A.M. Splash: Occupy Oakland; Adachi Accuses Cops of Stealing; SF to Offer Free Wi-Fi on Market St.; Bay Area Companies That Didn't Pay Taxes

A majority of the Oakland City Council indicated late Thursday that they would like an end to the Occupy Oakland encampment in front of City Hall, but they did not vote on any proposals.

A day after hoisting megaphones and political might, the city of Oakland took to the streets again Thursday -- this time armed with scrub brushes, trash bins and the sobering knowledge that a powerful message against Wall Street excess had been overrun by, what one protester called, "a bunch of punks with their own agenda." And now, with Occupy Oakland's factions turning on themselves, and the financially troubled city's bill for containing the protests climbing skyward, the euphoria over Wednesday's historic general strike has given way to widespread frustration and blame.

Public Defender Jeff Adachi Thursday accused a group of San Francisco police officers of stealing thousands of dollars in cash and valuables in what he described as a wide-ranging pattern of dishonesty.

Thirty major U.S. public companies, including San Francisco's PG&E Corp. and Wells Fargo & Co., paid no federal taxes over the past three years, according to a report released Thursday. A number of them, notably Wells Fargo, also benefited greatly from various tax subsidies.

How bureaucracy works: the Bay Conservation and Development Commission Thursday voted unanimously to ... hold a hearing on whether it will allow open water along the Embarcadero to be used to help stage the 2013 America's Cup. What this translates to in real life? The countdown has begun for a Jan. 5 hearing that's sure to be preceded by negotiations, concessions and sabre-rattling.

The U.S. Supreme Court has denied an appeal by Central California farmers who claimed the federal government lacks constitutional authority to protect the imperiled delta smelt by limiting north-to-south water shipments.

(C)cutbacks in funding for domestic violence programs and an increase in the number of women seeking help has forced shelters around the state to reluctantly turn away people who are desperate for help. Whenever possible, women are referred to other shelters, including those for the homeless, or placed in a hotel for two to three days.

Beset by manufacturing and other problems, chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices said Thursday that it will eliminate nearly 12 percent of its workers -- about 1,400 employees, including about 80 at its Sunnyvale headquarters -- so it can save money and shift its focus onto low-power products, emerging markets and Internet-based businesses.

Smokers may find fewer places to light up as city of Alameda officials look for ways to protect people from second-hand smoke. But some are saying the proposed ordinance goes too far and are hoping the effort will be snuffed out. The new law, if eventually approved, would ban smoking in all outdoor public places, such as at bus stops and ATMs, as well as throughout all multi-unit rentals, including all balconies and porches.

San Francisco will soon roll out free public Wi-Fi down long stretches of Market Street, with plans to light up the city's main vein from the Castro district to the Ferry Building by early next year.