SUSPECT SHOT
Police kill San Diego armed robbery suspect
SAN DIEGO (AP) - San Diego police say officers shot to death an armed robbery suspect after he tried to set a car on fire, shot a person in the foot and then held a woman hostage.
Police Lt. Kevin Mayer tells UT San Diego that the man, carrying a sawed-off shotgun or rifle, robbed a gas station around 11:30 a.m. Friday and fled in a stolen Suzuki that he later crashed.
Mayer says the man then tried to set the car on fire and ran to a home where he shot a resident in the foot.
Police say he later made his way into another home in the area where he held a woman hostage.
Police rescued the woman through a window before firing on the man.
CALIFORNIA BUDGET-MEDI-CAL
Court denies second hearing on Medi-Cal rate cut
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - A federal appeals court has denied a second request by California doctors, pharmacists and hospitals seeking to undo the state's 10% rate cut for treating the poor.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday denied an appeal from medical providers to rehear their case. A three-judge panel had ruled against them in December.
Paul Phinney, president of the California Medical Association, said in a statement that the decision was expected. But he says health providers will continue to press lawmakers to restore the 10% reimbursement rate cut to the state's Medicaid program, known as Medi-Cal.
Friday's decision cements a budget victory for Gov. Jerry Brown.
The governor and Legislature approved the cut two years ago. The administration estimates the move saves about $330 million a year.
PLASTIC OCEAN DEBRIS
Calif. plastic ocean debris bill dies in committee
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A California bill that would have required manufacturers to figure out how to keep the most common plastic junk out of state waterways has died in the state Assembly without a vote.
Assembly Bill 521 was before the chamber's Appropriations Committee on Friday. The panel held it without a vote, effectively killing the legislation for the session.
Each year cleanup crews throughout the U.S. collect millions of pounds of plastic trash from beaches and coastal waterways, with the biggest numbers coming from California's 1,100-mile coastline.
The "extended producer responsibility" bill was seeking to shift the cost of cleanup from local cities and counties to plastic products makers.
It aimed to reduce 95% of plastic pollution along the state's coastline by 2024.
ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES
Bill would treat e-cigarettes like other tobacco
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - California would treat electronic cigarettes like any other tobacco product under a bill approved by the state Senate.
Democratic Sen. Ellen Corbett of Hayward says some of the vapors emitted by the e-cigarettes may pose health risks.
SB648 would impose the same limits that apply to other smokers regarding where the devices can be used under California's existing smoke-free laws.
The Senate approved the bill 21-10 Friday, sending it to the Assembly.
Health organizations support Corbett's bill, but the Electronic Cigarette Industry Group objects. It says there is no proof the product emits secondhand smoke that can harm bystanders.
Republican Sen. Joel Anderson of Alpine also opposed Corbett's bill. He said the e-cigarettes are a popular alternative for those who are trying to stop smoking.
MOLESTER KILLED
Molester found slain in Corcoran prison cell
CORCORAN, Calif. (AP) - Investigators at California State Prison-Corcoran are investigating as a homicide the death of an inmate who was a convicted child molester.
On Thursday corrections officials found the 63-year-old unresponsive in his cell. They have not released his name.
He was serving a 6-year sentence out of Los Angeles County for lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14, among other crimes.
The inmate's cellmate, 48-year-old Allen Duane Queen, is the suspect. Queen is serving 259 years for convictions in San Joaquin County including attempted murder of a government officer, possession of a weapon by a prisoner, assault with a deadly weapon of a custody officer and making terrorist threats.
Prison investigators are being assisted by the Kings County District Attorney's Office.
Corcoran houses 4,395 inmates.
MUSEUM THEFT-INDICTMENT
Parolee indicted in theft of Gold Rush jewelry box
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - A federal grand jury has indicted a 45-year-old parolee in connection with the theft of a valuable Gold Rush-era jewelry box from the Oakland Museum of California.
U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag said Friday that Andre Taray Franklin, of Oakland was charged on Thursday with theft of major artwork and unlawful concealment and disposition of stolen major artwork.
Franklin is accused of stealing a 19th century gold-encrusted jewelry box valued at more than $800,000 from the museum in January. The box depicts images of early California history and was originally a wedding anniversary gift from a San Francisco pioneer to his wife in the 1800s.
The rare artifact was returned to the museum in March.
No court date has been set as Franklin remains in jail for violating his parole.
HULU SALE
Report: Yahoo, pay-TV operators among Hulu bidders
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A person with direct knowledge of Hulu says the video site is again up for sale, with Yahoo and pay TV operators DirecTV and Time Warner Cable among the seven bidders.
The person wasn't authorized to speak publicly and spoke Friday on condition of anonymity, after several news outlets reported on the bidding.
The person didn't offer details on the prices offered. Published reports have pegged a bid by a group led by former News Corp. executive Peter Chernin at $500 million.
The person says other bidders include private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.; private equity firm Silver Lake in partnership with talent agency William Morris Endeavor; and private equity firm Guggenheim Partners.
The Walt Disney Co. and News Corp. control Hulu. Comcast Corp. is a silent investor.
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS-LAWSUIT
Stone Temple Pilots sue ex-frontman Scott Weiland
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Stone Temple Pilots have accused the band's former frontman Scott Weiland of hijacking its name and songs to promote his solo career.
The lawsuit filed Friday in Los Angeles also accuses Weiland of being chronically late to concerts when he was with the band and having a lawyer interfere with airplay of a new single by the group.
The 45-year-old Weiland and Stone Temple Pilots parted ways in February, and the singer said at the time that he learned of his ouster from a statement released to the media.
A phone message left for his manager Andrea Pett-Joseph was not immediately returned.
The band's hits include "Vasoline," ''Interstate Love Song" and "Plush," which won a Grammy in 1993 for best hard rock performance with vocal.
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