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News

Looting ensues after frat party overflows

By William Inman Daily Planet Staff
Tuesday October 17, 2000

Some 1,200 revelers from an overcrowded fraternity party on campus spilled onto Telegraph Avenue early Sunday morning, some of them smashing windows, looting shops and robbing pedestrians, police said.  

Four people were arrested for possession of stolen property, all of whom are juveniles. One of the arrested teens was from San Pablo, while the three others were from Oakland, said Lt. Russell Lopes of the Berkeley Police. 

A well-advertised post-game party hosted by the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity at the university’s Pauley Ballroom was shut down by UC Berkeley Police after an estimated 600 people poured inside, leaving hundreds more outside in wait, Lopes said. 

When someone inside the ballroom pulled the fire alarm, the partygoers stormed outside and flooded Sproul Plaza. 

“There was an estimated 1,200 people outside the ballroom at about 12:30 p.m.,” Lopes said. “Fights broke out and people were forced on the sidewalks.” 

Captain Bill Cooper of the UC Berkeley Police said that the fraternity members throwing the party were trying to keep things calm, and were attempting to only let in those who were students or invited guests. 

“They were equally surprised,” he said. “There was a large group that arrived for the party that they hadn’t anticipated, and we hadn’t anticipated.” 

No one answered the phone at the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity house on Monday. 

Cooper said that the UC police assigned one sergeant, two officers and two community service officers to the party. 

“There was a normal amount of planning, and we anticipated a normal event,” he said. 

Cooper said that a patrol of about 12 UC police officers were held over after their regular shifts and arrived at the scene. 

“We were going to slowly let them disperse,” he said. 

Lopes said that about 9 p.m., two Berkeley police bicycle officers noticed a large crowd gathering and alerted the duty officers. About midnight, he said, a patrol commander and a sergeant happened upon the plaza filled with people and began to observe the scene.  

“And it just went to hell in front of them,” he said. 

Someone fired a gun and panicked the crowd, which then ran in various directions, he said.  

Lopes said when the crowd hit Telegraph Avenue, chaos ensued. People were jumping on top of cars, and robbing people in their cars, windows of businesses were bashed out and a looting spree erupted, he said. 

Around two dozen city officers, along with the 17 UC police officers, finally stopped the crowd from moving down Telegraph beyond Durant Avenue. 

“We just tried to keep them in one area,” Lopes said. 

Both Lopes and Cooper said that it all happened very quickly. 

Lopes said that if they would have assembled all of the officers on duty at Sproul when the bicycle police noticed the growing mass, “it probably wouldn’t have made any difference.” 

Lopes explained that on a given Saturday night, there are only about 18 or 20 police on duty in the entire city. 

He said that having five members of the UC force do security for the party was “really inadequate.” 

“But they could have had a dozen people down there and it wouldn’t have made a difference,” he said. 

Both Lopes and Cooper said that the individuals that did the damage were most likely not Berkeley students, or for that matter, were not even from Berkeley. 

“These are the people that come into Berkeley and start trouble,” Lopes said. 

He added that the party was well publicized as a “Cal vs. UCLA after-party,” and that UC police did not inform Berkeley police that the event was happening. The only way the city police knew about the party was by seeing the people in the plaza. 

Lopes said he believed that gang members may have been involved. Most the looters got away, he said, adding that one man was stopped by the Oakland Police at 61st Street and Shattuck Ave. in Oakland with an armload of loot from the Athlete’s Foot. 

He said that the Oakland police weren’t able to take him to jail, nor were the Berkeley police able to come get him, so he wasn’t arrested, but the merchandise was confiscated. 

Lopes said because of the small number of officers available, there were few arrests. 

“We just told them to drop the merchandise, and they did,” he said. 

The four who were arrested were “stupid enough to come back and try to get stuff that they stashed,” he said. 

 

 

 

 


Calendar of Events & Activities

Tuesday October 17, 2000


Tuesday, Oct. 17

 

Is the west Berkeley  

Shellmound a landmark? 

7 p.m.  

City Council Chambers 

2134 MLK Jr. Way, 2nd floor 

Continued and final public hearing on the appeals against landmark designation of the West Berkeley Shellmound. The City Council may possibly make it’s decision at this meeting. 

 

Brunch in the Succah 

10 a.m. 

Congregation Beth Israel 

1630 Bancroft Way 

Rabbi Yocheved Heiligman on Succot, Beyond the Obvious 

Co-sponsored by Berkeley Hadassah, and The Women's Group of Congregation Beth Israel 

527-1207 or e-mail teachme88@yahoo.com. 

 

Landscape Archeology and Space-Age Technologies in Epirus, Greece 

8 p.m.  

370 Dwinelle Hall 

UC Berkeley 

Professor of Archeology, Art History and Classics Dr. James Wiseman presents a slide-illustrated lecture. 

 

Fibromyalgia Support Group 

Noon - 2 p.m.  

Alta Bates Medical Center, Maffly Auditorium 

Herrick Campus 

2001 Dwight Way 

Andrea Albanese, PT presents “Aquatic Therapy for Fibromyalgia” and a rap session.  

Call D.L. Malinousky, 601-0550 

 

Mario Savio Memorial Lecture 

7:30 p.m. 

Pauley Ballroom 

UC Berkeley 

Barbara Ehrenreich and Arlie Hochschild will speak on the theme “Forwards and Backwards - Women, globalization, and the new class structure.” Free. 

Call Heather Cameron, 642-9437 

 

Help Out Some Orangutans 

7 p.m.  

Cafe Milanos 

2522 Bancroft Way 

Come help plan a day of action against Citibank, who allegedly plunders the environment for profit. Join the Rainforest Action Group and Ecopledge in protest.  

 

Crime and Criminal Justice 

Free discussion and social group 

7-9 p.m.  

Berkeley Jewish Community Center, 1414 Walnut Ave. 

527-5332 

 

Is the Sky Falling? 

7 p.m.  

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave. 

Tim Holt, author of “On Higher Ground” will present an array of post-ecotopian choices, one of which is domed cities. What does the future hold for California?  

Call 548-2220 x 233  

 

Holiday Crime Prevention 

A talk with Berkeley Police Department 

11:50 a.m. 

Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst 

644-6107 

 


Wednesday, Oct. 18

 

Traffic Calming Workshop 

7 - 10 p.m. 

St. Clements Church 

2837 Clement Blvd.  

Help to achieve reasonable traffic speeds and volume on local streets.  

 

“Women and Trafficking: Domestic & Global Concerns” 

6 - 9:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

The Berkeley Commission on the Status of Women invites the public to this forum which will include an expert panel discussion, and a movie on Women and trafficking. Free. 

Call 644-6107 for more info.  

 

Human Welfare  

& Community Action Meeting 

7 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center 

2939 Ellis 

 

Commission on Labor Board Meeting 

6 p.m. 

1950 Addison St., Suite 105 

 

Commission on Aging Board Meeting 

1:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Board of Education 

7:30 p.m. 

Old City Hall, 2134 MLK Jr. Way 

 

Citizen’s Humane Commission 

7 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St. 

 


Thursday, Oct. 19

 

 

The Promise and Perils  

of Transgenic Crops 

7:30 - 9 p.m.  

International House, Homeroom 

UC Berkeley 

2299 Piedmont Ave.  

A discussion with Dr. Peggy Lemaux, professor of Plant and Microbiology at UC Berkeley, of the scientific basis for biotechnology, it’s risks and benefits. 

Contact Maribel Guillermo, 642-9460 

 

Candlelight Vigil For  

the Uninsured 

6 p.m.  

Steps of Sproul Hall 

UC Berkeley 

Join the American Medical Student Association, Speakers from various medical organizations will discuss ways to improve our health care system.  

Call Chris Hamerski, 845-1607 

 

Berkeley Metaphysic  

Toastmasters Club 

6:15 - 7:30 p.m. 

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysic come together at Avatar Metaphysical Toastmasters. Meets first and third Thursdays each month. 

Call 869-2547 or 643-7645 

 

Rafael Mariquez Free  

Solo Concert 

7:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Public Library, South Branch 

1901 Russell St. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

This Chilean folksinger and guitarist presents his original settings of selections by Latin American poets. 

Contact: 644-6860; TDD 548-1240 

Vocal Sauce 

Noon 

BART Plaza, Downtown 

Shattuck Ave. at Center St. 

The JazzSchool’s vocal jazz ensemble perform award-winning arrangements by Greg Murai.  

549-2230 

 

CLGS Lavendar Lunch 

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. 

1798 Scenic Ave. 

Kyle Miura, Pacific School of Religion alumnus and Director of the GTUs Pacific and Asian-American Center for Theology and Strategies speaks on being “Queer and Asian.”  

Call 849-8239 

 

Performance Poetica 

7:30 p.m. 

ATA Gallery 

992 Valencia St. 

San Francisco 

Video and verse by Illinois Arts Council/Hemingway Festival poet and filmmaker Rose Virgo, with special guest Judy Irwin. $3  

 

Movie: “Intermezzo” 

with Leslie Howard 

1 p.m. 

Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst 

644-6107 

 

Pain - Ways to Make It Easier 

1 - 2:30 p.m. 

Alta Bates Summit Medical  

Center, Ashby Campus,  

Dining Rooms A & B 

3001 Colby 

Maggie van Staveren, LCSW, CHT and Christine Bartlett, PT, CHT will demonstrate ways to let go of pain due to arthritis, injury and illness. RSVP requested. 

Call 869-6737  

 

Design Review Commission 

7:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Transportation Commission 

7 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Fair Campaign Practices Commission 

7:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

644-6380 


Friday, Oct. 20

 

“The Ballot Issues” 

11:45 a.m. 

Berkeley City Club 

2315 Durant Ave.  

Fran Packard of the League of Women Voters speaks at 12:30 p.m. Luncheon served at 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Luncheon: $11 Call 848-3533 

 

Human Nature 

8:30 p.m. 

New College Cultural Center 

766 Valencia 

San Francisco 

The X-plicit Players present this idyllic nude ritual. Watch or participate: Be led blindfolded through body tunnels, into body streams while sensing psychic/body qualities through touch. Also presented on Oct. 21. $12 admission 

Call 415-848-1985 

— compiled by  

Chason Wainwright 

 

 

 

 

Broken Spirits - Addressing Abuse 

8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. 

Brookins African Methodist Episcopal Church 

2201 73rd Ave. 

Oakland 

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center’s Health Ministry program presents a free workshop on the impact of domestic violence on our community.  

Call for info, 869-6763 

 

Opera: Don Carlos, Part 1, 1 p.m. 

Old and New Poetry with Bob Randolph, 1 p.m. 

Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst 

644-6107 

 


Saturday, Oct. 21

 

A Day on Mt. Tam 

9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. 

Come play and hike in San Francisco’s beloved playground. This outing is part of a series of free fall outings organized by Greenbelt Alliance. 

Call: 415-255-3233 for reservations 

 

AHIMSA Eight annual Conference 

9 a.m. - 5 p.m.  

International House, Great Hall 

UC Berkeley 

2299 Piedmont Ave.  

The AHIMSA is a nonprofit foundation whose goal is to encourage dialogues and public forums which bridge spiritual, scientific and social issues. This years conference is titled “Violence! Scientific and Spiritual Perspectives.”  

Admission is free 

Contact Maribel Guillermo, 642-9460 

 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market Fall Fruit Tastings 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m.  

Center St. at MLK Jr. Way 

Taste a whole farmers’ market’s bounty of fall fruit varieties. 

Free. 

Info: 548-3333 

 

Run Your Own Landscape Business: Part 2 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave. (at Blake) 

Local horticultural consultant and UC Master Gardener Jessie West will teach you how to plant, prune, control weeds, and more. The second of three classes. The last is scheduled for Oct. 28 during the same timeslot. 

$15 general; $10 for members; $5 materials fee 

Call 548-2220 x223 

 

 


Sunday, Oct. 22

 

Run for Peace 

United Nations Association 

10K run and 5K run/walk 

9 a.m. Berkeley Marina 

$20 849-1752 

 

A Taste of the Greenbelt 

1 - 4 p.m. 

Presidio’s Golden Gate Club 

Greenbelt Alliance brings the farm to the city in this celebration of the Bay Area’s agricultural and culinary bounty. Featured are samples from over 40 local restaurants, farmers, wineries, microbreweries. Also featured are live music and local artwork. The event benefits Greenbelt Alliance’s ongoing efforts to protect Bay Area farmlands and open space.  

$45 per person 

1-800-543-GREEN, www.greenbelt.org 

 

An Evening with Alice Walker 

7:30 p.m.  

King Middle School  

1781 Rose St. (at Grant) 

free parking 

Join internationally loved novelist, poet and essayist Alice Walker in celebrating her new book of autobiographical stories, “The Way Forward is With a Broken Heart.” Benefits Berkeley EcoHouse and KPFA Radio, 94.1 FM.  

Tickets: $10 advance, $13 door 

Tickets available at independent bookstores 

More info: 848-6767 x609 

 

From Bahia to Berkeley 

11 a.m.  

Capoeira Arts Cafe 

2026 Addison St. 

A benefit brunch and auction with food, music, dance and culture to bring Brazilian folkloric dance group Nicinha Raizes from Bahia, Brazil to the Bay Area. The group will tour in January 2001.  

428-0698 

 

Take a Trip to the Oakland Ballet 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

This is an outing organized by the Senior Center to see “Glass Slippers.”  

Tickets: $6 each 

Call Maggie or Suzanne, 644-6107 

 

A Buddhist Pilgramage in India 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Pl. 

June Rosenberg brings to life, through slides and lecture, her pilgrimages in India. Free. 

Call 843-6812 

 

University Avenue Indian Business Community 

10 a.m. - Noon 

Kirpal & Neelum Khanna, owners of the Bazaar of India, tell about the steps they took from spice and food retailing to today’s Bazaar, and the nuances and features of the Indian business community on University Avenue. One is a series of walking tours sponsored by the Berkeley Historical Society. 

$10 per person 

Call 848-0181 for reservations 

 


Monday, Oct. 23

 

Berkeley Chinese Community Church Turns 100 

6 p.m. 

Nov. 4 

Silver Dragon Restaurant 

835 Webster St. 

Oakland 

Reservations: $30 per person 

More info: 548-5295 

 

Public Schools Parent Information Night 

7 - 9 p.m.  

Epworth United Methodist Church 

1953 Hopkins St. 

Parents, principals and other administrative staff from 11 elementary schools will speak about their schools. Sponsored by Neighborhood Parents Network.  

Admission: free to members, $5 non-members 

527-6667 

 

Parks & Recreation Board Meeting 

7 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Solid Waste Management Commission 

7 p.m. 

Solid Waste Management Center 

1201 Second St. 

 

The Changes Happening with HMOs 

1 p.m. 

Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst 

644-6107 

 


Tuesday, Oct. 24

 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market Fall Fruit Tastings 

2 p.m. - 7 p.m.  

Derby St. at MLK Jr. Way 

Come taste a bounty of fall fruit varieties for free. 

Info: 548-3333 

 

Blood Pressure 

Alice Meyers 

9:30- 11 :30 a.m. 

Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst 

644-6107 

 


Thursday, Oct. 25

 

International Jewish Video Competition Winners 

7:30 p.m.  

Pacific Film Archive 

2575 Bancroft Way 

Screening of the four winners in the Museum’s seventh annual competition.  

Call 549-6950 

 

Low vision support group 

1:15 p.m. 

Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst 

644-6107 

 

Civic Arts Commission 

6:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Disaster Council 

7 p.m. 

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar 

 

Energy Commission 

5:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St. 

 

Mental Health Commission 

6:30 p.m. 

Mental Health Clinic 

2640 MLK Jr. Way 

 

Planning Commission 

7 p.m.  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Police Review Commission 

7:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 


Thursday, Oct. 26

 

From Morgan to Modern 

Julia Morgan and Hearst Castle:Designing and American Country House 

7:30 p.m. 

The Hillside Club 

2286 Cedar St. 

$10 or $35 for series that continues through November. 

841-2242 

 

East Bay Science & Arts Middle School 

Noon  

BART Plaza, Downtown 

Middle school students perform dances of folk, swing, and Cuban rueda styles. Free.  

Contact Carrie Ridgeway, 549-2230 

 

Proposition Brown Bag 

Noon - 1:30 p.m.  

Institute of Governmental Studies 

109 Moses Hall 

UC Berkeley 

Hear presentations about and discuss the eight propositions on the California ballot.  

Call 642-4608 

 

Tai Chi 

2 p.m. 

Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst 

644-6107 

 


Friday, Oct. 27

 

“Transporation: What’s in Store?” 

11:45 a.m. 

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

Larry Dahms, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Transportation Council speaks at 12:30 p.m. Luncheon is served at 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. 

Luncheon: $11 

More info and reservations: 848-3533 

 

Conversational Yiddish 

1 p.m. 

Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst 

644-6107 

 


Saturday, Oct. 28

 

Pedaling the Green City 

11 a.m. -3:30 p.m.  

Take a leisurely bike ride along the future San Francisco Bay Trail. One in a series of free outings organized by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call: 415-255-3233 for reservations  

 

Wild About Books? 

10:30 a.m. 

Berkeley Central Library 

2121 Allston Way 

Halloween for the little guys with (not so) scary stories, music, and more.  

Call 649-3943  

 

Run Your Own Landscape Business: Part 3 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave. (at Blake) 

Local horticultural consultant and UC Master Gardener Jessie West will teach you how to plant, prune, control weeds, and more. This is the final class in the series. 

$15 general; $10 for members; $5 materials fee 

Call 548-2220 x223 

 


Sunday, Oct. 29

 

“Gateway to Knowledge” 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Pl. 

Barr Rosenberg describes how to master new knowledge and take the power to shape our lives in wise and compassionate ways.  

843-6812 

 

An Evening with The Professor 

5 - 9:30 p.m. 

Mambo Mambo 

1803 Webster St.  

Oakland 

Berkeley resident Geoffrey A. Hirsch, better known as the Tie Guy from the “How Berkeley Can You Be” parade got his start in comedy in 1996. A professor in real life, Hirsch tell the story of how he became a funny guy.  

$5 for show only, $10 for show and dinner 

Call Geoffrey Hirsch at 845-5631 to reserve tickets 

 


Monday, Oct. 30

 

 

Fun with Oragami 

10 a.m. 

Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St. 

644-6107 

 


Tuesday, Oct. 31

 

 

Sing-A-Long 

11 a.m. 

Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St. 

644-6107 

 

 


Wednesday, Nov. 1

 

Kathak Dancing with Pandit Chitresh Das 

7:30 p.m. 

Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 

2640 College Ave.  

The Graduate Theological Union presents a free lecture-demonstration with Pandit Chitresh Das, a master of India’s Kathak dance form. This event is free. 

Call 649-2440 for additional info 

 


Thursday, Nov. 2

 

PASTForward Panel Discussion 

2 p.m. 

UC Berkeley Art Museum 

Bancroft Way (below College) 

In conjunction with the White Oak Dance Project’s performances, a panel discussion with Judson era dance choreographers Yvonne Rainer and Deborah Hay. Free. 

 

From Morgan to Modern 

“Saddling the Site: The Environmental Designs of Wurster, Church and Others” 

7:30 p.m. 

The Hillside Club 

2286 Cedar St. 

$10. 841-2242 

 

Berkeley Metaphysic Toastmasters Club 

6:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysic come together at Avatar Metaphysical Toastmasters. Meets first and third Thursdays each month. 

Call 869-2547 or 643-7645 

 


Friday, Nov. 3

 

 

Taize Worship Service 

7:30-8:30 p.m. 

An hour of quiet reflection and song. First Friday of the month. 

Loper Chapel on Dana Street between Durant and Channing Way. 

848-3696 

 


Saturday, Nov. 4

 

 

Breathtaking Barnabe Peak 

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

Hike through Samuel P. Taylor State Park’s lush forests and climb to the heights of Barnabe Peak, overlooking Point Reyes. One in a series of free fall outings organized by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call: 415-255-3233 for reservations 

 

Wild About Books? 

10:30 a.m. 

Berkeley Central Library 

2121 Allston Way 

Dublin Library’s resident storyteller and featured teller at the 1998 National Storytelling Festival tell kids aged 3 to 7 her favorite tales.  

Call 649-3943  

 


Sunday, Nov. 5

 

Buddhist Psychology 

6 p.m.  

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Pl.  

Buddhist teacher Sylvia Gretchen on “Beyond Therapy and Into the Heart of Buddhist Psychology.” Free. 

Call 843-6812  

 


Monday, Nov. 6

 

Airports vs. the Bay 

7 p.m. 

Albany Community Center 

1249 Marin St.  

Albany 

David Lewis, Executive Director of “Save the Bay” will speak on the airports’ plans to expand into the SF Bay and other challenges to Bay restoration.  

Contact: Friends of Five Creeks, 848-9358 

 


Thursday, Nov. 9

 

The Life and Art of Chiura Obata 

7:30 p.m.  

North Berkeley Public Library 

1170 Alameda (at Hopkins) 

A slide show and lecture presented by Obata’s granddaughter, Kimi Kodani Hill, celebrating Obata’s book, “Topaz Moon: Chiura Obata’s Art of the Internment,” and the retrospective exhibit of Obata’s work to appear this Fall at SFs De Young Museum. 

For details call 644-6850  

 

From Morgan to Modern 

“Bay Area Modern” 

7:30 p.m. 

The Hillside Club 

2286 Cedar St. 

$10. 841-2242 

 

ESL Teacher Job Fair 

7 - 8:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Adult School 

1222 University Ave., Room 7  

ESL program representatives from adult schools in Alameda and Contra Costa counties will provide information about desired qualifications, current job openings, credentialing requirements, and more.  

Call Kay Wade, 644-6130 

 


Saturday, Nov. 11

 

Moonlight on Mt. Diablo 

1 - 10:30 p.m.  

Hike up the Devil’s Mountain by daylight, catch a glorious sunset and hike back by the light of the moon. One in a series of free outing organized by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call: 415-255-3233 for reservations 

 


Sunday, Nov. 12

 

Views, Vines and Veggies 

9:15 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  

Climb Bald Mountain in Sugarloaf State Park and peer down upon the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Then please your palate at the Landmark Winery and visit Oak Hill organic vegetable and flower farm. One in a series of free fall outings organized by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call: 415-255-3233 for reservations 

 

“Time Across Cultures” 

2 - 4 p.m. 

St. Clements Church 

2837 Claremont Ave.  

The annual Roselyn Yellin Memorial lecture with a slide-illustrated panel discussion. Also a tour of the “Telling Time” exhibit at the Judah L. Magnes Museum followed by a reception at the museum, 4 - 5 p.m.  

More info: 549-6950 

 

Buddhism & Compassion 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Psychiatrist and teacher Bobby Jones on “Healing through Compassion.” Free.  

843-6812 

 


Monday, Nov. 13

 

 

An Evening with Barbara Kingsolver 

7:30 p.m. 

King Middle School 

1781 Rose St. 

Barbara Kingsolver’s works include “Animal Dreams,” “High Tide in Tucson,” “The Poisonwood Bible” and “Prodigal Summer” 

free parking $10 in advance, $13 at the door 

Benefits KPFA and Urban Ecology. 

848-6767 

 


Tuesday, Nov. 14

 

Take a Trip to the Steinbeck Museum and 

Mission San Juan Bautista 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

This is an outing organzied by the Senior Center.  

$40 with lunch, $25 without  

Call Maggie or Suzanne, 644-6107 

 


Thursday, Nov. 16

 

Reminiscing in Swingtime 

7:30 p.m.  

North Berkeley Library  

1170 Alameda (at Hopkins) 

George Yoshida, author and jazz drummer, presents a multi-media program recounting the big band experience in the Japanese American internment camps. The presentation will be capped with a set of live jazz by the George Yoshida Quartet. 

Call for more info: 644-6850 

 

Berkeley Metaphysic Toastmasters Club 

6:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysic come together at Avatar Metaphysical Toastmasters. Meets first and third Thursdays each month. 

Call 869-2547 or 643-7645 

 


Saturday, Nov. 18

 

S.F. Stairs and Peaks 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m.  

Begin the day with a visit to the farmer’s market, then meander up the stairways and streets of Telegraph Hill to Coit Tower. Then up Russian Hill, descending to Fisherman’s Wharf for a ride back on the new historic streetcar line. One in a series of free fall outings organized by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call: 415-255-3233 

 

Berkeley Free Folk Festival 

11 a.m. - 1 a.m.  

Ashkenaz  

1317 San Pablo Ave. 

Fourteen hours of free concerts, workshops, jam sessions and to top it off a Saturday night dance. The fifth annual Folk Festival will feature Shay & Michael Black, Spectre Double Negative & the Equal Positive, Larry Hanks, Wake the Dead and many others. Sponsored by Charles Schwab and the City of Berkeley.  

More info or to volunteer: 525-5099 

 


Sunday, Nov. 19

 

Mt. Madonna & Wine  

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Hike through evergreen forests and visit the remains of a 19th century estate, then finish the day with a visit to Kruse Winery. One of many free fall outings organized by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call: (415) 255-3233 for reservations 

 


Tuesday, Nov. 21

 

Fibromyalgia Support Group 

Noon - 2 p.m.  

Alta Bates Medical Center, Maffly Auditorium 

Herrick Campus 

2001 Dwight Way 

Call D.L. Malinousky, 601-0550 

 

Compiled by Chason Wainwright 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Letters to the Editor

Tuesday October 17, 2000

Need to speak to Palestineans right of return 

 

Editor: 

Doesn't Franz Schurmann (Opinion, 10/6/00) know that the Afghan Taliban resembles Pol Pot's Khimer Rouge with every passing attrocity?  

The Taliban regime is denounced by organizations and institutions as diverse as the Muslim Women's League, the Revolutionary Association of Women of Afghanistan, Time Magazine, AP, and Physicians for Human Rights for, amongst other reasons: egregious and violent oppression of women; the lack an independent press; trafficking and promotion of the opium/heroin trade (75% of the world's heroin comes from Afghanistan); and the August, 1998 massacre of 8,000 Hazara in the Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif? 

Doesn't he know that one reason for the outrage by secular and religious Palestinians and Arabs at Ariel Sharon's presence at the Dome of the Rock - holy ground for Christians, Jews and Muslims - is that Sharon was the Israeli Defense Minister during Israel's 1982 occupation of southern-Lebanon and he was responsible for permitting Lebanese right-wing Phalangist execution units to enter two of the camps, Sabra and Shatila, where they murdered between 2-3,000 unarmed civilians? 

Can we have an article by someone with a grasp of the real issues, e.g., the Palestinian's right of return; the role of the Muslim Hamas in the “peace process;” why the people in the U.S. acquiesce in our government sending $5.5 billion per year in financial aid from the U.S. to Israel, which allows Israel to deny Palestinians their democratic rights while supporting illegal Zionist settlements and military murders of unarmed civilians?; and the failure of Israel to honor U.N. Security Council Resolution 242 (to move the boundaries of Israel back to the pre-1967 demarcation lines)? 

 

Robin M. Donald 

Berkeley 

 

More B-TV fans 

 

Both my husband and I are now avid fans of your paper, the Daily Planet. Imagine our delight when you took community information one step further and added the Channel 25 schedule to your paper - you guys are great! 

 

Lessly Wikle, 

Berkeley 

We cannot go back where we came from 

 

Editor: 

The latest crisis in the Mideast brings into clear focus a fundamental paradox in the Zionist worldview: 

Zionist religious ideology speaks of Israel as “the Promised Land”--promised to them by God(!)--thousands of years ago! (A claim of “divine rule”!)  

As an African American concerned for the human rights of all people, I offer an alternative to this worldview. 

Martin Luther King often spoke of “the Dream” of “the Promised Land” for African Americans, as Zionists respectively do for themselves.  

But, King did not speak of African Americans going back to West Africa, our “Motherland,” after almost half a millennium, to find “our land” and dispossess continuously indigenous Africans of theirs.  

He never talked about seizing someone else's land at all! “The Motherland” we were taken from 400 to 500 years ago is, of course, just not for us the same motherland that exists at all anymore: we can not point to “our house,” or “our property”– not even “our village.” 

When King spoke of “the Promised Land,” after all this historical time, he, of course, meant for us to create a country – a land – and a society of human rights, dignity, social justice, equality for all, and a love for all humanity.  

He meant for all of us Americans – and all of us indeed--to create “the Promised Land” starting in our hearts. 

King’s vision of “The Promised Land” was not chauvinistically nationalistic, not long-desired-for real estate, but ultimately a concept of humanity – a place in the heart! This is the idea that modern-day Zionists miss. This is the idea that Zionists could have taken from their tragedies and holocaust, as King took from ours.  

This lack of consciousness is the flaw in “the Dream” of modern-day Zionism’s “Promised Land”: it takes and subjugates the land of others – it is Israeli apartheid. 

The worldview of Zionist ideology arises, I believe, from a particular psychological phenomenon. I believe that Zionists are experiencing, on the level of the Israeli national psyche a well-known victim's psychological identification reaction.  

In this phenomenon, some of those who were once victims of long-term severe abuse and brutality (as European Jews were under Nazism and European anti-Semitism) often go on to abuse and brutalize others.  

This is in the false belief that no one else, in the victim's mind, has ever really suffered what the victims have suffered – a self-priority and a monopoly on “real” pain, and a failure to validate another’s.  

Such victims (here Zionists) think that they could never become brutalizers or oppressors themselves, and that no one else can ever really be brutalized or oppressed by them--no matter what is done at their hands or in their name. 

Thus, in short by this belief, Palestinians can never be victims of Zionists, and Zionists can never be oppressors of Palestinians.  

This represents “a double tragedy”: as Albert Einstein said, “It would be my greatest sadness to see Zionists do to Palestinians some of what Nazis did to Jews.” 

 

Joseph Anderson 

Berkeley 

 

Confidence in Proper Oversight for Measures AA and BB  

Editor:  

A recent letter to the Planet raised questions regarding oversight of school bond and school parcel tax funds in Berkeley.  

Berkeley voters approved a school bond measure in 1992 to address the most critical facility needs of the district. The final years of the 10 year program financed by that bond will yield two of the largest projects, seismic retrofitting of King Middle School and new buildings along Milvia Street at Berkeley High School. These projects have been planned for several years and are now into bids. To finance these projects the funds from the 1992 Measure are all committed. The District's Facilities Construction Plan details the use of 1992 Bond funds. Find a copy on the Schools Districts web site (http://www.berkeley.k12.ca.us/ click on "departments" and then "facilities").  

Measure AA, the Berkeley Schools Bond Measure of 2000, continues the District’s construction program by addressing the pressures on our facilitates from increased enrollment, expansion due to reduced class size programs, escalating construction costs in the Bay Area, and the need to address critical technology, nutrition and safety issues. Measure BB, the Berkeley Schools Facilities Safety and Maintenance act of 2000, will provide restricted funds to properly maintain and extend the life of our buildings.  

The details of Measure AA and BB have been worked out by experienced staff with the direction of superintendent and administration. These plans are subject to oversight by citizen advisory committees. Funds are audited by an outside independent CPA firm annually. Besides these layers of review, expenditures and plans must be approved by the School Board. There is no delegation of this ultimate responsibility. We elect the School Board and they are accountable to us. All Board and Committee meetings are open to the public with public comment at every step of the process!  

If you doubt the need for Measures AA and BB or the adequacy of oversight, examine the list of supporters of the Measures. You will find groups and individuals who have really studied the District's cost structure and facilities needs, including the PTA Council, Berkeley Public Education Foundation, current and former School Board members, Construction and Maintenance Advisory committee leaders, BSEP Planning and Oversight and site committee leaders, Board Budget advisory committee members, business people, realtors, university educators, parents, teachers, staff and principals.  

We can’t expect our children to embrace the importance of education, or our excellent teachers to really believe that we support them, if we send them to cramped, maintenance-starved schools. Goal One for our schools is to promote maximum achievement for every student. But a crucial supporting goal is to provide a positive environment for students and staff. Measure AA and BB allows us to do just that!  

 

Nancy Riddle, CPA  

Inquisitive activist parent  

Volunteer Treasurer for Measures AA and BB  


Arts & Entertainment Calendar

Tuesday October 17, 2000

 

Ebony Museum of Arts 

The museum specializes in the art and history of Africa.  

Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.  

30 Jack London Village, Suite 209. (510) 763-0745. 

 

Habitot Children’s Museum 

Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 

“Back to the Farm.”  

Ongoing 

An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels like an earthworm, look into a mirrored fish pond, don farm animal costumes, ride on a John Deere tractor and more.  

Cost: $4 adults; $6 children age 7 and under; $3 for each additional child age 7 and under.  

Monday and Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Tuesday and Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

647-1111 or www.habitot.org 

 

Judah L. Magnes Museum 

2911 Russell St.  

549-6950 

Free 

Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 

“Telling Time: To Everything There Is A Season” 

Through May 2002.  

An exhibit structured around the seasons of the year and the seasons of life with objects ranging from the sacred and the secular, to the provocative and the whimsical. Highlights include treasures from Jewish ceremonial and folk art, rare books and manuscripts, contemporary and traditional fine art, video, photography and cultural kitsch. The exhibition will expand Nov 5, 2000, to encompass all four seasons and a collection of rare treasures from Jewish, Tibetan, Mexican-American, and other cultures. 

“Second Annual Richard Nagler Competition for Excellence i Jewish Photography” 

Nov. 5 - Feb. 2001. 

Featuring the work of Claudia Nierman, Jason Francisco, Fleming Lunsford, and others.  

 

UC Berkeley Art Museum 

2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley 

Wednesday - Sunday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Open Thursdays til 9 p.m.  

“Hans Hoffmann”  

An exhibit of paintings by Hoffmann which emphasizes two experimental methods the artist employed: the introduction of slabs or rectangles of highly saturated colors and the use of large areas of black paint juxtaposed with intense oranges, greens and yellows. 

Through Jan. 16, 2001: Amazons in the Drawing Room: The Art of Romaine Brooks.  

 

The Asian Galleries  

“Art of the Sung: Court and Monastery ,” open-ended.  

A display of early Chinese works from the permanent collection.  

“Chinese Ceramics and Bronzes: The First 3,000 Years,” open-ended. 

“Works on Extended Loan from Warren King,” open-ended. 

“Three Towers of Han,” open-ended. 

$6 general; $4 seniors and students age 12 to 18; free children age 12 and under; free Thursday, 11 a.m. to noon and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

642-0808. 

 

UC Berkeley Museum of  

Paleontology 

Lobby, Valley Life Sciences Building, UC Berkeley 

“Tyrannosaurus Rex,” ongoing.  

A 20-foot tall, 40-foot long replica of the fearsome dinosaur. The replica is made from casts of bones of the most complete T. Rex skeleton yet excavated. When unearthed in Montana, the bones were all lying in place with only a small piece of the tailbone missing. 

“Pteranodon”  

A suspended skeleton of a flying reptile with a wingspan of 22 to 23 feet. The Pteranodon lived at the same time as the dinosaurs. 

California Fossils Exhibit, ongoing. An exhibit of some of the fossils which have been excavated in California. 

Free. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

642-1821. 

 

UC Berkeley Phoebe Hearst  

Museum of Anthropology 

Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way and College  

Avenue, Berkeley 

“Modern Treasures from Ancient Iran,” through Oct. 29.  

This exhibit explores nomadic and town life in ancient and modern Iran as illustrated in bronze and pottery vessels, and textiles.  

“Approaching a Century of Anthropology: The Phoebe Hearst Museum,” open-ended.  

This new permanent installation will introduce visitors to major topics in the museum’s history, including the role of Phoebe Apperson Hearst as the museum’s patron, as well as the relationship of anthropologists Alfred Kroeber and Robert Lowie to the museum. 

“Ishi and the Invention of Yahi Culture,” ongoing. 

This exhibit documents the culture of the Yahi Indians of California as described and demonstrated from 1911 to 1916 by Ishi, the last surviving member of the tribe. 

$2 general; $1 seniors; $.50 children age 17 and under; free on Thursdays. Wednesday, Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

643-7648 

 

Mills College Art Museum 

5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland 

“The 100 Languages of Children,” through October.  

An exhibit of art by children from Reggio Emilia, Italy. At Carnegie Building Bender Room. 

Free. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. 

430-2164 

 

Lawrence Hall of Science 

“Math Rules!” Ongoing. A math exhibit of hands-on problem-solving stations, each with a different mathematical challenge. 

“Within the Human Brain” Ongoing. Visitors test their cranial nerves, play skeeball, master mazes, match musical tones and construct stories inside a simulated “rat cage” of learning  

experiments. 

“In the Dark,”through Jan. 15, 2001. Plunge into darkness and see amazing creatures that inhabit worlds without light.  

“Saturday Night Stargazing” First and third Saturdays each month. 8 - 10 p.m., LHS plaza.  

“Grossology,” LHSs Family Halloween Party, Oct. 28, 6:30 - 9 p.m. Featuring the creation of “gross” stuff with household products and ChemMystery, a hands-on crime lab for kids.  

$12 for adults; $10 for kids 12 and under.  

Call 643-5134 for tickets  

Open daily, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

$7 for adults; $5 for children 5-18; $3 for children 3-4 

642-5132 

 

Holt Planetarium  

Programs are recommended for age 8 and up; children under age 6 will not be admitted. $2 in addition to regular museum admission. 

“Moons of the Solar System,” through Dec. 10. Take a tour of the fascinating worlds that orbit Earth and other planets out to the edge of the Solar System.  

“Constellations Tonight” Ongoing. Using a simple star map, learn to identify the most prominent constellations for the season in the planetarium sky. Daily, 3:30 p.m. $7 general; $5 seniors, students, disabled, and youths age 7 to 18;  

$3 children age 3 to 5 ; free children age 2 and younger. Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Centennial Drive, University of California,  

Berkeley. (510) 642-5132 or www.lhs.berkeley.edu 

 

The Oakland Museum of  

California 

1000 Oak St., Oakland 

“Secret World of the Forbidden City” Through Jan. 24, 2001. A rare glimpse of over 350 objects which illustrate the opulence and heritage of the Chinese Imperial Court Under the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China from 1644 - 1911. For this exhibit: $13 general, $10 seniors and $5 for students with ID.  

For museum: $6 general; $4 seniors and students; free children age 5 and under; second Sundays are free to all. Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; first Friday of the month, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

(888) OAK-MUSE or www.museumca.org. 

 

TRAX Gallery 

1306 3rd. St., Berkeley 

Mary Law “Altered Ceramic Pots”  

through Oct. 21 

For more information or to sign up for the workshop call 526-0279 or e-mail to cone5@aol.com 

 

 

Downtown Berkeley Association 

Lunchtime Concert Series 

Every Thursday through October 

noon - 1p.m. 

Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza 

1 hour free parking available in Center Street Garage 

Oct. 19: Jazzschool’s vocal jazz ensemble Vocal Sauce 

Oct. 26: East Bay Science & Arts Middle School will perform folk, swing and Cuban rueda dances 

 

Ashkenaz 

1317 San Pablo 

Oct. 27, 9 p.m., Sam Mangwana (Congolese rumba, world) 

Call TicketWeb, 594-1400 or Ashkenaz, Tuesday through Sunday during showtimes, 525-5054 

 

924 Gilman St. 

Oct. 20: The Jocks, The Fleshies (this show $3) 

All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted 

$5; $2 for a year membership 

525-9926 

Oct. 27: Elliot, The Jazz June, Lovelight SHine, Killing Independent 

Oct. 28: From Ashes Arise, Born Dead Icons, Time in Malta 

 

Albatross Pub 

1822 San Pablo Ave.  

843-2473 

 

 

Freight & Salvage Coffee House 

1111 Addison St. 

All music begins at 8 p.m. (doors open at 7:30 p.m.) 

Oct. 18: Tom Rush  

Oct. 19: Hot Club of Cowtown (Texas swing & Parisian jazz) 

Oct 20: The Campbell Brothers with Katie Jackson (guitar gospel music) 

Oct. 21:Dick Gaughan and Brian McNeill (Scotish traditional) 

Tickets for most shows $15 - $20 

Oct. 22: Bob Brozman and Takashi Hirayasu (slide guitar teams with Okinawan Lute master) 

Call 762-BASS or 601-TWEB for advance tickets 

For additional info call Ashkenaz showline, 548-1761 

 

Cal Performances 

Oct. 21, 8 p.m.: Hamza El Din (world music), $16 - $28.  

Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley (Bancroft at Telegraph) 

Oct. 29, 3 p.m.: Ian Bostridge, Tenor, performs music of Schubert and Hugo Wolf, $28 - $48.  

Nov. 5, 3 p.m.: Julia Fischer, Violinist, performs music of Tartini, Beethoven and Cesar Franck, $28 - $48.  

Hertz Hall, UC Berkeley (Bancroft at College) 

For tickets and info for these events call 642-9988 

 

Yoshi’s 

Oct. 23, An Evening with pianist Jon Jang to benefit the Asian Women’s Shelter of San Francisco. Call 415-751-7110 for tickets and additional information.  

Unless otherwise noted, music at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland. (510) 238-9200 or (510) 762-BASS. 

 

The Jazzschool/La Note 

2377 Shattuck Ave. 

Oct. 29, 4:30 p.m., Mimi Fox Trio 

$12; $10 students/seniors; $6 for Jazzschool students and children under 13 

Reservations: (510) 845-5373. 

 

Live Oak Concert Series 

Berkeley Art Center 

1275 Walnut St. 

Oct. 22, 7:30 p.m., Donna Lerew, violin, Skye Atman, piano perform Mozart, Shubert, Korngold and others.  

Oct. 29, 7:30 p.m., The Horizon Wind Quintet 

$10; $8 for members; $9 for students and seniors; Children under 12 admitted free 

 

 

Eli’s Mile High Club 

3629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland 

(510) 655-6661 

Doors open at 8 p.m. 

Beginning Oct. 26, Funk & Soul with DJs Styles, Kendread and special guests. Ongoing Thursdays.  

 

 

Films 

University of California,  

Berkeley Art Museum 

Pacific Film Archive 

2575 Bancroft Way 

642-1412 

“Neo-Eiga: New Japanese Cinema” 

Oct. 21, 7 p.m. : “Don’t Look Back (1999), directed by Akihiko Shiota, US premiere; 8:45 p.m. : “Sasayaki” (1999), directed by Akihiko Shiota (who will appear in person at the screening), US premiere. 

Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m. : Judah L. Magnes Museum Presents: 

International Jewish Video Awards Screening featuring “Shylock” by Pierre Lasry, “Brooklyn Trilogy” by Madeline Schwartzman, “Village of Idiots” by Eugene Fedorenko and Rose Newlove, and Arnie Lipsey’s “Almonds and Wine.”  

$7 for one film; $8.50 for double bills. UC Berkeley students are $4/$5.50. Seniors and children are $4.50/6.00  

 

 

Theater 

 

The Gate Theater of Dublin Present 

“Waiting for Godot” 

by Samuel Beckett 

Zellerbach Playhouse 

UC Berkeley 

Directed by Walter Asthmus 

Oct. 18 - 21, 8 p.m.; Oct.19 & 21, 2 p.m.; Oct. 22, 3 p.m. 

Post-performance discussions Oct. 20 & 22 

$34 - $48 

Call 642-9988 for tickets  

 

“The Green Bird”  

by Carlo Gozzi 

Berkeley Repertory Theatre 

2025 Addison St. 

Adapted by Theatre de la Jeune Lune and directed by Dominique Serrand.  

“The Green Bird” runs through Oct. 27. For tickets contact the box office at 845-4700 

 

“The Philanderer”  

by George Bernard Shaw 

Berkeley City Club 

2315 Durant Ave. 

Performed by the Aurora Theatre company, “The Philanderer” takes on the challenging and often humorous exploration of gender roles and the separations that exist between the sexes. 

Tickets for preview showings are sold at $26. Showtimes run Wednesday through Saturday through October 15 at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees show at 2 p.m., plus selected Sunday evenings at 7 p.m. Admission for regular performances is $30. Student discounts are available. For tickets and information call 843-4822 or visit www.auroratheatre.org. 

 

Impact Theatre Presents: 

“Impact Briefs 4: Impact Smackdown!” 

Oct. 20 - Nov. 18 

Fridays and Saturdays, 8 p.m.  

$10, Students $5 

Call 464-4468 for tickets & reservations 

La Val’s Subterraniean  

1834 Euclid 

 

“Fanny at Chez Panisse” 

Julie Morgan Theatre 

2640 College Ave., Berkeley 

Musical based on the book with opening proceeds going to the Verde Partnership Garden in Richmond. 

Through Oct. 29 

Runs Wednesday - Sunday, 7 p.m.  

$26 - 34  

1-888-FANNY06 

 

“Moonlight”  

by Harold Pinter 

A Last Planet Theatre production 

Potrero Hill Playhouse 

953 De Haro 

San Francisco 

Pinter’s most recent play features a man named Andy who is dying and his wife, Bel, who can’t get their two sons to pay them a visit. A story of infidelity, sibling rivalry, marital combat and moonlight and memory.  

Runs Thursday - Saturday, through Oct. 28. All shows at 8:30 p.m. No show Oct. 26.  

$20 opening night, $10-15 regular run, $5 preview 

More info and tickets: 845-2687 

 

Berkeley Rep School of Theatre 

“Sundiata” 

Martin Luther King, Jr. High School 

1781 Rost St.  

The world of premiere of Edward Mast’s tale of Djata, a handicapped boy who discovers he is the lost son of the murdered king of the Mali Empire. As the empire’s last hope, he is called upon to reclaim his heritage as the Lion King.  

Nov, 4, Noon 

Free to the public, but reservations are encouraged. 

Call 647-2972  

 

“Dinner With Friends” 

by Donald Margulies 

Nov. 10 through Jan 5, 2001 

Berkeley Repertory Theatre 

2025 Addison St.  

845-4700, www.berkeleyrep.org 

 

 

Dance 

 

Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company  

“You Walk?” 

Oct. 27-28, 8 p.m. 

$20 - $42 

 

“Past Forward”  

White Oak Dance Project Present:  

Nov. 1 - 4, 8 p.m.  

Mikhail Baryshnikov and company celebrating the influence of post-modern choreographers.  

$36 - $60  

Zellerbach Hall 

UC Berkeley 

Call for tickets, 642-9988 or try TicketWeb.com 

 

 

Exhibits 

 

 

Berkeley Art Center 

“Ethnic Notions: Black Images in the White Mind,''  

Through Nov. 12. An exhibit by Janette Faulkner exploring racial stereotypes in commercial imagery. Free. Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Live Oak Park, 1275 Walnut St., Berkeley. (510) 644-6893 

 

California College of Arts and Crafts  

Free. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Oliver Art Center, 5212 Broadway, Oakland. 594-3712 

 

Kala Gallery 

Kala Art Institute 1999 Fellowship Awards Exhibition Part II through Oct. 31. Features work by Margaret Kessler, Barbara Milman, Michele Muennig, and David Politzer.  

Tuesday through Friday, Noon - 5 p.m. or by appointment. 1060 Heinz Ave. Call 549-2977. 

 

Berkeley Historical Society  

“Berkeley’s Ethnic Heritage.” An overview of the rich cultural diversity of the city and the contribution of individuals and minority groups to it’s history and development.  

Thursday through Saturday, 1 – 4 p.m. Admission free.  

1931 Center St.  

Call 848-0181 

 

Lizabeth Oliveria Gallery 

Paintings by Timothy Buckwalter, Hilary Harkness, and Jerry W. King, Through Oct. 28. 

Gallery hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.  

942 Clay St., Oakland. Call 625-1830 for more info. 

 

Pro Arts Gallery 

Early Bird Holiday Art Fest. Oct. 25 - Nov. 11. Shop early for unique gifts made by local artists. Free opening reception, Oct. 28, 1 - 4 p.m. featuring live music and artist demonstrations.  

Gallery hours: Wednesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.  

461 Ninth St., Oakland. Call 763-9425  

 

Ames Gallery 

“Left Coast Legends: California Masters of Visionary, Self-taught, and Outsider Art,” featuring the work of Dwight Mackintosh, Alex Maldonado, A.G. Rizzoli, Jon Serl, and Barry Simons, Through Dec. 2.  

2661 Cedar St., Call for more info: 845-4949 

 

Women’s Cancer Resource Center Gallery 

Alan Leon: Hebrew Calligraphy and Illuminations, Nov. 1 - Dec. 15. Opening reception, Nov. 4, 1 - 3 p.m.  

Gallery hours: Tuesday - Thursday, 1 - 7 p.m.; Saturday, Noon - 4 p.m. and by appointment.  

3023 Shattuck Ave., Call 548-9286 x307 for more info 

 

 

Readings 

 

Rhyme and Reason Poetry Series 

Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive 

2621 Durant Ave. 

2nd and 4th Sundays of each month. 

Includes featured readers and open mike poetry. Free 

2 p.m. sign-up. Program runs from 2:30 - 4 p.m. 

Oct. 29: Fernando Brito, Lara Dale 

234-0727 

 

Holloway Poetry Reading Series 

8p.m., Maude Fife Room, 315 Wheeler Hall 

For more information call 653-2439 

Nov. 1: John Yau and Garrett Caples, books include “Forbidden Entries” and “My Symptoms” 

Nov. 7: Marie Howe and Brian Glaser, “The Good Thief” and “What the Living Do” 

 

Cody’s Books 

2454 Telegraph Ave., 845-7852  

& 1730 Fourth St., 559-9500 

Telegraph events (all begin at 7:30 p.m): 

Oct. 17, Peter Menzel & Faith D’Aluisio discuss “Robo Sapiens: Evolution of a New Species.” 

Oct. 18, “The New Young American Poets” anthology with Sam Witt, Da Powell, Rick Noguchi, and Rick Barot 

Oct. 19, Meredith Maran discusses “Class Dismissed: A Year in the Life of an American High School, a Glimpse into the Heart of a Nation.” 

Oct. 21, 3 p.m., Dale Hope discusses “The Aloha Shirt-Spirit of the Islands.” 

Oct. 23, Paisley Rekdal reads from “The Night My Mother Met Bruce Lee: Observations on Not Fitting In.” 

Oct. 24, Alexander Cockburn & Jeffrey St. Clair discuss “Al Gore: A User’s Manual.” 

Fourth St. events: 

 

 

Lunch Poems: A Noontime Poetry Reading Series 

Morrison Room, Doe Library 

UC Berkeley 

12:10 - 12:50 p.m.  

Call 642-0137 

Under the direction of Professor Robert Hass, this is a series of events on the first Thursday of each month. Free.  

Nov. 2: Goh Poh Seng  

 

 

Tours 

 

Lawrence Berkeley National  

Laboratory 

Scientists and engineers guide visitors through the research areas of the laboratory, demonstrating emerging technology and discussing the research’s current and potential applications. A Berkeley lab tour usually lasts two hours and includes visits to several research areas. Popular tour sites include the Advanced Light Source, The National Center for Electron Microscopy, the 88-Inch Cyclotron, The Advanced Lighting Laboratory, and The Human Genome Laboratory. Reservations required at least two weeks in advance of tour. 

Free. University of California, Berkeley. 

486-4387 

 

 

Berkeley City Club Tours 

Guided tours through Berkeley’s City Club, a landmark building designed by architect Julia Morgan, designer of Hearst Castle. 

$2. The fourth Sunday of every month except December, between noon to 4 p.m.  

2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. 

848-7800 

 

Golden Gate Live Steamers 

Small locomotives, meticulously scaled to size, run along a half mile of track in Tilden Regional Park. The small trains are owned and maintained by a non-profit group of railroad buffs who offer rides.  

Free. Trains run Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rides: Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., weather permitting. Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Lomas Cantadas Drive at the south end of Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley.  

486-0623  

 

Oakland Historic walking tours 

Runs through October.  

The tours cover downtown Oakland and its historic waterfront. All tours begin promptly at 10 a.m. and last between an hour and an hour and a half.  

Free. Call for reservations. Oakland. (510) 238-3234. 

 

University of California at Berkeley Botanical Garden 

The gardens have displays of exotic and native plants. 

Botanical Garden Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 1:30 p.m. Meet at the Tour Orientation Center for a free docent tour. $3 general; $2 seniors; $1 children; free on Thursday. Daily, 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Botanical Garden, Centennial Drive, behind Memorial Stadium, a mile below the Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley. (510) 643-2755 or www.mip.berkeley.edu/garden/ 

 

Berkeley Historical Society Walking Tours 

Oct. 22 - University Avenue Indian Business Community led by Kirpal & Neelum Khanna 

Nov. 5 - What’s Happening Downtown? led by Debbie Badhia 

More info call 848-0181 

 

 

 

 


Merchants hit hard by mob

By William Inman Daily Planet Staff
Tuesday October 17, 2000

Devon Whalen and the employees of Mr. Rags clothing store were still sweeping up glass and putting things back on the shelves of their trashed store Monday morning. It was around 10 a.m., more than a day after a mob Berkeley police estimates as 1,200 people ran rampant down Telegraph Avenue, breaking out windows and looting at least seven stores. 

“This was just ignorant and stupid,” said Whalen, manager of the store. “But it will catch up with them someday.” 

Mr. Rags was one of seven stores in the area that was vandalized and looted about 12:30 a.m. Sunday when a mob of partygoers poured onto Telegraph Avenue between Bancroft Way and Durant Avenue, after UC Berkeley Police shut down a fraternity party at the university’s Pauley Ballroom. 

The store’s front window was smashed and some of its merchandise was stolen. Revelers took scooters from their showcases and rode down the thoroughfare continuing the mayhem, Whalen said. Roland Peterson, executive director of the Telegraph Avenue Business Improvement District, said that he spoke with the owners and managers of the damaged stores. Mr. Rags estimated damages upwards of $20,000, he said. 

“The Gap was hit the worst,” Peterson said, noting that representatives estimated that there was a bill of $25,000 to replace the windows, and another $25,000 in merchandise loss. 

Peterson said that the other five stores had not fully assessed their damages at this point. 

“They just hit the stores that interested them,” said Jim Sugarman, manager of Tower Records on Durant Street. “Of course a record store would be hit, with the moronic mob mentality.” 

Xavier Sanchez, the manager of Athlete’s Foot on Telegraph Avenue was inside with another employee preparing for a 6 a.m. inventory when the mob arrived. 

“As they were beginning to bang on the glass, I got behind the counter and immediately called 911,” he said. “And as I was relaying the message to the dispatcher, they busted the glass and ran inside.” 

Sanchez said that he and the other employee stood behind the fixtures while around 100 people rushed inside and looted the store over a 15 minute time span. 

“We couldn’t do anything, we just let them have at it,” he said. 

Sanchez said that they went ahead with the inventory, and that they are still tabulating their losses. 

“We’re appalled at what happened,” said Kathy Berger, President of the Telegraph Area Association. “We don’t know at this time who the responsible entities are.” 

Berger said that the TAA is having a meeting with the merchant representatives and officers from the Berkeley Police and the UC Police this afternoon to try to look for ways to prevent something like this from ever happening again. 

Sugarman said that Tower Records was lucky. 

“It certainly could have been worse,” he said. 

After looters broke out the eastern window of the store, they ransacked the rap and DVD section. 

“If you looked at the other aisles, they weren’t even touched,” he said. “They took what they wanted.” 

He said that the alarm company notified him of the melee, and while he was on his way to the store, they called him back and notified him that police were recommending that no one should come down to the area, he said. 

“(The police) had mostly everyone off the street by 1:40 a.m.,” he said. “It didn’t look like they got past Durant.” 

Sugarman said that Police did a good job of quelling the mayhem, but some say that it shouldn’t have happened in the first place. 

“There weren’t enough police here,” said Twan, an employee of Rasputin Records on Telegraph. “I see more police here during a regular day than what were down here that evening.” 

Twan said that the store was closed when the riot began and wasn’t vandalized, but said that he noticed that there weren’t many police in the area when the store closed at 11 p.m. 

“The police shouldn’t have gone home until everyone was out of here and safe,” he said. “They knew that there were people coming from all over (for the fraternity party), it wasn’t like it was just a Berkeley thing.” 

Peterson said the stores that were damaged were The Gap, Mr. Rags, The Athlete’s Foot, Tower Records, C’est Cafe, the Campus Textbook Exchange and Ned’s Books.


Parking, landmark status on agenda

By John Geluardi Special to the Daily Planet
Tuesday October 17, 2000

A discussion on providing parking for city and school employees will likely spark some controversy at tonight’s City Council meeting.  

One city official said a decision on the question could affect city policy for years to come. 

In anticipation of the return of city employees to the Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Building at 2180 Milvia St. at the end of January, Mayor Shirley Dean has recommended the council recognize “parking for city employees is our priority,” and wants the city manager to move expeditiously to resolve the problem. 

District 7 Councilmember Kriss Worthington, who rides his bike to work, argued that the mayor is taking a single-minded approach to the issue. “This is a one-note song and what we need is a symphony to address the complexity of the transportation problem,” he said. 

He said the city commissioned a Transportation Demand Study last year that will make recommendations about car commuting and alternate modes of transportation. The study is due in four to eight weeks. 

“We have a study due and to preempt the results by declaring the creation of parking places a priority is a mistake,” Worthington said. “Our priority should be to encourage public transit and alternate modes of transportation.” 

The mayor said the Transportation Demand Study will not address the issues she has raised in her recommendation and that she knows of no city anywhere that has achieved a 100 percent transit policy. 

There are no specifics in the mayor's recommendation, but she wants the city manager to meet with city unions to determine a reasonable number of parking spaces for each agency including school district employees and police and fire department personnel. 

The police department has made a request for at least 30 more spaces in addition to those already designated for department employees. The mayor said she supports a transit-first policy but the city will never be able to eliminate the need for some parking. “I am particularly concerned about women employees during the winter months who will have to walk many blocks in the dark,” she said. 

Tonight may be the last chance for the public to address the council about the designation of the West Berkeley Shellmound as a historic landmark. The city manager has recommended public hearings be closed and the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s designation be affirmed. The designation of the property was appealed by Richard and Charlene De Vecchi, who own property under which the shellmound is said to be situated. 

The Landmarks Preservation Commission has designated the boundaries of the historic site as between University and Hearst avenues, and Fourth Street and Interstate 880. The De Vecchis say there is no evidence that the site was a Native American habitat and burial ground and is not worthy of landmark status. 

Among the other agenda items is the approval of plans to renovate the half-acre Berkeley Way Mini-Park in the 1200 block of Berkeley Way. The city approved $184,000 for renovations last year. The improvements, which will be carried out by Playgrounds Unlimited of Sunnyvale, will include two playing areas, one for tots and another for 5 to 12- year-olds. There will also be new fences, drinking fountain and pathways. 

Berkeley adopted an initiative in 1997 to remove and replace all hazardous play equipment. 

Calvin Fong, of the Berkeley Way, Acton Chestnut and Hearst Neighborhood Group, and also aide to Councilmember Margaret Breland, said the park will be nearly brand new. “I’m happy, the neighbors are happy and the kids certainly will be happy.” 

The initiative has been successful so far, said Lisa Caronna, director of the Parks and Waterfront Department. “We are renovating two to four parks a year,” she said 

Other parks recently renovated are the Prince Street and Ohlone parks. 

Other issues on the agenda include: 

• A request from District 8 Councilmember Polly Armstrong for the city manager to  

draft a letter congratulating Washington Mutual for canceling its ATM fees nationwide. According to Armstrong, the Berkeley City Council considered a resolution calling for the rollback of ATM fees two years ago. The city attorney, however, recommended against its final passage. It would have been unenforceable, Armstrong said. 

“I felt the policy would of been pandering,” Armstrong said. “And I think Washington Mutual should be congratulated and Wells Fargo and Bank of America should take notice.” 

• Public Works Director Rene Cardinaux has recommended the City Council approve 

a $318,309 plan to install a new fee collection system in the Sather Gate Garage at 2450 Durant Ave. Patrons and merchants have been displeased with the current pay system since it was installed in 1995. 

• Dean has requested the city clerk draft a letter to Gov. Gray Davis requesting he immediately implement an Executive Order completely banning the use of the additive MTBE in gasoline. The recommendation claims that since Davis issued an Executive Order banning MTBE use by 2002, refineries have increased use of the oxygenate by 14 percent. The controversial oxygenate helps gas burn cleaner but is also known to contaminate reservoirs and ground water. 

Tonight's meeting will be held in the City Council Chambers at 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way at 7 p.m. The meeting will also be broadcast on KPFB Radio, 83.9 and Cable B-TV (Channel 25). 

 

 

 

 


Bay Area Muslims share their culture

by Ana Campoy Special to the Daily Planet
Tuesday October 17, 2000

Growing up Protestant, Dorothy Eng had no idea Islam existed. And had she not attended a talk offered by The American Institute of Islamic History and Culture on Sunday, she would have been equally oblivious of the practicing Muslims living around her. 

“There was always a mystery about Islam that was never brought to the surface,” said Eng after Sunday’s program, the beginning of a year-long series: “Keys to the Human Heart, The Spiritual Journey Towards the One,” created to celebrate and share Muslim culture. “It is the first time I have seen who actually practices this faith here in our country.” 

Before converting to Islam, the veiled members of the discussion panel may have been as unfamiliar with the religion as Eng herself. How they embarked on their “spiritual journey” and lived through it was the topic of the Sunday talk at St. John’s Presbyterian Church on College Avenue. 

“I spent a lot of time taking this piece from this religion this piece from that religion and trying to be in touch God that way,” said Iman Hoffman, addressing an audience mainly composed of other converts. “Eventually I came to realize that I needed organized religion and so I set out to find religions.”  

After spending 24 hours locked in a room with the Bible, the Buddhist Scriptures and the Koran, Hoffman came out with the Koran under her arm. 

Sara Kim was not as determined to adopt a new faith, but found Islam through a friend. Although at first reluctant to wear a veil or stop drinking, she ended up changing her lifestyle and her life.  

“I had a lot of things that I was struggling with and every time I’d ask (Muslim scholars), the answer came back to me and it just made sense. It got to a point where I couldn’t deny it anymore, so I didn’t have a choice if I wanted to please God,” said the four-year Muslim. 

Aside from an outlet for their spiritual needs, the speakers said they found true equality between men and women through their adopted religion. 

“In real Islam, which is not always practiced in the world, men and women are equal, stand before God regardless, each as an individual,” said Hoffman, her black veil strongly contrasting with her pale skin. 

“The modest dress we adopt it’s very powerful and it works. You just don’t find transgressions against women in Islam when people are practicing it well,” added Kim. 

To non-Muslim women in the audience their statements came as a surprise. “You just associate it with being very hard on women,” said Jill Peterfeso, a member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps.  

Changing that view is the purpose of the series of talks, said Maimoona Ahmed, its coordinator. “Those stereotypes are just propaganda to keep women away from Islam. Who would want to be stuck in the corner of a room or in a closet?”  

The year-long series of programs is divided into a number of cycles, each with its own topic. The current series is called “The Feminine Side of Islam,” but the gatherings are not only about women or for women. People who attended the talk Sunday observed Muslims in prayer, listened to Islamic music and ate baklavas and dates. 

“It’s to celebrate the way people are and have been, to learn, to share and to have fun”, said Nazeer Ahmed, the institute’s president.  

All sessions begin at 3 p.m. and are held at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave. Oct. 22 the topic will be: “Blessings and Challenges of our African-American Sisters,” Oct. 29, “It’s a big World out there and Muslim Women are Involved,” and Nov. 5, “Women Warriors, Women Thinkers and Women Awiliya.” For more information, call 925-672-2623.  


Women on the WWII home front honored as heroes

By Mabel M. Tampinco Special to the Daily Planet
Tuesday October 17, 2000

More than 50 years after being removed from their industrial jobs and told to “go back to their kitchens,” women from as far away as Oklahoma returned Saturday to a hero’s welcome in Richmond for the dedication of a war memorial built in their honor. 

Military planes flew overhead and hundreds of people cheered as the city dedicated its new Rosie the Riveter Memorial to the women who contributed to the country’s World War II efforts on the home front. 

“We could not have won the war without them,” said Richmond Mayor Rosemary Corbin. “And we’ve waited too long to thank them.” 

More than 100 “Rosies” – former riveters, welders and other shipyard workers during the war – walked through the memorial, which evoked the shape of the Liberty Ships that they helped to build.  

Some held on to walkers and others sat in wheelchairs as they stopped to look at black and white photographs of women wearing coveralls and brandishing welding torches. 

Others walked through the 441-foot timeline – the same length as a Liberty Ship – and read historical highlights and other women’s accounts. 

“I am so proud,” said Mary Head, a former welder who wore her old hard hat to the dedication. “I feel very blessed to be part of this memorial.” 

Marian Sousa, who worked as a draftsman, noted with pride how her story was on the memorial’s panels. The account related how Sousa had inspected ships and drew up their blueprints. 

“It was a time when people were patriotic,” said Sousa. “We wanted to serve the country in any way we could.” 

Ludie Mitchell, a Richmond resident and former welder, said she never realized the impact of her work at the shipyards – until now. 

“You didn’t think about it then. It was hard and I didn’t even know it,” she said. “I got up early in the morning and I didn’t even care.” 

Mitchell said that what really brought the message home to her was when she and former day care center worker Ruth Powers went to Washington, D.C., last August to testify at a Congressional hearing. Memorial project staffers were hoping that the women’s stories would convince Congress to pass the bill authorizing the creation of a World War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond. 

And they did, said Rep. George Miller, D-Richmond, the bill’s sponsor. 

“I carried the bill,” said Miller. “But these two women made it happen.” 

Mitchell had apparently brought along her welder’s card, which she still carries with her everywhere she goes. 

Miller said that when Mitchell whipped out her welder’s card and showed it to everyone in the hall, “They just all melted, they were history.” 

The $550,000 memorial stands on the site of a former Kaiser shipyard. It includes two structures that outline the shapes of a ship’s hull and smokestack. The structures are lined with women’s stories and photographs that came from the women’s own picture albums. 

The timeline and some women’s accounts were sandblasted into a stone walkway, leading up to the edge of the San Pablo Bay. A lookout point was built just above the water to symbolize the bow of a ship. 

Susan Schwartzenberg, one of the memorial’s designers, said she was awed by the sight of the Rosies walking through the memorial, which she had conceptualized after listening to hundreds of women’s stories. 

“It was pretty incredible, I have to say,” said Schwartzenberg. “I heard their names (announced), and I wanted to meet them because their words are on the sidewalk, but I can’t get to them quick enough.” 

Former councilwoman Donna Powers said the memorial was Richmond’s humble attempt to recognize the efforts of women who have been very modest about their accomplishments during the war. 

Mitchell said she was just happy that the memorial had made her remember what it was like to live and work in Richmond during the war. 

“I thought I’d just safely tucked those memories away,” said Mitchell. “It was in my past, I walked right through it, and got to the other side, and that was it, all gone. But now, I’m so glad they stirred all that up and made me remember.” 


Video of sausage factory shooting shown at trial

The Associated Press
Tuesday October 17, 2000

OAKLAND — Accused murderer Stuart Alexander reloaded his handguns, walked over to three wounded meat inspectors lying on the floor of his San Leandro sausage factory and shot each in the head. 

That grisly scene is revealed in grainy surveillance tapes shown for the first time Monday as part of an agreement among prosecutors, the public defender representing Alexander and media organizations that viewed the tapes. 

Alexander, 39, who turned on two videotape cameras moments before the shooting spree began, faces state and federal murder charges in the June 21 killings. The Alameda County district attorney’s office has said it will seek the death penalty. 

Alexander’s lawyer said his client “snapped.” 

“This was someone who got pushed over the edge and did terrible things,” said public defender Michael Ogul. 

On the soundless tapes, Alexander is seen grabbing three handguns in his office, loading them, then closing the window blinds. The next scene, from a surveillance camera high above the retail section of the factory, shows the inspectors falling after being shot. 

The black and white tapes show Alexander coming into the room, shooting at prone U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors Thomas Quadros, 52, and Jeannie Hillery, 56, and state inspector Bill Shaline, 57. Alexander runs outside to chase another state inspector, Earl Willis, who escaped unharmed. 

Hillery is lifting her head and moving her right arm, and Quadros appears to be moving, as Alexander re-enters the room. The factory owner reloads, then moves over to each of the inspectors and shoots them several times. 

Alexander, who is seen pacing his office before grabbing the handguns, appears calm during the shootings. 

Shaline was shot six times. Hillery was shot four times. Quadros was shot three times. All died in the factory. 

Ogul said the fact that Alexander shot each victim again and again shows his state of mind. 

“He’s got so much anger here that even though he’s killed them, he’s still shooting,” he said. 

In addition to the tapes, other grand jury exhibits including autopsy photos, copies of e-mails from Alexander and photographs of the inspectors taken by Alexander shortly before the shootings began were released by prosecutors. 

Prosecutors also showed reporters a copy of an e-mail that Alexander wrote Jan. 29 to a friend named Andy: 

“The USDA meat inspectors came in the Linguisa factory on Jan. 3 giving my employees a bad time, so this time was it. I’m taking legal action against these government slimeballs. ... These clowns try to tell The Sausage King how to make linguisa their way. I don’t think so. ... They messed with the wrong guy this time, baby. I almost took out my machine gun and blasted those four losers, but I keep my cool as always.” 

The material was shown to reporters, but as part of an agreement with prosecutors and defense attorneys was not allowed to be duplicated or broadcast. 

Ogul said the fact that Alexander documented the inspectors’ visit proves the killings were not premeditated. 

“It shows that three human beings were killed and it shows who did it, but it doesn’t show much of anything about whether these shootings were provoked, or whether they occurred in the heat of passion. It shows that these shootings happened, not why they happened,” Ogul said. 

The inspectors had come to the Santos Linguisa Factory to cite Alexander for operating without a permit. Alexander called local police for help in removing what he called “trespassers” from his property, then turned on the surveillance cameras and asked his visitors to leave. 

The inspectors are seen on the tape standing around in the retail portion of the factory before being shot. 

“If this is the supposed harassment, they’re not doing anything,” assistant district attorney Colton Carmine said. 

In another e-mail to a friend written just after midnight the day before the shootings, Alexander speaks of his plans to spend June 21 picketing at city hall. 

“He believed they were harassing him,” Ogul said. “He was planning to go to city hall to protest. He was trying to document their harassment.” 


Web site investigated for selling off votes

The Associated Press
Tuesday October 17, 2000

SACRAMENTO — A Web site offering to sell 15,000 votes for president to the highest bidder is being investigated for possible voter fraud, Secretary of State Bill Jones said Monday. 

His announcement prompted the Austrian owners of the site, http://www.voteauction.com, to promise they would never reveal the identity of either their bidders or voters. 

More than 1,800 of the votes up for sale are from Californians, the most of any state. The going price Monday afternoon was $19.61 per vote on the site, which boasts it is “bringing capitalism and democracy closer together.” 

“This is a felony punishable by upward of three years in prison (for the voter). This is no different from standing outside a polling place and selling your vote for $1,” said Jones. 

Controlling the activities of international investors could be difficult for the state, but it could try to prosecute its own voters. Jones wouldn’t say Monday how the state planned to identify participants. 

Even people who sign up as a joke are essentially agreeing to commit vote fraud, Jones added. 

The site was designed by James Baumgartner, an Overland Park, Kans., native who is a graduate student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York. He sold the site in August to a group of Austrian investors for an undisclosed sum. 

Hans Bernhard, a project investor, said he will take the site off the Internet before revealing the identity of voters. 

“We have to protect our voters. They are really critical,” he said in a telephone interview from Vienna, Austria, adding that the only letter he has received that threatened legal action was from Jones. 

“I know American institutions, especially legal and government institutions, threaten massively and that’s how they solve things, they make people afraid. We aren’t afraid because there is no clear indication that something serious can come out of this,” Bernhard said. 

Project investors are using the November election as a pilot program to determine how the scheme can become profitable and ensure the voters get paid for participation, he said. 

They plan to expand the site to all countries’ elections, he said. 

The Web site allows voters to sign up by filling out their name, address, age, nationality, and household income. Corporations and individuals can bid for an entire block of votes from one state by providing similar information. 

The minimum bid is $100 and goes up in $50 increments. Bids above $10,000 must go up by $500. 

The site was registered by Domain Bank Inc. under a contract that mandates all applicable laws must be followed, including U.S. election laws. 

Domain Bank attorney Scott Hemphill said Monday that his company notified the Austrian owners that it has received Jones’ complaint and asked the owners to either stop auctioning votes or refute the allegations of vote fraud. The deadline is Nov. 14. 

If Bernhard and other owners of the site do not respond to the letter, Domain Bank could stop its Internet access, Hemphill said. 

Domain Bank’s Nov. 14 deadline is after Election Day, after the damage could be done, Jones said. 

Election officials in Illinois, Michigan and New York have also objected to the site. 

The Internet address has already been frozen so the investors cannot sell the site. But there is nothing Domain Bank can do to keep the investors from moving the site to another address, Hemphill said. 

Jones said he issued the warning to state voters because the site could remain working until after the election on Nov. 7. 

He said he did not think announcing details of the investigation would contribute to the traffic on the site. 

However, the Web site states that since the Illinois investigation started, hits from Illinois voters have doubled. 

——— 

On the Net: The site is http://www.voteauction.com 

The Secretary of State’s Web site: http://www.ss.ca.gov 


Documentary follows stripers’ union fight

Robin Shulman Special to the Daily Planet
Tuesday October 17, 2000

Julia Query always dreamed of fighting the good fight for freedom, justice and equality, she says at the start of her movie “Live Nude Girls UNITE!” She never expected to realize that dream by organizing fellow strippers into a union. 

In 1997 Query led peep show workers at San Francisco’s Lusty Lady to form the country’s only unionized strip club, and she documented the fight in “Live Nude Girls UNITE!,” playing through Thursday at the UC Theatre. In the background of the union fight, Query also struggles for the approval of her mother, a prostitute rights advocate who still is upset by her daughter’s work. 

“As soon as we unionized, Jay Leno was making jokes about us. We started to feel protective of our story,” said Query Saturday night at the movie’s Berkeley premiere. The strippers at the Lusty Lady formed a union after management refused to take action against customers using one-way mirrors to secretly videotape the shows-rumored to sell on the Internet. The club’s managers suggested “coyly coaxing” customers into good behavior. 

But the women were also fed up with a system that granted them work shifts according to their skin and hair color and breast size.  

Only white women were scheduled for the most lucrative shifts. Vacation and sick time were not allowed. If a dancer missed work, she had to find a replacement with skin as light as hers or lighter, and with the same size or bigger breasts. 

The strippers formed the Exotic Dancers Union, a chapter of the Service Employees International Union, Local 790.  

They picketed the Lusty Lady, calling, “Bad girls like good contracts!” and “Two, four, six, eight-don’t go here to masturbate!” 

The club hired labor lawyers, and the women drew from their own ranks to form research and negotiating teams. After months, the parties reached a deal. The club removed one-way mirrors and the classification systems, kept the union and allowed sick days.  

Each year since, the dancers have voted in more favorable contracts, said Query, who still works at the club while in graduate school to become a therapist.  

Query, now 32, said the union contract kept her from being fired. 

“I love working in a peep show because I never worked with so many women with college degrees, mostly in women’s studies and philosophy,” says Query onstage in one scene showing her other career in a stand-up comedy club. “It’s like they figured out what to do with patriarchy – take its money.” 

The film touches on the dispute among feminists over whether sex work is demeaning or empowering.  

One scene shows a pile of feminist theory books stacking up.  

Cartoons show a woman walking down a catwalk and taking off her bra, alternating with a woman burning her bra over a fire. 

Query’s talks with her mother echo the feminist debate. Early in the movie, the mother, Dr. Joyce Wallace, is shown describing her AIDS prevention work with New York prostitutes to Barbara Walters.  

But when Wallace visits San Francisco, Query clears her apartment of all sex paraphernalia, and balks at introducing her to friends called Cayenne, Cinnamon and Octopussy. 

Query finally reveals her profession at a conference on prostitution where mother and daughter are speaking on separate panels.  

Wallace says that she never wanted her child to be ashamed of her body. “I think you overdid it,” she said.


Irish group brings Samuel Beckett plays to Berkeley

by John Angell Grant Daily Planet Theater Critic
Tuesday October 17, 2000

The big event in Bay Area theater this month is the first visit ever to California by Ireland's famous Gate Theater. 

The Gate will perform two plays by Samuel Beckett, Ireland’s Nobel Prize-winning playwright, novelist and poet, for five days only, October 18-22, on the UC Berkeley campus. 

Tickets for one of the plays – “Krapp’s Last Tape” – are already sold out. Tickets are still available for the second play, “Waiting for Godot.” 

Samuel Beckett (1906-1989) in many ways is the most influential playwright of the 20th century. 

The 1953 Paris premiere of his “Waiting for Godot” changed the meanings, sensibilities and structures of modern drama. It had the same magnitude of impact on drama that Picasso had on painting. 

A key creator of the theater of the absurd, Beckett’s stripped down minimalist, existential style influenced many playwrights who followed him, including Harold Pinter, Edward Albee, David Mamet, Sam Shepard, Tom Stoppard. 

Beckett’s plays ask the big questions: “Why are we here? What is the meaning of life? Who am I?” Many of his characters are people facing death. 

Though bleak, the plays are also funny. Against all of their negative experience, Beckett’s characters hope to survive. Beckett himself lived with depression all his life. 

In 1988, two years before Beckett died, Dublin's Gate Theater staged “Waiting for Godot” at the playwright's personal request. The success of that production led to an agreement to produce all 19 of Beckett’s plays at the Gate in a 1991 Beckett Festival. 

That festival then played successfully in New York in 1996 and London in 1999. What Berkeleyans have a chance to see this week is a piece of that festival-two of Beckett’s most famous works. 

“Waiting for Godot,” a quintessential drama of the 20th century and Beckett’s most famous work, is a play about two men who wait for someone who never arrives. 

The current Gate production reunites the original 1991 Dublin company. The cast features Barry McGovern (Vladimir), whose film credits include “Billy Bathgate,” “Braveheart,” and “The General.” 

The role of Estragon is played by Johnny Murphy, best known to American audiences as “The Lips” in Alan Parker’s film “The Commitments.” 

In “Krapp's Last Tape,” an aging man tries unsuccessfully to confront his past on the occasion of his 69th birthday, listening to tape recordings he made earlier in his life. Memory, fantasy and present-day experience interweave, and eventually become indistinguishable in his mind. 

Performing the role of Krapp is celebrated Irish film and stage actor David Kelly, who created the role for its Irish premiere in 1959. In 1998, Kelly achieved international fame for his hilarious starring role in the movie “Waking Ned Devine.” 

Tickets for “Krapp's Last Tape,” unfortunately, are sold out, although the producers say there is some possibility of last minute cancellations. Tickets are still available for selected “Waiting for Godot” performances, Oct. 18 through Oct. 22., Zellerbach Playhouse, UC Berkeley campus, Bancroft Way (at Dana), Berkeley. Call (510) 642-9988 or e-mail tickets@calperfs.berkeley.edu.


Hearing focuses on radiation cleanup standards

The Associated Press
Tuesday October 17, 2000

SACRAMENTO — State health officials are considering new standards to clean up sites contaminated with radioactive materials, despite critics’ claims people living near sites could be exposed to higher levels of cancer-causing radiation. 

The only public hearing on the proposed rule changes was held Monday in Sacramento. 

The Department of Health Services says they are adopting federal standards set by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that protect public safety when radioactive sites are released for other uses. 

State health officials have jurisdiction over nuclear regulations within the state and set the standards for cleaning up sites that are contaminated with radioactive material. 

The state is adopting NRC guidelines because California is among 32 states that have agreed to revise their standards so they are consistent with the federal agency’s. 

Daniel Hirsch, president of the Committee to Bridge the Gap, a Santa Cruz-based public policy organization, said the new limits would let sites be declared clean even though they could be declared federal Superfund sites. 

Department spokeswoman Lea Brooks said contaminated land won’t be released for other uses until the theoretical risk has been lowered to one case of fatal cancer in a population of 50,000 people. 

Hirsch said he used federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission guidelines to arrive at much greater risk levels and noted the standards would allow exemptions to those levels. 

“These proposed regulations would permit risk levels of one-in-50 chance of fatal cancer at the most relaxed level,” he said. 

While the exemptions are included in the federal guidelines that health officials are considering, it is unlikely they would ever be granted, Brooks said. 

“And if they were granted, the site would be highly restricted to the public,” she said. “It would be so unusual, there would definitely be public participation and notification.” 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has expressed concerned that the cleanup standard is less than what is required for Superfund sites that have chemical contamination, said Larry Bowerman, chief of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act corrective action office with the EPA. 

“Radioactive cleanups should be done using the same approach as chemical cleanups,” Bowerman said in a phone interview Friday. “We prefer a one-in-a-million risk, but in some cases we’ll go to one-in-10,000 risk.” 

Also speaking at the public comment session were representatives from Grandmothers for Peace, Women’s Energy Matters and a radiation safety officer from Rocketdyne Power and Propulsion’s Santa Susana Field Laboratory. 

The state will respond in writing to the comments. They could take effect by October 2001. 

The Rocketdyne site is undergoing cleanup after decades of use as a reactor site, causing chemical and radioactive contamination. 

Radiation safety officer James Barnes said the Santa Susana site wouldn’t be affected by the rule change because the company has agreed to a limit that is stricter than the proposed standards. 

He did request that the state Department of Health Services, Department of Energy, Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Environmental Protection Agency concur on the regulations, risk level assessments and other requirements that affect radiation cleanups to avoid confusion. 

“There needs to be a standardized process that everyone is using,” he said. “It’s very difficult for us to move forward in a process when we answer to several different agencies.” 


Study finds widespread lying, cheating among teens

The Associated Press
Tuesday October 17, 2000

LOS ANGELES — The nation’s high school students lie a lot, cheat a lot, and many show up for class drunk, according to preliminary results of a nationwide teen character study released Monday. 

Seven in 10 students surveyed admitted cheating on a test at least once in the past year, and nearly half said they had done so more than once, according to the nonprofit Joseph & Edna Josephson Institute of Ethics. 

“This data reveals a hole in the moral ozone,” said Michael Josephson, founder and president of the Marina Del Rey-based organization. 

On the other hand, the results were not significantly worse than on the last test in 1998 – the first time that has happened since the group began testing in 1992. 

“The good news appears that it’s peaked,” Josephson said. “The bad news is that it’s horribly high.” 

The “Report Card on the Ethics of American Youth” found that 92 percent of the 8,600 students surveyed lied to their parents in the past year. Seventy-eight percent said they had lied to a teacher, and more than one in four said they would lie to get a job. 

Nearly one in six students said they had shown up for class drunk at least once in the past year. Sixty-eight percent admitted they hit someone because they were angry. 

Nearly half said they could get a gun if they wanted to. 

Josephson said the results amounted to the formula for a “toxic cocktail.” 

“Kids who think it’s okay to hit someone when they’re angry,” he said, “who may be drunk at school when they do it and who can also get their hands on a gun.” 

Josephson stopped short of assigning blame to a particular group, but he said parents, teachers and coaches need to pay special attention because they have the most significant interactions with youngsters. 

“I’m not saying there aren’t some out there doing their best,” he said. “But if all three were doing their best, we wouldn’t have this problem.” 

The survey, conducted this year, involved students in grades nine through 12 in both public and private schools. Participating schools handed out surveys with 57 questions that students could submit anonymously. 

 

STUDY RESULTS 

Cheating 

71 percent of the participants admitted to cheating on a test at least once in the past year; 45 percent said they did so two or more times. 

Lying 

92 percent have lied to their parents in the past year; 79 percent said they did so two or more times. 

78 percent lied to a teacher; 58 percent lied two or more times. 

More than one in four students admitted they would lie to get a job. 

Drinking 

Nearly one in six said they have been drunk at school; 9 percent admitted to showing up for class drunk more than once in the past year. 

Violence 

68 percent said they have hit someone because they were angry in the past 12 months; 46 percent said they did it on at least two separate occasions. 

47 percent said they could get a gun if they wanted to.


Woman falsifies being an Olympian

The Associated Press
Tuesday October 17, 2000

STANTON— Kate Schmidt won friends by telling people she played softball in the 1992 Olympics before losing her leg to a doctor’s mistake. 

The 32-year-old Stanton woman’s right leg was amputated last year after 16 operations failed to correct a botched, 1995 elective surgery. 

Kathryn L. Schmidt, who goes by Kate, won endorsements from an Orange County company, who supplied her with more than $35,000 in high-tech prosthetics to back her bid to compete in the Sydney Olympic Games. 

Schmidt impressed everyone when she reported that on her very first try, she threw a javelin more than 200 feet, closing in on the U.S. record of 227 feet, 5 inches, set in 1977 by another athlete, also named Kate Schmidt. Now friends, doctors and sponsors are searching for answers upon learning the disabled Kate Schmidt was living a lie. 

Schmidt’s story began to unravel when friends and admirers tuned in to the Olympics to watch her compete, and were perplexed to learn no one named Kate Schmidt was competing on the U.S. team. She had an explanation. She stayed home with an injury, she said, working for CBS-TV and designing sets for the boy band ’N Sync. 

Not according to the network. “Never heard of her,” CBS graphic director Tom Burzinski told the Orange County Register for Sunday editions. 

Schmidt told nearly everyone she met that she played for the 1992 U.S. Olympic softball team in Barcelona. Her supporters learned later softball was not an Olympic event until 1996. It was not even a demonstration sport in 1992. 

Her claim she played semipro softball on two Orange County teams was untrue. Her story about playing four years of varsity high school softball came into question when a search of yearbooks revealed that no Kate Schmidt had participated in any school athletic program. “I don’t think I’ve misled people. ... I never told anybody to write a thing,” Schmidt told the Register. 

“Everybody has forgotten that I lost a leg. Everybody is into, ‘Did you say this? Did you do that?”’ 

“The behavior is called pseudologia fantastica,” said psychiatrist Charles V. Ford, author of Lies!Lies!Lies!: The Psychology of Deceit.” 

“These people are sensitive to audiences, so I’m not at all surprised that their wild stories incorporate the Olympics and whatever people are talking about at the time.”


Patrons starting to support smoking ban

The Associated Press
Tuesday October 17, 2000

SACRAMENTO — More California bar patrons like the state’s nearly 3-year-old ban on smoking in bars than did when the prohibition was imposed, according to a new poll. 

The number of bargoers who approve of the law that prohibits smoking in bars rose from 59 percent in 1998, just after the law took effect, to 73 percent last summer, according to the poll. 

The $50,000 survey was conducted for the state Department of Health Services by the Field Research Corp., which also did the March 1998 poll. 

“Despite repeated attempts by the tobacco industry and its allies to overturn this measure, the vast majority of California bar patrons agree that they want their bars to be smoke-free,” department Director Diana Bonta said Monday. 

Among the bar patrons who smoke, the new poll found a decline in those who admitted they smoked inside a bar. Only 14 percent said they broke the law, compared with 25 percent in 1998. 

The poll also found that 91 percent of the patrons surveyed said they either go to bars more often since 1998 or have not changed their bar-related behavior because of the law. In 1998, 85 percent gave the same answers. 

The National Smokers Alliance, an organization of smokers based in Alexandria, Va., and a critic of the no-smoking law, had not seen the new survey Monday and did not have immediate comment, said spokeswoman Sheila Bumgardner. A total of 1,000 Californians ages 21 and older who said they had been in a bar at least once in the past year were interviewed for the poll. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percent. The Field Research Corp. is related to the San Francisco-based organization that conducts the Field Poll on political topics. 

On the Net: The department is at http://www.dhs.ca.gov 

The National Smokers Alliance is at http://www.smokersalliance.org


Man robs bakery twice of dough

Daily Planet Staff
Tuesday October 17, 2000

Toot Sweets bakery at 1277 Gilman St. was robbed twice by the same person Oct. 11 and 12, according to Berkeley police. 

Lt. Russell Lopes said that a black male, about 5 feet 10 inches, weighing about 200 pounds., wearing a dark hat, a dark coat, black sunglasses and baggy blue jeans, entered the store Wednesday around 10 a.m. and handed the cashier a note demanding money. 

Lopes said that the man simulated a gun by holding a stick under his coat. 

The cashier handed him an undisclosed amount of money and the man escaped. 

The very next day, the same man entered the store around 11 a.m. and handed the cashier a note demanding money. This time he did not simulate a gun. 

Lopes said that the cashier again gave the man an undisclosed amount of money and the man, once again, escaped. 

Lopes said that there are no suspects at this time.


Diverse ideas for District 2

Stories by Josh Parr/ Daily Planet staff Judith Sc
Monday October 16, 2000

Home to San Pablo Park, one of the city’s most-used recreation areas, the newly remodeled Longfellow Middle School, the new Over-60 Health Center-senior housing project, and the city’s community-built playground at Aquatic Park, District 2 also comprises the heavily-trafficked San Pablo Avenue, a state highway, with 11 developable parcels, an often thriving prostitution trade at San Pablo and Heinz avenues and the site of the city’s third homicide of the year on Haskell Street. Median home values and income are among the lowest in the city.  

The area is bordered roughly by University Avenue on the north, Emeryville and Oakland on the south, Sacramento Street on the east and the freeway on the west. Incumbent Councilmember Margaret Breland is facing four challengers. Candidate Jon Crowder declined to be interviewed for this story. 

 

Margaret Breland 

The door to Margaret Breland’s west Berkeley home is always open, and fifty years of west Berkeley history has walked through it. Sitting in her living-room with stacks of campaign literature piled on coffee tables, Breland talks about Berkeley politics, her battle with breast cancer and why she’s running for what would be her second term of office. 

“I feel that I’ve done a great deal, and I want to finish the projects I’ve started,” she said. 

No. 1 on her list is the fight to bridge the health disparity between African-Americans who live in the flatlands and Caucasians who live in the hills. 

A retired nurse, Breland points to the $200,000 she along with her council allies got into the budget to begin to address the disparities. The money will serve as matching funds for additional health funding. 

Small business development is also on Breland’s priority list. 

Breland lobbied for $240,000 a few years ago for facade grants for 47 San Pablo Avenue businesses. 

“I wanted to bring west Berkeley up to par, especially along San Pablo Avenue, to look like the rest of Berkeley, because, to me, it felt like west of San Pablo was like leaving the day for night.” 

She said she works hard to support those business owners with community interests at heart. At the same time, she wants to reduce the number of liquor stores in her community. 

And she said she has constantly pushed back attempts by Fourth Street businesses to move University Avenue into her district. 

“To me, Fourth Street was never meant for west Berkeley. Fourth Street is geared for Walnut Creek or downtown Berkeley. It’s not meant for this part of the city. The only reason it’s here is because the land is cheaper, and they could get away with doing more things. And so now they’re here and trying to sprawl into our district. Several times I’ve had to say something about them not bringing Fourth Street across University,” Breland said. 

“Most of the people who shop on Fourth Street are not from around here, so why come to an area where you aren’t going to serve or benefit the people who live here? It’s just not for us,” she said. 

Breland’s campaign finance reports reflects no funds from Fourth Street businesses, while Betty Hicks’ statement shows she has received at least $1,500 from various Fourth Street businesses and developers. 

Traffic along San Pablo Avenue is another of Breland’s concerns. As a member of the a Congestion Management Agency subcommittee on San Pablo Avenue, Breland has worked to improve bus service. 

Building user-friendly bus shelters is one of her accomplishments. “We’re building nice, shelter style bus stops, where people can sit out of the rain and catch their buses,” she said. 

And faster buses are in the works. Currently, there are only local buses which stop at nearly every block. Operating on a “trip” system, the new express buses will skip stops It will operates on a “trip” system. “If an express bus is stuck, say at Ashby Avenue, and needs to be at University in five minutes, the driver can push a button to trip the stop lights. It goes all the way to Hercules,” Breland said. “The program’s been approved and is about ready to go.”Another of Breland’s priorities is youth. She raised $500,000 for youth services, which includes funds that will go towards the creation of a youth facility for south and west Berkeley. 

She’s also fought for funds for affordable housing as a way to fight gentrification in her district. And she sees the passage of Measure Y, owner move-in eviction controls for disabled and elderly people, as part her housing strategy. “This will allow the existing community to remain in their homes,” she said. 

“There’s so much gentrification going on, it’s hard to believe,” she said. 

The wave of money coming into the district bids up the housing prices as well as the available sites along San Pablo Avenue. Breland said it is important to have neighborhood-serving businesses come into those sites. She has held community meetings on the question. 

“ Really, what came from those meetings was a concern that the commercial district serves the residents, and not the other way around.” 

One of the big questions is the district revolves around developer Patrick Kennedy’s proposed development at 2700 San Pablo Ave. Since as council member, Breland may be asked to vote on the project, she said she’s not permitted to talk about it.  

Breland’s recent campaign finance statement shows that Kennedy and his wife have each contributed $250 to Breland’s campaign and none to candidate Betty Hicks who is lobbying for a three-story development, rather than the proposed four or five-story building. 

What has she learned over her first four years on the council? 

“Candidates come to the election promising major changes, big plans, but it’s the daily work that matters the most. You get 12-15 complaints everyday, and taking care of that, that’s a day’s work. To get those other things done, Section 8 funding, programs for urban development, that takes political allies and know how. I have that track record,” Breland said. 

Others agree. Breland is endorsed by Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, Assemblymember Dion Aroner, D-Berkeley, and city councilmembers Maudelle Shirek, Dona Spring and Kriss Worthington.  

Breland has spent about $8,000 so far on her campaign, and said says she hopes to raise about $20,000. 

 

Betty Hicks 

District 2 candidate Betty Hicks said she is often mistaken for incumbent Margaret Breland. 

“It’s not just because we’re both politically-active African-American women,” she said. “It’s because people don’t know what our councilmember looks like.”  

If elected to the District 2 seat, the retired postmaster of Orinda promises to be fully accessible and highly visible at community events. 

“I would be accessible and meet with block groups to assist in solving their problems.” she writes in her campaign literature. 

Endorsed by Mayor Shirley Dean, the Berkeley Police and Fire departments as well as the Berkeley Democratic Club, Hicks hopes to raise a warchest of $30,000 in campaign funds. A recent campaign finance filing showed Hicks had raised $13,400 through Oct. 2, with about $1,500 coming from Fourth Street business owners and developers.  

Breland voted to spend Fourth Street-area redevelopment funds on the nearby bicycle bridge, joining progressives on the council in opposing the subsidy of a parking garage. Hicks, on the other hand, said she thinks there are sufficient redevelopment funds to spend on the bike bridge and to help the merchants with a parking structure. 

The candidate is quick to note that she would not be beholden to the mayor when it comes to her vote on the council. 

“I would oppose Dean when it was right to do so,” she said. “I would represent District 2, and that would require me to work independently for the needs of our district, no matter what it takes.” 

A case in point, Hicks said, is the retail and housing development Patrick Kennedy is proposing at 2700 San Pablo Ave. Dean has a history as a strong supporter of Kennedy’s often-controversial projects. Hicks, on the other hand, questions the four-to-five story housing and retail project proposed at the Carlton Street and San Pablo Avenue site. She said the development should be no higher than three stories. 

“We need well-designed, appropriately-scaled ground floor retail and mixed-income housing along San Pablo Avenue,” she said. 

A better community process for development is imperative, she said. “There should be mailings sent to every home to notify people, not just some sign tacked up on the telephone pole announcing community meetings.”  

The community needs to be involved in the future of San Pablo Avenue, Hicks said. “There are developers lined up to get at those 11 (available) spots along San Pablo.” 

Hicks stresses “revitalization” over “redevelopment.”  

Redevelopment is a formal designation of a blighted area. Taxes on improved property within the area are collected, with certain exceptions, for the benefit to the area – they no longer go to the general fund, for example, or to the county. The promise of future tax revenue generally allows cities to borrow funds to revitalize the area in question. The designation as a Redevelopment Area usually carries with it the right of eminent domain. 

“We need to protect the neighborhood and small businesses by opposing designation as Redevelopment Areas with its threat of eminent domain,” Hicks said. “The city would actually get more out of revitalization. Redevelopment would mean owners would be required to pay back (loan funds.) And with eminent domain, people never get their value.” 

As for Measure Y, “I’m not for it,” Hicks said. “I know we still have housing available, but it’s been taken off the market. Rent control is the reason. We don’t need more restrictions on property owners. It’ll actually make them less likely to rent to the elderly or disabled.” 

Further, she said. “We need to re-write the rent control laws to encourage more home owners to put their property back on the market.” 

Though she said that there isn’t a real problem with crime in her neighborhood, Hicks does feel that it would be helpful to have better monitoring of San Pablo Park. “We need to send a strong, clear message that drug dealing in our parks and on our streets will not be tolerated,” she said. “We also need to make window bars available to the people that need them.” 

Hicks addressed the changes she sees in District 2. In the last 15 years, she said her side of the street has changed from an all African-American block to a row of homes with only two residences occupied by African-American families. 

It hasn’t been a problem though, she said.  

“As long as you go and introduce yourself, people get to know who you are and what you represent. Then they make real judgments not based on race. You realize that these aren’t the wealthiest people in the world either. They couldn’t afford to live in the hills either.” 

Still, there should be a program of low-rate city loans for first time homebuyers to help keep people in Berkeley. “They just don’t have the down payments for a home,” she said. 

Currently the treasurer of the San Pablo Neighborhood Council, Hicks is looking forward to becoming a councilmember. “I will be there, people will know me, and what I stand for. I will return phone calls and answer letters and ensure that appointees to boards and commissions come from our district. That’s what District 2 needs.” 

 

Carol Hughes-Willoughby 

She calls herself a miracle. Others call her Mama Carol. Carol Hughes-Willoughby wants you to call her Councilmember. 

“Ten years they’ve been calling me Mama Carol. Even senior citizens call me Mama Carol,” said the 44-year-old mother of two. “I have taken on the commitment and determination to be like a mother eagle over her nest, over my community.” 

Currently vice-chair of the city’s Human Welfare and Community Action Commission, Hughes-Willoughby “looks out for children and the poor,” by recommending funding for various nonprofit groups to the City Council. 

The candidate says she is running for the district seat because she feels that her west Berkeley community has not been properly represented. “Many of the merchants that I’ve talked to never have known what our representative looks like. I think a strong representative would come on out and be a part of the community.” 

A life-long resident of District 2, she has seen her neighborhood undergo fundamental changes over the past decades. 

“When I was growing up, I remember being able to play ball in the middle of the street, front doors open on every neighbor’s home, every neighbor if they saw a child they thought was being unruly or disobedient, they could correct that child. These days if you open your mouth to correct that child, you don’t know if you’re going to get shot,” she said. 

She points to the success of Acton Street, whose residents, she said, formed a block committee and transformed an allegedly criminally “active” spot into a quiet residential neighborhood. Such community building is the key to successfully making the neighborhood streets safe again, she said. 

“People don’t know how to approach people anymore. If that means we have to go block by block and have community meetings and have everybody meet everybody, that solves a big problem. If you don’t know (your neighbor), you’re really not going to tell Johnny to get out of that tree because he’s going to fall.” 

Noting that she has developed youth programs in west Oakland, Hughes-Willoughby said part of rebuilding west Berkeley means establishing programs to teach youth “social skills and marketable job skills.” 

Hughes-Willoughby also wants to bring older members of the community into elementary and middle schools to mentor youth. “Many of these kids don’t have parents at home, their parents are working, and so no one really keeps an eye out on them. These older members of our communities, they have a lot of knowledge and time, and linking them with some kids would really get them involved in the community again.” 

“My main focus is definitely bringing back the unity and respect that west Berkeley once had. I feel that the community is closing its eyes to the devastation going on in our community right now.” She knows about this devastation first hand. Clean and sober for the last 14 years, Mama Carol lost her husband and a child to the streets. 

“Since then my life has been about uplift,” she said. As councilmember she would establish a center in the district that would be a place for people coming out of prison to get marketable skills and find work. “No one is willing to take a risk or give them opportunity for advancement,” she said. 

Hughes-Willoughby said the community needs to know what is planned for the area. She said she only heard about plans for 2700 San Pablo Ave. in casual conversation. “The 2700 plan was not brought to the community in the right manner,” she said. 

Hughes-Willoughby envisions an accessible community shopping center on San Pablo Avenue, complete with a grocery store “to ensure nutritious food for a healthier community.”  

On changes in the neighborhood, the candidate noted that a nearby two-bedroom house recently sold for $395,000 and is being used to house students. The long-term effects of the housing crisis are just beginning to be felt, the candidate said. 

“I feel that we need to be careful because the minority populations are being forced out of our city because they can’t afford to live here. That is definitely what has happened to the African American community. They can’t even afford the houses.” 

She would fight for Section 8 housing. “The government must give up more money for housing here. There needs to be a strong voice for that,” she said. 

And she supports Measure Y, a proposal to protect the elderly and disabled from being evicted by landlords who want to move their own families into the rented units. 

Asked if she sees herself as a role model for her community, she said, “I am a miracle. God gave me a second chance to make a difference, and that’s what I’m going to do, right here right now.” 

Mama Carol can be heard most Sundays at the New Life Community Church in west Oakland, where she is a pastor. 

 

Gina Sasso 

Gina Sasso advocates for tenants, working people, seniors, the disabled and the poor. A member of the Peace and Freedom Party, which commits itself to “socialism, democracy, ecology, feminism and racial equality,” Sasso would work independent of the progressive or moderate factions on the Berkeley city council if elected. 

“I’m against the war on drugs and gentrification,” she said. “Those are my main issues.”  

She describes the problems of District 2 as a confluence of blight and wealth, few educational and job opportunities, and an overall feeling that no one is being encouraged  

to stay as wealthier people come to Berkeley. 

“In the midst of prosperity, poverty grows in west Berkeley,” she writes in her campaign literature. 

At an interview at the Daily Planet offices, she expanded on this idea. 

“Landlords feel that they can just push us out of our neighborhoods. The people of District 2 are tired, feeling very oppressed, depressed and have gone to alcohol. We need to take care of our people,” she said.  

She said she would work to increase affordable housing, institute a 35-hour work week with a living wage, and secure more Section 8 funding for residents in her area.  

“There are plenty of empty lots in Berkeley, abandoned buildings, that can be acquired by eminent domain to create low rent housing,” she said. 

Her sympathy for the plight of the homeless, the jobless, the addicted and the once jailed, comes from her own experience being homeless for a few months earlier this year. 

“I learned a lot from that, and want to make sure that the people I know are well taken care of. Instead of spending more money to create a police state, or a police city, in this case, we need more funding to take care of the addicts. They’re not dogs, they’re people, and if they have a problem with drugs, then we need rehabilitation programs for them. Now there’s nothing to give them jobs, no apprentice programs,” Sasso said. 

Sasso said she benefited from such a training program when Jimmy Carter was president. “It wasn’t the best program in the world, it had a lot of problems, but it was something,” she said. “It gave me chance.” 

On the other hand, she looks at the ’90s as a decade of war on communities of color and poor people that is still going on, and going on right here in Berkeley.  

“Every five or ten minutes right now, there’s a police car driving down San Pablo Avenue. Non-violet drug offenders are constantly being put in jail, to the point where we have over two million people in prisons now. Locking them up is not the solution,” she said. 

“The War on Drugs,” she writes in her campaign literature, “is a war on working class and minority communities. Drug abuse should be treated as a medical and psychological issue rather than a criminal matter.” 

Sasso supports Proposition 36, which requires drug treatment programs and probation for most non-violent drug offenses. She also supports Measure Y, designed to protect the disabled and people over 60 years of age from being removed from their rental units by owners claiming that they need the space for their own family members. To combat the gentrification, Sasso proposes to curb rent hikes, and “support legislative action in support of tenants.” 

She is opposed to Proposition 38, which would mandate the use of vouchers in California’s education system. 

Also known as Ramblin’ Rose, a DJ on 104.1, Berkeley Liberation Radio, she coordinates schedules for over 70 DJ’s at the radio station, and can be heard Sundays 12:30-2:30 p.m. and Thursdays 6:30-8 a.m. 

 

 

 


Calendar of Events & Activities

Monday October 16, 2000


Monday, Oct. 16

 

Private Elementary School  

Parent Information Panel 

7 - 9:30 p.m. 

Epworth United Methodist Church 

1953 Hopkins St.  

A panel of parents from six area private schools discuss the admission process and their experiences. Sponsored by the Neighborhood Parents Network 

Free to members, $5 non-members 

Call 527-6667 

 

Learn to Birdwatch 

Oct. 16, 18, 23 & 25 

9:30 a.m. - Noon 

UC Botanical Gardens 

200 Centennial Drive 

$50 for members; $65 for non-members. 643-2755 

 

Council Candidates Forum: The Future of Downtown  

Berkeley 

6 p.m., Hotel Shattuck Plaza  

2086 Allston Way 

The League of Women Voters of Berkeley, Albany and Emeryville will moderate a candidates forum. 843-8824 


Tuesday, Oct. 17

 

Is the West Berkeley  

Shellmound a landmark? 

7 p.m.  

City Council Chambers 

2134 MLK Jr. Way, 2nd floor 

Continued and final public hearing on the appeals against landmark designation of the West Berkeley Shellmound.  

The City Council may possibly make it’s decision at this meeting. 

 

Brunch in the Succah 

10 a.m. 

Congregation Beth Israel 

1630 Bancroft Way 

Rabbi Yocheved Heiligman on Succot, Beyond the Obvious 

Co-sponsored by Berkeley Hadassah, and The Women's Group of Congregation Beth Israel 

527-1207 or e-mail teachme88@yahoo.com. 

 

Landscape Archeology and Space-Age Technologies in Epirus, Greece 

8 p.m.  

370 Dwinelle Hall, UC Berkeley 

Professor of Archeology, Art History and Classics Dr. James Wiseman presents a slide-illustrated lecture. 

Fibromyalgia Support Group 

Noon - 2 p.m.  

Alta Bates Medical Center, Maffly Auditorium 

Herrick Campus, 2001 Dwight Way 

Andrea Albanese, PT presents “Aquatic Therapy for Fibromyalgia” and a rap session.  

Call D.L. Malinousky, 601-0550 

 

Mario Savio Memorial Lecture 

7:30 p.m. 

Pauley Ballroom 

UC Berkeley 

Barbara Ehrenreich and Arlie Hochschild will speak on the theme “Forwards and Backwards - Women, globalization, and the new class structure.” Free. 

Call Heather Cameron, 642-9437 

 

Help Out Some Orangutans 

7 p.m.  

Cafe Milanos 

2522 Bancroft Way 

Come help plan a day of action against Citibank, who allegedly plunders the environment for profit. Join the Rainforest Action Group and Ecopledge in protest.  

Is the Sky Falling? 

7 p.m.  

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave. 

Tim Holt, author of “On Higher Ground” will present an array of post-ecotopian choices, one of which is domed cities.  

548-2220 x 233  

 


Wednesday, Oct. 18

 

 

Traffic Calming Workshop 

7 - 10 p.m. 

St. Clements Church 

2837 Clement Blvd.  

Help to achieve reasonable traffic speeds and volume on local streets.  

 

“Women and Trafficking: Domestic & Global Concerns” 

6 - 9:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Forum will include an expert panel discussion, and a movie on Women and trafficking. Free.  

644-6107  

— compiled by  

Chason Wainwright 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Letters to the Editor

Monday October 16, 2000

Does zoning dept. listen? 

 

Editor: 

We have made several related zoning complaints in the past year which are very serious and which have not been responded to. The first one, filed in September of 1999, involves the conversion of over 35,000 square feet of manufacturing space in the MU/LI zone from manufacturing to retail with only a Zoning Permit. In 1997, the Planning Commission allowed the rezoning of one building on Fourth Street to allow Cody’s bookstore to move in. Their decision was made contingent upon maintaining 41,000 square feet of manufacturing in that building.  

The ZAB allowed Cody’s Use Permit subject to the same condition. Both of those decisions along with their contingencies were later upheld by Council resolutions. Since that time, the remaining manufacturing space formerly occupied by Sweet Potatoes has been entirely converted to retail use and is now an antique store. We have had no response to several official zoning complaints and numerous visits to the zoning desk regarding this illegal use. 

More recently we have filed a zoning complaint regarding the property at 1608 4th St. which seems to be slated for retail use also. During the Design Review process for this property, the developer proposed a sign which read “Discovery Channel Store.” Design Review told them to remove the word “Store” from the sign. In looking through the current Use Permit file, we noticed that the sign had been resubmitted by the developer in August and it once again contains the word “Store”. This sign was accepted by Planning and was even allowed to be enlarged in September without going back to Design Review. The remainder of the space at 1608 4th is now being advertised by the real estate agent in charge of leasing as being “Located in 4th Street retail district.” 

We are quite concerned with the continued conversion of manufacturing space in the MU/LI zone and are appalled that it is being replaced by retail.  

This is a major contributor to the lack of parking and can not be mitigated with more conversions. These property owners, developers, future tenants and the Planning and Economic Development Departments should be told that retail is not allowed in the MU/LI zone. 

Rhiannon 

Berkeley 

 

PD violated First Amendment 

 

Editor: 

As the free speech violations in Berkeley and throughout the country remain a critical issue, I would like to describe my recent experience. This is not on the level of outrageousness as the Secret Service reportedly blockading presidential candidate Ralph Nader from even attending the second corporatist “debate” (despite his holding a ticket!), but it is certainly at least as serious as candidates in Berkeley reporting selective removal of signs by city personnel.  

A moment of background. September was the first Car-Free Month, a month to honor and appreciate those who live (or would like to live) without motorcars. September was chosen because it is so full of meaningful days and events. Amongst those are the parades, wherein the streets are for a few short hours full festivity.  

I and friends built a float for those parades consisting of three hand-made bicycle carts, each carrying a banner with such controversial messages as, “Respect Pedestrians”, “Appreciate Bicycles” and “Celebrate (Car-Free) Living.” Given all the work that went into creating this, I decided to keep some of the banners on display for the last few days of Car-Free Month. 

Within a few hours of parking my bicycle (including two of the carts with banners) alongside the UC campus – safely out of the way of pedestrians, right alongside the red-zone curb at Bancroft and Bowditch – I received an emergency phone call from a citizen that the police were towing my trailers. 

I sprinted to the location and was shocked at the scene. The police and workers had torn down and ripped apart the hand-made banners. They had taken a cutting torch to melt apart my U-lock, and had taken the torch to the hand-made trailer hitch, destroying it as well. Note that the hitch has a simple release mechanism to detach the cart, no need to destroy it. 

This uniformed mob had further broken the main supports of the larger trailer, all in all many hundreds of dollars of damage. 

I asked why. The police falsely claimed that the bicycle was blocking the sidewalk. And how many times have we called in a motorcar blocking the sidewalk and received no response? They certainly never take a cutting torch to the car, break off the doors, rip out the ignition and scrape off the bumper stickers.  

Worse, it is part of an ongoing campaign of harassment. Supposedly a merchant first complained, which emphasizes the counter-cultural class war being conducted by police at the behest of private interests.  

Jason Meggs 

Berkeley 

 

 

 

 

 

ROBIN M. DONALD, 1403 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA 94702 

510/845-2535 Robmdonald@aol.com 

 

 

October 11, 2000 

 

Judith Scheer, Editor 

Berkeley Daily Planet 

VIA E-MAIL 

 

Doesn't Franz Schurmann (Opinion, 10/6/00) know that the Afghan Taliban resembles Pol Pot's Khimer Rouge with every passing atrocity? The Taliban regime is denounced by organizations and institutions as diverse as the Muslim Women's League, the Revolutionary Association of Women of Afghanistan, Time Magazine, AP, and Physicians for Human Rights for, amongst other reasons: egregious and violent oppression of women; the lack an independent press; trafficking and promotion of the opium/heroin trade (75% of the world's heroin comes from Afghanistan); and the August, 1998 massacre of 8,000 Hazara in the Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif? 

 

Doesn't he know that one reason for the outrage by secular and religious Palestinians and Arabs at Ariel Sharon's presence at the Dome of the Rock - holy ground for Christians, Jews and Muslims - is that Sharon was the Israeli Defense Minister during Israel's 1982 occupation of southern-Lebanon and he was responsible for permitting Lebanese right-wing Phalangist execution units to enter two of the camps, Sabra and Shatila, where they murdered between 2-3,000 unarmed civilians? 

 

Can we have an article by someone with a grasp of the real issues, e.g., the Palestinian's right of return; the role of the Muslim Hamas in the "peace process"; why the people in the U.S. acquiesce in our government sending $5.5 billion per year in financial aid from the U.S. to Israel, which allows Israel to deny Palestinians their democratic rights while supporting illegal Zionist settlements and military murders of unarmed civilians?; and the failure of Israel to honor U.N. Security Council Resolution 242 (to move the boundaries of Israel back to the pre-1967 demarcation lines)? 

 

Sincerely, 

 

 

Robin M. Donald 

 

Subject:  

BTV fan-mail 

Date:  

Sat, 14 Oct 2000 18:11:38 -0700 

From:  

Arnold Lee  

Organization:  

Berkeley Daily Planet 

To:  

Judith Scherr  

 

 

 

 

 

Subject:  

Feedback 

Date:  

Sat, 14 Oct 2000 08:07:46 -0000 

From:  

"Lessly Wikle"  

To:  

,  

 

 

 

Greetings - 

 

Both my husband and I are now avid fans of your paper, the Daily Planet. Imagine our delight when you took community information one step further and added the Channel 25 

schedule to your paper - you guys are great! 

 

Lessly Wikle 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Cal breaks losing streak in three-OT thriller

By Jared GreenDaily Planet Staff
Monday October 16, 2000

Fans storm field following 46-38 homecoming win 

 

When Jameel Powell came back to earth with the football clutched to his chest, he was immediately smothered by his teammates in celebration of his game-ending interception. 

“It was starting to hurt with everyone jumping on me and beating on me,” Powell said after everyone rolled off of him. “But it was a good pain.” 

Powell had just wrestled the ball away from UCLA wideout Brian Poli-Dixon in the end zone, giving the Bears (2-4, 1-2 Pac-10) a 46-38 victory in the third overtime of the game. 

The pressure lifted off of Powell when the pile dispersed was nothing compared to the pressure the Bears were under as a team Saturday. A four-game losing streak and five straight games against ranked opponents had a lot of Cal fans thinking a 1-10 record was not only possible, but looking pretty darn probable. But by playing it’s best game of the year against its toughest opponent so far, the team pulled the biggest upset of the Pac-10 season. 

Quarterback Kyle Boller threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, including two long scores to tailback Joe Igber, and the Cal defense finally came up with the big play they’ve been looking for all year when safety Nnamdi Asomugha picked off a Cory Paus pass and ran it 31 yards to the end zone to give the Bears a 21-7 lead in the second quarter. 

Cal head coach Tom Holmoe said he knew early on that his team was on its toes Saturday. 

“They came out in warmups a little different,” Holmoe said. “They had a great feel for the game. They were kind of electric.” 

That electricity flowed through Igber early in the first quarter, when he took an innocent-looking screen pass and weaved his way through the UCLA defense for a 23-yard touchdown and a 7-0 Cal lead. And when the Bears got the ball on the UCLA 36 the next period, Igber gave the crowd another jolt when he took a play-action pass from Boller and glided into the end zone on the first and only play of the drive, restoring the Cal lead at 14-7. 

“Coach (Steve) Hagen put some new routes for the tailbacks. I thought UCLA would be tough on the ground, so we had to get our yards another way,” Igber said. “Everybody else did exactly what they needed to do, and Kyle got me the ball.” 

When tailback Joe Echema dove into the end zone to cap off an 11-play, 70-yard drive that made the score 28-14 with 4:48 left in the third quarter, the Bears looked to be cruising to a landmark victory. But soon after that, the Bears began to look like the group that had lost four games in a row, turning the ball over and giving up just enough points to lose. 

With 10 minutes left in the game, tight end Keala Keanaaina dove to catch a pass from Boller. But Keanaaina bobbled the ball, then managed to kick it right into the hands of prone UCLA linebacker Marques Anderson, giving the visitors the ball on the Cal 39. Five plays later, Paus found tailback Akil Harris unattended in the left flat, and Harris rumbled 20 yards for the score. 

On the ensuing drive, Echema coughed up the ball on a handoff from Boller right into the waiting arms of UCLA’s Tony White. When Paus hit wideout Freddie Mitchell with a 35-yard pass right down the middle to tie the score, the crowd of more than 50,000 in Memorial Stadium had every right to be pessimistic about the Bears finishing skills. 

“When they caught up and tied it up, I know a lot of people were thinking  

‘uh-oh, here we go again,’” Holmoe said. “They’ve won all their games coming from behind. I knew that. When they came back and tied it up, it didn’t bode very well for for us.” 

But unlike the previous four games, the Bears didn’t fold in the face of adversity. They stopped the bleeding to force overtime with the score tied at 28, and Boller stepped up to lead the offense to three straight scores. 

The Bruins chose to play defense first in the first overtime, and Boller made them pay. On the second play of the drive, he found wide receiver Derek Swafford on a post pattern for a 22-yard touchdown. 

Swafford, who has battled injuries most of this season, had dropped a similar pass earlier in the game. Instead of beating himself up about his miscue, Swafford leaned on his teammates’ support and got back into the game. 

“Everyone was right there picking me up,” Swafford said. “The guys on the team were telling me they'd come right back to me. That really helped me out.” 

UCLA looked shaky during their possession, needing to convert two fourth downs before Paus sneaked over from the 1 to tie the game again. The teams traded field goals in the second overtime. 

Going into the third overtime, the Bears looked to score quickly as Boller lofted a pass to the end zone for Swafford. Bruins cornerback Ricky Manning, Jr., beaten on the play, dragged Swafford down before the receiver could catch the ball, resulting in a pass-interference penalty that took the ball down to the three-yard line. Igber scored on a cutback run to put the Bears ahead on the next play. 

After the second overtime, NCAA rules state that teams must go for a two-point conversion following a touchdown. Cal was caught unprepared on a two-point conversion situation earlier this season against Illinois, but not this time. Boller hit freshman wideout Geoff McArthur on a quick slant to set the final score, leaving it up to the defense to stop the Bruins. 

Powell did just that by making his second interception of the day, which he credited to Asomugha. 

“Namdi really gave me the pick by taking the inside away, and I just ran for the ball and caught it. I was trying to keep my leverage,” Powell said. 

Asomugha called the play with Powell’s coverage skills in mind. 

“Jameel has proven that he can win the one-on-one battle all year,” he said. 

As the fans poured onto the field in celebration, Boller found himself lifted onto someone’s shoulders and carried around the field. The quarterback, who is from the Los Angeles area, dreamed of playing for UCLA but was turned off when the school offered a scholarship to another quarterback before him. 

“It was just crazy. I never imagined we’d have fans running all over the field. It's undescribable,” he said.


Music, dance mark festival

Staff
Monday October 16, 2000

By John Geluardi 

Special to the Daily Planet 

 

Berkeley celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day with the colorful vestments, music and dancing of native cultures that thrived on the West Coast for thousands of years before Europeans arrived.  

Hundreds of people came to Martin Luther King Jr. Park Saturday to enjoy the official holiday and sunshine at the Ninth annual Powwow and Indian Market. 

The celebration, co-sponsored by the city, the Indigenous Peoples Committee and the Turtle Island Project, was a day-long event featuring Northern and Southern Native American drumming and dancers wearing vibrant garments and headgear adorned with feathers and strung bone and shell beads.  

UC Berkeley student Lawrence Killsback of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe said the event achieves a number of positive goals for the community besides cultural exchange.  

“There are Indians throughout the community going to school and working but we don’t always recognize each other and powwows give us a chance to meet, organize and celebrate.” 

The Berkeley City Council unanimously passed a declaration in 1991 making the weekend nearest Oct. 12 Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The first celebration was held in 1992 on the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ landing in the Americas, which Native Americans say was the beginning of centuries of cultural erosion caused by genocide and enslavement.  

This year’s celebration was dedicated to the release of Native American rights activist Leonard Peltier. Speakers said it is widely believed that Peltier, now imprisoned for 24 years, was falsely convicted of killing two FBI agents in 1975 and called for President Clinton to grant Peltier Executive Clemency. 

The dancing was held in a circle approximately 100 feet in diameter. Many spectators sat on blankets or on the grass along the edge of the circle eating Indian tacos and fry bread while watching the succession of dances. During certain portions of the Powwow, the master of ceremonies, Lorenza Baca, encouraged all spectators to join the dancing. 

Peppered among announcements of the dance events, expositions of recent Native American achievements and gentle reminders to spectators who parked illegally, Baca amused the crowd with occasional jokes. 

“Did you know I was in Los Angeles recently to audition for a TV series?” he said artfully over the public address system. “That’s right, it’s called ‘Touched by an Anglo.’” 

The dance gear drew much attention and Baca constantly reminded spectators to be respectful and ask the dancers’ permission before taking photographs.  

Headman Dancer Gilbert Blacksmith said each dancer makes his or her own dancing regalia, which is an expression of individuality. Blacksmith, 44, said there are three native dance styles, traditional, grass dance and fancy dance. He has been dancing for 40 years and said he is now the oldest fancy dancer in the nation. 

Blacksmith teaches fancy dancing every Thursday to all interested at the Intertribal Friendship House in Oakland. 

Spectators Sarah McPherson and her two daughters Anne, 7, and Meg, 5, danced each time the inner circle was opened to spectators. “This is just a great event,” McPherson said. “I brought the girls for the cultural experience but I never thought they’d have this much fun.” 

Other celebrants strolled along the outer circle of vendor booths selling arts and crafts such as Native American jewelry, dream catchers and musical instruments. Vincent and Jodi Castanon have been making and selling traditional soap stone crafts for 29 years. “We go to as many as 35 powwows a year between March and November,” Vincent said. “And when we’re not traveling we teach soap stone carving.” 

Soap stone is found throughout the United States and was used by Indigenous tribes for 2000 years to make pipes, beads, carvings and talcum powder. 

There were several information booths among the crafts vendors including the Green Party, The Native American Health Center and activists promoting the preservation of the West Berkeley Shellmound, the site of a ancient Native American community and burial site at the mouth of Strawberry Creek.  

The Native American Aids Project distributed condoms and pamphlets describing the organization’s services. NAAP Program Director Joan Benoît said the HIV infection rate among Native Americans increased 700 percent between 1990 and 1999. “We’re here to make sure the people stay safe.”


A new pecking order? Bears down Stanford

By Jared Green Daily Planet Staff
Monday October 16, 2000

Schott, Sabo score as Cal wins third in a row over Cardinal 

 

Stanford women’s soccer has been the bully of the Pac-10 playground for many years, as they have the fourth-best winning percentage in the history of women’s college soccer to go with numerous conference championships. But the bully is now being taken to school by their neighbors to the north. 

No. 9 Cal beat Stanford for the third straight time Sunday by being more aggressive in the air and going straight at the Cardinal defense. The final 2-0 score didn’t do justice to the Bears’ effort, as they were constantly on the attack and had an apparent goal called back on a questionable offsides call. 

The matchup, played in front of a Edwards Stadium record crowd of 1,582, was the first time the Bears have gone into a match against Stanford ranked higher than their opponents, as the Cardinal (8-4-1, 1-2 Pac-10) had fallen to No. 14. 

The Bears (12-1-1, 2-1) came out swinging, as forward Kyla Sabo got a breakaway chance in the first minute only to see Stanford goalie Carly Smolak turn the shot around her post with one hand. But Cal kept up the pressure, and forward Laura Schott came through with a goal in the 21st minute off of a feed from midfielder Brittany Kirk. Schott’s initial shot was parried by Smolak, but the Bears’ leading scorer controlled the rebound and put it away for her 18th goal of the season, most in the Pac-10. 

“We knew we wanted to come out and get on top of them,” Schott said. 

Following the goal, Cal fell back on the defensive for the rest of the half, looking to keep their one-goal cushion. But head coach Kevin Boyd wasn’t happy with the defensive style, and he told his team so at halftime. 

We struggle with our confidence some times against teams we know are good,” Boyd said after the game. “I told them, ‘Hey, you’re number nine in the country, you’ve been in the top 10 for four weeks straight. What else do you need to know you’re good?’ And they came out and played great in the second half.” 

With their confidence high, the Bears came out for the second half like sharks with blood in the water. Sabo and Schott drove for the goal repeatedly, and several of their shots went just wide of the target. 

Sabo, who dominated the right side of the field for most of the game, popped a pass over the Stanford defense in the 67th minute, and Schott hit the ball into the top of the net for an apparent 2-0 lead. But the referee waved the goal off, saying Schott was offsides on the play. 

Sabo then decided to take matters into her own hands five minutes later, taking the ball 30 yards from the Stanford goal, she eluded three defenders before rocketing a shot past the diving Smolak to give Cal a real two-goal lead. 

“We’ve been talking about the fact that I pass a lot, and I need to be more dangerous in the box myself, so that’s what I was trying to work on today,” Sabo said. “I just saw the corner open and shot for it.” 

Happy with the scoreline, the Bears then put their minds to keeping Zabala’s team-record 24th shutout intact, and they did just that. The Cardinal got only nine shots off in the game, almost all of them from long range, as defenders Tami Pivnik and Amy White keyed the lockdown on the vaunted Stanford strikers. 

“Amy White probably had her best game of the season,” Boyd said. “Our backline was a rock today, nothing got by them.” 

Zabala agreed with her coach. 

“I don’t think people realize how awesome our defenders have been doing. They haven’t been giving away any decent shots all year,” she said. “I think today they really showed a lot of skill and maturity.” 

With the Bears coming into the game as the favorite, the senior players saw this as a chance to really establish the program as one of the conference’s best. 

“This is exactly what I wanted when I came to Cal,” Pivnik said. “I came into a losing program, and we looked at where Stanford was and said ‘That’s where we want to be.’ And now we’re there.”


Crosswalk, bike lane upgrades may get OK

By William Inman Daily Planet Staff
Monday October 16, 2000

The landscape of south Berkeley is set to get its long-awaited makeover, if the City Council approves a set of plans and specifications designed to make the Adeline-Ashby-Alcatraz corridor a bicycle and pedestrian-oriented commercial street. 

Crosswalk improvements, north and south bike lanes, pedestrian lighting, new trees, bus shelters and public art are just some of the plans for the five block stretch on Adeline Street from Ashby Avenue to Alcatraz Avenue. 

Improvements along the stretch are slated to begin soon and to be completed by April of next year, if the council gives its approval, Public Works Director Rene Cardinaux said.  

Funding comes from a $1 million grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and $190,000 from the city’s General Fund. The city originally pitched a $2 million project, but received half, according to Bill Lambert, manager of the Office of Economic Development.  

Cardinaux and Lambert said the streetscape improvements are a step toward reaching a major goal of the 1991 South Berkeley Area Plan, which is to link the isolated Ashby BART station with the rest of the community. 

In the grant proposal to the MTC, Lambert wrote that “Business owners note that customers are discouraged from walking from one store to the next due to the traffic volume and width of the streets.” 

The 175 foot stretch across Adeline is a “forbidding street to cross for cyclists and pedestrians, especially the elderly, children and the disabled,” Lambert wrote. 

The six lanes of traffic along the stretch carry 35,000 cars a day in and out of Berkeley at an average speed of 34 miles per hour.  

The mammoth BART station itself has also acted as a physical barrier between downtown and south Berkeley, the proposal said. 

“The entrances to the BART station are below grade, making station access difficult and isolating the AC Transit stops on the upper level,” the proposal continues. “The physical discontinuity the BART station creates on Adeline, plus the width of the street and the volume of traffic, cuts the Adeline-Alcatraz district off from regional shoppers in the northern segment of Adeline, and forces its merchants to depend on a local customer base with very little disposable income.” 

Lambert says that the improvements will not only enhance pedestrian amenities, but increase the flow of customers to and from the BART station, thus improving business. 

South Berkeley is certainly looking up, Lambert said. With the improvements, combined with the Ed Roberts campus – a proposed $30 million office complex to house agencies which support people with disabilities – in the BART station parking lot, a new drug store and the thriving Berkeley Bowl, the Adeline corridor will “live up to its potential,” he said. 

The area is already home to a number of important community facilities, such as the Black Repertory Theater, several churches, a post office and the offices of the Berkeley Housing Authority. 

The plans include the installation of 150 pedestrian lights, 55 new tree grates, new landscaping that includes 30 new trees, new bus shelters, information kiosks and 40 new banners that are hoped to bring a sense of community identity. 

Lambert also said that the Civic Arts Commission will be adding a public art piece to the overall streetscape. 

“It all ties in together very nicely,” he said. 


Bears can’t handle top-ranked UCLA

Daily Planet Wire Services
Monday October 16, 2000

Led by three goals apiece from Brian Brown and Adam Wright, and 12 blocks by goalie Brandon Brooks, No. 1 ranked UCLA defeated No. 4 Cal, 11-5, in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation match Saturday afternoon at Spieker Aquatics Complex.  

The Bears fell to 6-5 overall and 2-2 in the MPSF, while the Bruins improved to 9-2 and 5-0 in MPSF play.  

UCLA pretty much dominated from the beginning of the match, jumping out to a 3-1 lead after the first period on goals by Brown, Dave Parker and Andrew Bailey. Senior two-meter man Jerry Smith gave Cal its first period goal with 2:39 left.  

The Bears scored the first goal in the second period to get within 4-2 on another shot by Smith, this time from an assist by Joe Kaiser. However, UCLA went on to outscore Cal 4-1 the rest of the second period, including goalie Brooks blocking a four-meter penalty shot attempt by Smith. 

Both teams scored two goals in the third period, but the Bruins sealed the match in the fourth quarter on goals by Wright and Olympian Sean Kern.


500 take to streets

The Associated Press
Monday October 16, 2000

BERKELEY — Berkeley police had their hands full after a mob of about 500 people broke store windows and looted several businesses on a busy street near the University of California, Berkeley. 

The break-ins occurred Saturday night after several people were refused admission to a party near the university. 

The dejected partiers made their way down Telegraph Avenue breaking windows and stealing from at least eight stores including an athletic goods shop, a record store and a Gap clothing store. Police arrested four juveniles for looting, while hundreds of others ran off into the night. 


DBA says it won’t sponsor election forum

By William Inman Daily Planet Staff
Saturday October 14, 2000

The Downtown Berkeley Association dropped its sponsorship of Monday night’s candidates forum, after protests from several City Council hopefuls who called foul, claiming that an organization that gets city funding should not be sponsoring an election forum.  

Caleb Dardick, Interim Executive Director of the DBA, said that the forum, slated for Monday, 6-8 p.m. at the Hotel Shattuck Plaza, will instead be hosted by the League of Women Voters of Berkeley, Albany and Emeryville. 

District 6 incumbent Betty Olds said she understood the concerns. Because the DBA receives city money, it could be perceived that the incumbents would have the advantage, Olds said. 

“We’re the ones that have given them the money,” she said. “If I were a challenger, I would feel that way, too.” 

Olds said, however, that she was surprised that the DBA didn’t realize that holding the forum would cause questions to be raised. 

But District 2 incumbent Margaret Breland said that at first she wasn’t planning on attending the forum. DBA endorsements are a done deal, she said, and her campaign would better spend its time by “knocking on doors” than attending a forum where she would not be endorsed. 

Breland said that the mayor and the others of the moderate council bloc hold the key to downtown. 

However, since she learned that the League of Women Voters is moderating the event, she has changed her mind and decided to participate. 

District 5 challenger Carrie Olson said that she plans to attend, as well. Olson, however, said she isn’t sure that the League of Women Voters is an unbiased organization either. 

“The League has taken a stance on land-use issues,” she said. “I don’t feel like they should take a stance on issues (and moderate the forum).” 

Olson said that the questions will still be the same, but the moderator will be different. 

“It’s (the DBA’s) forum, they have the right to ask their own questions,” she said. “Everyone has their own interests in these issues.” 

Olson said that she hadn’t raised the issue about the DBA receiving money from the city, but took the same stance as Breland. 

“If I were doing this to look for their endorsement, it would be different,” she said. “I take it as a foregone conclusion that they already have their candidates.” 

Olson joked that she’s still learning the ropes in campaigning for City Council. 

District 2 challenger Betty Hicks, whom Breland said the DBA will endorse, said that she plans to “be as forthright as I can.” 

“When you go to all these forums, all you can do is just state what you’re about.” 

Dardick said that it’s more important to the DBA to make the candidates comfortable than to be the sponsor. 

“When we heard that council candidates were critical of this, we immediately decided to withdraw sponsorship,” he said. “In Berkeley, sometimes it pays not to fight.” 

 


Calendar of Events & Activities

Saturday October 14, 2000


Saturday, Oct. 14

 

Indigenous Peoples Day  

Powwow & Indian Market 

10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Grand Entry 1 p.m.  

Enjoy Native American foods, arts & crafts, drumming, singing and many types of native dancing. Sponsored by the City of Berkeley, this event is free.  

Civic Center Park 

Allston Way at MLK Jr. Way 

Info: 615-0603 

 

Fall Festival at School of the  

Madeleine 

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

1225 Milvia at Berryman, Berkeley 

Raffle, Games, Food, Silent Auction 

Prizes, Haunted House, Fun 

 

Traffic Calming Workshop 

1 - 4 p.m.  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Help to achieve reasonable traffic speeds and volume on local streets.  

 

Free Spay and Neuter  

Vouchers 

2 - 4 p.m.  

Berkeley Animal Shelter 

2013 Second St. 

The City of Berkeley, along with Spay Neuter Your Pet (SNYP) is kicking off a City-funded program to reduce the number of animals euthanized. They are offering free spay and neuter vouchers to all Berkeley residents.  

 

Run Your Own Landscape Business: Part 1 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave. (at Blake) 

Local horticultural consultant and UC Master Gardener Jessie West will teach you how to plant, prune, control weeds, and more. The first of three classes. The others are scheduled for Oct. 21 & 28 in the same timeslot. 

$15 general; $10 for members; $5 materials fee 

Call 548-2220 x223 

Indian Rock Parks Clean-Up 

8 a.m. - Noon 

Indian Rock Park 

Come help local resident Sharon Tamm clean up Indian Rock, Mortar Rock, Grotto Rock and their surrounding areas. Gloves will be provided. Bring a scraping tool and compete for the “Most Gum” award. Prizes have been provided by the Class 5 and IronWorks climbing clubs along with the Any Mountain Outlet store.  

To volunteer call Sharon Tamm, 524-1415 

 

Learn to Birdwatch 

Oct. 16, 18, 23 & 25 

9:30 a.m. - Noon 

UC Botanical Gardens 

200 Centennial Drive 

$50 for members; $65 for non-members 

Call for info or to enroll: 643-2755 

 

An Evening with The  

Professor 

5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. 

Mambo Mambo 

1803 Webster St.  

Oakland 

Berkeley resident Geoffrey A. Hirsch, better known as the Tie Guy from the “How Berkeley Can You Be” parade got his start in comedy in 1996. A professor in real life, Hirsch tell the story of how he became a funny guy.  

$5 for show only, $10 for show and dinner 

Call Geoffrey Hirsch at 845-5631 to reserve tickets 

 


Sunday, Oct. 15

 

A Taste of the Greenbelt 

1 - 4 p.m. 

Los Gatos Opera House 

Celebrate the Bay Area’s agricultural and culinary bounty. This benefit features a variety of musical groups, local artists and samples from over 40 local restaurants, farmers, wineries and microbreweries. Proceeds benefit Greenbelt Alliance’s ongoing efforts to protect Bay Area farmlands and open space.  

$45 per person; $80 for this event and the Oct. 22 event in SF 

1-800-543-GREEN, www.greenbelt.org 

 

Musicians for Medical  

Marijuana Benefit 

8 p.m. 

Ashkenaz 

1317 San Pablo (at Gilman) 

The fourth benefit concert with The Cannabis Healers featuring Barney Doyle of the Mickey Hart Band and Terry Haggerty of Sons of Champlin. Also performing will be Country Joe McDonald and Buzzy Linhart and friends. All proceeds go to support public education efforts, medical cannabis research, and financial assistance for patients and their caregivers facing legal challengers.  

Tickets: $15 minimum donation, under 12 free 

Call the Ashkenaz box office, 525-5054 or go to gdt.stoo.com or ticketweb.com 

 

A Muslim Approach to Life 

3 p.m. 

St. Johns Presbyterian Church 

2727 College Ave.  

A presentation on the Muslim spiritual life and culture which will focus on women’s lives and the uniqueness of women’s spiritual journeys. This is the first of four Sunday programs that will focus on this theme.  

Call 527-4496 

 

Time, Space, and Knowledge  

Vision 

6 p.m.  

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Ken McKeon , teacher writer and TSK practitioner since 1980 speaks on “Time, Space, and Knowledge, Right from the Start.” Free. 

Call 843-6812 

 

1923 North Berkeley Fire Walking Tour 

10 a.m. - Noon 

Phil Gale leads this tour of the Sept. 18, 1923 fire site, identifying various changes wrought in buildings and landscape. The tour includes the Mayback chimney, around which a new home was constructed. Pre-paid reservations are required.  

$10 

Call for reservations, 848-0181 

 

Compiled by Chason Wrainwright


Letters to the Editor

Saturday October 14, 2000

Correcting the record on Measure BB 

 

Editor: 

After reading John Cecil’s letter in your Oct. 10th edition, I had to write to correct at least part of his letter regarding Measures AA and BB on the November ballot. The fact that I’m commenting on Measure BB should not lead anyone to think Mr. Cecil is accurate in his rather extraordinary arithmetic concerning Measure AA. But because I have served as the Chair of the BSEP Planning & Oversight Committee’s Subcommittee on Maintenance for some years as well as currently serving as Chair of the District’s Facilities & Maintenance Advisory Committee which recommended the parcel tax that is now Measure BB, I can correct Mr. Cecil’s misunderstandings regarding the maintenance parcel tax. 

I was very active in the campaign to renew BSEP in 1994 when the measure was revised to put most of the money into the classroom to help compensate for the ongoing shortfalls in State funding.  

We reduced maintenance monies in BSEP because the community wanted to preserve core educational programs, not because we thought we were over funding maintenance.  

It was another one of those terrible choices everyone involved with the schools had to make. We’ve now reached the point where we must adequately fund maintenance, both for the health, safety and educational needs of our students and to preserve the enormous capital investment Berkeley has made in its schools.  

Because the demands on the General Fund of the District are so severe and because everyone supported the essential raises given teachers this year, there was no other place to get the money to properly fund maintenance than through a parcel tax.  

The Maintenance Advisory Committee, which also produced a reorganization plan for the department, worked long and hard before recommending the parcel tax to the Board in April.  

Unlike other jurisdictions, Berkeley does not use a one-rate-for-all, across-the-board figure for a parcel tax. This is precisely to protect low-income homeowners and seniors.  

There is an exemption for such taxpayers, while businesses pay a slightly higher rate and the rest of us fall into the middle.  

So rich dot-commerce families won’t replace anyone because of Measure BB. 

I would encourage those readers confused by Mr. Cecil’s colorful descriptions of the facts and figures concerned in Measures AA and BB to check out the web site of the Berkeley Citizens for Safe & Sound Schools, the campaign committee for the measures, at bcsss.com, or write me, c/o of BUSD, 2134 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, Berkeley 94704. Measures AA & BB are too important to be tossed aside based on such erroneous information. 

 

Stephanie Allan 

Co-Chair  

Berkeley Citizens for Safe & Sound Schools  

 

UC Berkeley builds Nobel laureates, but can’t build bike paths  

 

Dear Friends, 

As a fellow UC alum, I sympathize with James L. Fairley’s desire to banish distractions like noisy skateboards, noisy cell phones, and high rents from the University’s contemplative environment (letters, Oct. 12). But regarding his troubles with campus bicyclists, I have a better idea:  

Bike lanes. 

If the Berkeley community really wants to reduce its vehicle traffic, UC’s 50,000+ students, faculty, and employees are the key: These folks need incentives to commute to campus without a car. And for many UC students and staffers, a bicycle is an ideal way to get to campus. Unfortunately, as soon as cyclists arrive, they’re treated like second-class citizens. 

Bicycles are completely banned from much of UC’s central campus during business hours. The campus has only one formal bike path – a peripheral and incomplete north-south path, whose southern entrance has been blocked by construction for months.  

There are a couple of informal cross-campus bike paths, but these are equally peripheral – and roundabout, and subject to conflicts with motor vehicles and pedestrians. One informal north-south path is itself blocked by construction near Wurster and Evans Halls. 

No wonder poor Mr. Fairley has bikes cutting him off on footpaths: they’re given no clear place to go. The humble bicycle is 110-year-old technology, but UC Berkeley – home to one of the world’s largest concentrations of Nobel laureates – still hasn’t figured out how to accommodate it. 

Other universities have discovered that pedestrians’ and cyclists’ needs can be mutually met by striping bike paths. A university to our south provides defined bike paths, and attracts so many bike commuters that visiting its campus feels like stepping into film footage from Beijing. (I won’t mention this parvenu institution’s name, but its initials are “Stanford.”) 

Come on, Cal: Let’s get with the 19th Century. UC should stripe a 24-hour north-south bike path that starts at Bancroft Way, runs up the side (or center) of Sproul Plaza, continues between Doe and Moffitt Libraries, then up past Earth Sciences and the Queen of the Sciences (Journalism, my old school) out to Euclid Ave. 

A second 24-hour path should run eastward from Cross-Campus Drive past Life Sciences, between Doe and Wheeler, and around the Campanile to reconnect with Cross-Campus Drive out to Gayley Way. 

To ensure pedestrians’ convenience, both paths should have frequent pedestrian crossings, with clear signage directing cyclists to yield.  

The UC police officers who currently waste their time chasing cyclists off their bikes entirely, should instead just make sure that bike riders obey these signs.  

Finally, if either path is ever blocked by construction, it should be carefully rerouted so that it remains continuous. 

There is room for both of the paths I’m proposing: at most, the east-west path might require repositioning a couple of parking spaces. And these paths would allow UC students and staff to bike directly to the campus’ most-visited buildings. Providing that option would take a measurable number of cars off Berkeley’s streets – making it easier for all of our city’s pedestrian’s to Go Bearably. 

Michael Katz 

Berkeley 

Member, Bay Area Responsible Cyclists 

 

Asseyons 

Editor:  

It is interesting to note the excuses given by various individuals in the City’s Planning Department for their delay in approving the French Cafe’s application for sidewalk seating. It would appear a game of “tit for tat” was being played because of Cafe owner’s prior delays in filing for the permit. 

First, Giselle Sorenson was quoted that the approval would be further delayed if citizens called to inquire as to the status of the application’s approval. Clearly this implied a deliberate slowdown. Second, all department representatives used overwork and understaffing as a reason for delay. Now Wendy Cosin says that it has always been the policy of the Department to allow the sidewalk seating pending an application’s approval.  

If that is truly the case, the Department has been in violation of its own policy since August 24th, the date the application was filed.  

Why didn’t they then notify the Police Department and their legal department that the seating from August 24th forward should be allowed and was not to be cited?  

Why is it that only after the glare of publicity resulting from our sit-out on October 3rd was this policy publicly stated and the directive given on October 5th to allow such seating? 

In all of this it has been the public that for 7-1/2 weeks was the innocent victim of both the owner’s foolish intransigence in abiding by the law and the Planning Department’s equally foolish failure to abide by its own policies. 

Al Wasserman 

Berkeley  

 

 

Cyberspace already here in city politics 

 

Editor: 

Just to let the readers of the Daily Planet know that cyberpolitics is alive in Berkeley beyond the panel discussion at the City Club Tuesday night. The Measure R campaign for the Berkeley High School Warm Pool 

Renovation has a website, Measure-R.org. The visitors will find what renovations the Measure will pay for, testimonials from adult swimmers and parents of young swimmers, a picture tour of the pool facility, and the campaign committee’s e-mail address.  

Perhaps the Planet can run an article on the many websites for the measures and candidates on November’s Berkeley ballot. 

 

Mark Hendrix 

Co-chair & treasurer 

Warm Pool Campaign Committee 

Committee for Measure R. 

Berkeley 

 

Cross your bike safely 

 

Editor: 

In light of the recent brouhaha about pedestrian crosswalk safety, I’d like to raise the issue of bicyclist crosswalk safety.  

Bicyclists, please do not ride in crosswalks! Turning drivers scan crosswalks in their path for slow-moving pedestrians. 

As a bicyclist, you’re travelling 3-5 times faster than a pedestrian, and can easily ride into the path of a turning vehicle.  

Please ride through the intersection in the normal traffic lane, or walk your bicycle in the crosswalk. 

 

Ronnen Levinson 

Berkeley 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Cal shakes off slow start to beat WMU

By Tim Haran Daily Planet Correspondent
Saturday October 14, 2000

The Cal women’s volleyball team defeated William & Mary Friday in front of a standing-room-only crowd at the RSF Fieldhouse, 16-14, 13-15, 15-11 and 15-7. 

Judging by the number of people that showed up at 8 p.m., ready for the homecoming rally scheduled to follow the match, Cal fans didn’t think the non-conference affair against a .500 Tribe team would last as long as it did. 

Slow starts in each of the match’s four games caused the Bears (9-7) to play catch-up most of the night. 

The Bears dropped the first six points of the opening game and were trailing 10-3 when sophomore outside hitter Leah Young’s kill gave Cal a side-out. The Bears went on to win 13 of the next 17 points on their way to victory. 

"We came out kind of slow," said Cal outside hitter Reena Pardiwala, who tallied 12 kills and eight digs on the night. "It might have been because it wasn’t a Pac-10 match." 

That’s no excuse for Cal coach Rich Feller. Following the Bears’ loss in the second game, he scolded his team for their sloppy play.  

"I don’t even want to tell you what I told them at halftime," Feller said after the match."I was disappointed about the emotional letdown because it wasn’t a Pac-10 match. We didn’t have to let that happen." 

Still, the second game was Cal’s strongest opening of the night. They rattled off six straight points before William & Mary (9-8) recovered and scored eight of the next nine. The game was tied four times before the Tribe finally won on a Bear error. 

But Cal starting quickly is the exception rather than the rule. Even in Pac-10 matches this year, Cal has had a tendency to start sluggishly. In their Oct. 10 contest against Stanford, the Bears trailed 3-12, 1-5, and 0-4 in Game 3 as the Cardinal swept Cal in three straight games. 

Senior outside hitter Alicia Perry once again led the Bears with 20 kills on 43 attempts while committing just three errors against William & Mary. She also contributed 20 digs, bringing her to within nine of being only the fourth Cal player ever to record more than 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. She leads the Bears in both categories this season. 

"We went into the locker room (after the second game) and decided we had to work harder," Perry said. "We take every match serious, but we had to come out with a different attitude." 

After setting her career high for kills last week against Washington, Cal’s Gabrielle Abernathy struggled throughout much of the match against the Tribe. Pounding out 13 kills, the freshman outside hitter also drove an equal number of balls either into the net or off the court. In Cal’s second-game loss, Abernathy spiked the ball into the top of the net four times and sent another one long on the Tribe’s game point. 

Cal recovered in the next two games with strong efforts by Pardiwala, Perry, Young and a revived Abernathy.  

"A bright spot was that we had some consistency," Feller said. "We got what we expected from Alicia and held together until the others started playing." 

For what the Bears lack in opening strength, they make up for in a killer instinct for closing out games. In the third game, Cal scored the game’s last four points, and followed that by rallying from a 1-4 deficit to win 14 of the final 17 points in the final game. 

The Bears head south next week to face USC (Oct. 19) and UCLA (Oct. 20). Both teams defeated Cal earlier in the season. The team returns home on Oct. 27 for a match against Arizona.


Berkeley celebrates indigenous people

Nancy Gorrell/special to the Daily Planet
Saturday October 14, 2000

An Aztec dancer celebrates Indigenous People’s Day last year at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park, at Martin Luther King Jr. and Allston ways. Today is Berkeley’s Ninth Annual celebration of native peoples in Martin Luther King Jr. Park, a holiday which replaced Columbus Day in the city in 1991. Organizers invite the entire community to the event. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on, they say. “Do not sit in the inner circle or the areas reserved for dancers. No alcohol is allowed. Please join in when you are invited...Ask permission before taking pictures.” This year the celebration honors Leonard Peltier, indigenous rights activist, incarcerated for 24 years.


Berkeley grounds Jets; undefeated in league

By Sean Gates Daily Planet Correspondent
Saturday October 14, 2000

It’s a lesson as old as humanity itself: it’s not how you start something, but whether you finish it. The Berkeley High Yellowjackets (2-4, 2-0) started the first four games of the regular season with tough losses in non-conference play. But a 26-19 victory over the Encinal Jets (2-4, 1-1) Friday night gave the Yellowjackets a 2-0 record in conference play that might turn some heads within their very own ACCAL league. 

“When we want to play, we can step up,” noted Ramone Reed, senior running back and linebacker for the Yellowjackets. Reed certainly came to play, rushing for 112 yards on 18 carries and scoring two touchdowns on the ground and one on a punt return. Reed spearheaded a Berkeley rushing attack that racked up 183 rushing yards. 

The Encinal Jets took to the air as quarterback Jimmy Olsen hoisted 27 pass attempts en route to 187 yards and a touchdown. Olsen completed passes to five different receivers, as running back Tyree Jackson snared a team-high six receptions for 54 yards.  

Berkeley, on the other hand, saw fortune drop right in their lap as Encinal went three and out on their first possession and was forced to punt from deep within their own territory. A botched snap led to a deflection, which was reeled in by the aforementioned Reed at the Jet 20 yard line. Reed did the rest, zooming in for a score. 

Leading by seven in the second quarter, Berkeley’s defense rose to the occasion like it has all season. Senior defensive back Wuagwa Nnamel stripped Jet wide receiver Ray Thomas of the football with just over 11 minutes remaining in the second quarter. Two plays later, Reed, who admits he is “more focused on offense right now,” transformed a sweep into six more points with a 26-yard touchdown run, and the Yellowjackets went into halftime with a 13-0 lead. 

Encinal’s defense sparked their first score when Iknika Thomas scooped up a fumble by Berkeley quarterback Nitoto Muhammed for a 38-yard touchdown. After forcing a Yellowjacket punt, the Jets called another of their patented screen passes to wideout Nick Lory, who weaved his way across the field for a 45-yard touchdown score to tie the game at 13-13 with 40 seconds left in the third quarter. 

Then came the key drive of the game, as Berkeley’s Germey Baird bruised his way to the Yellowjacket 45 on the ensuing kickoff return. Muhammed then called wide receiver Chavallier Patterson’s number on a streak pattern down the right sideline pass good for 40 yards. Reed’s subsequent 12-yard touchdown run with 11:49 left in the game gave the Yellowjackets a 20-13 lead.  

The Jets appeared to be ready for takeoff when a 14-yard touchdown rush by Jackson pulled Encinal within one point with the extra point attempt to follow. But the Jets decided to go for two and failed, and Berkeley’s final score – a one-yard QB sneak by Muhammed with 2:41 left in the game – sealed the deal for the ’Jackets. 

Berkeley returns home on Friday to host the Richmond Oilers.


Judge sets Jan. hearing date for S.F. cop charged with domestic abuse

Michael Coffino Berkeley Daily Planet Corresponden
Saturday October 14, 2000

A San Francisco police officer charged with assaulting his girlfriend in her West Berkeley apartment and binding her hands with a nylon strap appeared in Berkeley Superior Court Friday to face charges of misdemeanor battery and false imprisonment. 

Judge Jennie Rhine postponed a hearing on a restraining order in the case over objections by the alleged victim’s attorney until after the criminal trial against the officer, which she set for January 16. The preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for Jan. 12 at 9 a.m. 

Rhine ruled that a temporary restraining order against defendant James McKeever, a 52-year-old San Francisco motorcycle officer, will remain in effect until February. The victim in the case also appeared in court yesterday. The Daily Planet is honoring her wish not to be named. 

“We wanted to get (the restraining order) over with so it’s not being prolonged,” said Carmia Caesar, a staff attorney with the Family Violence Law Center in Oakland. “This is the second time it’s been delayed,” she said. 

McKeever, a 26-year veteran of the San Francisco police force, was arrested in the early morning hours of Aug. 7 after officers arrived at an apartment on Seventh Street in West Berkeley and found the victim with a broken tooth and her hands bound behind her back. The 36-year-old woman told police that McKeever hit her in the face and pinned her on the ground before tying her hands together. 

But according to a police report, McKeever claimed the woman started the altercation by slapping and kicking him and that he had merely tried to shield himself from her blows. McKeever is 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 240 pounds. The woman is 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. 

The pair told police they have had an on-and-off relationship for five years. The woman, who had not been publically named until Friday’s court date, has lived in Berkeley for five years. She told the Daily Planet she is active in community affairs, having served on city task forces and boards. McKeever is married and lives in San Francisco’s Bayview/Hunter’s Point neighborhood with his four-year-old daughter and 13-year-old stepdaughter. 

Michael Cardoza, a San Francisco lawyer representing McKeever, said yesterday that there was no basis for the charges. 

“The history of the alleged victim in this case is absolutely ridiculous,” he said. “There will be two sides to this story and it will come out at trial that this victim is not everything she’s portrayed to be,” he said. 

Since his arrest in the Berkeley incident, meanwhile, McKeever was allegedly involved in a separate attack at the Dallas/Ft. Worth airport.  

According to a report by airport authorities, McKeever struck his 13-year-old step daughter twice in the face while waiting to board a Delta Air Lines flight to San Francisco on Aug. 24. 

McKeever was held overnight in the Tarrant County jail and released the next day on $500 bond. He has been charged with felony assault on a child and is scheduled to appear for preliminary hearing in Ft. Worth on Oct. 27. Carole Kerr, McKeever’s attorney in the Texas case, did not return a call seeking comment by press time. 

But Cardoza said the Texas incident had also been overplayed. 

“It’s absolutely ridiculous,” he said. “He barely touched her. There are no marks, there are no visible signs of anything. And the girl says ‘he never hit me,’ so I mean it’s absolutely horse crap,” he said. 

According to Cardoza, McKeever gently disciplined the teenager for acting up and the only witness was too far away to see what really happened. 

“What I find really strange is here you have some really good parents and people are saying it’s against the law to discipline your children corporally, and its not against the law,” he said. “You can use reasonable force, and certainly he barely touched his daughter, just tapped her on the mouth.” 

The Texas incident only came to light locally after the girl told her biological father, Keith Washington, about the event some weeks afterward in San Francisco. 

“She called me out of the clear blue sky and asked me to meet her at the school,” Washington told the Daily Planet in a telephone interview Wednesday. “She started crying,” he said. “She told me her and her sister got into some little disagreement and he (McKeever) blamed her and struck her.” 

Washington is a former maintenance worker with the San Francisco Housing Authority and is currently on disability. He has no custody or visitation rights but says he is close with the child, a ninth grader in San Francisco. 

Washington says he called Dallas/Ft. Worth authorities, who faxed him a copy of the police report. 

McKeever was suspended from the San Francisco police force on Sept. 1 and ordered to surrender his badge, police identification card and handgun. But one week later he was reassigned to a desk job. According to a police department spokesman, however, McKeever’s weapon has not been returned and he has no contact with the public. 

At Friday’s court hearing the alleged victim in the Berkeley incident hoped to have a three-year restraining order entered against McKeever. But Judge Rhine ruled that McKeever’s Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself would be infringed if he was forced to participate in a restraining order hearing before the criminal trial. 

McKeever, wearing a black suede jacket and a taciturn expression, sat in the rear of the courtroom with his wife. He declined to answer questions on the advice of his attorney. 

The alleged victim, meanwhile, huddled in the hallway after the hearing with her attorney, an advocate from a local battered women’s group, and assistant district attorney Ursula Dixon. 

Articulate and effusive, the woman was eager to talk about the case in an interview Wednesday with the Daily Planet, but also said she is ambivalent about McKeever’s arrest. She said that McKeever co-signed on a loan that allowed her to purchase her home and in 1998 gave her $10,000 cash toward the purchase of a new Honda Civic automobile. She says she is also the beneficiary of a life insurance policy taken out on McKeever. 

“That’s what makes it hard because I couldn’t have done it without him,” she said. “I know that this person has feelings for me.” 

She said McKeever had never been violent before. “I thought I knew this person, but I guess I didn’t,” she said. “I really thought this man was going to kill me.” 

But attorney Michael Cardoza, who specializes in representing police officers charged with crimes, sees McKeever’s prosecution differently. 

“We are now in a society where this is the crime du jour,” he said. “You have every woman’s rights group jumping into this now and they blindly believe whatever a woman tells them,” he said. 

“What’s wrong that I see, especially here in Alameda County, is they’re federally granted and they have certain stat(istics)s they have to keep up, and if they don’t keep them up they lose their federal money, so we’ve got to prosecute everybody. So any woman can come through the door and say, ‘well he did this.’” 

Cardoza says the fact that McKeever is a policeman only intensified feelings in the case. 

“That’s the button to push for everybody, where everybody gets even tougher,” he said. “They’re actually tougher on police officers and anybody in that type of authoritarian capacity,” he said. “So this is absolutely insane what’s going on here,” he said, “It’s really sad.” 

 


Bears looking to spoil UCLA’s Rose Bowl hopes

By Jared Green Daily Planet Staff
Saturday October 14, 2000

In what has been a disappointing season for the Cal football team, the upcoming five-game stretch leading up to the Big Game against Stanford could be even uglier. 

Of the five teams the Bears will face, four are nationally-ranked squads, the lone exception being USC, which dropped out of the polls just last week. After this Saturday’s home game against No. 15 UCLA, Cal hits the road to face No. 10 Washington and the Trojans, return home against No. 20 Oregon State, then head back out to take on No. 12 Oregon. In a good year for the Pac-10, the Bears face one of the toughest stretches in college football in the upcoming weeks. 

First up is the Bruins, who are coming off of a bye week. Head coach Bob Toledo has several players who needed the extra week to heal, including cornerback Marques Anderson and fullback Matt Stanley, who will both play as much as they can Saturday. Cornerback Jason Bell, defensive tackle Ken Kocher and safety Jason Stephens will also return to the lineup in more limited roles. 

The Bears, on the other hand, go into the game having suffered key injuries each of the last two weeks. Left tackle Langston Hughes was lost for the season with an ankle injury two weeks ago, and center Marvin Philip, a true freshman who was himself filling in for the injured Brandon Ludwig, suffered a knee injury last Saturday against Arizona State and will be out for at least four weeks. 

The offensive line will get a boost from the returns of Ludwig and guard David Hays, although neither is at 100 percent. Both saw limited action against Arizona State, and Cal head coach Tom Holmoe seemed optimistic about Ludwig’s return to the starting lineup. That should allow senior Reed Diehl to return to his starting center position, although Diehl has been bothered by nerve palsy in his left hip for the past four weeks. 

The shuffling on the line hasn’t affected the Cal running game, as Joe Igber rushed for 182 yards on just 15 carries last week. But Kyle Boller has struggled since the season opener against Utah, and it’s no coincidence that the Bears haven’t won since that game. Unless Boller and his receivers can hook up for some first downs, it will be another long day for a Cal offense that has produced just 30 points in the last three games. 

Andre Carter and the rest of the Cal defense will have to be on their toes against the Bruins, as Toledo loves trick plays. He has the horses to pull them off this year, with multi-talented wideouts Freddie Mitchell and Brian Poli-Dixon both able to throw the ball as well as catch it. Mitchell has thrown for three touchdowns in his UCLA career. Poli-Dixon is still recovering from an early-season hamstring pull, but at 6-5 is still a big threat against Cal’s secondary. 

Holmoe said the Bears have spent a lot of time this week preparing for UCLA’s playbook. 

“You have to prepare well for it, because they’ve done it a lot, and their coaches like trick plays,” Holmoe said. 

Toledo had good things to say about the Cal defense, which was torched for 420 passing yards by Arizona State. 

“They’re very hard to move the football on, especially with Andre Carter and Jacob Waasdorp up front,” he said. “And it seems like (Cal punter) Nick Harris buries us inside the five every time we get the ball.”


Women shipyard workers honored today in Richmond

By Michelle Locke The Associated Press
Saturday October 14, 2000

RICHMOND – Phyllis Gould rarely thinks of the years she spent welding troop ship deck houses together in the shipyards of San Francisco Bay. Fifty-five years have passed since then, decades of marriage, divorce, child rearing and the myriad distractions of home life. 

But a whiff of the hot, wiry breath of metal melting and, suddenly, it’s all right there – the grimy, frightening, exciting days of waging war with a blowtorch. 

“It just zaps me back. I can see and hear everything,” she says. 

On Saturday, Gould and millions of other World War II women workers will be honored with the dedication of a Rosie the Riveter memorial in Richmond, the shorefront city that launched many of the ships that kept American sailors afloat. 

The memorial, at 441 feet the same length as the Liberty Ships the women helped build, includes a walk with a timeline of facts and memories from women workers. 

Congress has approved establishing the site, now a city park honoring women’s war work, as a national historic park. The legislation awaits President Clinton’s approval. 

“We never expected to be recognized,” says Gould’s sister, Marian Sousa, a World War II draftsman. “Everybody worked. They did what they could.” 

Gould was the first in the family to find war work. When her husband and his friends announced one Sunday they were going to learn welding to get jobs building ships, “I piped up, ‘Me, too!”’ 

She studied from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m., but failed her first few job interviews in 1942 — running into the brick wall of a boilermaker’s union man who flatly told her, “No women and no blacks.” 

The third time she was turned down, “I started crying. And as I walked back to the room, there was a man sitting at the desk and he said, ’What’s wrong?’ and I told him and he said, ’Go back up there,’ and I did and I got a job.” 

In the end there were half a dozen women hired, much to the consternation of shipyard bosses — who hired a woman chaperone. 

“At first I think they were just kind of watching us with amusement,” she says. 

Gould was put to work tacking, putting a short weld on pieces of metal to hold them in place for the final work. She called on her embroidery skills to get the welds placed just so, working her way up to $1.20 an hour — “Oh boy, yeah, it was money.” 

The work was hot and dirty, but Gould had her little vanities. Behind her heavy mask her lips were lipsticked; her hair was tied up in a kerchief, but she made sure her bandanna matched the color of the shirt collar poking out from beneath her sweats. 

Gould did run into problems with one co-worker, a would-be “ladies man” who made the mistake of shining a flashlight on her, blinding her — “I had warned all of the guys on the crew, don’t ever do it because I’m going to swing on the next one that does.” 

She swung, knocking the supervisor’s shiny hard hat off his head. He lunged back, cramming her welding mask below her ears. 

For a while she got the worst assignments, welding in dark, cramped corners on the inside of the ship. 

“One night, he came sidling up to me and he said, ’Well, are you tired of it yet.’ I said, ’You know I’ll do it for the rest of the war if (the alternative) means honeying up to the likes of you.”’ 

After that, “I went back to my good work.” 

Sousa had a quieter time. 

She went to work in 1943 as a draftsman after a crash course at the University of California, Berkeley. She was too young, 17, but got the job after her mother — a war worker herself — lied for her. 

By that time, women war workers were commonplace, filling the jobs the sailors, soldiers and airmen had left behind. At the height of the war, women made up approximately 27 percent of the 100,000-strong work force at Richmond’s Kaiser shipyards. 

Part of Sousa’s work was correcting blueprints to match design revisions. 

“I remember just endless, endless papers of erasing two bunks and making them three bunks,” she says. 

But it was exciting work, and well-paid at $32 a week. 

The senior draftsmen “never looked down on us. They were really great. In fact, I was expecting my daughter and those men gave me a surprise baby shower.” 

Sousa quit when she was too pregnant to make the high first step of the old-style buses. Gould quit when the war ended. Neither ever went back to work outside the home, or felt the urge. 

“I never expected it to go on and I was quite happy to stay at home. Sometimes it’s hard for younger people to understand that point of view because now I think most girls expect to work, but we didn’t,” says Gould. 

Mostly, Gould doesn’t think about her years on the homefront lines. 

But then something will tug at her memory. 

“Sometimes I smell that smell,” she says, her voice trailing off. “It just puts me back there.”


Conservation group wants trout on endangered list

The Associated Press
Saturday October 14, 2000

SAN FRANCISCO – One of the nation’s top fish conservation groups wants the California golden trout declared an endangered species, fearing the state fish will be rendered extinct by an alarming rate of hybridization in its two native Sierra Nevada watersheds. 

Trout Unlimited, the leading coldwater conservation organization in North America, believes the population of pure golden trout is so at risk that it skipped a routine step of seeking “threatened” protective status. Instead, it will angle for the endangered list, the highest designation, when it files a petition Monday with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Steve Trafton, the group’s policy director, cited scientific statistics that show only 4 percent of the native range is not threatened by hybridization as proof that “this is a very serious problem and we need to give these fish the highest degree of protection we can.” 

“There’s no doubt there’s a serious risk of extinction,” he added during an interview Friday from the group’s California chapter in Albany. 

Roland Knapp, biologist with the Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Lab, said stream mileage is the simplest way to measure the golden trout decline. About the turn of the 19th century, before the Euro-American settlement, the native population encompassed about 450 miles of stream habitat. Now, that number is down to about 60 to 70 miles, he said. 

Declared California’s state fish in 1947, golden trout are extremely popular with fishermen around the world and are known for their fight and brilliant coloring. Deep gold scales become a striking mix of red and orange along the belly. Blue spots run down their sides and, like most trout, they are speckled with black. 

“They are very rare, they fight very hard and they’re extraordinarily beautiful,” Trafton said. 

The golden trout’s ancestry dates to the days of the troglodytes, with fossils showing they may have evolved directly from rainbow trout lines. At some point, natural barriers isolated schools in two high-altitude Sierra habitats; the upper South Fork Kern River and adjacent Golden Trout Creek. 

While native species are limited by their environments and grow to about 10 inches, hybrids transplanted to larger lakes have reached much greater sizes. The world record catch was 11 pounds, from a lake in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming in 1948. 

Trafton emphasized that the endangered designation would not affect the golden trout fished outside of the two native ranges. 

“If this listing goes through, one of the fears is that recreational angling will be shut down,” he said. “There’s a possibility that could happen on these two specific creeks, but as far as the golden trout people love to fish for, they are not going to be protected by the act.” 

The U.S. Forest Service and California Department of Fish and Game, the agencies that manage fisheries, have already begun taking steps to protect the golden trout. Measures include the creation of the 300,000 acre Golden Trout Wilderness in 1978 and a series of man-made barriers to prevent hybridization. 

But Trout Unlimited, which has 450 chapters and 100,000 members nationwide, says the management plan isn’t effective enough. The group believes there are more fecund ways of rescuing a population it says has been hemmed in by non-natives moving upstream and into south fork and downstream from High Sierra lakes. 

“The preservation effort is a step in the right direction,” Trafton said. “But it’s not adequate to preclude the fish being listed.” 

The Wildlife Service could not be reached Friday. The agency will have 90 days to respond to the petition.


News briefs

Saturday October 14, 2000

Ukiah water prez accused of two decades of theft 

UKIAH – Mendocino County authorities are investigating allegations that the president of a Ukiah water agency has been illegally diverting water to his ranch for more than two decades. 

Lee Howard, president of the Russian River Flood Control and Water Conservation Improvement District, said this week that he has a written, 21-year-old agreement with neighboring Parducci Wine Cellars that allows him to tap into the winery’s water supply, which comes from the Millview County Water District. 

The existence of the pipeline came to light Wednesday. Authorities were ready to use a backhoe to unearth it when Howard arrived and acknowledged it existed. He said it has been used infrequently in recent years. 

Howard said Thursday that he is the victim of a political vendetta waged by longtime opponents in local water issues. 

 

Four Oakland cops come under FBI scrutiny 

OAKLAND – The FBI has joined in an investigation of four Oakland police officers accused of brutality, falsifying evidence and other wrongdoing. 

The four officers, who called themselves the “Rough Riders,” are already the subjects of criminal investigations by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office and the police department. 

The officers, Francisco Vazquez, Jude Siapno, Clarence Mabanag and Matt Hornung, have been on paid administrative leave since a rookie officer made the allegations in July. 

Police Chief Richard Word has recommended the officers be fired, and their supervising officer, Sgt. Jerry Hayter, be demoted. 

 

Yacht dealer, appraiser indicted for fraud 

SAN FRANCISCO – A yacht salesman and a boat appraiser have been indicted by a federal grand jury for a tax-fraud scam that overvalued boats given to a charitable foundation in Vallejo. 

Broker Gregory Jampolsky and marine surveyor Stanley Wild face eight counts of aiding in the preparation of false income tax returns and one count of conspiracy. The indictment was handed down Thursday. 

The pair is accused of working together to give boats donated to the California Maritime Academy Foundation a higher value than their actual worth. The boats sold for less than what they were appraised for. 

The scheme resulted in major tax savings for the owners of the donated boats and commissions for Jampolsky and Wild, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.


Israel protests hit S.F. and L.A.

By Justin Pritchard The Associated Press
Saturday October 14, 2000

SAN FRANCISCO – In a break with mainstream pro-Israel organizations, more than 100 Jews called on Israel to accept some responsibility for violence in the West Bank at a gathering outside the Israeli consulate here Friday afternoon. 

Meanwhile, in Orange County, pro-Palestinian demonstrators called for an end to the killing of children by Israeli forces. 

Organizers of the San Francisco protest said that while they feel pressure not to criticize Israel during such a sensitive time, they could not stand silent. 

So, for more than an hour Friday afternoon, they stated their case with speeches and chants, including “Hey ho, hey ho, the occupation has got to go.” 

“We condemned the violence on both sides, but there has been a disproportionate use of force by the Israeli military,” said Rebecca Stein, a speaker and organizer of the just-formed Coalition of Jews for Justice in Israel and Palestine. “Many Jews have been concerned about standing up in protest. We’re encouraging Jews to have courage and to act out of a sense of moral obligation.” 

The coalition includes several progressive Jewish groups in the San Francisco Bay area, Stein said. 

One such group is A Jewish Voice for Peace. Representative Lincoln Shlensky said he joined the “ad hoc” coalition within the last week in reaction to the unconditional support many U.S.-based Jewish organizations have lent the Israeli government. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has blamed Palestinians for the violence. 

“These organizations are really not speaking for many Jews in this area,” Shlensky said. “There’s no reason to reflexively support Israel for every wrong policy.” 

Support for Israel was the last thing on the minds of more than 100 people gathered in front of the federal courthouse in Orange County at a rally sponsored by the Palestinian American Womens Association of Southern California. 

Standing before the crowd, 11-year-old Dina Abdo held up a plastic baby doll covered in red ink — a baby bleeding, she said. 

“Hey Barak, you can’t hide. We charge you with genocide,” she led a group chant. 

Mona Abdallah, 15, of Anaheim, carried a placard that read “Free Palestine” on one side and “Rocks don’t equal rockets” on the other. 

Although the demonstration was peaceful, security at the federal courthouse was tightened. Metal barricades and police tape cordoned off the building and Santa Ana police officers were posted around the perimeter. 

——— 

Associated Press Writer Chelsea J. Carter contributed to this report.


Santa Cruz on the way to an $11 minimum wage

The Associated Press
Saturday October 14, 2000

SANTA CRUZ – The city council in this seaside community has given preliminary approval to the most generous living-wage ordinance in the nation, a minimum wage of $11 an hour with health benefits – or $12 an hour without benefits. 

The Santa Cruz ordinance covers full-time workers employed either by the city or by a for-profit company that has a contract with the city. Businesses facing hardships or unusual circumstances will be able to appeal for an exemption. 

About 60 municipalities in the United States have passed living-wage ordinances. Minneapolis requires its large contractors to pay employees at least $8.25 an hour. Baltimore requires contractors to pay employees at least $6.50 an hour. 

“This is just fantastic,” said David Werlin, a member of the Santa Cruz Living-wage coalition, which helped draft the ordinance. “This is the highest nominal living wage of any ordinance in the United States.” 

Although the minimum is generous compared with other living wages, it should not have that great an impact in a city where wages have skyrocketed because of the growth of the Silicon Valley that provides most of the jobs for Santa Cruz residents. 

Only two current Santa Cruz city employees, both of whom make $9.74 an hour to set up the Louden Nelson Community Center, make less than the newly mandated minimum living wage. 

Patty Haymond, a city analyst, said the city is not sure how many contract employees would be affected, but she said she had not heard of any opposition from for-profit employers. None protested at Tuesday’s city council meeting. 

Council members said approving the living-wage ordinance was a good first step in helping city employees afford to live in Santa Cruz, where housing prices are extraordinarily high. 

The Housing Opportunity Index released six weeks ago by the National Association of Home Builders placed Santa Cruz as the second least-affordable community in the nation, behind only San Francisco. 

“The economics of living in Santa Cruz is a struggle,” said council member Michael Hernandez. “We really need to strive to have greater benefits for our workers.” 

The council unanimously gave preliminary approval Tuesday to the minimum living wage, which would go into effect Thanksgiving Day if the council gives formal approval when the measure returns Oct. 24 for a second reading.


Erin Brockovich among Beacon Award winners

The Associated Press
Saturday October 14, 2000

FULLERTON – Erin Brockovich, the law clerk who brought about a record settlement against Pacific Gas & Electric Co., is among the winners of this year’s Beacon Awards presented by the California First Amendment Coalition. 

Other individual recipients include the whistleblower whose allegations about unethical conduct led to the ouster of state Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush and a newspaper publisher who went to jail rather than reveal a confidential source. 

The Bakersfield Californian and San Franciscans for Sunshine won the two organizational awards for their pursuit of open government. 

“These people and organizations are truly shining lights who have helped illuminate the darkness of government secrecy as well as threats to free speech and a free press,” said CFAC Executive Director Kent Pollock. “We have all benefitted from their efforts.” 

The awards will be formally presented this weekend at the coalition’s fifth annual First Amendment Assembly at California State University, Fullerton. 

Brockovich won for Exemplary Use of Public Records in the Interests of Justice, cited for how she used water agency files to document injuries to residents in the small California desert town of Hinkley. Her crusade brought about a lawsuit that forced PG&E to pay a record $333 million settlement and was chronicled in the hit movie named after her. 

“Brockovich’s effort is a shining example of how public records can be used by a citizen to right a serious public wrong,” the CFAC said. 

Cynthia Ossias, who risked her career by leaking key insider information from the Insurance Department to the Legislature, won for Exemplary Integrity in Public Service. Quackenbush ended up resigning amid an investigation into his conduct. 

Other individual winners: 

—Tim Crews of the bi-weekly Sacremento Valley Mirror, Exemplary Integrity in Print Journalism. Crews went to jail for five days rather than reveal the names of two sources. 

—CBS producer Lowell Bergman, Exemplary Integrity in Broadcast Journalism. He persuaded a former executive of Brown & Williamson Tobacco Co. to disclose during a ”60 Minutes” interview that company executives knew of the addictive effects of cigarette smoking. 

—Jean Askham, president of the League of Women Voters of Orange County, Lifetime Achievement, for her career of voluntary effort for open, inclusive and effective democracy.


Scientists hope tiny wasps will save eucalyptus

The Associated Press
Saturday October 14, 2000

SHELDON – Scientists released about 100 flea-sized wasps Thursday in Sacramento County, hoping the Australian insects will seek their natural food source: a bug killing eucalyptus trees. 

The parasitoid wasp release is the eleventh in California, where the redgum lerp psyllid has infested at least 40 counties, said Don Dahlsten, a University of California, Berkeley, entomology professor. 

Trees in the Central Valley and along the coast are the most affected. 

Researchers say it is too early to tell if their plan is working; only one wasp has been reclaimed after a release. 

UC officials in Sacramento County said they had received about 130 requests for the wasp from homeowners whose eucalyptus trees serve as fences, wind guards and landscaping. 

The tree-saving program has its share of critics, who contend the eucalyptus tree is a nonnative plant that should not be saved, especially not at the risk of introducing another nonnative species to protect it. 

The long-term consequences of introducing the wasp are unclear, said Jacob Sigg, president of the California Native Plant Society. 

“In principal most people agree it’s OK to import exotic organisms to control an exotic weed,” Sigg said. “When we go beyond that and there is a predator of a predator of an exotic plant” that needs to be debated. 

Several organizations have pushed for the tree’s eradication. Dahlsten said he frequently gets angry letters from people opposed to the introduction of new species. 

“I hope I’m doing the right thing,” he said, holding a test tube with the tiny, non-stinging wasps inside. “I’ve been called irresponsible and have gotten hate mail but if we don’t chose this solution, these tree owners will spend thousands on chemical pesticides that won’t work in the end but will ruin our water, our soil.” 

Dahlsten collected the wasps from Australia, where native eucalyptus trees have thrived despite the redgum lerp psyllid because the psyllids are threatened by the wasps. 

The psyllids feast on eucalyptus trees by sucking sugary sap from the tree leaves, robbing the tree’s roots of needed nutrients, said Chuck Ingels, a UC farm adviser in Sacramento County. 

White sacks on the tree leaves conceal immature psyllids growing to maturity. 

The wasps live and plant their eggs in the psyllids. Breeding the wasps has been difficult because they only live six weeks and need the psyllids to reproduce. 

“We are 99.9 percent sure this is not going to affect other insects in the area, because it has been tested on similar insects,” Ingels said. 


Gore, Bush fail to impress older voters

By Annelise Wunderlich Special to the Daily Planet
Friday October 13, 2000

Vice President Gore and Texas Gov. Bush have been doing everything they can think of in the past two weeks to attract the crucial votes of senior citizens.  

Older voters watching the second of three presidential debates at Strawberry Lodge in West Berkeley last night, however, were not impressed. 

“I can’t call this a debate at all because real differences of opinion were not permitted,” said Fran Rachel, 83, after watching the two candidates spar politely. “I would find it humorous if it weren’t so sad. They were both like puppets  

up there.”  

The 15 men and women watching the round-table debate televised from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., murmured in agreement. 

Both Gore and Bush are listening to the opinions of seniors like these because they know that more than any other age group, they will go out to the voting booths Nov. 7. 

“Seniors tend to be extremely interested in the debates and hungry for information,” said Susan MacManus, a political scientist at the University of South Florida who wrote a book about seniors’ voting habits. “They form the backbone of campaigns. They have the time and interest to really research the issues they care about.” 

They also vote more – at nearly twice the rate of young Americans. MacManus said that although Democrats have carried the senior vote in past elections, this year the senior electorate is not as predictable. “Most analysts think that the senior vote will be less cohesive than in other years,” she said. “Seniors are more in tune with the private sector and you don’t see nearly the outcry against privatization of social security that you saw in 1996.” 

Dorothy Headley, 86, disagreed. “When Bush talks about young workers investing money safely in stocks instead of social security, he’s talking about a good way for social security to be lost altogether.” 

Ben Kleinstein, the lone Republican in the room – the rest were either Democrats or independents – didn’t support his party’s position on health care either. “Gov. Bush should know that for most of us who lived through the Depression, investing our retirement in the stock market is just too risky.” 

This small gathering of Strawberry Creek Lodge’s more than 150 residents is typical of those in their demographic bloc in that they follow politics closely and see voting as an essential civic responsibility.  

According to MacManus, people over 65 comprised 16.5 percent of the voting age population in the 1996 presidential elections, but 20.3 percent of those who actually voted. Over three-fourths of that age group were registered; and two-thirds voted. In contrast, only 45.6 percent of 18 to 20 year olds registered and just over half actually voted. 

Most of the people who showed up to watch last night’s debate at the senior residence said they were relieved to hear the candidates challenge each other on topics ranging from military strategy to racial profiling, and not so much on designated “senior” issues such as Social Security and Medicare. Sidney Vilean, 67, said she was more interested in what the candidates had to say about foreign policy decisions than prescription drugs. “My favorite part was when they made that list of places where the U.S. has intervened,” she said, referring to moderator Jim Lehrer’s question about eight countries where the United States has recently taken military action. 

“Our intervention has been like an NFL linebacker picking a fight with a five year old to be the biggest bully on the block,” she said. 

The viewers paid close attention when the candidates talked about the legacy of World War II. Everyone in the room said they had lived through that war and several others, and many were disturbed by both candidates’ promises to maintain a strong military around the globe. 

“Younger people today don’t understand the real nature of war,” said Geanette Sussman, 88. “And that’s for a good reason. The history books in schools today just skim over the wars. When I talk about the rise of fascism during the Spanish civil war, for example, they just look at me like they don’t know what I’m talking about.” 

But many in the group said the issues of most concern to them – affordable housing, wages, childcare, and the country’s future role in the United Nations – weren’t mentioned in the debate. 

“I don’t care what their hearts say,” said Rachel, after listening to Bush defend his record on children’s health care in Texas. “I care what their budgets say.” 

Several people said they were tired of being boxed into the “senior voter” category, which is often marked off from the rest of the electorate in both candidates’ campaign platforms. 

“They only difference between us and younger voters is that we’re less likely to be fooled,” said one woman in the group.” We’ve seen all of this so many times before – we’ve seen the smiles, we’ve heard the politicians make promises they never end up keeping.” 


Calendar of Events & Activities

Friday October 13, 2000


Friday, Oct. 13

 

“The Evolution and Cost  

of Ethical Drugs” 

11:45 a.m.  

Berkeley City Club 

2315 Durant Ave.  

Stanford D. Splitter, retired MD speaks at 12:30 p.m. Luncheon served at 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. 

Luncheon: $11 

Call for reservations: 848-3533 

 

“Undefended Love” 

7:30 p.m. 

Shambala Booksellers 

2482 Telegraph Ave. 

Authors Jett Psaris and Marlena Lyons discuss and sign their new book.  

Call 848-8443 

 


Saturday, Oct. 14

 

Indigenous Peoples Day  

Powwow & Indian Market 

10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Grand Entry 1 p.m.  

Enjoy Native American foods, arts & crafts, drumming, singing and many types of native dancing. Sponsored by the City of Berkeley, this event is free.  

Civic Center Park 

Allston Way at MLK Jr. Way 

Info: 615-0603 

 

Fall Festival at School  

of the Madeleine 

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

1225 Milvia at Berryman, Berkeley 

Raffle, Games, Food, Silent Auction 

Prizes, Haunted House, Fun 

 

Traffic Calming Workshop 

1 - 4 p.m.  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Help to achieve reasonable traffic speeds and volume on local streets.  

 

Free Spay and Neuter Vouchers 

2 - 4 p.m.  

Berkeley Animal Shelter 

2013 Second St. 

The City of Berkeley, along with Spay Neuter Your Pet (SNYP) is kicking off a City-funded program to reduce the number of animals euthanized. They are offering free spay and neuter vouchers to all Berkeley residents.  

 

Run Your Own Landscape  

Business: Part 1 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave. (at Blake) 

Local horticultural consultant and UC Master Gardener Jessie West will teach you how to plant, prune, control weeds, and more. The first of three classes. The others are scheduled for Oct. 21 & 28 in the same timeslot. 

$15 general; $10 for members; $5 materials fee 

Call 548-2220 x223 

 

Indian Rock Parks Clean-Up 

8 a.m. - Noon 

Indian Rock Park 

Come help local resident Sharon Tamm clean up Indian Rock, Mortar Rock, Grotto Rock and their surrounding areas. Gloves will be provided. Bring a scraping tool and compete for the “Most Gum” award. Prizes have been provided by the Class 5 and IronWorks climbing clubs along with the Any Mountain Outlet store.  

To volunteer call Sharon Tamm, 524-1415 

 

Learn to Birdwatch 

Oct. 16, 18, 23 & 25 

9:30 a.m. - Noon 

UC Botanical Gardens 

200 Centennial Drive 

$50 for members; $65 for non-members 

Call for info or to enroll: 643-2755 

An Evening with The Professor 

5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. 

Mambo Mambo 

1803 Webster St.  

Oakland 

Berkeley resident Geoffrey A. Hirsch, better known as the Tie Guy from the “How Berkeley Can You Be” parade got his start in comedy in 1996. A professor in real life, Hirsch tell the story of how he became a funny guy.  

$5 for show only, $10 for show and dinner 

Call Geoffrey Hirsch at 845-5631 to reserve tickets 

 


Sunday, Oct. 15

 

A Taste of the Greenbelt 

1 - 4 p.m. 

Los Gatos Opera House 

Celebrate the Bay Area’s agricultural and culinary bounty. This benefit features a variety of musical groups, local artists and samples from over 40 local restaurants, farmers, wineries and microbreweries. Proceeds benefit Greenbelt Alliance’s ongoing efforts to protect Bay Area farmlands and open space.  

$45 per person; $80 for this event and the Oct. 22 event in SF 

1-800-543-GREEN, www.greenbelt.org 

 

Musicians for Medical  

Marijuana Benefit 

8 p.m. 

Ashkenaz 

1317 San Pablo (at Gilman) 

The fourth benefit concert with The Cannabis Healers featuring Barney Doyle of the Mickey Hart Band and Terry Haggerty of Sons of Champlin. Also performing will be Country Joe McDonald and Buzzy Linhart and friends.  

All proceeds go to support public education efforts, medical cannabis research, and financial assistance for patients and their caregivers facing legal challengers.  

Tickets: $15 minimum donation, under 12 free 

Call the Ashkenaz box office, 525-5054 or go to gdt.stoo.com or ticketweb.com 

 

A Muslim Approach to Life 

3 p.m. 

St. John’s Presbyterian Church 

2727 College Ave.  

A presentation on the Muslim spiritual life and culture which will focus on women’s lives and the uniqueness of women’s spiritual journeys. This is the first of four Sunday programs that will focus on this theme.  

Call 527-4496 

 

Time, Space,  

and Knowledge Vision 

6 p.m.  

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Ken McKeon , teacher writer and TSK practitioner since 1980 speaks on “Time, Space, and Knowledge, Right from the Start.” Free. 

Call 843-6812 

1923 North Berkeley  

Fire Walking Tour 

10 a.m. - Noon 

Phil Gale leads this tour of the Sept. 18, 1923 fire site, identifying various changes wrought in buildings and landscape. The tour includes the Mayback chimney, around which a new home was constructed. Pre-paid reservations are required.  

$10 Call for reservations, 848-0181 

 


Monday, Oct. 16

 

Private Elementary School Parent Information Panel 

7 - 9:30 p.m. 

Epworth United Methodist Church 

1953 Hopkins St.  

A panel of parents from six area private schools discuss the admission process and their experiences. Sponsored by the Neighborhood Parents Network 

Admission: free to members, $5 non-members 

Call 527-6667 

— compiled by  

Chason Wainwright 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learn to Birdwatch 

Oct. 16, 18, 23 & 25 

9:30 a.m. - Noon 

UC Botanical Gardens 

200 Centennial Drive 

$50 for members; $65 for non-members 

Call for info or to enroll: 643-2755 

 

Council Candidates Forum: The Future of Downtown Berkeley 

6 p.m. 

Hotel Shattuck Plaza 

2086 Allston Way 

The League of Women Voters of Berkeley, Albany and Emeryville will moderate a candidates forum which includes the 16 candidates for Districts 2,3,5 and 6. 

843-8824 

 


Tuesday, Oct. 17

 

Is the West Berkeley Shellmound a landmark? 

7 p.m.  

City Council Chambers 

2134 MLK Jr. Way, 2nd floor 

Continued and final public hearing on the appeals against landmark designation of the West Berkeley Shellmound. The City Council may possibly make it’s decision at this meeting. 

 

Landscape Archeology and Space-Age Technologies in Epirus, Greece 

8 p.m.  

370 Dwinelle Hall 

UC Berkeley 

Professor of Archeology, Art History and Classics Dr. James Wiseman presents a slide-illustrated lecture. 

 

Fibromyalgia Support Group 

Noon - 2 p.m.  

Alta Bates Medical Center, Maffly Auditorium 

Herrick Campus 

2001 Dwight Way 

Andrea Albanese, PT presents “Aquatic Therapy for Fibromyalgia” and a rap session.  

Call D.L. Malinousky, 601-0550 

 

Mario Savio Memorial Lecture 

7:30 p.m. 

Pauley Ballroom 

UC Berkeley 

Barbara Ehrenreich and Arlie Hochschild will speak on the theme “Forwards and Backwards - Women, globalization, and the new class structure.” Free. 

Call Heather Cameron, 642-9437 

 

Help Out Some Orangutans 

7 p.m.  

Cafe Milanos 

2522 Bancroft Way 

Come help plan a day of action against Citibank, who allegedly plunders the environment for profit. Join the Rainforest Action Group and Ecopledge in protest.  

 

Is the Sky Falling? 

7 p.m.  

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave. 

Tim Holt, author of “On Higher Ground” will present an array of post-ecotopian choices, one of which is domed cities. What does the future hold for California?  

Call 548-2220 x 233  

 


Wednesday, Oct. 18

 

Traffic Calming Workshop 

7 - 10 p.m. 

St. Clements Church 

2837 Clement Blvd.  

Help to achieve reasonable traffic speeds and volume on local streets.  

 

“Women and Trafficking: Domestic & Global Concerns” 

6 - 9:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

The Berkeley Commission on the Status of Women invites the public to this forum which will include an expert panel discussion, and a movie on Women and trafficking. Free. 

Call 644-6107 for more info.  

 

Human Welfare & Community Action Meeting 

7 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center 

2939 Ellis 

 

Commission on Labor Board Meeting 

6 p.m. 

1950 Addison St., Suite 105 

 

Commission on Aging Board Meeting 

1:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Board of Education 

7:30 p.m. 

Old City Hall 

2134 MLK Jr. Way 

 

Citizen’s Humane Commission 

7 p.m. 

North Berkley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St. 

 


Thursday, Oct. 19

 

The Promise and Perils of Transgenic Crops 

7:30 - 9 p.m.  

International House, Homeroom 

UC Berkeley 

2299 Piedmont Ave.  

A discussion with Dr. Peggy Lemaux, professor of Plant and Microbiology at UC Berekeley, of the scientific basis for biotechnology, it’s risks and benefits. 

Contact Maribel Guillermo, 642-9460 

 

Candlelight Vigil For the Uninsured 

6 p.m.  

Steps of Sproul Hall 

UC Berkeley 

Join the American Medical Student Association, Berkeley Pre-Medical Chapter in a vigil for those without health insurance. Speakers from various medical organizations will discuss ways to improve our health care system.  

Call Chris Hamerski, 845-1607 

 

Berkeley Metaphysic Toastmasters Club 

6:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysic come together at Avatar Metaphysical Toastmasters. Meets first and third Thursdays each month. 

Call 869-2547 or 643-7645 

 

Rafael Mariquez Free Solo Concert 

7:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Public Library, South Branch 

1901 Russell St. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

This Chilean folksinger and guitarist presents his original settings of selections by Latin American poets. 

Contact: 644-6860; TDD 548-1240 

 

Vocal Sauce 

Noon 

BART Plaza, Downtown 

Shattuck Ave. at Center St. 

The JazzSchool’s vocal jazz ensemble perform award-winning arrangements by Greg Murai.  

Contact Carrie Ridgeway, 549-2230 

 

CLGS Lavendar Lunch 

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. 

1798 Scenic Ave. 

Kyle Miura, Pacific School of Religion alumnus and Director of the GTUs Pacific and Asian-American Center for Theology and Strategies speaks on being “Queer and Asian.”  

Call 849-8239 

 

Performance Poetica 

7:30 p.m. 

ATA Gallery 

992 Valencia St. 

San Francisco 

Video and verse by Illinois Arts Council/Hemingway Festival poet and filmmaker Rose Virgo, with special guest Judy Irwin.  

$3  

 

Pain - Ways to Make It Easier 

1 - 2:30 p.m. 

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center 

Ashby Campus, Dining Rooms A & B 

3001 Colby 

Maggie van Staveren, LCSW, CHT and Christine Bartlett, PT, CHT will demonstrate ways to let go of pain due to arthritis, injury and illness. RSVP requested. 

Call 869-6737  

 

Design Review Commission 

7:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Transportation Commission 

7 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Fair Campaign Practices Commission 

7:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 


Friday, Oct. 20

 

“The Ballot Issues” 

11:45 a.m. 

Berkeley City Club 

2315 Durant Ave.  

Fran Packard of the League of Women Voters speaks at 12:30 p.m. Luncheon served at 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.  

Luncheon: $11 

Call 848-3533 

 

Human Nature 

8:30 p.m. 

New College Cultural Center 

766 Valencia 

San Francisco 

The X-plicit Players present this idyllic nude ritual. Watch or participate: Be led blindfolded through body tunnels, into body streams while sensing psychic/body qualities through touch. Also presented on Oct. 21.  

$12 admission 

Call 415-848-1985 

 

Broken Spirits - Addressing Abuse 

8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. 

Brookins African Methodist Episcopal Church 

2201 73rd Ave. 

Oakland 

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center’s Health Ministry program presents a free workshop on the impact of domestic violence on our community.  

Call for info, 869-6763 

 


Saturday, Oct. 21

 

A Day on Mt. Tam 

9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. 

Come play and hike in San Francisco’s beloved playground. This outing is part of a series of free fall outings organized by Greenbelt Alliance. 

Call: 415-255-3233 for reservations 

 

AHIMSA Eight Annual Conference 

9 a.m. - 5 p.m.  

International House, Great Hall 

UC Berkeley 

2299 Piedmont Ave.  

The AHIMSA is a nonprofit foundation whose goal is to encourage dialogues and public forums which bridge spiritual, scientific and social issues. This years conference is titled “Violence! Scientific and Spiritual Perspectives.”  

Admission is free 

Contact Maribel Guillermo, 642-9460 

 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market Fall Fruit Tastings 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m.  

Center St. at MLK Jr. Way 

Taste a whole farmers’ market’s bounty of fall fruit varieties. 

Free. 

Info: 548-3333 

 

Run Your Own Landscape Business: Part 2 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave. (at Blake) 

Local horticultural consultant and UC Master Gardener Jessie West will teach you how to plant, prune, control weeds, and more. The second of three classes. The last is scheduled for Oct. 28 during the same timeslot. 

$15 general; $10 for members; $5 materials fee 

Call 548-2220 x223 

 


Sunday, Oct. 22

 

A Taste of the Greenbelt 

1 - 4 p.m. 

Presidio’s Golden Gate Club 

Greenbelt Alliance brings the farm to the city in this celebration of the Bay Area’s agricultural and culinary bounty. Featured are samples from over 40 local restaurants, farmers, wineries, microbreweries. Also featured are live music and local artwork. The event benefits Greenbelt Alliance’s ongoing efforts to protect Bay Area farmlands and open space.  

$45 per person 

1-800-543-GREEN, www.greenbelt.org 

 

An Evening with Alice Walker 

7:30 p.m.  

King Middle School  

1781 Rose St. (at Grant) 

free parking 

Join internationally loved novelist, poet and essayist Alice Walker in celebrating her new book of autobiographical stories, “The Way Forward is With a Broken Heart.” Benefits Berkeley EcoHouse and KPFA Radio, 94.1 FM.  

Tickets: $10 advance, $13 door 

Tickets available at independent bookstores 

More info: 848-6767 x609 

 

From Bahia to Berkeley 

11 a.m.  

Capoeira Arts Cafe 

2026 Addison St. 

A benefit brunch and auction with food, music, dance and culture to bring Brazilian folkloric dance group Nicinha Raizes from Bahia, Brazil to the Bay Area. The group will tour in January, 2001.  

Call Brasarte, 428-0698 

 

Take a Trip to the Oakland Ballet 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

This is an outing organized by the Senior Center to see “Glass Slippers.”  

Tickets: $6 each 

Call Maggie or Suzanne, 644-6107 

 

A Buddhist Pilgramage in India 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Pl. 

June Rosenberg brings to life, through slides and lecture, her pilgrimages in India. Free. 

Call 843-6812 

 

University Avenue Indian Business Community 

10 a.m. - Noon 

Kirpal & Neelum Khanna, owners of the Bazaar of India, tell about the steps they took from spice and food retailing to today’s Bazaar, and the nuances and features of the Indian business community on University Avenue. One is a series of walking tours sponsored by the Berkeley Historical Society. 

$10 per person 

Call 848-0181 for reservations 

 


Monday, Oct. 23

 

Berkeley Chinese Community Church Turns 100 

6 p.m. 

Nov. 4 

Silver Dragon Restaurant 

835 Webster St. 

Oakland 

Reservations: $30 per person 

More info: 548-5295 

 

Public Schools Parent Information Night 

7 - 9 p.m.  

Epworth United Methodist Church 

1953 Hopkins St. 

Parents, principals and other administrative staff from 11 elementary schools will speak about their schools. Sponsored by Neighborhood Parents Network.  

Admission: free to members, $5 non-members 

527-6667 

 

Parks & Recreation Board Meeting 

7 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Solid Waste Management Commission 

7 p.m. 

Solid Waste Management Center 

1201 Second St. 

 


Tuesday, Oct. 24

 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market Fall Fruit Tastings 

2 p.m. - 7 p.m.  

Derby St. at MLK Jr. Way 

Come taste a bounty of fall fruit varieties for free. 

Info: 548-3333 

 


Thursday, Oct. 25

 

International Jewish Video Competition Winners 

7:30 p.m.  

Pacific Film Archive 

2575 Bancroft Way 

Screening of the four winners in the Museum’s seventh annual competition.  

Call 549-6950 

 

Civic Arts Commission 

6:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Disaster Council 

7 p.m. 

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar 

 

Energy Commission 

5:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St. 

 

Mental Health Commission 

6:30 p.m. 

Mental Health Clinic 

2640 MLK Jr. Way 

 

Planning Commission 

7 p.m.  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Police Review Commission 

7:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 


Thursday, Oct. 26

 

East Bay Science & Arts Middle School 

Noon  

BART Plaza, Downtown 

Middle school students perform dances of folk, swing, and Cuban rueda styles. Free.  

Contact Carrie Ridgeway, 549-2230 

 

Proposition Brown Bag 

Noon - 1:30 p.m.  

Institute of Governmental Studies 

109 Moses Hall 

UC Berkeley 

Hear presentations about and discuss the eight propositions on the California ballot.  

Call 642-4608 

 


Friday, Oct. 27

 

“Transporation: What’s in Store?” 

11:45 a.m. 

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

Larry Dahms, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Transportation Council speaks at 12:30 p.m. Luncheon is served at 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. 

Luncheon: $11 

More info and reservations: 848-3533 

 


Saturday, Oct. 28

 

Pedaling the Green City 

11 a.m. -3:30 p.m.  

Take a leisurely bike ride along the future San Francisco Bay Trail. One in a series of free outings organized by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call: 415-255-3233 for reservations  

 

Wild About Books? 

10:30 a.m. 

Berkeley Central Library 

2121 Allston Way 

Halloween for the little guys with (not so) scary stories, music, and more.  

Call 649-3943  

 

Run Your Own Landscape Business: Part 3 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave. (at Blake) 

Local horticultural consultant and UC Master Gardener Jessie West will teach you how to plant, prune, control weeds, and more. This is the final class in the series. 

$15 general; $10 for members; $5 materials fee 

Call 548-2220 x223 

 


Sunday, Oct. 29

 

“Gateway to Knowledge” 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Pl. 

Barr Rosenberg describes how to master new knowledge and take the power to shape our lives in wise and compassionate ways.  

843-6812 

 

An Evening with The Professor 

5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. 

Mambo Mambo 

1803 Webster St.  

Oakland 

Berkeley resident Geoffrey A. Hirsch, better known as the Tie Guy from the “How Berkeley Can You Be” parade got his start in comedy in 1996. A professor in real life, Hirsch tell the story of how he became a funny guy.  

$5 for show only, $10 for show and dinner 

Call Geoffrey Hirsch at 845-5631 to reserve tickets 

 


Wednesday, Nov. 1

 

Kathak Dancing with Pandit Chitresh Das 

7:30 p.m. 

Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 

2640 College Ave.  

The Graduate Theological Union presents a free lecture-demonstration with Pandit Chitresh Das, a master of India’s Kathak dance form. This event is free. 

Call 649-2440 for additional info 

 


Thursday, Nov. 2

 

PASTForward Panel Discussion 

2 p.m. 

UC Berkeley Art Museum 

Bancroft Way (below College) 

In conjunction with the White Oak Dance Project’s performances, a panel discussion with Judson era dance choreographers Yvonne Rainer and Deborah Hay. Free. 

 

Berkeley Metaphysic Toastmasters Club 

6:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysic come together at Avatar Metaphysical Toastmasters. Meets first and third Thursdays each month. 

Call 869-2547 or 643-7645 

 


Saturday, Nov. 4

 

Breathtaking Barnabe Peak 

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

Hike through Samuel P. Taylor State Park’s lush forests and climb to the heights of Barnabe Peak, overlooking Point Reyes. One in a series of free fall outings organized by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call: 415-255-3233 for reservations 

 

Wild About Books? 

10:30 a.m. 

Berkeley Central Library 

2121 Allston Way 

Dublin Library’s resident storyteller and featured teller at the 1998 National Storytelling Festival tell kids aged 3 to 7 her favorite tales.  

Call 649-3943  

 


Sunday, Nov. 5

 

Buddhist Psychology 

6 p.m.  

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Pl.  

Buddhist teacher Sylvia Gretchen on “Beyond Therapy and Into the Heart of Buddhist Psychology.” Free. 

Call 843-6812  

 


Monday, Nov. 6

 

Airports vs. the Bay 

7 p.m. 

Albany Community Center 

1249 Marin St.  

Albany 

David Lewis, Executive Director of “Save the Bay” will speak on the airports’ plans to expand into the SF Bay and other challenges to Bay restoration.  

Contact: Friends of Five Creeks, 848-9358 

 


Thursday, Nov. 9

 

The Life and Art of Chiura Obata 

7:30 p.m.  

North Berkeley Public Library 

1170 Alameda (at Hopkins) 

A slide show and lecture presented by Obata’s granddaughter, Kimi Kodani Hill, celebrating Obata’s book, “Topaz Moon: Chiura Obata’s Art of the Internment,” and the retrospective exhibit of Obata’s work to appear this Fall at SFs De Young Museum. 

For details call 644-6850  

 

ESL Teacher Job Fair 

7 - 8:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Adult School 

1222 University Ave., Room 7  

ESL program representatives from adult schools in Alameda and Contra Costa counties will provide information about desired qualifications, current job openings, credentialing requirements, and more.  

Call Kay Wade, 644-6130 

 


Saturday, Nov. 11

 

Moonlight on Mt. Diablo 

1 - 10:30 p.m.  

Hike up the Devil’s Mountain by daylight, catch a glorious sunset and hike back by the light of the moon. One in a series of free outing organized by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call: 415-255-3233 for reservations 

 


Sunday, Nov. 12

 

Views, Vines and Veggies 

9:15 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  

Climb Bald Mountain in Sugarloaf State Park and peer down upon the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Then please your palate at the Landmark Winery and visit Oak Hill organic vegetable and flower farm. One in a series of free fall outings organized by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call: 415-255-3233 for reservations 

 

“Time Across Cultures” 

2 - 4 p.m. 

St. Clements Church 

2837 Claremont Ave.  

The annual Roselyn Yellin Memorial lecture with a slide-illustrated panel discussion. Also a tour of the “Telling Time” exhibit at the Judah L. Magnes Museum followed by a reception at the museum, 4 - 5 p.m.  

More info: 549-6950 

 

Buddhism & Compassion 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Psychiatrist and teacher Bobby Jones on “Healing through Compassion.” Free.  

843-6812 

 


Tuesday, Nov. 14

 

Take a Trip to the Steinbeck Museum and 

Mission San Juan Bautista 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

This is an outing organzied by the Senior Center.  

$40 with lunch, $25 without  

Call Maggie or Suzanne, 644-6107 

 


Thursday, Nov. 16

 

Reminiscing in Swingtime 

7:30 p.m.  

North Berkeley Library  

1170 Alameda (at Hopkins) 

George Yoshida, author and jazz drummer, presents a multi-media program recounting the big band experience in the Japanese American internment camps. The presentation will be capped with a set of live jazz by the George Yoshida Quartet. 

Call for more info: 644-6850 

 

Berkeley Metaphysic Toastmasters Club 

6:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysic come together at Avatar Metaphysical Toastmasters. Meets first and third Thursdays each month. 

Call 869-2547 or 643-7645 

 


Saturday, Nov. 18

 

S.F. Stairs and Peaks 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m.  

Begin the day with a visit to the farmer’s market, then meander up the stairways and streets of Telegraph Hill to Coit Tower. Then up Russian Hill, descending to Fisherman’s Wharf for a ride back on the new historic streetcar line. One in a series of free fall outings organized by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call: 415-255-3233 

 

Berkeley Free Folk Festival 

11 a.m. - 1 a.m.  

Ashkenaz  

1317 San Pablo Ave. 

Fourteen hours of free concerts, workshops, jam sessions and to top it off a Saturday night dance. The fifth annual Folk Festival will feature Shay & Michael Black, Spectre Double Negative & the Equal Positive, Larry Hanks, Wake the Dead and many others. Sponsored by Charles Schwab and the City of Berkeley.  

More info or to volunteer: 525-5099 

 


Sunday, Nov. 19

 

Mt. Madonna & Wine  

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Hike through evergreen forests and visit the remains of a 19th century estate, then finish the day with a visit to Kruse Winery. One of many free fall outings organized by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call: (415) 255-3233 for reservations 

 


Tuesday, Nov. 21

 

Fibromyalgia Support Group 

Noon - 2 p.m.  

Alta Bates Medical Center, Maffly Auditorium 

Herrick Campus 

2001 Dwight Way 

Call D.L. Malinousky, 601-0550 

 


Saturday, Dec. 2

 

Wild About Books? 

10:30 a.m. 

Berkeley Central Library 

2121 Allston Way 

Storyteller Kellmar draws from her African-American roots with stories that touch the heart and the funnybone. For childen aged 3-7. 

Call 649-3943  

 


Thursday, Dec. 7

 

Berkeley Metaphysic Toastmasters Club 

6:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysic come together at Avatar Metaphysical Toastmasters. Meets first and third Thursdays each month. 

Call 869-2547 or 643-7645 

 


Thursday, Dec. 21

 

Berkeley Metaphysic Toastmasters Club 

6:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysic come together at Avatar Metaphysical Toastmasters. Meets first and third Thursdays each month. 

Call 869-2547 or 643-7645 

 

ONGOING EVENTS 

 

Sundays 

Green Party Consensus Building Meeting 

6 p.m. 

2022 Blake St. 

This is part of an ongoing series of discussions for the Green Party of Alameda County, leading up to endorsements on measures and candidates on the November ballot. This week’s focus will be the countywide new Measure B transportation sales tax. The meeting is open to all, regardless of party affiliation. 

415-789-8418 

 

Mondays 

Baby Bounce and Toddler Time 

10:30 a.m. 

Oct. 16 - Dec. 11 

Berkeley Central Library 

2121 Allston Way 

For children ages 6 to 36 months. Get those babies off to a good start with songs, rhymes, lap bounces, and very simple books. 

649-3943  

 

Tuesdays 

Easy Tilden Trails 

9:30 a.m. 

Tilden Regional Park, in the parking lot that dead ends at the Little Farm 

Join a few seniors, the Tuesday Tilden Walkers, for a stroll around Jewel Lake and the Little Farm Area. Enjoy the beauty of the wildflowers, turtles, and warblers, and waterfowl. 

215-7672; members.home.com/teachme99/tilden/index.html 

 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market 

2-7 p.m. 

Derby Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Milvia Street 

548-3333 

 

Berkeley Camera Club 

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda 

Share your slides and prints with other photographers. Critiques by qualified judges. Monthly field trips. 

531-8664 

 

Computer literacy course 

6-8 p.m. 

James Kenney Recreation Center, 1720 Eighth St. 

This free course will cover topics such as running Windows, File Management, connecting to and surfing the web, using Email, creating Web pages, JavaScript and a simple overview of programming. The course is oriented for adults. 

644-8511 

 

Wednesdays  

10:30 a.m. 

Preschool Song and Story Time 

Berkeley Central Library 

2121 Allston Way 

Music and stories for ages 3-5.  

649-3943 

 

Thursdays 

The Disability Mural 

4-7 p.m. through September 

Integrated Arts 

933 Parker 

Drop-in Mural Studios will be held for community gatherings and tile-making sessions. This mural will be installed at Ed Roberts campus. 

841-1466 

 

Fridays 

Ralph Nader for President 

7 p.m.  

Video showings to continue until November. Campaign donations are requested. Admission is free.  

Contact Jack for directions at 524-1784. 

 

Saturdays 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market 

10 a.m.-3 p.m. 

Center Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Milvia Street 

548-3333 

Poets Juan Sequeira and Wanna Thibideux Wright 

 

2nd and 4th Sunday 

Rhyme and Reason Open Mike Series 

2:30 p.m. 

UC Berkeley Art Museum, 2621 Durant Ave. 

The public and students are invited. Sign-ups for the open mike begin at 2 p.m. 

234-0727;642-5168 

 

Tuesday and Thursday 

Free computer class for seniors 

9:30-11:30 a.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center, 2939 Ellis St. 

This free course offers basic instruction in keyboarding, Microsoft Word, Windows 95, Excel and Internet access. Space is limited; the class is offered Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Call ahead for a reservation. 

644-6109 

 

Compiled by Chason Wainwright 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Perspective

By Tim Hansen
Friday October 13, 2000

Olson right: Gaia is too high 

 

 

Carrie Olson is right about the height of the Gaia building. If you go down to City of Berkeley Current Planning and ask for the plans, you can measure it for yourself. From the ground to the top of the roof it scales out at 116 feet. While you're there, you might want to look at a few other features. Start by counting the number of stories. I count eleven stories. 

You might then go over to zoning and ask to look at the zoning file for 2116 Allston Way (Gaia building). Be prepared, it is a big file. Go through it and find the use permit. There are three of them. You want the amended use permit dated 7/17/98. On the first page see that Kennedy only got permission for 7 stories. This is a long ways from the 11 we just counted.  

Also notice, on the same page, that Kennedy only got permission for a building height of 87 feet. At this point you might want to ask for the head of Current Planning to find out what is going on. Be prepared for a lot of half truths and misinformation. Ask for a copy of the letter dated October 2, 2000 responding to questions raised by Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association (BAHA) and by Clifford Fred. While you are at it, get a copy of the last use permit and a copy of the proposed building's elevations and floor plans. This is the easy part. Now the work begins. 

You will need a copy of the zoning ordinance which was in effect in July 1998 (BAHA has a copy) and a copy of the 1994 Uniform Building Code (find a contractor and ask). These are the rules Current Planning must follow for the Gaia building. Start with the zoning ordinance and look up the definition of “Story.” It is section 22.42. Now look at the plans and count the number of "stories" again. You will still come up with eleven. 

Look at the letter from the City dated October 2, 2000 and notice that they don't talk about the definition of story but they do talk about “height.” 

Look at zoning section 15.2.(b) which talks about height. Note that it starts with "Subject to other provisions of law.” The number of allowable stories is one such provision. Ask yourself why the City's October 2nd letter doesn't talk about stories. 

Pull out the 1994 Uniform Building Code and go to Section 507 - Mezzanines and compare this to the definition quoted in the October 2, 2000 letter. 

They are quite different. The letter makes it look like 50% of the room can be covered with a mezzanine, while the 1994 Uniform Building Code definition makes it clear that only one third of the room can be covered. Clearly the definition in the 1994 Uniform Building Code is the intended definition in the Use Permit, so lets go with that. Look at the floor plan for the retail space and confirm that isn't a mezzanine, that it is really two floors. 

Also, look at the “seventh floor loft” space and see that it also is really two floors.  

Since you are looking at the floor plans, look at the offices on top of the lofts. Back to the zoning ordinance, section 22.42 definition of story to see that penthouses used for purposes other than shelter of mechanical equipment or shelter of vertical shaft openings in the roof shall be considered a story. Count these offices as a story also. Look at the space for the elevator. Since it is not just to enclose the mechanical equipment, it also is a story. All in all, I count 11 stories. Something very wrong is going on here. 

Why should we care? We should care because over 290,000 square feet of office space has been permitted in Berkeley in the last 10 months with more foreseen in 2001. This is enough office space for about 2,000 workers. 

Where are these workers going to live? If the City of Berkeley and Piedmont developer Patrick Kennedy really believes there is a housing crisis, then why are they building more office space. As we saw, the tenth floor of the Gaia building is not housing, it is offices. 

We should care because the shadow studies shown to the public were for an 87 foot tall building. (These are in the zoning files you got the use permit from.) These studies indicated that Constitution Plaza would not be in the shade in the mornings. Shadow studies for the new 116 foot building will show that the buildings shadow will cut completely across the Plaza to the buildings on the West side of Shattuck Ave. This is very bad. The taller building doesn't add a single unit of housing, but it does substantially reduce for the roof top open space and it hurts the housing crisis by adding more office space. If you are downtown, on Alston and Shattuck, take a look at the Gaia building. The top of the wood forms for the columns are at about 68 feet. The building is going up another 48 feet to 116 feet. I think it is unacceptable.  

We should care because the process mandated by city law was not followed. Back to those zoning files. Try to reconstruct what went on. I believe that what you will find is that after the public part of the process, Current Planning and Kennedy entered into some back room dealing. 

The results are 116 feet and 11 stories. These actions by Current Planning greatly hurts the public process. How are we to know that the 5 stories, 50 feet that Kennedy is proposing for 2700 San Pablo won't end up 80 feet and 7 stories? Back to the zoning ordinance, see section 23.0 and 24.0 about enforcing the code. See section 1.20 of the Berkeley Municipal code for the penalties. Since Kennedy's building permit for 2116 Allston is not within the law it is clearly null and void. Construction should cease while Kennedy submits plans that are within what the City granted him in his Use Permit. Finally, it should now be clear why Kennedy is attacking candidate Carrie Olson in the press. He is trying to silence her criticism of the Gaia building process. It should also be clear why we need her on the City Council.  

 

Tim Hansen 

Berkeley 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Berkeley judge awards national poetry accolade

Daily Planet staff
Friday October 13, 2000

The Poetry Center & American Poetry Archives is pleased to announce the winner of this year’s Poetry Center Book Award. Cole Swensen’s newest book of poems, “Try” (University of Iowa Press), was selected for the annual award by this year’s judge, poet Elizabeth Robinson, of Berkeley. The Poetry Center Book Award has been given every year since 1980 to an outstanding new book of poetry published in the previous year. 

The winner is awarded $500 and will be invited to read at The Poetry Center, along with the award judge, during The Poetry Center's spring 2001 season. 

Cole Swensen is a poet and translator based at the University of Denver in Colorado, where she directs the creative writing program and teaches literature and poetry. She has also taught in the Paris Writers’ Workshop and the Naropa Institute summer programs. Robinson wrote “What we try to enter becomes the story of the reach, the extended hand or hands-the story of recurrent, displaced, displacing trinities where that which transcends tries, and tries again, only to reach beyond itself, past representation, to flesh and blood. As comfortable with gap as she is with continuity, Swensen permits these poems to falter linguistically where history has crumbled, or the image cannot carry the weight of the explicit.” 

Elizabeth Robinson, judge for this year's Poetry Center Book Award, is the author of several books of poetry, including “Bed of Lists” (Kelsey St. Press), “In the Sequence of Falling Things” (Paradigm Press), and the recent chapbooks “As Betokening” (Quarry Press) and “Lodger” (Arcturus Editions). Her book “House Made of Silver” is forthcoming from Kelsey St. Press, and “Under the Silky Roof” from Burning Deck.  

 

 

 


’Jackets roll over Encinal

By George Thomas Daily Planet Correspondent
Friday October 13, 2000

The Berkeley High women’s volleyball team won against Encinal High of Alameda Thursday evening at Berkeley’s Donahue Gymnasium. The Yellowjackets swept the Jets in three straight games, 15-9, 15-1, 15-7, for a quick victory. 

Both teams were missing key players, as Berkeley played without the services of star middle blocker Desiree G. Young and starting setter Danielle Larue, while the Jets missed middle hitter Jaqualine Randolph. All three players were out with injuries. 

Berkeley senior ouside hitters Lizzi Akana and Hannah Lawler each put in good performances. Akana had 18 kills and 11 digs, while Lawler had nine kills and nine digs. Setter Caitilin Everett was impressive with 25 assists in stepping in for Larue.  

Berkeley is now 8-6 overall and 5-0 in the ACCAL. Encinal is 6-4, 4-2 in the ACCAL. 

Encinal’s bench had more empty spots than players, as the Jets were only able to field one substitute to Berkeley’s four. The ’Jackets also had a clear height advantage, even without Young.  

Berkeley’s high-scoring offense is rooted in the powerful play of Lawler on the outside left, and Akana on the outside right. Their combined 27 kills alone made up for nearly two-thirds of Berkeley’s offense. When the Yellowjackets got buzzing, more often than not, those two players were the stingers.  

Middle hitter Vanessa Williams and Everett effectively controlled Berkeley’s middle, filling the shoes of Berkeley’s two missing starters nicely. “The loss of Young and Larue put a lot of pressure on our other middles,” said Berkeley Coach Justin Carraway. 

“Caitlin really stepped it up,” Akana said after the match.  

“I can’t say enough about how Caitlin Everett did at setter,” added Carraway.  

At one point in the second game, the Yellowjackets had a 13-point run, with freshman outside hitter Nadia Qabazard serving. 

“It was very nice,” Carraway said. “We didn’t make any errors.”  

The momentum produced in the second game left the ’Jackets cruising, and despite a late rally by the Jets in the third game, the result was never in doubt. 

Encinal coach Chris Bautista was pleased with his team’s performance despite the loss. “Without Jaqueline Randolph... we played surprisingly well. The girls actually stepped it up.” Bautista gave “lots of kudos” to the Yellowjackets, who he described as a “good offensive team.” 

“I thought we served pretty well... our passing improved... we played pretty good defense,” said Carraway. “Today was an outstanding performance.”


Bay Area needs wake-up call

By William Inman Daily Planet Staff
Friday October 13, 2000

Stuart Cohen’s on a mission. He wants to awaken the Bay Area from what he calls its “transportation nightmare.” 

Co-chair of the Bay Area Transportation and Land Use Coalition, Cohen addressed a gathering Thursday hosted by the Berkeley Albany Emeryville League of Women Voters at the Albany Public Library.  

Cohen’s organization is a collection of 60 environmental and social justice groups working together to provide information and policy recommendations. 

The recommendations allow elected officials and the public to choose between current “sprawling” development patterns in the region and a more sustainable Bay Area. 

“We began to (lobby) the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to break the cycle of sprawl in the Bay Area,” he said. 

“Partnership of Smart Growth” came out of the effort. The partnership, formed in May 1998, includes MTC, the Association of Bay Area Governments, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the Regional Water Quality Control Board. Its goal is to integrate land use and transportation planning. 

“Our role is to ensure this process takes place independent of whether federal funding is granted, and we work to encourage broad participation in the partnership,” he said. 

Cohen added that after two years of working with the organizations, they received a federal grant this year to start “smart growth” planning in the area. 

“In 2002, when ABAG does its next set of projections (for area growth) they’re not just going to be presenting a sprawl projection,” he said. 

Cohen said that previous ABAG projections for growth in the Bay Area looked like the roof of a planetarium, “a bunch of stars, with some clusters brighter than others, but all spread out,” he said.  

Cohen said that he hopes that the smart-growth alternatives that the partnerships propose will be one of the projections that ABAG presents. 

Jean Safari, a former ABAG employee, explained that before ABAG puts the projection together, they go to the cities and counties and ask if there have been any changes in the cities’ general plans. 

Then they get the state forecast, she said, going on to warn Cohen that “the devil is in the details,” and that city zoning regulations and general plans, such as Berkeley’s, often do not allow dense urban development. 

Cohen said that agencies in the partnership will go to cities and counties to do sketch modeling to “see how much open space we can preserve.” 

The coalition is just beginning a two-year process, when members of the partnership will go to Bay Area cities and hold meetings to talk about the smart growth processes. 

Cohen said that the members will distribute a 120-page booklet: “World Class Transit for the Bay Area.” Authored by the coalition after 13 months of research, the booklet offers a broad vision and detailed steps necessary for moving to a more sustainable transportation system. 

The booklet focuses on the improvement of the existing transportation infrastructure, including 18,000 miles of roads and 600 miles of railroad tracks. 

With cost-effective projects, the proposals in the booklet would provide transit that is fast, convenient, affordable and could be ready in a few years.  

The booklet stays away from expensive and sprawl-inducing highway-widening projects. It also doesn’t propose to extend BART or provide ferry service. 

“It calls for massive improvement in the fleet of buses,” he said.  

Moreover, to get that improvement, he added, “It’s imperative that we support Measure B,” the measure on the November ballot that raises transportation funds.


Friday October 13, 2000

 

Ebony Museum of Arts 

The museum specializes in the art and history of Africa.  

Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.  

30 Jack London Village, Suite 209. (510) 763-0745. 

 

Habitot Children’s Museum 

Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 

“Back to the Farm.”  

Ongoing 

An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels like an earthworm, look into a mirrored fish pond, don farm animal costumes, ride on a John Deere tractor and more.  

Cost: $4 adults; $6 children age 7 and under; $3 for each additional child age 7 and under.  

Monday and Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Tuesday and Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

647-1111 or www.habitot.org 

 

Judah L. Magnes Museum 

2911 Russell St.  

549-6950 

Free 

Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 

“Telling Time: To Everything There Is A Season” 

Through May 2002.  

“Second Annual Richard Nagler Competition for Excellence i Jewish Photography” 

Nov. 5 - Feb. 2001. 

Featuring the work of Claudia Nierman, Jason Francisco, Fleming Lunsford, and others.  

 

UC Berkeley Art Museum 

2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley 

Wednesday - Sunday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Open Thursdays til 9 p.m.  

“Hans Hoffmann”  

An exhibit of paintings by Hoffmann which emphasizes two experimental methods the artist employed: the introduction of slabs or rectangles of highly saturated colors and the use of large areas of black paint juxtaposed with intense oranges, greens and yellows. 

 

The Asian Galleries  

“Art of the Sung: Court and Monastery,” open-ended.  

A display of early Chinese works from the permanent collection.  

“Works on Extended Loan from Warren King,” open-ended. 

“Three Towers of Han,” open-ended. 

$6 general; $4 seniors and students age 12 to 18; free children age 12 and under; free Thursday, 11 a.m. to noon and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

642-0808. 

 

UC Berkeley Museum of  

Paleontology 

Lobby, Valley Life Sciences Building, UC Berkeley 

“Tyrannosaurus Rex,” ongoing.  

A 20-foot tall, 40-foot long replica of the fearsome dinosaur. The replica is made from casts of bones of the most complete T. Rex skeleton yet excavated.  

When unearthed in Montana, the bones were all lying in place with only a small piece of the tailbone missing. 

“Pteranodon”  

A suspended skeleton of a flying reptile with a wingspan of 22 to 23 feet. The Pteranodon lived at the same time as the dinosaurs. 

California Fossils Exhibit, ongoing. An exhibit of some of the fossils which have been excavated in California. 

Free. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

642-1821. 

 

UC Berkeley Phoebe Hearst  

Museum of Anthropology 

Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way and College  

Avenue, Berkeley 

“Modern Treasures from Ancient Iran,” through Oct. 29.  

This exhibit explores nomadic and town life in ancient and modern Iran as illustrated in bronze and pottery vessels, and textiles.  

“Approaching a Century of Anthropology: The Phoebe Hearst Museum,” open-ended.  

This new permanent installation will introduce visitors to major topics in the museum’s history, including the role of Phoebe Apperson Hearst as the museum’s patron, as well as the relationship of anthropologists Alfred Kroeber and Robert Lowie to the museum. 

“Ishi and the Invention of Yahi Culture,” ongoing. 

This exhibit documents the culture of the Yahi Indians of California as described and demonstrated from 1911 to 1916 by Ishi, the last surviving member of the tribe. 

$2 general; $1 seniors; $.50 children age 17 and under; free on Thursdays. Wednesday, Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

643-7648 

 

Mills College Art Museum 

5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland 

“The 100 Languages of Children,” through October.  

An exhibit of art by children from Reggio Emilia, Italy. At Carnegie Building Bender Room. 

Free. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. 

430-2164 

 

Lawrence Hall of Science 

“Math Rules!” Ongoing. A math exhibit of hands-on problem-solving stations, each with a different mathematical challenge. 

“Within the Human Brain” Ongoing. Visitors test their cranial nerves, play skeeball, master mazes, match musical tones and construct stories inside a simulated “rat cage” of learning  

experiments. 

“In the Dark,”through Jan. 15, 2001. Plunge into darkness and see amazing creatures that inhabit worlds without light.  

“Saturday Night Stargazing” First and third Saturdays each month. 8 - 10 p.m., LHS plaza.  

“Grossology,” LHSs Family Halloween Party, Oct. 28, 6:30 - 9 p.m. Featuring the creation of “gross” stuff with household products and ChemMystery, a hands-on crime lab for kids.  

$12 for adults; $10 for kids 12 and under.  

Call 643-5134 for tickets  

Open daily, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

$7 for adults; $5 for children 5-18; $3 for children 3-4 

642-5132 

 

Holt Planetarium  

Programs are recommended for age 8 and up; children under age 6 will not be admitted. $2 in addition to regular museum admission. 

“Moons of the Solar System,” through Dec. 10. Take a tour of the fascinating worlds that orbit Earth and other planets out to the edge of the Solar System.  

“Constellations Tonight” Ongoing. Using a simple star map, learn to identify the most prominent constellations for the season in the planetarium sky. Daily, 3:30 p.m. $7 general; $5 seniors, students, disabled, and youths age 7 to 18;  

$3 children age 3 to 5 ; free children age 2 and younger. Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Centennial Drive, University of California,  

Berkeley. (510) 642-5132 or www.lhs.berkeley.edu 

 

The Oakland Museum of  

California 

1000 Oak St., Oakland 

“Helen Nestor: Personal and Political” Through Oct. 15.  

An exhibit of images documenting the Free Speech Movement, the 60s civil rights marches, and women’s issues. 

“Secret World of the Forbidden City” Oct. 14 - Jan. 24, 2001. A rare glimpse of over 350 objects which illustrate the opulence and heritage of the Chinese Imperial Court Under the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China from 1644 - 1911. For this exhibit: $13 general, $10 seniors and $5 for students with ID.  

For museum: $6 general; $4 seniors and students; free children age 5 and under; second Sundays are free to all. Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; first Friday of the month, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

(888) OAK-MUSE or www.museumca.org. 

 

TRAX Gallery 

1306 3rd. St., Berkeley 

Mary Law “Altered Ceramic Pots”  

through Oct. 21 

For more information or to sign up for the workshop call 526-0279 or e-mail to cone5@aol.com 

 

 

Music 

 

Downtown Berkeley Association 

Lunchtime Concert Series 

Every Thursday through October 

noon - 1p.m. 

Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza 

1 hour free parking available in Center Street Garage 

Oct. 19: Jazzschool’s vocal jazz ensemble Vocal Sauce 

Oct. 26: East Bay Science & Arts Middle School will perform folk, swing and Cuban rueda dances 

 

Ashkenaz 

1317 San Pablo 

Oct. 27, 9 p.m., Sam Mangwana (Congolese rumba, world) 

Call TicketWeb, 594-1400 or Ashkenaz, Tuesday through Sunday during showtimes, 525-5054 

 

924 Gilman 

Oct. 13: Drunk Horse, The Pattern, Fun People, and The Derelectrics 

Oct. 14: Strychnine, Scurvey Dogs 

Oct. 20: The Jocks, The Fleshies (this show $3) 

All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted 

$5; $2 for a year membership 

525-9926 

 

Albatross Pub 

1822 San Pablo Ave.  

843-2473 

Oct. 14: pick Pocket ensemble, 9 p.m. 

 

Freight & Salvage Coffee House 

1111 Addison St. 

All music begins at 8 p.m. (doors open at 7:30 p.m.) 

Oct. 13: Sonny Simmons Quartet with Michael White (jazz) 

Oct. 14: Golden Bough (celtic)  

Oct. 15: Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band, Michael & David Doucet 

Oct. 16: Bill Staines (folk) 

Oct. 18: Tom Rush  

Oct. 19: Hot Club of Cowtown (Texas swing & Parisian jazz) 

Tickets for most shows $15 - $20 

Call 762-BASS or 601-TWEB for advance tickets 

For additional info call Ashkenaz showline, 548-1761 

 

Cal Performances 

Hamza El Din (world music), Oct. 21, 8 p.m., $16 - $28.  

Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley (Bancroft at Telegraph) 

Ian Bostridge, Tenor, performs music of Schubert and Hugo Wolf, Oct. 29, 3 p.m., $28 - $48.  

Julia Fischer, Violinist, performs music of Tartini, Beethoven and Cesar Franck, Nov. 5, 3 p.m., $28 - $48.  

Hertz Hall, UC Berkeley (Bancroft at College) 

For tickets and info for these events call 642-9988 

 

Yoshi’s 

Oct. 23, An Evening with pianist Jon Jang to benefit the Asian Women’s Shelter of San Francisco. Call 415-751-7110 for tickets and additional information.  

Unless otherwise noted, music at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland. (510) 238-9200 or (510) 762-BASS. 

 

The Jazzschool/La Note 

2377 Shattuck Ave. 

Oct. 15, 4:30 p.m., Mark Levine and The Latin Tinge.  

Oct. 29, 4:30 p.m., Mimi Fox Trio 

$12; $10 students/seniors; $6 for Jazzschool students and children under 13 

Reservations: (510) 845-5373. 

 

Live Oak Concert Series 

Berkeley Art Center 

1275 Walnut St. 

Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m., Debra Golata, mezzo-soprano, and others perform Schoenberg, Bach, Schubert, and others.  

Oct. 22, 7:30 p.m., Donna Lerew, violin, Skye Atman, piano perform Mozart, Shubert, Korngold and others.  

Oct. 29, 7:30 p.m., The Horizon Wind Quintet 

$10; $8 for members; $9 for students and seniors; Children under 12 admitted free 

 

Central Works Theater Ensemble Benefit 

North Berkeley Community Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Oct. 16, 7 - 10 p.m. The Ken French Trio will perform with a special performance by jazz and soul vocalist Clairdee. The evening will also feature a public and silent auction hosted by Narsai David. Proceeds benefit the funding, development, and production of original plays for Bay Area audiences.  

$45 per person; includes food, wine, and beverages.  

Reservations: (510) 558-1381 

 

Deborah Voigt 

The Grammy award-winning soprano performs the music of Strauss, Wagner, Schoenberg and others. Voigt has appeared with leading opera companies including the San Francisco Opera and has sung opposite such artists as Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti.  

Oct. 15, 3 p.m.  

Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley campus, Bancroft Avenue at Telegraph.  

$28 - $48  

642-9988 

 

Eli’s Mile High Club 

3629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland 

(510) 655-6661 

Doors open at 8 p.m. 

Oct. 13, Ron Hacker 

Beginning Oct. 26, Funk & Soul with DJs Styles, Kendread and special guests. Ongoing Thursdays.  

 

 

Films 

University of California,  

Berkeley Art Museum 

Pacific Film Archive 

2575 Bancroft Way 

642-1412 

“Neo-Eiga: New Japanese Cinema” 

Oct. 14, 7 p.m. : “Nabbie’s Love (1999), directed by Yuji Nakae, West Coast premiere; 8:55 p.m. : “Gemini” (1999), directed by Shinya Tsukamoto, Bay Area premiere.  

Oct. 21, 7 p.m. : “Don’t Look Back (1999), directed by Akihiko Shiota, US premiere; 8:45 p.m. : “Sasayaki” (1999), directed by Akihiko Shiota (who will appear in person at the screening), US premiere. 

Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m. : Judah L. Magnes Museum Presents: 

International Jewish Video Awards Screening featuring “Shylock” by Pierre Lasry, “Brooklyn Trilogy” by Madeline Schwartzman, “Village of Idiots” by Eugene Fedorenko and Rose Newlove, and Arnie Lipsey’s “Almonds and Wine.”  

$7 for one film; $8.50 for double bills. UC Berkeley students are $4/$5.50. Seniors and children are $4.50/6.00  

 

 

Theater 

 

The Gate Theater of Dublin Present 

“Waiting for Godot” 

by Samuel Beckett 

Zellerbach Playhouse 

UC Berkeley 

Directed by Walter Asthmus 

Oct. 18 - 21, 8 p.m.; Oct.19 & 21, 2 p.m.; Oct. 22, 3 p.m. 

Post-performance discussions Oct. 20 & 22 

$34 - $48 

Call 642-9988 for tickets  

 

“The Green Bird”  

by Carlo Gozzi 

Berkeley Repertory Theatre 

2025 Addison St. 

Adapted by Theatre de la Jeune Lune and directed by Dominique Serrand.  

“The Green Bird” runs through Oct. 27. For tickets contact the box office at 845-4700 

 

“The Philanderer”  

by George Bernard Shaw 

Berkeley City Club 

2315 Durant Ave. 

Performed by the Aurora Theatre company, “The Philanderer” takes on the challenging and often humorous exploration of gender roles and the separations that exist between the sexes. 

Tickets for preview showings are sold at $26. Showtimes run Wednesday through Saturday through October 15 at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees show at 2 p.m., plus selected Sunday evenings at 7 p.m. Admission for regular performances is $30. Student discounts are available. For tickets and information call 843-4822 or visit www.auroratheatre.org. 

 

“MIMZABIM!” 

Climate Theatre & Subterranean Shakespeare 

Through Oct. 14 

Thursday - Saturday, 8 p.m. 

$12, Students $8 

Impact Theatre Presents: 

“Impact Briefs 4: Impact Smackdown!” 

Oct. 20 - Nov. 18 

Fridays and Saturdays, 8 p.m.  

$10, Students $5 

Call 464-4468 for tickets & reservations 

La Val’s Subterraniean  

1834 Euclid 

 

“Fanny at Chez Panisse” 

Julie Morgan Theatre 

2640 College Ave., Berkeley 

Musical based on the book with opening proceeds going to the Verde Partnership Garden in Richmond. 

Through Oct. 29 

Runs Wednesday - Sunday, 7 p.m.  

$26 - 34  

1-888-FANNY06 

 

“Moonlight”  

by Harold Pinter 

A Last Planet Theatre production 

Potrero Hill Playhouse 

953 De Haro 

San Francisco 

Pinter’s most recent play features a man named Andy who is dying and his wife, Bel, who can’t get their two sons to pay them a visit. A story of infidelity, sibling rivalry, marital combat and moonlight and memory.  

Runs Thursday - Saturday, through Oct. 28. All shows at 8:30 p.m. No show Oct. 26.  

$20 opening night, $10-15 regular run, $5 preview 

More info and tickets: 845-2687 

 

“The Caucasian Chalk Circle” 

by Bertolt Brecht 

Zellerbach Playhouse 

UC Berkeley 

This musical version of the tale about how to behave well, act justly, and remain humane in a world where chaos reigns, features an original score by renowned Bay Area composer and guitarist John Schott. The production also features clarinetist Ben Goldberg of the New Klezmer Trio.  

Oct. 13, 14 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 15 at 2 p.m.  

$12 general; $8 UC faculty/staff; $6 students/seniors 

Call 642-8268  

 

Berkeley Rep School of Theatre 

“Sundiata” 

Martin Luther King, Jr. High School 

1781 Rost St.  

The world of premiere of Edward Mast’s tale of Djata, a handicapped boy who discovers he is the lost son of the murdered king of the Mali Empire. As the empire’s last hope, he is called upon to reclaim his heritage as the Lion King.  

Nov, 4, Noon 

Free to the public, but reservations are encouraged. 

Call 647-2972  

 

 

Dance 

 

Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company  

“You Walk?” 

Oct. 27-28, 8 p.m. 

$20 - $42 

White Oak Dance Project Present:  

“Past Forward”  

Nov. 1 - 4, 8 p.m.  

Mikhail Baryshnikov and company celebrating the influence of post-modern choreographers.  

$36 - $60  

Zellerbach Hall 

UC Berkeley 

Call for tickets, 642-9988 or try TicketWeb.com 

 

 

Exhibits 

 

Traywick Gallery 

1316 Tenth St.  

527-1214 

Charles LaBelle 

Through Oct. 15 

LaBelle’s new series of large-scale color photographs highlight nighttime nature in Hollywood. He recreates trees at night using a hand-held spotlight and playing on the beam across the leaves and branches.  

Blue Vinyl by Connie Walsh  

Through Oct. 15 

This multimedia project combines video, sound and printmaking to explore concepts of intimacy and its relation to private space.  

Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday 11-6 p.m. and Sundays 12-5 p.m. 

 

Berkeley Art Center 

“Ethnic Notions: Black Images in the White Mind,''  

Through Nov. 12. An exhibit by Janette Faulkner exploring racial stereotypes in commercial imagery. Free. Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Live Oak Park, 1275 Walnut St., Berkeley. (510) 644-6893 

 

California College of Arts and Crafts  

Free. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Oliver Art Center, 5212 Broadway, Oakland. 594-3712 

 

!hey! Gallery 

Lori Now and Michael Pollice display recent paintings through Oct. 14. 

Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.– 5 p.m. 4920-b, Telegraph, Oakland. Call Richelle Valenzuela at (510) 428-2349. 

 

Kala Gallery 

Kala Art Institute 1999 Fellowship Awards Exhibition Part II through Oct. 31. Features work by Margaret Kessler, Barbara Milman, Michele Muennig, and David Politzer.  

Tuesday through Friday, Noon - 5 p.m. or by appointment. 1060 Heinz Ave. Call 549-2977. 

 

Berkeley Historical Society  

“Berkeley’s Ethnic Heritage.” An overview of the rich cultural diversity of the city and the contribution of individuals and minority groups to it’s history and development.  

Thursday through Saturday, 1 – 4 p.m. Admission free.  

1931 Center St.  

Call 848-0181 

 

Lizabeth Oliveria Gallery 

Paintings by Timothy Buckwalter, Hilary Harkness, and Jerry W. King, Through Oct. 28. 

Gallery hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.  

942 Clay St., Oakland. Call 625-1830 for more info. 

 

Pro Arts Gallery 

Early Bird Holiday Art Fest. Oct. 25 - Nov. 11. Shop early for unique gifts made by local artists. Free opening reception, Oct. 28, 1 - 4 p.m. featuring live music and artist demonstrations.  

Gallery hours: Wednesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.  

461 Ninth St., Oakland. Call 763-9425  

 

Ames Gallery 

“Left Coast Legends: California Masters of Visionary, Self-taught, and Outsider Art,” featuring the work of Dwight Mackintosh, Alex Maldonado, A.G. Rizzoli, Jon Serl, and Barry Simons, Through Dec. 2.  

2661 Cedar St., Call for more info: 845-4949 

 

Women’s Cancer Resource Center Gallery 

Alan Leon: Hebrew Calligraphy and Illuminations, Nov. 1 - Dec. 15. Opening reception, Nov. 4, 1 - 3 p.m.  

Gallery hours: Tuesday - Thursday, 1 - 7 p.m.; Saturday, Noon - 4 p.m. and by appointment.  

3023 Shattuck Ave., Call 548-9286 x307 for more info 

 

 

Readings 

 

Rhyme and Reason Poetry Series 

Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive 

2621 Durant Ave. 

2nd and 4th Sundays of each month. 

Includes featured readers and open mike poetry. Free 

2 p.m. sign-up. Program runs from 2:30 - 4 p.m. 

Oct. 15: Professor Ron Loewinsohn (Morrison Room, UC Main Library) 

Oct. 29: Fernando Brito, Lara Dale 

234-0727 

 

Holloway Poetry Reading Series 

8p.m., Maude Fife Room, 315 Wheeler Hall 

For more information call 653-2439 

Nov. 1: John Yau and Garrett Caples, books include “Forbidden Entries” and “My Symptoms” 

Nov. 7: Marie Howe and Brian Glaser, “The Good Thief” and “What the Living Do” 

 

Cody’s Books 

2454 Telegraph Ave., 845-7852  

& 1730 Fourth St., 559-9500 

Telegraph events (all begin at 7:30 p.m): 

Oct. 15, Poetry with Aidan Thompson & Rusty Morrison 

Oct. 16, Carl Djerassi discusses “An Immaculate Misconception: Sex in an Age of Mechanical Reproduction.” 

Oct. 17, Peter Menzel & Faith D’Aluisio discuss “Robo Sapiens: Evolution of a New Species.” 

Oct. 18, “The New Young American Poets” anthology with Sam Witt, Da Powell, Rick Noguchi, and Rick Barot 

Oct. 19, Meredith Maran discusses “Class Dismissed: A Year in the Life of an American High School, a Glimpse into the Heart of a Nation.” 

Oct. 23, Paisley Rekdal reads from “The Night My Mother Met Bruce Lee: Observations on Not Fitting In.” 

Oct. 24, Alexander Cockburn & Jeffrey St. Clair discuss “Al Gore: A User’s Manual.” 

Fourth St. events: 

Oct. 19, 7 p.m., Catherine Mulholland discusses “William Mulholland and the Rise of Los Angeles.” 

Oct. 21, 3 p.m., Dale Hope discusses “The Aloha Shirt-Spirit of the Islands.” 

 

Lunch Poems: A Noontime Poetry Reading Series 

Morrison Room, Doe Library 

UC Berkeley 

12:10 - 12:50 p.m.  

Call 642-0137 

Under the direction of Professor Robert Hass, this is a series of events on the first Thursday of each month. Free.  

Nov. 2: Goh Poh Seng  

 

 

Tours 

 

Lawrence Berkeley National  

Laboratory 

Scientists and engineers guide visitors through the research areas of the laboratory, demonstrating emerging technology and discussing the research’s current and potential applications. A Berkeley lab tour usually lasts two hours and includes visits to several research areas. Popular tour sites include the Advanced Light Source, The National Center for Electron Microscopy, the 88-Inch Cyclotron, The Advanced Lighting Laboratory, and The Human Genome Laboratory. Reservations required at least two weeks in advance of tour. 

Free. University of California, Berkeley. 

486-4387 

 

Bernard Maybeck Weekend 

Oct. 14 & 15 

Sponsored by the California Preservation Foundation celebrates the buildings of the renowned architect. Saturday features a slide lecture at Swedenborgian church with historian Gray Brechin and a private tour of the Palace of Fine Arts. Sunday will focus on Berkeley, where Maybeck built most of his homes and raised his family. The tour will include six private residences and the First Church of Christ, Scientist. The weekend will end with a reception at the Chick House in the Oakland hills.  

More info call California Preservation Foundation: 763-0972. 

 

Berkeley City Club Tours 

Guided tours through Berkeley’s City Club, a landmark building designed by architect Julia Morgan, designer of Hearst Castle. 

$2. The fourth Sunday of every month except December, between noon to 4 p.m.  

2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. 

848-7800 

 

Golden Gate Live Steamers 

Small locomotives, meticulously scaled to size, run along a half mile of track in Tilden Regional Park. The small trains are owned and maintained by a non-profit group of railroad buffs who offer rides.  

Free. Trains run Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rides: Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., weather permitting. Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Lomas Cantadas Drive at the south end of Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley.  

486-0623  

 

Oakland Historic walking tours 

Runs through October.  

The tours cover downtown Oakland and its historic waterfront. All tours begin promptly at 10 a.m. and last between an hour and an hour and a half.  

Free. Call for reservations. Oakland. (510) 238-3234. 

 

University of California at Berkeley Botanical Garden 

The gardens have displays of exotic and native plants. 

Botanical Garden Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 1:30 p.m. Meet at the Tour Orientation Center for a free docent tour. $3 general; $2 seniors; $1 children; free on Thursday. Daily, 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Botanical Garden, Centennial Drive, behind Memorial Stadium, a mile below the Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley. (510) 643-2755 or www.mip.berkeley.edu/garden/ 

 

Berkeley Historical Society Walking Tours 

Oct. 15 - The 1923 North Berkeley Fire Line led by Phil Gale 

Oct. 22 - University Avenue Indian Business Community led by Kirpal & Neelum Khanna 

Nov. 5 - What’s Happening Downtown? led by Debbie Badhia 

More info call 848-0181 

 

 

 

 


Many show support for Measure B

By William Inman Daily Planet Staff
Friday October 13, 2000

At a ceremony last week when a low-emission AC Transit bus was dedicated to the city of Berkeley, Mayor Shirley Dean rallied support for Measure B. 

“We can’t have a first-class city without a first-class transit system,” she said. 

The mayor is on a long list of politicos and organizations that are in full support of Measure B – a half-cent sales tax over 20 years that will fund transit projects throughout the county – that will appear on the November 7 ballot in Alameda County. It requires a two-thirds majority to pass. 

Measure B – Alameda County’s transportation funding measure – was originally passed by voters in 1986, but is set to expire in 2002. 

“This measure has the attention of the entire state,” said Stuart Cohen, co-chair of the Bay Area Transportation and Land Use Coalition. “It’s the only one requiring a two-thirds majority that has a chance to pass.” 

But Cohen says that it’s going to be a fight. 

An earlier attempt at passing a renewal of the transportation measure in 1998 failed, having met opposition from environmental organizations including the Sierra Club and the Greenbelt Alliance.  

Ted Nordhaus, working with the Measure B campaign, said that the measure was opposed by the environmental groups because “there was too much money allocated for roads and highways, as opposed to mass transit.” 

Cohen said that the new plan has improved greatly on the 1998 plan and both the Sierra Club and the Greenbelt Alliance are actively supporting the measure. 

“Some people just vote no on all taxes,” Cohen said. “It’s important that we get the word out that this measure is crucial for the area.” 

The measure will generate $1.4 billion over 20 years. The cash-strapped AC Transit will receive a projected $316 million making it the largest single recipient of Measure B funds.  

Other mass transit systems such as BART, Union City Transit and ferries will receive 20 percent of the funding. 

AC Transit Director Miriam Hawley said that the new funds will mean frequent, more reliable service, longer hours and new routes in key areas. 

Hawley said 22 percent of the money will go directly to cities to repair streets. The amount each city will receive will be based on each city’s population. 

The measure would also provide another 18 percent for capital projects on highways county-wide. 

Paratransit programs would receive a projected $149 million, or 11 percent, opposed to just $17 million provided by the old Measure B. 

According to the Bay Area Transportation and Land Use Coalition, five percent of commute to work trips are on foot or bicycle. The measure would provide $71 million, or 5 percent, for a bike-ped program. 

Cities, the county and the East Bay Regional Parks District would use the funds to close gaps in the existing network, increase access to transit centers and improve safety countywide. 

Nordhaus said recent polls indicate an 80 percent support for the measure, and said that there is no organized opposition to the measure. 

No arguments against the measure were filed with the Alameda County registrar’s office. 


Italian divas were queens of the silver screen

By Peter Crimmins Daily Planet Correspondent
Friday October 13, 2000

In the handsome program catalog for “Divas: Divine Women of the Italian Silent Cinema,” filled with gorgeous movie stills, Pina Menichelli reclines on her side, her dress slipping off her shoulder, the line of her neck describing sultry insolence.  

In the accompanying text, curator Professor Angela Dalle Vacche explains Menichelli's devilish reputation is due in some extent to her jutting chin. 

“I do see her as the producer of the blank slate or ground zero for women's emancipation to begin,” writes Vacche of the Diva, a uniquely Italian phenomenon from over 80 years ago. The series of eight films featuring six Divas of the screen will be illuminating the Pacific Film Archive's theater beginning Sunday and continuing through the end of October. 

Vacche and co-curator Gian Luca Farinelli insist the legacy of the Italian cinema goddesses can be drawn into the American movie tradition.  

The acting style may seem far removed from anything in Hollywood, but the Divas created a movie magic every This-Year's-Girl owes a debt to. 

The “diva,” Vacche explains, comes from opera wherein the primadonna, through her voice, could break from the tribulations of the world and achieve a purity of spirit and emotion.  

Now the term is thrown around dance clubs quite liberally to describe any woman who can carry a tune on top of techno house beats and funky bass lines.  

The silent screen Diva, poised between 19th century opera and 20th century disco, ushered women into modernism. 

The characters in this collection of films are typically upper-class, draped with furs and dripping with pearls, bearing the spiritual burden of corruptive love, unlucky circumstance, and being Italian at a time when women in the other European countries were achieving some progressive social status.  

Italian women couldn't vote, smoke, or even buy a magazine subscription with the consent of a man. The Diva is marked by suffering. 

Wherefore the screen idol, but toward the ethereal? Passionately sacred and defiantly worldly, Divas are “at once priestesses and conscious victims of all the rites of Eros.”  

So writes Gian Piero Brunetta, professor at the University of Padua, in the program catalog. 

Their bodies, expressive and eroticized by the camera, communicate through quasi-theatric gestures and poses.  

Likened to miming, the body language of these actresses can seem artificial, simultaneously conscious of the over-emphatic stage mannerisms and the “smaller, temporary, or random movements suggesting invisible rhythms under the surface of the skin,” writes Vacche.  

The actresses were re-inventing their craft to play to the camera's scrutiny, rather than the peanut gallery's myopia. 

In a recent article in Film Comment magazine, Vacche thumbnails the “holy trinity” of Italian silent screen actresses: Francesca Bertini (The Goddess of Passion), Lyda Borelli (The Goddess of Transformation), and the supine Menichelli (The Goddess of Contradiction).  

These actresses don't sing like their operatic forebears, nor even speak in these pre-talkie films. Their other-worldly gestures and expressions imply an expressive space outside of speech.  

An elusive space, as Vacche writes: “This lost dimension is divinity itself, the aura that surrounds miracles, and magic that hovers around ritual objects.” 

The language used to describe the women can get as rhapsodic as the Divas themselves. “The Divas give off a light that transcends the space of cinema,” writes Brunetta, again, in the program catalog. “The Diva claims new rights, overturns centuries-old values and models, and reveals new dimensions of the human soul.” 

The films were restored under the direction of the Cineteca del Comune di Bologna and are fresh from the New York Film Festival.  

This is the first trip the to United States for most of them. PFA director and globe-trotting filmgoer Edith Kramer said she has seen a few of the Diva films in different cities around the world, but is looking forward to seeing them together in a package. 

“If you go to one it may seem quirky,” said Kramer, “but to see them as a whole you realize this is a whole genre of film.”  

It’s was a cinema being created at the same time D.W. Griffith was creating the film language in “Birth of a Nation” and “Tolerance” that would dominate American filmmaking. The Diva stylings may be lost in modern filmmaking, but the pre-WWI, rag-tag Italian film industry laid the foundation for the star system, which powers the Hollywood economy to this day. 

Kramer particularly recommends “Tigre reale” (Royal Tiger) wherein everything that could happen to a proud if hapless Russian countess does happen, in spades. She says it's a real hoot. It screens on Sunday, along with a 1999 documentary about divism, “Diva Dolorosa,” featuring footage from the Italian silents reworked into “the ultimate Diva film.” 

For screening information on “Divas: the Divine Women of the Italian Silent  

Cinema,” call the Pacific Film Archive at 642-1412, or  

www.bampfa.berkeley.edu. 

 

 

 

 


Hispanic community shows disappointment in debates

by Olga Rodriguez Special the the Daily Planet
Friday October 13, 2000

For listeners of Radio Unica, a national Spanish language station, Jim Lehrer spoke with a sweet female voice and both George W. Bush and Al Gore had a slight Argentinean accent. 

They were listening to the only presidential debate being simultaneously translated into Spanish and broadcast live throughout the nation by Radio Unica. 

“For us it’s important to do this for our audience,” said Michael Sher, General Manger of Radio Unica 1010 AM, the San Francisco affiliate. “We are hoping to reach anyone who understands Spanish and is registered to vote.” 

With an average of 25,000 calls a day, Radio Unica considers itself an interactive radio station where listeners, most of them women, can call to ask questions that range from to sexual problems to immigration. 

”How do I tell my husband that two of the children are not his?” asked Dora, a listener from Fresno, to Dr. Isabel, who hosts one of the most popular day shows of the station. 

Questions like these fill the phone lines throughout the day. But Wednesday night, to keep up with tradition, Radio Unica hosted an opinion forum after the debate that kicked off with a shouting match between Congressmen Lincoln Diaz-Ballard, R-Florida, and Luis Gutierrez D-Illinois. 

“What you just heard was a ardent and friendly dialogue and probably the best debate of the night,” said Ricardo Brown, host of the network’s national news program, as he opened the phone lines. 

Most of the callers said the debate did not change their vote. The also expressed disappointed with the presidential candidates for not addressing issues such as immigration, discrimination and U.S.-Latin American relations and said the debate did not change their vote. 

“To be honest I think the Costa Rica-USA soccer game did a better job in addressing U.S.-Latin American relations than the candidates,” said Jorge, a caller from New York, referring to the Costa Rica-USA soccer match, dropped from programming at half time to allow for tonight’s second presidential debate. 

“They both said the U.S. has to ensure democracy in Yugoslavia, in Russia,” he added. “But after three hours of debate they have not even mentioned Peru, Colombia or Cuba.” 

After the first debate, 61 percent of Latino voters said they supported Al Gore, 25 percent George W. Bush, 1 percent Ralph Nader and 13 percent were undecided, according to a poll conducted by Hispanic Trends, a polling firm owned by Hispanic Publishing Corporation. 

“Neither one of these gentlemen seem to care about our community,” said Raul, a caller from San Jose. “But we are going to send a message to the Republicans. California is still hurting from what they did to us with Pete Wilson.” 

The San Jose caller was referring to Proposition 187, the 1994 initiative against undocumented immigrants, and Proposition 209, the 1996 initiative against affirmative action, both supported by Pete Wilson. 

Wednesday night’s opinion forum was an example of the political division that exist among different Latino groups. Of the callers who said they support George W. Bush most were Cuban Americans.  

And most callers from California said they support the Democratic Party, even though they are not very happy with Gore. 

“Not surprising,” said Sergio Benedixen, president of Hispanic Trends, in an interview with Brown. “Our polling firm reports 77 percent of Latino voters who vote Republican are Cuban Americans.”


Humble nation-building values come to debates

By Rachael Post Special to the Daily Planet
Friday October 13, 2000

The real power of the United States comes from its values, said both Al Gore and Texas Gov. George Bush during Wednesday night’s debate. But the meaning of “values” remains illusive.  

As the presidential candidates met for the second time, it was hard to miss their repeated use of the words “values,” “nation building” and “humble.” 

Fred Dolan, associate professor who teaches political philosophy in UC Berkeley’s rhetoric department said each has a subtle message. 

Values is usually the code word candidates use to court women voters, because women are concerned about raising children who have values, he said.  

But the word values took a darker militaristic turn away from family values Wednesday night. 

“The use of words like values and nation-building reflect the policy debate about U.S. military intervention that’s been going on for a long time,” Dolan said. “And both candidates know they must present it in a way that’s understandable to the average American – whoever that is.” 

Vice President Gore first tossed out the word “values,” when he was asked what he would do with the great responsibility of being president. “I see it as a question of values,” he replied. He said the strength and power of the nation comes from values.  

And when asked about his views on U.S. intervention around the world, he said: “We have to protect our capacity to push forward what America’s all about. That means not only military strength and our values, it also means keeping our economy strong.” 

“When Gore used the word values, he was talking about the United States playing a role in shaping the post-World War II world,” Dolan said. Many recall this time as a golden era of American foreign policy.  

But Bush confused that subliminal message by connecting values to nation-building. 

Bush asserted that the United States must be humble, not arrogant in its dealings with other nations, although he, too, could not resist throwing in a dash of values.  

“I think the United States must be humble and must be proud and confident of our values, but humble in how we treat nations that are figuring out how to chart their own course,” Bush said. 

Dolan sees nation-building as “a code word for people who want to see the U.S. be the only super power in the world,” he said. 

Bush used the phrase nation-building – by which he means the act of the United States building up developing nations – 12 times during the debate.  

He was expressing his Republican view that the United States should not overextend itself by placing troops in countries where new governments are taking form.  

“I am worried about over-committing our military around the world,” Bush said. “I want to be judicious in its use.” 

Gore said the idea of nation-building is a “pejorative phrase” and that intervening in other countries’ development depends on the situation. 

While Gore continued to emphasize values, Bush kept coming back to humility. Dolan suggested his use of the word five times may be in reference to Gore’s reputation of being condescending. 

“Bush has been constantly talking about humility,” said Dolan. When Bush, on the other hand, says he wants the United States to be humble, he means he doesn’t want to play a major role in foreign affairs.  

“He represents the forces that are more isolationist, with a narrowly defined definition of national interests.” 

Perhaps what they both really meant was that this country needs humble nation-building values.


Police find bomb in Emeryville hotel

The Associated Press
Friday October 13, 2000

EMERYVILLE — An explosive device was destroyed by a bomb squad early Thursday after police responding to reports of gunfire discovered the device in a hotel room. 

Police went to the Sheraton Four Points Hotel late Wednesday and then called in the bomb squad from the University of California Berkeley, which destroyed the device. No injuries were reported. 

The 35-year-old man who had rented the room was taken into police custody and questioned by investigators. His name was not released. 

About 200 guests were evacuated from the hotel for more than three hours as police searched the hotel. 

The hotel was evacuated for some three hours, while the University of California at Berkeley police bomb squad was called to retrieve the device.  

When officers entered a fourth-floor room they found a broken window, a handgun, an automatic assault rifle and the bomb. It wasn't until after it was retrieved, police say, that investigators reached the conclusion that the explosive was genuine. 

Police would not describe the explosive device other than to say it was armed and could have caused significant damage to the room and adjacent rooms. 

Police say that had it detonated within the hotel room, the device would have caused significant damage to the room, and perhaps would have damaged adjacent rooms, too. 

Investigators were trying to determine why the man had the weapons in his room. There were no reported robbery attempts on the hotel and no political or high profile conventions being held at the Four Points. 

“Short of anything overt being found, this is very much a mystery at this point,” said Sgt. Greg Bowman of the Emeryville Police Department.


Oakland mayor can join redevelopment efforts

The Associated Press
Friday October 13, 2000

SAN FRANCISCO — A California appeals court has exempted Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown from a political conflict-of-interest rule that was blocking his participation in the city’s downtown redevelopment efforts. 

The decision, made Thursday, ended an eight-month struggle between Brown and the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission. 

Brown, California’s former governor, helped write the Political Reform Act of 1974, a landmark government ethics initiative that bars officials from making decisions that could benefit them financially. 

In February, the commission ruled that the law barred Brown from participating in downtown Oakland redevelopment projects because he co-owns a live-work compound and converted warehouse in the targeted area. The FPPC said it was “reasonably foreseeable” the redevelopment could increase the values of the mayor’s property. 

Brown challenged the FPPC’s decision, saying the city’s charter and laws require his involvement in shaping development decisions for the so-called Lower Broadway Project.  

He argued that an official with a conflict of interest is not barred from participation if his actions are “legally required.” 

The three-judge court agreed. 

“We conclude the mayor’s participation in the redevelopment project is legally required in order for the Oakland city charter to function as the voters intended,” Justice Joanne Parrilli wrote for the San Francisco-based court. 

The panel noted that Brown, elected in 1998, would not vote on any development decisions as a consequence of Measure X that Oakland voters approved in 1998. Instead, his duty as mayor requires him to “play a significant leadership role in influencing the final decisions,” the decision said. 

The ballot measure, approved by 75 percent of Oakland voters, was an outgrowth of concern that there was too much power in the mayor’s office. It barred the mayor from voting on City Council affairs. 

It’s not the first time the conflict-of-interest law has been disputed. 

In 1986, the appeals panel allowed then-San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein to veto a rent-control measure despite the possibility that the veto might benefit her as a landlord. The court found that Feinstein’s “legally required participation” as mayor nullified the conflict law. 

Deborah Allison, an FPPC attorney, argued to the court last month that if the mayor participates in the massive redevelopment efforts, he is able to “line his own pockets” by influencing the plans. 

“The court ultimately disagreed with our conclusion,” FPPC chairwoman Karen Getman said in a statement. “We respect its right to do so.” 

Brown was not immediately available for comment. 

Oakland City Attorney John Russo said the court “has vindicated the city charter.” 

The court said that the city manager could not perform the mayor’s duties on the project as the FPPC contended. 

“For purposes of the Lower Broadway Project, the FPPC’s opinion would prohibit the mayor from even attempting to act as the chief executive promised by Measure X,” Parrilli wrote.


Ecology group chides Safeway

The Associated Press
Friday October 13, 2000

The Associated Press 

 

SAN FRANCISCO — One day after Safeway stores removed taco shells containing genetically altered corn from their shelves, an ecology group called on the company to do more to rid its aisles of foods the group claims are unfit for humans. 

Ellen Hickey, director of research for the Pesticide Action Network, chided Safeway Inc. on Thursday and displayed several boxes of the supermarket’s in-house brand taco shells that were found to contain StarLink biotech corn – the same ingredient that prompted a nationwide recall of taco shells Sept. 22 by Kraft Foods. 

“This discovery is further proof that StarLink corn has entered the human food supply and underscores the need for stronger government regulation of genetically engineered foods,” Hickey said. 

She called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to order a recall of Safeway’s taco shells, and for the supermarket chain to make a move away from stocking products containing any genetically engineered ingredients. 

Safeway ordered the taco shells removed from store shelves Wednesday after learning of test results that revealed the presence of the genetically engineered corn. StarLink corn hasn’t been approved for human consumption because of unresolved questions about whether it could cause allergic reactions in people. 

The corn is only allowed in animal feed. 

The Kraft and Safeway taco shells each contain the same variety of corn developed by Aventis CropScience. Safeway’s product was made by Mission Foods Co. of Irving, Texas. 

The supermarket chain had been assured by Mission Foods that StarLink corn was not in its taco shell products, according to Safeway spokesman Brian Dowling. 

“After this Kraft thing we had gone to Mission and asked them for some assurances that there were no issues related to StarLink and they assured us that there was not a problem,” Dowling said. “So this is a little puzzling to say the least.” 

Safeway would have further discussions with Mission Foods representatives Thursday, Dowling said. 

Safeway’s action applied to shells sold under both its private label and the Mission name. Customers who purchased the shells are being offered refunds. 

Pesticide Action Network is one of seven organizations that comprise Genetically Engineered Food Alert, a public-interest group that commissioned the independent tests on the taco shells. 

Pleasanton-based Safeway has 1,400 stores in the United States, primarily in the West. 


Immunity demands may bar key LAPD witness

The Associated Press
Friday October 13, 2000

LOS ANGELES — Disgraced police officer Rafael Perez may be eliminated as the star witness in the Rampart police corruption trial if he persists in demanding immunity from prosecution for three murders in which he is a suspect, a lawyer said late Thursday. 

The development came the night before testimony was to begin against four officers implicated by Perez in the scandal that has rocked the Los Angeles Police Department over the past year. 

Perez, who has an immunity agreement for an assortment of crimes, claims the agreement should extend to the murders recently alleged by his former lover, Sonia Flores, defense attorney Harland Braun said. Flores has sent authorities scurrying to Mexico to excavate a trash dump where she claims the bodies were buried by Perez and his partner. 

No bodies have been found so far, but Braun said the murder allegations are a key element of the planned defense attack on Perez’s credibility as a witness. 

“If Perez won’t testify about that, then he has to be removed from the case,” Braun said. “We will object to his testifying at all because he can’t be cross-examined ... From our point of view, this means he’s no longer in the case.” 

Perez’s lawyer, Winston Kevin McKesson, did not immediately answer a telephone message left at his office. But Braun said he conferred with McKesson late Thursday and that the attorney told him he felt Perez’s plea agreement with the district attorney’s office was “ambiguous” in relation to the murders. 

The matter was expected to be raised Friday morning when lawyers appear in Los Angeles County Superior Court for the scheduled start of opening statements and testimony in the four officers’ trial. 

Braun said he had just learned that Perez invoked Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination during testimony in a police Board of Rights hearing for another man on Oct. 4. 

“Perez was asked about the murders and said he wouldn’t discuss it without immunity,” Braun said. 

He said prosecutors told him as late as Thursday they did not know whether Perez would invoke the Fifth Amendment in the current trial. 

District Attorney’s spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said the office would not comment on the latest development. She referred reporters to Perez’s plea agreement signed on Sept. 8, 1999. 

The document said Perez’s leniency agreement is based on his representations “that he has not been involved in any criminal use-of-force activity which has resulted in the death of any person...”


Scientists hope parasitic wasps save trees

The Associated Press
Friday October 13, 2000

SHELDON — Scientists released about 100 flea-sized wasps Thursday in Sacramento County, hoping the Australian insects will seek their natural food source: a bug killing eucalyptus trees. 

The parasitoid wasp release is the eleventh in California, where the redgum lerp psyllid has infested at least 40 counties, said Don Dahlsten, a University of California, Berkeley, entomology professor. 

Trees in the Central Valley and along the coast are the most affected. 

Researchers say it is too early to tell if their plan is working; only one wasp has been reclaimed after a release. 

UC officials in Sacramento County said they had received about 130 requests for the wasp from homeowners whose eucalyptus trees serve as fences, wind guards and landscaping. 

The tree-saving program has its share of critics, who contend the eucalyptus tree is a nonnative plant that should not be saved, especially not at the risk of introducing another nonnative species to protect it. 

The long-term consequences of introducing the wasp are unclear, said Jacob Sigg, president of the California Native Plant Society. 

“In principal most people agree it’s OK to import exotic organisms to control an exotic weed,” Sigg said. “When we go beyond that and there is a predator of a predator of an exotic plant” that needs to be debated. 

Several organizations have pushed for the tree’s eradication. Dahlsten said he frequently gets angry letters from people opposed to the introduction of new species. 

“I hope I’m doing the right thing,” he said, holding a test tube with the tiny, non-stinging wasps inside. “I’ve been called irresponsible and have gotten hate mail but if we don’t chose this solution, these tree owners will spend thousands on chemical pesticides that won’t work in the end but will ruin our water, our soil.” 

Dahlsten collected the wasps from Australia, where native eucalyptus trees have thrived despite the redgum lerp psyllid because the psyllids are threatened by the wasps. 

The psyllids feast on eucalyptus trees by sucking sugary sap from the tree leaves, robbing the tree’s roots of needed nutrients, said Ingels. 

White sacks on the tree leaves conceal immature psyllids growing to maturity. 

The wasps live and plant their eggs in the psyllids. Breeding the wasps has been difficult because they only live six weeks and need the psyllids to reproduce. 

“We are 99.9 percent sure this is not going to affect other insects in the area, because it has been tested on similar insects,” said Chuck Ingels, a UC farm adviser in Sacramento County. 

On the Net: 

For more on the wasp release see: http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/biocon/dahlsten/rglp/index.htm 

Find the California Native Plant Society at www.cnps.org


LA workers suspend strike at cardinal’s request

The Associated Press
Friday October 13, 2000

LOS ANGELES — Thousands of striking Los Angeles County employees returned to work Thursday after union leaders heeded a plea from Cardinal Roger Mahony to end the interruption of services to “the poorest and most vulnerable” people. 

The surprise decision by union officials representing 47,000 of the county’s workers put the day-old walkout on hold late Wednesday night and put employees back on the job hours later – some grumbling about the cardinal and their union’s leadership. 

“I think it’s political,” said Fausto Santos, 28, heading back to work at the county assessor’s office. “The cardinal has a lot of pull.” 

“I lost several hundred in pay,” said Paul Bernal, 44, an auditor-controller’s employee. “All of a sudden I have to come back to square one. It’s not too satisfying.” 

The truce in the county labor dispute came as a separate transit strike continued for a 27th day, with representatives of bus drivers and rail operators rejecting a “final” offer by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.  

It included a 9.3 percent pay increase over three years and the MTA picking up 1 percent of employee pension contributions. 

MTA officials said they would now take the proposal directly to the drivers.  

There was no immediate comment from United Transportation Union officials on that plan. 

In a new letter Thursday to MTA and United Transportation Union officials, Mahony urged use of a federal mediator and said he was praying for a mutual compromise that would give workers “a just salary and benefits” and restore public transportation. 

Mahony had denounced the transit strike when talks broke off last month, but said he wasn’t taking sides. 

“The continuation of this strike ... is unconscionable and is wreaking havoc on the poorest of our families, employees and small business owners,” he said Sept. 26. 

That appeal drew no action by either side in the transit strike, however. 

Mahony, whose presence literally looms over the county in the form of a huge new cathedral he is building across the street from the county Hall of Administration, was more moderate in his statement to the strikers and the Board of Supervisors. 

“Over the past week, workers in Los Angeles County have made us all more aware of the important services they provide to the public and, in particular, to the poorest and most vulnerable members of our community,” Mahony wrote. 

He said it was “regrettable the outstanding issues in this dispute have not been resolved.” 

County employees need to be compensated fairly and should not face intimidation for union activities, he said. 

Ironically, fumes from tar being applied at the cathedral complex filled the county headquarters Thursday morning, forcing the just-returned workers out for a time. 

Earlier this year, Mahony stepped into a citywide strike by janitors, supporting their demands for higher pay. 

Kent Wong, director of the University of California, Los Angeles Center for Labor Research and Education, said Mahony is closely following both the MTA strike and the negotiations with county workers.  

His intervention is more cautious than it was in the janitor’s strike because the lines are not as sharply drawn. 

“With the janitors, it was much cleaner – a true David and Goliath story with poor janitors facing wealthy building owners,” Wong said.  

“I think he feels deeply about the bus drivers and the bus riders. I think he feels deeply about the recipients of county services as well.” 

Mahony, who heads an archdiocese with 4 million Catholics, would not grant interviews. 

“He’s issued statements in the past with other situations, in other union efforts, but we’re pleasantly surprised to see a statement have some kind of effect,” said Tod M. Tamberg, spokesman for the archdiocese. 

Union spokesman Mark Tarnawsky said “most or all” county employees were expected to return to work, but that some dissent was to be expected. 

“The decision was based on consideration of the people who depend on our services and in response to cardinal’s request, and frankly because our members can ill-afford to be off work,” Tarnawsky said.


Removing constructed items is trickier than it seems

The Associated Press
Friday October 13, 2000

Hidden Nail Trick 

Pulling a cracked, warped or badly stained wood shingle without disturbing others isn’t too tough. But because shingles are nailed on in successive courses (the nails are covered by the shingles above), installing a replacement shingle is a little tricky. 

Here’s how to do it: Slip the new shingle underneath the course above it, stopping when its butt (lower) edge is three-quarters of an inch below the shingles on either side. Next, drive two nails up at an angle through the new shingle and into the wall so the heads are flush. Place the nails just beneath the shingle butt of the course above. Then, use a 2x4 block and hammer to drive the shingle up the last three-quarters of an inch. The nailheads will slide up and disappear under the shingles above. 

Removing Damaged Nuts 

Eventually you’ll come across an impossible-to-loosen hex nut. It might be encrusted with rust or rounded off so badly that no wrench or locking pliers will help. Before reaching for the hacksaw to cut through the bolt, try this last-ditch remedy. Squirt a little penetrating oil (such as Liquid Wrench) onto the threads of the bolt near the nut; allow it to soak in for about five minutes. Then, hold a cold chisel nearly perpendicular on the nut and tap it several times with a hammer to cut a deep groove. Now tilt the chisel to about 20 or 25 degrees and strike it several more times. The idea isn’t to cut through the nut but to break its bond so you can then spin it off by hand or with pliers. Just be sure that you’re driving the nut in a counterclockwise direction. 

Caulking Deep Cracks 

You wouldn’t think there could possibly be a wrong way to caulk a crack if you just fill it up, but there is. You’re fine using a high-quality caulk on a crack that’s about one-eighth-inch wide by one-half-inch deep. But caulk alone should never be used to fill larger gaps. Wide, deep crevices must first be lined with a foam backer rod. Use a putty knife or wood shim to force the flexible backer rod down into the crack. Be sure that it’s about one-quarter inch below the surface. Then fill the crack with caulk. The backer rod will help support the bead and prevent the caulk from sinking down into the crack. This technique is especially useful when caulking around windows, doors and brick walls. Foam backer rod is sold in various diameters and lengths at hardware stores and home centers. 

Loosening Tough Knots 

To loosen a tough, tight knot in a rope, cable or twine, reach for your nailset. That’s right, an ordinary nailset – with its rigid shaft and narrow, tapering tip – is perfect for persuading stubborn knots apart. Start by forcing the tip into the heart of the knot. Wiggle it around a little, then force it in a little deeper. Continue in this manner until the entire tapered tip has passed through the knot. Now use your fingers or the tip of the nailset to “hook” one of the rope strands and pull straight back. At this point there’s usually enough slack so that you can easily untie the rope.  

Misting Mortar Joints 

Repairing a brick or concrete-block wall usually includes repointing the mortar joints – removing the worn or crumbling mortar and refilling the joints with new mortar. It’s a rather straightforward repair, but one critical step is often skipped. Before packing the new mortar into the cleaned-out joints, mist the area with a plant sprayer. The water will prevent the brick or block from sucking all the moisture out of the wet mortar. That will retard the curing process, strengthen the bond and help stop premature cracking


Use a water-base primer on wallboards

The Associated Press
Friday October 13, 2000

Q: I have just finished renovating my living room and am now at the stage where the wallboard work is completed. Can you give me some advice as far as painting is concerned? 

A: Decorating newly finished wallboard can present a challenge for the amateur, because wallboard presents a problem surface for the painter.  

When painting wallboard you are actually painting two materials: the paper covering of the wallboard, and the compound that was used to treat nail or screw heads, seams and corners.  

The paper face has a slightly rough or “calendared” surface, while the taping compound is glass-smooth.  

These two surfaces also present unequal absorption rates, and will soak up paint or primer unequally. 

Because of these problems, wallboard manufacturers have always advised that you use a latex or water-based primer as a first coat on a new wallboard.  

Oil primers may dry slowly, soak into the paper face of the panels, and cause the paper nap to raise.  

Oil primers on wallboard will often cause very smooth spots where there is compound over seams or fasteners, and very tough areas where the nap of the paper has been raised.  

Thus, all wallboard manufacturers and the Gypsum Association, a trade organization that represents all wallboard manufacturers, recommend a heavy-bodied latex paint as a first coat over new wallboard. 

You can find special base coats for new wallboard. It is available premixed, or you can buy the primer in powder form and mix it with water.  

It is cheaper than ordinary primer, and will provide the coverage of primers and sealers, without the disadvantages of either of these two paint products.  

It will seal the surface, and contains enough fillers to act as a primer, so it equalizes the suction on both the taping compound areas and the bare paper areas. 

The Gypsum Association advises professionals to shear coat the entire surface of the wall or ceiling with compound, so no bare paper is left.  

In effect, one just plasters the entire surface with painting compound, so there is no difference in texture between paper and compound.  

However, troweling a complete room can be a messy job if you are not skilled with a trowel, so we advise using a first coat as a wallboard undercoater.  

Once the surface differences have been eliminated with a first coat, you can then recoat with any type of paint finish. 

Q: Can you give me some tips on how to wash painted walls? The walls are painted with white, washable paint. 

A: If you are interested in just cleaning a dirty wall, you can use soap and water. A gentle liquid soap, is good.  

Rub the wall down lightly with a towel or a sponge. Don’t scrub too hard, or you will create a slight gloss by removing the pigment. 

To submit a question, write to Popular Mechanics, Reader Service Bureau, 224 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019. The most interesting questions will be answered in a future column.


How to deal with unwanted problems in the sidewalk

The Associated Press
Friday October 13, 2000

Sidewalks take a beating from the very beginning. 

While a house is under construction, a new sidewalk often floats high on a bed of fill-sand, which eventually erodes from the sides and is swallowed by utility trenches. Then, before the expectant family moves in, their new sidewalk will bear weight of delivery trucks, landscape tractors, etc., usually before the concrete is fully cured. Over the years, the soil beneath the sidewalk heaves and settles. It all adds up to cracks and other problems. 

To deal with cracks, the goal is to seal out water because wet soil beneath a sidewalk only exacerbates the problems of frost heave and settling. 

Narrow cracks less than a half inch should be caulked shut with a liquid polymer crack filler. One such product is Sure-Fix Pour-n-Patch, made by W.R. Bonsal Co., Charlotte, N.C. 

Most concrete crack fillers will not cure properly when applied more than one-half inch deep. Deeper cracks require packing the joint with some form of backing, such as foam-plastic backing rod, or pouring the filler in two or more applications, each three-quarters of an inch deep. 

Highlights of the crack repair process begin with first brushing away debris from the cracks and then pouring in liquid-polymer crack filler to a level just below the surface. On edge cracks or breaks, undercut the edge of the concrete with a cold chisel to increase the bonding surface. Install a form board against the side of the slab. Then cover the board with masking tape to keep the patch from sticking to the board. 

Several conditions will cause the portland-rich surface of a sidewalk to pop loose. The problem may be caused by a poor concrete mix, an aggregate that was not sufficiently clean or the failure to protect the surface from certain extremes in weather. 

Of course, cold weather can damage a fresh concrete surface, because the surface is the most susceptible to frost. More often, however, the problem is caused by heat. When concrete is poured on hot days, the surface dehydrates faster than the concrete below it, causing the slab to weaken and separate just below the surface. Fresh concrete should always be covered on hot days. 

Larger damaged concrete areas and surface pops require patching. Standard masonry mortar has little bonding strength when applied in thin layers.


Selecting the right window can be a big decision

The Associated Press
Friday October 13, 2000

James recently expanded his home office. A big decisions he had to make was to choose the right windows for the job. The wall that was being “pushed out” contained a window and a sliding door. James wasn’t sure whether he should nix the window and replace the smaller sliding door with a larger one, or go with just windows or reuse what he had. He anguished over the choice. He wanted it to be just right. 

Whichever he chose he knew he had to select something that was going to be consistent with the shapes and sizes of the windows and doors along that same exterior wall. Also, he didn’t want to modify the type of window frame – the new had to match the existing – exactly. Since his house is relatively new, and because the windows were modern and energy-compliant, he had no thoughts of changing the overall window theme. 

In addition to their aesthetics, windows are highly functional. They are a key element in promoting natural ventilation, and modern ones can conserve energy. While you enjoy the view outdoors, weather is kept outside away from you where it belongs. Can you imagine a home without windows? Shopping for windows involves several important decisions. Some rules of thumb: 

l You don’t want your remodel to look like one. If you aren’t going to change all of the windows, consider matching the frame of the new window type as closely as possible to the frames on the ones you already have. Nothing looks as bad as architectural potpourri. 

l Regardless of the frame type, consider upgrading to insulated glass. One, two or three sheets of glass? They all look the same at a glance but the better the insulative value, the more comfort. R-value measures energy efficiency of the glass. The higher the R-value, the more efficient the glass. U-value measures the efficiency of the glass and the frame together. The lower the U-value the better. 

l Do some research. Each type of window has advantages and disadvantages. Wood-frame windows are more energy-efficient and reduce condensation, but they are maintenance-intense and expensive. Metal-frame windows are low maintenance and inexpensive but transmit heat and cold, and condensation can be a really big problem. Wood windows that have plastic or metal exterior covers are a good bet – less maintenance on the exterior side (where wood is most often in need of maintenance) and top energy efficiency. Unfortunately, metal or plastic over wood is the most expensive kind of window. Vinyl windows are low maintenance and better suited to resist condensation than are metal ones. However, plastics have a tendency to become brittle.  

l Most folks are “light conscious.” The brighter it is, the more natural light available in it, the more a home is appreciated. If you are upgrading, don’t downsize. If anything, you might want to upsize. This will add value to your home. 

l Be sure to purchase from a major manufacturer. With today’s insulated windows you can expect guarantees that extend from 10 years to life. Since even the best of insulated windows fail, warranty is essential. Smaller companies might offer a good warranty, but might not be there to honor it later. 

l If you intend to use wood interior windows, look for wood that will complement other wood on the interior of your home – cabinets, wainscot, chair rail, door trim, etc. 

l Finally, don’t forget low E glass. It is more energy-efficient and will save dollars on your heating and cooling bills. 

Wood frames are the most energy-efficient and are even better when blended with metal or plastic covers on the exterior to reduce painting maintenance. Glass should be insulated for extra energy-efficiency – the more layers the better.


Plan for at-risk kids fails, but gets new chance

The Associated Press
Friday October 13, 2000

SACRAMENTO — A residential charter school that would use organic gardening to try to turn troubled teens around failed to win approval from the state Education Board Thursday, but will get another chance. 

Several board members were absent and backers of the proposed Blue Mountain Wilderness Program at Camp Connell in Calaveras County were told to return for another vote at the November board meeting. 

One board member, Robert Abernethy of Manhattan Beach, said he believes such teens should be dumped on the streets. But he said he was so impressed with the proposal that he donated $1,000 to help the effort. 

The Blue Mountain proposal comes as the state Board of Education grapples with approving the first state-chartered schools. 

The more than 300 charter schools approved since 1993 have all been chartered by local school districts or county offices of education.  

A 1999 law allows proponents turned down by local boards to ask the state board to charter them. 

The board is working on a policy on how to evaluate such proposals and – more critically – how to monitor them after approval. Adoption of such a policy is several months away, but the board is voting on appeals in the meantime. 

A vote scheduled Thursday on another charter proposal, the Ridgecrest Charter School in the northeast Kern County desert, was also postponed until November. State officials and proponents are still working on changes, particularly in special education, that the board requested last month. 

Blue Mountain backers want to combine a “serene, summer camp-style residential program” for at-risk teens or those in trouble with courts with a charter school that would emphasize environmental studies. 

The charter school would include regular academic subjects, environmental education and life skill and vocational training. 

Students would study sustainable living by working on an organic farm, building a home made of straw bales and using alternative energy sources, the plan says. 

“Through regular garden work, students will learn about the organic certification process, soil restoration, plant selection, biological pest control and harvesting,” the plan says. The crops would be eaten by the teens, sold at local farmers’ markets and donated to charities. 

The organizers are applying next week for a group home license with the state Department of Social Services to initially house six teens. 

The proposal was rejected last March by the Alameda County Board of Education, which said the school was too far away for it to supervise. 

Blue Mountain founder Jake Wallace said he went to Alameda County, which has hundreds of troubled teens who are regularly sent to out-of-county programs, after he was turned down three times by the Calaveras County Board of Education. 

Calaveras County Superintendent John Brophy told the state board that his board was not opposed to Blue Mountain’s concept, but worries about the complications of linking a group home, funded with state welfare funds, with a charter school, funded with school funds. 

“My board was very nervous about the financial implications,” Brophy said. 

The state board members, while they applauded the idea, were also nervous about the complex proposal. 

“We could easily have a mess on our hands in terms of logistics,” said member Reed Hastings of Santa Cruz, who is a strong charter school backer.  

“It feels overambitious to me.” 

Hastings and state school Superintendent Delaine Eastin offered to help Wallace refine his proposal or find a more hospitable local board. 

“I hope you succeed,” Eastin said. 

Abernethy argued for giving Blue Mountain a state charter, with an argument that shocked the audience in the board’s meeting room. 

“I believe we’re wasting time on the bottom 1 to 2 percent who are behind problems and we really should put them out on the street,” he said. 

But, Abernethy added, “It makes my heart warm to see someone who wants to tackle them.” 

“I’ll bet they were already dumped on the street,” commented board member Marion Joseph. 

“I’d rather put the parents of some kids on the street,” added Eastin. 

After the vote, Abernethy held up a $1,000 check for the backers. 

Wallace said afterward that he would evaluate the proposal and may make changes before the November meeting. 

On the Net: 

Read about charter schools at http://www.cde.ca.gov/charter 

Read about Blue Mountain at http://www.blue-mountain.org


FACTS & FIGURES

The Associated Press
Friday October 13, 2000

What: Charter schools are public schools created by parents, teachers and/or community members that operate free of much of the 7,000-page state Education Code.  

They have independence in staffing, curriculum design or budget. The charter, outlining how they will operate, must be approved by a local district, county office of education or the state Board of Education. 

How many: The state Board of Education has given numbers to 335 since 1993, all chartered by local districts or county offices of education. There are also 11 schools in four small all-charter districts. Twenty-three schools’ charters have been withdrawn, revoked or are inactive. Approximately 287 of the authorized charter schools are operating in 2000-2001 with more than 125,000 students. 

Content: Some schools have a rather traditional curriculum, while others emphasize a wide range of methods or subjects such as basics, multi-age classrooms, bilingual or immersion languages, Waldorf, Montessori, arts, science or home schooling.


A man of ‘Nobel’ity

By William Inman Daily Planet Staff
Thursday October 12, 2000

It’s not everyday that someone in the community wins a Nobel Prize. But this is Berkeley, where 17 of the university’s faculty members have been honored with the award since the first was presented in 1901. 

Wednesday morning, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded UC Berkeley economics professor Daniel L. McFadden with the 32nd Nobel Prize in economic sciences.  

McFadden, the E. Morris Cox Professor of Economics since 1990, is the 17th faculty member at UC Berkeley to win the distinguished prize. 

“I’m amazed and delighted to win this prize and have this recognition of the usefulness of my research,” the 63-year-old professor said in a press statement. 

McFadden shares the prize, and the $915,000 bounty, with his friend and colleague Jim Heckman from the University of Chicago. 

“I’m delighted to share the prize with Jim Heckman, an old friend with whom I have exchanged ideas over three decades,” he said. 

The Academy, which gives the awards in honor of Swedish scientist Alfred Nobel, commended the pioneering work of McFadden, whose statistical methods relating to the economic theory of “discrete choice” form the foundation for a range of studies on public policy issues such as taxation, welfare reform and public transit. 

Prior to McFadden’s contributions, studies of choices – such as where to live or work, or what transportation to take – lacked a foundation in economic theory.  

The statistical methods he developed have transformed empirical research and are easily applicable.  

According to the Academy’s citation, McFadden’s methods are prevalent in modes of transportation, and are used to evaluate changes in communication systems.  

McFadden’s methods were instrumental in the development of the BART system, as well as investments in phone service and housing for the elderly. 

“What I did in working with that theory was to develop models to figure out a way to study what one might call ‘life’s big choice,’” he said.  

“Like the choice of occupation, when to get married and how many children to have.” 

McFadden was also recognized for his methods used to evaluate the total damage of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill off the Alaskan coast and its effects on society. 

“The economics society is just a few thousand,” he said of winning the award. “I guess one always figures that you have one in a thousand chance.” 

The university and the chancellor were overjoyed for McFadden’s recognition. 

“The Nobel Prize is the ultimate recognition for Professor McFadden of a lifetime of work in econometrics,” UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert M. Berdahl said in a statement.  

“The nature of his work is squarely in the service of society, helping us to understand many of society’s complex challenges.” 

McFadden lives with his wife Beverlee Simboli in Berkeley. He said he plans to use his prize money to “keep operating my Napa Valley farm until it is gone.” McFadden said that he considers farming his second vocation. 

The McFaddens own a small farm and vineyard in the Napa Valley where they grow and sell grapes and make wine for their own use. 

“We have five cows, three ducks and 11 chickens,” he said. “I find that farm work gives me a chance to think about my research problems and energizes me for university life.” 

A native of Raleigh, N.C., McFadden attended the University of Minnesota where he received a degree in physics.  

He continued his studies in physics as a graduate student, but was attracted to the study of human behavior.  

So he enrolled in a program in behavioral sciences at the University of Minnesota designed to produce scholars in the social sciences. 

Following the completion of his doctorate in 1962, he taught at the University of Pittsburgh, then joined the faculty at UC Berkeley the following year.  

In 1977, he moved to the economics faculty at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, but returned to Berkeley in 1991 to take advantage of what he calls “the intellectual resources in economics, mathematics and statistics.” 

According to a university press release, he is currently looking into the question of whether there is a causal link from wealth to health or whether the empirical correlation is due to underlying factors that influence both wealth and health, such as genetic “robustness,” diet and addiction. 

The evidence suggests, he says, that there are patterns of seeking treatments, treatment regimes, and adherence to the regimes that differ between the rich and the poor. 

McFadden and Simboli have three children and three grandchildren. 

The Associated Press contributed to this story.


Calendar of Events & Activities

Thursday October 12, 2000


Thursday, Oct. 12

 

East Timor: The Road  

to Independence 

7:30 - 9 p.m.  

International House, Homeroom 

UC Berkeley 

2299 Piedmont Ave. 

A discussion of events leading up to the creation of the newest nation of the millennium and issues raised on the road to independence.  

$3 admission 

Contact Maribel Guillermo, 642-9460 

 

Parallel Civilizations 

4:10 p.m. 

International House Auditorium 

2299 Piedmont Ave. (at Bancroft Way) 

Michael D. Coe, the Charles J. MacCurdy Professor Emeritus of Anthropology from Yale University presents a lecture entitled “Parallel Civilizations: Ancient Angkor and the Ancient Maya.” Free. 

Call 643-7413  

 

Berkeley Historical Society  

Volunteer Recruitment 

4 p.m.  

Veterans Memorial Building 

1931 Center St.  

Learn about volunteer opportunities. Open to all. 

Call Susan Austin, 420-8889 

 

Strawberry Creek Cleanup 

Noon - 3 p.m. 

All students, faculty, staff, and Berkeley residents are called upon to help in the cleanup, sponsored by UC Berkeley’s Office of Environment, Health & Safety. A limited number of free t-shirts will be distributed. Interested parties should report to the natural amphitheater east of Sather Gate on the UC Berkeley campus.  

Call Romeo Leon, 643-0316 

 

State Health Toastmasters 

12:10 - 1:10 p.m.  

Department of Health Services Building 

2151 Berkeley Way 

Call 649-7750 

 

Bay Area:  

Transportation Nightmare 

Noon - 2 p.m. 

Albany Library 

Edith Stone Room  

1247 Marin Ave. 

Albany 

Stuart Cohen of the Bay Area Transportation and Land Use Coalition will speak on “What are the real choices in the Bay Area’s Transportation Crisis?” 

Call Janet Strothman, 841-3827 

 

Meeting Life Changes 

10 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

With John Hammerman.  

For info: 644-6107 

 

Sterling Trio 

Noon  

BART Plaza, Downtown 

Shattuck Ave. at Center St. 

Members of the Berkeley Symphony performing a variety of chamber music. 

Contact Carrie Ridgeway, 549-2230 

 

Zoning Adjustments  

Commission 

7 p.m.  

Old City Hall  

2134 MLK Jr. Way 

705-8110 

 

Community Health Commission 

6:45 p.m.  

Mental Health Clinic 

2640 MLK Jr. Way 

Discussion of Medical Marijuana, the Berkeley High School lunch issue, and a resolution to the council about genetically engineered foods.  

665-6845 

 

APCO vs. Pacific Steel  

Casting Company 

10 a.m. 

Bay Area Air Quality Management District 

939 Ellis St., Seventh Floor Board Room 

San Francisco 

Call the clerk’s office, 749-4965 

Friday, Oct. 13 

“The Evolution and Cost  

of Ethical Drugs” 

11:45 a.m.  

Berkeley City Club 

2315 Durant Ave.  

Stanford D. Splitter, retired MD speaks at 12:30 p.m. Luncheon served at 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.Luncheon: $11. 848-3533 

 

“Undefended Love” 

7:30 p.m. 

Shambala Booksellers 

2482 Telegraph Ave. 

Authors Jett Psaris and Marlena Lyons discuss and sign their new book.  

Call 848-8443 

 


Saturday, Oct. 14

 

Indigenous Peoples Day  

Powwow & Indian Market 

10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Grand Entry 1 p.m.  

Enjoy Native American foods, arts & crafts, drumming, singing and many types of native dancing. Sponsored by the City of Berkeley, this event is free.  

Civic Center Park 

Allston Way at MLK Jr. Way 

Info: 615-0603 

 

Fall Festival at School  

of the Madeleine 

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

1225 Milvia at Berryman, Berkeley 

Raffle, Games, Food, Silent Auction 

Prizes, Haunted House, Fun 

 

Traffic Calming Workshop 

1 - 4 p.m.  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Help to achieve reasonable traffic speeds and volume on local streets.  

 

Free Spay and Neuter Vouchers 

2 - 4 p.m.  

Berkeley Animal Shelter 

2013 Second St. 

The City of Berkeley, along with Spay Neuter Your Pet (SNYP) is kicking off a City-funded program to reduce the number of animals euthanized. They are offering free spay and neuter vouchers to all Berkeley residents.  

 

Run Your Own Landscape  

Business: Part 1 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave. (at Blake) 

Local horticultural consultant and UC Master Gardener Jessie West will teach you how to plant, prune, control weeds, and more. The first of three classes. The others are scheduled for Oct. 21 & 28 in the same timeslot. 

$15 general; $10 for members; $5 materials fee 

Call 548-2220 x223 

 

Indian Rock Parks Clean-Up 

8 a.m. - Noon 

Indian Rock Park 

Come help local resident Sharon Tamm clean up Indian Rock, Mortar Rock, Grotto Rock and their surrounding areas. Gloves will be provided. Bring a scraping tool and compete for the “Most Gum” award. Prizes have been provided by the Class 5 and IronWorks climbing clubs along with the Any Mountain Outlet store.  

To volunteer call Sharon Tamm, 524-1415 

 

Learn to Birdwatch 

Oct. 16, 18, 23 & 25 

9:30 a.m. - Noon 

UC Botanical Gardens 

200 Centennial Drive 

$50 for members; $65 for non-members 

Call for info or to enroll: 643-2755 

 

An Evening with The Professor 

5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. 

Mambo Mambo 

1803 Webster St.  

Oakland 

Berkeley resident Geoffrey A. Hirsch, better known as the Tie Guy from the “How Berkeley Can You Be” parade got his start in comedy in 1996. A professor in real life, Hirsch tell the story of how he became a funny guy.  

$5 for show only, $10 for show and dinner 

Call Geoffrey Hirsch at 845-5631 to reserve tickets 

 


Sunday, Oct. 15

 

A Taste of the Greenbelt 

1 - 4 p.m. 

Los Gatos Opera House 

This benefit features a variety of musical groups, local artists and samples from over 40 local restaurants, farmers, wineries and microbreweries. Proceeds benefit Greenbelt Alliance’s ongoing efforts to protect Bay Area farmlands and open space. $45 per person; $80 for this event and the Oct. 22 event in SF 1-800-543-GREEN, www.greenbelt.org 

 

Musicians for Medical  

Marijuana Benefit 

8 p.m. 

Ashkenaz 

1317 San Pablo (at Gilman) 

The fourth benefit concert with The Cannabis Healers featuring Barney Doyle of the Mickey Hart Band and Terry Haggerty of Sons of Champlin. Also performing will be Country Joe McDonald and Buzzy Linhart and friends.  

Tickets: $15 minimum donation, under 12 free. Call 525-5054 or go to gdt.stoo.com or ticketweb.com 

 

A Muslim Approach to Life 

3 p.m. 

St. Johns Presbyterian Church 

2727 College Ave.  

A presentation on the Muslim spiritual life and culture which will focus on women’s lives and the uniqueness of women’s spiritual journeys. This is the first of four Sunday programs that will focus on this theme.  

Call 527-4496 

 

Time, Space,  

and Knowledge Vision 

6 p.m.  

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Ken McKeon , teacher writer and TSK practitioner since 1980 speaks on “Time, Space, and Knowledge, Right from the Start.” Free. 

Call 843-6812 

 

1923 North Berkeley  

Fire Walking Tour 

10 a.m. - Noon 

Phil Gale leads this tour of the Sept. 18, 1923 fire site, identifying various changes wrought in buildings and landscape. The tour includes the Mayback chimney, around which a new home was constructed. Pre-paid reservations are required. $10. Call for reservations, 848-0181 

— compiled by 

Chason Wainwright 

Monday, Oct. 16 

Private Elementary School Parent Information Panel 

7 - 9:30 p.m. 

Epworth United Methodist Church 

1953 Hopkins St.  

A panel of parents from six area private schools discuss the admission process and their experiences. Sponsored by the Neighborhood Parents Network 

Admission: free to members, $5 non-members 

Call 527-6667 

 

Learn to Birdwatch 

Oct. 16, 18, 23 & 25 

9:30 a.m. - Noon 

UC Botanical Gardens 

200 Centennial Drive 

$50 for members; $65 for non-members 

Call for info or to enroll: 643-2755 

 


Tuesday, Oct. 17

 

Is the West Berkeley Shellmound a landmark? 

7 p.m.  

City Council Chambers 

2134 MLK Jr. Way, 2nd floor 

Continued and final public hearing on the appeals against landmark designation of the West Berkeley Shellmound. The City Council may possibly make it’s decision at this meeting. 

 

Landscape Archeology and Space-Age Technologies in Epirus, Greece 

8 p.m.  

370 Dwinelle Hall 

UC Berkeley 

Professor of Archeology, Art History and Classics Dr. James Wiseman presents a slide-illustrated lecture. 

 

Fibromyalgia Support Group 

Noon - 2 p.m.  

Alta Bates Medical Center, Maffly Auditorium 

Herrick Campus 

2001 Dwight Way 

Andrea Albanese, PT presents “Aquatic Therapy for Fibromyalgia” and a rap session.  

Call D.L. Malinousky, 601-0550 

 

Mario Savio Memorial Lecture 

7:30 p.m. 

Pauley Ballroom 

UC Berkeley 

Barbara Ehrenreich and Arlie Hochschild will speak on the theme “Forwards and Backwards - Women, globalization, and the new class structure.” Free. 

Call Heather Cameron, 642-9437 

 

Help Out Some Orangutans 

7 p.m.  

Cafe Milanos 

2522 Bancroft Way 

Come help plan a day of action against Citibank, who allegedly plunders the environment for profit. Join the Rainforest Action Group and Ecopledge in protest.  

 

Is the Sky Falling? 

7 p.m.  

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave. 

Tim Holt, author of “On Higher Ground” will present an array of post-ecotopian choices, one of which is domed cities. What does the future hold for California?  

Call 548-2220 x 233  

 


Wednesday, Oct. 18

 

Traffic Calming Workshop 

7 - 10 p.m. 

St. Clements Church 

2837 Clement Blvd.  

Help to achieve reasonable traffic speeds and volume on local streets.  

 

“Women and Trafficking: Domestic & Global Concerns” 

6 - 9:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

The Berkeley Commission on the Status of Women invites the public to this forum which will include an expert panel discussion, and a movie on Women and trafficking. Free. 

Call 644-6107 for more info.  

 

Human Welfare & Community Action Meeting 

7 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center 

2939 Ellis 

 

Commission on Labor Board Meeting 

6 p.m. 

1950 Addison St., Suite 105 

 

Commission on Aging Board Meeting 

1:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Board of Education 

7:30 p.m. 

Old City Hall 

2134 MLK Jr. Way 

 

Citizen’s Humane Commission 

7 p.m. 

North Berkley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St. 

 


Thursday, Oct. 19

 

The Promise and Perils of Transgenic Crops 

7:30 - 9 p.m.  

International House, Homeroom 

UC Berkeley 

2299 Piedmont Ave.  

A discussion with Dr. Peggy Lemaux, professor of Plant and Microbiology at UC Berekeley, of the scientific basis for biotechnology, it’s risks and benefits. 

Contact Maribel Guillermo, 642-9460 

 

Candlelight Vigil For the Uninsured 

6 p.m.  

Steps of Sproul Hall 

UC Berkeley 

Join the American Medical Student Association, Berkeley Pre-Medical Chapter in a vigil for those without health insurance. Speakers from various medical organizations will discuss ways to improve our health care system.  

Call Chris Hamerski, 845-1607 

 

Berkeley Metaphysic Toastmasters Club 

6:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysic come together at Avatar Metaphysical Toastmasters. Meets first and third Thursdays each month. 

Call 869-2547 or 643-7645 

 

Rafael Mariquez Free Solo Concert 

7:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Public Library, South Branch 

1901 Russell St. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

This Chilean folksinger and guitarist presents his original settings of selections by Latin American poets. 

Contact: 644-6860; TDD 548-1240 

 

Vocal Sauce 

Noon 

BART Plaza, Downtown 

Shattuck Ave. at Center St. 

The JazzSchool’s vocal jazz ensemble perform award-winning arrangements by Greg Murai.  

Contact Carrie Ridgeway, 549-2230 

 

CLGS Lavendar Lunch 

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. 

1798 Scenic Ave. 

Kyle Miura, Pacific School of Religion alumnus and Director of the GTUs Pacific and Asian-American Center for Theology and Strategies speaks on being “Queer and Asian.”  

Call 849-8239 

 

Performance Poetica 

7:30 p.m. 

ATA Gallery 

992 Valencia St. 

San Francisco 

Video and verse by Illinois Arts Council/Hemingway Festival poet and filmmaker Rose Virgo, with special guest Judy Irwin.  

$3  

 

Pain - Ways to Make It Easier 

1 - 2:30 p.m. 

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center 

Ashby Campus, Dining Rooms A & B 

3001 Colby 

Maggie van Staveren, LCSW, CHT and Christine Bartlett, PT, CHT will demonstrate ways to let go of pain due to arthritis, injury and illness. RSVP requested. 

Call 869-6737  

 

Design Review Commission 

7:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Transportation Commission 

7 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Fair Campaign Practices Commission 

7:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 


Friday, Oct. 20

 

“The Ballot Issues” 

11:45 a.m. 

Berkeley City Club 

2315 Durant Ave.  

Fran Packard of the League of Women Voters speaks at 12:30 p.m. Luncheon served at 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.  

Luncheon: $11 

Call 848-3533 

 

Human Nature 

8:30 p.m. 

New College Cultural Center 

766 Valencia 

San Francisco 

The X-plicit Players present this idyllic nude ritual. Watch or participate: Be led blindfolded through body tunnels, into body streams while sensing psychic/body qualities through touch. Also presented on Oct. 21.  

$12 admission 

Call 415-848-1985 

 

Broken Spirits - Addressing Abuse 

8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. 

Brookins African Methodist Episcopal Church 

2201 73rd Ave. 

Oakland 

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center’s Health Ministry program presents a free workshop on the impact of domestic violence on our community.  

Call for info, 869-6763 

 


Saturday, Oct. 21

 

A Day on Mt. Tam 

9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. 

Come play and hike in San Francisco’s beloved playground. This outing is part of a series of free fall outings organized by Greenbelt Alliance. 

Call: 415-255-3233 for reservations 

 

AHIMSA Eight Annual Conference 

9 a.m. - 5 p.m.  

International House, Great Hall 

UC Berkeley 

2299 Piedmont Ave.  

The AHIMSA is a nonprofit foundation whose goal is to encourage dialogues and public forums which bridge spiritual, scientific and social issues. This years conference is titled “Violence! Scientific and Spiritual Perspectives.”  

Admission is free 

Contact Maribel Guillermo, 642-9460 

 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market Fall Fruit Tastings 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m.  

Center St. at MLK Jr. Way 

Taste a whole farmers’ market’s bounty of fall fruit varieties. 

Free. 

Info: 548-3333 

 

Run Your Own Landscape Business: Part 2 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave. (at Blake) 

Local horticultural consultant and UC Master Gardener Jessie West will teach you how to plant, prune, control weeds, and more. The second of three classes. The last is scheduled for Oct. 28 during the same timeslot. 

$15 general; $10 for members; $5 materials fee 

Call 548-2220 x223 

 


Sunday, Oct. 22

 

A Taste of the Greenbelt 

1 - 4 p.m. 

Presidio’s Golden Gate Club 

Greenbelt Alliance brings the farm to the city in this celebration of the Bay Area’s agricultural and culinary bounty. Featured are samples from over 40 local restaurants, farmers, wineries, microbreweries. Also featured are live music and local artwork. The event benefits Greenbelt Alliance’s ongoing efforts to protect Bay Area farmlands and open space.  

$45 per person 

1-800-543-GREEN, www.greenbelt.org 

 

An Evening with Alice Walker 

7:30 p.m.  

King Middle School  

1781 Rose St. (at Grant) 

free parking 

Join internationally loved novelist, poet and essayist Alice Walker in celebrating her new book of autobiographical stories, “The Way Forward is With a Broken Heart.” Benefits Berkeley EcoHouse and KPFA Radio, 94.1 FM.  

Tickets: $10 advance, $13 door 

Tickets available at independent bookstores 

More info: 848-6767 x609 

 

From Bahia to Berkeley 

11 a.m.  

Capoeira Arts Cafe 

2026 Addison St. 

A benefit brunch and auction with food, music, dance and culture to bring Brazilian folkloric dance group Nicinha Raizes from Bahia, Brazil to the Bay Area. The group will tour in January, 2001.  

Call Brasarte, 428-0698 

 

Take a Trip to the Oakland Ballet 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

This is an outing organized by the Senior Center to see “Glass Slippers.”  

Tickets: $6 each 

Call Maggie or Suzanne, 644-6107 

 

A Buddhist Pilgramage in India 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Pl. 

June Rosenberg brings to life, through slides and lecture, her pilgrimages in India. Free. 

Call 843-6812 

 

University Avenue Indian Business Community 

10 a.m. - Noon 

Kirpal & Neelum Khanna, owners of the Bazaar of India, tell about the steps they took from spice and food retailing to today’s Bazaar, and the nuances and features of the Indian business community on University Avenue. One is a series of walking tours sponsored by the Berkeley Historical Society. 

$10 per person 

Call 848-0181 for reservations 

 


Monday, Oct. 23

 

Berkeley Chinese Community Church Turns 100 

6 p.m. 

Nov. 4 

Silver Dragon Restaurant 

835 Webster St. 

Oakland 

Reservations: $30 per person 

More info: 548-5295 

 

Public Schools Parent Information Night 

7 - 9 p.m.  

Epworth United Methodist Church 

1953 Hopkins St. 

Parents, principals and other administrative staff from 11 elementary schools will speak about their schools. Sponsored by Neighborhood Parents Network.  

Admission: free to members, $5 non-members 

527-6667 

 

Parks & Recreation Board Meeting 

7 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Solid Waste Management Commission 

7 p.m. 

Solid Waste Management Center 

1201 Second St. 

 


Tuesday, Oct. 24

 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market Fall Fruit Tastings 

2 p.m. - 7 p.m.  

Derby St. at MLK Jr. Way 

Come taste a bounty of fall fruit varieties for free. 

Info: 548-3333 

 


Thursday, Oct. 25

 

International Jewish Video Competition Winners 

7:30 p.m.  

Pacific Film Archive 

2575 Bancroft Way 

Screening of the four winners in the Museum’s seventh annual competition.  

Call 549-6950 

 

Civic Arts Commission 

6:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Disaster Council 

7 p.m. 

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar 

 

Energy Commission 

5:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St. 

 

Mental Health Commission 

6:30 p.m. 

Mental Health Clinic 

2640 MLK Jr. Way 

 

Planning Commission 

7 p.m.  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Police Review Commission 

7:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 


Thursday, Oct. 26

 

East Bay Science & Arts Middle School 

Noon  

BART Plaza, Downtown 

Middle school students perform dances of folk, swing, and Cuban rueda styles. Free.  

Contact Carrie Ridgeway, 549-2230 

 

Proposition Brown Bag 

Noon - 1:30 p.m.  

Institute of Governmental Studies 

109 Moses Hall 

UC Berkeley 

Hear presentations about and discuss the eight propositions on the California ballot.  

Call 642-4608 

 


Friday, Oct. 27

 

“Transporation: What’s in Store?” 

11:45 a.m. 

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

Larry Dahms, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Transportation Council speaks at 12:30 p.m. Luncheon is served at 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. 

Luncheon: $11 

More info and reservations: 848-3533 

 


Saturday, Oct. 28

 

Pedaling the Green City 

11 a.m. -3:30 p.m.  

Take a leisurely bike ride along the future San Francisco Bay Trail. One in a series of free outings organized by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call: 415-255-3233 for reservations  

 

Wild About Books? 

10:30 a.m. 

Berkeley Central Library 

2121 Allston Way 

Halloween for the little guys with (not so) scary stories, music, and more.  

Call 649-3943  

 

Run Your Own Landscape Business: Part 3 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave. (at Blake) 

Local horticultural consultant and UC Master Gardener Jessie West will teach you how to plant, prune, control weeds, and more. This is the final class in the series. 

$15 general; $10 for members; $5 materials fee 

Call 548-2220 x223 

 


Sunday, Oct. 29

 

“Gateway to Knowledge” 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Pl. 

Barr Rosenberg describes how to master new knowledge and take the power to shape our lives in wise and compassionate ways.  

843-6812 

 

An Evening with The Professor 

5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. 

Mambo Mambo 

1803 Webster St.  

Oakland 

Berkeley resident Geoffrey A. Hirsch, better known as the Tie Guy from the “How Berkeley Can You Be” parade got his start in comedy in 1996. A professor in real life, Hirsch tell the story of how he became a funny guy.  

$5 for show only, $10 for show and dinner 

Call Geoffrey Hirsch at 845-5631 to reserve tickets 

 


Wednesday, Nov. 1

 

Kathak Dancing with Pandit Chitresh Das 

7:30 p.m. 

Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 

2640 College Ave.  

The Graduate Theological Union presents a free lecture-demonstration with Pandit Chitresh Das, a master of India’s Kathak dance form. This event is free. 

Call 649-2440 for additional info 

 


Thursday, Nov. 2

 

PASTForward Panel Discussion 

2 p.m. 

UC Berkeley Art Museum 

Bancroft Way (below College) 

In conjunction with the White Oak Dance Project’s performances, a panel discussion with Judson era dance choreographers Yvonne Rainer and Deborah Hay. Free. 

 

Berkeley Metaphysic Toastmasters Club 

6:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysic come together at Avatar Metaphysical Toastmasters. Meets first and third Thursdays each month. 

Call 869-2547 or 643-7645 

 


Saturday, Nov. 4

 

Breathtaking Barnabe Peak 

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

Hike through Samuel P. Taylor State Park’s lush forests and climb to the heights of Barnabe Peak, overlooking Point Reyes. One in a series of free fall outings organized by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call: 415-255-3233 for reservations 

 

Wild About Books? 

10:30 a.m. 

Berkeley Central Library 

2121 Allston Way 

Dublin Library’s resident storyteller and featured teller at the 1998 National Storytelling Festival tell kids aged 3 to 7 her favorite tales.  

Call 649-3943  

 


Sunday, Nov. 5

 

Buddhist Psychology 

6 p.m.  

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Pl.  

Buddhist teacher Sylvia Gretchen on “Beyond Therapy and Into the Heart of Buddhist Psychology.” Free. 

Call 843-6812  

 


Monday, Nov. 6

 

Airports vs. the Bay 

7 p.m. 

Albany Community Center 

1249 Marin St.  

Albany 

David Lewis, Executive Director of “Save the Bay” will speak on the airports’ plans to expand into the SF Bay and other challenges to Bay restoration.  

Contact: Friends of Five Creeks, 848-9358 

 


Thursday, Nov. 9

 

The Life and Art of Chiura Obata 

7:30 p.m.  

North Berkeley Public Library 

1170 Alameda (at Hopkins) 

A slide show and lecture presented by Obata’s granddaughter, Kimi Kodani Hill, celebrating Obata’s book, “Topaz Moon: Chiura Obata’s Art of the Internment,” and the retrospective exhibit of Obata’s work to appear this Fall at SFs De Young Museum. 

For details call 644-6850  

 

ESL Teacher Job Fair 

7 - 8:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Adult School 

1222 University Ave., Room 7  

ESL program representatives from adult schools in Alameda and Contra Costa counties will provide information about desired qualifications, current job openings, credentialing requirements, and more.  

Call Kay Wade, 644-6130 

 


Saturday, Nov. 11

 

Moonlight on Mt. Diablo 

1 - 10:30 p.m.  

Hike up the Devil’s Mountain by daylight, catch a glorious sunset and hike back by the light of the moon. One in a series of free outing organized by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call: 415-255-3233 for reservations 

 


Sunday, Nov. 12

 

Views, Vines and Veggies 

9:15 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  

Climb Bald Mountain in Sugarloaf State Park and peer down upon the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Then please your palate at the Landmark Winery and visit Oak Hill organic vegetable and flower farm. One in a series of free fall outings organized by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call: 415-255-3233 for reservations 

 

“Time Across Cultures” 

2 - 4 p.m. 

St. Clements Church 

2837 Claremont Ave.  

The annual Roselyn Yellin Memorial lecture with a slide-illustrated panel discussion. Also a tour of the “Telling Time” exhibit at the Judah L. Magnes Museum followed by a reception at the museum, 4 - 5 p.m.  

More info: 549-6950 

 

Buddhism & Compassion 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Psychiatrist and teacher Bobby Jones on “Healing through Compassion.” Free.  

843-6812 

 


Tuesday, Nov. 14

 

Take a Trip to the Steinbeck Museum and 

Mission San Juan Bautista 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

This is an outing organzied by the Senior Center.  

$40 with lunch, $25 without  

Call Maggie or Suzanne, 644-6107 

 


Thursday, Nov. 16

 

Reminiscing in Swingtime 

7:30 p.m.  

North Berkeley Library  

1170 Alameda (at Hopkins) 

George Yoshida, author and jazz drummer, presents a multi-media program recounting the big band experience in the Japanese American internment camps. The presentation will be capped with a set of live jazz by the George Yoshida Quartet. 

Call for more info: 644-6850 

 

Berkeley Metaphysic Toastmasters Club 

6:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysic come together at Avatar Metaphysical Toastmasters. Meets first and third Thursdays each month. 

Call 869-2547 or 643-7645 

 


Saturday, Nov. 18

 

S.F. Stairs and Peaks 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m.  

Begin the day with a visit to the farmer’s market, then meander up the stairways and streets of Telegraph Hill to Coit Tower. Then up Russian Hill, descending to Fisherman’s Wharf for a ride back on the new historic streetcar line. One in a series of free fall outings organized by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call: 415-255-3233 

 

Berkeley Free Folk Festival 

11 a.m. - 1 a.m.  

Ashkenaz  

1317 San Pablo Ave. 

Fourteen hours of free concerts, workshops, jam sessions and to top it off a Saturday night dance. The fifth annual Folk Festival will feature Shay & Michael Black, Spectre Double Negative & the Equal Positive, Larry Hanks, Wake the Dead and many others. Sponsored by Charles Schwab and the City of Berkeley.  

More info or to volunteer: 525-5099 

 


Sunday, Nov. 19

 

Mt. Madonna & Wine  

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Hike through evergreen forests and visit the remains of a 19th century estate, then finish the day with a visit to Kruse Winery. One of many free fall outings organized by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call: (415) 255-3233 for reservations 

 


Tuesday, Nov. 21

 

Fibromyalgia Support Group 

Noon - 2 p.m.  

Alta Bates Medical Center, Maffly Auditorium 

Herrick Campus 

2001 Dwight Way 

Call D.L. Malinousky, 601-0550 

 


Saturday, Dec. 2

 

Wild About Books? 

10:30 a.m. 

Berkeley Central Library 

2121 Allston Way 

Storyteller Kellmar draws from her African-American roots with stories that touch the heart and the funnybone. For childen aged 3-7. 

Call 649-3943  

 


Thursday, Dec. 7

 

Berkeley Metaphysic Toastmasters Club 

6:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysic come together at Avatar Metaphysical Toastmasters. Meets first and third Thursdays each month. 

Call 869-2547 or 643-7645 

 


Thursday, Dec. 21

 

Berkeley Metaphysic Toastmasters Club 

6:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysic come together at Avatar Metaphysical Toastmasters. Meets first and third Thursdays each month. 

Call 869-2547 or 643-7645 

 

ONGOING EVENTS 

 

Sundays 

Green Party Consensus Building Meeting 

6 p.m. 

2022 Blake St. 

This is part of an ongoing series of discussions for the Green Party of Alameda County, leading up to endorsements on measures and candidates on the November ballot. This week’s focus will be the countywide new Measure B transportation sales tax. The meeting is open to all, regardless of party affiliation. 

415-789-8418 

 

Mondays 

Baby Bounce and Toddler Time 

10:30 a.m. 

Oct. 16 - Dec. 11 

Berkeley Central Library 

2121 Allston Way 

For children ages 6 to 36 months. Get those babies off to a good start with songs, rhymes, lap bounces, and very simple books. 

649-3943  

 

Tuesdays 

Easy Tilden Trails 

9:30 a.m. 

Tilden Regional Park, in the parking lot that dead ends at the Little Farm 

Join a few seniors, the Tuesday Tilden Walkers, for a stroll around Jewel Lake and the Little Farm Area. Enjoy the beauty of the wildflowers, turtles, and warblers, and waterfowl. 

215-7672; members.home.com/teachme99/tilden/index.html 

 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market 

2-7 p.m. 

Derby Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Milvia Street 

548-3333 

 

Berkeley Camera Club 

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda 

Share your slides and prints with other photographers. Critiques by qualified judges. Monthly field trips. 

531-8664 

 

Computer literacy course 

6-8 p.m. 

James Kenney Recreation Center, 1720 Eighth St. 

This free course will cover topics such as running Windows, File Management, connecting to and surfing the web, using Email, creating Web pages, JavaScript and a simple overview of programming. The course is oriented for adults. 

644-8511 

 

Wednesdays  

10:30 a.m. 

Preschool Song and Story Time 

Berkeley Central Library 

2121 Allston Way 

Music and stories for ages 3-5.  

649-3943 

 

Thursdays 

The Disability Mural 

4-7 p.m. through September 

Integrated Arts 

933 Parker 

Drop-in Mural Studios will be held for community gatherings and tile-making sessions. This mural will be installed at Ed Roberts campus. 

841-1466 

 

Fridays 

Ralph Nader for President 

7 p.m.  

Video showings to continue until November. Campaign donations are requested. Admission is free.  

Contact Jack for directions at 524-1784. 

 

Saturdays 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market 

10 a.m.-3 p.m. 

Center Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Milvia Street 

548-3333 

Poets Juan Sequeira and Wanna Thibideux Wright 

 

2nd and 4th Sunday 

Rhyme and Reason Open Mike Series 

2:30 p.m. 

UC Berkeley Art Museum, 2621 Durant Ave. 

The public and students are invited. Sign-ups for the open mike begin at 2 p.m. 

234-0727;642-5168 

 

Tuesday and Thursday 

Free computer class for seniors 

9:30-11:30 a.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center, 2939 Ellis St. 

This free course offers basic instruction in keyboarding, Microsoft Word, Windows 95, Excel and Internet access. Space is limited; the class is offered Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Call ahead for a reservation. 

644-6109 

 

Compiled by Chason Wainwright 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Letters to the Editor

Thursday October 12, 2000

How about publicly-funded blight? 

Editor: 

Perhaps Ms. Pepples should direct her efforts directly to the council to which she aspires, with a program supporting candidate “equal rights for equal blights.” Because we live in Berkeley, Ms. Pepples could propose publicly funded “public blight.”  

Because of funding disparities between campaigns, we could equalize them by giving every candidate their own set of public poles upon which to hang their aesthetic discontinuities, or in Ms. Pepples case, photos of herself. 

We could select several “safe streets” upon which all such blight would then be publicly displayed. 

Tours could be arranged. 

Public pole maintenance costs could be underwritten by auto mechanics, because they will become the beneficiaries when drivers, casting their eyes skyward, drive into potholes, speed bumps, speed pits and each other to avoid viewing the Hydra. This new revenue source could serve as an alternative to campaign contributions by frequenting our favorite auto mechanics instead.  

Indeed, we can foster an entirely new form of candidacy, the auto mechanics! Think of it, with their focus on maintenance to high performance standards, a whole new spectrum of governmental management possibilities could arise. Because auto mechanic rates are the same as psychologists, of necessity, Council meetings would be 50 minutes long. And let’s face it, unlike a psychologist; auto mechanics have the appropriate training to screw down our loose nuts and tighten our heads, not to mention making appropriate adjustments for excessive public exhaust emissions. So, instead of debating on the policy of foreign nations, we would have debates on foreign cars! 

Instead of endlessly inflating our city expenditures, we could have discussions on correct inflation pressure limits. This would actually serve a public need. The televised council meeting could transition from dreary public entertainment to lively informative “car talk” sessions – stay tuned.  

 

Mike Issel 

Berkeley 

 

Happy to see B-TV schedule 

 

Editor: 

I was so glad to see the B-TV, Channel 25 schedule in the Daily Planet. It’s hard to find it and the Daily Planet is so accessible. Keep up the good work in being a real community newspaper! 

Joyce Kawahata 

Berkeley 

 

 

Permit is pending, let them sit outside 

 

Editor: 

Sandy Boyd (owner of the French Hotel cafe) was told three years ago that he had no permit for sidewalk furniture. He did nothing.  

Last May 24 the city told him to pull all tables in chairs inside, which he did. 

Over the summer café patrons, on their own, began taking chairs only onto the sidewalk. 

Sandy Boyd finally submitted his application on August 24. About three weeks later, in the middle of September, the Berkeley police came by and cited the cafe. Not even chairs on the sidewalk! That’s when several of us went to the police department to find out the law on tables and chairs on sidewalk. Bring your own and it’s OK, as long as you leave 6 feet of unobstructed space for pedestrians. 

Learning that the City takes two to four months to process these applications we then held our sit-out at the café on October 3. 

My point is the café submitted their permit application on August 24. According to Wendy Cosin, once this is done both tables and chairs are allowed outside. 

So why did the police come by and cite the café? Therein lies the rub. I believe the cafe was cited before people began taking their chairs out – three years after the owner was asked to get a permit. 

Leonard Pitt 

Berkeley 

 

Removing crosswalks is a bad idea 

 

Editor: 

Traffic Engineer Jeff Knowles’ call to remove crosswalks is typical of the engineering approach that has made American cities much less livable during the past fifty years.  

Engineers are trained to study one isolated problem – the safety and efficiency of a single intersection – without thinking about how it affects the city as a whole.  

In a famous example, traffic engineers during the 1950s claimed that building freeways would make cities much safer, because freeways were designed to minimize conflicts at intersections. Freeways did dramatically reduce the number of accidents per mile driven, but they also dramatically increased the numbers of miles driven. Overall, there was no improvement in safety. 

Knowles’ proposal comes out of the same mold. Study one intersection. Ignore the fact that you are making the city as a whole less livable. Today, some traffic engineers are learning from the errors of the past and coming up with proposals that work for pedestrians as well as for automobiles. Walter Kulash is the best known of these New Urbanist traffic engineers, and he has shown that by making cities more pedestrian friendly, you can also make them more successful economically.  

Jeff Knowles pretends to be objective and scientific, but when he gets angry, he uses the term New Urbanist as if it were an obscenity, showing how dogmatic he really is. 

Traffic engineers make hundreds of small decisions that cumulatively have a tremendous impact on how livable a city is. With a traffic engineer who is a dogmatic member of the old school, Berkeley is way behind the curve.  

Charles Siegel, 

Berkeley 

 

Make Toxics Division separate from Planning 

 

Editor:  

In 1997 Berkeley was granted status as a CUPA (Certified Unified Programs Agency). As a UPA, the City acts as a branch of the EPA with the rights and responsibilities of regulating and permitting environmental activities within the City. It also has the right to set fees and to collect and retain funds from hazardous waste generators as security in the event that any future site remediation is necessary.  

One of the reasons that this certification was granted was that Berkeley had a strong Environmental Health and Toxics & Pollution Prevention Program, which was separate from Planning or any other Division of the City. CUPA status was a great vote of confidence bestowed by the State on our City.  

Shortly after Berkeley gained its UPA Certification, the unified Pollution Prevention Department was dismantled. Environmental Health was placed under Health and Human Services, while Toxics Management became a division of Planning. As a division of Planning, the Toxics Management Division is unable to override the decisions of the Current Planning Director and environmental protection can take a backseat to political and economic influence. As the UPA responsible for hazardous materials permitting and compliance, Toxics Management should have the power to require whatever testing, monitoring, Risk Management, Health and Safety Plans, remediation or whatever is needed to ensure compliance with local, State and Federal Environmental Protection laws. 

If the Planning & Economic Development Divisions refuse to comply with the City's Toxic Management Division’s requirements, then the CUPA status is ineffective and the State EPA should again become the regulatory agency.  

Tony Spurlock 

Berkeley 

 

 

Take red tape out of education, help kids 

Editor: 

Your October 7 story, “Parents call for teacher suspension,” provided a stunning example of the mass of red tape and bureaucratic idiocy that clogs the arteries of our educational system. 

A fifth grader violates an inane rule (exactly what purpose is there in taking away our children’s’ freedom to chew gum on a playground?). As a result, a “teacher” subjects the child to psychological and physical abuse that looks like a scene from “Lord of the Flies” – in front of her peers, just to add to the humiliation. 

When the disbelieving parents complain, Principal Waters has the utter gall to suggest that he will trade ensuring the child’s education against “protecting” the criminal actions of one of his teachers. 

Am I the only one here who sees a pattern of criminal negligence affecting a child's future? Imagine that Mr. Rutherford had been the child’s guardian, and subjected her to this humiliation at a public playground or mall. I have no doubt that any Superior Court in California would gladly issue a restraining order preventing this violent behavior and protecting the minor from future contact with Mr. Rutherford. John Muir Elementary is part of a system dangerously out of control, more concerned with protecting itself than the future of our children. Mr. Rutherford's actions put him at risk for civil suit and criminal charges. In any well-run organization – perhaps one less racially motivated – he would immediately be placed on suspension pending resolution of the matter. 

If this is against “district policy,” then principal Waters or superintendent McLaughlin needs to have the courage and leadership to rewrite policy to address the problem. Unfortunately, given the consistent mediocrity of our educational system, we can have little hope that this will occur. 

In the face of the balls of red tape being coughed up by the District, the Higgenbothams only hope to protect their daughter’ s future is to seek the aid of private counsel and their District Attorney’s office. I wish them luck. 

Kenneth Thomas 

Co-Founder, Chief Architect 

Retrieva.com 

San Francisco 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


’Jackets water polo swept by California High

By Jared Green Daily Planet Staff
Thursday October 12, 2000

Playing their seventh game in just six days, the Berkeley High water polo teams each put up a gutsy effort but couldn’t beat highly-regarded California High (San Ramon). 

The boys’ team, playing first, showed their weary legs as California jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first quarter. Brooks Jenkins and Matt Kalafatis each scored two goals in the period, and Jenkins added two more goals in the second quarter to give the home team a 8-2 halftime lead. 

“Cal has a good, disciplined program, and they come out to establish what they want to do,” said Berkeley coach Bill Graeber. “Nobody’s ever ready for that explosion out of the gate.” 

The Yellowjackets were also at a disadvantage in an Olympic-sized, 12-foot-deep pool. Berkeley practices and plays its home games at Willard Pool, which has a shallow end and only goes as deep as six feet, and is much narrower than California’s pool. 

“It’s easy to get spread out wide of the goal on offense,” said Berkeley’s Carl Wasman. “It was hard to get our offense going early.” 

California’s coach took advantage of the big lead, playing several of his less experienced players in the second half. Jenkins was pulled during the third quarter having totaled seven goals in the match as the Yellowjackets fell even farther behind, allowing five goals for a 13-4 deficit heading into the final period. 

The ’Jackets finally put things together in the fourth quarter, outscoring California 5-2 to close the game. Wasman rang up three goals in less than two minutes, and Joe Ravera completed his hat trick with two goals in the period. 

“We wanted to score in the last quarter, to get the score a little closer,” Wasman said. “No one likes losing by a bunch of goals.” 

The girls game was considerably more competitive, with neither team able to build more than a one-goal lead at any point in the match. Berkeley’s two snipers, Cody Keffer and Sonja Graves, took advantage of their few offensive opportunities with pinpoint shots. Keffer scored four goals and Graves three, accounting for all but one of the Yellowjacket goals. California countered with the scoring prowess of Amy Ng, who scored five of her team’s nine goals, four from point-blank range. 

In addition to being tired by their hectic schedule, the ’Jackets were short-handed for the match as four of their bench players were unavailable. The lack of substitutes showed in the second half, as California’s players began counterattacking with venom, outswimming the visitors and gaining breakaways on the Berkeley goal. Only the play of ’Jacket goalie Amy Degenkolb kept them from opening a big lead, as she turned away several shots with spectacular saves. 

“She’s been improving with every game,” Graeber said of his net-minder. “She has no fear in there.” 

Berkeley took a one-goal lead in the fourth quarter on a long-range goal from Keffer, and the ’Jackets desperately tried to keep California from knotting the score. But a bit of bad luck interceded, as Keffer deflected a California pass into her own net with two minutes left, and the race was on for the final goal. 

The teams were still tied 8-8 with 12 seconds left in the match when Berkeley’s Trina Jones was ejected from play for an intentional foul. After a time-out, California took advantage of their extra player as Kerry Aires fired a shot past ‘Jacket goalie Amy Degenkolb for the victory with just five seconds left on the clock.


‘Healthy’edict will be written

By Josh Parr Daily Planet Staff
Thursday October 12, 2000

A large audience of cancer activists and victims of cancer-related illness, carrying signs and effigies, filled the City Council chambers Tuesday evening to hear a discussion on a resolution establishing October as “Stop Cancer Where it Starts” month. 

In part, the resolution in question mandates the writing of a “Healthy Building Ordinance,” an ordinance that guides the city on healthy construction modalities, and it requires putting up signs in parks, indicating that pesticides are not used. 

After much discussion, the council voted unanimously to approve the resolution, with City Manager Weldon Rucker promising to bring back a timetable to write the ordinance by the end of the year.  

The debate over the ordinance revealed the fractures within the council and was fueled by emotional testimony from cancer prevention advocates and cancer victims, as well as the presence of Councilmember Margaret Breland, currently fighting her own battle against cancer. 

Councilmember Dona Spring added a clause to the resolution pointing to radiation’s role in cancer-related illnesses. 

The debate included the issue of who should take responsibility for environmental problems – individuals or government. 

“This resolution is asking someone else to do all these things. Why not say that people take responsibility themselves? This is a typical Berkeley thing to shift the blame to someone else,” said Betty Olds. 

Then, referring to a plan to put signs in parks reading, “This is a pesticide free zone,” Olds said, “If you can’t solve the problem, then put up a sign.” 

Spring said, “I can quit smoking or not. I can eat organic vegetables or not. But I can’t control the water and the air, and the auto emissions, all the pesticides. It is government responsibility to ban these things. Individuals cannot do it themselves.”


Bears can’t spoil Olympian Tom’s return to the Cardinal

Daily Planet Wire Services
Thursday October 12, 2000

STANFORD – The University of California women's volleyball team was defeated by host Stanford , 3-0 (15-6, 15-8, 15-8), Tuesday night at Maples Pavilion. Cardinal star Logan Tom played in her first match of the season after returning from the USA National Team that competed in the Sydney Olympics.  

The Bears (8-7, 4-5 in the Pac-10) were led by a team-high 12 kills by freshman outside hitter Gabrielle Abernathy. Senior outside hitter Alicia Perry had 10 kills and nine digs. Tom paced Stanford with 17 kills.  

Cal struggled in game one, falling behind 12-3 and never recovering. The closest the Bears got was tying the game, 2-2, on a block by Candace McNamee and Reena Pardiwala.  

Cal was more competitive in game two, coming back from a 5-1 deficit to get within 5-6 behind a kill by Caity Noonan, an ace by Ashleigh Turner and blocks by Pardiwala and Perry.  

Stanford then went on a 4-0 run before another block by Pardiwala and Perry got the Bears to 13-8. But that was as close Cal would get, losing 15-8.  

In game three the Bears were down 4-0 before coming back and tying the game, 4-4, on a solo block by McNamee. Stanford (10-6, 5-4) proceeded to jump ahead again before Cal was able to tie the contest again at 8-8 with the help of a block by Pardiwala and Perry, a block by McNamee and Turner and Tom hitting wide for Stanford. But that was all the scoring for the Bears, as the Cardinal went on a 7-0 run to win the game and the match, 15-8.  

The Bears will next host non-conference opponent William & Mary Friday, Oct. 13 at 6:30 p.m. at Recreational Sports Facility Fieldhouse.


Cyberpolitics alive and well for election

Ruxandra Guidi Special to the Daily Planet
Thursday October 12, 2000

There’s a revolution afoot this election season. Not in the Bush or Gore camps – it’s an information revolution in cyberspace. 

At Cyberpolitics 2000: The Internet and American Democracy, Tuesday evening at the City Club, a panel addressed the question of political participation online. Can average voters and the public-at-large benefit from it? 

Panelist Tracy Westen, chairman of Grassroots.com said all social movements throughout history are a result of a “swelling of mass support.” To help the swell, he founded Grassroots.com in 1999. His goal was to foster political change through the free flow of communication between voters and politicians. 

The Web site’s action center, for example, can inform users on hotly debated issues such as who is condemned to die: “According to the American Civil Liberties Union, more than 3,500 inmates sit on death row in America. Most are poor, and a disproportionate number are people of color…Is it time to for a moratorium?” a Web site post asks.  

By encouraging discussion, offering expert reports, and suggesting various causes deserving of public support, the site is a space that welcomes the political opinions of the average individual. 

There is no shortage of sites that share Grassroots.com’s philosophy on the web. MoveOn.org, which was founded in 1998 by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs Wes Boyd and Joan Blades, emerged first as a petition to Congress for quick and fair action during the Clinton impeachment process. 

“We began by sending e-mails to a few dozen relatives and friends,” Boyd said, acknowledging his lack of political experience at the beginning of the online campaign. His inexperience proved to be no obstacle, however. The campaign managed to mobilize 8,000 volunteers and get a petition that was delivered to the House of Representatives signed by half a million people . 

Following a similar model of grassroots activity, the California Voter Foundation at Calvoter.org, focuses on voter education and working with the media to improve political coverage.  

It was founded in 1994 by Kim Alexander as a way out of her own frustration in trying to access important candidate information. 

“What are the chances that everybody knows the issues before they get to vote?” Alexander asked the audience.  

Confident that most people seek information on the Internet prior to voting – regardless of their socioeconomic background and their education – she assured the audience that Calvoter.org can provide a context to understand it all. 

Finally, and to make yet further sense out of what was discussed in the room, Paul Grabowicz, director of the New Media Program at UC Berkeley’s School of Journalism, talked about the question of ethics revolving around politics and the web. 

He said it is true the Internet can help with “reconnecting the dots between people and politics.”  

Nonprofit, government and media sites can enrich a person’s knowledge on issues ranging from childcare and campaign finance to the environment. But he said he is also aware of its unintended consequences: the Internet breeds rumors and reinforces the “digital divide,” the gap between rich and poor, and people of color and whites. 

Grabowicz said he has faith in the future of cyberpolitics. For example, the Internet will spread universally despite the divide and “cut all distribution costs virtually to zero,” he said.


Abused women find help at Narika

By Priyanka Sharma-Sindhar Special to the Daily Pl
Thursday October 12, 2000

This is not a story you would want to read to your children at night. It is the story of a woman, who led a miserable existence with her husband. He would hit her in the face, in the back, and wherever else he could. He would kick her. And then, he began molesting her children. She had put up with his abuse for 20 years. She couldn’t take any more of it. But he controlled her finances. Besides, they lived far away from her home in South Asia, which she had left behind to immigrate to the United States.  

What could she do? Somewhere along the way, she found a friend to give her the support she needed, in the form of an organization named Narika, a help line, which assists abused South Asian women.  

What makes this case different from common examples of domestic violence in this country is that it centers on an immigrant woman. Abuse takes on a different form in immigrant communities, primarily because of the barriers that these women encounter when trying to reach for help. “The first problem is what all immigrant women will face – simply not knowing how the systems work – not knowing who you can go to, and not knowing how to get there,” said Raka Ray, associate professor of sociology at UC Berkeley. “The second is cultural. They’re embarrassed and afraid to make that initial contact with what they perceive as a foreign body. They have no expectation of them being able to understand the problem.”  

Many immigrant women may not know English, and if they do, they may not be comfortable expressing their deepest anguish and feelings in it. 

This is where associations like Narika (which literally means ‘of women’ in Hindi) play an important role.  

Founded in 1992, Narika is a nonprofit organization, based in Berkeley, for and of women who trace their origins to the South Asian countries of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. City Attorney Manuela Albuqerque is one of its founders. 

Narika helps abused women help themselves. “We provide information, referrals and advocacy. We help the women think through what their various options may be,” said Feroza Chic Dabby, executive director of Narika. “We want to reach out to abused women. Often women are not sure if they’re being abused badly enough to call for help.” In an attempt to tackle this problem, Narika’s Web site (www.narika.org) has a near-exhaustive list of situations that can be defined as abusive. It covers a wide range – from women being battered, to being forced into unwanted marriages, to being threatened.  

Victims hear about Narika through cultural newspapers, word of mouth, or through religious institutions. But it isn’t always very easy for the woman to take an active step to get out of her abusive situation. “For South Asian women, it may be harder to leave because of cultural restraints, and the importance given to the roles of wives and mothers,” said Meeta Malhi, 30, a Narika volunteer who has worked on their help-line, taking calls from victims, and with their Violence Prevention for Youth program.  

“The concept of family is very important in the South Asian culture. And the focus is on the woman-whether the family fails or succeeds. If there’s a sign that the family is breaking up, the cultural values override her feelings of safety and security in a home.”  

Chic Dabby said women are traditionally viewed as repositories of family honor in these cultures, and so, disclosure can bring dishonor with it.” 

Malhi said, “Many South Asian women have to deal with abuse from the in-laws, which is something most American women won’t have to deal with.” Chic Dabby, who’s worked with American mainstream domestic violence for 13 years said that the victims in South Asian families lived in a more severe climate of fear. “The (South Asian) woman’s abuser in this country can threaten her family- parents, etc. – even if the family is in a country in South Asia. If the abuser is the husband, there is always a threat that he will get his wife deported.”  

Abusers often use immigration issues to intimidate their victims. “He could threaten to get her deported. And if that didn’t work, he could use the children. He may tell her that she would be sent back, but her children would remain here,” said Leni Marin, associate director for rights and social justice at the Family Violence Prevention Fund. 

Ray narrated the story of an Indian doctoral student she knew some years ago. The woman tolerated physical battering from her American husband, because he kept threatening to deport her. She was terrified that she would lose access to her children. And there was no support group like Narika to refer her to an expert who could tell her otherwise.  

Under the Violence Against Women Act, passed in 1994, the battered spouses and children of United States citizens or lawful permanent residents do have an alternative.  

“If they can prove that there has been a trail of abuse, they can file a petition for adjustment of status,” said Sharon Rummery, director of Public Affairs with the Immigration and Naturalization Services in San Francisco. “They can do this without the knowledge of the abuser.” It is details like this that many abused South Asian women would be unaware of, without the appropriate guidance.  

“These South Asian women are some of the strongest women I have seen,” said Malhi. 

“They have overcome abusive situations, with cultural, financial and social barriers, and from nothing, have gone on to recreating financial and familial bases on their own. That illustrates a tremendous amount of strength and initiative.”  

And that is Narika’s endeavor - to help every woman who calls in, to tap into her reserves of strength and initiative, so that she can live her life independently, and abuse free.


Voters wait until midnight hour

By Rosemary Hoban Special to the Daily Planet
Thursday October 12, 2000

 

In San Francisco, they held a street fest – searchlights roamed the clouds above tents, while thumping blues rhythms filled the night air, thanks to a local radio station.  

Across the Bay in Oakland, men and women bundled against the cold, laughed and drank coffee. Down in Union City, they were at the library, and over at the UC Berkeley campus, they sat behind tables on the plaza. 

The events were all part of “midnight madness,” a last-ditch effort by local boards of elections Tuesday, to register as many voters as possible before the deadline for November’s general election.  

“This year, we decided to have a party,” said Chris Hayashi, communications manager for the San Francisco Department of Elections who arranged the mini-street festival on Grove Street next to City Hall. “We stay open every year, but we usually sit quietly behind a counter inside and wait for people to come and find us. We’re having a great time out here.” 

Hayashi was joined on the street by a dozen elections department employees wearing day-glo orange vests and sporting buttons that said “Register to vote: Ask me how.” Late-comers were welcomed by workers who held flashlights over voters’ shoulders as they filled out the forms printed in a half-dozen languages. 

“Last year, we must’ve regis tered one to two hundred people the whole night,” said, Boris Delapine, 28, a campaign services coordinator. “By now, (at 8:30 p.m.) we have way over that number.” He estimated that 1,000 people would show up to register before midnight. 

Hayashi said by the end of the day, more than 475,000 people in San Francisco would be registered out of more than 799,000 residents. 

The street festival idea seems to have worked, creating opportunities for people to register who might not have. 

“I was just riding by,” said Jon Paul, a 28-year-old artist. “I thought, ‘I might as well.’” 

Another woman, who asked not to be identified, pointed to the woman with her and said, “My roommate dragged me down here.”  

She said she was embarrassed to have waited until the last minute. 

In Oakland, Linda Solomon was joking and laughing as she dropped off a fat parcel of registration cards to the Alameda County workers sitting outside the Board of Elections office on Oak Street. She had collected them from people in her neighborhood. The Oakland resident, who works as a CPA’s assistant, said she has been registering voters “for years.” 

“Ever since I’ve been old enough to vote, I’ve voted,” Solomon said. “It’s important that we vote and I want to try to make sure everyone is counted.” 

There has been outdoor registration until midnight for at least eight years in Alameda County, said Bradley Clark, the Alameda County Registrar of Voters.  

He said his staff came to work at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning and were staying until midnight to register an estimated 4,000 extra voters, bringing the total number of registered voters in Alameda County to over 643,000 out of about 974,000 eligible to vote. 

Latifu Carr, a receptionist with the Bureau of Elections wasn’t complaining about the long day. “The time flew,” she said “I’m really enjoying this.”  

Students from UC Berkeley came by to drop off two bunches of cards totaling some 3,500 registrants early in the evening. 

“They were really excited,” said Clark. “They were registering people all day on campus.” 

As the evening wore on, small crowds of people arrived at the plaza, some in pajamas and slippers, crowding two-to-three deep around the folding card tables where election workers were sitting. 

“We always get a bunch of people after each of the news broadcasts at 10 o’clock and 11 o’clock,” said Clark. 

“We were watching the news and they were showing this place, so we drove over,” said Meily, a 20 year old from UC Berkeley. “I’m a big procrastinator.” 

The young man with her nodded vigorously. 

“Every year, we get someone signing the card at the stroke of midnight,” Clark said. “One year, I asked one woman if I went to the post office at the stroke of midnight on April 15, would she be there. She just laughed.”


Up to 1.7 million Ford cars and trucks recalled

The Associated Press
Thursday October 12, 2000

OAKLAND — Susan Von Ritter was driving her Ford Taurus on a busy highway in Fremont a few years ago when the vehicle stalled in the fast lane. While her children cried, she managed to pull to the shoulder and barely avoid an accident. 

On Wednesday, Von Ritter was among millions of current or former Ford owners in California who got some vindication when a state judge ordered the recall of 1.7 million Ford cars and trucks in an unprecedented ruling. 

It was the first time a judge in the United States had ordered a car recall, which normally is issued by government agencies. 

The judge’s order, which applies only to vehicles sold in California, targets ignition modules installed on 29 models – including the popular Taurus, Mustang, Escort and Bronco – primarily in the 1980s and early ’90s. 

The ruling came as Ford already is being buffeted by the recall of 6.5 million Firestone tires, which were standard equipment on some Ford trucks and sports utility vehicles.  

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating dozens of deaths possibly linked to the tires. 

Superior Court Judge Michael E. Ballachey said Ford knew the vehicles were prone to stalling, especially when the engine was hot, but failed to alert consumers. 

Ford officials disagreed and said the company would appeal, saying it doesn’t believe Ballachey has the authority to order a recall. 

“We would ask the public to trust real engineering and not court engineering,” Ford spokesman Jim Cain said.  

“All of the data on stalling collected by the government, all of the data on accidents, suggests there is no problem with these vehicles. 

“A recall would serve no purpose because there is nothing to fix,” Cain added. “We’re talking about a lot of old cars and old trucks, two-thirds of which have more than 120,000 miles on the odometer.” 

Ford’s stock fell 81.2 cents, to $24.313, in trading Wednesday on the New York Stock Exchange. Analyst Gary Lapidus with Goldman, Sachs & Co. said the decline was unrelated to the verdict, noting several auto companies saw their stock decline Wednesday amid fears of an auto industry slowdown. 

“It’s a dead-end story,” Lapidus said. “The auto industry has bigger worries than a recall on a few ignitions.” 

Von Ritter, one of the named plaintiffs in the class-action suit, sold her Taurus shortly after the stalling incident. 

“I was petrified. The kids were screaming and crying. I thought this was it,” she said. “I was lucky. I was able to get to the side of the road before being rammed.” 

Nelda Rohling and her parents were not as lucky.  

They were hit by a vehicle when their 1989 Ford Tempo stalled as they crossed a busy highway near Lubbock, Texas, in 1993. Her father died on impact. Rohling and her mother were severely injured. 

“We started to cross the highway at a stop sign and the car dies,” Rohling said. “Dad’s jiggling, jiggling to get the car on. We were looking at this car coming down on us.” 

Rohling said they sued Ford and that the automaker settled out of court without admitting liability. 

The automaker has settled dozens of wrongful death and bodily injury suits nationwide in which a Ford vehicle was suspected of stalling.  

Ford never admitted wrongdoing in those out-of-court settlement.


Death penalty sought for sausage factory owner

The Associated Press
Thursday October 12, 2000

 

SAN FRANCISCO — State prosecutors will seek the death penalty against the San Leandro sausage maker accused of killing three meat inspectors during a shooting spree at his factory, finding little merit to a defense attorney’s argument that his client acted in a heated rage. 

Stuart Alexander, 39, is scheduled to appear Thursday in Alameda County Superior Court in the June 21 deaths of two U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors and a third from the state. 

Alexander has pleaded innocent to murder charges that include special circumstances of intentionally killing government employees in retaliation for doing their jobs, a stipulation that allows prosecutors the option of seeking a death sentence. 

Alexander’s attorney, Alameda County assistant public defender Michael Ogul, did not return a phone call Wednesday. 

In an Oct. 5 letter to District Attorney Tom Orloff, Ogul acknowledged that the crimes were “unforgivable and cannot be justified,” but argued that Alexander did not commit premeditated murder. 

Rather, Ogul said, his client “was pushed over the edge and shot in a heated rage,” an emotional state that could preclude a first-degree murder charge and the death penalty. 

On the day of the shootings, the inspectors arrived to cite Alexander for operating without a permit.  

Alexander, whose factory had recently closed and reopened as he struggled to meet health code requirements, called San Leandro police for help in removing “trespassers” from his property. 

He then turned on a video surveillance camera, asked his visitors to leave and fired a gun in the air to scare them off. 

The inspectors died in a shooting spree that lasted less than two minutes.  

A fourth inspector, from the state, fled on foot dodging bullets as he was chased for two blocks. 

“These facts demonstrate that these tragic homicides occurred as the result of escalating tensions in which Mr. Alexander was pushed over the edge, regardless of whether there was any intent to harass him or whether another person would have been provoked to anger,” Ogul wrote. 

Prosecutors disagreed. Deputy district attorney Colton Carmine, who is trying the case, said Wednesday that Ogul’s arguments were considered but found groundless by a handful of county and federal prosecutors who helped Orloff reach his final decision.


Silicon Valley’s high-tech crown in question

The Associated Press
Thursday October 12, 2000

PALO ALTO — Silicon Valley may become a victim of its own success. 

A report released Wednesday says the sprawling area south of San Francisco could lose its place as the world’s premier high-tech zone because of the high costs of living and doing business here, a shortage of qualified workers and worsening traffic. 

The second annual report from Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network, a regional organization, and the A.T. Kearney consulting firm said local governments need to do more to address such quality-of-life issues. 

While most blue-chip companies are anchored here for now, innovative start-ups are increasingly finding more attractive environments in such other “Internet clusters” as Massachusetts’ Route 128, Germany’s “Silicon Saxony” and Singapore’s “Intelligent Island,” the report said. 

“People definitely are not as positive or optimistic as ‘everything’s going to be fine’ as they were, say, two years ago,” said the report’s lead author, A.T. Kearney consultant Praveen Madan.  

“A lot of people are feeling the pain of these growth challenges.” 

For example, the median home price in Santa Clara County – home to northern California’s largest city, San Jose – passed $500,000 in the last year. Many service workers have been priced out of the region, and two-hour commutes from less expensive areas are not unheard of. 

Last year’s report reached similar conclusions about the problems facing Silicon Valley, the home of dozens of the biggest names in technology and the Internet, such as Intel Corp., Oracle Corp. and Yahoo! Inc. and countless new start-ups, incubators and venture capital firms. 

But this year’s study, based on interviews of executives at more than 100 companies, placed an increased emphasis on the need for local governments to help. 

Madan said many Silicon Valley companies want more collaboration between local governments and faster execution of their plans to build affordable housing, improve congestion and increase job training.  

The companies’ wish list also includes a lower tax burden for start-ups. 

At a panel discussion of the report Wednesday near Stanford University, Mountain View Mayor Rosemary Stasek pointed out that high-tech companies azre asking local government to do more but still seeking such breaks as sales tax exemptions on electronic commerce.  

And property taxes, local governments’ other main source of revenue, have been strictly limited in California by Propositions 13 and 218. 

“Give us the resources and we will solve these problems, because we have the biggest stake in them,” Stasek said. 

Michelle Montague-Bruno, spokeswoman for the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group, which tries to foster collaboration between its 200 member companies and local leaders, said many companies also are worried about whether the power grid can keep up.  

In a heat wave in June, state regulators imposed rolling blackouts in northern California, partly because of the demands of the plugged-in New Economy. 

But despite the tax benefits, new technology parks and other perks being offered to high-tech companies in other places, there are several things unique to Silicon Valley – such as its entrepreneurial spirit and an impressive talent pool from Stanford and the University of California, Berkeley. 

“Sand Hill Road cannot be franchised like Starbucks,” said Daphne Carmeli, president and chief executive of Metreo Inc., referring to the Menlo Park street that is home to many of the area’s venture capitalist firms. 

Cisco Systems Inc., which has about 14,000 workers in Silicon Valley, cited such factors in deciding to expand in San Jose rather than elsewhere.  

The Internet equipment company plans a $1.3 billion office complex in San Jose’s Coyote Valley that has been closely coordinated with the city but criticized by environmentalists and slow-growth advocates. 

“We believe it’s a very attractive place to stay,” Cisco spokesman Steve Langdon said, “at the same time acknowledging there are issues that need to be addressed on a regional basis and collaboratively between governments, businesses and interests and community groups.” 

On the Net: 

Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network – http://www. 

jointventure.org 

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group – http://www.svmg.org


State report shows open space disappearing

The Associated Press
Thursday October 12, 2000

FRESNO — Almost 70,000 acres of California’s open space was devoured by a growing population lured to the state by its booming economy from 1996 to 1998, according to a state report released Wednesday. 

The urban sprawl is driven by California’s annual influx of roughly 700,000 people and has hit the state’s farmers particularly hard, according to the Department of Conservation’s biennial Farmland Conservation Report. 

About two-thirds of the newly developed areas, more than 43,000 acres, is on land formerly used for food production. 

“This is not a new issue for California farmers in the Central Valley and the Central Coast – or in the Silicon Valley and southern California, where the farmland is just about lost,” said John Gamper, director of taxation and land use policy for the California Farm Bureau Federation. 

The report notes that the rate of urbanization was up 25 percent statewide over the 1994-1996 period, which saw an 8 percent jump from the previous two-year period. 

“We’re not going to see the population growth stop any time soon. When we report up to 2000, we think that the rate of urbanization will have climbed even higher,” said DOC Assistant Director Eric Vink. 

Southern California continues to be the most heavily urbanized region with 30,300 acres lost primarily to commercial and residential construction. Of those newly built-up acres, almost 7,000 were irrigated farmland. 

Despite new state and federal programs that grant tax breaks to landowners who promise to keep their land in agriculture, many growers in the hardest-hit areas of the state simply are giving up. Farmers increasingly are welcoming offers to sell their land to real estate developers eager to build model communities in tranquil rural settings. 

“These subdivisions have come to within just a couple of hundred yards of us,” said John Gless, who farms about 2,000 acres of citrus orchards on the outskirts of Riverside. 

Gless says restrictions on pesticide use near schools and homes, skyrocketing water bills and increasingly nightmarish traffic problems have driven just about all his neighbors off their farms over the past couple of decades. 

“We have not sold any land, but would welcome the offer if it comes. We cannot pay our farming bills, and if you can’t farm at a profit, you can’t farm,”  

Gless said. 

Similar stories have been coming out of the Santa Clara Valley, where the high-tech economy has fueled a construction boom that’s been pushing into some of the world’s most productive farmland over the past 10 years. 

“We’re in the south end of what they call Silicon Valley ... which is about 80 percent urbanized now. Most tractor dealerships have left and there are no more canneries or packing houses left,” said Mitchell Mariani, who farms about 100 acres of cherries near Morgan Hill. 

“Right now we look at this property as an investment for our future. Maybe somebody will want to come in and buy it,” Hill said. 

The San Joaquin Valley lost about 9,500 acres of farmland, the most of any region in the state. 

Over the last couple of years, Shawn Stevenson says he lost a big chunk of his 1,500-acre citrus farm northeast of Clovis to an expansion project on state Route 168. 

“Is urbanization a threat to agriculture? Of course it is, but it doesn’t do any good to address that issue without addressing high water and labor costs and low commodity prices,” Stevenson said. 

“First and foremost, farmers are going to respond to economic signals, and the signals that are being sent are telling us to get out while we can.” 


More public workers go on strike in L.A.

The Associated Press
Thursday October 12, 2000

 

LOS ANGELES — Thousands of public employees struck the nation’s most populous county Wednesday, slashing a wide range of services including health care used by the poor – already hit hard by a 26-day-old transit strike. 

The walkout by 42,000 Los Angeles County employees, nearly half its work force, forced severe cutbacks in hospital trauma care and other health services despite a last-minute court order barring essential nurses and other workers from striking. 

The long-threatened general strike cut back services in departments serving a county with nearly 10 million residents. But it hit especially hard at six hospitals and 42 health clinics that treat millions of people annually. 

At County-USC Medical Center, 21-year-old Daniel Lopez, paralyzed from the waist down when he was shot in the spine last week, waited to go to a rehabilitation center. 

“I was supposed to be transferred on Monday, and now I’m stuck. I’ll probably be here until this strike finishes,” Lopez said after being wheeled outside for air. 

Lopez complained that there was only one nurse for about 20 patients and that he waited four hours for a cup of water Wednesday. 

Teresa Ayala, 57, was two hours into a wait for an appointment to treat an eye injury. 

Her normal 45-minute bus trip to the east side hospital from Lynwood was not available so she was brought by her son-in-law, said her daughter, Eloisa Garcia, 35. 

“I’m not working because I can’t get to my job (by bus),” Garcia said. “It’s very important that she come for the appointment. And I’m worried now if they’re on strike, my mother can’t return.” 

In Norwalk, Jae Kim, 29, and fiancee Rebecca Hong, 27, waited in an unmoving line of 40 people at the recorder-registrar’s office to pick up a marriage license. 

“If we don’t get the license by Saturday then we can’t get married,” said Hong, who hadn’t known that the strike was looming. “I’m just mad,” she added. 

Military wife Tracy Lemon, 33, was upset as she tried to obtain her son’s birth certificate and her marriage license for a move Thursday to New York to join her husband, who is being transferred there from Korea. 

“I need this today,” she insisted. 

Negotiations to replace a three-year pact which expired Sept. 30 resumed late Tuesday for the first time in two weeks. But talks lasted just two hours before adjourning until noon Wednesday, said Mark Tarnawsky, spokesman for Service Employees International Union Local 660. 

“There’s been a little bit of movement on a couple of the tables,” Tarnawsky said of the complexity of drawing up contracts from 20 bargaining units involved in the talks. “Wages are a common issue but there are many side-issues unique to one unit.” 

The county’s last offer was a general 9 percent wage increase over three years, while the union seeks 15.5 percent. 

Due to the strike, public hospitals with trauma units were diverting ambulances to private hospitals, said county Department of Health Services spokesman John Wallace. 

A court order Tuesday required about 5,000 registered nurses and medical support staff to remain on the job because their work is considered essential to public health and safety. 

“We have talked to all the facilities, and the employees covered under the restraining order are reporting to their shifts,” Wallace said. 

“The emergency rooms remain open to walk-ins, people who present themselves at the hospitals,” Wallace said. “Doctors by and large are not participating in work actions.” 

Among those striking were welfare workers, clerks who issue marriage licenses and record property transactions, coroner’s office workers, librarians, beach maintenance employees and crews for sewer maintenance, said Bart Diener, assistant general manager of the striking union. 

Most county-employed doctors are represented by other non-striking unions. 

The county’s health system admits about 110,000 people a year to hospitals, and outpatient care brings the total number of people receiving care from the county to about 2.7 million per year, Wallace said. 


Berkeley streets in the forefront

Wednesday October 11, 2000

City official wants to remove crosswalks 

By Shirley Dang 

Special to the Daily Planet 

 

People get killed in crosswalks – so remove them. 

That’s the thinking of the city’s new traffic engineer. 

Jeff Knowles, however, has already found himself isolated in his recommendation to erase the white lines at some of the city’s busiest intersections. 

Opponents of the theory called the  

proposal “ridiculous” at a recent Public Works Commission meeting, arguing that crosswalk elimination saves lives only by discouraging people from walking. 

Knowles, however, is fighting to test what he says studies have shown to be true – removing painted crosswalks reduces death and injuries. The traffic engineer would like to remove crosswalks at certain highly trafficked intersections on College Avenue and on Adeline Street. 

In one Los Angeles County study, collisions dropped 100 percent, he said. 

In Berkeley, 770 pedestrian-involved collisions occurred between 1994 and 1999. More than half of these were in crosswalks, according to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Task Force report released earlier this year. 

James Corless, California director of the Washington, D.C.,-based Surface and Transportation Policy Project is among those who are fighting against crosswalk removal.  

“It scares people out of walking,” he said. “If you make people walk half a mile extra on foot, you undermine a walkable environment.” 

Two weeks ago, the Surface and Transportation Policy Project released a study that called for a halt to crosswalk eliminations. 

Zachary Wald, executive director of Oakland-based BayPeds agrees that crosswalk elimination is not the answer. Many seniors and disabled people will not go out unless there are marked crossings to protect them, he said. 

While a five-year Federal Highway Administration study released last year said seniors are more likely to be hit in crosswalks than young people, Charlie Betcher, 79-year-old chair of the city’s Commission on Aging, told Public Works Commission members that is not a good enough reason to remove crosswalks. 

“It’s a ridiculous assumption,” he said. “It’s another victory for the automobile.” 

Some critics of crosswalk removal say that accidents will simply move to other marked intersections where people may feel more comfortable walking. 

Proponents of crosswalk removal point to a September crosswalk study by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation which said collisions did not increase at signaled intersections near unmarked crosswalks. Injury rates still fell by half at unmarked sites. 

But Wald argued that Berkeley, with its large numbers of pedestrians is unlike Los Angeles and San Diego where many studies have been carried out. 

“It might be good in the suburbs, where there is essentially little or no pedestrian traffic,” he said. “But removing crosswalks is not a panacea for pedestrian safety.” 

Knowles said there have not been studies that measure whether pedestrians avoid intersections without marked crosswalks. Counting pedestrian flow before and after line removal would be a part of his study, he promised.  

Under state law, pedestrians have the right of way at any intersection, unless they are walking against a light. They do not have to be in a marked crosswalk. 

Nancy Holland, chair of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Task Force said more education is needed for both drivers and pedestrians.  

There are many other options to protect pedestrians, including increasing walking time at traffic signals and slowing traffic by making streets narrower. 

These ideas and others were recommended by the task force in April and approved as a part of a nine-point plan to increase pedestrian safety, however, little has been done to implement them. 

The City Council will probably address the issue of crosswalk removal after the commissions have studied it further. Neither Councilmember Polly Armstrong nor Councilmember Kriss Worthington are in favor of the idea. 

“It’s not a crosswalk without the lines,” Armstrong said. 

Worthington agreed: “We should be adding protection, not removing it.”  

Emotions are so charged, said Knowles, that people will not even test crosswalk removal as an option for pedestrian safety. 

“It’s like the crusade to save the crosswalks,” he said. “But if I can save a life by taking out one crosswalk, why not go for it?” 

 

Bike coalition plans new route to schools 

By William Inman 

Daily Planet Staff 

 

Hank Resnick and Sarah Syed of the Bicycle-Friendly Berkeley Coalition aren’t being quixotic when they say that their new project with the school district could do everything from improving student performance to alleviating morning rush hour traffic. 

“Safe Routes to School” will offer safe transportation choices for students, reducing car trips to school and getting kids walking and biking to school again, they say. 

Syed and Resnick authored a grant proposal that won the nonprofit BFBC a $25,000 state grant to launch the 17-month campaign that will plan activities aimed at reducing the risk of injury to schoolchildren who walk or bike to school.  

The BFBC, the school district and the city say the project will provide transportation choices for nervous parents who add to morning traffic and parking problems around schools.  

They also say that research shows that physical activities such as walking and biking positively affect student performance and skill development.  

“Many parents worry about the safety of their kids because of traffic and crime,” Syed said. “We hope to work with each school to make maps for suggested routes to schools, among other things to make parents and kids feel safe to ride or walk to school.” 

According to research by Berkeley’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Task Force, Berkeley has more than twice the rate of pedestrian injuries, and four times the amount of bicycle injuries compared to the state average for cities near Berkeley’s size. 

The task force also found that 10 -to 17- year-old pedestrians and cyclists are involved in collisions at twice the rate, or more, of any other age group, and the majority of pedestrian collisions take place within a quarter of a mile radius of a school. 

Syed said that about 300 pedestrian and bicycle accidents are reported in Berkeley each year. Hundreds more aren’t reported. 

“Before and after school, school zones citywide and surrounding local neighborhoods turn into danger zones for anyone venturing out on foot or bicycle,” Syed said. “This program will mobilize a community that has expressed great concern about the safety of schoolchildren to unite in support of specific improvements that will make Berkeley a more walkable, bikeable city.” 

“Although the campaign focuses on the safety of schoolchildren,” she said. “Every member of the community – from child to senior citizen – who walks or bikes locally will benefit.” 

Superintendent Jack McLaughlin agrees. 

“Parents in Berkeley are driving their children to school in record rates,” he said. “A ‘Safe Routes to School’ project is critical in our community.” 

McLaughlin, Syed, Resnick and city traffic engineer Jeff Knowles are set to meet Thursday to discuss plans for the project. 

“We’re still in the planning stage,” Resnick said. “But it’s a great opportunity and a great challenge. It’s going to take a lot of work. We have 17 months to complete the plan, and develop a proposal to get an expanded grant.” 

Resnick said that he likes Berkeley’s chances to get more state money to continue the work, but they’ll have to first change popular opinion. 

“It’s a serious concern that parents are afraid to let their kids walk or bike to school,” he said. “It’s really a sad commentary.” 

Resnick said that the project will compliment a resolution passed in the fall of 1999 by the school board that focuses on transportation issues around schools. The resolution calls for an attempt to reduce car trips to schools. 

“Not a lot has been done since then,” Resnick said. “But they’re ready to get started.” 

Syed said that a lot of the early plans involve the newly designated bicycle boulevards, such as Milvia Street between University Avenue and Russell Street. 

She said that she hopes to incorporate the project with the children’s curriculum. Some of the ideas they’ve come up with is sending the safe route maps home with the elementary children and having the parents and children walk the routes together as part of an assignment. 

Berkeley is one of nine communities to have received a grant from the Department of Health Services Active Community Environments Program, she said. 

 

All schools will be invited to participate in the project. Parents, teachers and community members interested in helping form a “Safe Routes to School” team at a local school are encouraged to contact Sarah Syed at (510) 597-1235, or email at ssyed@lmi.net.


Calendar of Events & Activities

Wednesday October 11, 2000


Wednesday, Oct. 11

 

Are Domed Cities in the future? 

7:30 - 9 p.m.  

International House, Homeroom  

UC Berkeley 

2299 Piedmont Ave.  

A discussion based on UC Berkeley alumnus Tim Holt’s book, “On Higher Ground.” Set 50 years in the future, part of the book takes place in an East Bay enclosed by a climate-controlled dome.  

$3 admission  

Contact Maribel Guillermo, 642-9460 

 

Tenant-Landlord Problems? 

12:30 - 2 p.m.  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Bring your concerns about repairs, harassment and housing rights.  

Call 644-6107 

 

Coming-out Day Party 

Noon - 1 p.m. 

1730 Scenic Ave. 

Celebrate National Coming Out Day with a pizza party at the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry. 

Call 849-8206 

 

Free Mock Law Class and Information Session for Berkeley Students 

6:30 - 8:30 p.m. 

The Kaplan Berkeley Center 

150 Berkeley Square  

Students applying to law school are invited to attend a mock first-year law class with leading law expert Dr. Paul Lisnek. This event is considered by many students who have attended past seminars to be the single most important event in helping them know how to prepare for law school and what to expect once they get there. 

 

Learn to Birdwatch 

Oct. 16, 18, 23 & 25 

9:30 a.m. - Noon 

UC Botanical Gardens 

200 Centennial Drive 

$50 for members; $65 for non-members 

Call for info or to enroll: 643-2755 

 

White Cane Day  

10:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. 

Spenger’s Fish Grotto 

1919 Fourth St.  

Pyramid Alehouse 

901 Gilman Ave. 

Members of the West Berkeley Lions Club will be asking for donations of money or used eyeglasses for the sight impaired. The Lions will be out in front of Pyramid Alehouse from 4:30 - 8 p.m. only.  

Call Joe Saenz, 352-2093 

 

“Making A Killing” 

7:30 p.m. 

La Pena, 3105 Shattuck 

A documentary “Making a Killing,” which exposes alleged tactics used by Phillip Morris at home and abroad. 

 

Feeding the Future 

7 - 9 p.m. 

2522 San Pablo 

If you have ideas or concerns about the availability of fresh, affordable produce in all communities, join the Berkeley Food Policy Council for this slide show and panel discussion. Call Joy, 548-8838 

 

Like Chocolate? 

4:10 p.m. 

International House Auditorium 

2299 Piedmont Ave. (at Bancroft Way) 

Michael D. Coe, the Charles J. MacCurdy Professor Emeritus of Anthropology from Yale University presents a lecture entitled “More Than a Drink: Chocolate in the Pre-Columbian World.” 643-7413 

 

Homeless Commission 

7 p.m.  

North Berkeley Senior Center  

Homeless prevention presentation by Bill Taylor of the Affordable Housing Advocacy Group. Also, discussion of winter shelter planning.  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

644-8616 

 

Police Review Commission 

7:30 p.m.  

South Berkeley Senior Center 

2939 Ellis St.  

The commission will discuss their workplan/goals for the upcoming year.  

644-6716 

— compiled by  

Chason Wainwright 

 

Board of Library Trustees 

7 p.m.  

South Branch  

1901 Russell  

644-6095 

 

Waterfront Commission 

7 p.m. 

His Lordships Restaurant 

199 Seawall Dr.  

644-6376 x234 

 

Planning Commission 

7 p.m.  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

705-8137 

 

Commission on Disability 

6:30 p.m.  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Meeting with “Easy Does It” regarding provison of emergency services. Public comments will be heard on this subject. Also appointments of representatives to attend meetings regarding West Berkeley Redevlopment Projects, to ensure that the Amtrak station is accessible.  

655-3440 

 


Thursday, Oct. 12

 

East Timor: The Road to Independence 

7:30 - 9 p.m.  

International House, Homeroom 

UC Berkeley 

2299 Piedmont Ave. 

A discussion of events leading up to the creation of the newest nation of the millennium and issues raised on the road to independence.  

$3 admission 

Contact Maribel Guillermo, 642-9460 

 

Parallel Civilizations 

4:10 p.m. 

International House Auditorium 

2299 Piedmont Ave. (at Bancroft Way) 

Michael D. Coe, the Charles J. MacCurdy Professor Emeritus of Anthropology from Yale University presents a lecture entitled “Parallel Civilizations: Ancient Angkor and the Ancient Maya.” Free. 

Call 643-7413  

 

Berkeley Historical Society Volunteer Recruitment 

4 p.m.  

Veterans Memorial Building 

1931 Center St.  

Learn about volunteer opportunities. Open to all. 

Call Susan Austin, 420-8889 

 

Improv! 

Beginning Oct. 15, 2 p.m. 

Verna Winters Studio for the Performing Arts 

1312 Bonita Ave.  

Learn acting and improv. from veteran actress Verna Winters. The new fall session begins Sunday and classes are limited to only 8. Late registration is available.  

Call 524-1601 for more info 

 

Strawberry Creek Cleanup 

Noon - 3 p.m. 

All students, faculty, staff, and Berkeley residents are called upon to help in the cleanup, sponsored by UC Berkeley’s Office of Environment, Health & Safety. A limited number of free t-shirts will be distributed. Interested parties should report to the natural amphitheater east of Sather Gate on the UC Berkeley campus.  

Call Romeo Leon, 643-0316 

 

State Health Toastmasters 

12:10 - 1:10 p.m.  

Department of Health Services Building 

2151 Berkeley Way 

Call 649-7750 

 

Bay Area: Transportation Nightmare 

Noon - 2 p.m. 

Albany Library 

Edith Stone Room  

1247 Marin Ave. 

Albany 

Stuart Cohen of the Bay Area Transportation and Land Use Coalition will speak on “What are the real choices in the Bay Area’s Transportation Crisis?” 

Call Janet Strothman, 841-3827 

 

Meeting Life Changes 

10 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

With John Hammerman.  

For info: 644-6107 

 

Sterling Trio 

Noon  

BART Plaza, Downtown 

Shattuck Ave. at Center St. 

Members of the Berkeley Symphony performing a variety of chamber music. 

Contact Carrie Ridgeway, 549-2230 

 

Zoning Adjustments Commission 

7 p.m.  

Old City Hall  

2134 MLK Jr. Way 

705-8110 

 

Community Health Commission 

6:45 p.m.  

Mental Health Clinic 

2640 MLK Jr. Way 

Discussion of Medical Marijuana, the Berkeley High School lunch issue, and a resolution to the council about genetically engineered foods.  

665-6845 

 

APCO vs. Pacific Steel Casting Company 

10 a.m. 

Bay Area Air Quality Management District 

939 Ellis St., Seventh Floor Board Room 

San Francisco 

Call the clerk’s office, 749-4965 

 


Friday, Oct. 13

 

“The Evolution and Cost of Ethical Drugs” 

11:45 a.m.  

Berkeley City Club 

2315 Durant Ave.  

Stanford D. Splitter, retired MD speaks at 12:30 p.m. Luncheon served at 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. 

Luncheon: $11 

Call for reservations: 848-3533 

 

“Undefended Love” 

7:30 p.m. 

Shambala Booksellers 

2482 Telegraph Ave. 

Authors Jett Psaris and Marlena Lyons discuss and sign their new book.  

Call 848-8443 

 


Saturday, Oct. 14

 

Indigenous Peoples Day Powwow & Indian Market 

10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Grand Entry 1 p.m.  

Enjoy Native American foods, arts & crafts, drumming, singing and many types of native dancing. Sponsored by the City of Berkeley, this event is free.  

Civic Center Park 

Allston Way at MLK Jr. Way 

Info: 615-0603 

 

Traffic Calming Workshop 

1 - 4 p.m.  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Help to achieve reasonable traffic speeds and volume on local streets.  

 

Free Spay and Neuter Vouchers 

2 - 4 p.m.  

Berkeley Animal Shelter 

2013 Second St. 

The City of Berkeley, along with Spay Neuter Your Pet (SNYP) is kicking off a City-funded program to reduce the number of animals euthanized. They are offering free spay and neuter vouchers to all Berkeley residents.  

 

Run Your Own Landscape Business: Part 1 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave. (at Blake) 

Local horticultural consultant and UC Master Gardener Jessie West will teach you how to plant, prune, control weeds, and more. The first of three classes. The others are scheduled for Oct. 21 & 28 in the same timeslot. 

$15 general; $10 for members; $5 materials fee 

Call 548-2220 x223 

 

Indian Rock Parks Clean-Up 

8 a.m. - Noon 

Indian Rock Park 

Come help local resident Sharon Tamm clean up Indian Rock, Mortar Rock, Grotto Rock and their surrounding areas. Gloves will be provided. Bring a scraping tool and compete for the “Most Gum” award. Prizes have been provided by the Class 5 and IronWorks climbing clubs along with the Any Mountain Outlet store.  

To volunteer call Sharon Tamm, 524-1415 

 

Learn to Birdwatch 

Oct. 16, 18, 23 & 25 

9:30 a.m. - Noon 

UC Botanical Gardens 

200 Centennial Drive 

$50 for members; $65 for non-members 

Call for info or to enroll: 643-2755 

 

An Evening with The Professor 

5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. 

Mambo Mambo 

1803 Webster St.  

Oakland 

Berkeley resident Geoffrey A. Hirsch, better known as the Tie Guy from the “How Berkeley Can You Be” parade got his start in comedy in 1996. A professor in real life, Hirsch tell the story of how he became a funny guy.  

$5 for show only, $10 for show and dinner 

Call Geoffrey Hirsch at 845-5631 to reserve tickets 

 


Sunday, Oct. 15

 

A Taste of the Greenbelt 

1 - 4 p.m. 

Los Gatos Opera House 

Celebrate the Bay Area’s agricultural and culinary bounty. This benefit features a variety of musical groups, local artists and samples from over 40 local restaurants, farmers, wineries and microbreweries. Proceeds benefit Greenbelt Alliance’s ongoing efforts to protect Bay Area farmlands and open space.  

$45 per person; $80 for this event and the Oct. 22 event in SF 

1-800-543-GREEN, www.greenbelt.org 

 

Musicians for Medical Marijuana Benefit 

8 p.m. 

Ashkenaz 

1317 San Pablo (at Gilman) 

The fourth benefit concert with The Cannabis Healers featuring Barney Doyle of the Mickey Hart Band and Terry Haggerty of Sons of Champlin. Also performing will be Country Joe McDonald and Buzzy Linhart and friends. All proceeds go to support public education efforts, medical cannabis research, and financial assistance for patients and their caregivers facing legal challengers.  

Tickets: $15 minimum donation, under 12 free 

Call the Ashkenaz box office, 525-5054 or go to gdt.stoo.com or ticketweb.com 

 

A Muslim Approach to Life 

3 p.m. 

St. Johns Presbyterian Church 

2727 College Ave.  

A presentation on the Muslim spiritual life and culture which will focus on women’s lives and the uniqueness of women’s spiritual journeys. This is the first of four Sunday programs that will focus on this theme.  

Call 527-4496 

 

Time, Space, and Knowledge Vision 

6 p.m.  

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Ken McKeon , teacher writer and TSK practitioner since 1980 speaks on “Time, Space, and Knowledge, Right from the Start.” Free. 

Call 843-6812 

 

1923 North Berkeley Fire Walking Tour 

10 a.m. - Noon 

Phil Gale leads this tour of the Sept. 18, 1923 fire site, identifying various changes wrought in buildings and landscape. The tour includes the Mayback chimney, around which a new home was constructed. Pre-paid reservations are required.  

$10 

Call for reservations, 848-0181 

 


Monday, Oct. 16

 

Private Elementary School Parent Information Panel 

7 - 9:30 p.m. 

Epworth United Methodist Church 

1953 Hopkins St.  

A panel of parents from six area private schools discuss the admission process and their experiences. Sponsored by the Neighborhood Parents Network 

Admission: free to members, $5 non-members 

Call 527-6667 

 

Learn to Birdwatch 

Oct. 16, 18, 23 & 25 

9:30 a.m. - Noon 

UC Botanical Gardens 

200 Centennial Drive 

$50 for members; $65 for non-members 

Call for info or to enroll: 643-2755 

 


Tuesday, Oct. 17

 

Is the West Berkeley Shellmound a landmark? 

7 p.m.  

City Council Chambers 

2134 MLK Jr. Way, 2nd floor 

Continued and final public hearing on the appeals against landmark designation of the West Berkeley Shellmound. The City Council may possibly make it’s decision at this meeting. 

 

Landscape Archeology and Space-Age Technologies in Epirus, Greece 

8 p.m.  

370 Dwinelle Hall 

UC Berkeley 

Professor of Archeology, Art History and Classics Dr. James Wiseman presents a slide-illustrated lecture. 

 

Fibromyalgia Support Group 

Noon - 2 p.m.  

Alta Bates Medical Center, Maffly Auditorium 

Herrick Campus 

2001 Dwight Way 

Andrea Albanese, PT presents “Aquatic Therapy for Fibromyalgia” and a rap session.  

Call D.L. Malinousky, 601-0550 

 

Mario Savio Memorial Lecture 

7:30 p.m. 

Pauley Ballroom 

UC Berkeley 

Barbara Ehrenreich and Arlie Hochschild will speak on the theme “Forwards and Backwards - Women, globalization, and the new class structure.” Free. 

Call Heather Cameron, 642-9437 

 

Help Out Some Orangutans 

7 p.m.  

Cafe Milanos 

2522 Bancroft Way 

Come help plan a day of action against Citibank, who allegedly plunders the environment for profit. Join the Rainforest Action Group and Ecopledge in protest.  

 

Is the Sky Falling? 

7 p.m.  

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave. 

Tim Holt, author of “On Higher Ground” will present an array of post-ecotopian choices, one of which is domed cities. What does the future hold for California?  

Call 548-2220 x 233  

 


Wednesday, Oct. 18

 

Traffic Calming Workshop 

7 - 10 p.m. 

St. Clements Church 

2837 Clement Blvd.  

Help to achieve reasonable traffic speeds and volume on local streets.  

 

“Women and Trafficking: Domestic & Global Concerns” 

6 - 9:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

The Berkeley Commission on the Status of Women invites the public to this forum which will include an expert panel discussion, and a movie on Women and trafficking. Free. 

Call 644-6107 for more info.  

 

Human Welfare & Community Action Meeting 

7 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center 

2939 Ellis 

 

Commission on Labor Board Meeting 

6 p.m. 

1950 Addison St., Suite 105 

 

Commission on Aging Board Meeting 

1:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Board of Education 

7:30 p.m. 

Old City Hall 

2134 MLK Jr. Way 

 

Citizen’s Humane Commission 

7 p.m. 

North Berkley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St. 

 


Thursday, Oct. 19

 

The Promise and Perils of Transgenic Crops 

7:30 - 9 p.m.  

International House, Homeroom 

UC Berkeley 

2299 Piedmont Ave.  

A discussion with Dr. Peggy Lemaux, professor of Plant and Microbiology at UC Berekeley, of the scientific basis for biotechnology, it’s risks and benefits. 

Contact Maribel Guillermo, 642-9460 

 

Candlelight Vigil For the Uninsured 

6 p.m.  

Steps of Sproul Hall 

UC Berkeley 

Join the American Medical Student Association, Berkeley Pre-Medical Chapter in a vigil for those without health insurance. Speakers from various medical organizations will discuss ways to improve our health care system.  

Call Chris Hamerski, 845-1607 

 

Berkeley Metaphysic Toastmasters Club 

6:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysic come together at Avatar Metaphysical Toastmasters. Meets first and third Thursdays each month. 

Call 869-2547 or 643-7645 

 

Rafael Mariquez Free Solo Concert 

7:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Public Library, South Branch 

1901 Russell St. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

This Chilean folksinger and guitarist presents his original settings of selections by Latin American poets. 

Contact: 644-6860; TDD 548-1240 

 

Vocal Sauce 

Noon 

BART Plaza, Downtown 

Shattuck Ave. at Center St. 

The JazzSchool’s vocal jazz ensemble perform award-winning arrangements by Greg Murai.  

Contact Carrie Ridgeway, 549-2230 

 

CLGS Lavendar Lunch 

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. 

1798 Scenic Ave. 

Kyle Miura, Pacific School of Religion alumnus and Director of the GTUs Pacific and Asian-American Center for Theology and Strategies speaks on being “Queer and Asian.”  

Call 849-8239 

 

Performance Poetica 

7:30 p.m. 

ATA Gallery 

992 Valencia St. 

San Francisco 

Video and verse by Illinois Arts Council/Hemingway Festival poet and filmmaker Rose Virgo, with special guest Judy Irwin.  

$3  

 

Pain - Ways to Make It Easier 

1 - 2:30 p.m. 

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center 

Ashby Campus, Dining Rooms A & B 

3001 Colby 

Maggie van Staveren, LCSW, CHT and Christine Bartlett, PT, CHT will demonstrate ways to let go of pain due to arthritis, injury and illness. RSVP requested. 

Call 869-6737  

 

Design Review Commission 

7:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Transportation Commission 

7 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Fair Campaign Practices Commission 

7:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 


Friday, Oct. 20

 

“The Ballot Issues” 

11:45 a.m. 

Berkeley City Club 

2315 Durant Ave.  

Fran Packard of the League of Women Voters speaks at 12:30 p.m. Luncheon served at 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.  

Luncheon: $11 

Call 848-3533 

 

Human Nature 

8:30 p.m. 

New College Cultural Center 

766 Valencia 

San Francisco 

The X-plicit Players present this idyllic nude ritual. Watch or participate: Be led blindfolded through body tunnels, into body streams while sensing psychic/body qualities through touch. Also presented on Oct. 21.  

$12 admission 

Call 415-848-1985 

 

Broken Spirits - Addressing Abuse 

8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. 

Brookins African Methodist Episcopal Church 

2201 73rd Ave. 

Oakland 

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center’s Health Ministry program presents a free workshop on the impact of domestic violence on our community.  

Call for info, 869-6763 

 


Saturday, Oct. 21

 

A Day on Mt. Tam 

9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. 

Come play and hike in San Francisco’s beloved playground. This outing is part of a series of free fall outings organized by Greenbelt Alliance. 

Call: 415-255-3233 for reservations 

 

AHIMSA Eight Annual Conference 

9 a.m. - 5 p.m.  

International House, Great Hall 

UC Berkeley 

2299 Piedmont Ave.  

The AHIMSA is a nonprofit foundation whose goal is to encourage dialogues and public forums which bridge spiritual, scientific and social issues. This years conference is titled “Violence! Scientific and Spiritual Perspectives.”  

Admission is free 

Contact Maribel Guillermo, 642-9460 

 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market Fall Fruit Tastings 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m.  

Center St. at MLK Jr. Way 

Taste a whole farmers’ market’s bounty of fall fruit varieties. 

Free. 

Info: 548-3333 

 

Run Your Own Landscape Business: Part 2 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave. (at Blake) 

Local horticultural consultant and UC Master Gardener Jessie West will teach you how to plant, prune, control weeds, and more. The second of three classes. The last is scheduled for Oct. 28 during the same timeslot. 

$15 general; $10 for members; $5 materials fee 

Call 548-2220 x223 

 


Sunday, Oct. 22

 

A Taste of the Greenbelt 

1 - 4 p.m. 

Presidio’s Golden Gate Club 

Greenbelt Alliance brings the farm to the city in this celebration of the Bay Area’s agricultural and culinary bounty. Featured are samples from over 40 local restaurants, farmers, wineries, microbreweries. Also featured are live music and local artwork. The event benefits Greenbelt Alliance’s ongoing efforts to protect Bay Area farmlands and open space.  

$45 per person 

1-800-543-GREEN, www.greenbelt.org 

 

An Evening with Alice Walker 

7:30 p.m.  

King Middle School  

1781 Rose St. (at Grant) 

free parking 

Join internationally loved novelist, poet and essayist Alice Walker in celebrating her new book of autobiographical stories, “The Way Forward is With a Broken Heart.” Benefits Berkeley EcoHouse and KPFA Radio, 94.1 FM.  

Tickets: $10 advance, $13 door 

Tickets available at independent bookstores 

More info: 848-6767 x609 

 

From Bahia to Berkeley 

11 a.m.  

Capoeira Arts Cafe 

2026 Addison St. 

A benefit brunch and auction with food, music, dance and culture to bring Brazilian folkloric dance group Nicinha Raizes from Bahia, Brazil to the Bay Area. The group will tour in January, 2001.  

Call Brasarte, 428-0698 

 

Take a Trip to the Oakland Ballet 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

This is an outing organized by the Senior Center to see “Glass Slippers.”  

Tickets: $6 each 

Call Maggie or Suzanne, 644-6107 

 

A Buddhist Pilgramage in India 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Pl. 

June Rosenberg brings to life, through slides and lecture, her pilgrimages in India. Free. 

Call 843-6812 

 

University Avenue Indian Business Community 

10 a.m. - Noon 

Kirpal & Neelum Khanna, owners of the Bazaar of India, tell about the steps they took from spice and food retailing to today’s Bazaar, and the nuances and features of the Indian business community on University Avenue. One is a series of walking tours sponsored by the Berkeley Historical Society. 

$10 per person 

Call 848-0181 for reservations 

 


Monday, Oct. 23

 

Berkeley Chinese Community Church Turns 100 

6 p.m. 

Nov. 4 

Silver Dragon Restaurant 

835 Webster St. 

Oakland 

Reservations: $30 per person 

More info: 548-5295 

 

Public Schools Parent Information Night 

7 - 9 p.m.  

Epworth United Methodist Church 

1953 Hopkins St. 

Parents, principals and other administrative staff from 11 elementary schools will speak about their schools. Sponsored by Neighborhood Parents Network.  

Admission: free to members, $5 non-members 

527-6667 

 

Parks & Recreation Board Meeting 

7 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Solid Waste Management Commission 

7 p.m. 

Solid Waste Management Center 

1201 Second St. 

 


Tuesday, Oct. 24

 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market Fall Fruit Tastings 

2 p.m. - 7 p.m.  

Derby St. at MLK Jr. Way 

Come taste a bounty of fall fruit varieties for free. 

Info: 548-3333 

 


Thursday, Oct. 25

 

International Jewish Video Competition Winners 

7:30 p.m.  

Pacific Film Archive 

2575 Bancroft Way 

Screening of the four winners in the Museum’s seventh annual competition.  

Call 549-6950 

 

Civic Arts Commission 

6:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Disaster Council 

7 p.m. 

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar 

 

Energy Commission 

5:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St. 

 

Mental Health Commission 

6:30 p.m. 

Mental Health Clinic 

2640 MLK Jr. Way 

 

Planning Commission 

7 p.m.  

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 

Police Review Commission 

7:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst St.  

 


Thursday, Oct. 26

 

East Bay Science & Arts Middle School 

Noon  

BART Plaza, Downtown 

Middle school students perform dances of folk, swing, and Cuban rueda styles. Free.  

Contact Carrie Ridgeway, 549-2230 

 

Proposition Brown Bag 

Noon - 1:30 p.m.  

Institute of Governmental Studies 

109 Moses Hall 

UC Berkeley 

Hear presentations about and discuss the eight propositions on the California ballot.  

Call 642-4608 

 


Friday, Oct. 27

 

“Transporation: What’s in Store?” 

11:45 a.m. 

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

Larry Dahms, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Transportation Council speaks at 12:30 p.m. Luncheon is served at 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. 

Luncheon: $11 

More info and reservations: 848-3533 

 


Saturday, Oct. 28

 

Pedaling the Green City 

11 a.m. -3:30 p.m.  

Take a leisurely bike ride along the future San Francisco Bay Trail. One in a series of free outings organized by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call: 415-255-3233 for reservations  

 

Wild About Books? 

10:30 a.m. 

Berkeley Central Library 

2121 Allston Way 

Halloween for the little guys with (not so) scary stories, music, and more.  

Call 649-3943  

 

Run Your Own Landscape Business: Part 3 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Ave. (at Blake) 

Local horticultural consultant and UC Master Gardener Jessie West will teach you how to plant, prune, control weeds, and more. This is the final class in the series. 

$15 general; $10 for members; $5 materials fee 

Call 548-2220 x223 

 


Sunday, Oct. 29

 

“Gateway to Knowledge” 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Pl. 

Barr Rosenberg describes how to master new knowledge and take the power to shape our lives in wise and compassionate ways.  

843-6812 

 

An Evening with The Professor 

5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. 

Mambo Mambo 

1803 Webster St.  

Oakland 

Berkeley resident Geoffrey A. Hirsch, better known as the Tie Guy from the “How Berkeley Can You Be” parade got his start in comedy in 1996. A professor in real life, Hirsch tell the story of how he became a funny guy.  

$5 for show only, $10 for show and dinner 

Call Geoffrey Hirsch at 845-5631 to reserve tickets 

 


Wednesday, Nov. 1

 

Kathak Dancing with Pandit Chitresh Das 

7:30 p.m. 

Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 

2640 College Ave.  

The Graduate Theological Union presents a free lecture-demonstration with Pandit Chitresh Das, a master of India’s Kathak dance form. This event is free. 

Call 649-2440 for additional info 

 


Letters to the Editor

Wednesday October 11, 2000

Why blame U.S.? 

 

Editor: 

The latest burst of bloodletting in the MidEast is horrible enough to watch, without being told that the USA is responsible for it (photo, Friday 10/6). 

Let’s get it straight: the endless war in the MidEast is entirely the fault of the people who are fighting it. Blame the bloodletting on the fanatics of both sides. 

Israeli religious fanatics claim that God has given them the right to settle all of Biblical Israel, and throw out any non-Jews who might already live there. 

The Palestinians, Syrians and the various Arab guerrilla groups want the state of Israel to cease to exist. These people are being supported by various Muslim religious fanatics. 

Seen from outside the battlefield, there are all kinds of reasonable compromises available, any of which would let Israel and Palestine both have their national identity. If Israel and Palestine ever quit fighting and got together to make a MidEast research and industrial zone, it could be another place like Silicon Valley. 

But the fighting goes on, basically because the minority fanatics on both sides won’t allow any kind of compromise. 

As I see it, the major sticking points are the West Bank settlements and security. Israel needs to give up some occupied territory, but not unless the Palestinians can give credible guarantees that terrorists won’t use such territory to continue attacks on Israel. This last part is where the Israelis are right and the Palestinians are farthest from reality, in my opinion. 

Anyway, don’t blame the bloodletting on the USA. 

Steve Geller 

Berkeley 

 

Berkeley’s loss becomes Altmont’s gain 

Editor: 

Here’s one for your “gown swallows town” ironies column. Every year, a certain San Francisco-based private charitable foundation spends millions supporting environmentally friendly organizations and projects. They even offer the world’s largest prize program honoring grassroots environmentalists. 

Three years ago, that same foundation awarded a $10 million grant to UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Public Policy. Re-christened the Richard & Rhoda Goldman School of Public Policy, the school launched an ambitious expansion program. 

The latest phase of that effort is the planned construction of an 11,000 square-foot facility for academic offices and classrooms. It will occupy the last remaining parcel of open space on Hearst Avenue’s north side, just across from the main UCB campus, and be scrunched up against the GSPP’s present facilities in the historic Beta Theta Pi fraternity house (Ernest Coxhead, 1893) and National Register Landmark Cloyne Court (John Galen Howard, 1904). Both of these old buildings are among the Northside’s few survivors of Berkeley’s 1923 Fire. 

To make room for the GSPP Expansion Project, as it is called, “approximately 3,500 cubic yards of materials and soils would need to be excavated from the site.” (GSPP Expansion Project DEIR, page 3-12) 

How much material is this actually? The back of a standard pickup truck accommodates about a cubic yard of soil. So, if you allot 20 linear feet of road for each truck, imagine a solid line of 3,500 pickups extending over 13 miles – from the Goldman School at Hearst & LeRoy Avenues clear across the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.  

And where is all this material going? To the Altamont Landfill, of course.  

If this has you raising an environmental eyebrow, consider UCB’s current plans for “SRB1” (aka “surge” building) just down the hill at the Oxford Tract. There, to make room for a 200-vehicle subterranean parking garage beneath the 79,000 square-foot offices-and-classrooms building above, “approximately 40,000 cubic yards of material and soil would have to be disposed during excavation and grading.” (SRB1 DEIR, p 58)  

For this one, visualize a solid line of pickup trucks extending from the Oxford Tract down to through Santa Cruz to Monterey Bay or out beyond Sacramento to the Gold Country.  

Berkeley’s loss will be Altamont’s gain. 

 

Jim Sharp 

Berkeley  

Get rid of the bicycles 

The Berkeley Daily Planet received this letter addressed to Deans, Chairs & Miscellaneous Titles: 

What follows—some notes I took in my head as I walked on the campus the other day and will, hopefully, be an abrupt departure from your usual reading fare.  

Occasionally I chance on Campus, to renew my library card, get a book out, or just to consider the happenings over the last 35 years since I was a student here. 

First there are the bicycles threading their way speedily through the crowds, making the less than agile 70 year old like myself wary and nervous. As a practicing curmudgeon, I’ve made note of this to a Dean’s office several times before. Always a nice letter ensues – “we’re looking into the matter, enforcement will prevail, admonishments will be made” and the like. But it gets worse. Where are the bikers going now that they didn’t have to go when bikes were kept off the pathways? 

And now there are cars to watch out for too! Gone are the dirt paths and wild areas that used to make the place and pace so attractive. Now paved over and the wild places are now planted with new buildings housing the urgencies of progress. The campus used to be such a serene public place, quiet enough to think about the education you were receiving, even to ruminate on whether it was worthwhile having one, or to consider bailing out of the rat race and shucking the career racket. 

There were even dedicated non-achievers around called bohemians who – peculiar souls – thought an education was an end in itself. Gone! Canceled now by high rents, high fees that require a straight ahead, vocational demeanor, or, barring that, the prospect of homelessness. 

So as not to be purely on the negative side, some suggestions: Eliminate bicycles from the campus, period, since they will invariably violate the rules if allowed. Eliminate scooters, skateboards, and whatever else takes away the need and the pleasure of walking. And throw out cell phones too for that matter. 

James L. Fairley,  

Class of ‘53 

 

Michael Issel  

To:  

opinion@berkeleydailyplanet.com 

 

 

 

 

Subject: Response to October 3 Berkeley Daily Planet Letter from 

Eleanor Pepples, Candidate for City Council. 

 

Perhaps Ms. Pepples should direct her efforts directly to the 

council to which she aspires, with a program supporting candidate 

“equal rights for equal blights.” Because we live in Berkeley Ms. 

Pepples could propose public funded “public blight.” Because of 

funding disparities between campaigns, we could equalize them by 

giving every candidate their own set of public poles upon which to 

hang their aesthetic discontinuities, or in Ms. Pepples case, photos 

of herself. We could select several “safe streets” upon which all 

such blight would then be publicly displayed. Tours could be 

arranged. Public pole maintenance costs could be underwritten by 

auto mechanics, because they will become the beneficiaries when 

drivers, casting their eyes skyward, drive into potholes, speed 

bumps, speed pits and each other to avoid viewing the Hydra. This 

new revenue source could serve as an alternative to campaign 

contributions by frequenting our favorite auto mechanics instead.  

 

Indeed, we can foster an entirely new form of candidacy, the auto 

mechanics! Think of it, with their focus on maintenance to high 

performance standards, a whole new spectrum of governmental 

management possibilities could arise. Because auto mechanic rates 

are the same as psychologists, of necessity, Council meetings would 

be 50 minutes long. And let’s face it, unlike a psychologist; auto 

mechanics have the appropriate training to screw down our loose nuts 

and tighten our heads, not to mention making appropriate adjustments 

for excessive public exhaust emissions. So, instead of debating on 

the policy of foreign nations, we would have debates on foreign 

cars! Instead of endlessly inflating our city expenditures, we 

could have discussions on correct inflation pressure limits. This 

would actually serve a public need. The televised council meeting 

could transition from dreary public entertainment to lively 

informative “car talk” sessions - stay tuned.  

 

Mike Issel 

 

 

 

winmail.dat 

 

Name:  

winmail.dat 

Type:  

application/ms-tnef 

Encoding:  

base64 

 

 

 

Subject:  

BTV schedule - YEEAAH! 

Date:  

Fri, 06 Oct 2000 15:47:15 -0700 

From:  

lee marrs  

To:  

arnold@berkeleydailyplanet.net, judith@berkeleydailyplanet.net 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Y’all:  

 

Thanks so much for running the BTV schedule today. As an avid viewer, it’s driven me crazy to not have  

much of a clue as to when anything ran except the (always entertaining) city council meetings.  

 

After multiple decades here - back to the days of cursing the Gazette - I am one of many who are delighted to  

have a local paper again at last. Even if some days it’s ads ads ads + a wire service blurb. As an ole  

newspaper person, I know how good it is to be able to pay the bills too.  

 

Keep up the circus work!  

 

LEE MARRS  

 

 

Subject:  

B-TV schedule 

Date:  

6 Oct 00 15:07:01 PDT 

From:  

Joyce Kawahata  

To:  

judith@berkeleydailyplanet.net 

 

 

 

 

Dear Daily Planet, 

 

I was so glad to see the B-TV, Channel 25 schedule in the Daily Planet. = 

It’s 

hard to find it and the Daily Planet is so accessible. Keep up the good = 

work 

in being a real community newspaper! 

 

J. Kawahata 

 

 

 

 

____________________________________________________________________ 

Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 

 

Subject:  

Zee French Hotel Café 

Date:  

Tue, 10 Oct 2000 14:05:39 -0700 

From:  

Leonard Pitt  

To:  

judith@berkeleydailyplanet.net 

References:  

1 , 2 

 

 

 

 

Dear Judith, 

 

Might I offer a clarification: 

 

Sandy Boyd was told three years ago that he had no permit for  

sidewalk furniture. 

He did nothing. 

Last May 24 the City told him to pull all tables in chairs inside,  

which he did. 

Over the summer café patrons, on their own, began taking chairs only  

onto the sidewalk. 

Sandy Boyd finally submitted his application on August 24. 

About three weeks later, in the middle of September, the Berkeley  

police came by and cited the cafe. Not even chairs on the sidewalk! 

That's when several of us went to the police department to find out  

the law on tables and chairs on sidewalk. Bring your own and it's OK,  

as long as you leave 6 feet of unobstructed space for pedestrians. 

Learning that the City takes 2 to 4 months to process these  

applications we then held our sit-out at the café on October 3. 

 

My Point: 

The café submitted their permit application on August 24. 

According to Wendy Cosin, once this is done both tables and chairs  

are allowed outside. 

 

So why did the police come by and cite the café? Therein lies the rub. 

 

Leonard 

 

 

 

 

 

 

>I believe the cafe was cited before people began taking their chairs out 

>-- three years after the owner was asked to get a permit. 

>Leonard Pitt wrote: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Councilmembers want clarity in bond measure

By Josh Parr Daily Planet Staff
Wednesday October 11, 2000

If passed Nov. 7, Measure E would authorize the Peralta Community College District to issue school bonds for $153 million to repair and renovate classrooms, training facilities, science and computer labs, meet health and safety standards and replace inadequate electrical and sewage systems, as well as construct and acquire other facilities.  

But Councilmembers Kriss Worthington and Dona Spring are threatening to pull their support for the measure unless the needs of Vista College are taken into account explicitly.  

The four colleges under the umbrella of the Peralta College District – Alameda, Laney, Merritt, and Vista – all stand to benefit from the bond measure. 

Where that money will go is uncertain, argued Councilmember Kriss Worthington, who has been meeting with Amey Stone, the Peralta College board president. 

“They have verbally agreed to use some of the Measure E moneys to create a permanent campus for Vista College in Berkeley,” he said.  

“For the last month, we’ve been trying to get them to put that in writing.” 

Added Spring, “We want Measure E to pass, but have an obligation to our citizens to make sure that some of that money comes to Vista College.” 

Spring and Worthington want about $25 million from the Measure E funds for a permanent campus at the corner of Milvia Street and Shattuck Avenue in downtown Berkeley. 

“The site is already purchased, and there is already $15 million ready to go, but that’s not nearly enough,” Spring said. 

Board President Stone said that there is a plan to raise the Vista campus fund to $32 million, and that this money would come from Measure E moneys, depending on voter’s approval of the measure. 

Ron Temple, the board president, said that the board has already passed a resolution committing itself to “Scheme A,” a plan to build the permanent Berkeley campus. 

“Scheme A commits us to a 145,000 square foot building, subject to approval of Measure E. Legally, we can’t do more than that. We’re bound,” said Temple, adding that he’d send Worthington a fax with the July 11 resolution.  

“It’s already designated in the budget if the measure passes. The commitment is there. We’ve bought land, we’ve hired an architect, we have a plan,” said Temple. 

Worthington said that he was sending faxes back and forth to the Board, and that if a written agreement isn’t hammered out, he will oppose the measure. 

“I hate to issue ultimatums, but Vista College has been burned in the past by this board, and before we support such a measure, we want to make sure we have a guarantee, in writing,” he said. 

“It’s nice of them to say those things, but it is not the signed agreement between two legally constituted entities that we are asking for,” he said. “If that’s the case, and we don’t get anything from them to that level, we will not vote to support them.” 

Worthington said that the need for such a legally binding agreement comes from a history of distrust. Vista College nearly de-annexed itself from the Peralta Community College District when former Assemblymember Tom Bates and Councilmember Maudelle Shirek proposed a “succession suit” to remove Vista College from Peralta Community College District. “It wasn’t until the writing was on the wall, that Peralta purchased the current site and allocated the money for a permanent campus,” Spring said. “There is a lot of bad blood between Vista and that board.” 

Jeff Heyman, spokesperson for the Peralta Community College District, said the discussions reminded him of his past work for the United Nations. “I was a public information officer in Bosnia. We’d work with Serbs, Croats, Muslims, and suddenly someone would bring up something from the 13th Century. History has a way of making people disbelieve the present. The reality is that there is an absolute, firm commitment to build that permanent facility in Berkeley,” said Heyman.  

“What people need to realize is that this board has a new chancellor and new management. We are not talking about the same entity that had so much difficulty in the past,” he continued. 

 


Last-minute details swamp new police, fire building

Daily Planet Staff Report
Wednesday October 11, 2000

Workers were busily hauling boxes of office furniture into Berkeley’s new police and fire headquarters Tuesday, while the city and building contractor haggle over who is responsible for three pages of last-minute details. 

Those items include tweaking the computerized air-conditioning system, installing a sink in a break room and construction finish work, according to John Rosenbrock, public safety building project manager. 

“It’s a matter of – this needs to be caulked, we have to repaint this wall and fix this crack,” Rosenbrock said.  

Rosenbrock won’t say how much the items on what he calls the “punchlist” will cost the city because it’s not clear if the contractor, Foster City-based S.J. Amoroso, will pay for them. Already, Rosenbrock said S.J. Amoroso refused to pay for the sink leaving the city to foot its $1,000 bill. 

“It’s not a big cost,” he said, adding that most of the last-minute details will be cleared up within a month.  

S.J. Amoroso President Paul Mason said he is sitting down with city officials tomorrow to work out how the last remaining items will be completed.  

“Most of the items are getting resolved. But we still need to sit down and talk about it,” Mason said. “We have a very good relationship with (the city). There are no problems with this one.” 

However, more than 100 city police and fire workers are already packing their coffee mugs and office plants to begin moving into the building over the next two weekends.  

Rosenbrock maintains that the air conditioning – which he says varies in temperature by four degrees in some spots – is currently being worked on. The rest of the details, he said, are just that – details. 

“The building is ready. If the heating and air conditioning system were not ready then we would not be moving in,” he said. “There’s always items at the end of a construction project.” 

When the building is completed, it will be more than eight years after voters passed Measure G – a $55 million bond to pay for earthquake and fire safety measures, including the retrofit of the police and fire headquarters. 

Instead of paying for the retrofit of the aging buildings – a $12.5 million project – city officials asked a judge to allow the new public safety building to replace them.  

That original price tag has since ballooned to $18.5 million. Permits, inspections, environmental studies and administrative costs account for about $4 million of the price tag, Rosenbrock said, with the remaining $14.5 going to the contractor. S.J. Amoroso, who began the project in 1998.  

The city paid for the increase with a $3.5 million state seismic retrofit grant and $1.7 million interest earned on Measure G funds between 1992 and 1998.  

Critics, however, say the city’s financing strategy for the new public safety building is questionable. One neighborhood activist points to the $200,000 the city spent on a competition which produced designs that no one in the city wanted.  

“They do things that don’t make sense – that you or I or no one else would do,” he said, asking that his name not be used in this story.  

The new public safety building on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Addison Street will replace both the Hall of Justice and the fire administration buildings on McKinley Street. City officials plan to demolish the two 1930s-era buildings and replace them with a 124 space parking lot. 

Demolition of the old buildings has also been delayed by neighborhood opposition to a 170-foot police communications tower next to the new building. Neighbors say the tower is obtrusive and hurts property values and have asked city officials to either move it or break it up into smaller and less noticeable pieces.  

Demolition and parking lot construction is considered Phase II of the public safety building project, Rosenbrock said. Moving the police tower is not included in $1.5 million Phase II budget, he added. 

 

 


Landlord trial delayed

By Michael Coffino Daily Planet Correspondent
Wednesday October 11, 2000

The judge hearing the criminal case against a wealthy Berkeley landlord accused of sex and immigration offenses delayed until Oct. 24 a hearing to dismiss some of the charges.  

The hearing had been scheduled for Tuesday.  

Federal prosecutors said they plan to name additional defendants and the judge has previously said she wants those defendants named before she rules on the defense motion to dismiss some of the charges.  

Among other crimes, Lakireddy Bali Reddy, a Berkeley property owner and restaurateur, has been charged with importing three teenagers from a village in southern India to perform sexual services for him. His adult son, Vijay Kumar Lakireddy, has also been charged in the case.  

Ted Cassman, Reddy's lawyer, has asked Armstrong to throw out the sex charges because he says a reference to “immoral purposes” in the century-old law under which Reddy is charged is unconstitutionally vague. 

Currently free on $10 million bail, Reddy was arrested in January following the accidental death last year of one of the teen-agers, Chanti Jyotsna Devi Prattipati.  

The girl, whose exact age has not been established, died of carbon monoxide poisoning in one of Reddy's rental properties in Berkeley.  

A routine investigation by Berkeley police raised suspicions about her living circumstances. 

Cassman has argued that the 1907 law Reddy is charged under is unconstitutionally vague.  

He told the court last month that the law, which prohibits importation of minors for prostitution “or other immoral purposes,” is invalid because the phrase “immoral purposes” is vague and archaic.  

“The bottom line is that in our contemporary world (the law) fails to define a public offense beyond its specific reference to prostitution,” he wrote in papers filed in August. Under settled legal principles, a law is invalid if it is so vague that an average person would have to guess what it means. That is the case here, Cassman says. Cassman did not return a call placed to his office by the Daily Planet Tuesday seeking comment. 

Federal prosecutors in the case disagree with Cassman's interpretation of the statute.  

“No court has held that the phrase is unconstitutionally vague,” assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Kennedy told Armstrong in papers filed last month. Kennedy said the Supreme Court has held that the phrase “immoral purposes” is applicable to a variety of circumstances, including prostitution, concubinage, polygamy and rape. 

The government brief points out that Reddy has lived in the United States for over 30 years and presumably knew that sex with minors was illegal. 

Kennedy also argued that Reddy has effectively conceded he had sexual relations with the girls because defense attorney Cassman has indicated he will present evidence that the girls were over 18 at the time of Reddy's arrest, not minors.


Commission releases General Plan draft

Daily Planet staff
Wednesday October 11, 2000

After an intense 12 months of work, which included seven public workshops with over 30 hours of “round table” discussions, hundreds of speakers, and countless hours of discussion, writing, reviewing and revising, the Berkeley Planning Commission has released the much-anticipated Planning Commission Draft General Plan for community review and discussion. The Draft Plan is designed to replace the 1977 Master Plan and the first draft update prepared last summer by the City staff. 

The draft plan sets four major policy goals for Berkeley for the next 20 years:  

l Preserve Berkeley’s unique character and quality of life  

l Ensure that Berkeley has an adequate supply of decent housing, living wage jobs and businesses providing basic goods and services  

l Maximize and improve citizen participation in municipal decision-making.  

The Plan attempts to address many of the challenges the city faces: Housing and Land Use: The plan contains policies to encourage the development of affordable housing downtown and along transit corridors to meet the current housing crunch in Berkeley and the Bay Area.  

Transportation: The plan addresses the growing traffic problem with a series of policies to encourage transit use including working with transit agencies to establish an “EcoPass” program to provide area employees with free transit passes.  

Infrastructure: The plan contains policies calling for maintenance, repair and replacement of the City’s aging infrastructure of sewers, streets and sidewalks.  

Economic Development: The plan contains policies for promoting a strong industrial base and living wage jobs and supporting locally owned neighborhood-serving businesses. 

Public hearings will be held on October 25, 2000 and November 8, 2000 with an additional hearing planned for January.  

For copies of the plan, contact Andrew Thomas at 705-8135 or visit the City of Berkeley web site at: www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/Planning/


Scout council takes a stand against ban

The Associated Press
Wednesday October 11, 2000

PIEDMONT, — Boy Scout leaders in this quiet suburb have entered the debate over the national organization’s anti-gay stand with a letter to parents saying they won’t discriminate. 

After deciding at a retreat that they do not think being gay violates scouting principles, the Piedmont Scout Council sent a letter to parents in September explaining it opposes discrimination based on religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation. 

At issue is the national organization’s ban on gays in leadership.  

The policy survived a legal challenge when the Supreme Court ruled last June that the private volunteer group has the right to pick its own leaders, but it is still opposed by many as unfair. 

It was not clear how far the Piedmont council planned to go in opposing the ban. Council leaders did not return several telephone messages left by The Associated Press. 

At Boy Scouts of America headquarters, spokesman Gregg Shields said officials haven’t seen the Piedmont letter so they couldn’t comment on it. 

However, he said if the council does flout the ban, it will be the first in the country to do so.  

Two other councils, in Providence, R.I., and St. Paul, Minn., have formally requested the national organization review its policy. 

Josephine Pegrum-Hazelett, executive director of the Piedmont Scout Council, told The Oakland Tribune earlier that leaders didn’t “see anything in the scout oath and law that would seem to sanction discrimination.” 

The San Francisco Bay area scouting council, by contrast, does not oppose the anti-gay policy. 

Spokesman Michael Dybeck said the larger council tries to focus on the children it serves rather than national debates. 

“Our focus is delivering a quality scouting program to the community,” he said. 

On the Net: http://www.bsa.scouting.org/


Power plant still sucks in fish

The Associated Press
Wednesday October 11, 2000

SAN CLEMENTE — Lights, loud underwater noises and a curtain of air bubbles haven’t stopped fish from getting caught in the San Onofre nuclear power plant’s ocean water cooling system, according to a coastal commission report. 

Over the past 10 years, the power plant, operated by Southern California Edison Co., has been testing various methods that would reduce the number of fish killed by the generator cooling system that sucks in sea water at a rate of 2 feet per second. 

The alternate methods tested either failed to deter fish, were too expensive to install and maintain, or were harmful to other marine life, the report said. 

The California Coastal Commission, which ordered the study, was scheduled to discuss the report at its meeting Thursday in Oceanside but the commission does not have to take action. 

The report recommends that the power plant be allowed to stop researching other fish deterrence methods and be allowed to continue current methods as long as fish deaths don’t increase. 

“Nobody can come up with any techniques that work better than what’s working now,” said Susan Hansch, director of the commission’s Energy, Ocean Resources and Water Quality Department. “This is one place where (Edison employees) have really tried.” 

The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, located along the southern tip of the Orange County coast, currently diverts larger fish from intake pipes with guiding vanes that lead fish to an elevator, which returns them to the ocean. 

The intakes for San Onofre’s Units 2 and 3 reactors kill about 20 tons of adult fish a year, according to the commission’s Marine Review Committee. The current fish protection measures save about 4.3 tons of fish a year and meet commission requirements. 

The tests to further reduce fish deaths included using strobe lights, mercury vapor lights and varying intensities of light. Researchers also tested air bubble curtains, pneumatic guns and electrified nets. 

“The results were very mixed. Some fish were attracted, some were sent in other directions, depending on the species,” said David Kay, manager of Edison’s marine mitigation program. 

The power plant also cleans its intake system with warm water, which dissuades fish from entering the pipes. 

The intake is heated about seven times a year by reversing the flow of water through the system. Workers increase the water temperature gradually to drive fish from the system before the temperature reaches lethal levels. 


House passes citizenship bill for disabled

The Associated Press
Wednesday October 11, 2000

WASHINGTON — Spurred by the plight of a California woman, the House passed legislation Tuesday to allow disabled immigrants to become citizens without taking an oath of allegiance. 

If the Senate agrees, the bill passed by voice vote in the House would open the door to citizenship for Vijai Rajan, 24, of Anaheim. Republican Rep. Christopher Cox, who sponsored the bill, had called the Immigration and Naturalization Service’s handling of the case “appalling” because the woman suffers from cerebral palsy and other ailments. 

“Unfortunately when the system of justice doesn’t work, it is heartbreaking for those invovled,” Cox told the House before the vote. “This legislation also sends a strong signal that long delays and bureaucratic impediments are not the greetings that this great nation would send to its new citizens. I thank the Rajan family for never losing hope.” 

The Senate earlier passed a similar measure from Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., so that chamber is expected to approve Cox’s bill before the session ends. 

Sunder Rajan, the woman’s father, expressed concern about the need for a second Senate vote because the remainder of the session is measured in days rather than weeks. 

“With so little time left in the session, I’m afraid if it doesn’t happen now, it won’t happen or it won’t happen for a long time,” he said. “If everybody agrees this should be done, I hope there will be no problem.”  

Vijai Rajan, who was born in India, suffers from cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, seizures and Crohn’s disease, a severe intestinal ailment. She uses a wheelchair and receives 24-hour care. She cannot understand, recite or raise her hand to take the oath. 

The bill would allow the attorney general to waive the requirement for the oath for “an individual with a disability, or a child, who is unable to understand or communicate an understanding of the meaning of the oath.” 

Immigration experts say Rajan’s case illustrates a problem facing about 1,000 disabled applicants. Although the agency grants waivers for those applicants who cannot take the citizenship test, it requires that they be able to make a “meaningful allegiance.” 

Two similar cases were decided last year. In Utah, a federal judge ordered a mentally handicapped man be granted citizenship without taking the oath. In Hawaii, a federal judge upheld the INS’ oath requirement. Both rulings have been appealed. 

Born when her mother was visiting in India, Rajan has lived in the United States since she was a baby and has a green card. Her father became a naturalized citizen in 1980, her mother in 1994. Her older sister was born in the United States. 

Rajan’s parents sought citizenship for their daughter in 1994, when she turned 18. But officials denied the application in 1998 and rejected an appeal the following year, citing “applicant’s inability to comprehend the oath of allegiance due to medical certified condition,” according to INS documents. 

The INS hasn’t commented, citing the pending litigation. 

The bill is H.R. 4838. 

——— 

On the Net: The bill is at http://thomas.loc.gov. 

Rep. Cox’s site is http://www.house.gov/chriscox/ 


Council looks at ‘Healthy building’ ordinance

By Josh Parr Daily Planet Staff
Wednesday October 11, 2000

Editor’s Note: This the full story that was to appear in Tuesday’s paper, but was cut off due to a printing error.  

 

Prevention before detection. For victims of breast cancer and health workers, it seems like an obvious emphasis. “Detection of breast cancer is after the fact,” said Katherine Porter, of the Berkeley-based Women’s Cancer Resource Center. “We need to eliminate cancer at the root.” 

To do so, Porter and Diane De Lara want to re-invent “Cancer Awareness Month”, which they say is now a corporate-sponsored advertisement for pharmaceutical companies. 

To support Porter and de Lara, Councilmembers Margaret Breland and Kriss Worthington will introduce a resolution tonight to the Berkeley City Council, a first step in implementing several prevention-based ordinances.  

The resolution would require the city of Berkeley to develop a “healthy building ordinance” for all city renovations and new buildings, which would include the elimination of polyvinyl chloride and formaldehyde, which produce the known carcinogen dioxide. In addition, the resolution would have the city obtain fact sheets on the links between cancer and industrial pollution and distribute them to all clinics, hospitals, nurseries, and other health related sites in Berkeley. A city representative would be asked to regularly attend the Association of Bay Area Governments taskforce on dioxin pollution prevention. 

The city would purchase paper products that are totally chlorine free whenever possible. Lastly, the resolution would reaffirm the ban of pesticides in Berkeley parks, and place signs inside them announcing “You have entered a pesticide-free zone.”  

Further, “We are encouraging Berkeley industries to attain zero level emissions,” said Worthington, adding that the city will provide educational materials to businesses so that owners understand the link between the emissions and cancer. “This could lead to voluntary cooperation from businesses and set a trend, especially in a town like Berkeley, where people would say, “I’m not buying from anyone that doesn’t take into account dioxin emission.” 

Porter said that such a policy would make Berkeley a leader in the elimination of cancer causing agents, but that is just a small drop in the bucket. It is, however, a good way to raise awareness. 

“People need to know about the corporate nature of the breast cancer issue,” said Porter, who founded the Women’s Cancer Resource Center after being diagnosed with breast cancer herself and was dissatisfied with the way that the health industry was approaching the disease. “Money continues to pour into early detection centers, people donate millions of dollars every year, including polluter industries which contribute to the problem. It’s difficult to get a word in edgewise against these pharmaceutical companies which have so much more money and access. But this,” she said, pointing to the declaration, “is how we try to build our grassroots movement for prevention. One city at a time.” 

“Pharmaceutical companies...started cancer awareness month in 1984 and they emphasize early detection, but never mention the industrial causes of cancer,” said de Lara. “When pharmaceutical companies do consider prevention before detection, they advocate for prescriptions. Last year they made $573 million in ‘prevention’ sales to wealthy women. But real prevention does not come in a pill,” added de Lara. 

Studies have linked breast cancer to the presence of carcinogens, often the byproduct of heavy industry and pesticides. Between the years of 1991 and 1998, more than 1.5 billion pounds of pesticides were applied in California, an increase of 127 percent. Of the nearly 75,000 chemicals in commercial use today, nearly two-thirds have not been tested for carcinogens, according to Breast Cancer Action literature. 

Similarly, between 1983 and 1997 the incidence of ductal carcinoma in situ, a condition which could lead to invasive breast cancer, has increased 214 percent among women under 50, and 329 percent in those aged 50 and older, according to a report from the American Cancer Society. 

The Berkeley resolution comes a week after the Oakland City Council approved a similar prevention resolution. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is also mulling its own version of the resolution. The Berkeley breast cancer resolution, however, is more extensive and far reaching than the others, said Worthington. 

“Ours has more therefores, and whereas’es,” he joked. 

Polly Armstrong, however, calls it a boiler plate with a lot of “shoulds” and “will try’s.” 

“We’re really just doing what some other cities have already done,” she said. “It’s motherhood and apple pie. No on is going to say that getting people to pay attention to cancer and make changes in their lives to live a healthier existence is a bad thing,” she added.  

“Most of the substance we already have. We don’t use pesticides in parks, and Diane Woolley already asked for a healthy building ordinance.” 

In short, “it’s politically correct and isn’t going to hurt anything,” said Armstrong. 

Lingering beneath this image of Berkeley as a leader in cancer prevention, however, is that the root problems of cancer-related illness remain unaddressed.  

“African-American women, as a whole, don’t have the same purchasing power as white women,” said De Lara, referring to the various treatment modalities available to people with money to pay for the. One study by the American Cancer Society found that while white women are more likely to get breast cancer nationally, black women are most likely to die from it.  

Berkeley numbers seem to replicate this trend.  

A health study released last year showed that the incidence of breast cancer in white and black women in the city is markedly different.  

In 1997, 34 out of 100,000 white women died of breast cancer, while 48 of 100,000 African-American women died in the same manner.  

South and West Berkeley, where the population is predominantly African-American, is also home to Berkeley’s last remaining industrial zone, and is closer to the freeway, Worthington said. “It’s also the least served in terms of health care,” he said.


UC Berkeley holding hunger symposium

Bay City News
Wednesday October 11, 2000

The University of California at Berkeley will host a two-day symposium that will showcase innovative local methods of fighting hunger. 

“The Community Food Security Symposium” began Tuesday.  

Food security experts, social welfare and food policy organizations and representatives from federal, state and local agencies will meet to discuss several programs that seek to increase food security. 

Local programs that will be showcased include farm-to-school programs that link small farmers with school lunch programs as well as community gardening projects and farmers markets. 

Food analyst Gail Feenstra, of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program of UC Davis, says the symposium may lead to new collaborations between the participants – a right step in the fight against hunger. 

“Achieving food security – adequate, nutritious and locally available food – in California's communities will require partnerships among nutritionists, agricultural economists, farmers, community health advocates, state agency officials and consumers,” says Feenstra. 

The symposium begins with opening remarks from the co-chairwoman of the Food Security Workgroup in the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lucia Kaiser, and the division's vice president, W.R. Gomes.


Opinion

Editorials

POLITICAL NOTES

Tuesday October 17, 2000

Oct. 17 

7:30-9 p.m. 

Malcolm X School at Ashby Avenue and King Street 

Berkeley School Board Candidates Forum, Co-sponsored with PTA District Council 

 

Oct. 21  

1-3 p.m. 

People for Pepples campaign 

meet the candidate 

Berkeley Rose Garden entrance 528-2970 

 

Oct. 19 

7-8:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Community Media, B-TV Berkeley City Council Candidates’ forum for Detracts 2 and 6. 

 

The Bicycle Friendly Berkeley candidates’ forum on housing, transportation and the environment will be rebroadcast on TV-25: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23; 8 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24; 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29; 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1; 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4.  

 

Oct. 24 

7:30-9 p.m. 

King School Library, 1871 Rose St. 

Berkeley School Board Candidates forum, co-sponsored with King Middle School PTA. 

 

Oct. 26 

7-8:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Community Media, TV-25 

Candidates forum for City Council Districts 3 and 5. 

 

Oct. 30 

7:30-8:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Community Media, TV-25 

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board candidates’ forum. 

 

Endorsements 

 

Councilmember Betty Olds, running for the District 6 seat, announced that she has obtained the endorsements of the following organizations: the Sierra Club, the Berkeley Democratic Club, the Berkeley Police Association, the Berkeley Firefighter’s Association, SEIU 535 

*** 

The Berkeley Firefighters and Police Associations announced the endorsements of the following candidates for City Council: District 2 – Betty Hicks; District 3 – Marcella Crump-Williams; District 5 – Miriam Hawley; District 6 – Betty Olds. 

A statement from the two associations said they believe that these candidates will do the best job of improving public safety, supporting binding arbitration, and maintaining public safety budgets.  

Moreover, the organizations took the opportunity to state the following:  

“Firefighters and police officers need a City Council that will support an alternative transportation mode for persons with non-urgent psychiatric illnesses instead of using life-saving paramedic units.  

“We also want a City Council to support a wage and benefits package to attract diverse and experienced applicant pools for police officers and firefighters; and to require Police Review Commissioners to attend a Civilian Police Academy.”


Taco shells with genetically-engineered corn recalled

The Associated Press
Saturday October 14, 2000

WASHINGTON – A type of genetically engineered corn that is not approved for food use was withdrawn from the market at the government’s urging Thursday after the crop showed up in additional brands of taco shells. 

The Environmental Protection Agency said Aventis CropScience agreed to cancel its license to sell the corn, known as StarLink. It is only allowed for use in animal feed because of unresolved questions about whether it can cause allergies in humans. 

The health risks from the corn, “if any, are extremely low,” the EPA said in a statement. But because “Aventis was responsible for ensuring that StarLink corn only be used in animal feed, and that responsibility clearly was not met, today’s action was necessary,” the agency said. 

Safeway Inc. removed taco shells from its stores Wednesday night after learning of test results that showed they may contain the biotech corn. Kraft Foods issued a nationwide recall Sept. 22 of taco shells it sells under the Taco Bell brand name after similar tests confirmed the presence of the corn. 

Aventis already had suspended sales of the seed for next year’s crop and agreed to reimburse the government for purchasing all of this year’s harvest. 

The corn contains a bacterium gene that makes it toxic to some insects. All such pest-resistant crops must be licensed by EPA before farmers are allowed to grow them. StarLink is one of the least used varieties of biotech corn and the only one not allowed in food. 

The corn flour used in the Kraft and Safeway taco shells came from the same company, Azteca Milling of Irving, Texas, a joint partnership of Archer Daniels Midland Co. of Decatur, Ill., and Gruma S.A. of Monterrey, Mexico. 

Azteca is investigating the incidents and has implemented testing procedures to prevent the biotech corn from reaching its mills, said company spokeswoman Sarah Wright. 

Safeway’s action applied to shells sold under both its private label and under the name of Mission Foods, a Gruma subsidiary also based in Irving. Customers who purchased the shells are being offered refunds. Safeway said it had been assured by Mission Foods, which made the taco shells, that the corn was not in its products. 

Mission Foods, which also supplies taco shells to other supermarket chains, said in a statement that it is testing its products for the StarLink corn. Kraft’s taco shells were made in Mexico by Sabritas Mexicali, a unit of PepsiCo Inc. 

Safeway, based in Pleasanton, Calif., has 1,400 stores in the United States, primarily in the West. 

The Food and Drug Administration has been testing a variety of corn products for StarLink, but agency spokeswoman Ruth Welch declined to say whether the agency had found the corn in any foods other than the Kraft taco shells. 

“We’re doing a full investigation working with all parties involved in this issue,” she said. 

The StarLink corn was grown on about 300,000 acres this year nationwide, or about 0.4 percent of the total U.S. corn acreage. The Agriculture Department is buying up all of this year’s crop and then selling it for feed and other non-food uses. USDA estimates the action will cost Aventis as much as $100 million. 

The StarLink corn has become an embarrassment to the biotech industry, and food manufacturers have been meeting almost daily with government officials to deal with the issue. “We want to make sure that everything is done on the part of the government to reassure consumers that the food supply is safe,” said Gene Grabowski, a spokesman for the Grocery Manufacturers of America. 

The Safeway taco shells were purchased at a Washington-area store Sept. 28 and tested Wednesday by a firm in Iowa at the request of the coalition known as the Genetically Engineered Food Alert. 

“This is the second contamination incident in the past couple of weeks,” said Mark Helm, a spokesman for the environmental group Friends of the Earth. “It seems pretty clear that the FDA is doing a miserable job ensuring the safety of the American food supply.”


Volunteers try to lighten pre-work day mood

By Kelly Davis Special to the Daily Planet
Friday October 13, 2000

Downtown San Francisco was a friendly place Wednesday morning. At 7:30 a.m., more than 300 volunteers, wearing fluorescent green hats and vests, stationed themselves on street corners and cheerily waved hello to passers by. 

“Good morning, sir, have a nice day,” said Joan Heberger, 25, to one man. He gave her a quick smile, then looked down as he walked away. A moment later, Heberger grinned, jumped up and down, and waved her arms at a busload of people. 

“People walking and people on bikes are generally pretty friendly back,” Heberger said. “But the people on buses look at you like you’re nuts.” 

Heberger was part of the Affirmation Project, an event aimed at lightening the city’s mood. The event was planned by Foolsforhire, a group of four Bay Area teachers. The project consisted entirely of volunteers. They had nothing to sell. 

Volunteers ranged along Market and Powell streets, mostly in groups of two to four. They covered over sixty street corners. Some handed out lollipops, some blew bubbles, some gave out compliments. 

Heather Clisby, 34, said most passers by smiled back, and a few even stopped to talk.  

“A lot of people come up and expect you to give them a pitch, like you’re selling something,” she said. “And then when you tell them you’re not, they’re confused.” 

Bob Benson, a member of Foolsforhire, said that kind of confusion is part of what they’re trying to change. He said he wants to see a San Francisco where people aren’t suspicious of a friendly stranger.  

“People are tired of being treated like a commodity,” Benson said. “We want to create a sanctioned place where it’s safe to be friendly. We need to re-establish that human bond.” 

Foolsforhire’s mission is to help people break out of their inhibitions and create that bond. They regularly put on jester’s outfits and walk around the city, striking up conversations and posing for pictures.  

“We make people laugh,” said Benson.  

“But it’s not that we’re funny. We represent something that does not fit, and the way people perceive us allows them to express their own feelings of freedom.” 

For Wednesday’s event, Foolsforhire brought along around 200 high school students from Marin County, where two of the organizers teach.  

Other volunteers had heard about the event through an e-mail events bulletin. David Winstein, also of Foolsforhire, said around twenty passers-by joined their ranks that morning. 

Around 11:30 a.m., most of the morning traffic had died down, and the group crowded into Union Square.  

Organizers had brought in a sound system and many danced, still wearing their bright hats and vests. They ate soup, they cheered for themselves, and they did the hokey-pokey. 

At one point, a homeless man starting dancing with them.  

“Excellent,” Winstein said. “That’s exactly what we’re about.”


Bridge workers suffer from lead poisoning

The Associated Press
Thursday October 12, 2000

SAN FRANCISCO — Alarmed state officials said Tuesday that a large number of bridge workers in the San Francisco Bay area are suffering from lead poisoning after working on earthquake retrofit projects. 

The state blames employers for failing to provide adequate training and protection for at-risk workers. 

Over the past 22 months, nine painters who spend hours grinding away heavily-leaded paint were found to have very high levels of lead in their blood. 

One had the highest blood level of lead ever seen by state officials. 

”It’s striking that we’re seeing this many high cases for bridge workers in our backyard,” said Barbara Materna, chief of the state’s Occupational Lead Poisoning Prevention Program. 

Officials said six of the painters were employed by a contractor that has had multiple citations for violating federal health and safety standards. Robison Prezioso of Santa Fe Springs was fined $2,700 by the California Occupational Safety and Health agency for violating lead exposure regulations. 

State regulators pointed out the company followed testing and reporting rules and took appropriate action to treat the poisoned workers in the current cases. What is more disturbing, they say, is that some employers simply neglect to test their employees for lead exposure. 

There are no safeguards to catch such employers. 


State per-capita taxes among nation’s highest

The Associated Press
Wednesday October 11, 2000

Californians shouldered the eighth-highest per capita tax burden in the nation last year, paying $2,183.96 per person, U.S. Census data released Tuesday shows. 

The per capita figure was up $111 from the previous year’s $2,072.87. 

The census figures include taxes on alcohol, insurance premiums, gas and business licenses as well as property taxes, individual income and corporate taxes and others. 

State income tax collection grew 10.6 percent last year, from $27.7 billion to $30.7 billion, the figures show. 

Lenny Goldberg, executive director of the California Tax Reform Association, said the increase in income tax revenue was due to higher salaries in the booming economy. 

“A lot of that comes from the wealthiest incomes and that’s as it should be because they’re making the most money,” he said. 

California collected $72.4 billion in all taxes in 1999, up 6.9 percent from $67.7 billion collected the year before. 

At the same time, the net income tax collected from corporations dropped $128 million, from $5.59 billion in 1998 to $5.46 billion in 1999. 

“The corporations have been poking more and more loopholes in the tax laws,” Goldberg said.  

“Programs such as the Manufacturers Investment Credit, enterprise zones, research and development tax credits, those have grown substantially.” 

Pat Hill, spokesman for the Franchise Tax Board, which is responsible for collecting income and corporate taxes, agreed that the decrease in such revenue is due to tax incentive programs. 

“There’s been a widespread use of tax credits by businesses and corporations that are reducing their taxes,” he said. 

Taxes on tobacco products rose 38.5 percent — the highest percentage of any of the categories— from $649 million in 1998 to $899 million in 1999. 

That increase is due to Proposition 10, the 1998 voter-approved 50-cent-per-pack tobacco tax, said Dave Hayes, research manager for the Board of Equalization. 

“It’s completely due to that. Cigarette consumption has fallen off since that was implemented,” Hayes said. 

Nationally, the states collected about $500 billion in tax revenue in 1999, up from $474 billion in 1998. Individual income tax revenues rose 7 percent nationally. 

The average per-capita taxes collected by states were $1,835 for every person. Connecticut was highest, with $2,932, followed by Delaware with $2,695 and Hawaii with $2,671. 

 

On the Net: 

http://www.census.gov/