Connecting the Dots: top news stories for Tuesday, March 2

After about 1,000 parents, teachers, administrators and politicians gathered to discuss San Francisco Unified School District's projected $113 million deficit, President Barack Obama weighed in on education issues Monday, saying he favors federal rewards for local school districts that fire under-performing teachers and close failing schools, saying educators needed to be held accountable when they neglected to fix chronically troubled classrooms and curb the student dropout rate...

In San Francisco, controversy has erupted over the scheduled Friday deportation of an Australian woman and her son after the boy allegedly mugged another student and stole 46 cents. Per city policy, the teenager was referred to immigration authorities under a contentious city policy...

Another school-related issue concerns what kids eat. A recent study has found chips and sweets make up 27% of their average daily calories, suggesting that such treats have become more integral to kids' routines...

Perhaps its because eating unprocessed food just isn’t hip anymore. According to a 2007 U.S. Department of Agriculture census, the most recent figures available, one in four farmers is 65 or older, a 22 percent increase over 2002 figures. The percentage younger than 45 dropped 14 percent during the same period to comprise just 22 percent of American farmers...

Whether we live in rural or urban areas, breathing dirty air has become a regular part of many Californians’ lives. California's dirty air led to nearly $200 million in hospital spending over a three-year period – including $9 million in Sacramento County – because of asthma, pneumonia and other pollution-triggered ailments, according to a study released today...

Another study released today, by the Field Poll, shows half of California voters believe the state should close its $19.9 billion deficit mostly or entirely through spending cuts rather than tax increases...

And yet another study shows the economic downturn has prompted 20 states to make cost-cutting public pension reforms during the last two years — lower benefits for new hires, extended retirement ages and bigger payments from workers. California is not among them...

But California is among the states struggling to provide unemployment payments for the jobless.  The recent spike in claims has drawn attention to the Employment Development Department’s shortcomings...

In other jobs news, local unionized service workers repudiated SEIU leadership by voting overwhelmingly for a reform slate of new leaders...

And plenty of jobs will be created if a big casino gets built in Richmond, but the concept has riled many residents, whose fire has been fueled by mailers and a TV ad opposing construction of the American Indian casino on Point Molate.

Our Connecting the Dots blog brings the day's news together.