By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times

Thousands of felons serving time in county jails would be allowed to vote in California elections from behind bars under a bill moving swiftly through the state Legislature despite widespread opposition from law enforcement officials.

Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, D-San Diego, introduced the measure with an aim that providing convicts the right to vote will give them a better sense of belonging to society and possibly reduce their chances of committing new crimes when released.

But police chiefs and sheriffs throughout California say the proposal that passed narrowly in the state Assembly undermines a longstanding social compact: those who commit a serious crime lose not only their freedom to live in society for a time but also their right to participate in democracy.

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By Associated Press

Many motorists are clogging their car’s engine by not using gasoline with enough added detergents.

That’s the conclusion of a study by the AAA auto club.

Federal rules in place since 1996 require all gasoline to have some engine-cleaning additives, but many major brands have extra detergents. AAA said tests it commissioned from an independent lab found that lesser gasolines left 19 times more deposits on engine intake valves than so-called top-tier fuels after the equivalent of 4,000 miles of driving.

AAA said carbon deposits reduce a car’s mileage, increase emissions and hurt performance, especially on newer cars.

The auto club said gasolines with extra detergents cost an average of 3 cents per gallon more. And that could be their undoing.

Three-fourths of consumers surveyed by AAA buy their gas based on price or the service station’s location. Only 1 in 8 picked a brand because it has extra detergents.

AAA’s director of automotive engineering, Greg Brannon, said car owners can undo some deposits by switching gasoline for a few thousand miles.

The program to promote higher-detergent fuels grew out of concern by some car makers that the EPA standards for fuel detergents were too weak to prevent buildup that affects car performance. General Motors, Honda, Toyota, BMW, Fiat Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen are sponsors.

The Michigan-based Center for Quality Assurance runs the program and charges gas stations a fee to use the Top Tier seal of approval. Two executives of the group declined to disclose the fee.

By Joy Resmovits, Los Angeles Times
 
For the last 15 years, a number between 200 and 1,000 told parents in California how good their child’s school was.

Up next: They might have to decipher performance through a series of colored boxes.

California is in the process of redefining its system for rating public schools, in a way that is both transparent for parents and more precise than just using test scores. The changes come after the number system, called the Academic Performance Index, was suspendedand as the state tries to satisfy the Every Student Succeeds Act, the federal government’s replacement of No Child Left Behind.

The latest proposal, presented Wednesday at a meeting of the State Board of Education in Sacramento, is “the California Model,” a display of 17 colored boxes that summarizes how a school is doing in such categories as math or career readiness, both in terms of current status and progress over time.

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Carson Tahoe Health is in the process of revamping its master plan that will be the vision for the next decade.

The Carson City-based healthcare group will delve into what types of services might be needed in the future and facilities to make that happen.

Looking at what is working today and how to be more efficient will also be studied.

Carson Tahoe has offices in Dayton, Minden and at Lake Tahoe as well as in the capital city.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

Nevada State Parks and Nevada Department of Wildlife have set up a bear trap at Sand Harbor.

The need to trap the animal is because it has been getting into garbage at the popular Lake Tahoe beach.

The animal has had easy pickings because dumpsters have not been closed properly and have been overflowing, according to reports.

The state park is open from dawn to dusk, giving animals ample opportunity to forage for human food since the bins are not emptied every night.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By Ryan Sabalow, Sacramento Bee

It wasn’t just generous spring rains filling north-state reservoirs that had California’s urban water districts pushing back so hard against mandatory water cuts this year.

As water use plummeted because of the statewide conservation orders implemented last summer, many water agencies found themselves struggling to cover operating costs. Less water use has meant lower monthly utility bills, and for most utilities, there has been no correlating decline in basic operating costs, such as payroll, debt obligations and maintenance of pipes and treatment plants.

Water board chair Felicia Marcus acknowledged the revenue issue played a role in the decision to relax the state’s regulations, but said it was not the primary factor.

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By Seth A. Richardson, Reno Gazette-Journal

Several of Nevada’s top Republican elected officials are skipping the Republican National Convention this year, including the entire GOP congressional delegation and Gov. Brian Sandoval.

Many Republicans nationwide have declined to attend the July 18-21 convention in Cleveland, some of whom outright cite presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump as the reason. Several in Nevada are also avoiding the affair, which usually draws lawmakers from all walks.

Sandoval, often considered an up-and-coming star in the party, held a prime time speaking slot in 2012. The governor initially endorsed Trump – although not by name, referring to him only as “the presumptive nominee” – after he was the last candidate standing. Trump said in June a Hispanic judge overseeing a lawsuit against the real estate magnate had a conflict of interest because he was “trying to build a wall.” Shortly after, Sandoval said his vote for Trump wasn’t for sure.

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By Jeremy B. White, Sacramento Bee

Being a California gun owner just got more complicated.

Bolstering a body of firearms laws already considered among the nation’s strongest, Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a half-dozen bills to regulate ammunition sales, ban large-capacity clips and quick-reloading devices and clamp down on lending weapons, among other things.

Some hunters and shooters have reacted with a mix of dismay and confusion, wondering what they will have to do to remain law-abiding citizens and asking if they will need to change their habits.

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By Associated Press

Authorities have arrested a man they say flew a drone over a Northern California wildfire and grounded firefighting aircraft.

Fifty-seven-year-old Eric Wamser of Foresthill in Placer County was arrested Friday on suspicion of interfering with firefighting operations.

It’s not clear whether he has a lawyer.

State fire spokesman Daniel Berlant says Wamser allegedly flew a drone over the Trailhead Fire on June 28 near the American River. The 5,600-acre blaze forced hundreds of people from homes in Placer and El Dorado counties.

Berlant says authorities tracked down Wamser after he posted video from the drone on social media.

Berlant says there have been dozens of similar drone incursions in fire areas over the past two years but Wamser is the first person arrested by state fire investigators.

Bradley Deboer

A Truckee man was arrested Thursday night on felony driving under the influence charges.

A bike patrol officer said he saw a pickup driven by Bradley Deboer, 65, turn left across a pedestrian filled sidewalk and park on the railroad track at 7:15pm July 14.

Officers said Deboer was too intoxicated to safely operate a vehicle. He was arrested for felony DUI without incident, based on several convictions for the same offense within the past 10 years.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report