Gov. Jerry Brown has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and is undergoing treatment.
From the Chronicle's Wyatt Buchanan and Erin Allday: "It's the second time the 74-year-old governor has battled cancer since taking office in 2011, the first being a slow-growing form of skin cancer on his face that was removed last year. Both illnesses are common as people age."
"In a statement, Brown's oncologist at UCSF, Dr. Eric Small, said, "Fortunately, this is early-stage, localized prostate cancer, which is being treated with a short course of conventional radiotherapy. The prognosis is excellent, and there are not expected to be any significant side effects."
"The statement from Brown's office went on to say that the governor is continuing a full work schedule and that his treatment is expected to be complete the week of Jan. 7. His spokesman, Gil Duran, would not offer any further details about Brown's medical condition or when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer."
The seven states that depend on the Colorado River for water are in for a drier future: Demand from the vital river likely will outstrip capacity over the next few years,
From the LAT's Bettina Boxall: "Water demand in the Colorado River Basin will greatly outstrip supply in coming decades as a result of drought, climate change and population growth, according to a broad-ranging federal study."
"It projects that by 2060, river supplies will fall short of demand by about 3.2 million acre-feet — more than five times the amount of water annually consumed by Los Angeles."
"This study should serve as a call to action," U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Wednesday as he released a report that predicted a drier future for the seven states that depend on the Colorado for irrigation and drinking supplies. "We can plan for this together."
Randy "Duke" Cunningham, the once-popular Republican congressman from north San Diego County who went to prison for bribery and corruption, is being transferred to a halfway house to serve out the remaining months of his sentence.
From the Union-Tribune's Greg Moran: "Cunningham, who was from Rancho Santa Fe, was sentenced in 2006 to eight years and four months in prison, and has spent the majority of his term at the Tucson prison."
"He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery, mail fraud, wire fraud and tax evasion in 2005. He admitted taking more than $2.4 million in bribes from defense contractors, in return for using his congressional power to steer federal contracts to their companies."
"Cunningham is scheduled to be released entirely from federal custody in June. His transfer to a halfway house is common for federal inmates who are close to their release date, Ross said."
Entertainment mogul David Geffen is giving a lot of dough to UCLA's medical school to specifically to cover the tuition costs of aspiring doctors, a move that officials say is unprecedented.
From the LAT's Ann Gorman: "More than 30 incoming medical school students will get a full ride to UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine thanks to a $100-million gift from the school's benefactor."
"The donation by Geffen, a philanthropist and entertainment executive, will create a scholarship fund to cover the recipients' entire cost of medical school, including tuition, room and board, books and other expenses..."
"The gift, which will be announced Thursday, makes Geffen the largest individual donor to UCLA and to any single UC campus. In 2002, Geffen donated $200 million in unrestricted funds to the medical school. At the time, the campus was renamed in his honor."
Gov. Brown, anxious to show he's tight with a buck after voters okayed his tax initiative, quashed a $9.8 million PR contract for the Bay Bridge project.
From the Chronicle's Matier & Ross: "The 3-year communications contract with the company Words Pictures Ideas would have kept the key face of the Bay Bridge project. Bart Ney started as a Caltrans consultant in 1997 and first landed the role as the project's primary spokesman eight years ago. His pay has largely stayed under the radar because it was folded into a bigger, $24 million quality-assurance contract given to an engineering firm."
"But five months ago, after that contract lapsed, the local Caltrans office decided to rebid the communications contract separately. That contract called for a firm to put together a video about the construction as well as a book. Without any apparent competition for the contract, Ney's company landed the deal and has been working under the contract for the past five weeks."
"But then the Sacramento Bee requested information about the contract. That brought the deal to the attention of the governor, who was livid. The state's transportation chief terminated the contract soon after."
