Four landmarks commissioners barred
The Landmarks Preservation Commission was able to get through its entire agenda on Monday night, but it wasn’t pretty. -more-
The Landmarks Preservation Commission was able to get through its entire agenda on Monday night, but it wasn’t pretty. -more-
Wireless antennas proposed for the Berkeley-Richmond Jewish Community Center on Walnut Street are causing consternation in some quarters. -more-
At a regional forum titled “Safe From the Start,” sponsored by the office of California Attorney General Bill Lockyer, parents, educators and health and social services professionals drew battle plans Tuesday to combat youth violence. -more-
The Berkeley High School AIDS memorial quilts already have nearly two hundred squares. -more-
SAN JOSE — Santa Clara County approved an unprecedented plan Tuesday to use its share of the national tobacco settlement to provide health coverage for all uninsured children in the county. -more-
LOS ANGELES — A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday barring six makers of popular aluminum scooters from selling models that allegedly infringe on a patent held by industry leader Razor USA. -more-
LOS ANGELES — A policeman who killed an actor holding a realistic fake gun at a Halloween party shot the man in the back of the head and in the back, an autopsy report showed. -more-
SACRAMENTO — California hospitals have settled a 10-year-old lawsuit with the state for $350 million to cover Medi-Cal reimbursement rates that a federal court said were set too low. -more-
LOS ANGELES — MP3.com restored its beleaguered music locker service Tuesday, seven months after lawsuits from record labels and music publishers forced its shutdown. -more-
INDUSTRY — Conservationists have threatened a lawsuit to block the sale of a 2,533-acre wildlife corridor by the Boy Scouts of America to a city redevelopment agency. -more-
SACRAMENTO — Polluted groundwater caused when a Sacramento County company dumped contaminants into wells and landfills can be cleaned, according to a new plan by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. -more-
SAN DIEGO — A 15-year-old student who showed off a handgun on campus and threatened to shoot a classmate escaped the attention of school officials because no one reported him, authorities said Tuesday. -more-
ORLANDO, Fla. — The American Medical Association approved a resolution Tuesday asking the government to consider making the “morning-after” contraceptive available over-the-counter. -more-
Al Gore suggested Tuesday that even a rejection of his Florida Supreme Court appeal might not drive him from the presidential race, though many Democrats said that would be the limit of their loyalty. -more-
The year’s busiest shopping season is here, and online retailers and shipping services are hoping to avoid the fiasco of last December when online giants like BarnesandNoble.com and ToysRUs.com failed to deliver thousands of packages in time for Christmas. -more-
SAN JOSE — Apple Computer Inc. became the latest personal computer maker to warn of disappointing earnings, saying Tuesday that first-quarter earnings will fall well short of Wall Street’s expectations because of a slowdown in sales. -more-
Wall Street had its first rush of euphoria in months Tuesday, with the Nasdaq composite posting its biggest one-day advance ever amid optimism that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates. Blue chip stocks also soared, carrying the Dow Jones industrials up more than 338 points. -more-
WASHINGTON — A Nicaraguan garment factory that supplies discounted clothing to American soldiers imposes sweatshop conditions and starvation wages on its workers, a lawsuit filed Tuesday contends. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — Homeowners cannot sue construction companies for negligence anymore, unless building code violations or other defects cause injury or economic loss, the California Supreme Court decided Monday. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — San Jose maintained its position as the No. 1 place for high-tech jobs, but other cities with high employment growth were closing the gap. -more-
As cold weather descends and natural gas costs soar, the Berkeley City Council is expected to adopt a resolution tonight continuing a program to assist vulnerable residents heat their homes. -more-
The city will take eight of its most heavily-polluting vehicles off the streets and replace them with alternately-fueled transportation in the next six months. -more-
“Free from parental control at last. Now all you need is money. Cha-Ching.” -more-
LOS ANGELES — Fourth-graders joined the fight over diesel school buses Monday, donning gas masks and urging state air regulators not to spend millions to buy the vehicles. -more-
Some say clinical trials showing -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco International Airport will start transferring all international flights to a new $1 billion terminal. -more-
SAN DIEGO — A lawsuit seeking $682 million from tobacco companies for improperly marketing to California teen-agers has moved a step closer to class-action status with a state court’s tentative ruling. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — A federal appeals court says the University of Washington Law School acted legally when it used race as a factor in its now-abandoned admission policy. -more-
LOS ANGELES — Animal control workers and advocates say a state law requiring pet shelters to delay euthanasia has led to overcrowding and increased dog fights in the city’s kennels, some of which date to the 1920s. -more-
Photos from a satellite orbiting Mars suggest the Red Planet was once a water-rich land of lakes, strengthening the theory that billions of years ago it had the conditions needed for the evolution of life. -more-
SACRAMENTO — An experimental program to increase salaries for underpaid, part-time “freeway fliers” who teach at multiple community colleges was approved Monday by the system’s state advisory board. -more-
LOS ANGELES — Lawyers for the first three officers convicted in a police corruption scandal said Monday that they will seek a new trial. -more-
SACRAMENTO — The California Legislature opened its 2001 session Monday with plenty of handshakes, hugs and unanimity, but there were also signs of discord lurking around the corner. -more-
NEW YORK — A key gauge of future economic activity fell 0.2 percent in October, suggesting further slowing for the U.S. economy in the new year. -more-
NEW YORK — PepsiCo Inc. shares rose Monday after it sealed a deal to buy Quaker Oats Co., the maker of Cap’n Crunch cereal, Aunt Jemima pancake mix and Gatorade, for about $13.4 billion in stock. -more-
REDWOOD CITY — The ExciteAtHome cable modem company Monday called off a joint venture with the Dutch communications giant UnitedGlobalCom to deliver high-speed Internet access overseas. -more-
They wept with Katie Lee as her songs of the flowing river brought David Brower’s spirit into the Berkeley Community Theater Saturday. -more-
Cal led in nearly every statistical category against Florida International University on Sunday, but in a game littered with poor shot selection, missed layups and general sloppy play, the 30 percent the Bears shot from the field proved to be the difference. -more-
While some mall retailers flagged down shoppers the day after Thanksgiving to convince them to work over the holiday season, stores in downtown and south Berkeley reported that they had already hired for the Christmas season. -more-
AUSTIN, TX - The University of California women’s swim team, behind a phenomenal performance by freshman standout Natalie Coughlin, finished in sixth place with 367 points at the 2000 Texas Invitational. -more-
Several streets in the Berkeley Marina area may soon be designated with the venerable names of three local heroes. -more-
AUSTIN, TX - The University of California men’s swim team finished in second place (563 points) at the 2000 Texas Invitational. Cal trailed only host and No. 1 ranked Texas (751). -more-
For 52 years, 60-year-old social worker Doris Mack said she has depended on faith at McGee Baptist Church to keep her going. Yesterday, she drew on the strength of those around her again during the World AIDS Day Service while remembering those who have died of the disease. -more-
Senior All-American defensive end Andre Carter took home several awards, including the Bear Backer Award for the team’s Most Valuable Player, at the annual Cal Football team banquet on Sunday night. -more-
A recent state supreme court ruling on employee recruitment practices in San Jose will deal a fatal blow to affirmative action in California, adversely affecting racial diversity in hiring and college admissions, a university law professor said. -more-
IRVINE – Ben Jones scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half Saturday as UC Irvine beat California 56-52. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO – Lee Wildes can’t stand inaction when it comes to treating patients with HIV and AIDS. That’s why he has sent thousands of dollars of surplus drugs to HIV sufferers in Africa — all but ignoring federal and international guidelines against doing so. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO – The day Productopia.com shut down, Joanna Nissen was talking on her cellphone about being laid off as she rode the bus to the office to clear out her desk. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO – When e-commerce companies began to evaporate this year, Silicon Valley venture capitalists Brad Garlinghouse and Joanna Strober paid a visit to Productopia.com to deliver a pep talk to the troops. -more-
TRUCKEE – Thousands of people were rudely awakened when a series of moderate earthquakes and aftershocks jolted this Sierra resort town early Saturday morning. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO – Rev. Jim Mitulski bid a fond farewell Sunday to his Protestant congregation at the Metropolitan Community Church, a place in the heart of the city’s predominantly gay Castro District where locals flock to hear sermons of compassion. -more-
STOCKTON – The Department of Corrections is disputing projections it will need 9,000 to 11,000 fewer beds because of a voter initiative that bars many drug users from prison. -more-
Last Christmas, Father Bill O’Donnell, Councilmember Kriss Worthington and a host of labor activists donned santa hats and sat in the Berkeley Marina Radisson Hotel lobby chanting Christmas carols with pro-union lyrics. -more-
The phone rings almost nonstop. This one is a call from a San Francisco attorney. Like so many calls to the East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, it is urgent. The attorney is doing pro bono work for a Guatemalan couple, political refugees now living in Stockton. They have just been granted asylum, so they can now apply for refugee status for their three children, 9-20 years old. -more-
In a built-up city like Berkeley, there’s not much space for new projects. So when the city offers its parking lot at Oxford Street and Allston Way for development, it’s likely to create a flurry of interest. -more-
Local prep star Lorenzo Alexander has made a verbal committment to attend Cal next fall, despite having the school far down his list for much of the recruiting process. -more-
This is one in a series of articles the Daily Planet will run over a year, looking at how the city is addressing the dispirit health needs of low-income minority residents. -more-
Vista College is finally going to get a permanent home. -more-
The public is invited to join Earth Island Institute, the Brower family, and the City of Berkeley for a David Brower Memorial Celebration from 2 to 4 p.m today at the Berkeley Community Theater, 1930 Allston Way. -more-
SAN JOSE — Black and Hispanic drivers are pulled over more often than whites in San Jose, according to statistics released Friday, but the police department said that does not mean its officers target minorities. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — Union warehouse workers and truck drivers approved a new contract with Summit Logistics on Friday, ending a six-week strike marred by violence that depleted Safeway store shelves throughout the state. -more-
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gray Davis said Friday that utilities should be barred from selling off any more power plants and dams until California’s turbulent wholesale electricity market smooths out. -more-
SAN DIEGO — A San Diego man pleaded innocent to murder on Friday for fatally shooting a 17-year-old who was videotaping friends doing skateboarding tricks as part of a drama class project. -more-
SACRAMENTO — California’s tough anti-smoking measures and public health campaigns have resulted in a 14 percent decrease in lung cancer over the past 10 years, the government reported Thursday. -more-
SANTA ROSA — Computer networking giant Cisco Systems Inc., which already employs more than 500 people in Petaluma, is looking for another Sonoma County location for a new campus that eventually could employ up to 4,000 people. -more-
SACRAMENTO — John C. Fremont Charter School is caught in two sides of California’s education world – aloof from most state regulations as a charter, yet judged along with other public schools in Gov. Gray Davis’ ranking and rewards system. -more-
In a surprise announcement, Cal Athletic Director John Kasser resigned from his post Thursday to become the executive director of Pac-10 Properties. -more-
While Berkeley’s efforts to reduce the number of new HIV/AIDS cases has been successful over the last six years, the city’s infection rate is still higher than that in Alameda County and California. -more-
Sharing syringes and other equipment for drug injection is a well known route of HIV transmission, yet injection drug use contributes to the epidemic’s spread far beyond the circle of those who inject. -more-
POUND RIDGE, N.Y. — To please a gardener with a holiday gift, think useful. What can he or she do with it in the garden? -more-
Q: We are trying to tighten up our home for the winter and are tracking down and eliminating sources of drafts. The doors and windows were no problem, but we noticed a bad draft coming from our clothes dryer vent. What’s the best way to handle this situation? -more-
WASHINGTON — Aiming to overcome the scandals and infighting that have tarnished its image, U.S. Olympic Committee leaders began a four-day meeting Thursday to choose a new chairman and decide whether to keep an interim chief executive officer. -more-
The Associated Press -more-
By Robin Shulman -more-
By Robert W. Fuller -more-
The Berkeley High women’s basketball team played its first game of the season Wednesday, and got its opening-day jitters out of the way early. -more-
Already facing criminal charges for allegedly transporting immigrants to the United States for cheap labor and sex, Lakireddy Bali Reddy now faces civil charges in the wrongful death of Chanti Jyotsna Devi Prattipati. -more-
Cal defensive end Andre Carter and punter Nick Harris were named to the All-Pac-10 first team this week, the league office announced. It was the second straight selection for both seniors. -more-
When the UC Regents approved plans for the new central dining and office facility, the existing dining pavilions, classic examples of modernism, came closer to the wrecking ball. -more-
The No. 4 Cal men’s water polo team, which finished the 2000 season 17-8 (5-3 in MPSF) and placed second in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Tournament last weekend in Los Alamitos, CA, did not receive an at-large berth to the NCAA Championship. -more-
In accord with its mission to encourage the writing of poetry and to bring together people who enjoy it, Poets’ Dinner invites entries in its 75th annual poetry contest. -more-
SAN JOSE — President Clinton and Chilean President Ricardo Lagos, commenting from opposite coasts, said Wednesday their countries have initiated talks on a free trade agreement and agreed that formal negotiations should start as soon as possible. -more-
SACRAMENTO — The California Supreme Court refused Wednesday to consider the insurance industry’s challenge to a new state law that gives thousands of Northridge earthquake victims a year to refile their claims. -more-
WESTMINSTER — More than half of Southern California’s shoreline – from Santa Barbara to San Diego – is unsafe for swimming after rainstorms because of bacteria carried to the ocean by urban runoff, according to a new study. -more-
SAN DIEGO — Three San Diego-based Marines face military charges for allegedly raping two teen-age girls during a port stop in Australia. -more-
STAFFORD — Filled with sadness, environmental activist Julia “Butterfly” Hill returned Wednesday to the wounded tree that was her home for two years. -more-
SAN DIEGO — Religious figurines and bright chrysanthemums stood beside the blood-stained sidewalk where a 17-year-old boy fell dead when a neighbor opened fire on a group of skateboarders. -more-
FRESNO — By his own words, motel handyman Cary Stayner guaranteed that he’ll never be a free man for murdering a naturalist in Yosemite National Park. -more-
LOS ANGELES — Don’t expect the smog jokes to stop anytime soon, but Southern California has made significant progress toward fighting air pollution – especially in the last five years. -more-
For the first time, a vaccine protected monkeys against the lethal Ebola virus, raising doctors’ hopes of developing a means of inoculating people against the terrifying disease. -more-
SANTA BARBARA — More than 20 people knew 15-year-old Nicholas Markowitz was being held by kidnappers who eventually killed him but none of them notified police, county grand jury transcripts show. -more-
Energy shortages have strained electrical and natural gas supplies, prompting the state to ask residents to keep their holiday lights off in the early evening and leading utilities to warn customers of skyrocketing heating bills. -more-
SAN JOSE — Those afraid of needles may breathe easier with news of an experimental flu vaccine that takes the form of a nasal spray. -more-
The Pacific Film Archive and Berkeley Art Museum will undergo a $4 million seismic retrofit starting in April of 2001, the University of California at Berkeley announced Friday. -more-
OAKLAND — In a case that could lead to more drilling near a marine sanctuary or could leave up to 1 billion barrels of oil untapped, a federal judge has stepped into a dispute between California and federal officials over offshore oil exploration. -more-
ATLANTA — A survey of what people know about AIDS found that four out of 10 mistakenly believe it is possible to get the disease by sharing a drinking glass or being coughed or sneezed on by an infected person. -more-
OAKLAND — The launch of electronic toll collection on the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge is being called a “relative success” by Caltrans officials this morning. -more-