An angry Gov. Brown says the decision by federal judges to block the transfer of California inmates to out-of-state prisons oversteps the jurists' authority and he has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene.
From the LA Times' Anthony York: "The latest legal maneuver from the governor’s office comes one day after federal judges ordered state officials to discuss a possible settlement with attorneys representing California prison inmates, who have argued that the state’s prisons are criminally overcrowded."
"Brown signed a bill earlier this year that asked for more time to deal with a court-ordered deadline to reduce the state’s prison population by as many as 9,600 inmates. The legislation included a backup plan that involved sending thousands of inmates to other states and housing up to 2,000 more in privately owned facilities in California."
"Federal judges ordered state officials to confer with inmates' lawyers and prohibited the state from sending any additional inmates beyond state lines in the meantime."
The first BART strike earlier this year didn't last long and the pain was bearable. But a second one may be on the way and BART officials are preparing for the worst.
From the Chronicle's Michael Cabanatuan: "Bay Area transportation officials are thinking hard about the unthinkable - a second BART strike - and planning more BART-operated charter buses, more all-day carpool lanes, and better carpool and bus access to the Bay Bridge toll plaza than during the July strike."
"But what about BART plans to use a small cadre of managers to run very limited train service? BART is remaining mum on that idea, just days after acknowledging it had moved two rail cars to a Vallejo warehouse to reacquaint certified train operators and prepare others for possible service in a strike."
"Paul Oversier, BART's assistant general manager for operations, declined to elaborate on those service plans Wednesday, suggesting that it could be counterproductive to reaching a contract with its two largest unions, which could walk off the job as soon as Oct. 11."
As the health-insurance marketplace of the Affordable Care Act is poised to begin, the federal government releases a summary of costs of the coverage plans.
From the Mercury-News' Tracy Seipel: "The price of health insurance under Obamacare came sharply into focus Thursday, as Californians learned that they will pay the 10th-highest rates in the country for a mid-range policy."
"With less than a week to go until open enrollment begins on the new health-insurance exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act, the Obama administration published insurance premiums and plan choices for 26 states where the federal government is taking the lead to cover uninsured residents."
"The survey came as the administration went into full campaign mode to promote the benefits of the law to a skeptical public as Republicans in Congress refused to abandon their quest to derail Obamacare and continued to flirt with a government shutdown to force the issue."
The tale of the trusts at the Department of Water and Power in LA is a story with legs: Now it appears they are spending millions of dollars each year -- but for what end?
From KPCC's Karen Foshay and Alice Walton: "Twin trusts run jointly by the Department of Water and Power and its powerful union are spending more than $3 million a year on salaries, travel and office expenses, according to tax returns reviewed by KPCC."
"The two trusts have received more than $40 million from the utility since being established more than a decade ago."
"The Joint Safety Institute was created in 2000 by the Los Angeles City Council. Two years later, it was joined by the Joint Training Institute. Besides having nearly identical names, the agencies have the same trustees, same accountant, the same address and phone number. The trusts, which have tax exempt status, have office space at the DWP's Valley Steam Plant in Sun Valley. A security guard confirmed to KPCC that the institutes are on the property, but would not allow a producer to visit the office."
With the stroke of a pen, Gov. Brown has raised the pay for millions of Californians.
From the LA Daily News' Muhammed El-Hasan: "In a nod to the growing class of Californians toiling at the bottom of the income scale, Gov. Jerry Brown put his signature on a bill Wednesday that will increase the minimum wage to $10 an hour in less than three years."
"During a ceremony in downtown Los Angeles, Brown called Assembly Bill 10 a matter of justice that will help close the gap between “workers at the bottom and those who occupy the commanding heights of the economy.”
"It is the first rate hike since 2008, when the country’s economy was declining into the Great Recession."
And from our "Will the Real James Bond Please Step Forward" file comes word that the Ian Fleming's superspy actually was a stable, home-loving kind of guy who was searching for a wholesome relationship.
"He may have romped through 50 years of films seducing any woman who crossed his path, but it appears the original James Bond would have preferred a more wholesome relationship.
For William Boyd, who has written the latest novel Solo, has argued the spy was not just seeking a casual fling but a real relationship with the women he encountered."
"Speaking at the launch of the book, he said he was “not keen” on the expression Bond Girl, suggesting the spy wanted more than “casual sex”.
"But, he insisted, Bond would not be bowing to other modern expectations, continuing to drink and chain smoke his way through his next adventure."
That sound you hear is Fleming rolling over in his grave ....