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Bay Area briefs
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PG&E wants to offset fine for pipeline blast

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Pacific Gas & Electric Co. wants California regulators to offset the fines the utility may face for the San Bruno pipeline explosion by the amount of money the company already has spent testing its lines.

PG&E Senior Vice President Tom Bottorff told the California Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday that the company expects to be fined at least $200 million for the September 2010 blast, which killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports Bottorff asked regulators to give PG&E credit for $221 million in shareholder funds it spent last year on pipeline tests and other changes prompted by the blast.

An administrative law judge ultimately will decide what percentage of the company's natural gas pipeline upgrades will be paid by customers and shareholders.

Occupy Oakland protesters ordered to stand trial

OAKLAND  (AP) — A judge has ordered three Occupy Oakland protesters to stand trial on robbery and hate crime charges.

Alameda County Judge Paul Delucchi issued the order against 32-year-old Michael Davis, 23-year-old Nneka Crawford and 25-year-old Randolph Wilkins at the conclusion of a preliminary hearing on Tuesday.

The three are accused of involvement in a confrontation with 42-year-old Kelly Stowers at a Feb. 22 rally during which authorities say Crawford yelled derogatory remarks about Stowers's perceived sexual orientation and Davis robbed her.

The defense says Stowers used racial slurs and insulted and punched Davis.

Jury awards Menlo Park woman $22M in medical suit

MENLO PARK (AP) — A jury has awarded a Menlo Park woman $22 million in damages in her medical malpractice lawsuit against the Palo Alto Medical Foundation.

Forty-eight-year-old Robyn Frankel was paralyzed from her neck down after undergoing a procedure several years ago to check the blood flow in a vein in her brain.

Frankel had gone in to the medical foundation seeking treatment for migraines, and the procedure was unnecessary.

Burlingame High student charged in school threat

BURLINGAME (AP) — A Burlingame high school student is facing charges after authorities say she used a classmate's e-mail account to send a bomb threat to the school.

Eighteen-year-old Christine Nicole Azzolino was arraigned on Tuesday on one misdemeanor count of making a false bomb threat in connection with the e-mail to Burlingame High School staff. She did not appear in court, but was represented by her attorney.

The Feb. 10 e-mail warned that a gun and bomb attack was imminent and forced the school's evacuation. According to authorities, Azzolino has acknowledged making the threat although they have not said what prompted it.

SF supes get revised plan for America's Cup

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A revised plan for the America's Cup would have the Port of San Francisco spend up to $8 million to refurbish Piers 30 through 32.

The plan was submitted to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. It comes after the race's organizers this month backed out of a proposal that would have had them spend more than $100 million in infrastructure upgrades, including $60 million on Piers 30 through 32. The investment by the America's Cup Event Authority was to be in exchange for development rights and long-term leases.