Today’s News: Calderon probe targeting water agency; Miramonte settlement is rejected; Obama in California

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Calderon probe. The FBI investigation into State Sen. Ron Calderon is focused on a San Gabriel Valley water district that uses his brother – former Assemblyman Tom Calderon – as a consultant, according to two people who say they’ve been interviewed by federal agents.

The FBI hasn’t disclosed any details of the investigation and Calderon isn’t talking. The State Senator from the powerful political clan missed a committee meeting in Sacramento yesterday. He hasn’t been seen at his local offices or at his Montebello home since FBI agents raided two of his Capitol offices Tuesday.

One of the people interviewed by the FBI is the owner of a water conservation company that lost out on a bid for a contract with the city of Maywood, which is part of the Central Basin Water District. The contract went to a company for which Tom Calderon serves on the board.

Meanwhile, an elected official who declined to be named says he was interviewed by the FBI about legislation introduced by Ron Calderon on behalf of the Central Basin District.

Calderon’s attorney denies his client did anything wrong and calls the investigation a “witch hunt.” Sacramento Bee, Which Way, L.A.?

No vote. The California Science Center’s board of directors has postponed a decision on a proposed lease that would give USC control of the L.A. Memorial Coliseum and the Sports Arena, along with some parking lots. The university would use the lots about 25 days a year. That’s sparked an outcry from some museum supporters and South L.A. politicians. They say the lease would cost the Science Center and the California African American Museum money and dramatically limit parking on event days. L.A. Times

Miramonte negotiations.
The L.A. Unified School District has offered $17 million to settle dozens of claims by alleged victims of a former teacher charged with committing lewd acts on children. That would breakdown to about $425,000 for each student. But lawyers for the children and their families say they’ll reject the offer. It’s lower than one made in March to settle 58 other claims. In those cases, the district agreed to pay about $470,000 per student. The claims involve former Miramonte Elementary School teacher Mark Berndt, who’s pleaded not guilty. L.A. Daily News

Obama agenda. President Obama is heading to California. He’ll be in San Jose tonight, headlining a pair of fundraisers for Democratic Senate candidates. Tomorrow, it’s on to L.A., where he’ll be the star attraction at lunchtime fundraiser in Santa Monica. Then he’ll go on to Rancho Mirage for two days of talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands. The Hill.

Budget fight. A major California union says “the fight is on” after Governor Jerry Brown rejected a proposal to give state workers pay raises as part of contract talks. The Service Employees International Union bused thousands of its members from around the state to a rally in Sacramento yesterday. The union – which helped the governor pass a tax increase last year – is now blasting Brown for insisting on a “cost-neutral” contract. The governor has said California should use its extra revenue to build a reserve and pay down debt. Fresno Bee

Dodgers disclosure. A judge has ruled that details of the Dodgers’ financial agreement with former owner Frank McCourt must be made public, and soon. Dodgers’ owner Guggenhiem Management had argued that release of the summary could harm its ability to lure another sports team – perhaps a football team – to Chavez Ravine. They won’t appeal. Attorneys for McCourt’s former wife, Jamie, say the financial summary shows the deal for the team was worth far more than $2.1 billion dollars, the announced sale price.  Jamie McCourt is suing her ex-husband for low-balling her in their divorce settlement. She received $131 million. L.A. Times