"The Fair Political Practices Commission is scheduled to consider a proposal Thursday supported by commission chairwoman Jodi Remke that would allow state regulators to require suspected lobbyists to provide evidence showing whether they're being paid to influence government officials."
"Remke and agency attorneys say investigators are currently stymied in most probes of suspected unregistered lobbyists because the people who are targeted can simply say that they do not qualify as lobbyists."
"A few hours before the NRA’s Christopher Cox took the stage at the Quicken Loan Center, Naziri and Campbell exercised their Second Amendment rights by walking through downtown Cleveland, with AR-15-style assault weapons slung over their shoulders."
"Naziri’s weapon was loaded with a 40-round magazine. Campell’s magazine held 30 rounds. Both guns were, the men assured me, fully loaded.
"Carrasco will join the firm as an account coordinator, according to an email from vice president Morty Shallman announcing the hiring of five new employees."
"Carrasco made news last year after it was revealed De León called the Berkeley-based nonprofit Greenlining Institute and asked if his daughter could apply for a position there."
And over in the courtrooms, PG&E continues to get slammed as a witness testifies to the company's alleged obstruction of justice during the initial investigation into San Bruno's pipeline explosion.
Libby Rainey with The Chronicle reports: "Pacific Gas and Electric Co. deliberately misled investigators following the September 2010 pipeline explosion in San Bruno, the lead investigator told a federal court jury in San Francisco on Wednesday."
"Ravi Chhatre, who led the investigation for the National Transportation Safety Board, said PG&E gave investigators insufficient data and faulty evidence as they sought to determine what caused the explosion that killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes."
"The explosion was attributed to a faulty weld in a gas pipeline. PG&E is charged with 12 counts of violating pipeline-safety laws and with obstructing the investigation."
History threatens to repeat itself in the academic world as the government tries to push forward standardized testing evaluation, but not without strong opposition from California educators.
John Fensterwald with EdSource writes: "A University of Southern California professor has collected dozens of academicians’ signatures on a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education John King criticizing how the federal government proposes to measure student scores on standardized tests. California’s top state education officials agree with him and may express the same point of view in a letter they’re drafting."
"Morgan Polikoff says that that the proposed regulations would continue the same flawed methodology used under the federal No Child Left Behind law. An associate professor at USC’s Rossier School of Education, he suggests an alternative approach consistent with the direction the California State Board of Education is taking."
"At issue is how to measure achievement in standardized tests in math and English language arts under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, the successor law to NCLB that Congress passed in December."
SEE MORE in Education: More needs to be done to keep schools safe, state superintendent says -- Pat Maio with EdSource.
Protests continue as a group of young activists in Oakland U-Lock and Chain their necks and bodies to the OPD police station, shouting 'We are occupying this union because they are occupying our lives.'
The Chronicle's Jenna Lyons reports: "Six Black Lives Matter protesters locked themselves to the front door of the Oakland police union building on Wednesday afternoon, demanding the recall of Mayor Libby Schaaf and more money for housing and community centers."
"Four protesters placed U-style locks around their necks and fastened them to the door handles of the Oakland Police Officers’ Association door at Fifth and Clay streets. Two others chained themselves to chairs and to the door. Two dozen supporters and about 10 officers looked on."
"We are occupying this union because they are occupying our lives,” said Frangy Pozo, 23, one of the protesters with a lock around her neck. “We’re continuing to be murdered in the streets and we’re tired of it.”"
READ MORE in Public Safety: Slain man's family files civil rights lawsuit against Fresno police -- Pablo Lopez with Fresno Bee.
And in environmental news, Gov. Brown's twin-tunnel water project could see a large increase in available funding soon.
Sudhin Thanawala with Associated Press writes: "The California Supreme Court is set to issue a ruling Thursday that could add millions of dollars to the cost of the governor's $15.7 billion plan to build two giant water tunnels in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta."
"At issue is whether California officials must pay landowners to access thousands of acres of private property to conduct preliminary environmental and geological tests for the project."
"California officials insist no payments are needed because the tests would not significantly interfere with or damage the land, which is mostly used for farming, cattle ranching and recreation. The state should only be required to compensate landowners for any actual damage or interference, the state's Department of Water Resources said in court documents."
SEE MORE in Environment: Group clones California's huge trees to help combat climate change -- Scott Smith with Associated Press.
In the first time in almost 50 years, the UC regents are committing to a sweeping overhaul of board operations; the goal: increase oversight and focus more on critical issues in the future.
L.A. Time's Teresa Watanabe reports: "University of California regents Wednesday approved a sweeping overhaul of board operations, the first in nearly five decades, saying it would free up more time for deeper discussions of crucial issues."
"The regents, gathered in San Francisco for a three-day meeting, also discussed continued financial challenges they say will hamper efforts to accommodate 5,000 new California students this year despite a state funding boost."
"And UCLA Chancellor Gene Block briefed regents on the campus’ response to the June 1 shooting death of a prominent engineering professor."
If you thought an autopiloting car was the only thing Tesla company had envisioned for the future, you'd be sorely mistaken.
Russ Mitchell and Charles Fleming with L.A. Times reports: "After more than a week of Twitter teasing about its existence, Elon Musk revealed Part 2 of his “master product plan” for Tesla on Wednesday evening."
"In a blog post published on the automaker’s website, Musk introduced a multiyear, four-pronged strategy that includes new kinds of Tesla vehicles, expanded solar initiatives, updates on Tesla’s “autopilot” technology and a ride-sharing program."
"Some surmised that the timing of the announcement was a way for Musk to distract from recent headlines that have raised concerns about Tesla’s autopilot function and its troubles hitting vehicle-delivery targets."
