 20 minutes of physical education every two weeks. But that can be difficult at a campus without a gymnasium – when it's raining or so cold that kids' fingers go numb. Robert Faturechi in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/3/08

UC Merced plan gets support -- Overwhelming support was expressed Tuesday night for the expansion of the University of California at Merced and the development of a neighboring village. Michelle Hatfield in the Modesto Bee -- 12/3/08

Solar thermal projects gather steam -- and opposition -- Scores of grand-scale facilities are proposed for California. Their possible effect worries environmentalists and others. Marla Dickerson in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/3/08

Santa Clara BART extension vote certified -- The Santa Clara County registrar of voters certified results of the Nov. 4 election Tuesday, including the measure to help fund a BART extension into the South Bay. Rachel Gordon in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/3/08

high-speed rail backers look to Obama and D.C. Democrats -- The credit markets are collapsing, the stock market has tanked, and government deficits are sky-high. Sounds like a terrible time to try to construct one of the largest public works projects in California history: an 800-mile-long, $45 billion network of bullet trains linking the Bay Area and Los Angeles, right? Paul Roger in the San Jose Mercury -- 12/3/08

Red light Metrolink train ran before Chatsworth crash may not have been clearly visible -- Investigators find the station's red signal was not as clear as the yellow and green ones, and continue probing whether the engineer and conductor followed communication rules. Rich Connell and Robert J. Lopez in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/3/08

Emeryville biofuel institute dedicated -- Fast growing and tenacious species such as eucalyptus and poplar trees on the West Coast, and prairie grasses and switchgrass in arid portions of the Midwest, are prime candidates for the next generation of energy crops needed for liquid biofuels. Jim Doyle in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/3/08

Auburn Dam hits final hurdle -- California board on Tuesday revoked federal water claims that were critical to building a long-stalled dam northeast of Sacramento, effectively ending the project. Samantha Young AP Chris Bowman in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/3/08

Airlines have low fares for those who act fast -- Airlines are slashing prices on some flights, hoping to lure some travelers this holiday season and into the new year. But like all things with airlines, the situation is changing rapidly. George Raine in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/3/08

Airline passenger downturn mild at Sacramento's airport -- Fewer people are traveling by air nationwide, but Sacramento International Airport is faring better than other U.S. airports. Mark Glover in the Sacramento Bee -- 12/3/08

Kaiser sends out erroneous bills -- Benicia resident Linda Chandler was stunned last week to get a $1,010 bill from Kaiser Permanente for year-old medical services she says she never received. Worse yet, she had just a few days to pay. Sandy Kleffman in the Contra Costa Times -- 12/3/08

Purpose Prize for 3 working to change society -- Three Bay Area Baby Boomers who are changing the world in "encore careers" have been selected for the national Purpose Prize, given to social entrepreneurs over 60. Meredith May in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/3/08

Maverick's makes magic -- Some surfers called it the best Maverick's they'd ever seen. Some found their exuberance mixed with near-death experiences. Everyone agreed that whatever fate meets the annual Maverick's contest - an event facing a serious financial crisis - there couldn't be a better show than last weekend's at the famed spot near Half Moon Bay. Bruce Jenkins in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/3/08

Firm denies workers' comp in racial killing -- Taneka Talley was stabbed to death in March 2006 while she was working as a clerk at a Dollar Tree store in Fairfield. Her killer's only motive, prosecutors say, is that she was African American. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/3/08

We bring you upshots of Mayor Newsom's speeches -- What? You don't have time to watch all 7 1/2 hours of Mayor Gavin Newsom's State of the City speeches being released this week in YouTube batches? Rachel Gordon, Jill Tucker, Erin Allday in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/3/08

Oakland chief wants 47 more cops on patrol -- Oakland wants to move 47 police officers from desk jobs out onto patrol and investigations, but the plan, which could save the city $3.8 million a year, is complicated by the city's budget cuts and pushback from the police union, Chief Wayne Tucker said Tuesday. Christopher Heredia in the San Francisco Chronicle -- 12/3/08

Judge separates trials of Michael Carona and his former mistress -- The former Orange County sheriff's corruption case will proceed, and Debra Hoffman will be tried later. Concerns about secretly recorded conversations played during the trial led to the decision. Christine Hanley in the Los Angeles Times -- 12/3/08

Riverside will charge for too many police responses -- Businesses that have unruly customers and other problems requiring a heavy police response or frequent responses will have to pay the cost, the Riverside City Council decided Tuesday. DOUG HABERMAN and SONJA BJELLAND in the Riverside Press -- 12/3/08