Senate Leader Kevin de Leon makes a controversial endorsement for Cheryl Brown in her battle with Eloise Reyes -- all of whom are Dems.
Christine Mai-Duc and Melanie Mason in L.A. Times report: "In a surprising move, the leader of the state Senate endorsed a Democratic assemblywoman Tuesday whose reelection is opposed by some of California's leading environmental groups. But the announcement also revealed fractures within the top echelons of Senate leadership."
"In a document obtained by The Times, Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) endorsed Assemblywoman Cheryl Brown (D-San Bernardino) in her bitter fight against fellow Democrat Eloise Reyes in San Bernardino County."
"The endorsement came from the California Senate Democratic Leadership and included the names of four other legislators - Sens. Bill Monning (D-Carmel), Connie Leyva (D-Chino), Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) and Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) - all of whom hold top posts in the Senate."
As Gov. Brown sees his term ending in two years, discussions about California's globally pioneering attempts at emissions reduction are intensifying -- including the legality and longevity of cap-and-trade itself.
A.P.'s Ellen Knickmeyer reports in ABC News: "California's landmark cap-and-trade program to fight climate-changing pollution from fossil fuels would survive long past Gov. Jerry Brown's time in office under a state proposal Tuesday."
"The initiative from the state's Air Resources Board is part of a push by Brown's administration to ensure that some of his programs to curb carbon emissions continue after Brown, a prominent figure globally in the fight against climate change, leaves office in two years."
"The centerpiece of Brown's campaign has been a cap-and-trade program that aims to reduce the use of fossil fuels by forcing manufacturers and other companies to meet tougher emissions limits, or buy credits to exceed the limits. California's was one of the first governments anywhere to enact a cap-and-trade program, and the state's effort has been one of the most-watched internationally."
SEE MORE in Climate Change & Energy: Energy grid operators say expansion would save $1.5B -- Jeff McDonald in San Diego Union-Tribune.
Speaking of Gov. Brown, it appears that Republican San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer will spearhead the opposition to Gov. Brown's parole measure on the November's ballot.
Sac Bee's Christopher Cadelago writes: "San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer will announce Wednesday that he plans to help lead the opposition to Gov. Jerry Brown’s statewide fall ballot initiative to make some felons eligible for early parole."
"Faulconer, among the state’s most prominent Republicans, is scheduled to appear with a trio of county prosecutors and victims’ rights advocate Marc Klaas at an 11 a.m. event in San Diego."
"Every family deserves to feel safe in their homes and community,” Faulconer said in a prepared statement Tuesday. “But Prop. 57 would make it easier for criminals who have committed deplorable, violent crimes to be eligible for early release. I’m joining public safety leaders and victim’s rights advocates from across California to strongly oppose this misguided measure."
SEE MORE related to gubernatorial news: Jerry Brown cruising along in new poll -- David Siders with Sac Bee.
In the wake of the Dallas tragedy, Oakland P.D. remembers a dark night from 2009 that still haunts the department today.
KQED's Julie Small reports: "As Dallas prepares to bury five police officers killed by a sniper last week, the attack is stirring up difficult memories for Oakland police."
"The Oakland Police Department suffered its deadliest attack seven years ago when a parolee shot and killed four officers on March 21, 2009. It has taken years for the local force to try and recover, and some of them will be watching the memorials in Dallas knowing those officers are heading into some dark days of their own."
"In 2009, the OPD interim chief was Howard Jordan. He recalls that chilly March day when motorcycle cops Mark Dunakin and John Hege pulled over a car in East Oakland. The driver was Lovelle Mixon, a parolee with a warrant out for his arrest. In a few short moments Mixon shot both officers and fled, setting off an intensive manhunt."
SEE MORE in Public Safety: L.A. County supervisors speed up study on body cameras for deputies -- Susan Abram with Daily News; Ku-Klux Klan recruitment flyer found in San Francisco -- .Jenna Lyons with The Chronicle.
And from our "Look, it's a bird. No, it's a plane" file, comes a tale from space: Just why did NASA shut down that live feed from the International Space Station?
"UFO spotters have raised the alarm after the International Space Station live feed cut out just as a large mysterious object appeared to enter Earth's atmosphere."
"The incident occurred on July 9 and was first reported by prolific UFO hunter Streetcap1 in a video uploaded the same day."
"The enthusiast did not directly imply that the object was an alien spacecraft saying: “This could well be a meteor or the like."
"But he implied that the camera being turned off was slightly sinister: "What made it interesting was that the camera cut off when the UFO seemed to stop.”
Cue up the Twilight Zone music....
