Employ an Felon, Get a Tax Break:  San Francisco would join Philadelphia as a city providing a tax break to private businesses who hire felons under a proposal introduced by County Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi.  The objective is to lower a company's payroll tax burden by up to $10,000 for each felon hired.  Supporters believe that the incentive will encourage employers to hire some of the thousands of felons who will be diverted from state prison under Governor Jerry Brown's inmate realignment program, which began this month.  A similar incentive was enacted in Philadelphia in 2007, but the accompanying red tape resulted in no business choosing to participate until the process was streamlined last year.  About a dozen companies have signed up since then.  Rachel Gordon of the SF Chronicle has the story.

Murder Solved After 34 Years:  A DNA match has helped Ithica police solved the 1977 murder of 75-year-old Ruth VanHouten.  The Ithica Journal reports that 63-year-old David Grimes, has been identified as the man who broke into VanHouten's home and smothered her to death with a pillow.  Grimes has at least four prior convictions for residential burglary, robbery and assault, and is currently in prison serving a 50 year sentence.   

Florida Clerk Shoots Robber:  A 22-year-old woman, who managed her grandfather's Naples, Florida convenience store, shot and fatally injured a robber on Tuesday.  An AP story by Mitch Stacy reports that after going behind the counter and attempting to open the cash register at Del's 24 Hour Food Store, Daniel Hernandez picked up a stroller carrying Elizabeth Easterly's 1-year-old daughter and headed for the door.  Easterly grabbed a gun, jumped over the counter and shot Hernandez in the knee.  Hernandez died later from the wound.