The tale of the $6.4 billion Bay Bridge project is more than construction and dollars -- it also includes a cloak-and-dagger plot worthy of a Jack Bauer episode.
From the Chronicle's Matier and Ross: "And the plot has thickened with word that a former Caltrans engineer pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy after being caught by a Department of Homeland Security agent trying to smuggle high tech defense chips onto a ship owned by the same Chinese company that fabricated the new Bay Bridge span."
"Philip Chohui He, 43, also known as Philip Hope, worked on the bridge project for 3 1/2 years before his arrest in 2011. He avoided the most serious of the smuggling and illegal export charges that could have sent him to prison for up to 20 years."
"According to the feds, he had illegally purchased hundreds of integrated circuits with radiation-hardened memory microchips used in U.S. satellite technology. He then allegedly tried to smuggle the chips out of the country in boxes marked "milk powder."
The track record of state agencies overhauling their computer systems is grim indeed, but CalPERS seems to have pulled it off -- so far.
From Calpensions' Ed Mendel: "After a lot more time and money than expected, and a rocky launch greeted with months of customer complaints, CalPERS has succeeded where two other state agencies recently failed. Its big new computer system is up and running."
"This week CalPERS plans to ask for bids from consultants for a review of a project that began in 1995, had an estimated cost of $279 million that more than doubled to $586 million, and finally enabled the unplugging of all old computer systems last June."
"The review will look at how well the project achieved its goals, the benefits and any lessons learned. Another big pension system, CalSTRS, aiming to learn from history, plans to ask for bids this fall on a major computer system to be completed in six years."
For years, the California Coastal Commission has sought the authority to collect fines directly from violators, and on Friday, the state Senate approved and sent to the Assembly legislation to do just that.
From the LAT's Tony Barboza: "Unlike more than 20 other state agencies, California's coastal regulator must go to court to collect penalties from those who harm coastal habitat, build without permission or block public access to the beach."
"The agency has long sought the power to issue fines to start clearing its backlog of more than 1,900 enforcement cases, but business groups have opposed the legislation."
"Republicans were united in voting against the measure and were joined by five Democrats. The vote came after vigorous debate over public beach access and the power of the 12-member Coastal Commission, formed by voter initiative in 1972 and made permanent through the 1976 Coastal Act."
Kathleen Brown, sister of the governor and former state treasurer who left the political world after a failed run for governor in the 1990s, is getting back into politics -- sort of.
From the LA Daily News: "Former state Treasurer Kathleen Brown is coming home."
"The one-time candidate for governor and sister to Gov. Jerry Brown is going to work for the law firm of Manatt, Phelps and Phillips as a partner in the firm’s Los Angeles office, but also will work in San Francisco and New York on issues including health, financing, energy and the environment."
"Brown has been working at Goldman Sachs in Chicago and, prior to that, at Bank of America as president of its private banking division."
L.A. may be a big town, with Hollywood, etc., but it's not at the top of the list of business people when it comes to scheduling meetings. In fact, the No. 1 city is, believe it or not, Orlando, Fla.
From the LAT's Hugo Martin: "Los Angeles is the second-most-populous city in the nation but falls far down the list of most popular U.S. destinations for business meetings."
"The latest ranking of top meeting destinations puts Los Angeles at No. 17, far behind smaller California cities such as San Diego and San Francisco, according to Cvent Inc., one of the nation's largest convention management and technology firms."
"The top meeting destination for 2013 was Orlando, Fla., followed by Chicago, Las Vegas, Atlanta and San Diego, according to Cvent, which ranked the cities based on room nights reserved, available meeting venues and other criteria."
And from our "Let's All Get Crazy and Have Fun in the Desert" file comes the tale of Burning Man, or at least some photos. Enjoy.
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