Woodford out

The Chronicle has the story about how Jeanne Woodford, the acting secretary of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Department of Corrections, has quit after two months on the job. But two sources familiar with the prison system who asked not to be named for fear of being ostracized by the administration said Woodford is quitting in part because the governor's office had indicated to her that she would not get the top job permanently. She was named acting secretary after Hickman resigned. Woodford had also clashed with the state's prison guards union and landed in hot water with U.S. District Court Judge Thelton Henderson almost immediately after taking over. Henderson wrote a letter to Woodford in March saying he was "deeply disappointed" in her after she issued a memo listing her priorities that did not include court-ordered changes. Woodford did not return a phone call for comment left at her home. It was not clear Wednesday night when her retirement would become effective.