SAN FRANCISCO NUDISTS SUE TO BLOCK PROPOSED BAN: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A group of San Francisco residents is suing the city to block a proposed ban on public nudity.

A lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal court in San Francisco claims an ordinance that city officials are considering would violate the civil rights of people who want to bare their bodies for personal or political reasons.

The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote on the measure next week. It would prohibit nakedness on city streets, sidewalks and plazas at all times except during permitted fairs and parades, such as the city's annual gay pride event.

Lawyer Christina DiEduardo filed the case as a dozen or so of her clients stood outside the courthouse in varying states of undress.

DiEduardo says the ban is too broad and would inhibit the free speech of nudists who can't afford a permit.

OAKLAND AGREES TO PAY $4.6M IN STRIP SEARCH CASE: OAKLAND  (AP) — Oakland officials have agreed to a $4.6 million settlement with dozens of men who claimed they were illegally strip searched by the city's police.

The City Council approved the deal in closed session on Tuesday night.

It stems from allegations that men had their pants pulled down on city streets from 2002 to 2009. The allegations led to a series of lawsuits.

The Chronicle reports that the settlement will be distributed among 39 men.

Two other men who also claimed they were strip searched by Oakland police were awarded more than $200,000 in damages last year in their federal civil rights lawsuit against the city.

FIRE LEADS TO EVACUATIONS AT SF CITY HALL: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Parts of San Francisco City Hall remained without power on Wednesday morning after a small electrical fire the previous night.

The fire broke out around 9:30 p.m. in an electrical vault and sent smoke into the building's main rotunda. Hundreds of people at a reception there were evacuated.

Christine Falvey, a spokeswoman for the mayor, said automatic sprinklers in the vault were activated. The fire was put out quickly, and the building suffered only minor damage.

City Hall was open for business as usual on Wednesday despite the power outages.

It's not clear what caused the blaze.

KIDNAP ATTEMPT CHARGES AGAINST SUSPECTED KILLER: SAN JOSE . (AP) — The man charged with killing a 15-year-old Northern California girl has now been charged with trying to kidnap three women during a string of earlier carjackings.

Prosecutors earlier charged 21-year-old Antolin Garcia Torres with murder in the disappearance of Morgan Hill teenager Sierra LaMar. She went missing in March and her body was never found.

The girl's DNA was found in Torres' car.

He still hasn't entered a plea. Arraignment is set for Dec. 10.

The San Jose Mercury News reports Wednesday that three attempted kidnappings dating back to 2009 have now been filed against Torres.

The victims include an 18-year-old from Gilroy, a 46-year-old from San Martin and a 36-year-old from Morgan Hill.

JAIL NURSES ARRESTED FOR STEALING INMATE DRUGS: SAN JOSE  (AP) — Investigators say two nurses at a California jail have been arrested for stealing prescription drugs intended for the medical care of inmates.

The San Jose Mercury News says 50-year-old Elmer Alegado and 54-year-old Rodolfo Idian were working at the Santa Clara County Jail when the drugs were pilfered.

An investigation began late last month because narcotics were missing from jail's prescription stockpiles.

The nurses were booked and released.

FISHERMEN, PROCESSORS REACH PRICE DEAL ON CRAB: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The beginning of the commercial crab season along a stretch of the Central and Northern California coast is set to get underway after fishermen and processors reached an agreement on the price of crab.

Fishermen and processors have agreed that fishermen will get $3 a pound this season for Dungeness crab.

The deal comes after a stalemate last year over the price delayed the commercial season until after Thanksgiving.

The newspaper says with fishermen going out Wednesday morning to set their crab pots, some crab could be in stores as early as Saturday.

The season opens this week for an area along the California coast from Morro Bay to the Gualala River near Point Arena.

The opening of the coast north of Point Arena, through Oregon and Washington, has been delayed by at least two weeks.