Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, facing a midnight deadline to deal with 300 bills, signed legislation Tuesday aimed at helping the state fight global warming by better coordinating local planning efforts to curb suburban sprawl. San Francisco Chronicle and Sacramento Bee

In an effort to battle the bulge, California became the first state Tuesday to require chain restaurants to post the calorie content of menu items. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation that will affect about 17,000 facilities once it is fully implemented in 2011. Sacramento Bee and San Jose Mercury

Born in the USA? Made in Mexico? Picked in Peru? Cultivated in Canada? Supermarket shoppers, now you know. San Jose Mercury Which one of these “new laws” do you preference to be better for the consumer? I’m a tad bit of a radical here, but I like both of these laws - I want to know where my food comes from and I do like to know “what is in the food” I’m eating each day.

The state Department of General Services is shopping for $10 million worth of new law enforcement vehicles, offering a boost to beleaguered automobile retailers. Officials at General Services, the state's procurement arm, invited auto dealerships statewide – and the vehicle manufacturers they work with – to submit bids for police cruisers and SUVs earlier last month. Sacramento Bee

Lower-level criminals with major drug problems would be in line for more treatment and less prison time if voters approve the Nonviolent Offender and Rehabilitation Act of 2008. Sacramento Bee

The Alaska governor has lifted John McCain's support among conservative Christians, but some believe her work outside the home has turned 'husbands lead, wives submit' on its head. Nice article for conversation from Teresa Watanabe in the Los Angeles Times

A conversation with a Christian conservative from Northridge yields more points of agreement than might be expected. Los Angeles Times

San Leandro middle school teacher Gary Healy grabbed the contents of his office mailbox Tuesday morning and found a stack of flyers, with a note telling him to pass them out to his sixth-period students. San Francisco Chronicle This is true, and my daughter’s youth group uses flyers all school-year long to announce their events, concerts and activities. More churches should use this method of campus communication.

In the face of passionate opposition, the American River College Student Council on Tuesday passed a controversial resolution calling for a ban on gay marriage. Local lead story offered by Stephen Magagnini in the Sacramento Bee

Each should be awarded $500,000 to $1 million for being taunted by spectators, the firemen's attorney says. The city's attorney says the plaintiffs deserve nothing. Great follow-up piece from Tony Perry in the Los Angeles Times

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Frustrated at the Legislature's annual inability to pass a state budget on time, the California Grange – the state's oldest agricultural fraternal group – is pondering an initiative that would not only block lawmakers from being paid when a budget is late, but fine them for it, too. Steve Wiegand in the Sacramento Bee

Happy chickens equal happy consumers, say proponents of Proposition 2, a November ballot measure that calls for the humane treatment of farm animals. The initiative, proposed by the Humane Society of the United States, would ban farmers from raising egg-producing poultry, veal calves and pregnant pigs in small cages and crates by 2015. Stacy Finz in the San Francisco Chronicle

Termed out Assembly members Lois Wolk, D-Davis, and Greg Aghazarian, R-Stockton, are competing for the state Senate in the 5th District, which includes South Sacramento County and parts of Yolo, San Joaquin and Solano counties. Aurelio Rojas in the Sacramento Bee

Ratcheting up a media barrage that will spill into millions of California living rooms, proponents of a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage broadcast their first TV ads Monday, charging that permanent legalization could endanger religious freedom or change schools' curriculum, charges whose veracity were challenged by legal experts. Mike Swift in the San Jose Mercury

A Shasta County atheist sued top state corrections officials Monday, claiming that his constitutional rights were violated when he was returned to prison after objecting to participation in a program with religious overtones as a condition of parole. Denny Walsh in the Sacramento Bee

Both the weekly dinner and the prayer are required. The students are participants in a special program offered by All Saints Episcopal Church in Sacramento that gives free housing to college students. In exchange for living in one of the apartments owned by the congregation, the students must meet the church's spiritual requirements. Jennifer Garza in the Sacramento Bee

The rejection of the Wall Street rescue plan may have jolted Sacramento's struggling economy and harmed the fragile recovery in the region's housing market. A small but extreme example: As the House voted down the bailout plan Monday, real estate broker Steven Krohn was called by a client who's trying to sell a home near Fruitridge Road. The instructions: Drop the listing price by one-third, to $129,000. Dale Kasler and Jim Wasserman in the Sacramento Bee

Schwarzenegger plans to sign that bill Tuesday. He has approved a toll lane plan for the 10 and 110 freeways and a bill that could help East L.A. and Rowland Heights attain city hood. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times

I like this one too…New "Country of Origin Labeling" law requires stores to tell you where your food comes from -- Born in the USA? Made in Mexico? Picked in Peru? Cultivated in Canada? Supermarket shoppers, now you know. Starting today, new federal rules take effect requiring all U.S. supermarkets and large food retailers provide labels telling consumers which country a wide variety of food came from. Paul Rogers in the San Jose Mercury

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Monday signed two bills making it tougher for teachers who commit sex crimes to remain in California's public schools. The new laws close loopholes in California's teacher licensing system that had allowed some teachers accused or even convicted of serious crimes to remain in the classroom. JULIET WILLIAMS AP

But the Republican-dominated Ohio Supreme Court decided on Monday that Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner was following the law when she ruled there is a six-day window in which voters can register and vote at the same time. The decision — also backed by two separate federal judges — means election officials are preparing for the rush of early voting Tuesday, the first day absentee ballots are accepted in advance of the Nov. 4 presidential election. Ohio AP

Brown's Web site dedicated to providing resources for active and retired military veterans. McClintock's campaign recently launched www.vetsfortom.com, that lists resources for military personnel, such as Amvets, that Brown's campaign alleges, lists the same organizations, "in the exact same order, as those listed on the veteran's center that Retired Lt. Col. Brown has had online for more than a year. Brown campaign spokesman Todd Stenhouse said the moves explain how little McClintock knows about the military. The Union

Throughout this election season, Sacramento voters have been bombarded with lectures, stories, blog entries, speeches, mailers, press releases, and even bumper stickers touting which mayoral candidate is the true Democrat, as though the title were some sort of regal honor that will determine the outcome of the election. Do voters even care? I sure don’t. I care about issues; not race, not gender, not stance on gay marriage and DEFINITELY *NOT* whether the candidate worships an elephant or a donkey. Joe Sacramento

Inside Publications publishes newspapers such as Inside East Sacramento and Inside Arden [hey when is Inside Natomas coming?]. The basic premise of her support for Kevin Johnson is that eight years of Fargo is enough. Eight years is enough for a president, a governor, and should be for a mayor as well. I could not agree more. Great points all the way around. Joe Sacramento

After the jump you'll find a press release from Americans United for Separation of Church and State, announcing that it has filed complaints against six churches reported to have participated in Pulpit Freedom Sunday with political endorsements. Dallas Morning News

Milk: The film Milk will hit theaters in December. With 30 times the budget of Fireproof, the dramatization of slain gay activist and San Francisco city supervisor Harvey Milk, played by Sean Penn, is already drawing considerable buzz in California. Milk will certainly draw more press than Fireproof, but if the Kirk Cameron flick catches fire like Bella did among the pro-life community last year, it could have a significant impact at the ballot box in Florida, Arizona and California when Nov. 4 rolls around. Lifesites

An immigration reform activist says there's absolutely no reason that American taxpayers should bail out illegal immigrants who should not have been in country in the first place, but were among those given risky loans that have created the mortgage crisis. In a recent column, Michelle Malkin points out that some of the hardest hit areas by the foreclosure wave -- including Phoenix, Las Vegas, and large swaths of California -- also happen to be some of the nation's largest sanctuary areas. She argues that lending institutions like Bank of America have gone out of their way to woo homebuyers who are in the country illegally. One News Now

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Clinton said voters would think, "I like that little Down syndrome kid. One of them lives down the street. They're wonderful children. They're wonderful people. And I like the idea that this guy does those long-distance races. Stayed in the race for 500 miles with a broken arm. My kind of guy." Seattle Times President Clinton made this comment while being a guest on “The View” yesterday. In our house, my wife’s teaching credentials have always instructed us to say, “Billy, the youngster with Down’s Syndrome”, not “that Down’s Syndrome kid”. Rather insensitive and elitist wouldn’t you say?

Motorists entering the quaint, woodsy town of Olema near the sea in Marin County may notice a subtle change as they enter: it appears the burg's name has been changed to ''Obama.'' Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama supporter and bed and breakfast owner Kelly Emery created a perfect mirror of the green sign people read as they enter the town's limits. And if you refuse to enjoy the name change - try selling your home in Marin County in this housing market. CBS Channel 5 News

In the aftermath of two major terrorist attacks on Western targets, America's counterterrorism community is warning that Al Qaeda may launch more overseas operations to influence the presidential elections in November. Call it Osama bin Laden's "October surprise." In late August, during the weekend between the Democratic and Republican conventions, America's military and intelligence agencies intercepted a series of messages from Al Qaeda's leadership to intermediate members of the organization asking local cells to be prepared for imminent instructions. New York Sun News Even if this threat is hollow in reality, it is still enough to place some fear in the hearts and minds of the citizens of the country. Good for the election, bad for the economy.

On Nov. 5, the presidential election winds up in a electoral-college tie, 269-269, the Democrat-controlled House picks Sen. Barack Obama as president, but the Senate, with former Democrat Joe Lieberman voting with Republicans, deadlocks at 50-50, so Vice President Dick Cheney steps in to break the tie to make Republican Sarah Palin his successor. "Wow," said longtime presidential historian Stephen Hess. "Wow, that would be amazing, wouldn't it?" And, "If this scenario ever happened, it would be like a scene from the movie 'Scream' for Democrats," said Democratic strategist Mary Anne Marsh. "The only thing worse for the Democrats than losing the White House, again, when it had the best chance to win in a generation, but to do so at the hands of Cheney and Lieberman. That would be cruel." Washington Times Can you imagine the day after an event like this in America?

Six percentage points is the price Barack Obama could pay on election day for being black. That disturbing calculation was found in a groundbreaking new Associated Press-Yahoo News poll conducted with Stanford University which probes the effect of the Democratic presidential candidate's race on his historic campaign for the White House.

"There's a penalty for prejudice, and it's not trivial," Stanford University political scientist Paul Sniderman told the AP. AP Article

Actor Brad Pitt's $100,000 donation last week to the campaign opposing a November ballot measure that would ban same-sex marriage in California was the largest thus far by an A-list celebrity. But it accounts for a small percentage of the roughly $30 million collected by supporters and opponents of Proposition 8, in donations ranging from $20 to seven-figure sums. Sacramento Bee The “No on 8” campaign will have double the money for this campaign; How much will religious, evangelical and church organizations raise for the Yes on 8 campaign?

The No on Proposition 8 campaign unveiled the first ad on Monday in the battle over same-sex marriage, featuring an elderly couple who urged voters to not eliminate their gay daughter's right to marry. Prop. 8, on the November ballot, would overturn the state Supreme Court's ruling earlier this year that a ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. Contra Costa Times There will be many, many more in the following days and two months. Over $30-35 million will be spent on Proposition 8 this year.

San Francisco resident Carlos Dimaano, 50, a recent immigrant from the Philippines, speaks English in his job at a community center. But when he goes home to cook dinner for his 88-year-old father, the two lapse into their native Tagalog. San Francisco Chronicle Is this a reason for the growing concern surrounding high school dropouts in California?

Immigration boom slows as country's economy falters. The wave of immigrants entering the United States slowed dramatically last year as the economy faltered and the government stepped up enforcement of immigration laws. The nation added about a half-million immigrants in 2007, down from more than 1.8 million the year before, according to estimates being released today by the Census Bureau. AP Add to this that unemployment is up and many Americans are starting to consider these jobs for income. Also, many American owners are not looking for cheap labor, they are looking for work. So the lines of those taking jobs has declined. Immigration has been taken off of the campaign trail conversation for the 2008 elections.

Rescue plan could hinge on value of bad assets. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's $700 billion financial rescue plan has grown from a program focused on relieving lenders and investors of their bad mortgages to one in which the government would have the authority to take over any kind of problem loan or other asset, from bad credit card debt to commercial real estate securities. San Francisco Chronicle If the government owns my credit card debt, do I have to pay it back? Consider that the government ‘never pays back its debt’, so why should I have to do the same. Bill me over my lifetime with taxes, just keep the tab running.

Lawmakers raised doubts Monday about what would be the largest government bailout in American history, but a bigger, more terrifying question lurked right under the surface: What if it doesn’t work? Failure, says one insider, is not an option. Politico

State physical fitness rule poses challenges in schools; since her freshman year at Fillmore High School, Alondra Gaytan has made sure to take the right classes to help reach her goal of attending a University of California campus. But the sophomore fears she might be sidetracked by a relatively new state requirement: Students who don't pass at least five of the six parts of a state physical fitness test have to keep taking physical education classes until they pass. Ventura Star

Starting early last Sunday morning, the turmoil in New York's financial markets triggered a spiritual response among Christian leaders reminiscent of the response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Cell phone text messages quickly spread calls to prayer. "Barclay has pulled out of Lehman deal," one announced. Wall Street giant Lehman Brothers was finalizing bankruptcy papers; Merrill Lynch was clinching its deal to sell itself to Bank of America. Monday would be devastating. Many Wall Streeters realized that the crisis could be earthshaking. A. J. Rice, well-respected CEO of the hedge-fund firm Pomeroy Capital, says, "Most people think this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. In 1987 we had a dramatic shock, but the other shoe didn't drop." This year, a whole lot of shoes have dropped. Wall Streeters have lived with a constant sense of foreboding. Christianity Today Many churches held ‘prayer meetings’ on Sunday, for Monday’s return to the market. Should we be praying for Wall Street and our investment problems?

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Post-convention swing state polls are tipping toward Sen. John McCain, the TV pundits are waxing about "The Palin Factor," and Sen. Barack Obama's California supporters are freaking out about a race Democrats were uncommonly confident about only a month ago. SF Chronicle

It's more accurate to say that every thoughtful or liberal or intuitive or open-minded white woman I know worth her vagina monologue and her self-determination and two centuries of nonstop striving for equal rights and sexual freedom and exhaustive patriarchal unshackling is right now openly horrified, appalled at what the addition of shrill PTA hockey-mom Sarah Palin seems to have done for the soggy, comatose McCain campaign - that is, make it not merely remotely interesting and melodramatic, but aggressively hostile to, well, to all intelligent women everywhere. SF Chronicle Editorial

When Charlie Gibson asked Sarah Palin if questions about her ability to balance work and family were sexist, her response electrified female voters in both parties. "I'm part of a generation where that question is kind of irrelevant," she said. By dismissing the topic, Palin demonstrated the conservative values she brings to the McCain ticket, which have galvanized the Republican right. But many were infuriated by her remark, which appeared to slight family-friendly policies at a time when they could be getting significant attention. "I don't understand why liberals are apoplectic about Sarah Palin," said Walsh, who lives in San Francisco and describes herself as a former feminist. "Palin is the definitive role model for young women. She is a successful politician and a successful woman who has it all." SF Chronicle

Voters by the thousands will begin casting ballots for president this week in an early voting process that's expected to set records this year. Residents of Virginia, Kentucky and Georgia are among the first in the nation eligible to vote in person, as well as by mail. During the next few weeks, at least 34 states and the District of Columbia will allow early in-person voting for Nov. 4 elections. USA Today Who would this benefit this year?

To get in the debating mood, Republican John McCain will host a town-hall event and take a short nap. His rival, Democrat Barack Obama, will work out or shoot hoops. And to prepare, Sen. McCain will spar this week in mock debates with Michael Steele. Mr. Steele, the former lieutenant governor of Maryland and a prominent black Republican, will play Sen. Obama and use many of his speaking patterns, tactics and body language. Sen. Obama will practice with Greg Craig, a Washington lawyer and former official in the Clinton administration who is one of his few gray-haired advisers. Wall Street Journal

A week after a high-profile send-up of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on "Saturday Night Live," the NBC comedy show returned to making fun of the Alaskan governor in a skit where New York Times reporters sought to probe the possibility Palin's husband, Todd, was having sex with the couple's own daughters. "What about the husband?" asked a Times reporter during a mock assignment meeting for the paper. "You know he's doing those daughters. I mean, come on. It's Alaska." WND There is always a little bit of truth in every joke; is this what some believe on the set?

Davis said the budget should need only a majority requirement to be approved unless it contains tax hikes, which would then continue to need the two-thirds vote. Also, he said, redistricting reform is needed so incumbents would know they face a challenge if constituents are upset with their actions. "In the last election, there were 52 congressmen and 120 legislators up for election, and only one was replaced," Davis said. LA Daily News He sounds like State Senator Tom McClintock, without the opinion on the recall as bad for the state and her people. (Some believe we should remove the ‘super majority’ budget vote and only enforce it when tax increases hit 5% or higher.)

California's new 8th-grade algebra rule gets some poor marks -- The new state policy of requiring algebra in the eighth grade will set up unprepared students for failure while holding back others with solid math skills, a new report has concluded. These predictions, based on national data, come in the wake of an algebra mandate that the state Board of Education, under pressure from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, adopted in July. Los Angeles Times

A church group from El Dorado County and a controversial minister from Los Angeles on Sunday protested outside mayoral candidate Kevin Johnson's church, saying he should be cast out of his congregation for opposing Proposition 8, the initiative to ban gay marriage. Sacramento Bee I don’t agree with this type of protest, it is disrespectful of a Sunday morning and worship. Not the time, nor the place for such a display - and Kevn was not even in town Sunday.

But incoming Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and Assembly Speaker Karen Bass say this year's budget - now 84 days late - underscores the need to re-visit the issue in 2010, or next year if there's a special election. Sacramento Bee Politics

"Quitting Church: Why the Faithful Are Fleeing and What to Do About It" (Baker Books) is the new book by Julia Duin, assistant national editor (religion) at The Washington Times. In this excerpt, she details her personal experience and survey numbers showing the difficulties evangelical churches have with keeping their members. "You're not going to church?" I asked him. It was his birthday, so we had met for dinner at the Olive Garden, one of our favorite Italian restaurants. He shook his head. "Matt," I will call him, was legally blind and unable to drive. That and a few other handicaps had not prevented him from having a decent-paying job with the U.S. government, from amassing a world-class library in his home, and from being the go-to guy with answers to all my questions about Reformed theology. Washington Times Watch the video inside of this article.

I'm a liberal Democrat. And I do not favor same-sex marriage. Do those positions sound contradictory? To me, they fit together. Many seem to believe that marriage is simply a private love relationship between two people. They accept this view, in part, because Americans have increasingly emphasized and come to value the intimate, emotional side of marriage, and in part because almost all opinion leaders today, from journalists to judges, strongly embrace this position. That's certainly the idea that underpinned the California Supreme Court's legalization of same-sex marriage. But I spent a year studying the history and anthropology of marriage, and I've come to a different conclusion. LA Times Opinion

In the wake of Gov. Sarah Palin's selection as the Republican vice presidential nominee, there has been considerable "speculation" about why Evangelicals in general, and Southern Baptists in particular, have responded so favorably to her candidacy. As Sally Quinn reasoned in the Washington Post, if Southern Baptists are opposed to a woman being the pastor of a local church, why would they support a woman as vice president? Aren't they being inconsistent, if not hypocritical? Baptist Press

Over 100 Christian bookstores run by the Southern Baptist Convention have pulled from their shelves this month's issue of Gospel Today Magazine, which features a cover story about female pastors. The front cover of the latest issue of Gospel Today, an urban publication with a circulation of nearly a quarter of a million, features five smiling female pastors and was titled "Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Female Pastors." In the cover story, the five preachers talk about their roles and responsibilities, struggles and successes. The Southern Baptist Convention, the nation's second largest Christian denomination, officially opposes females serving as pastors. In 2000, the denomination overwhelmingly adopted a revised statement of faith that said the pastoral role should be restricted to men. "We have removed the September/October issue of Gospel Today from our shelves because the cover story, featuring female pastors, clearly advocates a position contrary to our denomination's statement of faith, the Baptist Faith & Message," Chris Turner, a spokesman for Lifeway Resources, told The Christian Post. Christian Post News

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The fate of California's record budget standoff is up to one man now. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger must decide, with a stroke of his pen, whether to sign a budget deal passed early today by the Legislature - and he has threatened a veto. A marathon session of the Legislature ended at 2:30 a.m. with the proposed compromise receiving the necessary two-thirds majority to pass the Assembly, 61-1, and the Senate, 28-12. The Governor has stated he may ’veto’ the budget, but his veto can be overruled with a return two-thirds vote in the legislative body. Sacramento Bee

Last month, Rachel Bird exchanged vows with Gideon Codding in a church wedding in front of family and friends. As far as Bird is concerned, she is a bride. To the state of California, however, she is either "Party A" or "Party B." Sacramento Bee So, you can’t ‘write-in’ “bride” and “groom” onto your own marriage parchment? Give me a break, this is not about equality, this is about intolerance.

In what he calls his past life, the Rev. Geoffrey Horton worked at a Bloomington-Normal insurance company, coached a women’s softball team, owned a home and invested in a 401K. Although life was good, Horton, 43, felt something was missing. In May, he found his calling as a newly ordained Roman Catholic priest. “I became a priest for the only reason anyone should ever become a priest, because I felt that’s what God was asking of me,” said Horton, currently assigned at a church in Peoria. Pantagraph News

A California-based legal defense organization has expressed outrage that one of the nation's largest natural gas and electric utility companies has donated $250,000 to squash the state's voter-led drive to constitutionally define marriage as between one man and one woman, known as Proposition 8. The Pacific Justice Institute, which specializes in the defense of religious freedom and civil liberties, has filed a complaint against Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), which provides utilities to approximately 15 million Californians. World Net News This is not a boycott, but ‘opting out of the natural gas delivered through PG&E, exchanging the delivery for Tiger Natural Gas. See the article for a website that explains your rights as a California resident.

The Obama campaign is preparing rolling out a new line of “faith merchandise” – the latest move in an ambitious effort to win over religious voters. “Check out the Believers for Barack, Pro-Family Pro-Obama, and Catholics for Obama buttons, bumper stickers and signs….” says Obama Deputy Director of Religious Affairs Paul Monteiro in an e-mail obtained by the Beliefnet Web site. CNN Political Ticker

"Jesus Christ was a community organizer. Pontius Pilate was a governor. Democrats incensed at Sarah Palin's Republican National Convention speech in which she poked fun at Barack Obama's career experience as a "community organizer" in Chicago. Democratic presidential campaign manager Donna Brazile was the first major Democratic figure to use it publicly, followed by Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn, in a speech on the House floor last Wednesday. Is there any truth to this phrase? If we believe this to be true, then why do we elect politicians in the first place? Where do we get experience? World Net News

Don’t look to a political leader to deliver needed change in America, but look at yourself as part of the Church to transform society, said an evangelical pastor Saturday at the Values Voter Summit. Bishop Harry Jackson, senior pastor of the 3,000-member Hope Christian Church in the Washington, D.C area and founder and chairman of the High Impact Leadership Coalition, told the crowd of social conservative voters that he believes America is at a very important moment in its history with both major presidential candidates vowing change if elected. How are we individually bringing “change” to our community and marketplace? Great question and a solid topic for discussion. Christian Post

According to The Adelaide Advertiser, South Australian police are finalizing investigations without making any charges against Michael Guglielmucci, who admitted his colossal deception on a Australian news channel last month. Friends of Guglielmucci had set up a now-defunct Facebook site, "Praying Together for Mike Guglielmucci cancer cause," asking for donations. The police has tracked the money but will stop short of pressing legal action since no one has yet to make formal complaints either to the South Australian police or the police interstate, the Australian paper reported. Christian Post

When Jessica Stollings learned on Facebook that John McCain had named Sarah Palin as his running mate, the 26-year-old from Bristol, Tenn., took the day off and picked up some campaign yard signs. Just like that, she went from "just a voter" to a McCain evangelist. The mood was darker on blogs and social networking sites that connect more center-left young evangelicals. There, McCain's choice has been greeted as a cynical political ploy, a depressing return to the culture wars and damaging to efforts to broaden the evangelical dialogue. Christian Post

Californians are thoroughly fed up with the state of affairs of the Golden State. And that isn't good news for the Legislature and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Yet by an overwhelming margin, voters don't believe Schwarzenegger should be recalled from office. And that isn't good news for the state's powerful prison guards union. Sacramento Bee

Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner made official Monday what's been expected for months: He's formally exploring a run for governor in 2010. The state's top-ranked Republican after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Poizner filed paperwork to open an exploratory committee to succeed the actor-turned-politician in 2010. Shane Goldmacher in the Sacramento Bee Mary Anne Ostrom in the San Jose Mercury

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There is shock and sadness in the Christian community over word that famed Christian music singer Ray Boltz has publicly announced he’s living a homosexual lifestyle. "If this is the way God made me, then this is the way I’m going to live...I really feel closer to God because I no longer hate myself." Those were the words of Ray Boltz in an interview with the Washington Blade about his decision to engage in homosexuality. Boltz, a father of four who was married for 33 years before officially divorcing his wife this year, is well-known for his widely acclaimed songs "Thank You" and "I Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb." One News Now

What’s the best way for the church to deal with homosexuality? We have Ray Boltz, and the former CCM singer (now general market) Katie Perry (“I’ve kiss a girl and I like it”), and news today that “Prop 8” (Same Sex ban) is failing with California voters. So, how does God want us to behave, react and relate when it comes to the sin of homosexuality? Here is a good blog dialogue to open the discussion today.

Pastor Jim Garlow asked the Oceanside congregation a question: “If the Father's heart was broken and you could do something about it, wouldn't you want to know?” The people at New Venture Christian Fellowship, where Garlow was the guest preacher, nodded and murmured their agreement. Of course they would want to know. San Diego Union-Trib

Most of the essentials are in place for a recall campaign against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger: a sagging economy, a historically late budget, a massive deficit, high voter dissatisfaction, a brewing revolt from within the governor's party, and a sponsor that has enough money to put the question on the ballot. I personally don’t see California supporting two recalls within 5-years. Arnold is termed out in two-years, he’ll make the finish line in California. Contra Costa Times

Legislative leaders said Sunday they have a compromise deal on an 11-week-late state budget that calls for no tax increases, no borrowing from local governments or other state special funds - and which makes no one happy. Does anyone like to be controlled by a budget? Wouldn’t we all like to spend without worry? Sacramento Bee

The home of the computer business is not “tech” enough; state controller says California's payroll computer program is so antiquated it would take six months to reconfigure it to change workers' pay. State personnel officials acknowledge the 70-year-old 10-step hiring system means it can take three years for a qualified applicant to land a state job. No one even knows how much gasoline is burned up each year by the state's vehicle fleet. This is apparently one tough state to run. Sacramento Bee

The former Alaska public safety commissioner who refused to fire a state trooper embroiled in a domestic dispute with Gov. Sarah Palin's sister says he holds no grudge, but still believes the GOP vice presidential nominee is too thin-skinned for the job she hopes to fill. Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross inside the San Francisco Chronicle

For first time in modern history, a presidential race is actually going to be decided by the vice presidential pick. Thanks to Sarah Palin, this is no longer a contest between Barack Obama and John McCain - it's between Brother Barack and Sistah Sarah. Offered by the honorable Willie Brown in the San Francisco Chronicle

Gov. Sarah Palin lives by the maxim that all politics is local, not to mention personal. So when there was a vacancy at the top of the State Division of Agriculture, she appointed a high school classmate, Franci Havemeister, to the $95,000-a-year directorship. A former real estate agent, Ms. Havemeister cited her childhood love of cows as a qualification for running the roughly $2 million agency. Researched by Jo Becker, Peter S. Goodman and Michael Powell in the New York Times

In voting to issue a subpoena to Todd Palin in an investigation of the firing of the Alaska public safety commissioner, state lawmakers on Friday signaled that Mr. Palin, the husband of Gov. Sarah Palin, might have played a central role in one of the most contentious episodes of her governorship. Was it ever a problem when President Clinton has his wife, Hillary, perform roles of responsibility in Arkansas and Washington DC? Why is this a problem now? New York Times Fair question; should the person elected be the only individual allowed to be involved in the process? Can a sharp, intelligent spouse play a role too?

The ‘predictable result’ came in last week from forcing students with disabilities to pass a high school exit exam in order to earn a diploma. Nearly half failed. Failed. A demoralizing word for some kids who struggle daily to perform tasks most teens carry out with ease. The psychological damage "is horrific," says Sid Wolinsky, director of litigation for Disability Rights Advocates, which fought unsuccessfully for alternative ways to measure the knowledge of special education students. Los Angeles Times Question; how should special-ed students be tested for graduated? What about discrimination in standards, add to it the determination as to who is - and who is not - a special educational student.

Educators focus attention on ninth-graders' transition to high school. The first year of high school is considered crucial to a student's success, more campuses are sheltering freshmen in small learning communities or sometimes on separate campuses. Los Angeles Times Let me add a consideration here; I believe the first year of middle school is a huge hurdle for students. The transition from elementary to middle may be the target of success or failure in the future. What can be improved?

Berkeley is expected to make a major leap forward Tuesday in its first-in-the-nation plan to allow homeowners to pay for solar energy systems through their property taxes. San Francisco Chronicle I like solar power, and I would use solar power on my house - if I could afford solar power. Maybe we have the start of another good idea from the California environmentally concerned.

Hope Brice curled up on a pillow and carefully wrote the names of family, friends and her dog, Jack, on the bare concrete floor of Houston's First Baptist Church. Then the 10-year-old stood up and held hands with her parents, Keith and Connie Brice, as they prayed over the list. Jack, she explained softly, was home feeling sick. The Brice family was among hundreds of church members - young and old, single and married, many holding Bibles - who quietly entered the nearly renovated sanctuary on a recent Sunday. They had come at the suggestion of Pastor Greg Matte. Houston Chronicle

Here is a new article naming the companies that benefit homosexuality. The opening line states; “Below is the list, in alphabetical order, of companies scoring a perfect 100 percent on the Human Rights Campaign's 2009 Corporate Equality Index, with policies beneficial toward homosexuals:” I ask you, how many do you use (support financially) as a consumer? Do boycotts work anymore? I say no, we need to win hearts and minds, not stock prices and wallets. World Net Daily

Promise Keepers is expected to undergo major changes after co-founder Bill McCartney was brought out of retirement to once again head the nearly 20-year-old organization – arguably the most prominent among men's ministries. Christian Post

If there were ANY lingering doubts about Heather Fargo and company’s lack of commitment to public safety, I hope they have all been removed now. In a JOLTING development, the City of Gotham Sacramento has decided to pair up OUR police officers and reduce OUR patrol car presence by 50% over the next thirty days. Why? They claim to be hosting an experiment in an effort to cut costs. But some folks are saying the move is nothing more than political chess, and the PD’s intent is to foster outrage toward Sacramento’s elected officials in light of the council’s outrageous expenditures of late (cat cages, tree counts, Dalai Lama, etc). Joe Sacramento

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The plastic grocery bag is fighting for its crinkly life. From the city of San Francisco to Los Angeles County, more than a dozen local governments around the state have proposed or passed plastic-bag restrictions, ranging from recycling mandates to outright bans. Jim Downing in the Sacramento Bee

Increased premiums for low-income families are expected to put the program out of reach for many. A new Medi-Cal policy is also expected to cut enrollees, further weakening the healthcare system. Jordan Rau in the Los Angeles Times

Early on a late September morning, if all goes according to plan, 1 million Mormons, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, evangelical Christians, Sikhs and Hindus will open their doors, march down their front walks and plant "Yes on Proposition 8" signs in their yards to show they support repealing same-sex marriage in California. Jessica Garrison in the Los Angeles Times

After six years without a state sales-tax hike, Gov. Schwarzenegger is proposing a temporary 1-cent increase. For some, the tax is reasonable, but for others, it could make things rough in an already-tough economy. Modesto Bee

With paperwork in hand, Ashley Sparks set off in search of his newest target – a 2005 Winnebago motor home. Sparks, an adjuster for ABA Recovery Service, found the vehicle on a well-manicured street in Point Loma, surrounded by homes nearing the million-dollar mark. David Hasemyer in the San Diego Union-Trib

Turning 21 is treated as a rite of passage by most Americans. Friends are called to hit a bar, or several, and proceed to get the celebrant smashed. But a growing collection of high-powered academics is challenging the norm – suggesting there is nothing magic about the age 21. Ed Fletcher in the Sacramento Bee

"At the first official event Sunday of the Democratic National Convention, a choir belted out a gospel song and was followed by a rabbi reciting a Torah reading about forgiveness and the future. Helen Prejean, the Catholic nun who wrote Dead Man Walking, assailed the death penalty and the use of torture. Young Muslim women in headscarves sat near older African-American women in their finest Sunday hats. Four years ago, such a scene would have been unthinkable at a Democratic National Convention. In 2004, there was one interfaith lunch at the Democratic gala in Boston. (The) same year, 'values voters' helped re-elect President Bush, giving Democrats of faith the opening they needed to make party leaders listen to them. The result was on display at Sunday's interfaith service, staged in a theater inside the Colorado Convention Center, and will be evident throughout the convention agenda and on the sidelines." Boston Globe

"A lap dancer, a lesbian, and a lapsed Christian with a pregnant girlfriend are among the participants on the U.K.'s newest reality show, Make Me a Christian, where Christian leaders attempt to bring a group of unlikely candidates to the faith. The show's premise is to find out if Christianity can help repair the moral fabric of British society. 'I was pleased at first to hear the producers were trying to make Christianity accessible to people who might not usually watch religious programming,' said Charis Gibson, senior press officer for the Evangelical Alliance. After watching the first two episodes, however, she said, 'I'm starting to think I would prefer spending my Sunday nights being bashed repeatedly in the face with a large, leather-bound King James Version.'" Christianity Today

Skepticism about hell is growing even in evangelical churches and seminaries, says one theologian here, a bastion of conservative evangelicalism. "In a pluralistic, post-modern world, students are having a more difficult time with (the idea of) people going to hell forever because they didn't believe the right thing," says Mike Wittmer, professor of systematic theology at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. "That's the biggest question out there right now: `Would God send someone to hell if they were someone as good as me, but didn't believe what I believe?"' It was easier to believe in hell 20 years ago when missionaries tried to convert people in far-flung places, Wittmer says. In today's global village, many live next to good, non-Christian neighbors and wonder why an all-powerful, loving God wouldn't eventually empty out hell, Wittmer says. "I've noticed in the last five years how that view is making inroads even in conservative churches, whereas five years ago it wasn't even uttered or discussed," he adds. Crosswalk

Some are, due to their new release for homosexual marriages. Most states don't recognize gay marriage, but now Hallmark does. The nation's largest greeting card company is rolling out same-sex wedding cards, featuring two tuxedos, overlapping hearts or intertwined flowers, with best wishes inside. "Two hearts. One promise," one says. Washington Times

Of course John McCain is rich. So is Barack Obama. So are Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Mitt Romney and just about every presidential candidate these days. It doesn't take one rich family to run a country. It takes an oligarchy. McCain's seven houses, Obama's book deals and even Edwards's haircuts tell us plenty about the lifestyles of the rich and politically famous. But what does the personal wealth of candidates tell us about their faith, and in particular their Christian beliefs? And why aren't they being asked those questions? The gospels are filled with the words of Jesus admonishing the rich to take less and give more, trying to get the rich to see that it's not what they have but what they do for others with what they have that matters. Can you call yourself a Christian and spend millions on yourself? Washington Times

Regular church attendance may boost a student's GPA, according to a new study. Students who attend religious services weekly average a GPA of 0.144 higher than those who never attend services, said Jennifer Glanville, a sociologist in the University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Despite the positive link between church attendance and academic success, the study surprisingly found the importance of religion to teens had "very little impact" on their educational outcomes, Glanville noted, according to the University of Iowa News Services. The study had looked at whether the teens said religion was important to them. "That suggests that the act of attending church - the structure and the social aspects associated with it - could be more important to educational outcomes than the actual religion," the sociologist suggested. Christian Post

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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger sued state Controller John Chiang on Monday after he refused to follow the governor's order to slash pay for thousands of state workers to federal minimum wage as a cash-saving measure during the budget impasse. Matthew Yi in the San Francisco Chronicle Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee Evan Halper and Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times Mike Zapler in the San Jose Mercury

Prop. 8 backers drop challenge on wording…The state's official description of Proposition 8 on the November ballot will remain as is, a statement that the measure would eliminate same-sex couples' right to marry in California. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle. Does the wording on the ballot pamphlet ‘make a big difference’ for voters in California? How many people actually ‘read’ the small print of the mailer and ballot descriptive?

California's population is growing, it's aging and its ethnic diversity is increasing, and that means the state must invest more in education, infrastructure and services for the elderly or face a crisis in the not-too-distant future, according to analysts at the liberal California Budget Project and other demographic experts. Tyche Hendricks in the San Francisco Chronicle. Or we can tax the upper-class citizens ‘out of California’, and create an entire state of socialized members and resident.

A determined crowd of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's delegates - preparing to head to the Democratic Party's national convention in Denver - have begun gathering signatures to ensure her name is placed into nomination, insisting their effort won't take spotlight off presumed Democratic nominee Barack Obama. Carla Marinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle. This is not a good sign for Barack Obama.

Commuters no longer face the threat of a congestion-based toll on the Golden Gate Bridge, which could have pushed the cost of crossing the span to at least $7. But in its place, drivers parking at meters along the route to the bridge - including on Lombard Street and Van Ness Avenue - will face varying rates that rise during the busiest hours and are designed to increase turnover and push long-term parkers to lots and garages. Michael Cabanatuan in the San Francisco Chronicle

Researchers at UC Berkeley have invented a light-deflecting technique that could one day render objects invisible. Tom Abate in the San Francisco Chronicle. The arrival of The Invisible Man and Woman. “I was at church, I was just invisible to those attending that day.”

Though it hasn't got much notice, there's now fairly wide agreement that the number of illegal immigrants in the United States has declined by a hefty 10 percent or more in the past year or so. Peter Schrag in the Sacramento Bee. Bad economy hits everyone, including those who are illegally here to do the work Americans will not, cannot do. I’m thinking we have more people considering this work as a career in today’s economy.

Buoyed by the success of a six-month program to reduce graffiti in Pico Rivera and unincorporated Whittier, Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina will ask her colleagues today to approve a measure that would allow authorities to hold taggers -- and their parents - liable for civil damages. Andrew Blankstein in the Los Angeles Times. Good!

He worshipped alongside Chinese Christians and sang "Amazing Grace." But what happened outside the church says more about the state of the millions of Christians in China. Earlier that morning, the pastor of an illegal underground Christian church, Hua Huiqi, was detained by police as he was biking to the service that Mr. Bush was to attend. His whereabouts are still unknown. Mr. Hua's brother, who was briefly detained, said Mr. Hua only wanted to worship at the church where he was baptized. Wall Street Journal. Are we believing the TV’s presentation of China?

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Pastor Robert Jones went to the Capitol last Wednesday hoping to make his voice heard. What he got instead was a swear-word laden rebuke from Democratic Sen. Pat Wiggins, who interrupted Jones' testimony to say, "I think your arguments are bull---." Courtesy of Shane Goldmacher SacBee Capitol Alert

The Culligan Man could soon join the Maytag repairman in California, as regional water agencies seek more authority to remove home water softeners if they threaten local water supplies. Assembly Bill 2270, by Assemblymen John Laird and Mike Feuer, D-Los Angeles, would allow cities, counties and special districts – whichever entity oversees wastewater – to ban water softeners. Daniel Zarchy in the Sacramento Bee

The parade of capital spending cuts may feed the economy's downturn. Many firms' optimism for 2009 evaporates. Martin Zimmerman in the Los Angeles Times Here is an interesting twist; more government spending (more tax money raised, spent) actually helps the economy. Cutting taxes, spending hurts the economy. If this is true, we now have a socialized government, right?

A few weeks back, Time magazine was musing that John McCain was in danger of sliding from “a long shot” to a “no-shot.” Around the same time, a hard-nosed former Hillary Clinton insider declared the race “effectively over” thanks to the McCain campaign’s ineptitude, the tanking U.S. economy and Obama’s advantages in cash, charisma and hope. And Obama, up by three to six points nationally, was about to leverage a much-anticipated trip to Iraq, Afghanistan and Europe into a pre-convention poll surge. Politico

Fremont may double its bus fees, to $700 a kid. In Gilroy, elementary students must now live a mile away from school before they can board a school bus. And transportation directors everywhere are working the phones to find the best price on diesel fuel. With classes just a few weeks from resuming, the fuel crisis is heading to school. And while businesses and families have been struggling to handle the costs, schools have a few special issues. Most of those big yellow buses are fueled by diesel. With diesel at $4.56 a gallon, those 96-gallon tanks cost $438 a fill-up. Dana Hull in the San Jose Mercury

The Republican Party, which overtook Valley Democrats in voter registration totals eight years ago, is losing ground for the first time in at least a decade. After peaking just ahead of the 2004 presidential election, Republican registration numbers are down in Fresno, Tulare, Kings, Madera, Mariposa and Merced counties. John Ellis in the Fresno Bee

Joann Gardner sat forlornly on her living room floor, waiting for the final step in her home's foreclosure process. The lender's representative was due any moment to give her "cash for keys," a transaction in which she would deliver her family home vacant in exchange for an incentive payment. Carolyn Said in the San Francisco Chronicle

When Michele Frost and Mary Helen Walker enrolled their 3-year-old daughter Shea in preschool, it required a change in the school application form. But it was no big deal: Officials simply substituted the words "mother" and "father" with "Parent 1" and "Parent 2." Rob Hotakainen in the Sacramento Bee

Sometimes the joy of gay marriage is followed by the pain of gay divorce, but Peter Zupcofska is there to help. Rob Hotakainen in the Sacramento Bee

African Americans are leaving San Francisco because of substandard schools, a lack of affordable housing and the dearth of jobs and black culture, according to a report by a committee looking into the exodus. The African American Out-migration Task Force, put together by the mayor's office last year to figure out what can be done to preserve the city's remaining black population and cultivate new residents, presented its findings at a public hearing Thursday called by Supervisor Chris Daly. Leslie Fulbright in the San Francisco Chronicle. Is the most liberal city in America racist?

They also would have to wait three days before they are paid by check under legislation intended to reduce the theft of valuable metals. The ACLU sees an invasion of privacy. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times. This is a perfect solution…we have all of this theft for copper, silver and precious metals…let’s make them wait for a few days to make sure they didn’t steal the metal to get the cash.

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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed a temporary, one-cent increase in the state sales tax along with long-term budget reforms in an effort to break the stalemate in budget negotiations that have been stalled for more than a month, legislative sources close to the talks said Monday. Matthew Yi in the San Francisco Chronicle Jim Sanders in the Sacramento Bee Evan Halper and Nancy Vogel in the Los Angeles Times Ed Mendel in the San Diego Union-Trib Mike Zapler in the San Jose Mercury

If voters approve a November ballot measure banning same-sex marriages in California, thousands of gay and lesbian weddings conducted since the state Supreme Court legalized the unions on May 15 will probably remain valid, Attorney General Jerry Brown said Monday. Bob Egelko in the San Francisco Chronicle

Dakin is founder of Citizens for Civil Discourse, a nonpartisan group in Washington, D.C., working to promote a new "National Political Do Not Contact Registry" that includes such "robocalls," which are used in political campaigns ranging from school board elections to the race for president. John Wildermuth in the San Francisco Chronicle

After analyzing kids' items offered by 13 of the nation's 25 largest restaurant chains, the Center for Science in the Public Interest concluded that 93 percent of the meals provide too many calories. Carrie Peyton Dahlberg in the Sacramento Bee

San Francisco took a major step Monday to cement its reputation as the most environmentally progressive city in the United States, as Mayor Gavin Newsom signed into law stringent green building codes for new construction and renovations of existing structures in the city. Wyatt Buchanan in the San Francisco Chronicle

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed a temporary one-cent increase in the state sales tax for the next three years in exchange for long-term fixes he believes would solve the state's perennial budget woes, several sources familiar with the negotiations said Monday. The governor's proposal comes as he and lawmakers are 35 days into the fiscal year with no approved spending plan. Jim Sanders and Kevin Yamamura in the Sacramento Bee Evan Halper and Nancy Vogel in the Los An