Nature lovers will be peeved. Under the budget proposed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today - dear God, just how did we get here? starting off a sentence like that? - nine local state parks would face a temporary shutdown until California learns how to balance its checkbook, pay its bills on time, stops disrespecting their mommas on Maury, or something like that. Statewide, the Gov is considering closing 48 state parks. Among those close......

Here's todays roundup of news stories...

San Francisco unveiled some shiny new plan to win back the affections of the Niners yesterday. The plan includes a redevelopment of Candlestick Point and Hunters Point and features a new stadium for the Niners, lots of parks, lots of housing, office space and a new arena. Best part? Supposedly the plan means no money down for the city. So far, there is no truth to the rumors that the plan also includes lots of shiny, pretty ponies for everybody to have. ...

The latest involving the Niners is that yesterday Aaron Peskin jumped into the fray. Peskin had dinner with the accidental John York Thursday night and on Friday, he, along with Sophie Maxwell, said they'd introduce a resolution to move forward with the development at Candlestick Point and the Hunters Point shipyard. The idea being, of course, that instead of waiting for the Niners to figure out what they're doing, the city should move ahead and just do it. There's two reasons for this. One is that everyone wants to build stuff there anyways so why not just get the ball rolling. The other is that if things fall apart in Santa Clara, things will be all ready to go here. ...

Dr. John York, the accidental owner, met the press to detail the whys and whats of his announcement that he's leaving San Francisco and taking the team to Santa Clara. The reason? It's too expensive here, the schools are falling apart, and it's better to raise a family in the Peninsula and not the city....