California News Roundup - September 10, 2008

Prison guards union chief in leadership fight -- The state prison guards union is launching its recall drive against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger just as its head honcho is facing some big problems of his own. The two-term president of the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, Mike Jimenez, is being challenged by six opponents as he seeks re-election at the union's convention in Las Vegas on Sept. 18.

Union hands Schwarzenegger recall petition -- A politically powerful prison guards union that has been at odds with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday handed the governor a petition of intent to recall him. The California Correctional Peace Officers Association's petition accuses the governor of "catastrophic leadership failings" that have left the state in worse fiscal shape than when he swept into office five years ago after voters recalled then-Gov. Gray Davis.


Dan Weintraub: Recall drive could be a disaster for guards -- When a ragtag band of conservative Republican activists first served notice on then-Gov. Gray Davis that they intended to recall him from office in the spring of 2003, the Democratic chief executive didn't take them seriously. But a few months later, with the help of money from a millionaire Southern California congressman, the recall effort had qualified for the ballot. By November, Davis was gone.


Schwarzenegger shares candid views on Palin, state GOP with Der Spiegel -- In a wide-ranging interview with the German newsweekly, he says he has 'almost no contact' with Republican leaders and says the Alaska governor is 'feisty.' He praises Obama's campaign.


Assembly, like Senate, rejects GOP's budget plan -- Lawmakers turned down another state budget plan Tuesday, then blocked a stopgap measure to fund programs while the political debate drags on. As California's state budget impasse enters its record-breaking 72nd day, Republican lawmakers have repeatedly called on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democrats to approve emergency funding for some programs for which money ran out July 1.


State looks at antitrust in Google-Yahoo deal -- California Attorney General Jerry Brown's office is reviewing documents related to an advertising partnership announced in June by Google and Yahoo, the No. 1 and No. 2 search engines on the Web, in preparation for a possible investigation of the deal.


90.2% in class of '08 pass exit tests -- Nine out of 10 high school seniors passed the California High School Exit Exam by the time their class graduated this past spring, according to data released Tuesday by the state.


Half San Francisco kindergartners not ready for school -- Every year, San Francisco teacher Ann Marin watches wide-eyed kindergartners stream into classrooms on the first day of school. Only about half are ready for the academic and social rigors they'll face that first year.


Ousted state student aid board reinstated -- California's director of finance has reinstated the EdFund board of directors, reversing a California Student Aid Commission decision to oust the board of the nonprofit agency that guarantees student loans. In a two-page letter to the commission, Finance Director Mike Genest said Friday that any action that may affect the value of the EdFund portfolio needs to be cleared by him first.


Kevin Johnson opposes same-sex marriage ban -- Sacramento mayoral candidate Kevin Johnson will announce today that he opposes a Nov. 4 ballot measure that would ban same-sex marriage – even though his personal belief is that marriage is "between a man and a woman." According to a statement issued Tuesday by his campaign, Johnson opposes Proposition 8 "because it would write discrimination into the state constitution."