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Political Briefs
Top stories
Will two Democrats emerge from next year’s ‘jungle primary’? — If Republican donors sit the Senate race out, it could boost a second Democrat into the run-off. Many of the Democrats contemplating the race, including declared candidate Kamala Harris, billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, would be taken seriously by the media and have the ability to raise money. Any of them, or perhaps even all of them, could all wind up finishing above the top GOP challenger. Grizzly Bear Project article
On immigration, Obama threatens to veto any attempt to undo actions on deportation – Obama said that Congress cannot afford to be “refighting past battles on immigration when we’ve got a system to fix.” If such a bill comes to his desk, “it will earn my veto,” he said. Washington Post article
State budget
Brown’s budget gives state parks system one year to turn around — California’s state parks system has faced a rough few years: Deep cuts during the recession, and a financial scandal that rocked the department. Now, a state commission is just days away from releasing a report that demands the department modernize itself and Governor Jerry Brown’s new budget proposes only enough money to buy the parks system a year to turn itself around. Capital Public Radio report
Dan Walters Daily: Can poverty be an unfunded liability? — Democrats are trying a new rhetorical tactic in their battle with Gov. Jerry Brown over social services spending, Dan says. Dan Walters Daily in Sacramento Bee
Valley politics
Valley lawmakers respond to State of the Union address – The Fresno Bee collects responses from Valley lawmakers on President Obama’s State of the Union address. Fresno Bee article
Costa, Valadao wear lapel pins supporting bipartisan group during SOTU address — “No Labels,” an organization founded in 2010, wants leaders to set aside political labels and work together on the nation’s most pressing problems. The organization says its network already has hundreds of thousands and citizens and local leaders, as well as nearly 71 members of Congress — seven senators and 63 representatives — from both parties. Among them, Costa, the Fresno Democrat, and Valadao, the Hanford Republican, as well as Turlock Republican Jeff Denham and seven other California congressmen. Fresno Bee article
Statewide politics/Ballot Measures
Villaraigosa scheduled to give remarks to Washington — As he weighs a bid for the U.S. Senate, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is scheduled to deliver remarks and present an award named in his honor in Washington, D.C. Capitol Alert
Immigration
Immigration reform advocates gather in Modesto to watch State of the Union – Watching intently from west Modesto on Tuesday evening, local immigration reform advocates weren’t surprised that President Barack Obama’s address to Congress didn’t spend much time promoting long-lasting change in federal policy toward immigrants. Modesto Bee article
LA Mayor Eric Garcetti rounds up allies for Obama on immigration – Leaders of several major cities plan to intervene in court to defend President Obama’s effort to shield millions of immigrants in the country illegally from deportation, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Tuesday. LA Times article
LA braces for wave of scams preying on immigrants seeking legal services — President Barack Obama’s recent executive action on immigration could pave the way for several million undocumented immigrants to remain in the U.S. legally. And that has authorities bracing for a wave of scams targeting people seeking legal advice. LA Times article
Other areas
Obama in State of the Union: Tax wealthy, help middle class — Refusing to bend to the new Republican Congress, President Barack Obama unveiled Tuesday night an ambitious State of the Union agenda steeped in Democratic priorities, including tax increases on the wealthy, education and child care help for the middle class and a torrent of veto threats for the GOP’s own plans. AP article; McClatchy Newspapers article; Full text of President Obama’s State of the Union address; LA Times article
Looking to California, Obama calls for expanded paid leave – President Barack Obama on Tuesday renewed his resolve to push for paid leave policies, calling on Congress to adopt legislation that has roots in California. Sacramento Bee article
California ‘right-to-die’ bill proposed – Inspired by a Bay Area woman’s highly publicized quest to end her grueling battle with cancer, lawmakers are renewing efforts to allow California’s terminally ill greater choice over how and when they die. San Jose Mercury News article; AP article; San Francisco Chronicle article; Sacramento Bee editorial
Steve Lopez: Death with dignity movement is alive and well in California – The movement picked up some momentum last year after the highly publicized case of 29-year-old Brittany Maynard, who had an aggressive form of cancer and moved from California to Oregon to take her own life on her own terms. Lopez column in LA Times
Democratic lawmakers push bill to stop corporate offshore tax moves — Democratic lawmakers Tuesday pushed legislation to stop U.S. companies from reincorporating overseas to reduce their tax bills, saying a wave of so-called inversions last year has nearly doubled the revenue the federal government will lose from those moves over the next decade. LA Times article
Nancy Pelosi: Hillary’s the one — In an interview with MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell, the San Francisco Democrat also said she has urged Democrats to find common ground with Republicans and the White House on the coming trade debate to try to influence the end result, and she answered “yes, yes” to whether former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee and win the presidency. San Francisco Chronicle article
Fresno Bee: State of the Union: Wealth disparity must be faced – Wealth disparity is an issue that political leaders from both parties must confront. The charity Oxfam issued a report this week stating that the 80 richest people control more wealth than the bottom half of the world’s population, 3.5 billion people. Certainly, the wealthiest among us can afford to pay a little more so people who didn’t hit life’s lottery can better themselves, or at least get a higher education without going tens of thousands of dollars into debt. Fresno Bee editorial
Bakersfield Californian: Time to close the gap – Congress, despite its knee-jerk inclination to reject his every utterance, needs to give Obama’s tax law proposals thoughtful consideration. Bakersfield Californian editorial
Point/Counterpoint: President Obama’s final two years – Conservative Tom Fife and liberal Joe Altschule debate the pros and cons of President Obama on the pages of the Visalia Times-Delta. Point/Counterpoint in Visalia Times-Delta
Cuba advocates, GOP lawmakers blast Obama plan — Cuban democracy advocates and Republican lawmakers on Tuesday blasted the White House and its proposed easing of tension with the Castro government, saying during a Capitol Hill press conference that the Obama administration had sided with the oppressors and not the oppressed. McClatchy Newspapers article
California Government Today:
News Briefs
Top Stories
Bankruptcy judge rules in Stockton’s favor — With one final, favorable court ruling in its protracted bout with bankruptcy, Stockton finally received the definitive legal approval Tuesday morning that will allow it to begin implementing its $2 billion financial reorganization. Stockton Record article; Sacramento Bee article; ‘Blog: Franklin Templeton’s reaction (or lack thereof) to its court setback’ in Stockton Record
Fifteen community colleges in California to offer four-year degrees – Fifteen California community colleges, including Bakersfield College and Modesto Junior College, should be able to offer four-year degrees by 2017, state officials announced Tuesday. Officials with California’s community college system chose the campuses after 36 schools or community college districts said they would apply for a chance to offer baccalaureate degrees. Nearly 20 other states allow community colleges to offer four-year degrees. LA Times article; Sacramento Bee article; Fresno Bee article; The Business Journal article; San Francisco Chronicle article; Stockton Record article
Jobs and the Economy
Bakersfield council to consider hiring staff, get roads update – City officials estimate Bakersfield will earn $645,000 more than expected in development fees through June, and will ask the Bakersfield City Council to approve four new positions Wednesday to keep up with construction. Bakersfield Californian article
Baker Hughes to lay off 7,000 employees, number in Kern unknown – Baker Hughes Inc., an oil field services company with hundreds of employees in Kern County, said Tuesday it plans to lay off 7,000 workers companywide in the first three months of this year. The Houston-based company did not say where the cuts would take place. Bakersfield Californian article
Is Kern County the next frontier for aerospace innovation? – When you think of Kern County’s economy, you probably think of two things – oil and ag. But there’s another big player in the county’s economy – aerospace. County economic development officials estimate that around 20,000 people are employed in the sector – and one of the fastest growing areas has been in the field of commercial spaceflight. KVPR report
SpaceX sells 10 percent stake to Google and Fidelity for $1 billion – Space Exploration Technologies Corp. said Tuesday that Google Inc. and Fidelity Investments had invested $1 billion in the rocket maker, giving them a combined stake of almost 10%. LA Times article
Amazon center in Patterson finally gets its grand opening – More than a year after the first product shipped, a grand opening was held at the Amazon fulfillment center Tuesday. Dignitaries, media and students from Patterson Joint Unified School District got a glimpse of the inner workings of the 1 million-square-foot facility and its proprietary technology, including the Kiva robots. Modesto Bee article
New AutoZone opens in Livingston, fuels city’s future growth plans – The city’s motto may be “The Last Stop,” but city leaders are pushing to make Livingston the first stop for business growth, starting with a new AutoZone store that opened its doors this week. Merced Sun-Star article
Edeniq raises $16 million to boost ethanol yields from plant fiber – A collection of investors is putting up more than $16 million for an equity stake in Visalia-basedEdeniq to support the company’s technology for improved conversion of plant cellulose into sugars used in production of ethanol and other chemicals. Fresno Bee article
Dollar signs fly in dispute over land value at Sacramento arena site – The owners of a now-demolished building at the new Sacramento Kings arena site say the property is worth $31 million. The city says $6.3 million, while CalPERS wants $12.85 million for the land beneath the building. Ultimately, it’s the Kings who will pay. Sacramento Bee article
Sacramento transfers two small properties to Kings for tower project – The Sacramento City Council voted Tuesday night to formally transfer two small downtown parcels to the Sacramento Kings where the team is planning to build a 16-story hotel, office and condo tower. Sacramento Bee article
LA city panel split over which group should study minimum wage – A Los Angeles city panel that considered several outside companies before picking one to analyze two proposals to raise the minimum wage was divided on which firm had the best bid, according to documents released Tuesday. LA Times article
CalPERS president re-elected, Jerry Brown reappoints fund board member — CalPERS’ Board of Administration has re-elected its president to an 11th term, while Gov. Jerry Brown has reappointed a Sacramento-area official to the 13-member panel who advocates restricting pay that counts toward pension payouts. Capitol Alert
Historic preservation passions may be cooling but the desire remains – It’s been more than nine months since the stucco facade was stripped from the old Security Trust Bank building in downtown Bakersfield. The work project not only uncovered an architectural gem, it rekindled local interest in the preservation of historic buildings citywide. Bakersfield Californian article
See the Sacramento region’s highest-paid local government officials — Take a look at the top paid city and county officials, as shown by figures recently released by the California State Controller’s Office, and you will find an interesting pattern. The people who are at the top of each government’s organization chart are not necessarily the highest paid. Sacramento Bee article
Dodge Ridge ski resort closes over lack of snow — The Dodge Ridge ski resort east of Sonora shut down its lifts Tuesday because of the abysmal lack of snow in the high Sierra. The 862-acre mountain that rises to 8,200 feet — a relatively small site by California standards — was the latest in two days to ground operations as January temperatures climb to near-record highs and weeks pass without wet weather. San Francisco Chronicle article; Modesto Bee article
Pasadena fires two city executives in $6-million embezzlement case — Pasadena officials fired two department heads on Tuesday in the wake of a $6.4-million embezzlement scheme involving a public works employee. LA Times article
2024 Boston Olympic bid could be in jeopardy with voter referendum — Boston Mayor Martin Walsh said Tuesday that he would not oppose a public vote on the city’s 2024 Olympic bid, a referendum that could cost the city its bid status. LA Times article
Agriculture/Water/Drought
Vidak introduces bill to streamline water bond projects – Senator Andy Vidak (R-Hanford) has introduced a bill that would streamline the environmental review process for water projects funded by the 2014 water bond. The Business Journal article
A dry start to a new year – No rain or snowfall has been reported in the Valley and computer weather models indicate only a slight chance of rain by Jan. 27 and 28. Visalia Times-Delta article
Mark Grossi: Looking at a place where San Joaquin River died in 1960s — In the chilly January fog, Bee photographer John Walker and I last week stood at a spot where the San Joaquin River died in the 1960s — the Sand Slough Control Structure in Merced County. Fresno Bee article
Farmers see how ‘deep ripping,’ compost boost soil – About 40 farmers Tuesday got a message from the underground: Take care of the soil as far down as the roots reach. They gathered at a farm just south of Turlock to see how “deep ripping” can improve the soil structure and how compost can help it retain water and nutrients. Modesto Bee article
High bird flu risk for chickens, other poultry — Whether you raise chickens in your backyard or have a commercial poultry operation, UC Davis officials are warning they may be at risk from contact with wild birds. That’s because those wild birds may be carrying highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza — or “bird flu.” Visalia Times-Delta article
Criminal Justice/Prisons
Fresno police start body camera program to build ‘trust’ – Fifty Fresno police officers will be equipped with body cameras starting Tuesday, with the department rolling out more cameras in the months ahead, Chief Jerry Dyer said. Fresno Bee article
Stockton police fired more than 600 rounds at SUV, attorney says – The city of Stockton has refused to accept responsibility for its police officers, who allegedly fired more than 600 rounds at armed bank robbery suspects inside a disabled SUV and hit a hostage 10 times, killing her, an attorney for the woman’s family said. LA Times article
Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux promotes two to key positions — Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux has appointed Capt. Robin Skiles to undersheriff and Capt. Greg Wright to assistant sheriff. The positions are considered equal, but the undersheriff would serve as acting sheriff if Boudreaux were absent. Fresno Bee article;Visalia Times-Delta article
Brown appointees to Supreme Court renew hope in death penalty cases — On the day justices Mariano-Florentino Cuellar and Leondra R. Kruger were sworn in this month, the California Supreme Court issued a 4-3 ruling leaving in place a death sentence for a man with a long criminal record. With Gov. Jerry Brown’s newest appointees now on the court, the death row inmate plans to ask the justices to reconsider. If both new justices join the dissenters, the ruling could be overturned before becoming final. LA Times article
Education
Joel Fox: A committee of two — Here’s a state committee that might actually produce recommendations that would bring change. The fact that Governor Jerry Brown and University of California president Janet Napolitano will form a Committee of Two to take a look at the costs that drive the University of California system is an excellent idea. Here you have two leaders who are accountable for the results of the committee’s work. Californians should expect that recommendations coming from the commission would see some action. Fox in Fox & Hounds
Joe Mathews: The University of California vs. Hollywood — We are at the point in the UC vs. Jerry Brown budget movie when both sides have drawn their arms and made their threats. But no one has fired. Mathews in Fox & Hounds
State chancellor’s office recommends Bakersfield College offer four-year degree – Bakersfield College is on the cusp of becoming one of the first 15 community colleges in California to offer a bachelor’s degree — in industrial automation — as part of a temporary, pilot program. Bakersfield Californian article
Modesto Junior College among 15 community colleges to pilot 4-year degrees – Modesto Junior College will be among the first community colleges in the state to offer a four-year degree, expanding its respiratory care program to offer a bachelor’s of science degree. Modesto Bee article
Modesto City Schools moves ahead with campus security team – Modesto City Schools will move ahead with forming an eight-member security team by next fall to patrol its high schools and see to it junior high students get home safely. Modesto Bee article
News video: Fresno State President Joseph Castro met with The Fresno Bee’s editorial board Tuesday – Video of the meeting between Fresno State President Joseph Castro and The Fresno Bee’s editorial board. Fresno Bee video
Many school districts in state don’t comply with teacher evaluation law – The review of 26 school districts serving more than 1.2 million students found that only Clovis Unified near Fresno and Sweetwater Union High School District in Chula Vista fully complied with the law. LA Times article
Dan Walters: Big changes buffeting our schools – These are yeasty times for California’s public education system and its 6 million youngsters. Walters column in Sacramento Bee
Report: California school funding plans are too complex – A review of California’s new school funding formula released Tuesday found its goals and performance metrics are so complex that none of the districts studied met all the requirements. AP article; San Francisco Chronicle article
Kings suspension, expulsion rates see improvement — Kings County saw a reduction in expulsions and suspensions across the board last school year, according to new data from the California Department of Education. Hanford Sentinel article
State of the Union: Students applaud plan for free community colleges – While the U.S. is far from what Hernandez considers ideal, President Barack Obama in Tuesday’s State of the Union address did highlight a new plan to make community college free across America. Depending on your age, that might not sound like such a radical concept. California colleges, including Delta, were free until 1984. Stockton Record article
Report says LCAPs need tighter focus – Calling the new state-mandated local accountability plans “a daunting undertaking,” the Legislative Analyst’s Office called on the Legislature to allow school districts to write more focused annual plans for achievement. EdSource article
After long dry spell, new funding looms for adult education – Adult education may get its first funding increase in the state budget after facing savage cuts during the years of recession and being forced to shutter scores of schools. Capitol Weekly article
Valley Edition: Hannah Furfaro talks Valley substitute teacher shortage — Across the San Joaquin valley some school districts are facing a new problem. It has to do with keeping substitute teachers in the classroom.Hannah Furfaro, an education reporter for the Fresno Bee, who reported on the issue earlier this month joined Valley Edition host Joe Moore for a conversation on her reporting. KVPR report
Manteca Unified rolls out digital learning – As the first group of students began receiving their tablet-style laptop devices Tuesday as part of Manteca Unified’s ambitious plan to bring every one of the district’s 23,000 students into the digital age, officials found it hard to put into words just how much the new learning tool meant to those who were getting them. Stockton Record article
Sacramento City Unified district, teachers remain at odds over health benefits — A three-day hearing is scheduled to start April 6 to determine if the Sacramento City Unified School District violated state law by unilaterally changing teachers’ health benefit options. Sacramento Bee article
UC Merced researchers map melanoma drivers in new study — New research at UC Merced is taking a closer look at melanoma and its genetic makeup in hopes of improving diagnosis and treatment. Merced Sun-Star article
Energy/Environment
Mary Nichols, California’s environmental ‘rock star,’ on Valley Edition — She’s the chair of the California Air Resources Board, and if it has something to do with air quality or climate change in the state, she probably has something to say about it. Nichols joined us on Valley Edition to talk about governor Jerry Brown’s new goals to reduce CO2 emissions even further, the roll out of cap and trade regulations for gas and diesel fuel and using cap and trade funds to pay for high speed rail. We also talked about the San Joaquin Valley’s air quality problems and future efforts to regulate methane emissions from industry and agriculture. KVPR report
Kern oil producer partners on field wastewater treatment project — A local demonstration project announced Tuesday would treat up to 136,500 gallons per day of oil field wastewater for reuse in agriculture and steam-based well stimulation. Bakersfield Californian article
Andrea Tuttle: Protecting California’s natural lands is key to combating climate change – The former director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection writes, “The lands we invest in now, to grow and capture carbon, not only deliver immediate climate benefits, but also help bridge the gap while new technology comes online.” Tuttle op-ed in Sacramento Bee
Health/Human Services
Governor’s decision to allocate millions to hepatitis C drugs is good news for Fresno-area patients – A Fresno doctor who specializes in treatment of the liver disease says a decision by Gov. Jerry Brown to set aside $300 million in his proposed state budget for the expensive drugs won’t stretch far but is a good start in helping patients have access to life-saving treatment. Fresno Bee article
Sutter seeks extended transition period with Blue Shield – Sutter Health has suggested giving Blue Shield of California members continued access to their Sutter doctors throughout 2015 by extending a transition period while contract negotiations continue. Modesto Bee article; San Francisco Chronicle article
Few heed restaurant calorie postings, but numbers are growing – Two years after the calorie content of menu items first started appearing on the menus of Seattle chain restaurants, just 1 in 4 customers who frequented those establishments said they used that nutritional information to guide their consumption choices, a new study finds. LA Times article
New privacy concerns over government’s health care website — The government’s health insurance website is quietly passing along consumers’ personal data to outside websites, just as President Obama is calling for stronger cybersecurity protections. AP article
Several Disneyland workers diagnosed with measles — Several employees at Disneyland have been diagnosed with measles, health officials confirmed Tuesday, as the total number of measles cases in the California-centered outbreak rose to 53. LA Times article
In measles battle, Orange County bars two dozen students lacking proof of shots — Struggling to contain a growing measles outbreak that started at Disneyland a month ago, Orange County health officials ordered about two dozen high school students without proof of immunization to stay away from campus. LA Times article
Atwater Medical Group loses patients due to closing of local HMO network — The closing of a local HMO network has left about 200 Atwater Medical Group patients with new doctors and some unanswered questions. Merced Sun-Star article
Transportation
Sacramento council asked to correct streetcar funding error – A vote by downtown property owners on whether to help finance a $150 million streetcar project has been delayed a week to allow the city to correct a mistake in the documents, city officials said. Sacramento Bee article
San Francisco offers free Muni rides to some seniors and disabled persons — Low- and moderate-income seniors and disabled persons are next in line for free rides on Muni. Beginning in March, those groups will join disadvantaged youths in being able to legally climb aboard Muni without paying a fare. The Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors approved the free pass program Tuesday. It is expected to cost $4.5 million a year. San Francisco Chronicle article
Other Areas
Stockton Record: Claims against city expected – One claim has been filed against the city of Stockton and another will be forthcoming in the aftermath of July’s Bank of the West bank robbery, hostage taking and shootout with police. It was expected and is part of a process. Stockton Record editorial
George Hostetter: Public safety, video were front and center at City Hall – Ten thoughts on a busy day spent covering Fresno City Hall. Hostetter in Fresno Bee
Slain girl’s mom remembers a happy-go-lucky child – Stacey Gonzales remembers her daughter, Janessa Ramirez, as a happy child who lived for the moment. Janessa, 9, died Sunday night when she was hit by a stray bullet in what appears to have been a gang dispute. Authorities announced Tuesday that a reward for the shooter’s arrest has been increased to $22,500. Fresno Bee article
Lois Henry: Got a political agenda? At least be honest about it – Sometimes I don’t know what to make of my media brethren. They approach the oil industry with a great deal of skepticism and scrutiny. That’s exactly as it should be. Meanwhile, however, environmental groups are given a pass. Even when they spread misinformation and outright lies. (More on that in a minute.) Henry column in Bakersfield Californian
Kern fair board to critics: We are going to listen – The pledge came at the end of a two-hour meeting, but that’s nothing considering how long critics of the Kern County Fair board have been waiting to hear it: “We are going to listen to you.” Bakersfield Californian article
Sacramento homeless advocates fight camping ban – More than five years after setting up tents on a private lot in downtown Sacramento to challenge the city’s prohibition on camping, homeless people finally got their day in court Tuesday. Sacramento Bee article
Atwater city officials want to hear from residents – Atwater officials want to hear from city residents during a town hall meeting Wednesday night – and no topic is off limits. Merced Sun-Star article
LA County supervisors OK creation of open-data website – The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors took a large step Tuesday toward joining the growing “open data” movement of making government statistics readily available to anyone with a computer and Internet connection. LA Times article
LA council votes to ban alcohol beverage ads on most city property — Los Angeles lawmakers voted Tuesday to ban alcoholic beverage advertising on city property, a move aimed at curbing alcohol abuse and underage drinking. LA Times article
LA council might change cat limit — If you ever felt that owning three cats was not enough, a Los Angeles City Council committee could soon take a step toward giving you license to have more of the furry little scamps. But the goal of the proposed rule change is not to encourage cat hoarding, but to save felines. LA Times article
Haggard revisits boyhood home — He couldn’t wait to leave it when he was a wild, restless boy more than half a century ago, but you’d never know it by the wistful look on Merle Haggard’s face Tuesday, when he returned to the house of memories built by his father in Oildale in 1935. Bakersfield Californian article
Valley Editorial Roundup
Bakersfield Californian – Congress, despite its knee-jerk inclination to reject his every utterance, needs to give Obama’s tax law proposals thoughtful consideration; Saint Serra? The question is complicated.
Fresno Bee – Wealth disparity is an issue that political leaders from both parties must confront. Certainly, the wealthiest among us can afford to pay a little more so people who didn’t hit life’s lottery can better themselves, or at least get a higher education without going tens of thousands of dollars into debt.
Merced Sun-Star – We’ll give President Obama a B. Not for the speech, he’s a fine speaker. The B reflects the year we’ve had. Some good, some bad, but overall we’removing in the right direction. Finally.
Modesto Bee – We’ll give President Obama a B. Not for the speech, he’s a fine speaker. The B reflects the year we’ve had. Some good, some bad, but overall we’re moving in the right direction. Finally.
Sacramento Bee – Wealth disparity is an issue that political leaders from both parties must confront. Certainly, the wealthiest among us can afford to pay a little more so people who didn’t hit life’s lottery can better themselves, or at least get a higher education without going tens of thousands of dollars into debt; Give dying people a compassionate way out.
Stockton Record – One claim has been filed against the city of Stockton and another will be forthcoming in the aftermath of July’s Bank of the West bank robbery, hostage taking and shootout with police. It was expected and is part of a process; Dawn Holt shows courage in her effort to honor her sister.