Features

Bay Briefs

Monday December 04, 2000

Oakland Zoo to get a facelift 

OAKLAND – The Oakland Zoo is set to get a facelift with a final infusion of cash from bonds approved a decade ago by city voters. 

The $5.19 million recently designated for use by the East Bay Zoological Society is from the last cycle of Measure K bond issues. The money will be combined with private donations to finance improvements to animal areas, chidren’s rides and the new entrance currently under construction. 

Voters passed Measure K in 1990, which directed that $10 million go to the zoo for capital improvements. 

The zoo has budgeted about $800,000 to improve the African elephant breeding program. The bond money will also enable to the zoo to finish its tropical rain forest exhibit, install new restrooms and renovate the homes of many of its animals. 

 

Runoff in S.F. race, growth control loses 

SAN FRANCISCO – Final election results confirmed that there will be a run-off in the District 8 race for city supervisor, the San Francisco department of elections announced. Elections officials also declared Friday that growth control Proposition L officially lost by 1,272 votes. 

Supervisor Mark Leno fell six votes short of avoiding the runoff in District 8. He will face five other candidates again on Dec. 12. Ballots have been sent to all voters in run-off districts, the department of elections said. 

Ten the city’s 11 districts will see a runoff. Only incumbent Tom Ammiano gained more than 50 percent of the vote. He won District 9. 

 

Litter and graffiti officers increased  

SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco will have a larger team to combat litter and graffiti. 

The Department of Public Works is boosting its squad of “environmental control officers” from 13 to 22 workers. That allocates 2 officers for each of the 11 new Board of Supervisors districts. 

The city spends about $30 million a year and dedicates 380 people for cleanup and graffiti removal. Pubic works said it receives about 4,500 phone calls each month from residents complaining about litter. 

 

Anesthesiologist convicted of elder abuse, gets two years 

SAN MATEO – An anesthesiologist who stole a wedding ring from the finger of one of her patients was sentenced to two years in state prison. 

Wanda Newbreast Heffernon, 42, of Richmond was convicted of felony charges of elder abuse and receiving stolen property. She must also pay $2,000 in restitution. 

Heffernon pleaded no contest to the charges. 

Heffernon was working at a Portola Valley nursing home in late 1999 when she stole a diamond wedding ring and engagement ring from a 94-year-old woman. 

 

Woman awakens from a coma, accuses boyfriend 

OAKLAND – An Oakland woman suddenly awoke from a coma and told hospital security she had been pistol-whipped into unconsciousness by her ex-boyfriend. 

The woman’s ex-boyfriend, Mandingo Hayes, had spent most of the year in prison for assaulting her before. He was arrested and pleaded innocent in Alameda County Superior Court to charges of assault with a deadly weapon, violating a restraining order, stalking and domestic violence. 

The woman, whose identity has not been release to protect her safety, was placed on life support after her mother visited and found her unconscious at her home. 

The woman awoke the night before Thanksgiving — a day before doctors and family had discussed removing the life support system. 

Hayes is awaiting a hearing and is being held without bail at Santa Rita jail. 

 

Boys Ranch to help provide vegetables 

RICHMOND – Teens at Byron Boys Ranch this week will unveil a new horticulture project that will help provide vegetables to areas of Contra Costa County that lack access to healthy foods. 

According to a Contra Costa Health Services spokeswoman, around 20 boys who are residents of rehabilitation facility have been working after school and on weekends to build planter boxes for the East-West Market Garden. 

At a job fair on Thursday, the boys will unveil the planters, which will contain the seeds of an assortment of winter vegetables like carrots, cabbage, celery and parsnips. The produce will sold at farmer’s markets in areas identified by the West Contra Costa Food Security Council as lacking access to fruits and vegetables. 

“The council did surveys that found little availability of fresh produce in several areas, especially more isolated parts of North Richmond and Richmond’s Parchester Village,” said spokeswoman Melody Steeples. “That need can be met, in part, by the East-West Market Garden. 

Mike Grimes, principal of the Byron Boys Ranch on-site high school, said volunteers have enjoyed the new project so much that the school plans to add horticulture classes to the course schedule in spring to help expand the garden. 

“For us, the whole idea of the project is to teach these guys a healthy skill that they can take home with them, and show them all the good things you can get out of a 9-by-12-foot box.”