Top of the morning’s news
- More than 23,000 nurses were to walk off the job this morning at 33 not-for-profit hospitals in Northern and Central California run by Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health, and at the independent Children’s Hospital Oakland. AP
- The judge who last year threatened to put the Oakland Police Department under federal control over its nearly decade long failure to implement reforms is now raising new concerns. Oakland Tribune
- Nearly 4 of 5 listeners believe public radio has been mistreated by Congress in its ongoing challenge to secure federal funding for a portion of its operating costs, a new survey shows. Current.org
- City Attorney Dennis Herrera unleashed a scathing attack ad suggesting that Mayor Ed Lee’s campaign was backed by Republicans like Ron Conway, the Silicon Valley investor, who, as it happens, has been a longtime supporter of Herrera. The Bay Citizen
“I am not crazy enough to run. No I am not considering a run for the Senate.”-- Conservative radio talker Michael Reagan, rebuffing speculation that he might be interested in challenging Senator Dianne Feinstein in 2012.
Other news
- Hoping to take advantage of a possible NBA lockout, there’s a new franchise in the American Basketball Association: the Richmond Rockets begin play in November in the East Bay city’s Civic Center Memorial Auditorium. The Bay Citizen
- Supervisor and mayoral candidate John Avalos introduced legislation that would require offices to provide a secure place to store bicycles for their cyclist employees if there is no secure bike parking. The Bay Citizen
- Rumors are flying that troubled Hewlett-Packard may be interested in bringing in Meg Whitman as CEO, at least on an interim basis. Mercury News
- The Forbes 400 list of the richest Americans once again determines that the Bay Area’s wealthiest person is Oracle CEO Larry Ellison—No. 3 on the list—with a net worth of $33 billion. Mercury News
- Billy Chamberlain, the homeless Giants fan who had become a fixture around AT&T Park and well known to players and coaches before disappearing two months ago, turned up at Dodger Stadium and said he has been living in Los Angeles. Chronicle
- Luis Campos, co-founder of Casa Chicas, the San Pablo-based maker of chips, salsas and related condiments, faces 80 years to life in prison after a jury in Martinez convicted him of molesting a 13-year-old girl and sexually assaulting a 25-year-old woman. Contra Costa Times
- There was outrage in the Bayview after a 5-year-old girl walking with her father near Third Street and Palou Avenue was shot in the leg after being caught in the cross-fire between two men shooting at each other. Chronicle
- A gas main that broke in the middle of a street caused the evacuation of a two-block area near Union Square for most of Wednesday afternoon. Examiner
- Air pollution officials said excessive heat, stagnant air and vehicle exhaust helped push the San Joaquin Valley over the federal smog limit for the first time this year on Wednesday. AP
- A 15-year-old Oakland girl missing for three weeks turned up safe and in Alameda. Oakland Tribune
