- County suddenly yanks $30 million in tax funds from San Francisco 49ers stadium (SJ Mercury News)
Out of nowhere, Santa Clara County officials have yanked $30 million in tax funds promised for the San Francisco 49ers' new Santa Clara stadium, saying they would rather spend the money on teachers than install "little televisions in the back of stadium seats."
- California foreclosure prevention bill is likely to advance (LA Times)
- Asian-Americans question "model minority" portrayal in new study (The Oakland Tribune)
...the Pew Research Center portrayal of Asian-Americans as the nation's best-adjusted group also disturbed many Asian-Americans who know that they -- or relatives and friends -- don't fit that rubric.
- Apple’s Retail Army, Long on Loyalty but Short on Pay (NY Times)
America’s love affair with the smartphone has helped create tens of thousands of jobs at places like Best Buy and Verizon Wireless and will this year pump billions into the economy. Within this world, the Apple Store is the undisputed king, a retail phenomenon renowned for impeccable design, deft service and spectacular revenues... But most of Apple’s employees enjoyed little of that wealth.
- South San Francisco ferry loaded with subsidies (SF Chronicle)
- Stanford bioethicist challenges controversial Olympics gender-testing policy
- Marin County couple pays $4.2 million to demolish house that blocked view (Marin Independent Journal)
The five-bedroom, five-and-a-half bathroom house at 333 Belvedere Ave. featured views of the bay, San Francisco skyline and Golden Gate Bridge. But after paying $4.2 million for the property earlier this year, the couple next door is tearing it down and replacing it with bushes and trees.
After six months of wrangling, California lawmakers put the finishing touches on what they hope will be compromise foreclosure-prevention legislation. The measure is part of a larger Homeowner Bill of Rights package of bills sponsored by state Atty. Gen. Kamala D. Harris aimed at helping borrowers who are behind on mortgage payments avoid foreclosures. A draft of the bill was made public late Friday.
That new ferry line to South San Francisco opened to a lot of fanfare, offering rides to and from Oakland and Alameda in less than 55 minutes. What's not being talked about is that for every $14 round-trip ticket sold, the public will be kicking in a subsidy of nearly $100.
A Stanford bioethicist has challenged a controversial new gender-testing policy adopted by the International Olympic Committee, saying it lacks scientific credibility and could lead to discrimination against women who don't conform to traditional notions of femininity.
Supreme Court Upholds Key Part of Arizona Law (NY Times)
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected much of Arizona’s tough new immigration law but allowed one key provision to stand, saying federal law did not pre-empt the state's instruction to its police to check the immigration status of people they detain.