Top of the morning’s news
- A confidential Alameda Fire Department memo reveals that, contrary to what the fire chief told the city council in the wake of fire and police personnel watching as a man drowned without attempting to save him, his department had funding for water rescue training and apparently never used it, says the Contra Costa Times.
- For the first time Huffington Post passed the New York Times in web traffic. Romenesko
- The Chicago Sun-Times fired television critic Paige Wiser after her review of a “Glee Live!” concert mentioned one song that wasn’t performed and another that she didn’t see. Chicago Tribune
- Business Insider quotes an anonymous sales rep at AOL Patch as saying the hyperlocal news organization under Arianna Huffington’s direction is in financial disarray and is fast burning through its money.
- Rep. John Garamendi, who’s 10th congressional district includes a chunk of the East Bay, got the rookie treatment in a sit-down with comedian Steven Colbert, who immediately chided him for living in the 3rd congressional district. Capitol Alert
- Those in favor of Oakland’s gang injunctions at a time when the city’s crime rate is skyrocketing are concerned that Mayor Jean Quan’s tepid support for them could derail the policy. The Bay Citizen
- Sixteen members of Newt Gingrich’s presidential campaign staff, virtually the entire crew, quit en masse Thursday, apparently out of frustration with his unfocused campaign efforts. LAT
- Motorists are being warned to avoid 280 between 101 and Daly City today due to the funeral for two firefighters killed in the line of duty last week. The Bay Citizen
- Mexican President Felipe Calderon is booked to speak at Stanford’s 120th commencement this weekend. AP
- A Pleasant Hill middle school student who apparently couldn’t wait another 2 1/2 hours for the last day of school to end was hauled off to jail after calling in a bomb threat that caused an evacuation. Contra Costa Times
- An independent panel’s 204-page report on the San Bruno disaster condemned PG&E as dysfunctional and cited multiple management weaknesses that contributed to the deadly pipeline explosion and fire. The Bay Citizen
- Officials in West Marin euthanized 400 roosters suspected of being used for cockfighting. Marin IJ
- BART approved a $619 million operating budget and pledged cleaner and quieter trains and more reliable escalators. Contra Costa Times
- One in three unemployed Californians has been out of work for a year or more. California Watch
- A civil rights attorney has put the city of Santa Clara on notice because, despite a large minority population, its city council has been all-white for 30 years. Mercury News
- The Mavericks stun the Heat in Dallas to go up 3-2 in the NBA championship series. AP
