Connecting the dots: top news stories for Wednesday, June 9

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California primaries heat up with the season…

Let the showdown begin! Former eBay CEO and triumphant Republican candidate Meg Whitman will be facing off with Democrat Jerry Brown for the title of California governor this fall…

Meanwhile, Senator Barbara Boxer is being challenged by another tech giant, former Hewlett-Packard CEO and Republican darling Carly Fiorina…

San Francisco’s own mayor Gavin Newsom beat out Los Angeles’s Janice Hahn for the privilege of battling Republican Abel Maldonado for Lieutenant Governor, and Newsom’s compadre Kamala Harris will be contending with Steve Cooley for state attorney general…

California’s political parties have picked their primary candidates for the last time—at least for a while. State voters approved Proposition 14, a “top two” primary system a la Washington state…

Meg Whitman spent more than $80 million on her campaign, but PG&E came pretty close with a $46 million drive to pass Proposition 16. Money couldn’t buy PG&E love, though—California voters rejected the power company’s power play and voted down the prop…

PG&E isn’t the only one feeling rejected. San Francisco sports fans are starting to panic after Santa Clara voters approved a brand new stadium to lure the 49ers…

In other news…

Some charter schools are going virtual, and not all taxpayers are happy about it. One online charter school in San Mateo receives more money per student than Daly City, and half of that money goes to a private corporation instead of teachers, janitors, coaches and staff. Moreover, the company, K12 Incorporated, reports that its students test only at “near state averages”…

Charter schools seem to have one powerful and ardent supporter, though--President Obama. However, many educators don’t agree with the president. This past week, the California Assembly put a cap on the number of charter schools that could operate in the state. Still, California’s education system is hurting for that $700 million Race to the Top money from Washington…

Parents in Cupertino have taken matters into their own hands. The yet-to-be-named group raised more than $2.5 million in two months to save 100 teachers’ jobs and small classroom sizes. They made it clear that they won’t be repeating their heroic feat next year, though…

Other states might be jealous of the comparatively affordable University of California system. However, a new report shows that living expenses for students in the Golden State can more than triple the cost of tuition…

Want to be a US citizen? Well, it’s about to get more expensive--$75 more expensive, to be exact. Federal immigration officials are set to announce today an increase in application fees from $1,010 to $1,085…

Chances are you could have done a lot with that extra $75, but last year you probably wouldn’t have donated it. Philanthropy across the country fell for the second year in a row to about $304 billion…

Gavin Newsom is reveling in his primary election win, but he took a loss on the home front. San Francisco’s supervisors shot down his proposed Sit/Lie ordinance 8-3…

The mayor does have one thing he can pride himself on, though—he’s the leader of the “smartest city in the country.” Take that, New York City!

Connecting the dots brings the day's news together.