Morning Splash: PG&E Spiked Pressure on Gas Lines, Batts May Leave Oakland for San Jose

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. has been temporarily spiking pressure on major gas transmission lines since 2003, pushing levels to the legal limits on 10 lines in addition to the San Bruno pipeline that exploded less than two years after the last such surge, The Chronicle has learned.

Word is that Oakland's highly popular police chief, Anthony Batts, is one of two finalists for the job of top cop in San Jose. Batts told the Oakland Police Officers Association on Sunday that the other finalist is San Jose acting Chief Chris Moore.

Demand for Marin's winter shelter program has been so great this year that organizers have had to turn people away on some especially cold and wet nights. As a result, the program's organizers — St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin County and Marin Interfaith street chaplain, Rev. Paul Gaffney — are considering expanding the program.

For the past six years, Santa Clara County has led a quiet legal fight to force the drug industry to reimburse local governments across the country allegedly gouged by hundreds of millions of dollars per year on prescription drug prices at public hospitals and clinics devoted to serving the poor. But the pharmaceutical companies have struck back with a vengeance, unleashing their lawyers to keep the courthouse doors slammed on the legal claims. Wednesday, local governments and the drug industry will square off over the issue in the U.S. Supreme Court, which ultimately must decide whether obscure provisions in the federal Medicaid program should prevent a lawsuit over the drug overcharging allegations from reaching a judge and jury.

Bay Area residents coming out to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. day will enjoy a historic commute on Monday, thanks to Caltrain's 27th annual Freedom Train ride. The Martin Luther King Jr. Association of Santa Clara has teamed up with Caltrain to host the commemorative ride.

Most of new San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee’s challenges are well-known, from having to close a budget deficit to preparing for the 2013 America’s Cup sailing race. But one of his challenges has been largely overlooked: Lee will be the first mayor in history to have to appear before members of the Board of Supervisors every month to answer questions they have for him.

San Francisco moderates gained clout at City Hall with the recent selection of Ed Lee as interim mayor and David Chiu as Board of Supervisors president. But now political strategists are looking long term, anticipating that the city may redraw boundaries for supervisors' districts.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who has battled cancer, told employees in an e-mail this morning that he is taking a third medical leave of absence so he can "focus on my health." The message, which was released to the media shortly before 6 a.m., said Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook will take over the day-to-day helm of the company. Jobs said he will remain as CEO.

Seafood companies, wine companies, pedicabs, a local theater and even The City’s Police Department could all be forced to find new homes to make way for software mogul Larry Ellison’s yacht race. Some 80 businesses are on a list of Port of San Francisco tenants that could be forced out of their current locations when the America’s Cup comes to town, but the Port is still trying to sort out exactly who will need to go and who can stay.

Former Raiders coach Tom Cable was fined $120,000 by managing general partner Al Davis during the 2010 season as a result of the team forfeiting two days of organized team activities in June, ESPN reported. Cable did not return a phone call Sunday. A Raiders official said the team had no comment. However, Cable's agent issued a brief statement.