Berkeley Superintendent of Schools Jack McLaughlin has five days to decide if wants to accept an offer to take over Nevada’s top education post this weekend. -more-
We need full investigation of Netanyahu incident -more-
Sean Lampley went missing in the first half, but he turned up time to help California get an easy win against a tough opponent. -more-
A prosecutor says a third sexual assault happened in Berkeley’s middle schools during a two-week period. -more-
It’s rare that the Berkeley Lady Yellowjackets face a test in their own gym. For the past decade, most of the close games the team has played have been at national tournaments far from home. But facing a talented team from Las Vegas in the championship game of the First Annual Lady Yellowjacket Tournament, head coach Gene Nakamura’s squad showed that they have the heart of a champion, beating Bishop Gorman 67-58. -more-
Despite possible legal challenges, the Berkeley Unified School District Board of Directors voted Wednesday to continue using the school’s current desegregation system — which assigns students to schools based upon a combined choice and lottery system. -more-
Santa Clara fought hard to escape Haas Pavilion Sunday afternoon with a win, answering California’s every effort throughout the game to pull out a 77-73 victory over the Bears. Senior guard Courtney Johnson scored a career-high 32 points for the Bears in the effort. The contest marked a reunion of sorts for California head coach Caren Horstmeyer, who left Santa Clara last year to take over coaching duties at Cal this season. -more-
Berkeley residents are concerned about health risks from the radiation-emitting wireless antennas sprouting up around town but city officials say there’s nothing they can do as long as the antennas look good. -more-
Overcoming fatigue and an early deficit, the Berkeley Yellowjackets won the consolation championship game of the Chris Vontoure Classic at De La Salle Saturday, beating Castlemont (Oakland) 69-60. -more-
All night study sessions. Nails bitten to the quick. Dark circles under the eyes. Final exams are next week, and students at UC Berkeley are gearing up for the most stressful time of the semester. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO – It’s horrifying animal lovers and baffling scientists — two sea otters are sexually assaulting and then drowning harbor seal pups in an area about 80 miles south of San Francisco. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO – A three-year-old boy originally thought to have died Wednesday from scooter injuries was actually killed by another person, a coroner’s report revealed. -more-
SAN JOSE — More than 50 people were hospitalized Sunday after pepper spray was released in four stores, police said. -more-
MODESTO – Detectives have found the remains of a five-year-old girl in the backyard of her guardians’ home. -more-
ONTARIO – Police rescued a teen-ager Saturday after a roughly 10-hour standoff that ended with the death of a federal police officer accused of kidnapping the boy a day earlier. -more-
PASADENA – Dozens of picketers lined the sidewalk in front of a local Target store Saturday, claiming that garments sold in the chain stores are made under sweatshop conditions in Nicaragua and that workers are not paid a living wage. -more-
LOS ANGELES – Farm labor leader Dolores Huerta was recovering in fair condition Sunday from pneumonia and an infection. -more-
ORLAND – The parish hall at St. Dominic Catholic Church is packed on a Thursday night — some 70 parents want to learn about the gangs on their streets. -more-
The Associated Press -more-
VALLEJO – One year ago, 7-year-old Xiana Fairchild left home for school and never came back. -more-
HOLLISTER – For two lesbian women who started a small-town weekly newspaper in rural Hollister, it seemed like a simple and sweet idea: Leave the daily grind of the big city behind and take on a slower pace while being your own boss. -more-
BERKELEY – To James Vander Putten, it’s somewhere he can laugh about the time his blue collar slipped out at a fancy faculty do. -more-
SAN JOSE – The world’s largest manufacturer of computer chips can’t stop making them faster. -more-
SAN DIEGO – A shareholder has filed an investor lawsuit against Gateway alleging the computer seller misled investors in the fall about financial statements. -more-
LOS ANGELES – Managing chads, hanging and otherwise, is a regular part of business for BigBallot Inc., the company that runs the All-Star balloting for Major League Baseball and other sports leagues. -more-
Focus on risks of 170-foot antenna tower -more-
It’s not your ordinary medical clinic. No doctors in white lab coats, and they don’t ask for your insurance information at the door. But for more than 30 years, the Berkeley Free Clinic has provided thousands of clients with basic health services. -more-
Demonstration began, did not squelch Middle East discussion -more-
California sophomore forward Laura Schott was one of 12 players selected to the 2000 NSCAA/adidas first team All-America team announced Wednesday at the NCAA Men’s College Cup in Charlotte, N.C. -more-
Adelia Lines was a lover of words. Director of the Berkeley Public Library, Lines died Dec. 7 of brain cancer at her home in Richmond. The 56-year-old library advocate, known as Dede to her friends, was a champion of literacy and of bringing resources to the under-served. She was also a wicked punster who, according to friends, could use humor to ease tension in the most stressful of situations. -more-
Guard scores 20 as defense stifles Dons -more-
Protests that caused cancellation of a lecture by former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Community Theater last week have sparked heated debate around free speech issues. -more-
Backcourt comes through in victory -more-
Interested in learning more about the Votomatic? Now a household word, the vote-counting machine spawned numerous similar machines, including the one at center stage in the Al Gore-George Bush battle for the presidency. -more-
From a D- to a B+ in one day. That’s pretty impressive. -more-
Bruce Vogel’s been putting on a lecture series for 10 years. “I’m in the business of providing people with intellectual entertainment,” he said. -more-
LOS ANGELES — Federal agents have arrested five employees of a San Fernando Valley telemarketing firm that sold initial public offering shares of a company that never existed. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — Socially conscious rockers Rage Against the Machine have apologized to their fans after Napster Inc. blocked access for users swapping the band’s mosh-rock favorites. -more-
LOS ANGELES — As tensions continue to escalate in the Middle East, violence abroad against Jews and Muslims is rising, say leaders of civil rights groups that track hate crimes. -more-
LOS ANGELES — In a move that alarmed environmentalists but failed to placate automakers, staff for the state’s air-quality board proposed Friday to sharply scale back a rule that would put thousands of battery-powered vehicles on California roads by 2003. -more-
LOS ANGELES — A 77-year-old Echo Park apartment building partially collapsed Friday, killing a man and causing minor injuries to 36 other people. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — Energetic fourth grader Fredrika Keefer glides across a rehearsal floor, showing off some of the moves the San Francisco Ballet School refused to watch when it rejected her, apparently for being too short and too chubby. -more-
With a Stage Two power emergency declared almost every day recently, Californians are being asked to turn off lights and bundle up instead of cranking their heaters – and they have. -more-
NEW YORK — Wall Street went on a buying spree Friday, encouraged by a government employment report that could bolster the case for an interest rate cut early next year. Investors were so optimistic they shrugged off an earnings warning from Intel. -more-
WASHINGTON — Rep. Julian Dixon, a senior member of the Congressional Black Caucus who represented his west Los Angeles district for 22 years, has died. He was 66. -more-
In a stunning decision that resurrected Al Gore’s presidential candidacy, the Florida Supreme Court ordered an immediate count of the “undervote” across Florida and put the vice president within a razor-thin 154 votes of George W. Bush’s in the race for the White House. -more-
WASHINGTON — Floridians who believe they were denied their right to vote because of discrimination, fraud or other illegal practices will get a chance to testify next year before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. -more-
NEW YORK — Hundreds of John Lennon devotees made their annual pilgrimage to Central Park on Friday to sing and reminisce about the former Beatle 20 years after he was shot to death by an obsessed fan. -more-
PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii — Denver Gray remembers the carnage created by a bomb dropped at Hickam Air Field. -more-
Surviving on defense and rebounding, the Berkeley Yellowjackets won their first-round game in the First Annual Lady Yellowjacket Basketball Tournament on Thursday, defeating an outgunned Bonita Vista team 50-36. But against a weaker opponent, Berkeley’s front-line players struggled, leading coach Gene Nakamura to bench several of them for much of the second half. -more-
The historic Fox Cottage, at 2612 Channing Way is being prepared for its 500-foot move to 2350 Bowditch St. The cottage, built in 1930, has had some interior walls removed so workers can brace the frail brick walls for the move. Once the walls are stiffened, the cottage will be hydraulically lifted and put on dollies before it trundles to its new home around the corner. The cost of the excursion is estimated to be at least $750,000. -more-
An interim parking plan for Berkeley High School approved 4-1 by the Board of Education Wednesday night provoked acrimony between school representatives and neighbors of the school, who feared it would compound an already dire parking situation. -more-
The City Council was unable to act Tuesday on a second air quality study that might definitively determine health risks to people who live or work near Interstate 80. -more-
While most Berkeley students prepare for long nights of studying and last-minute cramming, Muslim students will spend the last few weeks of this semester strengthening their links to God. And they will do so by fasting in celebration of Ramadan. -more-
OAKLAND— A class action federal suit was filed Thursday on behalf of at least 12 black men who say their civil rights were violated by four Oakland police officers known as “The Riders.” -more-
An analysis of 69 people who died with the help of Dr. Jack Kevorkian found that only 25 percent were terminally ill and five had no physical problems. It also found that more women than men sought his assistance. -more-
Ceramic tiles are a beautiful accent in many old homes. Whether decorative or plain, the richness of this material commonly lends an air of grace and charm to old entranceway floors, baths and fireplaces. -more-
Have you looked at the glazing putty around your windows lately? If so, chances are you noticed some cracked, broken or entirely missing strips of putty. The fact is, all single-pane windows need reglazing periodically. Replacing cracked putty will save energy and prevent rot from invading your windows. -more-
A proposal to rename a stretch of University Avenue near the Berkeley Marina after labor hero Cesar Chavez has met with objections from some family members and supporters, who are calling the move a back-handed compliment. -more-
Debate continues on Netanyahu protests and free speech rights -more-
Following up a tough win against the towering frontcourt of Skyline last week, the Berkeley High boys’ basketball team was looking to avoid a letdown against a much smaller Balboa (San Francisco) squad. No problem. -more-
The driver of a truck narrowly escaped serious injury Tuesday evening when his truck was struck by a train after he became impatient and drove around a guard arm in an attempt to reach a construction yard 50 yards away, Union Pacific police said. -more-
Shaking off a cold-shooting first half, the Cal Bears came on strong to beat Cleveland State on Tuesday night at Haas Pavilion. -more-
Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence Summers called on policymakers Wednesday to continue expanding the technologically-dependent domestic economy and to foster relationships between international trading partners. -more-
Despite neighborhood opposition and legal complications, a neighborhood group brought an armload of petitions to the City Council Tuesday to underscore its request that the city continue working for the new hills fire station. -more-
OAKLAND — Three of the four police officers charged in “The Riders” scandal pleaded innocent Wednesday to assault, kidnapping, filing false reports and other charges in one of the city’s biggest crackdowns on police misconduct. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — A public interest group sued Kaiser Permanente on Wednesday, accusing the state’s largest HMO of jeopardizing patients’ health by prescribing them double dose-sized pills they must cut in half. -more-
LOS ANGELES — People pay to get their pools cleaned, their lawns raked and their trees trimmed. So should it come as any surprise that more and more of them are paying to get their holiday lights put up? -more-
FOUNTAIN VALLEY — Power shortfalls and price spikes are leading some California companies to consider solar power, not just as a cleaner substitute for conventional energy but also as a reliable source of electricity in a volatile market. -more-
MARIPOSA — In the shadow of the mountains where he lived, worked and killed, motel handyman Cary Stayner pleaded innocent Wednesday to slaying three Yosemite National Park tourists. -more-
ANGELES — The Los Angeles Police Commission called on the Boy Scouts of America on Tuesday to drop its ban on gays, indicating it may fold the Police Department’s Explorer Scout program if it doesn’t. -more-
SACRAMENTO — The state school board approved two very different charter schools on Wednesday – an urban military academy backed by Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown and Gov. Gray Davis, and a basics elementary sought by parents in the high desert of Kern County. -more-
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Al Gore hung his presidential hopes on legal proceedings moving at head-spinning speed a day ahead of arguments before the Florida Supreme Court, counting on a court shocker to upset George W. Bush’s certified Florida victory. -more-
It’s the middle of the day and dozens of shoppers buzz in and out of coffee houses, boutiques and music stores. Many sport designer sweaters and leather jackets with tall, black leather boots. -more-
PALO ALTO — Hewlett-Packard Co. CEO Carly Fiorina said Wednesday the company made management changes and sharpened its focus after posting disappointing results in its most recent quarter. -more-
NEW YORK — Stocks turned abruptly lower Wednesday when an earnings warning from Bank of America incited a wave of selling and wiped out much of Tuesday’s big advance in the Dow industrials. High-tech stocks also fell sharply. -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-
Berkeley police say another shooting took place yesterday morning in a city that has seen a rash of violence in the past several weeks. -more-
BERMUDA DUNES — Authorities were hunting Friday for a federal police officer who allegedly abducted a middle school student from a bus stop and escaped after a high-speed freeway chase. -more-
SAN JOSE — Foreign-born residents of Silicon Valley earn less on average than U.S.-born residents, but pay more for housing, a new government survey concludes. -more-
UNION CITY — An explosion at a pipe factory late Wednesday afternoon injured at least 12 people, rescue officials said. -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-
