State GOP refusing to budge on taxes
Lawmakers say they've learned from history
SACRAMENTO, Sept. 6 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
The last three Republican governors all signed major tax increases, but history does not seem to be repeating itself for the current Republican governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
His inability to get Republican legislators to vote for a tax increase, which the governor hopes would get votes from Democrats for long-term budget “reform,” is the main sticking point in a record state budget deadlock.
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BODEGA BAY, 10:08 a.m. Sept. 7 (AP)Man drowns after large wave sweeps him off rocks: Authorities say a 39-year-old man has died after a large wave swept him and two friends off the rocks along the Sonoma County coast. SAN BERNARDINO, 1:01 a.m. Sept. 7 (AP)
Tuberculosis patient put in medical isolation: San Bernardino county officials say they have forced a tuberculosis patient into medical isolation after health officials suspected the patient was not taking medication and was going to work.
SACRAMENTO, Sept. 6
State budget delay imperils patients, angry officials say: Health care officials say a state budget delay that sets a record today is endangering patients, cutting services and may force some facilities to close.
YREKA, 2:48 p.m. Sept. 6 (AP)
Gold Rush-era courthouse to be demolished: Siskiyou County plans to tear down a courthouse built in 1856 to build an 8,000-square foot addition to the newer neighboring court complex.
MIRA LOMA, 1:55 p.m. Sept. 6 (AP)
Gunman fired shots in SoCal bar, injured 11: Authorities searched Saturday for a man who opened fire with a shotgun and wounded 11 people after he was kicked out of a bar.
WOODLAND, 1:37 p.m. Sept. 6 (AP)
Life term for man who supplied gun to kill officer: A 50-year-old Woodland man has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for supplying a revolver used to kill a California Highway Patrol officer.
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, 1:23 p.m. Sept. 6 (AP)
New high-resolution satellite launched in Calif: A super-sharp Earth-imaging satellite that can detail an area the size of a baseball diamond's home plate from space was successfully blasted into orbit Friday from California's central coast.
FRESNO, 12:22 p.m. Sept. 6 (AP)
Calif. county temporarily halts jail releases: Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims is temporarily halting early inmate releases from the county jail while she waits to see if supervisors increase her budget.
SANTA ANA, 11:46 a.m. Sept. 6 (AP)
OC detective resigns in wake of inmate death probe: An Orange County sheriff's detective resigned after admitting that he lied to a grand jury investigating the beating death of a county jail inmate.
SACRAMENTO, 11:45 a.m. Sept. 6 (AP)
Sacramento man convicted of two race-based murders: A Sacramento County man has been convicted of randomly killing two 40-year-old black men in April 2006.
RENO, Nev., 11:12 a.m. Sept. 6 (AP)
Pilot killed in crash before Reno air races: A pilot has been killed in a crash during a practice run before the start of the annual Reno National Championship Air Races.
WRIGHTWOOD, 11:01 a.m. Sept. 6 (AP)
3.1-magnitude quake hits Wrightwood area: A small earthquake has struck the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles but there are no reports of damage or injuries.
SANTA ROSA, 10:58 a.m. Sept. 6 (AP)
Sonoma County Sheriff accused of racial profiling: A federal lawsuit accuses the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department of unlawful detentions and racial profiling of Latinos suspected of being illegal immigrants.
LOS ANGELES, 10:38 a.m. Sept. 6 (AP)
Driver charged with murder for L.A. crosswalk death: A driver who allegedly struck and killed a man in a crosswalk while fleeing police was charged with murder, authorities said.
SAN FRANCISCO, 10:24 a.m. Sept. 6 (AP)
Cosco Busan operator offers to plead no contest: The operating company for the container ship involved in last November's San Francisco Bay oil spill has offered to plead no contest to criminal charges of falsifying documents and negligence.
SANTA ANA, 10:12 a.m. Sept. 6 (AP)
Sex offender gets life for 1985 Anaheim killing: A convicted sex offender was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole after DNA testing linked him to a rape-murder that went unsolved for nearly two decades.
APPLE VALLEY, 8:59 a.m. Sept. 6 (AP)
2 SoCal men held in theft of baseball bleachers: You might call it the last stand. Two men were arrested Friday for allegedly dismantling and stealing aluminum bleachers from a baseball field in this desert town, authorities said.
LOS ANGELES, 12:56 a.m. Sept. 6 (AP)
Man in a wheelchair killed by big-rig: Authorities say a man in a wheelchair was hit and killed by a big-rig truck in downtown Los Angeles.
BAKERSFIELD, 12:49 a.m. Sept. 6 (AP)
Family files wrongful death against Bakersfield: The family of a boy who was killed by a sudden cave-in of dirt near his home has filed a $5 million wrongful death claim against the city of Bakersfield.
SAN BERNARDINO, 12:37 a.m. Sept. 6 (AP)
West Nile kills third person in SoCal this year: Authorities say a 48-year-old San Bernardino County man has died of West Nile virus, the third death this year in California from the illness.
LAS VEGAS, 12:00 a.m. Sept. 6 (AP)
Las Vegas city graphic artist retiring: You've probably seen Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman's “good luck mayor” poker chips, or the bobblehead dolls in his image, or his likeness festooned on banners or artwork somewhere.
Sept. 6 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
For the record: A headline on Page A1 yesterday incorrectly said a state wildfire report addressed power-pole overloading. While state regulators said during interviews they are concerned about overloading, that issue was not addressed in the report.
INGLEWOOD, 10:43 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)Police give names of officers from fatal shooting: Eight suspended police officers involved in the fatal shooting of a homeless man carrying a toy gun did not participate in the department's three other recent fatal shootings, but at least two of the officers were involved in fatalities dating to 2004, according to county records. SAN FRANCISCO, 9:54 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Earthquake rattles San Francisco Bay area: A light earthquake rattled the San Francisco Bay area Friday night. The U.S. Geological Survey's preliminary report put the quake at a 4.0-magnitude.
SACRAMENTO, Sept. 5
Tribes refuse to accept state's minimum security guidelines for casinos: Moving to the brink of a legal showdown, California gaming tribes yesterday overwhelmingly rejected a set of minimum security standards that the state wants to enforce in all Indian casinos.
ONTARIO, 6:33 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Airline to add new California flights: A Wyoming-based airline is starting up new flights in California. Great Lakes Airlines announced Friday it will add daily flights from LA/Ontario International Airport to Visalia and Merced.
CARSON CITY, Nev., 6:32 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Fossett search continues in Nevada: As the hunt continued Friday for Steve Fossett, missing since Sept. 3, 2007, a federal agency released a report stating that the famed aviator-adventurer was last seen in the search area flying less than 100 feet above the ground in a borrowed plane.
TORRANCE, 6:26 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
L.A. judge hears arguments on Miura murder case: A Los Angeles County judge said Friday it would take him several weeks to rule on a motion to dismiss murder and conspiracy charges against a Japanese man who allegedly arranged for his wife to be killed in California more than a quarter century ago.
LAS VEGAS, 5:43 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Woman arrested in fatal Las Vegas hotel stabbing: A Milwaukee woman surrendered to police Friday to face murder and prostitution charges after she was accused of fatally stabbing another woman in a Las Vegas Strip hotel lobby, authorities said.
VALLEJO, 5:43 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Judge approves Vallejo's bankruptcy filing: A federal judge ruled Friday the city of Vallejo's bankruptcy case can move forward, rejecting a legal challenge by its police and firefighters unions.
LOS ANGELES, 5:42 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Release of L.A. priest abuse documents in question: A year after a record-breaking clergy abuse settlement, a Superior Court judge on Friday urged attorneys for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles and alleged molestation victims to resolve a legal impasse that threatens the release of confidential priest files.
BERKELEY, 5:35 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
UC Berkeley begins felling trees for sports center: UC Berkeley has begun cutting down trees to clear the way for a new sports center that inspired lawsuits and tree-sitting protests.
CAMP PENDLETON, 5:35 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Marines identify Camp Pendleton remains: The remains of a man found at Camp Pendleton have been identified as a civilian contractor. The Marines announced Friday that they have not determined a cause of death for James Parmentier. The 50-year-old, from the San Diego area, was working on the base but was not a member of the Marines.
BOISE, Idaho, 5:28 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Weather, fuel, chief factors in '07 Idaho wildfire: A state and federal report concludes that last summer's lightning- and cheatgrass-stoked Murphy Complex fire that torched 1,000 square miles of Idaho and Nevada backcountry would have overwhelmed efforts by ranchers to cut fire danger before the blaze by using their cattle to eat down grass on the range.
SAN FERNANDO, 5:19 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Man gets 6 years for dangling baby from L.A. motel: A man who choked a 1-year-old and dangled her over a Los Angeles-area motel railing has been sentenced to six years in state prison for child endangerment.
HONOLULU, 4:08 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
$12 million shifted to tourism promotion: Hawaii tourism officials plan to spend more money on marketing efforts at the expense of cultural programs aimed toward island visitors.
LAS VEGAS, 4:01 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Suspended Las Vegas judge hospitalized: A suspended Nevada state judge underwent surgery Friday, and her ex-convict husband was jailed on suspicion of attempted murder and domestic violence after he was accused of hitting her in the head with a frying pan during a domestic dispute, authorities said.
CALEXICO, 3:39 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
4.6 quake shakes California-Mexico border region: An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.6 has shaken a stretch of the border region of southeastern California and northern Baja California.
SAN FRANCISCO, 3:18 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
2 dead, 3 wounded in S.F. shootings: San Francisco police plan to increase patrols in the city's Mission District after two people died and three others were wounded in two separate shootings Thursday night.
MARTINEZ, 1:55 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
East Bay student acquitted in grade-changing scam: A former Diablo Valley College student employee accused of illegally changing grades has been acquitted of all charges.
HONOLULU, 1:32 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
3 killed, 1 missing in Coast Guard copter crash: Rescuers on Friday searched for a missing crew member from a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter that crashed in ocean waters off Oahu, killing the three others on board.
BAKERSFIELD, 1:29 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Sisters of Bakersfield kids found dead speak out: The sisters of two children whose skeletal remains were found in a Bakersfield storage facility said their mother told them their siblings had gone to live with relatives.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo., 12:37 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Yellowstone RV park full despite fuel costs: In the heart of the park here on a recent warm day, the spaces at Fishing Bridge Recreational Vehicle Park were jammed full with RVs and camping equipment.
SACRAMENTO, 12:36 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Watchdog files report on former NBA star's program: Federal prosecutors are examining a volunteer program run by former NBA star Kevin Johnson, a candidate for Sacramento mayor.
PARADISE, 12:31 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Paradise cheerleader coach jailed in fondling case: A former community cheerleading coach has been sentenced to jail after pleading no contest in a case that arose from the alleged fondling of a teenage boy.
LOS ANGELES, 12:27 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
L.A. federal judge won't consider bail for Fayed: A federal judge has refused to consider bail for the estranged husband of a woman who was stabbed to death in a parking garage in upscale Century City.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, 12:02 p.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Alaska residents cash in on annual dividend: Alaskans have struck a $3,269 bonanza in their Permanent Fund dividend payments this year. State officials say every eligible man, woman and child in the state will receive $2,069 – the largest payment from the state's oil royalty investment program that's been distributed annually since 1982.
LAS VEGAS, 11:33 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Nevada DMV clerk arrested in federal ID theft case: The top federal prosecutor in Nevada says a state Department of Motor Vehicles clerk is facing federal bribery and false statement charges after her arrest in Las Vegas.
CLEARLAKE, 10:37 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Body found buried in large Lake County pot farm: Lake County sheriff's officials are working to identify a partially decomposed body found in a large marijuana garden off Highway 175.
SAN FRANCISCO, 10:02 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
SF Catholic bishop says Pelosi wrong on abortion: The Roman Catholic archbishop of San Francisco is inviting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for a private talk, saying she misstated the church's teaching on abortion.
HONOLULU, 7:26 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
3 from Las Vegas convicted in Hawaii drug case: Three Las Vegas residents face a mandatory 10 years to life in federal prison after they were found guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Hawaii, the top federal prosecutor in Honolulu said.
SAN LUIS OBISPO, 7:26 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Parolee accused of flashing arrested at nude beach: A Palmdale man has been arrested on suspicion of flashing his way across San Luis Obispo and Pismo Beach after authorities hunted him down at, of all places, a nude beach.
FAIRFIELD, 7:18 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Fairfield councilman off life support: A Fairfield councilman who has been brain dead since being shot in the head four days ago has been taken off life support.
SAN FRANCISCO, 6:38 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Rohnert Park man pleads guilty to drug charges: A Rohnert Park man is looking at 15 years in prison after pleading guilty in federal court to drug charges.
LOS ANGELES, 6:19 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Wildfire burning in hills of Sherman Oaks: Los Angeles city fire officials say a slow-moving brush fire is burning in the hills of Sherman Oaks, in the populated Benedict Canyon area, but that no homes are believed to be threatened.
FOSTER CITY, 5:49 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Foster City man out $107,000 after account drained: A Foster City man is out more $100,000 after he came back from vacation and discovered someone had drained his checking account.
WESTMINSTER, 5:09 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Gun fight in Westminster parking lot injures 2: Police say a late-night gun fight in a restaurant parking lot in Westminster has left two men injured, one of them critically.
SAN FRANCISCO, 5:04 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Another day of hot temperatures, poor air expected: A forecast of at least one more day of hot temperatures and poor air quality has prompted air quality officials to issue another “Spare the Air” advisory for the Bay Area.
VISALIA, 3:54 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Feds warn climate change could harm giant sequoias: Federal researchers are warning that warming temperatures could soon cause California's giant sequoia trees to die off more quickly unless forest managers plan with an eye toward climate change and the impact of a longer, harsher wildfire season.
LAKE FOREST, 1:53 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Toddler run over and killed by her father: A 14-month-old girl in Lake Forest was accidentally run over and killed by her father as he backed out of their driveway.
LAKE ELSINORE, 1:27 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Bobcats pounce on abandoned upscale SoCal home: A family of bobcats has apparently moved into a vacant house in Lake Elsinore, proving that speculators aren't the only ones pouncing on good deals.
SAN DIEGO, 12:22 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Sentencing set in surfer's death in San Diego: The beating death of professional surfer Emery Kauanui devastated family and fans and rattled the staid seaside community of La Jolla. It upended the lives of five friends from high school who were initially accused of murdering him.
SACRAMENTO, 12:19 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Calif. lawmaker questions LPGA language policy: Legal experts and civil rights activists are expected to speak out Friday against an LPGA Tour policy that requires players to know English.
WASHINGTON, 2:46 p.m. Sept. 4 (AP)EPA limits lawnmower emissions to stem pollution: Gasoline-powered lawnmowers that are a big cause of summertime air pollution will have to be dramatically cleaner under rules issued Thursday by the Environmental Protection Agency. LOS ANGELES, 3:34 p.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
L.A. doctor faces 10 more sex charges: A Los Angeles doctor and son of Bermuda's premier has been charged with sexually abusing four more patients. VISALIA, 3:44 p.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
Feds warn climate change could harm giant sequoias: Federal researchers warned Thursday that warming temperatures could soon cause California's beloved giant sequoia trees to die off more quickly, so forest managers must start considering the impacts of climate change and a longer, harsher wildfire season. LAS VEGAS, 3:45 p.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
OJ co-defendant renews appeal to postpone trial: O.J. Simpson's co-defendant renewed his effort Thursday to get the Nevada Supreme Court to delay or separate their kidnapping and armed robbery trial, set to begin Monday. LOS ANGELES, 4:15 p.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
Repairman denies killing actor's former girlfriend: An air conditioning repairman pleaded not guilty Thursday to the stabbing deaths of two women, including a former girlfriend of actor Ashton Kutcher. SANTA PAULA, 6:06 p.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
1 killed when truck hits SoCal highway crew: A truck slammed into a highway cleanup crew doing court-ordered community service, killing one of the workers and injuring two others Thursday, authorities said. The truck driver and another motorist also were injured. SACRAMENTO, 6:57 p.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
School groups challenge Calif. algebra mandate: Groups representing school administrators and local education boards are challenging California's requirement that all eighth-graders be tested in algebra. LOS ANGELES, 7:51 p.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
2 Mexican policemen ordered to stand trial in L.A.: A commander and an investigator from a Mexican federal police unit were ordered Thursday to stand trial on charges of having more than $600,000 in drug money.
Starting July 1, 2008, drivers in California must use a hands-free device while talking on a cell phone or risk getting a fine.
