News

Council set to amend gas heater mandate

By John Geluardi Daily Planet Staff
Tuesday January 23, 2001

Berkeley became the first California city to adopt into law mandatory inspection of gas heaters in rental units. Tonight it will consider an amendment to charge property owners for the administrative costs of the new ordinance. -more-


Calendar of Events & Activities

Tuesday January 23, 2001


Tuesday, Jan. 23

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Perspective

By Jennifer Rakowski
Tuesday January 23, 2001

In 1975, Judge James Meredith approved a consent decree that attempted to address residence-based racial imbalance in St. Louis schools and to prevent lengthy and angry litigation. That same year my family moved to Brentwood a small suburb of St. Louis. I was five years old. -more-


Antennae appeal at meeting forefront

By John Geluardi Daily Planet Staff
Tuesday January 23, 2001

At tonight’s City Council meeting, a public hearing will be held on the appeal of neighbors who say the permit to place 12 wireless communications antennae on the roof of the Oaks Theater will create health risks. -more-


Landlord plans appeal of ZAB decision

Daily Planet Staff
Tuesday January 23, 2001

A city board’s determination that five units in a building on Piedmont Avenue are illegal will be refuted by the property owner at tonight’s City Council meeting. -more-


Active, artistic teen mourned

Daily Planet Staff
Tuesday January 23, 2001

Berkeley High School freshmen Everton Luis Santini died Saturday at Children’s Hospital in Oakland. -more-


Representative pleased with UC lab extensions

Daily Planet wire services
Tuesday January 23, 2001

The Department of Energy and the University of California have agreed to extend the school system's contract to manage the Lawrence Livermore and Los Alamos National laboratories through 2005. -more-


No relief from power woes at work week start

The Associated Press
Tuesday January 23, 2001

SACRAMENTO — Transmission problems aggravated California’s power crisis on Monday, as authorities warned that homes and businesses in the north of the state might go dark again Tuesday morning. -more-


Security concerns keep utilities from notifying customers in advance

The Associated Press
Tuesday January 23, 2001

When computers, cash registers and traffic lights go dark, it’s more than just an inconvenience. It’s a public safety issue. -more-


Bush nominee for energy commission a free-market advocate

The Associated Press
Tuesday January 23, 2001

WASHINGTON — President Bush will nominate Curt Hebert, who has argued against federal involvement in the California electricity crisis, as chairman of the agency that regulates wholesale power markets. -more-


Phone pricing issues go to court

The Associated Press
Tuesday January 23, 2001

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court agreed Monday to rule on a case that could affect how quickly American consumers see greater choice for local phone service — and perhaps lower prices – in a national market still dominated by the offspring of the old Bell system. -more-


BRIEFS

The Associated Press
Tuesday January 23, 2001

Economic activity gauge plunges in December -more-


Market Watch

The Associated Press
Tuesday January 23, 2001

NEW YORK — Profit-taking sent stocks modestly lower Monday as Wall Street rested after three weeks of healthy gains in the high-tech sector. An earnings warning from Dell Computer had little effect on the markets. -more-


Berkeley psychotherapist evicted

By John Geluardi Daily Planet Staff
Monday January 22, 2001

Psychotherapist Karen Rose was served an eviction notice several months ago to move out of her office of 12 years. Her deadline to vacate is today, but Rose has not yet packed. -more-


Calendar of Events & Activities

Monday January 22, 2001


Monday, Jan. 22

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Letters to the Editor

Monday January 22, 2001

City government should give back utility tax -more-


Ruggers open with domination of Gaels

By Jared Green Daily Planet Staff
Monday January 22, 2001

After the Cal-St. Mary’s rugby match on Saturday, Cal head coach Jack Clark said he wasn’t happy with his team’s performance, and “at least now we know what it is we have to work on.” -more-


Cragmont Elem. teachers eligible for $25K bonus

By Jon Mays Daily Planet Staff
Monday January 22, 2001

Berkeley schools and staff may also receive cash awards -more-


Bears fall to struggling Cardinal

By Ralph J. Gaston Daily Planet Correspondent
Monday January 22, 2001

Stanford win streak now at 15 -more-


Activists protest Bush inauguration

By Erika Fricke Daily Planet Staff
Monday January 22, 2001

A powder-caked woman, dressed in lemon-yellow skirts and covered in shiny sequins marched down San Francisco’s Grove Street on stilts Saturday, like a lemon-meringue pie making a stiff debut. -more-


Bears shake the blues with win over Bulls

By Jared Green Daily Planet Staff
Monday January 22, 2001

It was ugly, but it was a win. -more-


Michael Milken legacy in dispute, pardon or not

By Gary Gentile AP Business Writer
Monday January 22, 2001

LOS ANGELES – President Clinton may have heeded federal prosecutors’ pleas to deny Michael Milken a pardon, but the financier’s case is unlikely to fade completely. The man who built Wall Street’s junk bond market continues to spend much of his wealth on cancer research and other charitable causes. -more-


High school rivalry blamed for trouble

By John Geluardi and Jon MaysDaily Planet Staff
Saturday January 20, 2001

About three dozen police officers swarmed into the downtown area Friday afternoon when a high school rivalry involving about 150 students nearly turned into a riot. -more-


Calendar of Events & Activities

Saturday January 20, 2001


Saturday, Jan. 20

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Letters to the Editor

Saturday January 20, 2001

Other cities should pay for Berkeley’s homeless -more-


’Jackets recover from loss, blow out Alameda 98-40

By Jared Green Daily Planet Staff
Saturday January 20, 2001

Coming off of what Berkeley head coach Gene Nakamura called the most severe defeat of his career, the Lady ’Jackets rebounded nicely, thrashing the Alameda Hornets and nearly breaking triple digits on the scoreboard. -more-


Berkeley schools rank well in state

By Jon Mays Daily Planet staff
Saturday January 20, 2001

School officials are expressing delight in the state’s recent publication of the Academic Performance Index in which the majority of Berkeley schools showed improvement over last year. -more-


Bakery closes so workers can attend rally

By Jon Mays Daily Planet staff
Saturday January 20, 2001

A Berkeley bakery collective is closing its doors early today so its workers can go to the San Francisco protest of President George W. Bush’s inauguration. -more-


New system could reduce commute times

Daily Planet wire report
Saturday January 20, 2001

Drivers who rely on radio traffic reports may soon have an easier way to navigate the dreaded freeway commute. -more-


Driver agitated before slamming into Capitol

The Associated Press
Saturday January 20, 2001

SACRAMENTO — The driver of a big rig that rammed the state Capitol told acquaintances and family members he was upset over his new wife and his new job, investigators said Friday. -more-


Willie Brown expecting child with aide

The Associated Press
Saturday January 20, 2001

SAN FRANCISCO — Mayor Willie Brown says he’s going to be a dad again. -more-


Cash-strapped utilities ordered to stay in business

The Associated Press
Saturday January 20, 2001

SACRAMENTO — Saying insolvency was no excuse, state regulators slapped California’s two largest utilities with an order Friday barring them from cutting off power to the 25 million people they serve. -more-


Group gave money to mother of Jesse Jackson’s child

The Associated Press
Saturday January 20, 2001

CHICAGO — The Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow-PUSH Coalition said Friday it paid $35,000 in “severance pay” to the woman he had a child with in an extramarital affair. -more-


Closed-circuit TV considered for McVeigh

The Associated Press
Saturday January 20, 2001

OKLAHOMA CITY — Federal officials are considering a closed-circuit telecast of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh’s execution because of the large number of victims and relatives who might want to watch him die. -more-


Bush says he is ready for presidential post

The Associated Press
Saturday January 20, 2001

WASHINGTON — George W. Bush proclaimed himself ready on Friday to accept “with pride” and “with honor” the job of commander in chief. He also made plans to quickly begin pushing his agenda once he takes the oath as the nation’s 43rd president. -more-


Couple design homes with unique approach

The Associated Press
Saturday January 20, 2001

EUGENE, Ore.— Ianto Evans and Linda Smiley build from the ground up – from the ground itself, in fact. -more-


Utility crisis has plenty of winners, losers

The Associated Press
Saturday January 20, 2001

NEW YORK — California’s energy crisis has created some clear winners and losers on Wall Street. -more-


Market Watch

The Associated Press
Saturday January 20, 2001

NEW YORK — Investors, more cautious than relieved after a week of earnings news that turned out better than expected, took profits Friday and sent stocks mostly lower. -more-


No pads and no helmet? No problem for Paga

By Jared Green Daily Planet Staff
Friday January 19, 2001

By the time this summer rolls around, Shaun Paga should know every blade of grass on Witter Field like the back of his hand. -more-



Friday January 19, 2001

AC Transit does indeed ignore riders needs -more-


Calendar of Events & Activities

Friday January 19, 2001


Friday, Jan. 19

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Bayside grocer hangs up her apron

By Chason Wainwright Daily Planet Correspondent
Friday January 19, 2001

Helen Low doesn’t seem too concerned that her grocery store, Bayside Foods, closed its doors Saturday after nearly 37 years of business. -more-


Parents urge action on achievement gap

By Jon Mays Daily Planet Staff
Friday January 19, 2001

Parents concerned with the high failure rate of Berkeley High School freshman packed the school district board meeting Thursday night to urge passage of a nearly $500,000 plan they feel is crucial to the success of their children. -more-


Berkeley ponders creek definition

By John Geluardi Daily Planet Staff
Friday January 19, 2001

A proposal by the city attorney to amend the definition of what a creek is has caught the attention of creek preservationists who say the amendment is confusing and appeared suddenly without notice. -more-


Hospitals under fire for care

Staff
Friday January 19, 2001

By David Olson -more-


Teen pleads guilty in school sex case

From staff and wire reports
Friday January 19, 2001

A Berkeley teenager pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of oral copulation with a 12-year-old girl and will testify against fellow classmates facing similar charges. -more-


After 30 years, tankers safer but spills still a threat

The Associated Press
Friday January 19, 2001

State files suit over award for smog fees

The Associated Press
Friday January 19, 2001

SACRAMENTO — A state tax board member filed suit Thursday to reduce an arbitration panel’s decision to give $88.5 million to five law firms that fought the state over smog impact fees. -more-


Regents approve extended contracts to manage labs

The Associated Press
Friday January 19, 2001

The University of California, which had seemed in danger of being ousted from its historic role as manager of the nation’s nuclear labs, signed an agreement Thursday extending its contract to 2005. -more-


State says adults did the altering on school’s tests

The Associated Press
Friday January 19, 2001

PASADENA — The state Department of Education has determined that adults apparently altered students’ standardized test results in two third-grade classes at an elementary school here to improve the scores. -more-


California struck by second day of blackouts

The Associated Press
Friday January 19, 2001

SACRAMENTO — The lights went out in nearly 2 million California homes and businesses Thursday in a second straight day of blackouts as state lawmakers struggled to find a way out of the deepening crisis. -more-


Silicon Valley businesses discuss electricity crisis, warn state lawmakers

The Associated Press
Friday January 19, 2001

SANTA CLARA — California’s energy crisis has not yet caused a mass departure of businesses but a group of Silicon Valley leaders warned state lawmakers Thursday that having reliable power is crucial to their future plans. -more-


Babbitt kills California gold mine proposal

The Associated Press
Friday January 19, 2001

Indian cultural and religious sites on the edge of Arizona would be irreparably harmed by putting an open-pit gold mine near them, said Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt in announcing he was killing the project. -more-


Proper sanding is important

The Associated Press
Friday January 19, 2001

Sanding is one of the most common construction and repair tasks you have to do around your home. It is the final step that determines the final appearance of your work. Done right, it makes your paint job perfect. Done badly, it shows through the most skillfully applied finish. Sanding is also one of the easiest jobs to do right, if you select the correct abrasives. Use them properly and it’s almost impossible to do a bad job. However, the wrong abrasives can make it almost impossible to get good results no matter how hard you work with them. -more-


This houseplant is a philodendron alias

The Associated Press
Friday January 19, 2001

A tropical plant that bears a most delectable fruit has been parading as a mere houseplant. Its a common houseplant, and you may even be growing it. Perhaps you grow it under the unassuming name of split-leaf philodendron, or the more descriptive name of Swiss-cheese plant. The plant is really a philodendron look-alike with the botanical name Monstera deliciosa. -more-


Clearance is necessary for metal chimney

The Associated Press
Friday January 19, 2001

Q: My home has a heating system with a metal chimney that runs up through the attic and terminates above the roof. Since the temperature of the chimney in the attic is not high enough to ignite wood, why is it necessary to have a 2-inch clearance between the chimney and the wood framing in the attic? -more-


EBay beats Wall Street expectations

The Associated Press
Friday January 19, 2001

SAN JOSE — Fourth-quarter profits at eBay Inc. beat Wall Street expectations Thursday, as the mammoth Internet auction site said it had added a record 3.5 million users in the last three months of 2000. -more-


Stanford’s inside-outside game too much for Bears

The Associated Press
Thursday January 18, 2001

STANFORD – Although the gap is closing, top-ranked Stanford still has it all over archrival California. -more-


Clinton embraced middle class at expense of poor

By Richard Rodriguez Pacific News Service
Thursday January 18, 2001

Calendar of Events & Activities

Thursday January 18, 2001


Thursday, Jan. 18

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Grant helps foster breastfeeding

By Jon Mays Daily Planet Staff
Thursday January 18, 2001

A city program that encourages and assists low-income breastfeeding mothers is receiving a $500,000 grant to expand their growing services. -more-


Panthers wake up in second half, maul John Swett

By Jared Green Daily Planet Staff
Thursday January 18, 2001

Playing against a winless John Swett (Crockett) team, the St. Mary’s boys’ soccer squad survived a sluggish first half to rout the Indians, 6-1, on Wednesday. -more-


Temporary ban on massage parlors in works

By John Geluardi Daily Planet Staff
Thursday January 18, 2001

The City Council has called for a moratorium on massage parlors on University Avenue saying there are already more than enough and that they don’t fit in with a family-oriented atmosphere. -more-


Police link teens to robbery sprees

SBy Dan Greenman Daily Planet Staff
Thursday January 18, 2001

Berkeley police arrested two suspects Tuesday night for a pair of armed robberies and believe the suspects may be connected to a series of recent robberies in Berkeley and Oakland. -more-


Berkeley set to give transit riders shelter

By John Geluardi Daily Planet Staff
Thursday January 18, 2001

Berkeley took a step closer to sprouting advertising-bus shelters along AC Transit routes Tuesday when the City Council authorized the city manager to enter an agreement with advertising agency. -more-


Disabled community struggles to find attendants

By Dan Greenman Daily Planet Staff
Thursday January 18, 2001

Two times a week Vanessa Coveau commutes from her home in Fremont to Berkeley, where she takes classes at Vista Community College. -more-


Confidence down, but not out

By John Cunniff The Associated Press
Thursday January 18, 2001

NEW YORK — The confidence of the American household is something to behold. -more-


BRIEFS

Thursday January 18, 2001

OPEC set to trim crude oil production in February -more-


Market Brief

Assoc. Press
Thursday January 18, 2001

NEW YORK — Investors went on a technology buying spree Wednesday, but retreated on second thoughts about the market’s actual strength in a decelerating economy. The Nasdaq composite index ended the day with a moderate gain, but blue chips closed lower. -more-


City is prepared for possible blackouts

By Jon Mays Daily Planet Staff
Wednesday January 17, 2001

Power officials brought California back from the brink of rolling blackouts Tuesday afternoon, but Berkeley city officials were already doing all they could to set a good example and conserve energy. -more-


Calendar of Events & Activities

Wednesday January 17, 2001


Wednesday, Jan. 17

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Letters to the Editor

Wednesday January 17, 2001

Local juice may preclude PG&E dependency -more-


Study urged for park stink

By John GeluardiDaily Planet Staff
Wednesday January 17, 2001

The Department of Parks and Waterfront is asking a consultant to suggest ways to prevent foul smelling algae and attract more wildlife to the three lagoons at Aquatic Park. -more-


Berkeley High principal faces changing school

By Erika Fricke Daily Planet Staff
Wednesday January 17, 2001

Principal Frank Lynch arrived at Berkeley High School in August, to facilities burned down from arson and a provisional school accreditation. -more-


Board expected to name interim superintendent

By Erika Fricke Daily Planet Staff
Wednesday January 17, 2001

At the meeting of the Board of Education tonight, Berkeley Unified School District officials are expected to announce the name of the interim superintendent who will oversee the district when the current superintendent, Jack McLaughlin, leaves at the end of January. -more-


KPFA carrying attorney general hearings

By Chason Wainwright Daily Planet Staff
Wednesday January 17, 2001

KPFA radio will continue its live broadcast of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s confirmation hearings for Attorney General nominee John Ashcroft through Thursday. -more-


Gwendolyn Brooks papers arrive at UC Berkeley library

Daily Planet wire services
Wednesday January 17, 2001

The Bancroft Library of the University of California at Berkeley has acquired personal papers of poet Gwendolyn Brooks, the first African American writer to win the Pulitzer Prize. -more-


Groups blast state proposal to cut back electric vehicles

The Associated Press
Wednesday January 17, 2001

SACRAMENTO — Environmental and health groups Tuesday urged the state’s smog board to reject staff recommendations that could cut California’s electric vehicle mandate more than 75 percent. -more-


Quackenbush deputy pleads guilty to fraud, laundering

The Associated Press
Wednesday January 17, 2001

SACRAMENTO — Former Deputy Insurance Commissioner George Grays, accused of keeping $170,900 from a state insurance department fund, pleaded guilty Tuesday to mail fraud and money laundering charges. -more-


Agreement would help water dispute

The Associated Press
Wednesday January 17, 2001

SACRAMENTO — Sacramento County supervisors Tuesday approved a preliminary pact with the East Bay Municipal Utilities District that could end a decades-old dispute over American River water rights. -more-


Alert declared, utilities’ finances in turmoil

The Associated Press
Wednesday January 17, 2001

SACRAMENTO — California declared another electricity emergency Tuesday as several plants fell short of natural gas and its two largest utilities edged perilously close to insolvency. -more-


Intel beats Wall Street expectations

The Associated Press
Wednesday January 17, 2001

SANTA CLARA — Giant semiconductor manufacturer Intel Corp. eased past Wall Street expectations for its fourth-quarter earnings, but warned of an uncertain near future given the slowing economy. -more-


BRIEFS

The Associated Press
Wednesday January 17, 2001

Palm Inc. chief technical officer resigns position -more-


Stock Market Brief

The Associated Press
Wednesday January 17, 2001

NEW YORK — Investors awaiting the release of Intel’s earnings took some bets on blue chip stocks Tuesday, but otherwise traded cautiously in high-tech and Internet sectors. -more-