"The officer, Dondi West, testified that Lam had first held the knife to his own throat but then began walking backward in her direction, still holding the knife and causing her to fear for her life when she shot him. But the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the jury was entitled to believe another witness, a retired sheriff’s deputy, who said Lam made stabbing motions only toward himself and posed no threat to West."
A recording accidentally attached to an email is the latest twist in the world's biggest corruption scandal
LA Times' JILL LANGLOIS: "Brazil’s prosecutors broke the world’s biggest corruption scandal wide open with the help of one man."
"Joesley Batista, a billionaire who with his brother owns the world’s largest meatpacker, JBS, admitted in May to paying out more than $192 million in bribes to roughly 1,900 politicians in exchange for favors for his company."
"He also handed over an audio recording of a March conversation he had with President Michel Temer, who appears to approve the payment of hush money to Eduardo Cunha, a former congressman who was impeached and is now in prison for corruption, money laundering and tax evasion."
Looking for place to raise children? Survey says Sacramento isn't a bad option
Sacramento Bee's NOEL HARRIS: "Looking for a good city to raise a family? Sacramento is a decent option, according to a survey."
"Taking 150 American cities and using 41 key metrics to determine the best locations, Sacramento ranked 38th overall and eighth in California on WalletHub’s listings of Best and Worst Places to Raise a Family."
"Breaking down some main factors in Sacramento’s overall score of 59.23, the city’s top asset is “Family Fun Rank” – ninth overall. Los Angeles topped the list in this category, but was 92nd in the overall rating at 52.48."
Billions are drinking water contaminated with plastic -- and US has it the worst, study finds
McClatchy's JOSH MAGNESS: "If you drink tap water, you’re probably also ingesting potentially dangerous microscopic plastic fibers."
"And you’re not alone: That’s likely the case for billions of people across the world, according to a new study from Orb Media."
"The study, conducted with researchers from the State University of New York and the University of Minnesota, tested 159 tap water samples from five different continents, according to Public Radio International."
Audience size decreased for Ben Shapiro's UC Berkeley event
Daily Californian's ASHLEY WONG: "The Young America’s Foundation criticized UC Berkeley administration Tuesday for shrinking the number of seats allocated for conservative writer Ben Shapiro’s talk Sept. 14."
"In a press release issued Tuesday morning, YAF spokesperson Spencer Brown stated campus officials had notified event organizers that they would be lowering the maximum number of seats from 1,978 to 1,024. This latest development in Shapiro’s scheduled event follows controversies surrounding the nearly $16,000 security fee charged to YAF and Berkeley College Republicans for hosting Shapiro in Zellerbach Hall."
"This latest attempt by UC Berkeley to prevent students from hearing Ben Shapiro at this stop of the Fred Allen Lecture Series reeks of desperation and hypocrisy,” Brown wrote in the press release."
READ MORE related to Education: Proposal for state-run STEM school shifts in face of opposition -- EdSource's JOHN FENSTERWALD
Santa Rita Jail abuse: Deputies allegedly abused inmates
East Bay Times' ANGELA RUGGIERO: "Four Alameda County Sheriff deputies accused of abusing at least eight inmates at Santa Rita Jail, including choking one until he passed out and allowing feces to be thrown at inmates, were charged Tuesday by the district attorney."
"Deputies Justin Linn, 23, of Tracy, and Erik McDermott, 27, of Concord, are charged with felony assault under the color of authority, witness intimidation, and conspiracy to obstruct justice, according to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office. Deputy Sarah Krause and former deputy Stephen Sarcos were charged with felony assault under the color of authority."
"McDermott is also alleged to have choked an inmate into unconsciousness."
Affordable housing crisis: Can Sacramento get it under control?
East Bay Times' KATY MURPHY: "
As home prices and rents soar to unthinkable levels, California lawmakers are working furiously to drum up the votes for a package of bills they hope will help contain the spiraling affordable housing crisis."
"With less than two weeks left in the legislative session — as lawmakers scramble to pass hundreds of bills dealing with everything from prescription drug prices to immigration enforcement — a vote on the housing package is coming down to the wire. But as of Tuesday afternoon, the only bill that would create a permanent funding source for affordable housing, Senate Bill 2, was still short of the votes it needs to pass."
“Every member of the Legislature knows that we’re in the midst of the most intense housing crisis that California has experienced in our state’s history and that we have to act,” Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, said Tuesday. “Hopefully in the coming days we’ll be able to take these up for a vote, but these things often take a bit longer than we expect."
OP-ED: Don't reverse Internet privacy safeguards
NANCY LIBIN in Capitol Weekly: "California has a responsibility to get Internet policy right. The state’s ranking as the sixth largest economy understates its influence on the world’s innovation economy. One-third of global venture capital is invested in Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Los Angeles or San Diego."
"California is the test bed, launch pad and sand box for thousands of apps and Internet services which, if successful, are launched on the world."
"Right now, a bill is being rushed through the state Legislature using the highly suspect “gut and amend” process. It would reorganize the Internet app and data ecosystem – which has created hundreds of thousands of jobs – without a single public hearing."
READ MORE from Capitol Weekly: Texting, driving -- a deadly mix -- Capitol Weekly's MYRON LEVIN
