The City Council extended a ban on telecommunications antennae Tuesday for six months in residential areas, but modified the moratorium to allow antenna installation in west Berkeley and downtown. 

The council adopted the extended ban after hearing from a host of telecommunications representatives, mostly lawyers who argued against the ban and residents who said they are worried about health risks posed by radio frequency radiation emitted by the antennae. The council approved the moratorium 8-1 with Councilmember Polly Armstrong voting in opposition. 

“I felt that we had to choose on the side of the neighbors over the companies,” said Councilmember Mim Hawley. 

The council adopted a 45-day, citywide moratorium Dec. 19 after hearing from neighbors who protested the approval of 12 Nextel antennae on the roof of the Oaks Theater on Solano Avenue. 

The new moratorium allows antenna installation in the manufacturing, mixed use and light industrial districts and the downtown area. The majority of the allowable area begins at Interstate 80 and goes east ranging from three to nine blocks.  

Antenna installation is also still allowed in the downtown area bounded by Martin Luther King Jr. Way, University and Durant avenues and Oxford Street. In addition, no antenna can be installed anywhere within 300 feet of a residential use structure. 

Armstrong said she would vote against the moratorium because she thought it was unfair to Nextel. “They went through the process and got the approval. I think they should get the permit,” she said. 

Councilmember Kriss Worthington voted for the moratorium despite his opinion that it would result in a lawsuit. “I don’t believe the city needs a moratorium,” he said. “But since it was a foregone conclusion I thought it should be the fairest moratorium possible.” 

Worthington added the language calling for the 300 foot buffer for residences.  

Nextel, which received approval from the Zoning Adjustments Board last November to install the rooftop antennae, were included in the moratorium despite aggressive lobbying to be exempted. Nextel attorney David Trotter suggested the city was “on thin ice” and may be violating the 1996 Telecommunications Act. 

Mayor Shirley Dean said on Wednesday that she was more concerned about the city’s interests than lawsuits.  

“You have to do what’s right for the city and what was right for the city was to enact a moratorium,” she said. “In the long run it will be better for the telecommunication providers because once there’s an ordinance they’ll know just what they can and can’t do.” 

The City Council held a closed session meeting with staff from the City Attorney’s Office prior to the City Council meeting to discuss the possibility of a lawsuit by Nextel. Nextel had said the city would violate state and federal law if the Oaks Theater permit were included in the moratorium. 

A telecommunications ordinance will eventually take the place of the moratorium. 

Vivian Kahn, deputy director of the Planning and Development Department said she has already begun to receive information from the telecommunications companies and residents who want to have input on the permanent antenna ordinance. “I’ve let both sides know that I am always interested in whatever information they have,” she said. 

President of the Renaissance Rialto, Allen Michaan, who rents the Oaks Theater, said he had nothing to do with the arrangement between Nextel and the building’s owner. He urged the City Council to include the 12-Nextel antennas in the moratorium because the large numbers of theatergoers who have complained about the proposed installation. 

“This has really stirred things up,” he said. “We’re struggling there, it’s not easy to run a two-screen theater when everybody else has 18 screens.” 

Thursday, Feb. 1

Free “Quit Smoking” Class 

5:30 - 7:30 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center 

2939 Ellis (at Ashby)  

Cease your smoking with the help of this free class offered to Berkeley residents and employees. 

Call 644-6422 to enroll or e-mail quitnow@ci.berkeley.ca.us 

Hiking the California Desert  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment, Inc. 

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Steve Tabor of the conservation group Desert Survivors presents a slide-show of highlights from his reconnaissance trips along more than 400 miles of trail. Free  

Call 527-7377  

Berkeley Metaphysical  

Toastmasters Club  

6:15 - 7:30 p.m.  

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysics come together. Ongoing first and third Thursdays each month.  

Call 869-2547 

Dark Caves & Sunlight 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Hillside Community Church  

1422 Navellier St.  

El Cerrito 

A series of Thursday evenings of conversation “engaging people in discovering the pleasures of an excellent discussion.” $10 

Housing Adivory Commitee 7:30 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center 

2939 Ellis St. 

Hearing on a proposal to require housing code compliance  

inspection of vacant rental  

housing units 

Community Environmental Advisory Commission 

6 p.m. 2118 Milivia St. 2nd floor 

Agenga includes item on wood smoke 

Friday, Feb. 2

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Stagebridge Free Acting  

& Storytelling Classes  

for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Taize Worship Service  

7:30 - 8:30 p.m. 

Loper Chapel  

(adjacent to) First Congregational Church of Berkeley  

2345 Channing Way 848-3696 

Saturday, Feb. 3

Spirits in the Time of AIDS Artists Talk 

1 p.m. 

Pro Arts Gallery  

461 Ninth St.  

Oakland  

As part of “Consecrations,” the public is invited to hear artists speak about their work and show slides. Free 

Call 763-9425 

Free Tae-Bo Classes for Adults  

10 - 10:45 a.m.  

Frances Albrier Community  

Center  

San Pablo Park 

2800 Park St. Call 644-8515 

Free Martial Arts Classes  

for Kids  

11:15 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Frances Albrier Community  

Center  

2800 Park St.  

Classes taught by Michael Johnson, a fourth degree black belt. Ages 5 - 7, 11:15 a.m. - Noon; Ages 8 - 12, 12:15 p.m. - 1 p.m.; Ages 13 to adults, 1:15 p.m. - 2 p.m. 644-8515 

Free Sailboat Rides  

1 - 4 p.m. 

Berkeley Marina 

The Cal Sailing Club. Wear warm clothes and bring a change of clothes in case you get wet. Children must be at least five years old and must be accompanies by an adult. Visit www.cal-sailing.org  

Fruit Tree Pruning 

10 a.m. - Noon  

Ecology Center Library  

2530 San Pablo Ave.  

An introductory class for the home fruit grower. Class taught by Greg Peck, owner of an organic landscape and garden design business in the East Bay.  

$7.50 - $10 Call 548-2220 

Empyrean Ensemble 

4 p.m. 

Julia Morgan Theater 

2640 College Ave. 

Featuring a commissioned piece, “Prosperous Soul, Gregarious Heart,” newly composed by Peter Josheff in honor of his late father.  

Call 845-8542 

Sunday, Feb. 4

“Under Construction No. 10” 

7:30 p.m. 

St. John’s Presbyterian Church  

2727 College Ave.  

Experience the unusual rehearsal-reading format that lets the audience experience the collaboration between conductor, orchestra and composer in the Berkeley Symphony’s unique series presenting new works or works-in-progress by local Bay Area composers.  

Call 841-2800 

From Flatlands to the Stars  

9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Diamond Park  

Fruitvale Ave. (at Lyman Rd.) 

A hardy hike along Sausal Creek in Oakland’s unexplored Diamond and Joaquin Miller parks. A free hike sponsored by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call 415-255-3233 for reservations or visit www.greenbelt.org 

Timbrels & Torahs: Celebrating Wisdom,  

Celebrating Age  

10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Miriam Chaya and Judy Montell discuss their Simchat Hochmah ceremony, which celebrates a woman’s transition from mid-life to her eldering years.  

Call 848-0237 x127 

Spiritual & Cultural Context of Mbira  

8 p.m. 

Shambhala Booksellers  

2482 Telegraph Ave.  

Berkeley native Erica Azim has played Shona mbira music for 30 years, and is the foremost mbira performer and recording artist in the U.S. The mbira has metal keys which are plucked with two thumbs and one forefinger, “creating relaxing yet invigorating polyphony and polyrhythms.” Free 

Call 848-8443 

Solving the East Bay Energy Crisis 

3 p.m. 

Berkeley Fellowship Unitarian Universalists 

Fellowship Hall  

1924 Cedar (at Bonita) 

Barbara George of Women’s Energy Matters and a Utility Reform Network representative, Kris Worthington, City Council member, Ross Mirkarimi of the Green Party, and others will discuss the past and future of the energy situation in the East Bay. 233-3175 

Free Sailboat Rides  

1 - 4 p.m. 

Berkeley Marina 

The Cal Sailing Club gives free rides on a first come, first served bases on the first full weekend of each month. Wear warm clothes and bring a change of clothes in case you get wet. Children must be at least five years old and must be accompanies by an adult.  

— compiled by  

Chason Wainwright 

Visit www.cal-sailing.org  

Meditations for Relieving Pain 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute  

1815 Highland Pl.  

Sylvia Gretchen presents specific meditations and visualization practices that can help to relieve physical and mental pain. Free 

Call 843-6812 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute Open House 

3 - 5 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Pl.  

A free introduction to Tibetan Buddhist culture including a prayer wheel and meditation garden tour and yoga demonstration. Refreshments will be served. Free 

Call 843-6812 

Monday, Feb. 5

Youth Commission  

6 p.m. 

Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Center 

1730 Oregon St.  

Rent Stabalization Board 

7 p.m. 

2134 MLK Jr. Way 

Second Floor Council Chamber 

Personnel Board Meeting  

7 p.m. 

Permit Center 

2118 Milvia St.  

First Floor Conference Room  

Landmarks Preservation Commission  

7:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Peace & Justice Commission  

7 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Patrick Kennedy’s buildings have been passionately opposed by neighborhood conservatives and often by the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association. These residential buildings, sometimes condominiums, sometimes apartments, with cafes, offices and shops on the ground floor, have in their opponents’ views been too big, too dense, and non-conforming with the opponents’ idea of Berkeley architectural esthetic traditions. 

A recent article that appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, quoted three opponents of his work, and quoted Kennedy himself. The story created an impression of well nigh universal opposition, that somehow Kennedy was the only one defending his buildings. 

But strangely enough, because Kennedy provides housing for many people just where they like it - in or on the edge of downtown where lots is cook’n, transit’s convenient - lots of people show up to boost his projects. Who? Minorities, disabled, environ-mentalists, housing advocates, students, seniors, transit passengers, supporters of arts in the downtown, feminists - it is the Gaia Building after all - and more. 

Not just the side represented by the three people the article cited in opposition. 

Now, the building is topping out and what you see is, minus the surface treatment, what you get. The surface treatment, by the way, in the hands of skilled self-proclaimed 19th century architect Kirk Peterson, will only get better. The Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association will probably one day begrudgingly end up liking it. 

The Gaia Buildings, located in the middle of downtown Berkeley at 2116 Allston Way is the largest of all Patrick’s projects. Says Mr. Kennedy’s promotional flyer, the Gaia Building is “designed for downtown: innovative, efficient, stimulating. (Almost) Car-free living.” There are 91 residential units which will accommodate approximately 140 people on something less than a sixth of a city block, and it is all less than one block from the University campus and 

Berkeley BART Station to the west. Among the novel features, the Gaia Building is home to terracing, trellises and rooftop gardens as originally proposed and defended by Ecocity Builders before the Zoning Adjustments Board and Design Review Committee. Kennedy adopted the ideas and we at Ecocity Builders supported his project. He built the minimum parking he could negotiate with the city - 42 spaces - and is using double car stacking on mechanical lifts to minimize automobile consumption of space in the building. The Gaia Building, he says, will be the first in the United States to provide an “in-house/real-time” car sharing program, a variant on a successful model in Portland, Oregon. Height of the building: seven stories. 

So he says, say opponents.  

Kennedy does not count the mezzanine of the first floor as another floor. Opponents do. Kennedy considers lofts inside a high ceiling apartment as lofts, that is, non-floors. Opponents don’t. Finally, on the roof, the codes allowed non-rental uses looking something like towers taking up one-sixth or less of the roof area to not be counted as a floor but rather as auxiliary uses to the main uses of the building. Opponents disagree. In the Gaia Building, the space will be occupied by the rental and management offices of the Gaia Building itself and not rented to tenants. It will also be used by the elevator and mechanical equipment structures. Add up the disagreement and opponents say 10 not seven stories - stop the construction! Send the workers home! Keep the new tenants out of town! 

What’s the real deal here. Hell, let’s admit it, one of the reasons I like the building is that it’s named after the Goddess of the Earth in Greek mythology. But that aside, initiatives to close down the project have hit the papers locally. Yet Kennedy incorporates many design 

features that enliven the neighborhoods in which his buildings are located. He cuts low income special deals for some of his tenants while producing the legally mandated percentage of low income housing units, subsidized by the richer folks in the higher cost units. Why does he cut the low-cost deals for some artists and disabled folks? They look good for his next production. He actually likes the people. You guess. I think both. 

Most of the conflict in Berkeley starts with the downtown five story height limit (down from ten) established in Berkeley zoning in the early 1990s. I personally can’t get too excited about developers pushing those limits when providing housing where it’s needed, in a world of high population and the absolutely disastrous effects of low density sprawl and cars. Density with high diversity really is a large part of the healthy solution if it’s in the right place and designed with sensitivity to sun angles, shade, public streets and open public and natural space and so on. 

But I have to also mention another reason I don’t particularly respect the present height limits in downtown: the process by which the heights were established was despicable. I tried to take part. I was interrupted so constantly - and the “facilitators” of the discussions sustained the interruptions not, my right to speak - that after a couple hours of trying to communicate I walked out and didn’t come back for five years. Extremely bad process. 

Assessing all the complaints, I have to say that I see a healthier world and a much more interesting roofline that could begin to shape up in town, beginning with the Gaia Building. I’d suggested solar orientation to Kennedy, terraces, rooftop gardens, trellises, windscreens to capture the sun and moderate the breezes up there in the great Bay Area views. Patrick brought them into his original design. 

But the Zoning Adjustments Board and Design Review Committee took the Building and turned it around 180 degrees so that it would be a solar energy loss rather than gain - which is something to think about all over again in our new “energy crisis” days - how short the memory! 

Though it no longer displays architectural ways of working with natural energy systems, the Gaia Building will still look different and very interesting. The terraces, trellises and gardens are likely to strike people as nice cheerful things to see floating up there in the sky. I think some lessons will be learned from the Gaia building that will help us in the right direction. The 140 residents there who would have been locked out of town or forced to commute long distances will be happy to have a roof over their heads in a great part of a great small city. The complaints will seem overdone and we will get on with trying to see where we are in time. It’s a small step in thinking through and building a better future. 

Richard Register is president of Ecocity Builders and a Berkeley resident. 

924 Gilman St. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted $5; $2 for a year membership Feb. 2: Nerve Agents, Jemuel, The Blottos; Feb 3.: Time In Malta, The Cost 525-9926  

Albatross Pub All music at 9 p.m. unless noted Feb. 1: Keni “El Lebrijano”; Feb. 3: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Quartet; Feb. 6: Pickpocket Ensemble; Feb. 7: Whiskey Brothers; Feb. 8: Keni “El Lebrijano”; Feb. 13: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Duo; Feb. 14: Carlos Oliveira Brazilian Jazz Duo 1822 San Pablo 843-2473 

Eli’s Mile High Club Feb. 2: Henry Clement; Feb. 3: Daniel Castro; Feb. 9: Red Archibald; Feb. 10: Kenny Blue Ray; Feb. 16: Little Johnny & the Giants; Feb. 17: Ron Thompson; Feb. 23: Carlos Zialcita; Feb. 24: R.J. Mischo 3629 MLK Jr. Way Oakland  

Freight & Salvage All shows begin at 8 p.m. Feb. 1: International Guitar Night with Andrew York, Laurence Juber, Peppino D’Agostino, and Brian Gore; Feb. 2: Cats & Jammers; Feb. 3: Lou & Peter Berryman; Feb. 4: Dave Van Ronk; Feb. 5: Tony Trischka & Junk Genius; Feb. 6: Chuck Brodsky; Feb. 7: Keola Beamer with Moana Beamer; Feb. 8 & 9: Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys; Feb. 10: Baguette Quartette with Odile Lavault; Feb.11: Bob Franke 1111 Addison St. 548-1761  

Jupiter All music begins at 8 p.m. Jan. 27: Solomon Grundy 2181 Shattuck Ave. Call THE-ROCK  

Jazzschool/La Note All shows at 4:30 p.m.Tickets are $10 - $12 Feb. 4: Jeff Chambers and the J2W Project 2377 Shattuck Ave. 845-5373 

Crowden School Sundays, 4 p.m.: Chamber music series sponsored by the school. 1475 Rose St. (at Sacramento) 559-6910 

Alice Arts Center “A Night In Oakland” 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 4. 1428 Alice St. (at 14th St.) Oakland Savage Jazz Dance Company launches their 2001 spring season along with the Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra. $10 - $15 Call 496-6068 or visit www.savagejazz.org 

Cal Performances Feb. 2 & 3, 8 p.m.: Allee der Kosmonauten by Berlin choreographer Sasha Waltz with video installations by New York artist Elliot Caplan, $20 - $42; Feb. 4, 4 p.m.: Russian National Orchestra, $30 - $52 4 p.m; Feb. 10, 8 p.m.: Masters of Persian Classical Music, $20 - $40; Feb. 16 & 17, 8 p.m.: Balinese Orchestra Gamelan Sekar Jaya present “Kawit Legong: Prince Karna’s Dream,” $18 - $30. Zellerbach Hall UC Berkeley. 642-9988 or www.calperfs.berkeley.edu Feb. 11, 3 p.m.: Horacio Gutierrez $24 - $42 Hertz Hall UC Berkeley 

Berkeley Symphony Orchestra April 3, and June 21, 2001. All performances begin at 8 p.m. Single $19 - $35, Series $52 - $96. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley 841-2800  

Eighth Annual Robert Burns Birthday Celebration Feb. 2, 8 p.m. and Feb. 4, 7 p.m. A celebration of Scotland’s beloved 18th century poet: his songs, his letters, his life. St. Alban’s Episcopal Church 1501 Washington Ave (at Curtis) Albany 848-3422 

Empyrean Ensemble Feb. 3, 3 p.m. The ensemble will present “The Soldier’s Tale,” by Igor Stravinsky, “Prosperous Sould, Gregarious Heart,” by Peter Josheff, and “Horizon Unfolds,” by Yu-Hui Chang. $4 - $10 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. (at Derby) 925-798-1300 

Flauti Diversi Ensemble Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m. Performing the music of 17th and early 18th century composers on baroque instruments in a program titled “Bell Fiore, Belle Fleur.” $10 - $15 Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley 1 Lawson Rd. 525-0302 

“Mostly Baroque” Feb. 4, 5 p.m. Instrumental works by Corelli, Schickhardt, Quantz, Mozart, a new work by Glen Shannon and Bach’s Cantana 82. Donations accepted Church of Saint Mary Magdalen 2005 Berryman (at Milvia)  

Toshi Makihara & Colin Stetson Feb. 4, 7:48 p.m. Philadephia percussionist Makihara teams up with local solo saxophonist Voigt and local contrabassist Morgan Guberman for an evening of improvised music. $8 donation Tuva Space 3192 Adeline (at MLK Jr. Way) 649-8744 

“Songs for the Young at Heart” Feb. 10, 4 p.m. Featuring La Bonne Cuisine by Bernstein and The Shepherd on the Rock by Schubert. Donations accepted St. John’s Presbyterian Church 2727 College Ave.  

Community Women’s Orchestra Feb. 11, 4 p.m. Pieces to be played include those written by Berkeley High students Ariel Wolter and Maianna Voge. Donations accepted Malcolm X School 1731 Prince St. 653-1616 

Percussions Du Guinee Feb. 16 & 17, 8 p.m. Feb. 18, 7 p.m. Internationally respected Guinean percussionists craft a performance simultaneously inspired by traditional music, yet modern in presentation. $20 - $25 925-798-1300 

“Fall” by Bridget Carpenter Through Feb. 11. $15.99 - $51. Berkeley Repertory Theatre 2025 Addison St. 647-2949, www. berkeleyrep.org 

“In Search of my Clitoris” Written and performed by Sia Amma Feb. 1 & 2, 8 p.m. La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. Feb. 8 & 9, 8 p.m. Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. $12 - $14 415-775-6608 

“Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Beckett Through Feb. 3, Thursday - Saturday, 8 p.m. $8 - $12. Subterranean Shakespeare La Val’s Subterranean 1834 Euclid (at Hearst) 234-6046  

“The Road to Mecca” by Athol Fugard Through Feb. 24, Friday - Saturday, 8 p.m. Feb. 22, 8 p.m. $10 Live Oak Theatre 1301 Shattuck 528-5620 

“Nightingale” presented by Central Works Theater Feb. 9 - March 4, Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 24 & Saturday, March 3, 5 p.m.; Free preview Feb. 8, 8 p.m. $8 - $14 LaVal’s Subterranean 1834 Euclid Ave. 558-1381 

“Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me” by Frank MacGuinness Feb. 15 - March 17, Thursday - Saturday, 8 p.m. Sunday, 8:30 p.m. The story of three men - an Irishman, an Englishman and an American held in a prison in Lebanon. $10 - $15 8th St. Studio Theatre 2525 Eighth St. (at Dwight) 655-0813 

“Magnetic North” Six programs of experimental Canadian video from the past 30 years that range from documentary to conceptual art. In all, 40 tapes from 46 artists will be shown on six Wednesday evenings. Through Feb. 28. $7. Pacific Film Archive 2575 Bancroft (at Bowditch) 642-1412  

“Durruti and the Spanish Revolution” The LaborFest U.S. premiere screening and dicussion of this documentary which tells the story of the Confederation National del Trabajo during the Spanish Civil War. Feb. 11, 7:30 p.m. $7 donation requested. La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. 415-642-8066 

“Toto Recall” A 15-film retrospective honoring Italy’s comic genius. Feb. 3 - Feb. 24 Weekend days only, Friday - Sunday. $7 for one film, $8.50 for double bills. Pacific Film Archive 2575 Bancroft Way (at Bowditch) 642-1412 

Pacific Center Women’s Evening at the Movies 7:30 p.m. 2712 Telegraph Ave. “Late Bloomer,” the story of a high school basketball coach who realizes she’s fallen for the school secretary. Women’s Evening at the Movies is the first Saturday of every month.  

Boadecia’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted Feb. 10: Karin Kallmaker reads from “Sleight of Hand”; Feb. 23: Becky Thompson reads “Mothering Without a Compass: White Mother’s Love, Black Son’s Courage” 398 Colusa Ave. Kensington 559-9184. www.boadeciasbooks.com 

“Strong Women - Writers & Heroes of Literature” Fridays Through June, 2001, 1 - 3 p.m. Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program. North Berkeley Senior Center 1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 549-2970  

Duomo Reading Series and Open Mic. Thursdays, 6:30 - 9 p.m. Feb. 1: John Rowe; Feb. 8: Tom Odegard; Feb 15: Kathleen Lynch; Feb. 22: Charles Ellick; March 1: Eliza Shefler; March 8: Judy Wells; March 15: Elanor Watson-Gove; March 22: Anna Mae Stanley; March 29: Georgia Popoff; April 5: Barbara Minton; April 12: Alice Rogoff; Cafe Firenze 2116 Shattuck Ave. 644-0155. 

Lunch Poems First Thursday of each month, 12:10 - 12:50 p.m. Feb. 1: Sherman Alexie; March 1: Aleida Rodrigues; April 5: Galway Kinnell; May 3: Student Reading Morrison Room, Doe Library UC Berkeley 642-0137 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Free. University of California, Berkeley. 486-4387 

Berkeley City Club Tours 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. 848-7800 The fourth Sunday of every month, Noon - 4 p.m. $2  

Golden Gate Live Steamers Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Lomas Cantadas Drive at the south end of Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley. 486-0623  

Small locomotives, meticulously scaled to size. Trains run Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rides: Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., weather permitting.  

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden Centennial Drive, behind Memorial Stadium, a mile below the Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley. 643-2755 or www.mip.berkeley.edu/garden/  

The gardens have displays of exotic and native plants. Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 1:30 p.m. $3 general; $2 seniors; $1 children; free on Thursday. Daily, 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. 

Berkeley Historical Society Slide Lecture & Booksigning Series Sundays, 3 - 5 p.m. $10 donation requested. March 11: Director of Berkeley’s International House, Joe Lurie, will show a video and dicuss the history and struggle to open the I-House 70 years ago. Berkeley Historical Center Veterans Memorial Building 1931 Center St. 848-0181 

“Great Decisions” Foreign Policy Association Lectures Series Tuesdays, 10 a.m. - Noon, Feb. 13 - April 3; An annual program featuring specialists in the field of national foreign policy, many from University of California. Goal is to inform the public on major policy issues and receive feedback from the public. $5 per session, $35 entire series for single person, $60 entire series for couple. Berkeley City Club 2315 Durant Ave. 526-2925 

There’s no denying it: the Bears are on a roll. This week’s games will go a long way to determine just how serious they are about keeping it going. 

The Cal men’s basketball team is tied for fourth in the Pac-10 standings at 5-2 and has won four in a row, but don’t start congratulating them yet. They haven’t beaten a single team ahead of them in the standings. The Bears were beaten soundly by front-runners Stanford and Arizona, and will face off against UCLA and USC on Thursday and Saturday, respectively. 

How the Bears handle this week’s games is the first true test of the conference schedule. No one really expected them to beat Arizona; despite the Wildcats ups and downs this year, they are a supremely talented bunch. And asking the youthful Bears to upset the No. 1 Cardinal is a bit unrealistic. And victories over weak teams like Washington State and Arizona State don’t really prove much. But the teams from down south are much like Ben Braun’s team: going well now, but with serious questions about their continued success. 

UCLA, which will visit Haas Pavilion on Thursday, is a collection of McDonald’s All-Americans that just hasn’t been able to put it together the past few seasons. The trio of wingman Jason Kapono, center Dan Gadzuric and forward Matt Barnes provide enough firepower for the Bruins to blow away just about any opponent. Kapono is a pure shooter and slasher, Gadzuric is immovable in the middle, and Barnes’ skills has been compared to those of NBA superstar Grant Hill. But promise has faded into disappointment for UCLA in the last few years. 

Kapono is an unquestioned star, fourth in the conference in scoring (17.8 ppg) and striking fear into opposing coaches’ hearts. But Gadzuric is wildly inconsistent, capable of putting up 20 points and 10 rebounds but disappearing at the most inopportune times. Barnes is making the transition from playing on the perimeter to heading into the post, and his scoring is down. 

“Out of necessity for our team’s needs, he understands that he’s going to receive an ample amount of minutes on the front line,” says UCLA head coach Steve Lavin. “As a result, he’s found that he’s pretty effective, a tough matchup for most post players. He’s got versatility and an unusual skill set for his size.” 

The Bruins are tied with Arizona at 6-1 in Pac-10 play, and are thriving under a full-court press installed this season. But they also collapsed in the second half against Arizona, and have yet to face powerhouse Stanford. Lavin says the new defense has energized his team. 

“We worked on the press from day one in practice, but only used it in games on occasion early in the year and went 4-4. But at North Carolina we went down 19, stayed with the press and went up four. We have pressed 40 minutes every game since,” Lavin says. “It creates a real aggressive mindset in our players.” 

Cal head coach Ben Braun agrees that the press seems to have woken up the UCLA players. 

“UCLA has been very consistent in pressuring full-court, and been doing a very good job of it,” Braun says. “They’ve been forcing turnovers and creating points.” 

The Bears could have difficulty breaking the UCLA press, especially when point guard Shantay Legans heads to the bench. Backup Donte Smith has been struggling with his confidence this year, reportedly considering a transfer recently only to change his mind. If Smith shows weakness against the Bruins, the Bears will pay for it with some easy UCLA baskets. Barnes has taken a leading role in the Bruins’ new defense. 

“He’s real weapon in the press because he’s so long, has a real sense of anticipation. He’s really the point man on the press, creating turnovers for our guards,” Lavin says. 

USC is another team that has yet to live up to their talent, but for a different reason: injuries and suspensions. Several players went down last year with various ailments, and a quick start turned sour as the Trojans finished at 16-14. But head coach Henry Bibby has all five starters back now, as guard Jeff Trepagnier has finally returned from an NCAA suspension. His presence make the Trojans one of most talented teams in the country. They are tied with the Bears at 5-2 in conference play. 

“I have a better feel now for who I’m going to use with Jeff back on the team. I’m set on a certain rotation that I’m going to stay with,” Bibby says. “Jeff has missed a lot of basketball, and he’s not back to where he was before.” 

The Bears do have a six-game winning streak against the Trojans, but will be hard-pressed to keep up with the Trojans this year. 

“We’ve just played well against them,” Braun says. “They’re a very talented team, and sometimes a talented team can get you to play better and harder.” 

In Trepagnier’s absence, the Trojans have leaned heavily on forwards Sam Clancy and Brian Scalabrine. Clancy, who missed a big chunk of games with a fractured foot last year, has always been a strong presence on the glass and is pulling down 7.2 rebounds per game. But Clancy has come on strong on the offensive end to become the team’s leading scorer at 18.4 points per game. 

“Clancy’s really given their team life this year after being spotty with the injury last year,” Braun says. “He can obviously go get rebounds for them, and he has really improved his offense this year.” 

Scalabrine was USC’s leading scorer last year, but has made a lot of improvement on defense this year. He is second on the team in blocked shots while continuing to be a key part of the offense. 

“Brian does so many things to help us win on the floor,” Bibby says. “He’s just added the shot-blocking this year.” 

If the Bears can sweep the SoCal schools at Haas, it will give them a leg up on claiming an NCAA bid. A split would be acceptable in keeping the Bears in contention, but if they lose both games this week, they may get stuck in the middle of the Pac-10, better than the weak sisters up north but unable to play with the big boys.

It wasn’t your typical ribbon-cutting at the Berkeley Marina Radisson Hotel Wednesday night. The giant scissors union organizer Stephanie Ruby held were inscribed “peace” and “justice.” 

Hotel management, union activists and employees had come together for what they called a “grand re-opening” celebration at the restaurant. The hotel hadn’t been shuttered, but it had been boycotted by the city government, the community and labor unions while employees fought for a union, then for a contract. 

“We’re celebrating the end of the boycott and inviting the community to patronize the hotel,” said Ruby, an organizer with the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Local 2850. 

Management did not stay away from the celebration, which included food prepared by the unionized Radisson chefs and music by the Loco Bloco Drum & Dance Ensemble of San Francisco. 

“Everyone worked really hard at getting the contract,” said Brij Misra, the hotel’s general manager. “We were able to hammer out a contract that was good for all the employees.” Misra said now he is able to pay more attention to running the hotel and the employees are able to concentrate singularly on taking care of the patrons.  

Restaurant worker Sy Dovangphoxay was among those celebrating. He talked about how, before the union was formed, he had wanted to visit his sick mother in Laos. “They said you can quit your job and reapply,” he said. 

Now he said he would be able to take a leave without fear of retribution. 

Dovangphoxay also talked about his own growth, as he became not only a union supporter, but an organizer. “I never thought I could do what I did, like speak at a City Council meeting,” he said. 

Housekeeper Bonnie Dideman was there too. “It’s a big event,” she said, noting that since the contract was signed, she has received health benefits, a pension and a promise of fewer rooms to clean. 

Father Bill O’Donnell was there and so was Councilmember Kriss Worthington. Both had been in early negotiations with hotel management and had sat in at a protest in the hotel lobby singing pro-union Christmas carols in December 1999. 

O’Donnell said he was “still mad at the Radisson management” because of the hardships suffered by the workers. Still, the activist-priest from St. Joseph’s Church quoted Ghandi: “We don’t intend to bring our enemy to their knees, just to their senses.”

Angelita Hutton – Berkeley High 

Coming into this season, the Berkeley Lady ’Jackets knew that senior forward Robin Roberson would be the focal point of their offense. The question was: who would step up and help her? The answer for much of the season has been Angelita Hutton. 

Hutton, a junior from Oakland, has stepped into the shooting guard spot as a starter this year, and has provided a secondary threat for the Lady ’Jackets, making teams pay when they focus all their defensive effort on Roberson. 

Berkeley head coach Gene Nakamura said before the season that he expected the athletic Hutton to average double figures in scoring, and she has done that so far. But Nakamura points out that she has contributed more than points. 

“She’s helping a lot in other areas. She’s rebounding real well, and she’s probably our most consistent defender,” Nakamura says. “She’s very hard to keep a dribble against when she’s balanced.” 

Hutton realizes her game is a work in progress. 

“I didn’t score that much before, so I had to work on that,” she says. “But I also need to work on my defense, and on making better decisions on offense.” 

As a starter, Hutton is often limited to playing half of a game because Nakamura doesn’t believe in running up the score on weaker teams. In Berkeley’s league, the Alameda Contra Costa Athletic League, there are only two teams capable of giving the Lady ’Jackets much of a challenge. 

“Of course I want to play more, but everybody needs to play, because we’re all good players,” Hutton says. 

With Roberson the focus of the offense, Hutton has had to be more aggressive in taking her shots and looking for opportunities. That has been a chore for the quiet player. 

“You have to look for your own shot first, but keep the team game in mind,” she says. “I just try to stay in the game and not go wild.” 

That newfound aggressiveness has a good side and a bad side, according to her coach. Nakamura sometimes questions Hutton’s shot selection, saying she takes a lot of off-balance shots. But he also sees the need for Hutton to step into her natural role as a leader of the team. 

“She’s a junior, but she’s also a third-year varsity player,” he says. “ But if she wants to play on the next level, she’s got to be more vocal, and she’s improving in that area quite a bit. She’s assuming some leadership.” 

Hutton agrees. 

“I’ve been trying to be more vocal, to be a leader for this team,” she says. “But it’s going to take some work.

Last week the City Council boasted strong support for the Berkeley High Achievement Plan and Tuesday they acted on it. 

The council approved $40,000 for the program that is designed to intercede in the academic lives of Berkeley High School freshmen who are in danger of failing math and English classes. The council also committed up to $25,000 in city services, including truancy reduction assistance and case management. The program was developed by a recently-formed group of parents. 

The council adopted the recommendation by an 8-1 vote with Councilmember Betty Olds abstaining. 

The sponsoring organization, Parents of Children of African Descent, first met in November to discuss scholastic problems related to their high-school-aged children. The group soon put together a program to assist Berkeley High’s failing freshman. School and city officials have found the plan so infectious that very little has stood in PCAD’s way since. 

The idea is to identify the students who are having trouble and then enroll them in the program in which they will have access to classes with low teacher-student ratios. If their parents are unable to participate, the students will be assigned mentors who will closely monitor their academic progress. 

In two-months time, PCAD has received about $184,000 in assistance from a variety of private individuals and organizations including $100,000 from the School Board and $40,000 from the city. 

The program has already hired three high school qualified teachers and signed up 48 students who began taking classes Tuesday, according to PCAD members. PCAD says that 242 freshman at Berkeley High are in danger of failing a math or English class and 83 freshman are in danger of failing both.  

Two key elements of the plan are parent involvement and a community-wide partnership. parent Michael Miller, who is on the PCAD steering committee said the program is about much more than the money. 

“Millions have been spent on this problem already and our kids are still failing,” he said. “It’s more than money, it’s the community believing in and working with the students.” 

Councilmember Kriss Worthington had requested $100,000 to match the School Board’s contribution to the program but praised the city manager’s quick response. The council had asked the city manager to find as much money as possible within a week’s time for the spring semester, which began Tuesday. 

As soon as the council approved the recommendation, Councilmember Polly Armstrong made a motion, which the council also approved 8-1 with Olds abstaining, to earmark an additional $60,000 from the mid-year budget. The money could be allocated in two weeks when the budget is discussed. 

“We can’t know if this program is going to work,” Armstrong said. “I know how hard it is to get parents involved. But I’m dying to hear that you succeeded.” 

Arrietta Chakos, chief of staff in the City Manager’s Office, said there is no plan yet in place for truancy reduction or case management components of the recommendation.  

She said that it’s likely truancy reduction will focus on kids who are on campus but not in class and the city might offer assistance with calling parents at home to let them know their kids are not attending class. 

“The case management element could be anything from seeing that the kids have enough to eat to helping them with health care to counseling them for family problems,” Chakos said. 

The University of California, Berkeley, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have teamed up with AC Transit and the City of Berkeley in a new pilot program to help relieve traffic congestion in the city and promote the use of public transit.  

UC Berkeley faculty, staff and students and laboratory employees will be able to use Berkeley Lab's free shuttle service in the morning between the campus and the Rockridge BART station. They also will be able to ride AC Transit's regular bus service linking the campus and the station for free.  

“This expanded service is another step in our ongoing efforts to help reduce traffic on city streets and ease the demand for parking.  

“Thanks to terrific cooperation, we are able to offer a convenient alternative to campus commuters that also promises to be a real benefit to southside residents,” said Chancellor Robert M. Berdahl.  

Berkeley City Councilmember Polly Armstrong, whose council district includes both the campus and the laboratory, played a key role in getting the shuttle realized. Thanks to her initiative, the parties have signed a memorandum of understanding for a five-month pilot program.  

“We all share a common interest in improving gridlock in south of campus. I'm excited to bring this group together for what I hope will be a helpful solution,” Armstrong said. Berkeley riders to share the lab's popular Rockridge BART shuttle during the morning commute "extends our own commitment to alternative transportation options, which over the years has included a successful shuttle bus system between downtown Berkeley and the laboratory."  

After a five-month trial, the service will be evaluated to determine whether it will be modified or continued, said Nadesan Permaul, UC Berkeley's director of transportation. The campus's Office of Parking and Transportation is coordinating the new services with Berkeley Lab and AC Transit.  

Both Permaul and Armstrong said they are hopeful the Rockridge shuttle will be as successful as the Class Pass program initiated in fall 1999.  

That resulted from similarly cooperative efforts between the campus, Armstrong and AC Transit and allows UC Berkeley students free rides on all AC Transit routes by paying $18 a year in additional registration fees.  

As with the Class Pass, riders will need to show proper identification. For students, it will be their student ID with a Class Pass sticker. Faculty and staff will need to show their UC Berkeley employee photo ID.  

In the morning, faculty, staff and students coming from the Rockridge BART station have the option of using the Berkeley Lab's direct shuttle bus or AC Transit's #64 bus to the campus. In the offer schedules to get passengers to the campus in 15 minutes and pick up commuters directly under the BART station on College Avenue.  

Lab's service runs from 6:35 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. every 30 to 40 minutes. The lab's bus will drop passengers off in front of International House, at the top of Bancroft Way at Piedmont Avenue.  

The AC Transit bus runs weekdays between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. at 15-minute intervals. It stops at Bancroft Way and Telegraph Avenue near the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union. 

"Line 64 buses offer sufficient capacity so that faculty and staff, just like UC students, can avoid driving in the south campus area," said Rick Fernandez, AC Transit's general manager.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee today was elected as Vice Chair of the Progressive Caucus. 

The more than 50 members of the Progressive Caucus share a common belief in the principles of social and economic justice, non-discrimination, and tolerance in America and in our relationships with other countries. The caucus seeks to embody and give a voice to national priorities which reflect the interests and needs of all the American people, not just the wealthy and the powerful. 

“I am very honored to be chosen as vice chair of the Progressive Caucus, and look forward to working with Chairman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio toward a progressive legislative agenda that puts people first,” Lee said. “Now more than ever we must be unified in putting forth an agenda that will save Social Security and Medicare, increase access to health care for the more than 44 million Americans who are uninsured, provide affordable housing, strengthen public schools, protect the environment, and combat social and racial inequalities that still exist.” 

“A majority of Americans agree with a progressive agenda that focuses on the needs and well being of all Americans,” said Lee. “We should not be afraid to differentiate our agenda from Republican initiatives which often-times ignore the working poor, low-income communities, as well as communities of color, instead pushing the agendas of the NRA, the Christian Coalition, defense contractors, anti-choice organizations, and the tobacco, pharmaceutical, insurance, and oil industries.” 

Congresswoman Lee was elected vice chair of the caucus because of a demonstrated record supporting peace and justice in the United States and throughout the world. 

“Barbara Lee is perhaps the most principled Member of Congress, with an understanding of the issues and a commitment to progressive change,” said Progressive Caucus Chair Dennis Kucinich,D-Ohio.“Her new position reflects the confidence that her peers have in her, and she will do a tremendous job.” 

“I would like to thank my colleagues for their continued support and confidence, and for entrusting me with the responsibilities of this position in such an important caucus,” Lee said. 

“I look forward to promoting an agenda of fairness and justice in the 107th Congress.” 

SAN JOSE — The young man who allegedly assembled an arsenal of guns and explosives in his room and plotted a massacre at his community college was fascinated with the 1999 rampage at Columbine High School and “hated everyone,” police said Wednesday. 

Amid the 30 pipe bombs and 20 Molotov cocktails stashed under clothes and in duffel bags in Al DeGuzman’s messy bedroom, investigators found magazine articles about the Columbine killers, writings worshipping them and pictures of them on the wall, Sgt. Steve Dixon said. 

DeGuzman, 19, allegedly planned for two years to kill fellow students in De Anza College’s cafeteria and library, modeling the attack on the one in Littleton, Colo., in which Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed 13 people and wounded 23 others before committing suicide. 

“Eric Harris is God,” DeGuzman allegedly proclaimed on one Web site. “He’s my savior.” The pages have been taken down by its administrator. 

“According to the friends we talked to, he was getting weird,” said Deputy Police Chief Mike Miceli. “The common thing was that he talked a lot about Columbine. He was fixed on Columbine.” 

While the specific motive remained unclear, investigators found troves of angry writings on DeGuzman’s computer. DeGuzman, who is of Filipino descent, lashed out against politicians, social classes and people of all ethnic groups – including his own, police said. 

“He hated everyone,” Miceli said. 

The new details of the investigation emerged as DeGuzman sat in jail awaiting a court appearance Thursday on more than 50 weapons and explosives counts. His family did not answer requests for comment, and DeGuzman’s lawyer could not be located. 

The plot allegedly unraveled Monday night after a clerk in a drug store photo-developing department alerted police to snapshots of DeGuzman posing with his arsenal, including the Molotov cocktails that seemed to be in dark apple juice bottles. 

“I was looking at it probably for three and five minutes just staring at it trying to make out who this person was, why was he taking pictures of these black gloves, black pants, black belts,” said the clerk, Kelly Bennett, whose father is a San Jose police officer. “I thought, ‘This guy is weird.”’ 

DeGuzman was arrested when he came in to pick up the photos Monday night, forcing De Anza College in nearby Cupertino to shut down Tuesday morning, the day the attack was allegedly planned for. 

De Anza reopened Wednesday, and police said they had determined no one else was involved in the plot. 

Despite his alleged affinity for Harris and Klebold, DeGuzman was no trench coat-wearing loner. DeGuzman had no criminal record, and many people who knew him said he was clever and smart, likely to become an engineer. 

In his senior year at Independence High School in 1998-99, DeGuzman was one of five editors of the yearbook, which won national graphic design awards. 

“I would describe him as intelligent, creative,” said Paul Ender, who was the yearbook adviser. “He was on the shy side, but the kids really respected him and liked him. I certainly did, or he wouldn’t have been an editor of the yearbook — especially at the school, where the yearbook is a pretty major undertaking.” 

Ender recalled how DeGuzman would create fanciful sculptures with the design tools in his classroom. 

“I had to joke with him on Monday mornings, he had to take all this stuff apart so I could work with them,” Ender said. 

While most, if not all, of the other yearbook editors went off to four-year schools, Ender said he believed DeGuzman enrolled at De Anza and lived with his parents for financial reasons. 

DeGuzman’s parents told investigators they respected their son’s privacy and had no idea of what police would find: booby-trapped explosives, sophisticated timing devices and a sawed-off shotgun and rifle, both of which were legally purchased. The explosives were built with common items that could be found at many stores, and some of them were similar to ones used at Columbine, police said. 

Miceli said investigators “hit the gold mine” of evidence when they seized DeGuzman’s computer from his bedroom. They discovered detailed plans — including positions and corners at De Anza that bombs could be placed in and ways to distract police with bombs off campus, police said. 

“He was going to kill as many people as possible before he died,” Dixon said. “He seemed to think the more people he killed, the better it’d be, the more media attention.” 

Among the passages that police said gave them insight into DeGuzman’s thinking was this, from an America Online page: “I don’t seem to care about anything anymore except having a (expletive) of guns, liking people who are politically incorrect, revolution, and seeing people get the (expletive) kicked out of them.” 

Talk of the thwarted plot occupied the first 20 minutes of De Anza instructor Jennifer Myhre’s sociology classes Wednesday. She said many of her students were afraid that accomplices to the plan were still at large, and that many of those evacuated did not take the threat seriously at first. 

“You hear ‘bomb threat,’ and you think someone had a test and didn’t want to show up — like pulling a fire alarm,” Myhre said. “But here was someone who had a real well-thought-out plan. It was really unnerving.” 

SAN FRANCISCO — Police investigators continued to sift through a growing collection of evidence Wednesday as they attempt to determine the background of two dogs that killed a woman at her doorstep Friday. 

Investigators are still trying to find out if the owners of the two Mastiff-Canary Island dogs that attacked Diane Whipple knew of any attack training or vicious tendencies the animals might have had, said District Attorney Terence Hallinan. 

“We’re just sitting here trying to gather all the facts,” he said. His office is working with police as well as animal care and control officials. Hallinan has also sent office personnel to other parts of California to gather information about the people and animals involved in this case. 

Prosecutors have not charged dog owners Robert Noel or his wife Marjorie Knoller with any crimes. But Hallinan acknowledged that his office is taking a close look at California law regarding dogs trained to fight, attack or kill. 

Noel and Knoller could face manslaughter charges in Whipple’s death, if they are found guilty of negligence under that law, Hallinan said. 

Noel did not return repeated calls placed by The Associated Press seeking comment. 

The dogs that attacked Whipple were a Mastiff-Canary Island mix. They were part of a group of dogs raised for fighting contests and guarding methamphetamine labs, according to state prison officials. 

Pelican Bay State Prison inmates Paul John Schneider and Dale Bretches were found to have organized the dog ring from behind bars. Bretches contacted WereWolf Kennels, an Ontario, Canada, dog breeder more than a year ago looking to acquire purebred Canary Island dogs, or Presa Canario, known in Spain for their imposing size and fighting prowess. 

Angelika Morwald, owner of WereWolf Kennels, said she received a three-page letter from Bretches in 1999 inquiring about buying some dogs for breeding. She refused to do business with him because he was incarcerated at the time. 

“How is he going to care for an animal I love?” Morwald said. “This is exactly the kind of people we try to avoid selling to.” 

She said she did not respond to Bretches’ letter and never sent him any material about the dogs, which she sells for between $1,250 and $2,000 per puppy. 

Despite the Presa Canario’s intimidating appearance, Morwald says they must be trained to attack in the manner that Noel’s dog attacked Whipple. 

“My belief is that that dog was trained at some point to do that,” she said. 

A memorial service for Whipple, a popular lacrosse coach at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, was set for Thursday. 

SACRAMENTO — Lawmakers moved Wednesday to make the state a major power buyer under a $10 billion plan to rescue utilities pushed to the brink of bankruptcy by California’s disastrous deregulation law. 

Some of the same lawmakers who deregulated the energy industry in California five years ago voted to put the state in the business of buying power to keep the lights. 

The proposal won Senate approval 27-8. It was sent to the Assembly for a final vote and was expected to go to Gov. Gray Davis by day’s end. 

“This is a measure I undoubtedly hate as much as anyone on this floor, but it is far less odious than to do nothing,” said Sen. Debra Bowen, a Marina del Rey Democrat, who backed the deregulation law as an assemblywoman in 1996. “There’s no possibility of improvement if we don’t take the medicine that we need to get better.” 

The bill lets the state sign long-term contracts to buy power and sell it to the customers of financially strapped Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas and Electric Co., who together serve nearly 9 million residential and business customers. 

The state’s two largest utilities, forced by the deregulation law to sell their power plants, say they’ve been pushed $12.7 billion in debt by soaring wholesale prices that same law blocks them from recovering from their customers. 

The state has already spent more than $400 million on costly short-term power-buying on behalf of Edison and PG&E, which have been denied credit by suppliers. The legislation lets the state spend up to $500 million buying more electricity on the expensive spot market while reaching cheaper long-term deals with wholesalers for up to a decade. 

One controversial element of the legislation was a provision that would allow the state Public Utilities Commission to raise electricity rates to cover wholesale costs. 

To encourage conservation, residential customers who use 30 percent more energy than a baseline specified by regional climate and energy use would be punished with higher rates. 

The governor sent lawmakers a letter urging them to back the bill, and promising to sign it. 

“Our job is not yet done,” Davis wrote. “We need to continue to work together to implement aggressive conservation efforts and to vigorously pursue additional generation in the state.” 

A two-thirds vote from each house was required for the bill to take effect immediately after the governor signs it. Republican lawmakers said they wouldn’t join majority Democrats in voting for the bill unless Davis pledged to take full responsibility for the legislation. 

Davis has deflected criticism of his handling of the energy crisis by reminding lawmakers that he was not one of deregulation’s architects. 

Two demonstrators were arrested Wednesday outside the governor’s office for obstructing police as more than a dozen consumer activists protested what they called a taxpayer-financed bailout. 

“These are multibillion-dollar companies that have the ability to bail themselves out without our help,” said Medea Benjamin, a former Green Party U.S. Senate candidate and one of the protesters arrested. 

The long-term buying bill, funded through $10 billion in revenue bonds, is part of a larger fix being orchestrated by lawmakers to save the state’s two largest utilities and spare the state from blackouts. 

The Legislature’s action came as the state faced its 16th straight day in a Stage 3 power alert with reserves threatening to fall below 1.5 percent. The northern two-thirds of California faced two days with rolling blackouts this month as electricity fell short. 

California’s energy problems are expected to persist through the summer. Even the power-buying bill’s strongest supporters said far more action was needed to resolve the energy crisis, including swift power plant construction and aggressive conservation. California’s electricity crisis continues to put a strain on Western power resources, and the impact is being felt in Washington, D.C. 

Senate Democrats criticized President Bush on Wednesday for refusing to act more aggressively in the crisis and said the problem will spread and worsen this summer unless wholesale energy prices in the state are controlled. 

Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers in California revealed a series of alternative proposals Wednesday to increase the state’s energy supply and encourage conservation. 

“The problem is big and it is going to take a number of large and small steps to solve,” said Senate Republican Leader Jim Brulte, R-Rancho Cucamonga. 

The GOP energy plan includes building more hydroelectric power plants, constructing power plants on military bases, giving local governments the property taxes from power plants it approves, and tax credits for people and businesses who reduce their energy use by 10 percent or more. 

On the Net: 

Read the legislation, AB1X by Assemblyman Fred Keeley, D-Boulder Creek, at www.assembly.ca.gov 

California ISO: www.caiso.com 

FREMONT— Along with their ribs and fries, diners at three Original Hickory Pit restaurants are chewing on a 75-cent surcharge to cover higher energy costs. 

As they take their seats at the restaurants in Fremont, Walnut Creek and Campbell, patrons find fluorescent orange fliers announcing the surcharge right next to their menus. 

“We had to do this to stay in business,” explained owner Tom Kavishi, who started the practice last weekend. 

Energy bills for December and January at the three restaurants increased to $75,000, three times higher than normal.  

Kavishi couldn’t raise menu prices because the restaurants just had spent $5,000 changing menus. 

Kavishi said Wednesday he had qualms about adding the surcharge to bills, but felt he could count on the loyalty of customers who have enjoyed ribs and fresh-baked pies at the restaurants for more than 50 years. 

Kavishi said he will impose the surcharge “as long as the energy crisis is not resolved,” and that it applies only to customers who order full meals – not those who only stop by for a side order of beans. 

One diner told The Oakland Tribune the surcharge was a bad sign of the times. 

“My wife is concerned that other retail establishments will see this and soon everybody will start raising prices,” said Marcus Bruno of Fremont.

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, N.J. — When the first verdict was announced, Daniel Cohen clasped his hands together and breathed deeply, overcome by emotion. 

Sitting in his living room watching television, the father of a 20-year-old college student killed in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 sighed with relief. 

“I’m happier than I thought I would be,” he said after a Scottish court convicted Libyan intelligence officer Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi of murder Wednesday. 

Then the second Libyan, Lamen Khalifa Fhimah,  

was acquitted. 

“Both would have been better, but the important thing is that the Libyan government has been indicted in this thing,” said Cohen, 64, who attended the first week of the trial in Camp Zeist, the Netherlands, last May. 

Moments later he fielded a phone call from his wife, Susan, who watched a closed-circuit broadcast of the verdicts in Washington, D.C., along with other victims’ families. 

The Cohens lost their only child, Syracuse University student Theodora Cohen, in the Dec. 21, 1988, bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland. 

Thirty-five other Syracuse students were aboard the plane when a bomb destroyed the plane and rained debris down on the tiny town. Eleven of the 270 victims were killed on the ground. 

Robert and Peggy Hunt of Rochester, N.Y., lost their 20-year-old daughter, Karen. The split verdict left the family determined to pursue civil action that they say will bring to light evidence of deeper involvement by the Libyan government and others. 

“We’re extremely happy that the one defendant was found guilty and disappointed that the other was found not guilty,” Robert Hunt said. “The word ’innocent’ didn’t sit real well.” 

Within hours of the conviction, al-Megrahi was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison. 

“Twenty years – and it’s not exactly hard time – for killing 270 people?” said Cohen. “Of course it’s not fair. But what’s fair for mass murder?” 

George Williams of Joppatowne, Md., who lost his 24-year-old son, Geordie, in the crash, said he was satisfied with the sentence. 

“We’re just looking for justice here. We’re not looking for revenge,” said Williams. “We’re going to hang in there, because we’re going for (Libyan leader Moammar) Gadhafi now.” 

“This is something we’ve waited for a long time,” said Paul Hudson of Washington, whose 16-year-old daughter, Melina, was killed. “To have it come out like this is, of course, very good because it means we’ll probably get close to full justice, and I think we’ll get much more – if not the full – truth.” 

The United Nations imposed sanctions against Libya in 1992 because of its refusal to cooperate in the case, and then-President Clinton ordered sanctions against foreign companies that invest in Libya in 1996. But some of the victims’ relatives say the U.S. government should have acted more aggressively to punish Libya. 

“We are not too hopeful for help from our government. The only reason we had a trial was the persistence of the families,” said Carole Johnson of Greensburg, Pa., whose 21-year-old daughter was killed. Beth Ann Johnson was returning from a semester abroad at Regents College in London where she was a psychology major. 

Victims’ families say the verdict can’t soothe the ache of their losses. 

“We want justice, we want those responsible punished,” said Norma Leckburg, of Cold Spring, N.J., who lost son Robert Leckburg Jr., 30. “But there will never be closure.” 

Leckburg was a product engineer returning to the United States from a business trip to Europe. 

In a federal building in New York City, about 85 family members watched portions of the satellite feed without sound because of technical problems. They later watched a replay with sound. 

“I didn’t have to hear the verdict,” said Bert Ammerman, of Riverdale, N.J., whose brother, Tom Ammerman, died on the flight. “I saw the evidence, and I believed all along that both men were guilty.” 

On the Net: 

Syracuse: http://www.law.syr.edu/academics/academics.asp?whatlockerbie 

NEW YORK — The U.S. Justice Department will not pursue federal civil rights charges against four New York City police officers who killed an unarmed West African immigrant outside his Bronx apartment two years ago, a federal source close to the case said Wednesday. 

The four officers were cleared of murder and other charges in a state criminal trial last year. Amadou Diallo, 22, died in a hail of 41 bullets in what the officers all testified was a tragic error. 

The federal source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press that the decision was pending formal notification of the Diallo family, which was meeting with U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White. 

The Diallo family, along with many of their supporters, had hoped for a federal civil rights prosecution of the officers.  

Diallo was black, and the four undercover officers were white in the Feb. 4, 1999, shooting that exacerbated racial tensions in the city. 

The Diallo family still has a $61 million civil suit against the city, its last legal recourse in the case.  

Diallo was shot when he reached for his wallet; the officers said they believed he was reaching for a gun. 

White’s office proposed the meeting after Robert Conason, the attorney for the victim’s mother Kadiatou Diallo, sent a letter to Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder blasting Justice Department officials. 

“The seeming lack of courage displayed by the failure to either seek an indictment or formally close the investigation could only be taken ... as an example of politics at its worst,” Conason wrote in an excerpt printed in the New York Post, which initially reported the decision not to prosecute the officers on its Web site. 

All of the officers acquitted last year – Kenneth Boss, Sean Carroll, Edward McMellon and Richard Murphy – remain on the force. They were searching for a rape suspect when they stopped Diallo outside his home. 

Federal civil rights prosecutions following state acquittals are extremely rare.  

In the Diallo case, authorities would have required proof that the officers violated Diallo’s civil rights by intentionally using excessive force. 

In the state trial, the officers argued they fired in self defense, believing that Diallo was about to pull a weapon on them. 

The officers were members of the NYPD’s Street Crime Unit at the time of the shooting. They were driving around the Bronx in an unmarked car and wearing plainclothes when they spotted Diallo. 

Shortly after Diallo’s death, White announced her office had begun the civil rights probe. 

White’s office also has a separate, broader investigation under way into police training and practices, especially by the Street Crime Unit. 

The Diallo family, in its civil lawsuit, claims the officers used unnecessary force to deprive their son “his right to life.” 

It also charges the shooting resulted from racial profiling sanctioned by the police department, including stopping and frisking black males without justification.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve, pledging a “rapid and forceful” response to the economy’s dramatic slowdown, cut interest rates on Wednesday by another half percentage point. 

It was the second rate reduction this month and was viewed as a strong signal the central bank plans to move as aggressively as it can to fight the growing threat of a recession. 

The widely expected rate cut drew a far more muted response on Wall Street than the Fed’s surprise announcement of its first half-point reduction on Jan. 3. That move had triggered the biggest one-day rally in Nasdaq’s history. 

On Wednesday, the Dow Jones industrial average ended the day up just 6.16 at 10,887.36 while the Nasdaq fell by 65.46 to 2,772.89, a reaction analysts attributed to profit taking. 

The Fed said it was lowering its target for the federal funds rate, the interest that banks charge each other, to 5.5 percent. It had been at 6.5 percent at the beginning of this month, reflecting six rate increases from June 1999 to May 2000 as the central bank pushed rates higher to slow growth and combat inflation. 

The two half-point cuts marked the first time in Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan’s 13-year tenure that the central bank has reduced the funds rate by a full percentage point in a single month. 

The Fed’s action meant a further drop in borrowing costs for millions of Americans as commercial banks immediately announced reductions in their prime lending rate, the benchmark for many business and consumer loans, by one-half point to 8.5 percent. 

The Fed statement cited a long litany of economic troubles that had caused it to act. 

“Consumer and business confidence has eroded further, exacerbated by rising energy costs that continue to drain consumer purchasing power and press on business profit margins,” the Fed said in its statement. “Taken together, and with inflation contained, these circumstances have called for a rapid and forceful response of monetary policy.” 

Analysts viewed the back-to-back half point reductions and the Fed’s strong language as a clear signal more rate cuts are coming. 

“The Fed is telling us that they are going to do whatever they possibly can to keep us out of a recession,” said Martin Regalia, chief economist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. 

The Fed’s action came after the government reported Wednesday that economic growth slowed to just 1.4 percent at an annual rate in the final three months of 2000, the weakest increase in the gross domestic product in more than five years. 

Greenspan had told Congress last week that growth in the current quarter could be “very close to zero.” He said whether the economy averts a full-blown recession would determined by how much worried consumers cut back on spending. 

The Conference Board on Tuesday said that its closely followed consumer confidence index fell for a fourth straight month in January, dropping by the largest amount in four years. 

Allen Sinai, chief economist at Decision Economics in New York, said factors such as how much businesses cut back on production and the impact of the California energy crisis will determine whether the GDP turns negative in the first quarter. He said he was currently forecasting a 0.5 percent growth rate. 

“For sure, we are going to have a recession-like environment. That is already here,” Sinai said. “The hope is that this aggressive easing of monetary policy will limit any downturn and shorten its length.” 

The Bush administration has used the spreading economic weakness to sell Congress on the need to act quickly on its $1.6 trillion tax cut. President Bush told reporters Tuesday that he would refrain from any further direct comments on Fed action in order to respect the central bank’s independence. He had praised the Jan. 3 move. 

In a statement, Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill said the administration shares the Fed’s goals of “maintaining healthy economic growth while preserving low inflation.” 

Many saw the Fed’s aggressive easing as an effort by Greenspan to avoid the mistakes that brought on the 1990-91 recession, the only downturn in his tenure. The administration of Bush’s father blamed that downturn on the Fed’s slowness in responding to signs of weakness. 

“There is no question that the Fed chairman is pulling out all the stops to avoid a major blot on his otherwise shining record,” said David Jones, chief economist at Aubrey G. Lanston & Co. in New York. 

Jones predicted the Fed likely will follow up Wednesday’s move with another half-point cut at the next meeting on March 20 or cut rates in two quarter-point moves, with one before the March meeting. 

——— 

On the Net: 

Federal Reserve: http://www.federalreserve.gov 

NEW YORK — With Wall Street increasingly worried about a recession, investors sold off stocks Wednesday after the Federal Reserve said it would lower interest rates for the second time in a month. 

Investors interpreted the Fed’s announcement as a reason to take profits from the market’s recent gains. Although they know lower rates should eventually lift earnings and the economy, investors couldn’t be sure how long that would take. 

Analysts had expected the post-announcement selling because the market had already factored the half-point rate cut into stock prices. 

“This was the most telegraphed rate cut in history,” said Gary Kaltbaum, a technical analyst at JW Genesis. 

“The market is just hanging in there,” Kaltbaum said. “There are still issues in the marketplace, recession and the quality of earnings going forward...The main question now is: Do we go into a recession or not?” 

Investors have been shaken by recent reports showing the economy has slowed more than analysts expected. But they also are optimistic the economy and corporate earnings will pick up as interest rates fall. 

Wall Street has “confidence in that (lower) interest rates usually, but not instantly, improve the economy. But that is being counterbalanced by a litany of downgrades of earnings and layoffs,” said Robert Stovall, market strategist for Prudential Securities. 

Adding to investors’ worries was a report issued earlier by the Commerce Department that said the gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of just 1.4 percent during the final three months of 2000.  

That performance, the weakest in more than five years, was much slower than many analysts expected and was caused by a plunge in spending on cars and computers. 

Investors showed the most caution in the tech sector, which has suffered the bulk of earnings disappointments. Soft profits and reduced outlooks again hurt long-battered stocks. 

— The Associated Press 

Applied Materials lost $2.13 to finish at $50.31. The maker of semiconductor equipment said after the market closed Tuesday that sales for its fiscal first quarter would fall below estimates as customers cut back purchases. 

Amazon.com, which warned late Tuesday of a future slowdown and said it was cutting 1,300 jobs, fell $1.63 to $17.31. 

The Dow got a big boost from the retailing sector, which tends to rise when interest rates are lowered and consumers spend more. Wal-Mart advanced $3.03 to $56.80. 

Stocks in the drug and consumer staple sectors, which typically fare better during economic slowdowns, also provided some lift. Merck rose $1.18 to $82.18, while Procter & Gamble climbed 74 cents to $71.84. 

But financial stocks slipped after experiencing recent gains. American Express traded down 81 cents at $47.10. 

Advancing issues outnumbered decliners 9 to 7 on the New York Stock Exchange, where consolidated volume was 1.55 billion shares, compared with 1.38 billion on Tuesday. 

The Russell 2000 index, which tracks the performance of smaller company stocks, fell 3.32 to 508.34. The Russell was up nearly 3 points before the Fed announcement. 

Overseas markets were mixed. Japan’s Nikkei stock average rose slightly, up 0.1 percent, Germany’s DAX index gained 0.8 percent, and France’s CAC-40 rose 1.4 percent. But Britain’s FT-SE 100 fell 0.6 percent. 

——— 

On the Net: 

New York Stock Exchange: http://www.nyse.com 

Nasdaq Stock Market: http://www.nasdaq.com 

By Michelle Hopey 

Special to the Daily Planet 

A parking crunch at Berkeley High School that forced the school to turn several tennis courts into a parking lot, has left some of the players crying foul. 

Three of the six courts on the corner of Milvia Street and Bancroft Way have been turned over to the faculty for parking. School construction, scheduled to begin this week, will be on the site of former parking, said Berkeley High Principal Frank Lynch.  

“In order for us to provide parking for the staff, we needed to pave three of the tennis courts,” Lynch said. “We didn’t want to risk the chance of teachers not coming to school because they have no place to park.” 

With tennis season set to begin Monday, members of the team say they are upset with the way the school handled the situation. 

“It would have been nice to have some prior notice,” said team captain 18-year old Gabe Zeldin. “I wish they had found us other arrangements before they went ahead and paved it. Now we’re scrambling to find a place to play with less than a week until the season (starts).” 

“It would have been nice to have a say in this decision - since we are the ones who are affected,” said team member Jonah Schrogin, who found out about the plan when he walked by the courts two weeks ago and saw crews pouring asphalt. 

Lynch said the school was not required to hold a public hearing or post notices since the tennis courts are owned by the Berkeley Unified School District and it’s not mandatory for school districts to hold such hearings. He said the students don’t need to worry because the school has already put calls in to UC Berkeley to ask to use their courts and has looked at other facilities. 

The push to add more parking comes with the construction of several new academic buildings at the school. A new physical education building, new administrative building and student center, removes 150 faculty parking spaces, said Board of Education President Terry Doran.  

“The tennis courts were one of our worst alternatives, but one that we were forced to use,” said Doran on Tuesday.  

The paving is only temporary say officials and will continue only until the construction is completed, which is expected to be in about three years. 

Originally, BHS had planned to provide parking on the school’s blacktop during the construction. However, that plan changed after a fire destroyed the B Building last year, forcing the school to install portable classrooms on the blacktop.  

In December, the board approved an interim parking plan which called for a request to the city for up to 110 residential parking permits for faculty members to allow them to park full days on residential streets where non-residents are restricted to two-hour parking. However, according to Doran, the city has yet to respond to the board’s request. 

Three weeks ago, with the start date for construction looming and unsure if the application for parking permits would be accepted, Lynch said the school parking committee, along with the board, made the decision to go ahead and begin paving the lot.  

“ We didn’t know what the outcome would be and the construction was starting,” said Lynch, noting that the new lot gives the school 50 parking spaces.  

“It’s extremely unlikely that they’ll get the permits,” said City Councilmember Dona Spring. “There is just not enough parking in this city.” 

Spring said she is concerned with the impact of turning open-space into a parking lot. She said an environmental assessment should have been done to determine the impact. She worries about the Bancroft Way residents being inundated with car fumes since most of the block is surrounded with parking garages.  

“ The situation is only temporary” said Spring. “I am empathetic to their crunch. It is a crisis - they’re really between a rock and a hard place.”  

Regardless, the tennis team, which ranked number two in the East Bay Athletic League last year, is in limbo. 

“ We’re just not sure what we’re going to do,” said Dan Seguin, the BHS tennis coach. “It’s going be hard to run matches on three courts. I mean we can run varsity on three courts, but not junior varsity.  

Seguin fears the JV team will suffer the most, since the JV will probably no longer be able to practice with the varsity team. That will affect the program negatively in the next few years, he said. 

He anticipates that next week will be difficult with try-outs on only three courts.  

“ They say it’s temporary, but I don’t believe them,” said Gabe Zeldin. “ I just hope they find us good facilities to use.”

I called Radio Mindanao today at 3 pm PST to make the following appeal:  

Thank you for allowing me to speak on your radio program. My name is Carol Schilling and I am the mother of Jeffrey Schilling.  

I am asking your listeners for their help to secure the safe release of Jeffrey Schilling, a Muslim convert who is being held captive by the Abu Sayyaf on Jolo. I am asking you to please pray for my son. Please add your voice to mine when I appeal for his release.  

Jeffrey is a goodhearted, well-intentioned Muslim who regularly performed zakat (giving money) for the Filipino Muslim community and others in need.  

Holding Jeffrey captive is counterproductive for the goals of the Abu Sayyaf. It makes no sense for Abu Sayyaf to hold anyone against his will, most especially a fellow Muslim.  

Jeffrey is very sick. I am distressed by this news.  

The Abu Sayyaf knows how sick he is and can raise themselves in world opinion by releasing my son so he can get the medical care he needs.  

Jeffrey's Muslim name is Abdur Rahman, servant to the Most Merciful. Please join me in calling upon the Abu Sayyaf to show mercy by releasing Jeffrey Schilling safely and immediately.  

His wife, Ivy Osani, and I are desperate to hear that Jeffrey is free to reunite with us, especially on the occasion of his 25th birthday this coming Sunday.  

To Jeffrey I say “I love you, Jeffrey, and I pray every day for your safe and immediate release. I pray for your well-being. I pray for your heart, that you can feel the love we are sending to you.”  

Carol Schilling  

Oakland 

924 Gilman St. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted $5; $2 for a year membership 

Jan. 26: Tragedy, Yaphet Kotto, Esperanza, Under a Dying Sun; Jan. 28, 5 p.m.: 18 Visions, 12 Tribes, Blood Has Been Shed, Anti Domestix; Feb. 2: Nerve Agents, Jemuel, The Blottos; Feb 3.: Time In Malta, The Cost 525-9926  

Albatross Pub All music at 9 p.m. unless noted Feb. 1: Keni “El Lebrijano”; Feb. 3: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Quartet; Feb. 6: Pickpocket Ensemble; Feb. 7: Whiskey Brothers; Feb. 8: Keni “El Lebrijano”; Feb. 13: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Duo; Feb. 14: Carlos Oliveira Brazilian Jazz Duo 1822 San Pablo 843-2473 

Ashkenaz Jan. 31, 9 p.m.: Cajun Coyotes, dance lesson at 8 p.m. 1370 San Pablo Ave. (at Gilman) 525-5054 or www.ashkenaz.com  

Eli’s Mile High Club Feb. 2: Henry Clement; Feb. 3: Daniel Castro; Feb. 9: Red Archibald; Feb. 10: Kenny Blue Ray; Feb. 16: Little Johnny & the Giants; Feb. 17: Ron Thompson; Feb. 23: Carlos Zialcita; Feb. 24: R.J. Mischo 3629 MLK Jr. Way Oakland  

Freight & Salvage All shows begin at 8 p.m. Jan. 31: Slack Key Guitar Festival w/George Kahumoku, Jr., Princess Owana Salazar, Daniel Ho; Feb. 1: International Guitar Night with Andrew York, Laurence Juber, Peppino D’Agostino, and Brian Gore; Feb. 2: Cats & Jammers; Feb. 3: Lou & Peter Berryman; Feb. 4: Dave Van Ronk; Feb. 5: Tony Trischka & Junk Genius; Feb. 6: Chuck Brodsky; Feb. 7: Keola Beamer with Moana Beamer; Feb. 8 & 9: Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys; Feb. 10: Baguette Quartette with Odile Lavault; Feb.11: Bob Franke 1111 Addison St. 548-1761  

Jazzschool/La Note All shows at 4:30 p.m.Tickets are $10 - $12  

Jan. 28: Ann Dyer Trio; Feb. 4: Jeff Chambers and the J2W Project 2377 Shattuck Ave. 845-5373 

Cal Performances Feb. 2 & 3, 8 p.m.: Allee der Kosmonauten by Berlin choreographer Sasha Waltz with video installations by New York artist Elliot Caplan, $20 - $42; Feb. 4, 4 p.m.: Russian National Orchestra, $30 - $52; Feb. 10, 8 p.m.: Masters of Persian Classical Music, $20 - $40; Feb. 16 & 17, 8 p.m.: Balinese Orchestra Gamelan Sekar Jaya present “Kawit Legong: Prince Karna’s Dream,” $18 - $30. Zellerbach Hall UC Berkeley. 642-9988 or www.calperfs.berkeley.edu Feb. 11, 3 p.m.: Horacio Gutierrez $24 - $42 Hertz Hall UC Berkeley 

“Clori, Tirsi e Fileno” Jan. 27, 8 p.m.; Jan. 28, 7 p.m. Pre-concert talk 45 minutes before each performance. Teatro Bacchino, the Bay Area’s Baroque Opera company perform Handel’s opera. $15 - $20. Crowden School Theater 1475 Rose St. (at Sacramento) 658-3382 

Berkeley Symphony Orchestra Jan. 31, April 3, and June 21, 2001. All performances begin at 8 p.m. Single $19 - $35, Series $52 - $96. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley 841-2800  

Eighth Annual Robert Burns Birthday Celebration Feb. 2, 8 p.m. and Feb. 4, 7 p.m. A celebration of Scotland’s beloved 18th century poet: his songs, his letters, his life. St. Alban’s Episcopal Church 1501 Washington Ave (at Curtis) Albany 848-3422 

Empyrean Ensemble Feb. 3, 3 p.m. The ensemble will present “The Soldier’s Tale,” by Igor Stravinsky, “Prosperous Sould, Gregarious Heart,” by Peter Josheff, and “Horizon Unfolds,” by Yu-Hui Chang. $4 - $10 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. (at Derby) 925-798-1300 

Flauti Diversi Ensemble Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m. Performing the music of 17th and early 18th century composers on baroque instruments in a program titled “Bell Fiore, Belle Fleur.” $10 - $15 Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley 1 Lawson Rd. 525-0302 

“Mostly Baroque” Feb. 4, 5 p.m. Instrumental works by Corelli, Schickhardt, Quantz, Mozart, a new work by Glen Shannon and Bach’s Cantana 82. Donations accepted Church of Saint Mary Magdalen 2005 Berryman (at Milvia)  

Toshi Makihara & Colin Stetson Feb. 4, 7:48 p.m. Philadephia percussionist Makihara teams up with local solo saxophonist Voigt and local contrabassist Morgan Guberman for an evening of improvised music. $8 donation Tuva Space 3192 Adeline (at MLK Jr. Way) 649-8744 

“Songs for the Young at Heart” Feb. 10, 4 p.m. Featuring La Bonne Cuisine by Bernstein and The Shepherd on the Rock by Schubert. Donations accepted St. John’s Presbyterian Church 2727 College Ave.  

Community Women’s Orchestra Feb. 11, 4 p.m. Pieces to be played include those written by Berkeley High students Ariel Wolter and Maianna Voge. Donations accepted Malcolm X School 1731 Prince St. 653-1616 

Percussions Du Guinee Feb. 16 & 17, 8 p.m. Feb. 18, 7 p.m. Internationally respected Guinean percussionists craft a performance simultaneously inspired by traditional music, yet modern in presentation. $20 - $25 925-798-1300 

“Fall” by Bridget Carpenter Through Feb. 11. $15.99 - $51. Berkeley Repertory Theatre 2025 Addison St. 647-2949, www. berkeleyrep.org 

“In Search of my Clitoris” Written and performed by Sia Amma Feb. 1 & 2, 8 p.m. La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. Feb. 8 & 9, 8 p.m. Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. $12 - $14 415-775-6608 

“Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Beckett Through Feb. 3, Thursday - Saturday, 8 p.m. $8 - $12. Subterranean Shakespeare La Val’s Subterranean 1834 Euclid (at Hearst) 234-6046  

“The Road to Mecca” by Athol Fugard Through Feb. 24, Friday - Saturday, 8 p.m. Feb. 22, 8 p.m. $10 Live Oak Theatre 1301 Shattuck 528-5620 

“Nightingale” presented by Central Works Theater Feb. 9 - March 4, Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 24 & Saturday, March 3, 5 p.m.; Free preview Feb. 8, 8 p.m. $8 - $14 LaVal’s Subterranean 1834 Euclid Ave. 558-1381 

“Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me” by Frank MacGuinness Feb. 15 - March 17, Thursday - Saturday, 8 p.m. Sunday, 8:30 p.m. The story of three men - an Irishman, an Englishman and an American held in a prison in Lebanon. $10 - $15 8th St. Studio Theatre 2525 Eighth St. (at Dwight) 655-0813 

“Magnetic North” Six programs of experimental Canadian video from the past 30 years that range from documentary to conceptual art. In all, 40 tapes from 46 artists will be shown on six Wednesday evenings. Through Feb. 28. $7. Pacific Film Archive 2575 Bancroft (at Bowditch) 642-1412  

“Durruti and the Spanish Revolution” The LaborFest U.S. premiere screening and dicussion of this documentary which tells the story of the Confederation National del Trabajo during the Spanish Civil War. Feb. 11, 7:30 p.m. $7 donation requested. La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. 415-642-8066 

“Toto Recall” A 15-film retrospective honoring Italy’s comic genius. Feb. 3 - Feb. 24 Weekend days only, Friday - Sunday. $7 for one film, $8.50 for double bills. Pacific Film Archive 2575 Bancroft Way (at Bowditch) 642-1412 

Boadecia’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted Feb. 10: Karin Kallmaker reads from “Sleight of Hand”; Feb. 23: Becky Thompson reads “Mothering Without a Compass: White Mother’s Love, Black Son’s Courage” 398 Colusa Ave. Kensington 559-9184. www.boadeciasbooks.com 

Cody’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted Jan. 31: Poetry of Steven Ajay & Anita Barrows  

“Strong Women - Writers & Heroes of Literature” Fridays Through June, 2001, 1 - 3 p.m. Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program. North Berkeley Senior Center 1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 549-2970  

Duomo Reading Series and Open Mic. Thursdays, 6:30 - 9 p.m. Feb. 1: John Rowe; Feb. 8: Tom Odegard; Feb 15: Kathleen Lynch; Feb. 22: Charles Ellick; March 1: Eliza Shefler; March 8: Judy Wells; March 15: Elanor Watson-Gove; March 22: Anna Mae Stanley; March 29: Georgia Popoff. Cafe Firenze 2116 Shattuck Ave. 644-0155. 

Lunch Poems First Thursday of each month, 12:10 - 12:50 p.m. Feb. 1: Sherman Alexie; March 1: Aleida Rodrigues; April 5: Galway Kinnell; May 3: Student Reading Morrison Room, Doe Library UC Berkeley 642-0137 

Robert Hass Former U.S. Poet Laureate will read Jan. 31, Noon - 1 p.m. Lower Sproul Plaza, Pauley Ballroom in case of rain UC Berkeley 

Tours 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Free. University of California, Berkeley. 486-4387 

Berkeley City Club Tours 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. 848-7800  

The fourth Sunday of every month, Noon - 4 p.m. $2  

Golden Gate Live Steamers Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Lomas Cantadas Drive at the south end of Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley. 486-0623  

Small locomotives, meticulously scaled to size. Trains run Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rides: Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., weather permitting.  

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden Centennial Drive, behind Memorial Stadium, a mile below the Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley. 643-2755 or www.mip.berkeley.edu/garden/  

The gardens have displays of exotic and native plants. Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 1:30 p.m. $3 general; $2 seniors; $1 children; free on Thursday. Daily, 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. 

Lectures 

Berkeley Historical Society Slide Lecture & Booksigning Series Sundays, 3 - 5 p.m. $10 donation requested Jan. 28: “The Finns in Berkeley and Co-op Beginnings,” a panel discussion on Finnish and Co-op history; March 11: Director of Berkeley’s International House, Joe Lurie, will show a video and dicuss the history and struggle to open the I-House 70 years ago. Berkeley Historical Center Veterans Memorial Building 1931 Center St. 848-0181 

“Great Decisions” Foreign Policy Association Lectures Series Tuesdays, 10 a.m. - Noon, Feb. 13 - April 3; An annual program featuring specialists in the field of national foreign policy, many from University of California. Goal is to inform the public on major policy issues and receive feedback from the public. $5 per session, $35 entire series for single person, $60 entire series for couple. Berkeley City Club 2315 Durant Ave. 526-2925 

Wednesday, Jan. 31

Planning Commission Hearing on the Oxford lot 

7 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

Martin Luther King Jr. Way at Hearst Ave. 

Berkeley Symphony Orchestra  

8 p.m. 

Zellerbach Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Featuring “Berkeley Images,” a world premiere by Jean-Pascal Beintus.  

$10 - $35 Call 841-2800 

Conversations in Commedia 

7:30 p.m. 

La Pena Cultural Center 

3105 Shattuck Ave. (at Prince) 

Mime Troupe vet and St. Stupid’s Day creator, Ed Holmes, and 84-year-old Bari Rolfe, a mime for over 30 years, give dialogues on satire.  

$6 - $8  

Call 849-2568 

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling Classes for  

Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Berkeley High Poetry Slam  

6:30 p.m.  

Berkeley High School  

2246 Milvia St., Room G-210 

A preliminary round for the regional poetry slams sponsored by youth speaks.  

Human Welfare & Community Action Commission 

7 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center 

2939 Ellis St.  

The Poetry of Robert Hass 

Noon - 1 p.m. 

Lower Sproul Plaza 

UC Berkeley 

Former U.S. Poet Laureate will read.  

Public Exposure: DNA,  

Democracy and the “Wireless Revolution” 

7:15 p.m.  

Community Meeting Room 

Public Safety Building 

2100 Martin Luther King Jr. Way 

A video on the health risks of wireless communication technology. 

Thursday, Feb. 1

Free “Quit Smoking” Class 

5:30 - 7:30 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center 

2939 Ellis (at Ashby)  

Cease your smoking with the help of this free class offered to Berkeley residents and employees. 

Call 644-6422 to enroll or e-mail quitnow@ci.berkeley.ca.us 

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet John Rowe and host Randy Fingland.  

644-0155 

Hiking the California Desert  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment, Inc. 

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Steve Tabor of the conservation group Desert Survivors presents a slide-show of highlights from his reconnaissance trips along more than 400 miles of trail. Free  

Call 527-7377  

Berkeley Metaphysical  

Toastmasters Club  

6:15 - 7:30 p.m.  

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysics come together. Ongoing first and third Thursdays each month.  

Call 869-2547 

Dark Caves & Sunlight 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Hillside Community Church  

1422 Navellier St.  

El Cerrito 

A series of Thursday evenings of conversation “engaging people in discovering the pleasures of an excellent discussion.” Explore the origins of how people speak to each other. $10  

Friday, Feb. 2

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Allee der Kosmontauten 

8 p.m. 

Zellerbach Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Performance of Berlin choreographer Sasha Waltz 1996 work in its West Coast premiere. Also features the film work of Elliot Caplan. $20 - $42  

Call 642-9988 or e-mail tickets@calperfs.berkeley.edu  

“A Night In Oakland” 

8 p.m. 

Alice Arts Center 

1428 Alice St. (at 14th St.) 

Oakland  

Savage Jazz Dance Company launches their 2001 spring season along with the Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra.  

$10 - $15 

Call 496-6068 or visit  

www.savagejazz.org 

Stagebridge Free Acting  

& Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Taize Worship Service  

7:30 - 8:30 p.m. 

Loper Chapel  

(adjacent to) First Congregational Church of Berkeley  

2345 Channing Way 848-3696 

Saturday, Feb. 3

Spirits in the Time of AIDS Artists Talk 

1 p.m. 

Pro Arts Gallery  

461 Ninth St.  

As part of “Consecrations,” the public is invited to hear artists speak about their work and show slides. Free 

Call 763-9425 

Free Tae-Bo Classes for Adults  

10 - 10:45 a.m.  

Frances Albrier Community Center  

San Pablo Park 

2800 Park St.  

Call 644-8515 

Free Martial Arts Classes for Kids  

11:15 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Frances Albrier Community Center  

San Pablo Park  

2800 Park St.  

Classes taught by Michael Johnson, a fourth degree black belt. Ages 5 - 7, 11:15 a.m. - Noon; Ages 8 - 12, 12:15 p.m. - 1 p.m.; Ages 13 to adults, 1:15 p.m. - 2 p.m. 

644-8515 

Free Sailboat Rides  

1 - 4 p.m. 

Cal Sailing Club 

Berkeley Marina 

The Cal Sailing Club, a non-profit sailing and windsurfing cooperative, give free rides on a first come, first served bases on the first full weekend of each month. Wear warm clothes and bring a change of clothes in case you get wet. Children must be at least five years old and must be accompanies by an adult.  

Visit www.cal-sailing.org  

Fruit Tree Pruning 

10 a.m. - Noon  

Ecology Center Library  

2530 San Pablo Ave.  

An introductory class for the home fruit grower. Class taught by Greg Peck, owner of an organic landscape and garden design business in the East Bay.  

$7.50 - $10  

Call 548-2220 

Women’s Evening at the Movies 

7:30 p.m. 

Pacific Center 

2712 Telegraph Ave.  

“Late Bloomer,” the story of a high school basketball coach who realizes she’s fallen for the school secretary. Women’s Evening at the Movies is the first Saturday of every month.  

Visit www.pacificcenter.org 

— compiled by  

Chason Wainwright 

Empyrean Ensemble 

4 p.m. 

Julia Morgan Theater 

2640 College Ave. 

Featuring a commissioned piece, “Prosperous Soul, Gregarious Heart,” newly composed by Peter Josheff in honor of his late father.  

Call 845-8542 

Sunday, Feb. 4 

“Under Construction No. 10” 

7:30 p.m. 

St. John’s Presbyterian Church  

2727 College Ave.  

Experience the unusual rehearsal-reading format that lets the audience experience the collaboration between conductor, orchestra and composer in the Berkeley Symphony’s unique series presenting new works or works-in-progress by local Bay Area composers.  

Call 841-2800 

Russian National Orchestra  

4 p.m. 

Zellerbach Hall  

UC Berkeley  

On their tenth anniversary tour, the RNO will perform Shostakovich’s symphony No. 5 and Tchaikovsky’s piano concerto No. 2.  

$30 - $52  

Call 642-9988 or e-mail tickets@calperfs.berkeley.edu  

From Flatlands to the Stars  

9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Diamond Park  

Fruitvale Ave. (at Lyman Rd.) 

A hardy hike along Sausal Creek in Oakland’s unexplored Diamond and Joaquin Miller parks. A free hike sponsored by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call 415-255-3233 for reservations or visit www.greenbelt.org 

Timbrels & Torahs: Celebrating Wisdom,  

Celebrating Age  

10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Miriam Chaya and Judy Montell discuss their Simchat Hochmah ceremony, which celebrates a woman’s transition from mid-life to her eldering years.  

Call 848-0237 x127 

“A Night In Oakland” 

2 & 8 p.m. 

Alice Arts Center 

1428 Alice St. (at 14th St.) 

Oakland  

Savage Jazz Dance Company launches their 2001 spring season along with the Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra.  

$10 - $15 

Call 496-6068 or visit www.savagejazz.org 

Spiritual & Cultural Context of Mbira  

8 p.m. 

Shambhala Booksellers  

2482 Telegraph Ave.  

Berkeley native Erica Azim has played Shona mbira music for 30 years, and is the foremost mbira performer and recording artist in the U.S. The mbira has metal keys which are plucked with two thumbs and one forefinger, “creating relaxing yet invigorating polyphony and polyrhythms.” Free 

Call 848-8443 

Solving the East Bay Energy Crisis 

3 p.m. 

Berkeley Fellowship Unitarian Universalists 

Fellowship Hall  

1924 Cedar (at Bonita) 

Barbara George of Women’s Energy Matters and a Utility Reform Network representative, Kris Worthington, Berkeley city council member, Ross Mirkarimi of the Green Party, and others will discuss the past and future of the energy situation in the East Bay, including possibilities of conservation, clean, renewable energy and municipally-owned public utilities.  

Call 233-3175 

Free Sailboat Rides  

1 - 4 p.m. 

Cal Sailing Club 

Berkeley Marina 

The Cal Sailing Club, a non-profit sailing and windsurfing cooperative, give free rides on a first come, first served bases on the first full weekend of each month. Wear warm clothes and bring a change of clothes in case you get wet. Children must be at least five years old and must be accompanies by an adult.  

Visit www.cal-sailing.org  

Meditations for Relieving Pain 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute  

1815 Highland Pl.  

Sylvia Gretchen presents specific meditations and visualization practices that can help to relieve physical and mental pain. Free 

Call 843-6812 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute Open House 

3 - 5 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Pl.  

A free introduction to Tibetan Buddhist culture including a prayer wheel and meditation garden tour and yoga demonstration. Refreshments will be served. Free 

Call 843-6812 

Monday, Feb. 5  

Youth Commission  

6 p.m. 

Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Center 

1730 Oregon St.  

Rent Stabalization Board 

7 p.m. 

2134 MLK Jr. Way 

Second Floor Council Chamber 

Personnel Board Meeting  

7 p.m. 

Permit Center 

2118 Milvia St.  

First Floor Conference Room  

Landmarks Preservation Commission  

7:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Peace & Justice Commission  

7 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Tuesday, Feb. 6  

Berkeley Intelligent Conversation  

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

Jewish Community Center  

1414 Walnut Ave. (at Rose)  

With no religious affiliation, this twice-monthly group, led informally by former UC Berkeley extension lecturer Robert Berent, seeks to bring people together to have interesting discussions on contemporary topics. This evenings discussion topic is sex, love, dating, and relationships in celebration of Valentine’s Day.  

Call 527-5332  

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

Wednesday, Feb. 7  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Legacy to Liberation  

7 p.m. 

Revolution Books  

2425 Channing Way  

A roundtable discussion by contributors to the recently published anthology “Politics and Culture of Revolutionary Asian Pacific America.” Contributors include Richard Aoki, Yuri Kockiyama, Sun Lee and Dolly Veale.  

$2 donation  

848-1196 

Thursday, Feb. 8 

Free “Quit Smoking” Class 

5:30 - 7:30 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center 

2939 Ellis (at Ashby)  

Cease your smoking with the help of this free class offered to Berkeley residents and employees. 

Call 644-6422 to enroll or e-mail quitnow@ci.berkeley.ca.us 

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet Tom Odegard and host Dale Jensen.  

644-0155 

Great Mt. Diablo Day Hikes 

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment, Inc. 

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Ken Lavin, former president of Mt. Diablo Interpretative Association, for a slide-show of his favorite day hikes in Mt. Diablo State Park.  

Call 527-7377  

Jam Session  

7 p.m. 

Maurice’s Cafe 

6038 Telegraph 

Oakland 

Poetry with jazz featuring Jimmy Sands.  

Call 653-6775 

Exploring Surfaces  

7 - 9 p.m. 

Hillside Community Church  

1422 Navellier St.  

El Cerrito 

A series of Thursday evenings of conversation “engaging people in discovering the pleasures of an excellent discussion.” Transverse the world’s ecological regions, describing what you know and what you’ve heard. 

$10  

Friday, Feb. 9  

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Berkeley PC Users Group 

7 p.m. 

Vista College 

2020 Milvia St., Room 303 

E-Mail: meldancing@aol.com 

Introducing: Julia Morgan School for Girls 

7:30 - 8:30 a.m. 

Julia Morgan School for Girls 

Holy Names College 

Sky Room, Durocher Hall 

3510 Mountain Blvd.  

Oakland 

A select gathering of business and professional women devoted to fostering leadership in the young girls in our community.  

Saturday, Feb. 10  

Spirits in the Time of AIDS Open Mic.  

1 p.m. 

Pro Arts Gallery  

461 Ninth St.  

Oakland  

As part of “Consecrations,” the public is invited to see special performances, spoken word, commentary and more.  

Call 763-9425 

Masters of Persian Classical Music 

8 p.m. 

Zellerbach Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Featuring vocalist Mohammad Reza Sharjarian and his son, Homayoun Sharjarian.  

$20 - $40  

Call 642-9988 or e-mail tickets@calperfs.berkeley.edu  

Dreams & Intuition 

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

1502 Tenth St.  

Marcia Emery, Ph.D., will discuss how to attune your intuitive dream antenna, intuitively unravel the symbolic message of a dream symbol and apply an intuitive dream interpretation method to the entire dream.  

$85  

Call 526-5510 

“The West Wing Meets the East Bay” 

7:30 p.m. 

Saint Joseph the Worker Church 

1640 Addison St.  

A conversation with Martin Sheen. Tickets available at Black Oak Books, Cody’s Books, St. Joseph the Worker Church, and at the door.  

$20 donation 

525-3787  

Sunday, Feb. 11  

Ruth Acty Oral History Reception 

3 - 5 p.m. 

Berkeley Historical Society  

Veterans Memorial Building 

1931 Center St.  

In 1943 Miss Ruth Acty became the first African American teacher to be hired by the Berkeley Unified School District. She taught thousands of students until her retirement in 1985. Oral History Coordinator Therese Pipe interviewed Acty in 1993-94 for the Berkeley Historical Society. Free  

Horacio Gutierrez  

3 p.m. 

Hertz Hall 

UC Berkeley  

The Cuban-American pianist will perform Berg’s Sonata, Op.1, George Perle’s Nine Bagatelles, Schumann’s Fantasie, Op. 17 and Beethoven’s Sonata No. 29.  

$24 - $42  

Call 642-9988 or e-mail tickets@calperfs.berkeley.edu  

Reimagining Pacific Cities  

6 - 8:30 p.m. 

New Pacific Studio  

1523 Hearst Ave.  

“How are Pacific cities reshaping their cultural and environmental institutions to better serve the needs and enhance the present and future quality of life of all segments of their societies?” A series of ten seminars linking the Bay Area, Seattle, Portland, and other pacific cities.  

$10 per meeting  

Call 849-0217 

“From Swastika to Jim Crow” 

2 - 4:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Due to the depression and anti-Semitism in the ‘30s, many Jewish “refugee scholars” found they had difficulty finding jobs and were embraced by black universities. Both students and teachers, in the pre-Civil Rights era, found they shared a common experience of living under oppression and a passion for education. Guest speaker Jim McWilliams.  

$2 suggested donation  

Call 848-0237 x127 

Why Do a Long Retreat? 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Pl.  

Retreatants from Holland, Brazil, Germany, and other places share how they made the time to participate in two and four month retreats.  

Call 843-6812 

Tuesday, Feb. 13 

“Great Decisions” - U.S. Trade Policy 

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy.  

$5 single session, $35 entire series for single person, $60 entire series for couple  

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

Wednesday, Feb. 14 

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Faye Carol Sings Lady Day 

7:30 p.m. 

King Middle School  

1781 Rose St.  

A tribute to Billie Holiday including Lady Day’s most popular songs, including “Strange Fruit,” “Good Morning Heartache,” “God Bless the Child” and “You Let Me Down.” Benefit for KPFA Radio and La Pena Cultural Center.  

$15 

Call 848-6767 x609 or visit www.kpfa.org 

Thursday, Feb. 15 

Simplicity Forum 

7 - 8:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Library 

Claremont Branch  

2940 Benveue Ave.  

Facilitated by Cecile Andrews, author of “Circles of Simplicty,” learn about this movement whose philosophy is “the examined life richly lived.” Work less, consume less, rush less, and build community with friends and family.  

Call 549-3509 or visit www.seedsofsimplicity.org  

Basics of PCs 

9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Lawrence Hall of Science  

UC Berkeley 

A class for adults that will cover file management, loading software, software management, downloading pages from the Web, and more. 

$30 - $35, registration required  

Call 642-5134  

Free “Quit Smoking” Class 

5:30 - 7:30 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center 

2939 Ellis (at Ashby)  

Cease your smoking with the help of this free class offered to Berkeley residents and employees. 

Call 644-6422 to enroll or e-mail quitnow@ci.berkeley.ca.us 

Natural Conversations 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Hillside Community Church  

1422 Navellier St.  

El Cerrito 

A series of Thursday evenings of conversation “engaging people in discovering the pleasures of an excellent discussion.” Focus on conversations in nature and explore what they are meant to convey.  

$10  

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet Kathleen Lynch and host Mark States.  

644-0155 

Climbing Mt. Shasta 

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment, Inc. 

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Tim Keating of Sierra Wilderness Seminars will give a slide presentation on climbing and skiing this North California peak.  

Call 527-7377  

Berkeley Metaphysical Toastmasters Club  

6:15 - 7:30 p.m.  

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysics come together. Ongoing first and third Thursdays each month.  

Call 869-2547 

Friday, Feb. 16 

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Saturday, Feb. 17  

“Go-Go-Go Greenbelt!” 

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Rockridge BART  

Oakland  

A bike tour on this ride into the rolling East Bay hills. A free ride sponsored by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call 415-255-3233 for reservations or visit www.greenbelt.org 

Rockridge Writers 

3:30 - 5:30 p.m. 

Spasso Coffeehouse  

6021 College Ave.  

Poets and writers meet to critique each other’s work. “Members’ work tends to be dark, humorous, surreal, or strange.”  

e-mail: berkeleysappho@yahoo.com 

Valentine’s Dinner Dance Benefit Gala 

4:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. 

Berkeley Fellowship Unitarian Universalists hall  

1924 Cedar (at Bonita)  

Dance to the music of Toru Saitu & his band. Benefits BFUU.  

$10 donation  

Call 849-9508 

Sunday, Feb. 18  

Waterfalls of Berkeley  

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

North Berkeley BART  

Sacramento at Delaware  

On this urban waterfall hike, discover three waterfalls along rushing creeks hidden in Berkeley neighborhoods. A free hike sponsored by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call 415-255-3233 for reservations or visit www.greenbelt.org 

Kaleidoscope Performances  

2 p.m. 

Julia Morgan Center for the Arts  

2640 College Ave. (at Derby)  

Yassir Chadley, traditional Moroccan musician and Sufi storyteller.  

$5 - $10  

Call 925-798-1300 

Tuesday, Feb. 20 

“Great Decisions” - China & Taiwan 

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy.  

$5 single session 

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Intelligent Conversation  

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

Jewish Community Center  

1414 Walnut Ave. (at Rose)  

With no religious affiliation, this twice-monthly group, led informally by former UC Berkeley extension lecturer Robert Berent, seeks to bring people together to have interesting discussions on contemporary topics. This evenings discussion topic is different cultural, ethnic and religious values.  

Call 527-9772  

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

Wednesday, Feb. 21 

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Control Hypertension 

6:30 - 8:30 p.m. 

Summit Medical Center - Summit Campus 

Summit South Cafeteria Conference Room  

3100 Summit St.  

Oakland 

Bessanderson McNeil, MPH, and the Ethnic Health Institute, will help attendees take control of their lives. Free 

Call 204-3443 

Sacred Cinema  

7 - 9 p.m. 

Pacific School of Religion 

1798 Scenic Ave., Chapel Six 

Ken Peer has sought to explore sacred themes and to draw attention to the spiritual lives of individuals from the world’s great wisdom traditions. See three of his short films at this free screening.  

Call 649-2523 

Thursday, Feb. 22 

Free “Quit Smoking” Class 

5:30 - 7:30 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center 

2939 Ellis (at Ashby)  

Cease your smoking with the help of this free class offered to Berkeley residents and employees. 

Call 644-6422 to enroll or e-mail quitnow@ci.berkeley.ca.us 

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet Charles Ellick and host Louis Cuneo.  

644-0155 

Rivers of the World  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment, Inc. 

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Pamela Michael, writer, educator and river conservationist, will highlight her new anthology “The Gift of Rivers: True Stories of Life on the Water,” showing slides of nearly 100 of the world’s great rivers. Free 

Call 527-4140 

Growl & Howl of Man & Woman 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Hillside Community Church  

1422 Navellier St.  

El Cerrito 

A series of Thursday evenings of conversation “engaging people in discovering the pleasures of an excellent discussion.” Bring your favorite gender assumptions and put them to the test.  

$10  

Friday, Feb. 23 

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Saturday, Feb. 24 

Tibetan New Year’s Celebration 

6 - 9 p.m. 

Britta Hauenschild gives a flute concert followed by a festive dinner and New Year’s celebration. Proceeds support Nyingma Institute sacred art and education programs.  

$30 suggested donation  

Call 843-6812 

Sunday, Feb. 25  

“Imperial San Francisco: 

Urban Power, Earthly Ruin” 

3 - 5 p.m. 

Berkeley History Center 

Veterans Memorial Building 

1931 Center St.  

Gary Brechin speaks on the impact and legacy of the Hearsts and other powerful San Francisco families. Free 

Call 848-0181 

Reimagining Pacific Cities  

6 - 8:30 p.m. 

New Pacific Studio  

1523 Hearst Ave.  

“How are Pacific cities reshaping their cultural and environmental institutions to better serve the needs and enhance the present and future quality of life of all segments of their societies?” A series of ten seminars linking the Bay Area, Seattle, Portland, and other pacific cities.  

$10 per meeting  

Call 849-0217 

Authors in the Library: Lois Silverstein 

11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Writer and performer, Silverstein, will read selections from “Oh My Darling Daughter,” “Behind the Stove,” and a work-in-progress, “Family Matters.” Discussion and book signing will follow. Free.  

Call 848-0237 x127 

Planetary Temples 

8 p.m. 

Shambhala Booksellers  

2482 Telegraph Ave.  

Employee Don Frew will show slides of teh ruined city of Harran. Free 

Call 848-8443 

Tuesday, Feb. 27 

“Great Decisions” - Missile Defense  

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy.  

$5 single session 

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

Wednesday, Feb. 28  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Conversations in Commedia 

7:30 p.m. 

La Pena Cultural Center 

3105 Shattuck Ave. (at Prince) 

Mime Troupe founder Ron Davis and icon clown Wavy Gravy give dialogues on satire.  

$6 - $8  

Call 849-2568 

Women in Interfaith Relationships  

9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Led by Dawn Kepler, this workshop will explore interfaith relationships on many levels, in relation to culture, religion, and gender. People of all backgrounds and orientations are invited to attend.  

$10 

848-0237 x127 

Thursday, March 1  

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet Eliza Shefler and host Dale Jensen.  

644-0155 

Berkeley Metaphysical Toastmasters Club  

6:15 - 7:30 p.m.  

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysics come together. Ongoing first and third Thursdays each month.  

Call 869-2547 

Friday, March 2  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Saturday, March 3 

Rockridge Writers 

3:30 - 5:30 p.m. 

Spasso Coffeehouse  

6021 College Ave.  

Poets and writers meet to critique each other’s work. “Members’ work tends to be dark, humorous, surreal, or strange.”  

e-mail: berkeleysappho@yahoo.com 

Free Sailboat Rides  

1 - 4 p.m. 

Cal Sailing Club 

Berkeley Marina 

The Cal Sailing Club, a non-profit sailing and windsurfing cooperative, give free rides on a first come, first served bases on the first full weekend of each month. Wear warm clothes and bring a change of clothes in case you get wet. Children must be at least five years old and must be accompanies by an adult.  

Visit www.cal-sailing.org  

Sunday, March 4  

Free Sailboat Rides  

1 - 4 p.m. 

Cal Sailing Club 

Berkeley Marina 

The Cal Sailing Club, a non-profit sailing and windsurfing cooperative, give free rides on a first come, first served bases on the first full weekend of each month. Wear warm clothes and bring a change of clothes in case you get wet. Children must be at least five years old and must be accompanies by an adult.  

Visit www.cal-sailing.org  

Tuesday, March 6  

“Great Decisions” - U.S. & Iraq 

10 a.m. - Noon  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

The first in a series of eight weekly lectures with the goal of informing the public of current major policy issues. Many of the lectures are presented by specialists in their field and are often from the University of California. Feedback received at these lectures is held in high regard by those in the government responsible for national policy.  

$5 single session 

Call Berton Wilson, 526-2925 

Berkeley Intelligent Conversation  

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.  

Jewish Community Center  

1414 Walnut Ave. (at Rose)  

With no religious affiliation, this twice-monthly group, led informally by former UC Berkeley extension lecturer Robert Berent, seeks to bring people together to have interesting discussions on contemporary topics. This evenings discussion topic is health, nutrition and science; bioengineering.  

Call 527-5332  

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

Wednesday, March 7  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Women in Interfaith Relationships  

9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Led by Dawn Kepler, this workshop will explore interfaith relationships on many levels, in relation to culture, religion, and gender. People of all backgrounds and orientations are invited to attend.  

$10 

848-0237 x127 

Thursday, March 8 

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet Judy Wells and host Dale Jensen.  

644-0155 

Friday, March 9  

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Berkeley PC Users Group 

7 p.m. 

Vista College 

2020 Milvia St., Room 303 

E-Mail: meldancing@aol.com 

Saturday, March 10  

The Secrets of Sacred Cinema 

10 a.m. - 6 p.m. 

Pacific School of Religion  

1798 Scenic Ave., Mudd 103 

Kevin Peer, a documentary film maker for the past 25 years, gives a two-day intensive for people interested in exploring documentary filmmaking. No equipment or prior experience required.  

$200 per person and registration is required 

Call 486-1480 

Sunday, March 11 

Reimagining Pacific Cities  

6 - 8:30 p.m. 

New Pacific Studio  

1523 Hearst Ave.  

“How are Pacific cities reshaping their cultural and environmental institutions to better serve the needs and enhance the present and future quality of life of all segments of their societies?” A series of ten seminars linking the Bay Area, Seattle, Portland, and other pacific cities.  

$10 per meeting  

Call 849-0217 

Myths & Realities of the International House  

3 -

By Erika Fricke 

Daily Planet Staff 

The twin issues of parking and transit appear regularly before the City Council.  

Currently the city manager is meeting with groups to find parking spaces for the school district, the court and Vista College, said Mayor Shirley Dean. 

While the city struggles to find downtown parking spaces, some experts believe that providing parking is counter to the goal of decreasing single-occupancy automobile use. 

Elizabeth Deakin, UC Berkeley associate professor and director of the UC Transportation Center, researches ways to decrease the societal cost of the automobile. Deakin estimated the cost of a parking space within a garage at $15,000 to $20,000 while a surface space in an urban environment can cost $8,000 to $10,000 for the cost of the land.  

“We create a system where it’s really easy for people to drive their cars once they’ve bought them,” she said. “We don’t charge them for parking, we don’t charge them for air pollution, we don’t charge them for environmental damage. Society picks up a big chunk of  

the cost.”  

Deakin said that charging people for the actual cost of driving would make a significant impact in the number of cars on the road. 

City Councilmember Miriam Hawley used to be a member of the AC Transit Board of Directors. She said that Berkeley has recently used the approach of charging people more equitably for the spaces they occupy, by increasing the cost of full day parking in garages downtown.  

But, Hawley also said that Berkeley hasn’t been doing enough to put public and alternative modes of transportation at the top of the agenda. “We do offer free parking for many city employees,” she said. “We need to look at that policy, and begin to think about how not only to discourage people from parking downtown, but also encouraging people to use transit.”  

Deakin said that an important part of getting people out of their cars is finding them a feasible alternative. She mentioned a Santa Clara County subsidizes a public transit program as one good way to “encourage people to use transit.” 

Santa Clara employers can purchase an “Eco Pass” for each of their employees, which they can then use as a pass to board any Santa Clara public transit. Scott Haywood, Eco Pass sales program manager, said the numbers evidence the program’s success. Over 100 employers have purchased passes for 100,000 employees. “They’ve been really willing to put their money where their mouth is,” he said. 

City governments in Santa Clara have been some of those buyers. The city of San Jose instituted the Eco Pass in 1998. Dennis Ng, traffic engineer for the city, said according to a survey done the first year after they instituted its use, that it is changing the way some city employees get to work. 

At that time, 22 percent of their employees used public transportation, and half of those used it to commute to and from work. A much smaller percentage used the pass daily. More significantly, half of the people who indicated they used public transportation said they began to do so after receiving their Eco Passes. 

The city of Sunnyvale also purchases Eco Passes for its employees. Sunnyvale is a smaller community where parking is not yet an issue, according to Mark Dettle, acting public works director for the city of Sunnyvale.  

He said that city employees’ public transportation use did increase once the city started offering the Eco Pass. Sunnyvale incorporated the Eco Pass into its development. “We work with our new businesses that come in and encourage them to provide their new employees with an Eco Pass. We’re starting to see businesses really develop around the light rail.” 

All of the employers that purchased the Eco Pass did so in addition to providing parking. 

The closest Berkeley equivalent to an Eco Pass is the UC Berkeley class pass. All students pay an added $18 dollars each semester when they pay tuition and have the option of getting the pass – a sticker affixed to their student ID. It allows them to board any AC Transit bus. Mayor Shirley Dean is looking to the class pass and the Eco Pass as potential models for the city. “This is going to be an enormous,” she said. Dean said she envisions a plan where everyone in the city, not just city or school district employees, could get access to a pass. Dean hoped that the details would be arranged in the coming months.  

In accordance with Berkeley’s Transit First policy, the city currently offers some employees an incentive for using public transportation in the form of a monthly $20 subsidy they can redeem at Berkeley Transit Ridesharing and Parking, better known as TRIP. But access to the subsidy depends on employee contracts. Those employees who don’t fall within the bargaining units that negotiated for the larger amount receive a subsidy of $6. About 200, or 20 percent of the city’s 1,000 eligible employees redeem their $20 dollar subsidy, only a handful of those receiving the $6 subsidy redeem it. 

Rochelle Wheeler, associate planner, said that because the subsidy can only be redeemed at Berkeley TRIP, the alternative transportation center in Berkeley, many people who already use public transportation may not go to the trouble to claim their subsidies. But, she said, many more people are using transportation than the 23 that cash in their $6 subsidy.  

Employees who don’t drive can also sign on to an Alameda County guarantee ride home program, free for both employer and employee. In case of an emergency illness or unscheduled overtime, an employee can take a taxi home and pay for it with a voucher. 

But Professor Deakin said that cities can provide even more compelling incentives to get people out of their cars. She said employees who don’t drive should receive the cost of their parking space back, which they could use to purchase public transit or to line their own pockets.  

“It makes the city rethink, you know we don’t really need so much parking.”  

Labs should test staff blood 

The Daily Planet received this letter addressed to the Environmental Sampling Project Task Force at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory: 

In order to assess the health risks and damage due to exposure to tritium (radioactive hydrogen), three blood tests should be done on the director of the Tritium Labeling Facility, local workers and nearby residents. The director at the Lawrence Hall of Science and workers there should also be tested since they are downwind.  

These tests are: 

1. Check the white blood cells for the presence of micronuclei. 

2. Check the red blood cells for glycophorin-A molecule change. 

3. Chromosome painting. 

The presence of micronuclei in white blood cells indicates the loss of proper DNA repair processes, leading to increased cancer risk and other health problems.  

Micronuclei is one of the most useful tests for potential and actual cancer and other health risks. 

Genetic modification of the glycophorin-A molecules on the surface of the red blood cells is also an indicator of DNA damage.  

This method was used in a study by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on Japanese exposed to nuclear bombs.  

The study on DNA damage indicated that after 40 years, the DNA code for making that molecule did not get repaired.  

The damage was worse the closer victims were to ground zero. 

UC-LBNL could preempt epidemiological studies that would search and compile the number of dead, deformed, and diseased bodies that may or may not be correlated with some possible, real, or known hazard such as tritium.  

The importance of these simple tests which you can do might ease the concern of the public. 

Marion Fulk 

Retired Staff Scientist Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 

Doctors should label service dogs, not their owners 

Editor: 

In her response to a Jan. 15 letter to the editor, Karen Craig claims that “the Americans with Disabilities Act states clearly that it is a violation of the ADA to ask a person, ‘What is your disability?’” 

Outside of passages regarding job interviews, I am unable to find such a passage in the text of the law.  

As I noted in my letter, the Justice Department’s guidelines on service-animal regulations say only that documentation “generally may not be required.” 

In any case, I never meant to suggest that persons with no apparent disability whose service animals perform no apparent service should be required to disclose their disability to anyone other than their doctors.  

It would be sufficient for a doctor to provide a letter identifying the service animal as such, without further details. 

As for Michael Minasian’s letter citing a statute that prohibits passing off a pet as a service animal, if, as he argues, police may not require any proof beyond the owner’s say-so, it is hard to see how the statute could ever be enforced. 

Robert Lauriston 

Berkeley

As the energy crisis continues across the state, the city is trying to find an effective way to apply a utility tax break for gas and electricity users. 

The City Council asked the City Manager’s Office to look into implementing a utility users’ tax break on recent increases in gas and electric rates. The tax break would represent more of a gesture than a significant savings. But the Budget Commission, which recommended the idea to the council, said it’s important the city not benefit from the financial pain of increased utility rates. 

If the city caps the gas and electric utility tax, it would save the average residential user, based on recent rate increases, $4.40 per year according to the city’s energy office. 

Berkeley charges utility users 7.5 percent on a variety of utilities including telephones, cell phones, electricity, gas and cable. Last year the city collected $11.9 million in taxes on all the utilities combined. The tax on gas and electricity alone was about $5.9 million.  

PG&E spokesperson Staci Homrig said only 70 of the 300 municipalities PG&E serves charge a Utility Users’ Tax and of the 70 Berkeley is among the highest. “The cities that do charge the tax range anywhere from 1 percent to a higher end of 8 percent,” Homrig said. She added that one city, Firebaugh, Calif. charges a rate of 10 percent. 

The most effective way to implement the tax cut, according to Homrig, is for the city to adjust the utility tax rate of 7.5 percent so the revenue generated is the same as before utility increases. “We could compute that figure and all the city would have to do is approve it through whatever process they use,” said Homrig. 

But Budget Director Paul Navazio expressed a reluctance to adjust the tax because once it’s lowered it can’t be raised again without the increase going before the voters. Navazio also said because of the volatile energy market, the tax might have to be adjusted every month, which would be an onerous administrative task.  

Mayor Shirley Dean said she would prefer that utility users never be charged taxes on the increase in utility rates, but if it proves too difficult to administer she would support putting the extra revenue into a specific fund that would somehow benefit Berkeley’s utility users.  

Councilmember Kriss Worthington said there are a number of ways to implement the tax cut. “Another possibility is reducing or eliminating the tax for residential properties and maintaining it for commercial properties,” he said. 

Worthington said that commercial property owners already have enough breaks under Proposition 13 which froze property tax rates in 1978 – unless a property is sold at which time it is reassessed. 

Speaking first in English, then Spanish, Principal Kevin Woodbridge welcomed the hundreds of parents and community members who turned out to the formal opening of the newly rebuilt Thousand Oaks School.  

Mayor Shirley Dean, outgoing Superintendent Jack McLaughlin, School Board President Terry Doran, Thousand Oaks Neighborhood President Zelda Bronstein and others thanked Berkeley taxpayers for the “generous” gift of the beautiful new buildings, in which teachers team-teach and use the courtyards as an extension of their classrooms. 

But for tour guide Sofiya McGuire, 11, the best thing about the new school is the science room. 

“They have all kinds of pets,” she said, fearlessly, “a tarantella, and a snake and frogs.”  

The event at Thousand Oaks School was the last in a long day of celebrations for the Berkeley Unified School District.  

Earlier in the day a groundbreaking of a new building on Milvia Street and Allston Way was held, kicking off construction of a new building that will house a student union, a library a media center and more. 

The day also included several events honoring the outgoing superintendent whose last day is today. Feb. 1 McLaughlin takes over as state superintendent of schools in Nevada.

BERKELEY — A record number of underrepresented minorities applied to the University of California in the first year of a new program guaranteeing a spot to top-performing high school students. 

UC officials said Tuesday they don’t have enough information to declare a definite correlation, but they’re happy with the numbers, which come three years after the school dropped affirmative action. 

“This is quite exciting for the university,” said Dennis Galligani, associate vice president for student academic affairs. 

Overall, applications from California students for freshman admission increased from 54,146 to 58,424, an increase of 4,278 students, or 7.9 percent. 

That is more than double last year’s 2.5 percent increase in applications and may be due to a combination of the new program guaranteeing eligibility to students in the top 4 percent of their class as well as expanded state financial aid, Galligani said. Applications from black students went up 11.4 percent, from 2,174 to 2,421, and applications from Hispanic students increased 14.5 percent, from 7,814 to 8,950 students. 

About 80 percent of students eligible under the 4 percent plan applied. “We really touched a chord,” said Galligani, who had hoped for a two-thirds application rate. 

Under the 4 percent plan, which took effect for 2001 freshman, students qualify based on UC-required courses; schools send the names in to UC. This year 84 percent of public high schools complied, 134 didn’t, but UC granted an extension. 

Previous research indicated that two-thirds of the estimated 10,200 students in the 4 percent pool were already eligible for UC. Officials are still analyzing the real-life pool. The 4 percent plan guarantees eligibility, not admission, but it is UC’s policy to find a place somewhere on one of its eight undergraduate campuses for all eligible students. 

The bumper crop of applications was hailed by Regent Ward Connerly, who led the fight against taking race into consideration, as proof that “if UC will simply go out and make these students aware of the opportunities that are available, they will apply. The naysayers just never were willing to give it a chance and they’ve been proven wrong.” 

Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, an ex-officio regent, noted that more applications may not translate into more admissions. 

Last year, the number of underrepresented minority students – blacks, Hispanics and American Indians – admitted as freshmen on University of California campuses surpassed, for the first time, the number from 1997, the last year of affirmative action admissions. But some minority students decided not to enroll. 

“We’ve been down this road before. This is an old song and an old dance,” Bustamante said in a statement. “Somewhere between applications and actual enrollment, something tragic happens – we aren’t competing with other top schools in the nation.” 

Bustamante and Regent William Bagley have talked about asking the board to repeal its affirmative action vote. That wouldn’t bring back the old system because of Proposition 209, the state anti-affirmative action ballot measure passed in 1996. Proponents argue it would reassure students who might not feel welcome at UC and extricate the university from a political debate. 

The political makeup of the board has changed since the 1995 vote and Bagley said he may bring repeal to the board in May. 

Connerly said the new application numbers undercut that effort. 

“We have a record number of ’underrepresented minorities’ seeking admission to the University of California and you would have to be living on another planet not to recognize that this is an indication of their interest in attending UC,” he said. 

Bagley said he’s glad outreach programs are working, but noted that even with the increase, black applications are low, constituting about 4 percent of applications. UC figures show blacks comprise 7 percent of California high school graduates. 

“This university has a reputation nationwide for having started this divisive movement and all we’re trying to do is repair the reputation of the university. Get us out of the vortex,” he said. 

——— 

On the Net: http://www.ucop.edu 

SAN FRANCISCO — California could do much more to improve health care for women and girls, according to a report issued Tuesday by a women’s group. 

The study released by the Women’s Foundation, a San Francisco fund for women in the western United States, gave the state a “D” grade on the health status of women and girls in the state. 

“Despite a plethora of policies that have been put in place, the health care coverage for women and girls is mostly inadequate in the state of California,” said Patricia Chang, president and CEO of the Women’s Foundation. 

“For the richest state in the country, we’re not living up to our potential.” 

The report commends the state’s policies for family and medical leave and coverage for low-income children, but says women may not know they are covered and what exactly they are covered for, or how to apply. That’s a concern because women often take the responsibility of caring for their families, Chang said. 

But Ken August, a spokesman for the California Department of Health Services, said the report leaves out too much information to be accurate. 

“The report points out some challenges and some areas where work is needed, but it ignores so much else,” he said. 

He pointed out that California is strong in some areas, such as reproductive health, where it has an extensive family planning and reproductive health services program. He also said that any evaluation of health status should consider mortality rates.  

The mortality rate among women in the state decreased by 11 percent from 1990 to 1998. 

Still, one out of five women are not insured in California, which has the highest rate of uninsured people in the nation. 

“It’s common enough to be scary, that there are so many people who are put in a position of not being able to get or stay healthy,” said Ann Conradsen, who along with her 9-year-old son was without health care coverage for about five years. 

She left a job that provided health insurance and moved to Sacramento, where she now works three part-time jobs. 

Without health insurance, “it makes it really hard to be a good parent,” said Conradsen, who has back problems that have left her in crutches and has been paying for medical bills out of her pocket. 

Environmental risks are one of the factors that the report lists as a threat to women’s health, with California named the seventh largest hazardous waste-generating state in the country. 

One of the state’s most prominent industries is also pinpointed as a risk factor:  

Women who become pregnant while working in semiconductor plants are 40 to 100 percent more likely to miscarry than other women, according to a 1999 study. 

Women who work in low-paying jobs traditionally held by females face many environmental hazards in the workplace, and those women are the least likely to have access to health care, according to the report. Nearly half of the women of childbearing age in the state are at risk for hunger. 

The foundation makes recommendations to the governor and legislature, Cal-OSHA, employers and environmental enforcement agencies.  

It calls for a a study of the feasibility of universal coverage, expansion of the Healthy Families program, increased health coverage for unemployed and working adults, and a reduction in environmental and safety hazards in the workplace. 

“We hope this report encourages women and girls to organize, speak out and push for change,” said Diane Littlefield, executive director of Women’s Health Leadership, one of the report’s sponsors.  

Others were the Los Angeles Women’s Foundation, California Black Women’s Health Project, Latino Issues Forum, and Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum.

SAN FRANCISCO — The attorneys whose dogs killed a 33-year-old woman at her front door have adopted the prison inmate who ran a scheme in which vicious canines, including those two dogs, were bred and trained to guard methamphetamine labs. 

Attorneys Robert Noel and his wife Marjorie Knoller were issued a decree of adoption in San Francisco Superior Court Monday and are now recognized as the parents of Paul John Schneider, nicknamed “Cornfed,” an inmate at Pelican Bay State Prison. 

“The adoption will be in the best interest of the parties and in the public interest,” the decree read in part. 

Schneider, 38, and another inmate Dale Bretches, 44, are both active members of the Aryan Brotherhood and ran a fighting-dog ring which included two Mastiff-Canary Island dog mixes that the attorneys sued to gain custody of, according to Russ Heimerich of the California Department of Corrections. 

On Friday, one of those two dogs, a 120-pound 3-year-old named Bane, latched on to Diane Whipple’s neck as she attempted to enter her Pacific Heights apartment and killed her. Animal control officers used tranquilizers on the dog to remove him from the hallway. He was taken to a kennel where he was later put down. 

Hera, Noel’s other dog who reportedly bit at Whipple’s clothes while Bane killed her, was in the custody of the city Tuesday. A hearing was set for Feb. 13 to determine whether she too would be put down or could be given back to her owners, who have requested her return. 

“They do want the dog Hera,” said Carl Friedman, director of San Francisco Animal Care and Control. He said the couple brought Hera a bed Monday evening. Four people have inquired about adopting Hera and Freidman said his department has received between 50 and 100 calls a day from the public weighing in on her fate. 

Hera’s demeanor while in custody was described as nervous and the workers have had limited contact with her. 

Whipple was a popular varsity lacrosse coach at St. Mary’s College in Moraga. She was a two-time first team All-American lacrosse player at Penn State and was named NCAA national player of the year in 1990. 

Russ Heimerich, a spokesman for the California Department of Corrections, said inmates Schneider and Bretches were at the center of a business that bred and trained fighting dogs to guard criminal enterprises such as methamphetamine labs. 

“They were indeed running a dog fighting business out of Pelican Bay,” Heimerich said Tuesday. “The two dogs that were involved in that attack (in San Francisco) were involved in that fighting ring.” 

Noel and Knoller have both visited Schneider and Bretches at Pelican Bay, state records showed. 

“The two attorneys representing these guys ended up with these dogs,” Heimerich said. “Our information was that (Schneider and Bretches) were using third parties and attorneys” to run their dog business. 

“It was a breeding scheme,” Heimerich said. 

A California Department of Corrections investigation into the fighting-dog ring concluded that the inmates were behind the scheme, but found no wrongdoing on the part of Noel or Knoller. The investigation was concluded months ago. 

Noel sued to gain custody of Bane and Hera from Janet Coumbs of Hayfork who was raising the dogs for the inmates. He acquired custody of Bane and Hera three months ago. 

Coumbs told the San Francisco Chronicle that the dogs were hard to handle. 

“They ate all my sheep, all my chickens and my house cat,” Coumbs said. “No matter what I did, they killed. I couldn’t deal with it anymore.” 

The two inmates’ violent pasts are also well documented. 

Schneider is in prison for a robbery conviction in Los Angeles County and attempted murder while incarcerated at Folsom State Prison. He has been in Pelican Bay since 1986, Heimerich said. Schneider is currently serving life without the possibility of parole. 

Bretches, 44, is in Pelican Bay for second degree murder and was also found guilty of assault with a deadly weapon while incarcerated, according to state records. He is currently serving life without the possibility of parole

CUPERTINO — Based on a tip from a drug store photo lab clerk, police arrested a 19-year-old San Jose man they said planned to carry out a “Columbine-style attack” on a local community college with 30 pipe bombs, 20 Molotov cocktails and other weapons. 

Police arrested Al DeGuzman, a student at De Anza College, on Monday evening and found the arsenal of bombs and booby traps at the house where he lived with his parents. 

Police also found a tape recording on which they said DeGuzman expressed sympathy with the two boys who killed 13 people and themselves at Colorado’s Columbine High School in April 1999. 

They said they also found a diagram of the De Anza campus and other notes indicating that DeGuzman intended to begin planting bombs at 4:30 a.m. Tuesday and then spring his attack at 12:30 p.m. in the school’s main cafeteria. Police said they thought he had been planning the attack for two years. 

“This was an elaborate plan for a mass murder,” said San Jose Deputy Police Chief Mike Miceli. “He had a game plan and was very intent on doing what he was going to do.” 

Santa Clara County sheriff’s deputies and other officials evacuated the campus at De Anza, a community college with 25,000 students about 10 miles east of San Jose, at 9 a.m. Tuesday. 

Police offered no motive for the alleged plan and said they believe DeGuzman has no prior criminal record. 

He faces charges on 30 counts of possession of an explosive device, 20 counts of possession of a firebomb, and two counts of possession of an illegal weapon, for having a sawed-off shotgun and rifle. He was being held at the Santa Clara County jail. 

DeGuzman will not likely be arraigned until Wednesday afternoon, said Tom Farris, assistant Santa Clara County district attorney. 

Miceli said San Jose police learned of DeGuzman’s arsenal at 6 p.m. Monday when a girl who worked at a local Longs Drug store called police after developing photos of DeGuzman posing with his arsenal. The girl’s father is a San Jose police officer. 

Miceli gave the following account of what happened next: 

As San Jose police responded to the call, DeGuzman came into the store to pick up his photos. The girl – whose name was not released – stalled him, asking for identification. 

DeGuzman turned to leave just as officers were approaching. He tried to run, but was caught inside the store. 

Police searched his parents’ one-story house around 11 p.m. In DeGuzman’s bedroom they found some 60 explosive devices, as well as the diagram and recording. Police said on the tape, DeGuzman also apologized to his parents, friends and the U.S. media. 

DeGuzman’s parents told police they respected his privacy and never entered the bedroom. 

Phone messages left at the DeGuzman house were not returned and a woman who came to the door said the family had no comment. 

Law enforcement officials from several agencies, including bomb squads and a SWAT team, closed and evacuated the college Tuesday morning. 

Some 10,000 students and 1,000 staff were forced off campus, according to De Anza President Martha Kanter, who said the school experienced a false bomb threat and evacuation last year. Kanter said neither she not her staff knew DeGuzman. 

“He didn’t stand out in a crowd, unfortunately,” Kanter said. 

Police ordered the evacuation because they wanted to ensure DeGuzman had not already placed any bombs and that he did not have an accomplice, said Cary Colla, a spokesman for the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office. 

Colla said San Jose Police did not notify the sheriff’s office of the possible threat at De Anza until 7 a.m. 

By midday, sheriff’s deputies began searching each structure on the 65-building campus. De Anza covers 112 acres — about the size of 85 football fields. 

“You would think you go to college and you would be safe, but safety is such an illusion nowadays,” said Mike Utterback, a 24-year-old De Anza sophomore. 

Meanwhile, DeGuzman’s neighbors said he was an unassuming kid from a clean-cut household. 

“He’s a choir boy, like a straight-up school boy,” said 18-year-old Bobby Playa, a neighbor who attends Independence High School, where DeGuzman was one of five yearbook editors in the 1998-99 school year. 

Other boys crowded outside the house with reporters agreed – they said they thought he was going to grow up to become an engineer. 

Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s cash flow is nearly exhausted and its credit ruined, and the beleaguered utility should consider staff cuts, a state-ordered audit disclosed Tuesday. 

According to the audit the investor-owned utility failed to heed months of warnings that California’s deregulated electricity market was in severe trouble, and was caught by surprise when its credit was damaged. 

The long-awaited audit ordered by the Public Utilities Commission said the state’s largest utility lost some $5.2 billion during the past year by buying wholesale electricity at prices that it was unable to pass on to its millions of customers. 

The study also noted that PG&E Corp., the parent company of the utility, was due a $500-million to $1-billion federal tax refund, but that it had not decided whether to use that money to help erase the utility’s red ink. 

The audit sought by the PUC to resolve questions about the utility’s fiscal health. It was compiled by the Barrington-Wellesley Group, Inc. of New London, N.H. 

The San Francisco-based utility, and Southern California Edison Co., are seeking state assistance, following a failed attempt at deregulation of California’s electricity market.  

Both utilities have lost billions of dollars from spiraling costs of wholesale energy – costs that a rate freeze prevents them from passing on to their customers. 

The document notes that the utility, despite a months-long cash crunch, was caught by surprise by the magnitude of fiscal upheaval. 

“PG&E did not anticipate it would be constrained in its borrowings and did not develop a cash conservation program until December 2000,” the audit said. 

“Deferment or reduction of employee or management compensation represents one of the most immediate ways to achieve savings,” auditors added. 

A statement issued by the utility, which serves 14 million people, said PG&E would “study and evaluate this report thoroughly.” 

But the company said belt-tightening efforts would not have made a significant difference. 

“That is simply not the case,” the statement said, noting that “laying off every management employee, reducing the rank-and-file workforce by an additional 1,000 employees, breaking contracts and implementing a salary freeze on union employees – the total savings would amount to less than one month’s worth of power at current prices.” 

Also on Tuesday, consumer activists protested the prospect of higher utility bills as lawmakers debated a multibillion-dollar power-buying plan Tuesday aimed at fending off further blackouts.  

As legislators worked to hash out which customers might have to pay for the plan and how much, state regulators scrambled to avoid outages.  

They blamed dwindling imports from the Pacific Northwest for their worry, but later found enough power there to ease blackout concerns. 

The Independent System Operator, keeper of the state grid, said it would extend a Stage 3 power alert into Wednesday, with reserves in danger of dropping to 1.5 percent. 

Edison customer Eva Hartigan was keeping a close eye on the crisis. 

“It’s hard for a lot of us widows. You gotta have lights,” said Hartigan, 77, of Duarte, who has cut her electric and natural gas use by shutting off her furnace early and wearing more sweaters. 

The attorneys general in Oregon and Washington said they will investigate to see whether wholesalers have been illegally limiting supply and hiking prices in their states. California’s top prosecutor is conducting a similar probe. 

Lawmakers, meanwhile, considered proposals to resolve the state’s electricity crisis, blamed on a bungled 1996 utility deregulation law, high demand and tight supplies.  

California could spend $1.3 billion on day-to-day power purchases alone to try to keep the lights on while lawmakers work on a bill that would let the state sign lower-cost long-term contracts to buy electricity. 

The Davis administration spent $400 million hastily approved this month by lawmakers to buy power for Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric, both denied credit by suppliers. The utilities say they are $12.7 billion in debt due to soaring wholesale power prices the deregulation law bars them from recouping from customers. 

On Monday, Gov. Gray Davis began using his emergency authority to buy power. The governor can spend up to $400 million from the Department of Water Resources budget. 

Legislation under discussion Tuesday by the Senate Appropriations Committee would extend another $500 million to continue short-term purchases while the state negotiated long-term contracts. 

While no lawmaker said that measure would raise rates for consumers, senators discussed how rates would be used to pay back long-term revenue bonds that would fund the state’s wholesale energy purchases. No dollar amount has been put on the bill, but the long-term contracts would last up to 10 years and cost billions. 

One sticking point is a provision that would charge consumers more if they exceed a 130 percent of a minimum baseline designed to encourage conservation. 

There are 20 regions of the state and the baselines are set according to their energy use. About 22 percent of a typical residential bill exceeds that baseline. 

Davis supports the 130 percent baseline, which only applies to residential consumers, said Tim Gage, director of the state Department of Finance. 

Gage, who predicted last week that modest increases would be needed, said Tuesday that the state would do everything it could to avoid price hikes for consumers. 

Observers ranging from Keith McCrea of the California Manufacturers and Technology Association to Lenny Goldberg of The Utility Reform Network, a consumer advocacy group, said they generally support the bill but would prefer to see small business protected. 

Some consumer advocates vehemently oppose the measure. Activists protested outside the Los Angeles-area office of Assembly Speaker Robert Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, on Tuesday and planned statewide demonstrations Wednesday. 

“There will be massive rate increases for consumers and a taxpayer bailout for utilities,” said Medea Benjamin, a former Green Party U.S. Senate candidate who was among more than a dozen protesters. 

Financial analysts had a far more enthusiastic reaction to the relief plan. The Legislature’s discussions curtailed talk of utility bankruptcy and renewed confidence on Wall Street. 

On Monday, a state-ordered audit was released showing SoCal Edison gave parent Edison International $4.8 billion in dividends in the five years leading up to the electricity crisis. The amount would have covered the bill run up by the utility since May as it paid for costly wholesale electricity during a deregulation-induced freeze on its retail rates. 

SoCal Edison Vice President Thomas Higgins said money that went to Edison International paid back power plant investments by shareholders. 

“It seems to me that there is no escaping that the debt we incurred is legitimate, prudent and reasonable debt,” Higgins said. 

Lawmakers, while awaiting release of a PG&E audit, reacted with frustration to the Edison report. 

Sen. Kevin Murray said the audit shows the utilities must offer concessions, possibly in a second rescue bill that would have the state issue revenue bonds to help the utilities pay off their debts, then pay the bonds back by giving the state a stake in the companies and extending a recently approved rate increase. 

“One of the things we’re not going to do is help them pay off their debt without them paying something,” said Murray, D-Culver City. 

As a further sign of deregulation’s demise, the California Power Exchange announced it will stop trading short-term power contracts as of noon Wednesday, essentially closing the exchange. 

Because of their credit troubles, Edison and PG&E were kicked off the exchange earlier this month, cutting its market 70 percent.

WASHINGTON — Papers that had been stashed in Siberia since America’s Red Scare detail Communist Party efforts to recruit blacks in Harlem, steal State Department secrets and organize sharecroppers. 

Threaded through the nearly half a million pages retrieved by the U.S. government is information on Soviet financing of the Communist Party in America and an ambassador’s letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, sent to Moscow by a mole at State. 

Experts on the history of the Communist Party’s often-hidden activities in the United States say the records, copied in Russia by the Library of Congress, provide an unprecedented view of the radicals at work in the 1920s through 1940s. 

“This is the most complete archive of American Communist Party materials scholars have ever had available,” said Harvey Klehr, history professor at Emory University. 

The collection includes letters by and about John Reed, the radical American journalist and early Soviet hero. 

Best known for his book “Ten Days that Shook the World,” an eyewitness account of the Russian revolution that was the subject of the movie ‘Reds,”’ Reed helped organize the Communist Party in the United States and is the only American known to be buried at the Kremlin. 

In a 1920 letter to a friend, Reed’s wife, Louise Bryant, spoke of her typhoid-stricken husband’s death in Moscow and how she watched Soviets pass his grave. 

“I have been there in the busy afternoon when all Russia hurries by,” she wrote. “Once some of the soldiers came over to the grave. They took off their hats and spoke very reverently: ‘What a good fellow he was!” said one. ‘He came all the way across the world for us. He was one of ours.”’ 

Most of the newly opened records were sent to the former Soviet Union by communist organizers in the United States. 

They were shipped there for safekeeping and to keep Moscow abreast of U.S. activities, said Klehr, author of several books on communists in America. 

He said scholarly works on the U.S. party over the past 50 years have been handicapped by piecemeal records, but the new collection fills in many blanks. 

John Earl Haynes, a historian at the Library of Congress, first peeked at the records in 1993, following negotiations with Russian archivists. 

“I really did have to blow off the dust,” Haynes said. 

“These are records created in America by Americans, mostly about Americans. Now some people may think they were not particularly good Americans, but they’re American records.” 

The records contain further evidence that communists had infiltrated the State Department in the 1930s. 

Included are letters from two U.S. ambassadors in Europe to Roosevelt and a senior State Department official. Thanks to a mole in the department, the confidential correspondence, concerning political and economic matters in Europe, ended up in the hands of Soviets. 

Other materials highlight communist attempts to organize sharecroppers in the South in 1934 and blacks, other minorities and even children in Harlem. 

Communist staff workers at a “farm school” organizing sharecroppers in St. Louis wrote to their superiors: “The students were given names and addresses in St. Louis to cover their identities.” 

From the party’s perspective, blacks were the most oppressed section of the American population and therefore were prospective recruits. 

The party’s Harlem organizer in 1934 reported on efforts to “develop a proletarian backbone in the broad movement for Negro liberation.” 

He said 20 children in Harlem were being brought into the cause and party officials were looking into getting them uniforms. Working with children “has possibilities of development into a mass movement,” he wrote. 

Mark Rosenzweig, chief librarian of the New York-based Reference Center for Marxist Studies, which is affiliated with today’s Communist Party in America, says the party’s work with blacks is a source of pride. 

“Whatever documentation we can recover about this enriches the story of the party, which is often reduced to a kind of Cold War caricature,” he said. 

But he said he’s disturbed that the party was not appraised of the project to open “our records.” 

——— 

On the Net: 

Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov 

LONDON — Doctors at a prominent hospital removed hearts, brains, eyes and heads from thousands of dead children without the consent of their parents, a government report published Tuesday has found. 

Health Secretary Alan Milburn told lawmakers that Dutch pathologist Dick Van Velzen, who was responsible for post mortem examinations at the Royal Liverpool Children’s Hospital, Alder Hey, between 1988 and 1995, had “systematically ordered the unethical and illegal stripping of every organ from every child who had a post mortem.” 

Milburn said the report found Van Velzen lied to parents, other doctors and hospital managers; that he stole medical records, falsified reports, and encouraged others to do the same.  

The report, which was referred to police for possible criminal prosecution, recommended he have his medical license revoked. 

“The pain caused to the parents by this dreadful sequence of events is unforgivable,” Milburn said. 

Besides more than 2,000 children’s hearts, a large number of brain parts, eyes taken from fetuses, over 1,500 stillbirths or fetuses and a number of children’s heads and bodies were obtained without consent, Milburn told lawmakers. 

In a related report published Tuesday, England’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Liam Donaldson said more than 100,000 hearts, brains, lungs and other organs were held by hospitals and medical schools across the country, many without the knowledge of next-of-kin. In some cases, organs were removed illegally, his report said. 

Grieving relatives were not told that by signing a consent form for a post mortem examination they were allowing pathologists to strip their loved ones of many of their organs, the related report concluded. 

Donaldson recommended major changes in the law. 

“The unsatisfactory nature of the agreement forms, the lack of information and the lack of counseling support or advice when a signature was being sought at a distressing time suggests that in many cases, agreement to retention fell well short of being fully informed consent,” he said. 

Revelations that Alder Hey was keeping infants’ organs emerged in 1999 during an inquiry into the high number of pediatric cardiac deaths at the Bristol Royal Infirmary. 

Van Velzen left Liverpool in 1995 to go to Canada, where he ran the pathology department at a Halifax children’s hospital for two years until he was fired in 1998. 

In September, Canadian police issued a warrant for his arrest after warehouse workers discovered eight organs thought to belong to two 5-year-old children.  

He was charged with indecent interference with a dead body, which carries a five-year prison sentence. 

Van Velzen is currently on leave from the Westeinde Hospital in The Hague.  

The hospital said Van Velzen would not be available to comment, and that hospital officials would review the report.

SAN FRANCISCO — Charles Schwab Corp. is ordering thousands of its employees to take off three Fridays during the next five weeks as part of the stock brokerage’s continuing efforts to weather a downturn in its once-booming business. 

All employees that don’t interact with Schwab’s customers in the branches or telephone service centers have been told not to report for work this Friday, Feb. 16 and March 2, said spokesman Glen Mathison. To get paid, the employees will have to use their vacation time. 

Schwab is still determining how many employees will be affected by the mandate. More than 10,000 of Schwab’s 26,300 full-time employees probably will be kept away from the office. 

Although its operations will be scaled back during the three Fridays, all of Schwab’s branches will remain open. 

The Friday furloughs will help Schwab pad its profits during what analysts expect to be a poor quarter for the San Francisco-based company. Even if all the affected employees use vacation time to assure they get paid, the move will still reduce Schwab’s accrued liabilities and improve its balance sheet, Mathison said. 

To combat the sluggish market conditions, Schwab has already slashed management salaries by up to 50 percent through March and reduced the company’s first-quarter bonus pool by 5 percent. 

The belt-tightening has required Schwab to balance satisfying shareholders and making sure it has the proper staffing to keep its customers happy. 

Schwab, the nation’s most popular online stock brokerage, has been hard hit by the recent Wall Street volatility that has scared off many investors. The falloff took a toll on the company’s fourth-quarter profit, which represented Schwab’s first decline in quarterly net income in three years. 

Analysts expect Schwab’s first-quarter earnings to fall 32 percent below last year’s profit. 

“They are going to be in for a rough first half of the year,” predicted industry analyst Andrew Collins of ING Barings in New York. “Their stock still looks overvalued.” 

Schwab’s stock fell by $1.29 Tuesday to close at $27.29. 

A steady escalation in stock prices, particularly in the technology industry, had ignited a period of rapid growth at Schwab. In 2000, the company increased its payroll by more than 30 percent, or 6,300 employees, and opened a sprawling new suburban campus about 40 miles east of its San Francisco headquarters to accommodate its growth. 

The company is hoping to avoid layoffs if business continues to slump, Mathison said. 

On The Net: 

http://www.aboutschwab.com

NEW YORK — Growing fears of a recession sent consumer confidence plunging in January to its lowest level in four years. 

The survey by the Conference Board was released Tuesday as the Federal Reserve opened a two-day meeting to decide whether to cut interest rates for the second time this month to revitalize the staggering U.S. economy. An announcement is expected Wednesday. 

Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said last week that he did not believe “the fabric of consumer confidence” had been shaken enough to bring on a recession. 

The Conference Board reported that its Consumer Confidence Index dropped more than 14 points to 114.4 in January, the lowest level since December 1996, when it was 114.2. 

The decline heightens fears about the fragility of the economy, with consumers decidedly more pessimistic about business and employment conditions, said Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board’s Consumer Research Center. 

“Since apprehension leads to caution and cautious consumers spend less than the confident ones, confidence levels in February will be carefully watched,” Franco said. “Further erosions in consumer confidence will create more serious concerns about the overall health of the economy.” 

But economists noted that consumers still view the current situation in relatively favorable terms, with their doubts focused on the future. The question is whether consumers will act on those fears. 

“Historically, when we see confidence decline, we have to watch and see if it shows up also affecting spending,” said Gary Thayer, chief economist with A.G. Edwards & Sons in St. Louis. The Conference Board index, based on a monthly survey of some 5,000 U.S. households, is considered a key indicator because consumer spending accounts for about two-thirds of the nation’s economic activity. The index compares results with its base year, 1985, when it stood at 100. 

Consumer confidence has fallen four months in a row since the index hit 142.5 in September. 

The Conference Board said consumers’ expectations for the next six months have worsened. Of those surveyed, 15.7 percent expect business conditions to worsen, compared with 10.1 percent last month. 

Only 12.4 percent of consumers expect conditions to improve, down from 16.9 percent last month. The board also said 21.8 percent of consumers expect fewer jobs to become available, up from 15.7 percent in December. 

The markets were mixed following the release of the report, with the Dow Jones industrial average up 9 points at 10,711 and the Nasdaq composite index off 10 points at 2,827. 

On the Net: http://www.conferenceboard.org 

NEW YORK — Investors flocked to the safety of blue chips and shied away from the tech sector Tuesday while awaiting the Federal Reserve’s anticipated interest rate cut. 

Analysts said investors put off major high-tech purchases, wanting to be sure the Fed does in fact lower rates at its two-day meeting ending Wednesday. Traders fell back into a recent pattern – bidding up safer blue chips and buying little else – that they’ve followed while pondering the future health of earnings and the economy. 

While Wall Street expected a 0.5 percentage point reduction in interest rates, which would be the second such rate cut this month, the market also wondered how long it would take for the slumping economy and disappointing corporate earnings, particularly in the tech sector, to benefit. 

Investors were also worried by news that consumer confidence slipped in January to its lowest level since December 1996. Consumers’ fears about recession caused the sharp decline in confidence, according to the report by the Conference Board. 

“The consumer confidence numbers were pretty shocking. The deterioration was greater than people had expected,” said Ronald J. Hill, investment strategist at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., adding that the decline in confidence reawakened investors fears about a recession. 

“What it does say is that there is a reason the economy is slowing and it has a lot to do with consumers’ poor outlooks for the future,” Hill said. 

Other issues, particularly in the high-tech sector, were mixed. Analysts said this had partly to with investors’ concerns about the weakened economy. 

“If we go into recession, people don’t want to be long on stocks. But if we avoid recession, this could be a great time to buy stocks,” said Hill, the strategist for Brown Brothers Harriman.  

“That’s the fear and greed people are working on right now.” 

— The Associated Press 

Techs, which have been the most beaten down by slumping growth, again suffered from bad earnings news. 

Amazon.com, which stumbled $1.19 to $18.94, fell 44 cents further in extended-hours trading. After the market closed, the Internet retailer, which beat fourth-quarter earnings estimates, warned that difficult business conditions would crimp profits. It also said it was cutting 1,300 jobs. 

Likewise, Nokia fell $1.71 to $35.28 after the cell phone maker warned earlier that first-quarter profits will be less than expected. 

Advancing issues outnumbered decliners 8 to 5 on the New York Stock Exchange where consolidated volume was 1.38 billion shares, compared with 1.27 billion Monday. 

The Russell 2000 index, which tracks the performance of smaller company stocks, rose 3.75 to 511.66. 

Overseas markets were mixed. Japan’s Nikkei stock fell slightly, off 0.1 percent, and Germany’s DAX index finished down 0.2 percent. Britain’s FT-SE 100 gained 0.3 percent, and France’s CAC-40 rose 0.5 percent. 

——— 

On the Net: 

New York Stock Exchange: http://www.nyse.com 

Nasdaq Stock Market: http://www.nasdaq.com 

A proposal to inspect vacant rental units for safety hazards and code compliance, has left at least one property owner grumbling. 

The Housing Advisory Commission will hold a public hearing Thursday to get public input on the program, which requires the inspection of vacant rental housing units in order to assess whether they are in compliance with the housing code.  

The legislation was spawned in part by the Aug. 20, house fire in which a UC Berkeley student and her parents were killed. The program would especially help students whose apartments regularly turn over. The frequent inspections might prevent fires due to code violations. 

“This is a major first step in not being reactive to tenants calling with complaints, but having preventative inspections,” said Interim Housing Director Stephen Barton.  

“This is not a perfect system. We don’t have regular inspections for units, but it’s a step in that direction. We can take this on and then evaluate how this is serving tenants in general, and assess whether we need to go further,” Barton added.  

Peggy Schioler of the Berkeley Property Owner’s Association took strong exception to the proposal. 

“It’s like being found guilty until proven innocent, and you have to pay to be proven innocent,” she said. “I’m guilty until I pay for an inspection and that’s an insult,” she added.  

Schioler’s point of contention lies in the $75 per unit fee landlords will be required to pay for the inspection. There is already a $200 fee for complaint-driven inspections.  

“They come and inspect until they find something wrong, then they fix it, and they come back and inspect it again. The poorest landlords are getting hit with these fees. They already provide the lowest cost housing,” Schioler said. 

Schioler contends she and other landlords are already feeling the financial brunt of being a Berkeley property owner by being subject to rent board, garage, fire, and elevator inspection fees, as well as business license and property taxes. 

Housing Department Senior Planner Teri Piccolo who helped co-author the proposal says the new inspection process will ultimately save landlords money since proof of certification would counter tenant claims in case of litigation, and possibly reduce insurance costs.  

“They’ll like it because on one level we’ll give them a safety certification and they’ll be able to show renters their unit is in compliance,” Piccolo said.  

City Councilmember Kriss Worthington says the new program, in an already tight housing market, would allow the city to see just how many units are vacant and ensure that they meet the city’s safety requirements. “I think it’s very important that we make sure every unit is safe,” Worthington said. “It’s not like there are 10,000 vacant units out there. It’s a pretty targeted segment of the housing stock. It will require a lot of coordination to identify units and get them inspected,” Worthington said. 

If implemented the city would hire one new inspector and a part time clerical assistant. The additional positions and the program at large, would be funded by a $485,000 Community Development Block Grant applied for by the housing department. The program will also be funded by the city’s general funds, with the ultimate goal of being funded solely by inspection fees.  

Worthington expects the nine-member HAC will approve the plan, which would then bring the proposal before the City Council tentatively scheduled for March 13.  

Piccolo remains optimistic that the plan will be passed by both HAC and the council. “So far I haven’t heard from people who are opposed to it, but we’re starting the process now, and we’ll hear what people have to say at the public hearing,” she said. 

The meeting will be held this Thursday at 7:40 p.m. in the South Berkeley Senior Center, located at 2939 Ellis Street.

Tuesday, Jan. 30

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips.531-8664 

Digital Photography  

1:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

With Allen Stross 644-6107 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

Ribbon Cutting: Thousand Oaks Elementary School 

5 p.m. 

Thousand Oaks Multipurpose Room  

840 Colusa  

The ribbon-cutting will take place at 5 p.m. and tours will follow the ceremony.  

Wednesday, Jan. 31

Berkeley Symphony Orchestra  

8 p.m. 

Zellerbach Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Featuring “Berkeley Images,” a world premiere by Jean-Pascal Beintus.  

$10 - $35  

Call 841-2800 

Conversations in Commedia 

7:30 p.m. 

La Pena Cultural Center 

3105 Shattuck Ave. (at Prince) 

Mime Troupe vet and St. Stupid’s Day creator, Ed Holmes, and 84-year-old Bari Rolfe, a mime for over 30 years, give dialogues on satire.  

$6 - $8  

Call 849-2568 

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling Classes for  

Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Berkeley High Poetry Slam  

6:30 p.m.  

Berkeley High School  

2246 Milvia St., Room G-210 

A preliminary round for the regional poetry slams sponsored by youth speaks.  

Human Welfare & Community Action Commission 

7 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center 

2939 Ellis St.  

Thursday, Feb. 1

Free “Quit Smoking” Class 

5:30 - 7:30 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center 

2939 Ellis (at Ashby)  

Cease your smoking with the help of this free class offered to Berkeley residents and employees. 

Call 644-6422 to enroll or e-mail quitnow@ci.berkeley.ca.us 

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet John Rowe and host Randy Fingland.  

644-0155 

Hiking the California Desert  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment, Inc. 

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Steve Tabor of the conservation group Desert Survivors presents a slide-show of highlights from his reconnaissance trips along more than 400 miles of trail. Free  

Call 527-7377  

Berkeley Metaphysical  

Toastmasters Club  

6:15 - 7:30 p.m.  

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysics come together. Ongoing first and third Thursdays each month.  

Call 869-2547 

Dark Caves & Sunlight 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Hillside Community Church  

1422 Navellier St.  

El Cerrito 

A series of Thursday evenings of conversation “engaging people in discovering the pleasures of an excellent discussion.” Explore the origins of how people speak to each other. 

$10  

Friday, Feb. 2

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

Allee der Kosmontauten 

8 p.m. 

Zellerbach Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Performance of Berlin choreographer Sasha Waltz 1996 work in its West Coast premiere. Also features the film work of Elliot Caplan.  

$20 - $42  

Call 642-9988 or e-mail tickets@calperfs.berkeley.edu  

“A Night In Oakland” 

8 p.m. 

Alice Arts Center 

1428 Alice St. (at 14th St.) 

$10 - $15 

Call 496-6068 or visit www.savagejazz.org 

Stagebridge Free Acting & Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

— compiled by  

Chason Wainwright 

Taize Worship Service  

7:30 - 8:30 p.m. 

Loper Chapel  

(adjacent to) First Congregational Church of Berkeley  

2345 Channing Way  

Call 848-3696 

Saturday, Feb. 3

“Waiting for Godot” 

8 p.m. 

La Val’s Subterranean  

1834 Euclid (at Hearst) 

Presented by Subterranean Shakespeare and directed by Yoni Barkan, director of last summer’s “A Midsummers Night Dream.”  

$8 - $12  

Call 234-6046 

Rockridge Writers 

3:30 - 5:30 p.m. 

Spasso Coffeehouse  

6021 College Ave.  

Poets and writers meet to critique each other’s work. “Members’ work tends to be dark, humorous, surreal, or strange.”  

e-mail: berkeleysappho@yahoo.com 

Spirits in the Time of AIDS Artists Talk 

1 p.m. 

Pro Arts Gallery  

461 Ninth St.  

Oakland  

As part of “Consecrations,” the public is invited to hear artists speak about their work and show slides. Free 

Call 763-9425 

Free Tae-Bo Classes for Adults  

10 - 10:45 a.m.  

Frances Albrier Community Center  

San Pablo Park 

2800 Park St.  

Call 644-8515 

Free Martial Arts Classes for Kids  

11:15 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Frances Albrier Community Center  

San Pablo Park  

2800 Park St.  

Classes taught by Michael Johnson, a fourth degree black belt. Ages 5 - 7, 11:15 a.m. - Noon; Ages 8 - 12, 12:15 p.m. - 1 p.m.; Ages 13 to adults, 1:15 p.m. - 2 p.m. 

644-8515 

Free Sailboat Rides  

1 - 4 p.m. 

Cal Sailing Club 

Berkeley Marina 

The Cal Sailing Club, a non-profit sailing and windsurfing cooperative, give free rides on a first come, first served bases on the first full weekend of each month. Wear warm clothes and bring a change of clothes in case you get wet. Children must be at least five years old and must be accompanies by an adult.  

Visit www.cal-sailing.org  

Fruit Tree Pruning 

10 a.m. - Noon  

Ecology Center Library  

2530 San Pablo Ave.  

An introductory class for the home fruit grower. Class taught by Greg Peck, owner of an organic landscape and garden design business in the East Bay.  

$7.50 - $10  

Call 548-2220 

Women’s Evening at the Movies 

7:30 p.m. 

Pacific Center 

2712 Telegraph Ave.  

“Late Bloomer,” the story of a high school basketball coach who realizes she’s fallen for the school secretary. Women’s Evening at the Movies is the first Saturday of every month.  

Visit www.pacificcenter.org 

Empyrean Ensemble 

4 p.m. 

Julia Morgan Theater 

2640 College Ave. 

Featuring a commissioned piece, “Prosperous Soul, Gregarious Heart,” newly composed by Peter Josheff in honor of his late father.  

Call 845-8542 

Sunday, Feb. 4

“Under Construction No. 10” 

7:30 p.m. 

St. John’s Presbyterian Church  

2727 College Ave.  

Experience the unusual rehearsal-reading format that lets the audience experience the collaboration between conductor, orchestra and composer in the Berkeley Symphony’s unique series presenting new works or works-in-progress by local Bay Area composers.  

Call 841-2800 

Russian National Orchestra  

4 p.m. 

Zellerbach Hall  

UC Berkeley  

On their tenth anniversary tour, the RNO will perform Shostakovich’s symphony No. 5 and Tchaikovsky’s piano concerto No. 2.  

$30 - $52  

Call 642-9988 or e-mail tickets@calperfs.berkeley.edu  

From Flatlands to the Stars  

9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Diamond Park  

Fruitvale Ave. (at Lyman Rd.) 

A hardy hike along Sausal Creek in Oakland’s unexplored Diamond and Joaquin Miller parks. A free hike sponsored by Greenbelt Alliance.  

Call 415-255-3233 for reservations or visit www.greenbelt.org 

Timbrels & Torahs: Celebrating Wisdom,  

Celebrating Age  

10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St.  

Miriam Chaya and Judy Montell discuss their Simchat Hochmah ceremony, which celebrates a woman’s transition from mid-life to her eldering years.  

Call 848-0237 x127 

“A Night In Oakland” 

2 & 8 p.m. 

Alice Arts Center 

1428 Alice St. (at 14th St.) 

Oakland  

Savage Jazz Dance Company launches their 2001 spring season along with the Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra.  

$10 - $15 

Call 496-6068 or visit www.savagejazz.org 

Spiritual & Cultural Context of Mbira  

8 p.m. 

Shambhala Booksellers  

2482 Telegraph Ave.  

Berkeley native Erica Azim has played Shona mbira music for 30 years, and is the foremost mbira performer and recording artist in the U.S. The mbira has metal keys which are plucked with two thumbs and one forefinger, “creating relaxing yet invigorating polyphony and polyrhythms.” Free 

Call 848-8443 

Solving the East Bay Energy Crisis 

3 p.m. 

Berkeley Fellowship Unitarian Universalists 

Fellowship Hall  

1924 Cedar (at Bonita) 

Barbara George of Women’s Energy Matters and a Utility Reform Network representative, Kris Worthington, Berkeley city council member, Ross Mirkarimi of the Green Party, and others will discuss the past and future of the energy situation in the East Bay, including possibilities of conservation, clean, renewable energy and municipally-owned public utilities.  

Call 233-3175 

Free Sailboat Rides  

1 - 4 p.m. 

Cal Sailing Club 

Berkeley Marina 

The Cal Sailing Club, a non-profit sailing and windsurfing cooperative, give free rides on a first come, first served bases on the first full weekend of each month. Wear warm clothes and bring a change of clothes in case you get wet. Children must be at least five years old and must be accompanies by an adult.  

Visit www.cal-sailing.org  

Meditations for Relieving Pain 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute  

1815 Highland Pl.  

Sylvia Gretchen presents specific meditations and visualization practices that can help to relieve physical and mental pain. Free 

Call 843-6812 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute Open House 

3 - 5 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Pl.  

A free introduction to Tibetan Buddhist culture including a prayer wheel and meditation garden tour and yoga demonstration. Refreshments will be served. Free 

Call 843-6812 

Monday, Feb. 5

Youth Commission  

6 p.m. 

Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Center 

1730 Oregon St.  

Rent Stabalization Board 

7 p.m. 

2134 MLK Jr. Way 

Second Floor Council Chamber 

Personnel Board Meeting  

7 p.m. 

Permit Center 

2118 Milvia St.  

First Floor Conference Room  

Landmarks Preservation Commission  

7:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Peace & Justice Commission  

7 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Attack not by pitbulls, but Bull Mastiffs 

I was very upset to see that your paper had allowed an AP story to be printed with the totally incorrect caption, "Pitbulls attack SF woman." (Weekend, Jan. 27-29, pg. 5).  

I doubt that this was AP's headline title, since they probably got the story from the SF Chronicle, whose article on page one today correctly identifies the breed as Bull Mastiffs, which are NOT Pitbulls, but a breed derived by crossing English Mastiffs with Bulldogs. 

For once, Pitbulls, a much maligned breed, cannot be made the guilty breed!  

Think of that! But you have just contributed to the bad press they always receive. 

Gwen Willows 

924 Gilman St. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted $5; $2 for a year membership 

Feb. 2: Nerve Agents, Jemuel, The Blottos; Feb 3.: Time In Malta, The Cost 525-9926  

Albatross Pub All music at 9 p.m. unless noted Feb. 1: Keni “El Lebrijano”; Feb. 3: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Quartet; Feb. 6: Pickpocket Ensemble; Feb. 7: Whiskey Brothers; Feb. 8: Keni “El Lebrijano”; Feb. 13: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Duo; Feb. 14: Carlos Oliveira Brazilian Jazz Duo 1822 San Pablo 843-2473 

Ashkenaz Jan. 27, 9:30 p.m.: Amandla Poets & Zulu Spear; Jan. 28, 8 p.m.: Ellis Island Old World Folk Band; Jan. 30, 7 p.m.: Bandworks; Jan. 31, 9 p.m.: Cajun Coyotes, dance lesson at 8 p.m. 1370 San Pablo Ave. (at Gilman) 525-5054 or www.ashkenaz.com  

Eli’s Mile High Club Feb. 2: Henry Clement; Feb. 3: Daniel Castro; Feb. 9: Red Archibald; Feb. 10: Kenny Blue Ray; Feb. 16: Little Johnny & the Giants; Feb. 17: Ron Thompson; Feb. 23: Carlos Zialcita; Feb. 24: R.J. Mischo 3629 MLK Jr. Way Oakland  

Freight & Salvage All shows begin at 8 p.m. Jan. 31: Slack Key Guitar Festival w/George Kahumoku, Jr., Princess Owana Salazar, Daniel Ho; Feb. 1: International Guitar Night with Andrew York, Laurence Juber, Peppino D’Agostino, and Brian Gore; Feb. 2: Cats & Jammers; Feb. 3: Lou & Peter Berryman; Feb. 4: Dave Van Ronk; Feb. 5: Tony Trischka & Junk Genius; Feb. 6: Chuck Brodsky; Feb. 7: Keola Beamer with Moana Beamer; Feb. 8 & 9: Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys; Feb. 10: Baguette Quartette with Odile Lavault; Feb.11: Bob Franke 1111 Addison St. 548-1761  

Jazzschool/La Note All shows at 4:30 p.m.Tickets are $10 - $12  

Feb. 4: Jeff Chambers and the J2W Project 2377 Shattuck Ave. 845-5373 

Cal Performances Feb. 2 & 3, 8 p.m.: Allee der Kosmonauten by Berlin choreographer Sasha Waltz with video installations by New York artist Elliot Caplan, $20 - $42; Feb. 4, 4 p.m.: Russian National Orchestra, $30 - $52; Feb. 10, 8 p.m.: Masters of Persian Classical Music, $20 - $40; Feb. 16 & 17, 8 p.m.: Balinese Orchestra Gamelan Sekar Jaya present “Kawit Legong: Prince Karna’s Dream,” $18 - $30. Zellerbach Hall UC Berkeley. 642-9988 or www.calperfs.berkeley.edu Feb. 11, 3 p.m.: Horacio Gutierrez $24 - $42 Hertz Hall UC Berkeley 

Berkeley Symphony Orchestra Jan. 31, April 3, and June 21, 2001. All performances begin at 8 p.m. Single $19 - $35, Series $52 - $96. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley 841-2800  

Eighth Annual Robert Burns Birthday Celebration Feb. 2, 8 p.m. and Feb. 4, 7 p.m. A celebration of Scotland’s beloved 18th century poet: his songs, his letters, his life. St. Alban’s Episcopal Church 1501 Washington Ave (at Curtis) Albany 848-3422 

Empyrean Ensemble Feb. 3, 3 p.m. The ensemble will present “The Soldier’s Tale,” by Igor Stravinsky, “Prosperous Sould, Gregarious Heart,” by Peter Josheff, and “Horizon Unfolds,” by Yu-Hui Chang. $4 - $10 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. (at Derby) 925-798-1300 

Flauti Diversi Ensemble Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m. Performing the music of 17th and early 18th century composers on baroque instruments in a program titled “Bell Fiore, Belle Fleur.” $10 - $15 Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley 1 Lawson Rd. 525-0302 

“Mostly Baroque” Feb. 4, 5 p.m. Instrumental works by Corelli, Schickhardt, Quantz, Mozart, a new work by Glen Shannon and Bach’s Cantana 82. Donations accepted Church of Saint Mary Magdalen 2005 Berryman (at Milvia)  

Toshi Makihara & Colin Stetson Feb. 4, 7:48 p.m. Philadelphia percussionist Makihara teams up with local solo saxophonist Voigt and local contrabassist Morgan Guberman for an evening of improvised music. $8 donation Tuva Space 3192 Adeline (at MLK Jr. Way) 649-8744 

“Songs for the Young at Heart” Feb. 10, 4 p.m. Featuring La Bonne Cuisine by Bernstein and The Shepherd on the Rock by Schubert. Donations accepted St. John’s Presbyterian Church 2727 College Ave.  

Community Women’s Orchestra Feb. 11, 4 p.m. Pieces to be played include those written by Berkeley High students Ariel Wolter and Maianna Voge. Donations accepted Malcolm X School 1731 Prince St. 653-1616 

Percussions Du Guinee Feb. 16 & 17, 8 p.m. Feb. 18, 7 p.m. Internationally respected Guinean percussionists craft a performance simultaneously inspired by traditional music, yet modern in presentation. $20 - $25 925-798-1300 

“Fall” by Bridget Carpenter Through Feb. 11. $15.99 - $51. Berkeley Repertory Theatre 2025 Addison St. 647-2949, www. berkeleyrep.org 

“In Search of my Clitoris” Written and performed by Sia Amma Feb. 1 & 2, 8 p.m. La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. Feb. 8 & 9, 8 p.m. Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. $12 - $14 415-775-6608 

“Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Beckett Through Feb. 3, Thursday - Saturday, 8 p.m. $8 - $12. Subterranean Shakespeare La Val’s Subterranean 1834 Euclid (at Hearst) 234-6046  

“The Road to Mecca” by Athol Fugard Through Feb. 24, Friday - Saturday, 8 p.m. Feb. 22, 8 p.m. $10 Live Oak Theatre 1301 Shattuck 528-5620 

“Nightingale” presented by Central Works Theater Feb. 9 - March 4, Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 24 & Saturday, March 3, 5 p.m.; Free preview Feb. 8, 8 p.m. $8 - $14 LaVal’s Subterranean 1834 Euclid Ave. 558-1381 

“Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me” by Frank MacGuinness Feb. 15 - March 17, Thursday - Saturday, 8 p.m. Sunday, 8:30 p.m. The story of three men - an Irishman, an Englishman and an American held in a prison in Lebanon. $10 - $15 8th St. Studio Theatre 2525 Eighth St. (at Dwight) 655-0813 

“Magnetic North” Six programs of experimental Canadian video from the past 30 years that range from documentary to conceptual art. In all, 40 tapes from 46 artists will be shown on six Wednesday evenings. Through Feb. 28. $7. Pacific Film Archive 2575 Bancroft (at Bowditch) 642-1412  

“Durruti and the Spanish Revolution” The LaborFest U.S. premiere screening and dicussion of this documentary which tells the story of the Confederation National del Trabajo during the Spanish Civil War. Feb. 11, 7:30 p.m. $7 donation requested. La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. 415-642-8066 

“Toto Recall” A 15-film retrospective honoring Italy’s comic genius. Feb. 3 - Feb. 24 Weekend days only, Friday - Sunday. $7 for one film, $8.50 for double bills. Pacific Film Archive 2575 Bancroft Way (at Bowditch) 642-1412 

Boadecia’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted Jan. 27: Susan Swartz reads from “Juicy Tomatoes: Plain Truths, Dumb Lies, & Sisterly Advice About Life After 50”; Feb. 10: Karin Kallmaker reads from “Sleight of Hand”; Feb. 23: Becky Thompson reads “Mothering Without a Compass: White Mother’s Love, Black Son’s Courage” 398 Colusa Ave. Kensington 559-9184. www.boadeciasbooks.com 

Cody’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted Jan. 28: Poetry of Lynne Knight & Kathleen Lynch; Jan. 29: Tim Wohlforth discusses “On the Edge: Political Cults Right and Left”; Jan. 30: James Elkins discusses “how to use Your Eyes”; Jan. 31: Poetry of Steven Ajay & Anita Barrows  

“Strong Women - Writers & Heroes of Literature” Fridays Through June, 2001, 1 - 3 p.m. Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program. North Berkeley Senior Center 1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 549-2970  

Duomo Reading Series and Open Mic. Thursdays, 6:30 - 9 p.m. Feb. 1: John Rowe; Feb. 8: Tom Odegard; Feb 15: Kathleen Lynch; Feb. 22: Charles Ellick; March 1: Eliza Shefler; March 8: Judy Wells; March 15: Elanor Watson-Gove; March 22: Anna Mae Stanley; March 29: Georgia Popoff; April 5: Barbara Minton; April 12: Alice Rogoff; April 19: Garrett Murphy; April 26: Ray Skjelbred. Cafe Firenze 2116 Shattuck Ave. 644-0155. 

Lunch Poems First Thursday of each month, 12:10 - 12:50 p.m. Feb. 1: Sherman Alexie; March 1: Aleida Rodrigues; April 5: Galway Kinnell; May 3: Student Reading Morrison Room, Doe Library UC Berkeley 642-0137 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Free. University of California, Berkeley. 486-4387 

Berkeley City Club Tours 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. 848-7800  

The fourth Sunday of every month, Noon - 4 p.m. $2  

Golden Gate Live Steamers Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Lomas Cantadas Drive at the south end of Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley. 486-0623  

Small locomotives, meticulously scaled to size. Trains run Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rides: Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., weather permitting.  

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden Centennial Drive, behind Memorial Stadium, a mile below the Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley. 643-2755 or www.mip.berkeley.edu/garden/  

The gardens have displays of exotic and native plants. Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 1:30 p.m. $3 general; $2 seniors; $1 children; free on Thursday. Daily, 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. 

Berkeley Historical Society Slide Lecture & Booksigning Series Sundays, 3 - 5 p.m. $10 donation requested Jan. 28: “The Finns in Berkeley and Co-op Beginnings,” a panel discussion on Finnish and Co-op history; March 11: Director of Berkeley’s International House, Joe Lurie, will show a video and dicuss the history and struggle to open the I-House 70 years ago. Berkeley Historical Center Veterans Memorial Building 1931 Center St. 848-0181 

“Great Decisions” Foreign Policy Association Lectures Series Tuesdays, 10 a.m. - Noon, Feb. 13 - April 3; An annual program featuring specialists in the field of national foreign policy, many from University of California. Goal is to inform the public on major policy issues and receive feedback from the public. $5 per session, $35 entire series for single person, $60 entire series for couple. Berkeley City Club 2315 Durant Ave. 526-2925

Yvon Bryant of Oakland takes advantage of spectacular winter weather Monday and tests her luck fishing at the Berkeley Marina pier. She says she generally catches crabs and perch. Darryl Perry, fishing nearby, says he sometimes catches bass. Neither Perry nor Bryant eat more than one fish a month caught at the Marina, aware that eating more may be dangerous to their health. The state health department has warned against contaminants in the water.

The city is trying to find funds to assist a popular proposal from a group of parents who are determined to help failing high school freshman get back on track. 

The parents and grandparents got together in November to discuss problems with their high-school-aged children. The group, Parents of Children of African Descent, soon found that nearly 250 freshman were on their way to failing either algebra or English or both.  

Shocked at the large number of children in danger of failing, the parents took immediate action to develop the Berkeley High School Achievement Program that would intervene to get failing students back on track. The backbone of the program is a partnership between parents, teachers, administrators and the city. 

Last week PCAD received a commitment from the School Board for $100,000. Berkeley High School has promised six classrooms and three teachers. Immediately after the school board approval Tuesday, the City Council voted unanimously to direct the City Manager‘s Office to determine what funds the city could pitch in. Tonight the council is expected to approve any funding the city manager was able to find. 

The primary cost of the program is to hire teachers specifically to work with the failing students. The program’s student-teacher ratio is planned to be as low as 10 to one. According to Irma Parker, a member of PCAD and grandmother of a Berkeley High School student, the program has already received dozens of applications and the school has been interviewing potential teachers for the spring semester, which starts today.  

“What we’re proposing is that the city match the $100,000 that the School Board is putting in,” Councilmember Kriss Worthington said. “It’s central to a good city to have well-educated kids and getting them to be successful in school is really fundamental.” 

City Manager Weldon Rucker warned the council last Tuesday that it might be difficult to come up with that kind of money on short notice. “We’ll provide every effort, but it may be unrealistic to expect a quick turnaround,” Rocker said. “We will certainly try to identify where we have resources to assist with this partnership.” 

As of Monday Arietta Chakos, chief of staff to the city manager, said it was still uncertain how much funding would be available. “We have a number of programs that are targeted for at-risk kids and we have to look at what will be the best way to coordinate the investment,” she said. 

The program is now geared to enroll 48 students with the possibility of increasing to 96 students depending on what the city can offer in funding and the number of qualified teachers that can be hired, according to Parker. 

“We’ve already had 75 kids sign up for the program,” Parker said. “But we still have to check their eligibility.” 

The proposal was warmly received by the City Council last Tuesday. Councilmembers who usually don’t agree with each other joined to enthusiastically approve the program. 

Councilmember Polly Armstrong said there was something special about the proposal. “I think the difference we’re seeing is the parental involvement,” she said. “What we all want to do is jump on this pony while it’s moving and try and capture its energy.” 

The City Council will consider extending a 45-day moratorium on new telecommunications antennae to give city staff time to revise zoning regulations to deal with the increasing numbers of applications for them. 

The city manager has suggested two options to the council. The first is to extend the moratorium for six months while zoning regulations are modified. The other is to prohibit the approval of any new permits in all parts of the city except the central commercial district. 

Without City Council action at tonight’s special meeting, the moratorium will expire Feb. 3. To keep the moratorium in effect, the City Council must approve the extension by at least a 7-9 vote. 

The moratorium was initially approved by the City Council on Dec. 19, after hearing from neighbors of the Oaks Theater on Solano Avenue who complained about the Zoning Adjustments Board’s approval of an Nextel application to place 12 wireless telecommunication antennae on the theater’s roof. The antennae are primarily used to  

support cellular phone use. 

Neighbors said they were worried about health risks posed by the radio frequency waves emitted by the antennae and the aesthetic impact the increasing number if antennae will have on residential and mixed use neighborhoods. 

According to a report by the City Manager’s Office, the City of Berkeley has received 35 applications for telecommunications antennae, compared to only five during the previous seven years. The city has issued permits for antenna installation at 20 different locations throughout the city. 

The report said the planning department expects the number of applications to continue to increase and especially in residential neighborhoods where there is a need for telecommunications companies to expand coverage. The majority of early applications were for the industrial areas in west Berkeley. 

The City Council meeting will be held in the City Council Chambers at 2134 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, Tuesday at 7 p.m.  

SACRAMENTO — California’s state government is scoring higher marks on a national report card, particularly in fiscal policy, but still ranks behind most other states, a new study shows. 

California’s overall grade jumped to C+ this year from C- two years ago. The state still ranked near the bottom overall, with only 11 states having lower ratings, according to the report card. 

The report, “Grading the States: A Management Report Card,” was scheduled for release Tuesday in Washington, D.C. The Maxwell School of Syracuse University and Governing magazine produce the report card. 

The study, funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, grades state governments on how well they are managing systems that deliver public service. 

The 50 states were given grades on how well they managed five areas: finances, capital, human resources, results and information technology. 

California’s grade for financial management leaped from a C- in 1999 to a B- in the current report. 

“Many of California’s most egregious finance problems of the late 1990s have been cleaned up. Perhaps most important, the state showed a positive balance of $622 million at the start of the 2000 fiscal year,” the magazine wrote. 

“We were impressed that the state had begun to set aside money in a rainy-day fund, which it had not done before, that it had brought itself out of debt, that it has passed its budget on time,” said Katherine Barrett, special projects editor for Governing magazine. 

However, Gov. Gray Davis is dipping into that reserve to buy energy to keep California lights on. The Legislature approved $400 million for emergency power purchases that has already run out and Barrett said the state’s power problems could present problems. 

Lawmakers are considering a long-term plan to put California in the energy-buying business for years, possibly financed by state-issued revenue bonds rather than the state’s general fund. 

Earlier this month, Standard & Poors put California’s general obligation bonds on “credit watch with negative implications” because of the possibility the state could end up buying power long-term and deplete its currently ample reserve. 

Davis spokeswoman Hilary McLean said the improved grades “are recognition that California is moving in the right direction.” 

She said while the $400 million spent to buy power is coming out of this year’s reserve, Davis hopes “the state will get that money back” from utilities or ratepayers once the Legislature and governor approve some long-term solution to the energy crisis. 

California’s other grades were C+ (up from C-) for capital management, C (up from C-) for human resources, C- for managing for results (the same) and B- (up from C+) for information technology. 

Three states, Michigan, Utah and Washington, had the top grades of A-. Twenty-six states had B grades and 21, including California, were in the Cs. The lowest grade was C- for Alabama. 

The California energy mess has created two vastly different reactions, a popular impression that deregulation has failed and a determined opposition that views it as the only solution. 

The latter, in fact, blames the long-term myopia of regulators in general for having produced energy shortages, and the misguided efforts of California officials for having exacerbated it into a crisis. 

Never, they say, was the free market given a proper chance to match supply with demand. California reformers, they say, adopted a system that left only part of the market free while the rest remained regulated. 

Broadly stated, the California formula deregulated power generation but left regulated its distribution via utilities. As demand rose, power generators raised prices but utilities could not, losing on every sale. 

No matter how well-intentioned, “it wasn’t a free market,” says Bill Fogel, power technology analyst at First Albany securities. But the unanticipated shortages and rising prices had a long prior history. 

Since the 1920s, the nation’s electricity system was highly regulated through mandated monopolies, and environmental issues added additional regulations. Competition was insignificant, as were incentives to build infrastructure. Still, prices fell because of technological advances. 

In California, deregulators expected that competition at the wholesale level would keep prices level or even force them down, and that the utility retailers, even under fixed prices, would make a profit. 

However, the years of inattention to the infrastructure, both in generation and transmission of power, coincided with the growth and shifts of the nation’s economy. The effect was especially strong in California. 

Alternative sources of power were plentiful on the drawing board but not yet in the marketplace, where they could have provided new energy sources and competition. Developmental incentives were few. 

Specialists Peter VanDoren and Jerry Taylor describe how earlier deregulation and alternative energy sources, so long discouraged by a monopoly marketplace, might have helped avoid the current emergency. 

“If consumers faced real hourly varying prices – instead of fixed monthly costs – they would have an incentive to buy or contract for small-scale power sources,” they comment in an article for the Cato Institute, a Washington, D.C., free-market think tank. 

These new sources, such as fuel cells that convert hydrogen and oxygen to electricity and heat without combustion, and small turbines, could be activated by computer whenever the cost of other power rose too high. 

“Consumers would also have an incentive to shift their electricity demanding activities away from peak periods,” they say. 

Fogel tends to agree, and adds that we shouldn’t overlook solar and wind power too, although he concedes these are not immediate remedies to shortages and high prices. And then there is nuclear power to consider. 

In the meantime, the power problem conceivably could spread – and, in fact, has begun to spread – to other states. Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia are net importers of electricity. 

Among advocates of free and competitive markets, there is a resigned sense of irony about impressions that deregulation failed and that the solution, as has been proposed in California, is re-regulation. 

John Cunniff is a business analyst for The Associated Press

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. —DaimlerChrysler AG's slashing of 26,000 jobs at its ailing Chrysler division stands as the most dramatic sign yet that the 1998 merger of German and American automakers has not lived up to its promise.  

“Instead of making the billions of dollars in cost savings and synergies at the time of the merger, they’re making desperate cuts to get Chrysler back in the black,'' said analyst David Healy of Burnham Securities.  

Now, he said, “surgery is necessary to save the patient.”  

On Monday, the man tapped in November to stem Chrysler’s financial hemorrhaging said the U.S. unit would slash about one-fifth of its work force over three years, as well as idle six plants over the next two years.  

“No one wants this to happen. I personally wish it didn't have to happen,” Dieter Zetsche, Chrysler's president and chief executive, said Monday. He called the moves painful but necessary in the face of “brutal” competition, advances by imports and slackened U.S. sales.  

“Today is our turning point,” he said.  

Zetsche expects a large part of the job-cutting to be done through retirement programs; others will be phased out through layoffs, attrition and other programs.  

About three-quarters of the job cuts should come this year, he said.  

In addition, production will be curbed at factories in four states and Canada by slowing assembly lines and trimming the number of shifts, ultimately paring production by 15 percent.  

DaimlerChrysler chairman Juergen Schrempp has said Chrysler would lose money this year, and that rehabbing the troubled division that pioneered the minivan could take two to four years.  

Zetsche already has asked for 5 percent price cuts from Chrysler suppliers.  

Chrysler also plans to slash hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising and showroom subsidies to its 4,400 dealers.  

Zetsche said Chrysler will unveil its complete turnaround plan Feb. 26.  

The overhaul comes about 23 years after Lee Iacocca engineered a rescue of Chrysler, including layoffs and a $1.5 billion government bailout, as the company teetered on the edge of bankruptcy.  

Chrysler was restored to health, even becoming the industry leader in per-vehicle 

profits. That impressive record was what 

appealed to the German automaker as it 

sought to further expand in the United 

States.  

The vaunted 1998 trans-Atlantic 

combination of Daimler-Benz and Chrysler 

Corp. was touted as a merger of equals. But 

last year Schrempp said the company never 

intended to be an equal partner with 

Chrysler and that he only said that to gain 

shareholder approval.  

The comments prompted a lawsuit by 

billionaire Kirk Kerkorian, one of 

DaimlerChrysler's largest shareholders, seeking to have the deal 

reversed on grounds that executives misled investors.  

DaimlerChrysler's stock price, now at about $47, has fallen steadily 

since reaching a high of $108 in January 1999.  

Chrysler's performance hasn't met Stuttgart-based 

DaimlerChrysler's expectations, either. Sales incentives have erased 

profits and production of the hot-selling PT Cruiser has fallen short 

of demand. Daimler and Chrysler also have been reluctant to share 

parts to cut costs, which might change with a new emphasis on 

saving money.  

Still, DaimlerChrysler has insisted it has no plans to spin off or sell 

Chrysler.  

The job cuts involve 19,000 hourly workers and 6,800 salaried ones. 

United Auto Workers-backed Chrysler workers who get laid off will 

get 95 percent of their take-home pay under their contract, which 

ends in 2003. Employees backed by the Canadian Auto Workers will 

get 65 percent of their pre-tax salary as part of their contract, which 

expires in 2002.  

In a statement Monday night, United Auto Workers President 

Stephen Yokich said ``we have been down this road before, and we 

are confident that our current contracts with DaimlerChrysler will 

provide our members and their families with economic security 

during this difficult period.''  

Yokich and Nate Gooden, the UAW vice president who heads the 

union's DaimlerChrysler unit, plan to attend DaimlerChrysler 

meetings next month ``to further ensure that the rights and 

interests of UAW-represented workers at Chrysler Group are fully 

understood and protected,'' the statement said.  

About 22 percent of Chrysler's Canadian workers would lose their 

jobs, compared with 18 percent of U.S. Chrysler workers, Canadian 

Auto Workers President Buzz Hargrove said.  

``For stockholders, it is a blip, but for the workers it is a tragedy,'' 

he said.  

Plants slated to be idled include transmission and engine plants in 

Toluca, Mexico and assembly plants in Cordoba, Argentina; Lago 

Alberto, Mexico; and Parana, Brazil. Chrysler also plans to shift 

production from a Detroit engine plant to two other sites.  

Production will be scaled back at plants in four states and Canada, 

including Detroit; Belvidere, Ill.; Toledo, Ohio; Newark, Del.; 

Brampton, Ontario, and two sites in Windsor, Ontario.  

In the long run, what matters most is Chrysler's ability to develop 

and make vehicles people want, said analyst David Garrity of 

Dresdner Kleinwort Benson in New York. He said he was 

encouraged that the company was leaving its product development 

budget relatively untouched.  

Still, Garrity said it was shortsighted for the company to cut 

production most in Mexico and Canada, where costs are lower, 

while shielding higher-paying U.S. jobs. The Chrysler-UAW 

national contract contains safeguards against job cuts.  

``You have a company that in some respects had been hamstrung 

by the UAW agreement, that has limited their ability to reduce 

costs,'' Garrity said.  

Last year, Chrysler posted a third-quarter loss of $512 million and 

warned that its fourth-quarter loss could more than double that 

amid a downturn in the U.S. auto market.  

DaimlerChrysler's stock price has fallen steadily since reaching a 

high of $108 in January 1999. In trading on the New York Stock 

Exchange Monday afternoon, the company's stock was down 95 

cents to close at $47.29.  

———  

On the Net:  

DaimlerChrysler AG: http://www.daimlerchrysler.com  

United Auto Workers: http://www.uaw.org  

Canadian Auto Workers: http://www.caw.ca

Investors sent stocks moderately higher Monday but kept their purchases to a minimum while they awaited the outcome of this week's Federal Reserve meeting.  

Despite a hint of difficult quarters ahead from Cisco Systems, buyers bid technology stocks up on expectations the battered sector would benefit from an interest rate cut. But trading was light as investors generally remained cautious.  

Analysts said Wall Street remained focused on the strong likelihood that the Fed will cut rates for a second time in a month when it holds a two-day meeting starting Tuesday. But many investors are skeptical about whether that will be enough to improve soft corporate earnings.  

“The market will tend not to take any bold or aggressive steps until we find out if or how much the Fed is going to cut rates,” said Gregory Nie, technical analyst at First Union Securities. “This lackluster, somewhat range-bound trading we've been seeing is typically what happens in anticipation of a Fed meeting.” 

In the Dow, losses in its manufacturing and pharmaceutical components offset gains from banker J.P. Morgan, up 93 cents at $55.12, and American Express, up 99 cents at $47.61.  

Technology issues were buoyed by a late-afternoon buying spree, despite comments by Cisco Systems' chief executive that suggested business may be difficult in the coming quarters.  

“This has become a hallmark of the markets recently. We get soft corporate news and we don't dive. We ease our way around it, which I find encouraging,” said Larry Wachtel, market analyst at Prudential Securities, who said stock prices are starting to reflect the economy's slower growth rate. “Last fall, this kind of thing would have sent the whole market down.” 

The narrow trading range and light volume was the latest twist on the pattern that has characterized Wall Street's trading in recent weeks.  

Instead of rotating in or out of technology stocks, investors appeared to be waiting for some type of catalyst before making any major moves.  

— The Associated Press 

The Fed meeting is expected to provide some type of spark.  

“The market is expecting a cut, although I’m not sure we'll get one,” said Nie, the First Union analyst. “If we don't, the market is not prepared and we'll get at least a temporary selloff.” 

Another sign of the slowing economy came from Daimler Chrysler, which said it would cut 

26,000 jobs, or 20 percent of its North American work force. The company's stock fell 95 cents to $47.20.  

Advancing issues outnumbered decliners 3 to 2 on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated volume came to 1.26 billion shares, compared with 1.32 billion at the same point Friday.  

It was the first day ever that the NYSE's 3,500-plus issues traded solely in decimals. Officials there reported no problems with the transition. The Nasdaq Stock Market is expected to complete a similar change in early April as part of the same government mandate.  

Just days after a major 7.9 earthquake shook India causing massive damage and loss of life, the Claremont-Elmwood Neighborhood Association held a meeting to organize community preparation for the earthquake residents know will eventually hit the Bay Area. 

“The reality is it’s coming, but you can do quite a bit to minimize the impact,” Fire Chief Reg Garcia told more than 100 people in the audience at St. Clement’s Episcopal Church on Saturday. 

The city has found that in the case of a major emergency, important relief services such as the fire department and medical services, will be unable to reach all of the areas in need.  

“We’ve found from recent experiences,” said Fire Chief Reg Garcia, “A major disaster will quickly overtax the services.”  

Instead, he emphasized, the most important players in any emergency will be community members. “You’re the people who will decide. Your efforts, your ability to organize, your ability to make a response.” 

Claremont resident Martha Jones, Mayor Shirley Dean’s appointee to the city’s disaster commission, has taken on that role. She first organized earthquake preparedness for her neighborhood in 1995.  

When she realized that at least 30 percent of her neighbors had moved in after the 1995 planning, she decided it was time to organize again. 

To spread out duties, Jones organized the neighborhood into a series of blocks. Each block of nine houses has a block leader to coordinate services and prevention for that neighborhood. 

Fire Chief Garcia said that organized community members can make an enormous difference in lessening the impact of a disaster with both prevention and disaster relief. They should retrofit their homes, bolt bookshelves to the wall, find their gas valves and learn to organize search and rescue efforts and basic first aid. But one important part of preparedness, he said, is receiving the necessary training. 

“What we found is following a major disaster is people will come out to help, they want to help, but if they’re not trained they won’t be effective help,” said Garcia. 

The city of Berkeley is offering free emergency response training in topics such as Disaster First Aid and Search and Rescue. Jones urged the block leaders to make sure someone on their block attended each one of the sessions. 

One of the most dangerous effects of an earthquake is the ensuing fires.  

“As I always say, after we shake, rattle and roll, we’re going to burn,” said Jones.  

Garcia said that residents can help by keeping fire extinguishers, knowing how to turn off gas valves for houses on the block, and by purchasing hoses and learning how to attach them to fire hydrants. 

Beyond community preparedness, Jones urged that residents remember the little things which help people survive an emergency. She urged listeners to put a pair of shoes next to the bed because in an earthquake glass from windows may cover the floor, making walking barefoot impossible. She told them to purchase a crowbar to pry open doors that may stick and trap residents. And she reminded the audience to stockpile enough food and water for between 72 hours and a week.  

“One of the main reasons for organizing,” she said, “is the ability to buy in bulk. If 1,400 houses buy fire extinguishers they’re able to do it inexpensively.”  

The same holds true for water drums and Meals Ready to Eat — full meals with a long shelf life.  

The city of Berkeley was named a model community for earthquake preparedness, Mayor Dean said at the meeting. And, she said, focusing on preparedness continues to be necessary. 

A 1999 study by the US Geologic Survey found a 70 percent risk of a major earthquake in the Bay Area over the next thirty years. The Bay Area is situated on two different tectonic plates, which are moving in opposite directions at a rate of two inches per year. Eventually the earth cracks along fault lines. One such fault line, the Hayward fault, runs directly through the city of Berkeley. Of the all the various fault lines in the Bay Area, the Hayward fault has, at 30 percent, the highest risk of failure. 

David Schwartz, Earthquake Geologist and Chief of the Bay Area’s Earthquake Hazard’s Project presented the data about earthquake risks. He said that Bay Area residents consider themselves earthquake experts, but the region has experienced comparatively few earthquakes in the past hundred years compared to earlier centuries. The severe 1906 earthquake reduced much of the stress in the ground.  

A map prepared by the Department of the Interior shows 33 earthquakes over 5.5 in the 68 years between 1838 and 1906. In the 94 years between 1906 and 2000, however, the Bay Area has only experienced 11 earthquakes of similar size. He said that Bay Area residents may expect many more quakes in the next century. 

Heeding the ominous figures, Martha Jones follows her own creed of disaster preparedness. She keeps supplies of food and in extra pair of tennis shoes at her home, office and in her car. Just in case. 

To attend a free Emergency Response Training, or get assistance in organizing earthquake preparedness, call of the office of Emergency Services at 644-8736.

Monday, Jan. 29

Poetry with Nancy Wilson 

2 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Call 644-6107 

Starving For Love? 

7 - 9 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Keith Braselton invites you to experience love all the time and claims he can show you how.  

Call 707-435-5425 

Homeless Commission 

7 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave.  

Tuesday, Jan. 30

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 

Call Wade, 531-8664 

Digital Photography  

1:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Call 644-6107 

Free! Early Music Group  

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

A small group who sing madrigals and other voice harmonies. Their objective: To enjoy making music and building musical skills.  

Call Ann 655-8863 or e-mail: ann@integratedarts.org 

Opening of Thousand Oaks Elementary School 

5 p.m. 

Thousand Oaks Multipurpose Room  

840 Colusa  

The ribbon-cutting will take place at 5 p.m. and tours will follow the ceremony.  

Wednesday, Jan. 31

Berkeley Symphony Orchestra  

8 p.m. 

Zellerbach Hall  

UC Berkeley  

Featuring “Berkeley Images,” a world premiere by Jean-Pascal Beintus.  

$10 - $35  

Call 841-2800 

Conversations in Commedia 

7:30 p.m. 

La Pena Cultural Center 

3105 Shattuck Ave. (at Prince) 

Mime Troupe vet and St. Stupid’s Day creator, Ed Holmes, and 84-year-old Bari Rolfe, a mime for over 30 years, give dialogues on satire.  

$6 - $8  

Call 849-2568 

Stagebridge Free Acting &  

Storytelling Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit www.stagebridge.org 

Berkeley High Poetry Slam  

6:30 p.m.  

Berkeley High School  

2246 Milvia St., Room G-210 

A preliminary round for the regional poetry slams sponsored by youth speaks.  

Human Welfare & Community Action Commission 

7 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center 

2939 Ellis St.  

The Poetry of Robert Hass 

Noon - 1 p.m. 

Lower Sproul Plaza 

UC Berkeley 

Former U.S. Poet Laureate will read.  

Thursday, Feb. 1

Free “Quit Smoking” Class 

5:30 - 7:30 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center 

2939 Ellis (at Ashby)  

Cease your smoking with the help of this free class offered to Berkeley residents and employees. 

Call 644-6422 to enroll or e-mail quitnow@ci.berkeley.ca.us 

Duomo Readings Open Mic.  

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

Cafe Firenze  

2116 Shattuck Ave.  

With featured poet John Rowe and host Randy Fingland.  

644-0155 

Hiking the California Desert  

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment, Inc. 

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Steve Tabor of the conservation group Desert Survivors presents a slide-show of highlights from his reconnaissance trips along more than 400 miles of trail. Free  

Call 527-7377  

Berkeley Metaphysical  

Toastmasters Club  

6:15 - 7:30 p.m.  

2515 Hillegass Ave.  

Public speaking skills and metaphysics come together. Ongoing first and third Thursdays each month.  

Call 869-2547 

Open Mic. 

7 p.m. 

Maurice’s Cafe 

6038 Telegraph 

Oakland 

Call 653-6775 

Dark Caves & Sunlight 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Hillside Community Church  

1422 Navellier St.  

El Cerrito 

A series of Thursday evenings of conversation “engaging people in discovering the pleasures of an excellent discussion.” Explore the origins of how people speak to each other. 

$10  

Friday, Feb. 2

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Call 549-2970

Instabilty is crippling Berkeley’s schools 

Editor: 

The departure of BUSD Superintendent Jack McLaughlin is no real surprise; he’d had one foot out the door for months. But it continues an unhealthy trend that has crippled Berkeley public schools. 

"Stability" is one word that cannot describe leadership within the district, and instability seems to blossom and thrive at Berkeley High. The principal post has been a revolving door, as one administrator after another has proved ineffective – sometimes because of their own faults, sometimes because of faults deeply imbedded in the school and the system. 

The latest soul to stroll through the door, Frank Lynch, seemed unaware of the school’s record of instability. In August, on his first day as principal, he told a Daily Planet reporter that he hadn’t heard about all of the school’s problems – a rather honest but surprising confession. Only time will tell if he can stop the revolving door to the principal’s office. 

More than 20 years ago, Berkeley High lost a good man who could have been an effective long-term leader. BHS Principal Tom Parker left his post to become principal of Turlock High School, my own alma mater over in the Central Valley. Parker held the THS job for 18 years, and when he retired, he was succeeded by his longtime assistant principal. 

Imagine what that kind of stability through the 1980s and 1990s might have done for Berkeley High. Perhaps the school could have avoided, or at least would have handled better, the myriad crises of the 1999-2000 school year. 

Instability at the top of the leadership ladder inevitably will affective lower rungs, and once again, you need only look at Berkeley High to find another example of instability: teachers. Every year, the district must hire dozens of new BHS teachers. They leave for a variety of reasons – higher pay in other districts, smaller schools in other districts, other career options – but the departures undermine the stability that a school needs in order to help all students. 

The loss of a superintendent, one could argue, is not as troubling as instability at the principal or teacher levels. Perhaps this is true in a city like Berkeley, which places such a high emphasis on parental and community involvement in the school district. 

Still, losing McLaughlin AND Assistant Superintendent Frank Brunetti within a span of six months only perpetuates the pattern of instability. It has been said that everything rises and falls with leadership, and the more turnover you have among your leaders, the more difficult it becomes for an organization to achieve significant goals. 

McLaughlin wanted to leave his mark on the BUSD by helping the district battle the achievement gap between Caucasian and Asian students and their Hispanic and African-American peers. He set some wheels in motion to help reach this goal, but if that gap ever is bridged, it will be intriguing to see if McLaughlin gets any credit. 

Rob Cunningham 

The writer was editor and schools reporter for the Berkeley Daily Planet from April 1999 to July 2000 and currently lives in Athens, Greece. He grew up, in part, in Turlock, Calif. 

Native language testing should be discouraged 

Editor: 

A recent article, “Berkeley schools rank well in state,” had some comments about the API scores for Thousand Oaks Elementary School. The scores were not high enough. The “probable” reason is students whose primary language is not English. A good cure for this is testing the students in their native language.  

I find this be totally unacceptable. As far as I know, I am living in the United States of America. The Berkeley Daily Planet is in English. Most media and print is in English. The Constitution is in English. Congress conducts sessions in English and the laws passed are written and printed in English. In short, speaking, reading and writing in English allows one to participate in American life.  

I guess it is easy to forget that the United States is a land of immigrants. The previous immigrants did not have any special programs for them. Yet, they and their children gradually assimilated into American life. My family came to the US as displaced persons, after World War II. When my parents and I came, in April 1953, to the US, I spoke only Latvian and Swedish. Latvian was my native language. None of my fellow immigrants of this period received any special treatment, because English was not our native language. Yet, we went to schools and work and became part of the American experience. Latvian was the language we spoke at home. We spoke English outside the home. 

There is nothing wrong with English not being your native language as long as one can use English in the appropriate settings. Testing in “native” languages needs to be strongly discouraged. 

John G. Cakars  

Berkeley 

Cell phone antennae  

battle has many sides 

Editor: 

I have read the Forum comment from Mr. Schwartzburd in today’s newspaper. As one of the "hired guns" for Nextel he vilifies, I believe I should briefly reply. I have lived here since 1955 when I came up to go to law school and fell in love with Berkeley. I have been a civil rights attorney here for many years and take no back seat to Mr. Schwartzburd in that world. I participated in the School Board recall election and the fair housing fights in Berkeley in the 60s. I represented CORE, the NAACP and the Ad Hoc Committee to End Discrimination, to name just a few. In short, I have long learned to recognize racism when I see it.  

So when some Thousand Oaks neighbors fear the effects of radio waves from cell phone antennae and thus object to having such antennae in their neighborhood but are perfectly willing to site those antennae in south and west Berkeley, the conclusion is obvious. That some members of the CityCouncil also see the connection is not surprising. Of course the city is actually forbidden by federal law from acting on the basis of health and safety fears as Congress has determined that the FCC must set the nationwide safe levels, and the proposed antennas on the Oaks Theater will be no more than 1/43rd of the allowable level (at full power) set by the FCC. But undeterred by either the facts or the law, these neighbors are looking for some subterfuge to save them from what they fear but don’t understand and have no evidence is harmful. However, there is no legitimate hiding place in the areas of aesthetics or property values, as the installation (to be completely concealed behind a fiberglass extension of the roof parapet) will be literally undetectable by any observer, no matter where she/he is located. In times of natural or man-made disaster, I would add, cell phones may be the only viable methods of communication, and thereby saving lives. 

And so when Nextel asked me to represent them in connection with this application, I agreed with no hesitation for the health and safety of the City I love and would not harm for any amount of money or client. 

Malcolm Burnstein 

Berkeley 

Cal’s Lampley scores 21 in Seattle 

SEATTLE - Sean Lampley scored 21 points and added 11 rebounds and the Cal defense held Washington without a field goal for a 9:34 stretch of the second half as the Golden Bears defeated the Huskies, 79-64, Saturday afternoon at Bank of America Arena.  

Coupled with Thursday’s 75-71 victory at Washington State, Cal (14-5 overall, 5-2 Pac-10) completed its first sweep of the Washington schools on the road since 1993.  

For the second straight game, the Bears jumped out to an early lead only to see their opponent claw back into the contest. After spotting the Huskies a 2-0 lead, Cal scored the next 13 points for a 13-2 advantage.  

Washington responded by tying the game at 13-13, but Cal came back with a 13-2 run for a 26-15 lead with 6:54 left in the first half. The Bears then extended thier lead to 35-20. However, the Huskies charged back and were down, 40-35, at the break.  

Washington then took the lead in the second half at 51-50 on a Michael Johnson layup. But that’s when Cal’s defense clamped down. The Bears scored the next 11 points before allowing a free throw by UW’s David Dixon. Cal then was up, 65-52, before Washington broke its field goal drought on a bucket by Dixon with 4:33 to go.  

The Bears then relied on free throws down the stretch to clinch the game.  

Cal has now won 13 of its last 15 games for its best 15-game stretch since the 1993-94 season. Lampley, who had 27 points and 12 boards at WSU, posted his first back-to-back double-doubles since the first two games of last season.  

Dennis Gates was the only Bear other than Lampley to reach double figures, coming off the bench for 10 points and three steals.  

Game notes: Lampley drew nine fouls on Washington players in the game ... at 14-5, Cal is off to its best start since Ben Braun’s first year in 1997 ... Cal shot 26-for-35 from the free throw line and UW was 13-for-16 from the stripe to improve the Bears record to 13-0 whe they make for free throws than their opponents attempt.

In response to the California’s power crisis, Berkeley City Councilmember Linda Maio is asking for a special meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 24 to discuss various ways that the city can cut back on energy use and rid the city of the shackles of Pacific Gas And Electric.  

But in a power play of her own, Mayor Shirley Dean, said Maio’s proposals will not be heard until the regular City Council meeting of Feb. 13. At that time, Dean said she will have her own plan on how Berkeley can do its part to help solve the energy crisis.  

On Jan. 16, Maio tabled a proposal by Dean requesting that PG&E implement a power-reduction plan for Berkeley residents and businesses while Dean was away at a mayor’s conference in Washington D.C. 

“My proposal ... was removed and blocked. For [Maio] to come back with a proposal of her own is a little interesting to say the least,” Dean said.  

Maio wants the city to step up its conservation efforts and encourage more state-wide efforts. She also wants the city government to start getting active on a regional level and host an energy summit for stakeholders in the utility market.  

“We want people who can make sure we are not tied to the grid and are not tied to the vagaries of the market,” Maio said.  

Berkeley’s city government currently buys power for its own use at a lower rate through the Association of Bay Area Governments — a regional government planning group. By buying power as a collective group with other municipalities, the agreement provides a lower rate for Berkeley and other member municipalities. Maio wants to push legislatures to ease PG&E regulations that require residents to have sign up to join that group. 

“I want to embrace everybody in the city as a single power buyer, and if you don’t want to you can drop out,” she said.  

Maio also suggests providing some tax money to support some low-income residents and looking into the idea of expanding the East Bay Municipal Utilities District to be an energy provider. 

“This is an opportunity here we really can’t miss,” she said.  

Although not completely dismissing that idea, Dean said it is far too premature to start taking seriously as a solution to this current problem. 

“East Bay MUD generates about 12 megahertz of energy. That’s enough to run 12,000 homes,” she said. “If you want to look at increasing that, it’s in the very preliminary stages.” 

Instead, Dean wants to continue those talks while looking at more immediate fixes to the power problem. Dean refused give further details and said she would reveal her ideas later this week.  

“We’re looking at a program with real meaning and real substance,” she said.  

A second half surge and a five point lead with 7:51 remaining in the game were not enough to beat the Huskies Saturday night as Washington regained the lead with 1:18 to play, defeating California 69-68 inside Haas Pavilion.  

With just 1:37 left on the clock, senior guard Courtney Johnson scored on a fast-break lay-up to hand California (6-11 overall, 2-5 in the Pac-10) a two point, 68-66, lead. The Huskies came right back down the floor, missing on their first shot but grabbing the rebound and kicking the ball out to sophomore guard Loree Payne who promptly hit a three-pointer, the final points of the game, giving Washington (12-6 overall, 5-3 in the Pac-10) the 69-68 win.  

California put up three shots after calling a time out with 24 seconds remaining, all failing to drop, before Forney committed a foul with five seconds on the clock. Senior forward LeAnn Sheets missed both resulting free throws for Washington, giving the Bears a glimmer of hope, but the Bears final shot by senior guard Kenya Corley with a second remaining again would not fall. 

Washington guard Megan Franza had a huge first half with 22 points in the opening period, staking her team to a a 39-30 lead. Franza scored a game-high 30 points, shooting 11-for-17 from the field. 

Junior center Ami Forney erupted with a huge double-double for the Bears, throwing down a career-high 27 points while pulling down 14 rebounds, also a career-high, in 36 minutes of work.  

“Ami Forney was all over the court tonight,” Horstmeyer said. “From an offensive perspective, she made a difference. She was aggressive and wanted the ball.”  

Corley scored 20 points for the Bears while Johnson tallied 11 points, six assists and six steals.  

“To lose a game this close is hard, but we’re building and playing hard as a team,” said Horstmeyer. “We made the game close tonight. A year ago we wouldn’t have made it so close.”  

Freshman center Andrea Lalum finished with 11 points and seven rebounds for the Huskies. Washington shot 42 percent as a team over the course of the night, besting Cal’s 35 percent showing.

A group of 22 professors and economic experts say that a state utility takeover will only worsen California’s power crisis while raising power rates will help stakeholders, “share the pain.” 

The Institute of Management, Innovation and organization at the University of California, Berkeley issued a report this week called the “Manifesto on the California Electricity Crisis.”  

The manisfesto states that raising power rates will promote conservation (which would reduce wholesale prices) while also restoring financial viability to the state’s utilities. 

“There is no other way out,” the report states. “Either retail prices must go up, or blackouts will continue with the consequent high costs to the California economy. Facing the pain now should reduce the ultimate price increase. We must put the horse before the cart.” 

The report states that deregulation failed because it did not anticipate the current reduction in supply and the increase in demand. That, the report said, combined with a retail rate freeze meant that consumers were buffered from situation and did not conserve energy as they would have if rates rose according to higher market prices. It also reduced incentives to turn to lower-priced competitors that deregulation helped create. When wholesale prices went up, the report said that retail prices did not, creating the current power crisis.  

By raising rates, the report states that California will be able to purchase more available power while new contracts are sought to stabilize prices during the two to three year transition while more permanent solutions are identified.  

A State purchase of electric utilities would only shift the burden to the taxpayers, the report said. Because buying the utilities would do nothing to increase supply, the report said that the state government should instead focus on creating a “supportive environment for necessary new private investment.” 

The report also emphasized the need to pay all existing energy bills and to build new power plants.

With 20 minutes gone in the first half on Saturday, the Chico State rugby team had to be pretty happy. They had conceded just one try to the 10-time defending national champion Cal squad to just one score, and had made two forays deep into Bear territory on Witter Field. Then the roof caved in. 

Cal eight-man Shaun Paga got into the Cal backline on a second-phase play, took a pass from flyhalf Matt Sherman and broke two tackles on his way to a 40-yard try. That score opened the floodgates for the Bears. They scored four more tries in the half, then piled on nine more in the second half against the tiring Wildcats, including six in the final 20 minutes of the match. 

Paga led the Bears with four tries on the day, including the team’s first two scores and the last one, and was a force to be reckoned with all day. He spent a lot of time in the backline, as the Cal forwards had very little trouble keeping possession with just two or three forwards in rucks and mauls. 

The Bear forwards also dominated the set pieces, repeatedly stealing Wildcat lineouts and scrums. 

Outside center John Buchholz scored 37 points for Cal, including three tries and 11 conversions, and wing Eric Andersen and inside center Michael Bonetto each scored two tries. 

Chico State lost to Cal 35-7 last year in Berkeley. This year’s game was scheduled for Chico, but poor field conditions forced the Wildcats to travel to Berkeley. 

The Bears are now 2-0 on the season, while Chico State drops to 0-1.

Residents are UCB students 

OAKLAND – The Oakland Fire Department reports today that one man died and four others were hospitalized after a house full of students caught fire. 

Spokeswoman Vicky Evans-Robinson said the fire was reported at 7:12 a.m. at 5247 Desmond St. by a neighbor. The neighbor was able to rouse some of the occupants, who were said to be seven University of California at Berkeley students, before the fire department was called. 

Evans-Robinson said firefighters arrived at the scene and found the two-story house heavily involved in flames. The fire was put under control at 7:56 a.m. 

A total of five people were able to make it out on their own, she said, including one man who had to jump from a second-story window. But firefighters found one man dead inside the house and they were forced to use a ladder to rescue a woman from a second-story window.  

The cause of the victim's death is uncertain at this time, Evans-Robinson said. Four people, including the man who jumped out of the window, were taken to local area hospital for injuries suffered in the fire. 

Damage was estimated at $500,000 and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Judge asked to throw out Raider lawsuit 

OAKLAND – Attorneys for Oakland and Alameda county are asking a state judge to throw out the remnants of a fraud lawsuit filed against them by the Oakland Raiders. 

The football team has contended that the city, county and local businessman Ed De Silva misled team executives into believing that the team’s home games would be sold out. 

The team sought $1.1 billion in damages, saying that’s how much it will lose from empty seats and loss of brand value over the life of its contract to stay in Oakland. 

But Sacramento Superior Court Judge Joe S. Gray dismissed fraud claims against the city and county last month, saying the team had waited too long to file its lawsuit. 

That decision did not exonerate De Silva, a Dublin-based contractor who helped negotiate the Raiders’ return. He has repeatedly denied the charges. 

Lawyers retained by the city and county filed a motion Friday asking that the claims against De Silva be dropped. Gray is scheduled to hear the matter Feb. 23 

Teen charged with shooting at police officer 

OAKLAND – A teen-ager faces attempted murder charges for allegedly trying to shoot a police officer, investigators said Friday. 

During an arrest at 11:45 a.m. Thursday, the 17-year-old boy aimed a gun at Officer Todd Mork and pulled the trigger, police said – but the gun’s safety mechanism was on and Mork was not injured. 

“It was definitely one of those times when you go home and kiss your wife and count your blessings,” said Sgt. Mark Dunakin, who investigated the case. 

The boy claimed he was only trying to get away from the officer and did not intent to shoot him. 

Police saw him get out of a car that had no plates, and then run from officers. Mork tackled him to the ground, when the boy lifted his hand and pointed a gun at the officer, then attempted to pull the trigger several times. 

The incident happened near Oakland’s border with San Leandro. The car had been stolen in San Jose. 

Basketball coach on leave after DUI, pot arrest 

ANTIOCH – The Antioch High School boys basketball coach has been place on administrative leave after his arrest last weekend. 

Darryl Reeves, 39, was arrested last Sunday on suspicion of driving under the influence and marijuana possession. 

He acknowleged the arrest, apologized for embarrassing the school and then claimed the marijuana belonged to someone else. He didn’t say who owned the drugs. 

Reeves, who was placed on indefinite administrative leave, was in his second season as Antioch’s coach. 

S.F. schools are rat infested 

SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco Unified School District officials have found too many rodents in the city’s schools. 

Superintendent Arlene Ackerman said the district has taken immediate steps to eliminate the problem.

LOS ANGELES – As Southern Californians gathered around their televisions to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday, many consumers in the market for a big-screen TV seemed blissfully unaware a power crisis was at hand. 

“Let somebody else worry about that problem,” said Fernando Terrazas, 35, as he examined a 55-inch television in a Best Buy store in Cerritos, south of Los Angeles. 

“I’m going to my cousin’s house to watch the Super Bowl. He has a big-screen TV. That way we can save electricity,” Terrazas said, grinning. 

“Not one person has asked me about energy-efficient TVs,” said Ray Armijo, a sales associate in the electronics department at a Los Angeles Sears store. The area is served by the Department of Water and Power, a municipal utility where rates have remained stable and there are no threats of outages. 

“I haven’t heard anyone talking about an electricity crisis,” Armijo said. “There are probably some people who don’t even know about it.” 

However, in Ontario, a suburb east of Los Angeles served by struggling Southern California Edison, some shoppers facing the threat of rolling outages have been more energy-conscious. 

Mike Lancaster, a sales associate at an Ontario Sears store, said he estimated about one in 10 customers have asked about a program called Energy Star, which offers rebates to consumers who purchase energy-efficient appliances. 

That California Public Utilities Commission program is funded with a surcharge on bills from the state’s investor-owned utilities. Those utilities give rebates to customers who buy from a list of energy-efficient appliances, said Southern California Edison spokesman Gil Alexander. 

In other areas served by Edison, electronics salesmen said conservation is the last thing on the minds of consumers. 

“It’s the least of their concerns — they’re buying a big-screen TV,” said Robert Peng, a salesman in the video department of a Good Guys store in Cerritos. 

“I haven’t had one customer ask me about that yet. I thought they would, but they’re not,” said Rooshi Panchal, a salesman at a Good Guys store in Chino Hills, east of Los Angeles. 

Big-screen TV buyers’ lack of concern probably won’t bring down the power grid, officials said. The jumbo models use only slightly more energy than a normal TV, said Alan Meier, a staff scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. 

Despite an apparent lack of concern about electricity bills, Armijo said shoppers find other ways to save money. 

“We get people who buy big-screen TVs the day before the Super Bowl and then they return them on Monday,” he said. 

No big-screen buying was necessary for about 200 people gathered at ESPN Zone, an Anaheim sports restaurant and entertainment complex that boasts 165 television sets, including restroom TVs and a 16-foot-by-13-foot screen surrounded by 12 smaller sets. 

“This is the first time I’ve gone out to be with other people to watch the Super Bowl,” said Leo Hamilton, 35. “I think it’s a bonus that it saves electricity, but that’s not why I’m here.” 

He was there because he had won free tickets to the complex from a radio station.

EMERYVILLE – On a drab afternoon, the rich, warm smell of vegetarian chili curls around the couch where 9-year-old Jessie flips through her math homework. 

It’s a typical living room scene in a rather unusual living room. This is the communal area in the house that Jessie’s parents and their friends and neighbors built, a blend of private and shared spaces known as co-housing. 

There aren’t a lot of houses like this around, but more are being built every year. So far, about 55 co-housing communities have been completed in the United States and Canada, a dozen of them in California, and demand for more is strong, says Stella Tarnay, executive editor of the Cohousing Journal. 

“Co-housing is a decade old in the United States and it’s proven itself,” says Kathryn McCamant, co-housing advocate, architect and Jessie’s mother. “It’s not for everybody, but it does work for a segment of the population.” 

“The good thing co-housing has going for it is it really responds to a need in the culture,” says Tarnay. “It’s a real need for community. It’s a real need for practical support among neighbors and families.” 

Although it may evoke images of tie-dyed utopias, co-housing bears little resemblance to the flower-powered communes that sprouted in California in the 1960s. Typically, a group of up to 30 people will form and start looking for a place to build a community made up of private homes and a communal space. 

There’s privacy — each unit is a self-contained home with its own living room and kitchen. But there’s one big yard and a common house where laundry is done, parties held and meals served several nights a week. 

It’s a lifestyle that appeals to many — singles, divorced parents, empty nesters and people turned off by suburban isolation. 

“What they discover when they get that dream single-family home in the suburbs is that they’re extremely lonely and their lives are utterly disconnected from the lives of others,” Tarnay says. 

McCamant was drawn to co-housing and to her future husband, Chuck Durrett, also an architect, while studying in Denmark in the 1980s. 

They came back inspired by the idea of promoting co-housing in a country where single-family dwellings define the American dream. 

“It made sense to us personally. I guess we were just crazy enough to think we weren’t the only ones it might make sense to,” McCamant says. 

McCamant and Durrett formed the CoHousing Company in 1987. One of their projects is their current home, the Doyle Street house in Emeryville, a suburb on the eastern shores of San Francisco Bay. 

There, a dozen families live in what used to be a cement-mixing factory. 

McCamant considers co-housing the best of all worlds — residents get to share things such as the new hot tub, the children’s play room and meals. They also can go home and close their doors. 

“We don’t look at this as utopia where you’re committed to the rest of your life. This is a housing option,” McCamant says. 

Appraisers have a hard time dealing with the configuration, but units have kept up with the market, McCamant says. The unit’s prices initially ranged from $150,000 to $240,000. A two-bedroom unit recently sold for $325,000. 

Decisions are reached by consensus and residents take turns cooking the communal meals. The meals aren’t mandatory, but residents do have to help pay for them. 

Knowing your neighbors means being able to rely on them. Residents pick up each other’s kids, open their homes as extra guest space when they’re away and share camping and other recreation equipment. 

Families have come and gone over the unit’s 9-year history, but there aren’t too many co-housing dropouts. 

Fran Ternus is one of the old-timers of the Emeryville community, moving in as the single mother of a 10-year-old girl who is now 20 and in college. 

“I enjoy the meals a lot. I really enjoy seeing kids grow up. That is really fun. We’ve had five babies born here. This is really a microcosm of life. We’ve had several divorces and several deaths and we had weddings and babies,” she says. “We share it all.” 

Don’t people sometimes get on each other’s nerves? 

“Oh sure,” chorus McCamant and Ternus in unison. But, Ternus points out, “This is not family. You have more of a good-neighbor distance.” 

One thing holding co-housing back is the real estate market. In pricey San Francisco, for instance, there are a number of groups that want to start co-housing, but it’s hard for them to compete with big-money developers. 

Demand, though, is strong. A new co-housing community under construction in nearby Pleasant Hill is sold out. There are also co-housing communities in Berkeley and Oakland. 

At one, the Temescal Project, eight families from a church paid to develop nine houses, with the idea of renting the ninth out to a homeless person for a few hundred dollars a month.

SAN FRANCISCO – Neale McFarland never expected to get rich by owning stock in California’s two largest utilities, but he knew he could always count on a decent-sized dividend check to cushion his retirement income. 

It all changed in a few mind-boggling weeks marked by almost daily bankruptcy threats from PG&E Corp. and Edison International that turned two of the nation’s steadiest stocks into risky gambles. 

The financial duress caused by California’s power crisis wiped out quarterly dividends that had been regularly paid to the utility’s shareholders through both World Wars, the Depression and the oil shocks of the 1970s. 

Edison, the owner of Southern California Edison, had paid dividends every quarter since 1910. PG&E, the holding company of Pacific Gas and Electric, hadn’t missed a dividend since 1916. 

“It’s hard to believe that big companies that you depend on for years can all of a sudden get messed up something awful,” said McFarland, 81. 

The abrupt financial descent of the two once-stable utility stocks is eroding the retirement incomes of thousands of retirees. 

“These are real ma and pa stocks,” said Sunnyvale bankruptcy attorney Wayne Silver, who has fielded frantic calls from retirees amid PG&E’s dire financial warnings and the suspension of its dividend. 

McFarland, a San Carlos resident, decided to pull the plug on his utility investments after hearing the bad news about the dividends, which had given him $3,600 annually. 

Earlier this month, he sold his remaining holdings in Edison and PG&E — 1,500 shares in all — and swallowed a $15,500 loss in the process. 

That might not sound like much in a high-rolling era when high-tech investors lose thousands — or even millions — in a few minutes. 

But the downfall of San Francisco-based PG&E and Rosemead-based Edison has been traumatic for retirees who thought utility stocks were as reliable as their Social Security checks. 

“I would never have thought something like this could happen,” said Donald Zwicky of Walnut Creek, a PG&E shareholder for more than 30 years. 

Zwicky, 72, plans to hold his PG&E shares for two more months in hopes the stock will recover and the dividend is restored. If that doesn’t happen, he plans to sell his entire stock portfolio, which also includes holdings in four other utilities around the country. 

“If something like this can happen to these utilities here, then it can happen to any company. I am done with the stock market. I just can’t take it anymore,” Zwicky said. 

Utilities have been investment magnets for retirees for decades because their dividends frequently yield a higher return than most bank accounts. 

Together, Edison and PG&E in a normal year would distribute dividends of about $840 million to nearly 400,000 shareholders. 

But they eliminated their dividends after rapidly running up more than $11 billion in debt paying more for electricity than they are permitted to charge customers under California’s market deregulation. If they go bankrupt, their shareholders’ investments could become worthless. 

Both companies have been swamped with phone calls from retirees. 

“Many of them are quite shocked and quite concerned about what has happened to their savings,” Edison spokesman Kevin Kelley said. 

The paper losses have already been huge. 

PG&E’s stock began the 1990s trading at $22.50 and ended the decade at $20, a 7 percent decline. Edison’s stock gained $6.50, or 33 percent, during the 1990s, climbing from $19.69 a share to $26.19. Over the same decade, the Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index soared by 316 percent. 

On Friday, PG&E’s stock finished the week at $12.50, a 54 percent decline in less than two months. The shares have traded as low as $8.38 this month. 

Edison ended the week at $12.19, a 45 percent decline since Nov. 30. Its shares have traded as low as $6.25 this month. 

Some shareholders are taking the slide in stride, figuring California’s government won’t let the utilities go bankrupt and possibly jeopardize the state’s economic health. 

“These aren’t a bunch of dummies. Somehow, it is all going to work out,” said Bob Wicker, 90, a shareholder in both PG&E and Edison. 

Wicker, of Walnut Creek, would lose $12,000 in annual income if the dividends aren’t restored. He said he can afford it because other stocks that he owns continue to pay dividends. 

Former PG&E employee Dolores Goltra, 73, accumulated 2,000 shares of the company’s stock before retiring 11 years ago. She stands to lose $2,400 in dividend income. 

“I think the stock will bounce back eventually,” she said. “I just hope I live long enough to see it.”

The Community Health Commission on Thursday sent a medical marijuana ordinance, which has been bouncing around city offices for the last 18 months, to the City Council. 

The commission and 50 audience members, almost entirely medical marijuana supporters, listened to presentations from the City Attorney’s Office, the police department, the director of public health and a variety of advocates before voting to recommend the council adopt the ordinance. 

The ordinance would establish the numbers of plants a qualified patient can grow and the amount of dried marijuana any one patient can have in his or her possession for personal use. The commission was also trying to determine how many plants could be grown by Berkeley’s marijuana collectives.  

The collectives are groups of people who assist one another with the cultivation of medical marijuana. They come together to share growing costs, gardening tips and in some cases people join because they’ve become too ill to take care of a crop on their own. 

The commission sent the recommendation to the City Council last October only to have it returned to them by City Manager Weldon Rucker. According to Commission Chair, Mark Chekal-Bain, Rucker wanted the commission to consider additional reports from the City Attorney’s Office, the director of public health and law enforcement. 

Rucker returned the ordinance to the commission requesting that it reduce the number of plants one person could grow indoors to 10. The commission had originally proposed 144 plants for a patient who grows them indoors and 60 plants for one who grows them outdoors. Rucker also wanted the commission to reduce the amount of dried marijuana a qualified patient could have on hand to 2.5 pounds from 6 pounds.  

The commission, however, decided to keep its original recommendation. 

Advocates argued that while 144 plants sounds like a lot, not all the plants grown are usable. Only the female plants flower – that’s where medical marijuana comes from – according to a report written by Chris Conrad, a court-qualified cannabis expert. The marijuana yield of a garden can depend on a variety of things including interrupted electricity, theft, pest infestations and fungus invasions. 

Police department representative Lt. Russell Lopes said the reason for requesting reduced numbers of plants was one of safety. He told the council that the police department supports the ordinance and that he, as a cancer patient, especially supports anything that will help ease symptoms of life-threatening disease. 

But Lopes said the police department is worried about personal growers cultivating large numbers of plants because of the threat of home robberies. 

“There were six home-invasion robberies last year directly related to residents who had large amounts of marijuana in the house,” Lopes said. “While we support a medical marijuana ordinance, we see an inherent risk in allowing large amounts to be grown in the home.” 

Lopes said security worries were also an issue with the collectives which could theoretically have more than 1,000 plants growing in one location. 

Dun Duncan, who runs the Berkeley Patient Group, said that most patients who are growing their own marijuana are discreet and the home invasion robberies Lopes referred to involved drug dealers who made no secret of having large quantities of marijuana. 

Attorney Robert Raich of the American Civil Liberties Union, said there was another type of home invasion the ordinance should stop. “The kind of home invasion where thugs carrying guns and badges burst in and hold you hostage in your own home and then take your personal possessions.” 

After the meeting Lopes said Raich’s comments were uncalled for. “The comments were totally inappropriate in what had been a peaceful, supportive meeting,” he said. “But it’s not surprising considering the source.” 

While the commission stuck to its original proposal for the number of plants that could be cultivated and the amount of dried marijuana that could be kept on hand, it could not come to an agreement about the maximum number of plants that a collective would be able to grow. It left that determination up to the council. 

“I feel very good about the ordinance,” said Chekal-Bain. “I wish we could have come to an agreement about the collectives, but I have full faith in the council. We’ve been working on this for a year and a half. It’s time to move it forward.” 

The ordinance has not yet been placed on the City Council agenda.

Saturday, Jan. 27

Amnesty & Immigrant Rights March  

11 a.m.  

St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church  

1500 34th Ave.  

Oakland  

Join thousands of immigrant families, union members, members of local congregations and community supporters in demanding immigrant rights. Confirmed speakers at the rally, to be held at Carmen Flores Park on Fruitvale Avenue in Oakland, are Senator Barbara Boxer and Congresswoman Barbara Lee.  

Free Tae-Bo Classes for Adults  

10 - 10:45 a.m.  

Frances Albrier Community Center  

San Pablo Park 

2800 Park St.  

Call 644-8515 

Free Martial Arts Classes for Kids  

11:15 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Frances Albrier Community Center  

San Pablo Park  

2800 Park St.  

Classes taught by Michael Johnson, a fourth degree black belt. Ages 5 - 7, 11:15 a.m. - Noon; Ages 8 - 12, 12:15 p.m. - 1 p.m.; Ages 13 to adults, 1:15 p.m. - 2 p.m. 

644-8515 

“Arab-Jewish Co-Existence: Reality & Challenges Ahead” 

1 - 2:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Hillel 

2736 Bancroft  

Walid Mula, an Arab-Israeli educator and activist who specializes in training and facilitating dialogue groups and educating for co-existence between Arabs and Jews, will speak and discuss. All are welcome at this free event. E-mail:  

israeloncampus@hotmail.com 

The Big One 

10:30 a.m. 

St. Clement’s Episcopal Church 

Claremont & Russell  

The Claremont-Elmwood Neighborhood Association hosts a neighborhood organizing meeting on house to house emergency preparedness. Berkeley Mayor Shirley Dean, Councilmember Polly Armstrong, and Fire Chief Reginald Garcia as well as Charles Schwartz, from the U.S. Geological Survey, will be present.  

Sunday, Jan. 28

Reimagining Pacific Cities 

6 - 8:30 p.m. 

New Pacific Studio 

1523 Hearst Ave.  

“How are Pacific cities reshaping their cultural and environmental institutions to better serve the needs and enhance the present and future quality of life of all segments of their societies?” A series of ten seminars linking the Bay Area, Seattle, Portland, and other Pacific cities. $10 per meeting.Call 849-0217 

Finns in Berkeley and Co-op Beginnings 

3 - 5 p.m. 

Berkeley Historical Society  

1931 Center St.  

A panel discussion on Finnish and Co-op history and on the Consumers Cooperative of Berkeley.  

$10 donation  

Call 848-0181 

Mediterranean Plant Life 

3:30 p.m. 

UC Botanical Garden  

200 Centennial Drive  

Peter Dallman, author of “Plant Life in the Mediterranean Regions of the World,” will motivate attendees to look closely at California native plants and experiment with dramatic and drought-tolerant species in their own gardens.  

Call 643-2755 

Rhythm & Muse Open Mike 

2 p.m. 

Berkeley Art Museum 

2621 Durant (at Bowditch)  

Poet Katharine Harer and jazz guitarist Joe Vance. Call 527-9753 

Unitarian Universalism at Millennial Transition 

10:30 a.m. 

Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists  

1606 Bonita St. (at Cedar St.)  

Paul Sawyer, long-time Berkeley activist and former minister at the Berkeley Fellowship and Dr. Cary Wang will speak. Call 841-3477  

Master of the Nyingma Lineage 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute  

1815 Highland Pl.  

Barr Rosenberg discusses the achievements of Longchenpa, a 14th century Tibetan master. Free 

Call 843-6812 

City must treat antenna concerns more seriously 

The Daily Planet received this letter, edited for length, addressed to Mayor Shirley Dean and members of the City Council: 

By Leonard Schwartzburd, Ph.D. 

This open letter is written to express concerns growing out of the council hearing on Jan. 23 concerning the Nextel application to place twelve RF radiation emitting antennas on the Oaks Theater and on the antenna moratorium in general.  

Since the previous meeting when the council established the moratorium, it appears as though there may have been a weakening of the knees which is of great concern to me and many of my neighbors. There is particular concern because of the manner in which the city has handled this situation all along and now that Nextel has launched a major offensive to force its application through, the reasons for concern continue. 

Nextel has begun to resort to what I think of as "dirty tactics." One of the speakers for Nextel, apparently a hired gun saying he is a Berkeley resident, who doesn’t know me or the other neighbors supporting the appeal and moratorium, made a slur about us in front of the council, suggesting by an innuendo evoking racial overtones, that we want to dump the antennas on residents from other parts of the city, specifically West Berkeley. It was disheartening to see one council member, who also doesn’t know us nodding in agreement.  

I ask that the Council members keep an open mind about us and open hearts towards us. I’d be proud to discuss my own civil rights credentials with any interested members, and you all might want to know that I and other members of our all Berkeley coalition have spent many hours in meetings and drafting a proposed ordinance for antenna siting to protect all of Berkeley’s residential areas.  

Though those of us affected most by the Nextel application naturally have personal concerns, we also care about all the people of Berkeley and believe that all the people of Berkeley have a direct and vital interest in this issue. Let it be clear that our position is not one of “Put it in your back yard but not in our back yard.” I want to be crystal clear. Our position is that antenna siting policy protecting residential areas should apply to all residential areas equally. It is not us but Nextel that is operating with disregard for the concerns of residents of Berkeley. 

I am hopeful that some of the concerns I am voicing about the position and conduct of various elements of our city government are about innocent actions and that there is no caving into the pressure from the cellular industry and the full court press by Nextel in particular.  

Let me explain some of the recent history which is the cause of some of the anxieties the situation arouses in me. Most recently, after the hearing of the 23rd, while standing in the corridor outside the council chambers, in the presence of a member of the council, the apparently paid Nextel supporter who cast the slurs with racial overtones asked me questions in a challenging tone which I took to be an attempt to intimidate me by threatening my own livelihood.  

Early in the process, a member of the city staff whom I had been critical of for failing to provide adequate notice to the people of the immediate neighborhood of the early stages of the application review process, among other things, attempted to intimidate me in a similar manner. Initially there was great resistance on the part of staff to taking our concerns seriously. The same staff member who attempted to intimidate me, duplicated and made available at the community meeting with Nextel about 50 copies of the lengthy report by Nextel and did so at city expense.  

The city has permitted the cellular industry to sprout antennas around Berkeley like mushrooms and has not even kept track of where they are. This makes it impossible for anyone without making special tests, which have not been made, to comply with FCC guidelines concerning calculating the cumulative levels of radiation in Berkeley.  

The industry stresses the Federal law which limits the determination of health and safety standards to the FCC and then blithely ignores FCC requirements for compliance with those standards. And so far, until the declaration of the 45 day moratorium, the city has appeared complicit with that conduct. Will the city government now back down to the implied threats of Nextel and their cadre of hired guns? Will the city extend the moratorium and not grant Nextel the special privilege it seeks in being exempted from it. 

One member of the council caught a member of the Nextel forces in a misrepresentation of the relevance of the proposed antenna placement to the Berkeley Police Department. 

The tactics of Nextel have led my neighbors and me to have no trust in their presentation and allegations about the need to place their antennas in any given area to get coverage.  

During the community meeting a number of months ago, I asked Nextel’s expert a question about a published report regarding a 50 percent rise in the incidence of childhood leukemia in a population exposed to high but FCC accepted levels of RF radiation. Nextel’s expert made a statistical response which negated the significance of the report. What is disturbing is that when I remarked to another neighbor who was there – a professor in a biological science at UC – that while I am no statistician by a long shot, I did have a year of advanced statistics in graduate school and I couldn’t understand a darn thing the expert said, the neighbor said that he couldn’t understand any of it either.  

It’s disturbing that when Nextel showed huge enlargements of photos of the Oaks Theater at the hearing, photos which show views of the theater not including the roof, the photos were crystal clear and sharp. The one photo that did show the roof itself was very small by comparison and in blurry focus.  

Recently I attended a meeting at the Berkeley Jewish Community Center with some of my neighbors who are working on this issue. The JCC hired an expert to consult on their consideration of placing antennas from another cellular provider on their roof for a rental fee. The meeting was for parents of the day care and preschool children at the JCC. The expert told us how the standards are set by the FCC.  

Rats are exposed to RF radiation. The level of radiation at which a rat manifests observable behavioral changes caused by the radiation is established. The FCC standard is 50 times less than that which causes rats to react behaviorally in an observable fashion. The same expert confirmed the report by the Stewart Commission in the UK that a one year old sustains 100 percent more impact from RF radiation than an adult, and a five year old sustains 60 percent more impact. The Nextel proposal for the Oaks Theater is for an array of antennas 1,200 percent more powerful than that which had been proposed at the JCC. The JCC Board of Directors decided not to lease their roof for antennas in response to the concerns of the parents.  

My neighbors and I are concerned about an industrial strength installation in a largely residential area and the effect on the residential character of the neighborhood. We are concerned whether we can trust Nextel’s representations about the aesthetic character of the installation, particularly as we caught an earlier misrepresentation of its physical character.  

We are asking that our city government afford us the protection we feel we deserve . 

Leonard Schwartzburd, Ph.D.

“Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Beckett Through Feb. 3, Thursday - Saturday, 8 p.m. $8 - $12. Subterranean Shakespeare La Val’s Subterranean 1834 Euclid (at Hearst) 234-6046  

“The Road to Mecca” by Athol Fugard Jan. 26 - Feb. 24, Friday - Saturday, 8 p.m. Feb. 22, 8 p.m. $10 Live Oak Theatre 1301 Shattuck 528-5620 

“Nightingale” presented by Central Works Theater Feb. 9 - March 4, Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 24 & Saturday, March 3, 5 p.m.; Free preview Feb. 8, 8 p.m. $8 - $14 LaVal’s Subterranean 1834 Euclid Ave. 558-1381 

“Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me” by Frank MacGuinness Feb. 15 - March 17, Thursday - Saturday, 8 p.m. Sunday, 8:30 p.m. The story of three men - an Irishman, an Englishman and an American held in a prison in Lebanon. $10 - $15 8th St. Studio Theatre 2525 Eighth St. (at Dwight) 655-0813 

“Abel Paz Durruti & the Spanish Revolution” A new documentary film made in 1998. Feb. 11, 7:30 p.m. $7 donation requested. La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. LaborFest, 415-642-8066  

Human Rights Watch International Film Festival Jan. 26, 7:30 p.m.: ”Long Nights Journey Into Day,” presented by filmmakers Deborah Hoffman and Frances Reid. Jan. 27, 5 p.m.: “Pripyat,” “Crazy,” and “Bread & Roses.” $7 for one film, $8.50 for multiple films. Pacific Film Archive 2575 Bancroft (at Bowditch) 642-1412  

“Magnetic North” Six programs of experimental Canadian video from the past 30 years that range from documentary to conceptual art. In all, 40 tapes from 46 artists will be shown on six Wednesday evenings. Through Feb. 28. $7. Pacific Film Archive 2575 Bancroft (at Bowditch) 642-1412  

Boadecia’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted Jan. 27: Susan Swartz reads from “Juicy Tomatoes: Plain Truths, Dumb Lies, & Sisterly Advice About Life After 50”; Feb. 10: Karin Kallmaker reads from “Sleight of Hand”; 398 Colusa Ave. Kensington 559-9184. www.boadeciasbooks.com 

Cody’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted Jan. 26: James Carroll discusses “Constantine’s Sword: The Church and the Jews”; Jan. 28: Poetry of Lynne Knight & Kathleen Lynch; Jan. 29: Tim Wohlforth discusses “On the Edge: Political Cults Right and Left”; Jan. 30: James Elkins discusses “how to use Your Eyes”; Jan. 31: Poetry of Steven Ajay & Anita Barrows  

“Strong Women - Writers & Heroes of Literature” Fridays Through June, 2001, 1 - 3 p.m. Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature.” Aweekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program. North Berkeley Senior Center 1901 Hearst Ave. 549-2970  

Duomo Reading Series and Open Mic. Thursdays, 6:30 - 9 p.m. Feb. 1: John Rowe; Feb. 8: Tom Odegard; Feb 15: Kathleen Lynch; Feb. 22: Charles Ellick; March 1: Eliza Shefler; Cafe Firenze 2116 Shattuck Ave. 644-0155. 

Robert Hass Former U.S. Poet Laureate will read Jan. 31, Noon - 1 p.m. UC Berkeley, Lower Sproul Plaza, Pauley Ballroom in case of rain . 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Free. University of California, Berkeley. 486-4387 

Berkeley City Club Tours 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. 848-7800. The fourth Sunday of every month, Noon - 4 p.m. $2  

Golden Gate Live Steamers Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Lomas Cantadas Drive at the south end of Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley. 486-0623  

Small locomotives, meticulously scaled to size. Trains run Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rides: Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., weather permitting.  

Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm.” $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. Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 647-1111 or www.habitot.org  

Judah L. Magnes Museum “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. “Second Annual Richard Nagler Competition for Excellence in Jewish Photography” Through Feb., 2001. Featuring the work of Claudia Nierman, Jason Francisco, Fleming Lunsford, and others. 2911 Russell St. 549-6950  

UC Berkeley Art Museum “Tacita Dean/MATRIX 189 Banewl” through Jan. 28. A film instillation by British conceptual artist Tacita Dean of the total solar eclipse of Aug. 11, 1999; “The Mule Train: A Journey of Hope Remembered,” through March 26. An exhibit of black and white photographs that capture the fears and faith of those who traveled from Marks, Mississippi to Washington, D.C. ,with mule-drawn wagons to attend the Poor People's Campaign in December, 1967; “Joe Brainard: A Retrospective,” Feb. 7 through May 27. The selections include 150 collages, assemblages, paintings, drawings, and book covers. Brainard’s art is characterized by its humor and exhuberant color, and by its combinations of media and subject matter; Muntadas - On Translation: The Audience, Feb. 7 through April 29. This conceptual artist and pioneer of video, installation, and Internet art presents three installations. $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. 2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. 642-0808. 

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 by 40-foot replica of the fearsome dinosaur 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 22-23 feet. The Pteranodon lived at the same time as the dinosaurs. 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 “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.“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. Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way and College Ave. 643-7648  

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. “Vision,” Through April 15, 2001. Get a very close look at how the eyes and brain work together to focus light, perceive color and motion, and process infomation. “Saturday Night Stargazing,” First and third Saturdays each month. 8 - 10 p.m., LHS plaza. $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. “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, UC Berkeley 642-5132 or www.lhs.berkeley.edu  

924 Gilman St. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted $5; $2 for a year membership. Jan. 26: Tragedy, Yaphet Kotto, Esperanza, Under a Dying Sun; Jan. 28, 5 p.m.: 18 Visions, 12 Tribes, Blood Has Been Shed, Anti Domestix; Feb. 2: Nerve Agents, Jemuel, The Blottos; Feb 3.: Time In Malta, The Cost 525-9926  

Albatross Pub All music at 9 p.m. unless noted Feb. 1: Keni “El Lebrijano”; Feb. 3: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Quartet; Feb. 6: Pickpocket Ensemble; Feb. 7: Whiskey Brothers; Feb. 8: Keni “El Lebrijano”; Feb. 13: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Duo; Feb. 14: Carlos Oliveira Brazilian Jazz Duo 1822 San Pablo 843-2473 

Ashkenaz Jan. 24, 8 p.m.: Fling Ding, Bluegrass Intentions, Clogging w/Evie Ladin; Jan. 25, 9 p.m.: Berkeley & Oakland Students for South African Relief Benefit with Moxi Heartbeat, Neglected Dialectz, DJ Eklectyk, Sugarflip; Jan. 26, 9:30 p.m.: Johnny Nocturne with Kim Nalley, dance lesson at 8 p.m.; Jan. 27, 9:30 p.m.: Amandla Poets & Zulu Spear; Jan. 28, 8 p.m.: Ellis Island Old World Folk Band; Jan. 30, 7 p.m.: Bandworks; Jan. 31, 9 p.m.: Cajun Coyotes, dance lesson at 8 p.m. 1370 San Pablo Ave. (at Gilman) 525-5054 or www.ashkenaz.com  

Eli’s Mile High Club Jan. 26: Carlos Zialcita Band; Jan. 27: Mark Hummel; Feb. 2: Henry Clement; Feb. 3: Daniel Castro; Feb. 9: Red Archibald; Feb. 10: Kenny Blue Ray; Feb. 16: Little Johnny & the Giants; Feb. 17: Ron Thompson; Feb. 23: Carlos Zialcita; Feb. 24: R.J. Mischo 3629 MLK Jr. Way Oakland  

Freight & Salvage All shows begin at 8 p.m. Jan. 24: Pierre Bensusan; Jan. 25: Ben Graves, Erika Lucket, Austin Willacy; Jan. 26: Adrian Legg; Jan. 27: Mike Greensill; Jan. 28: Okros Ensemble w/Balogh Kalman & Aladar Csiszar; Jan. 31: Slack Key Guitar Festival w/George Kahumoku, Jr., Princess Owana Salazar, Daniel Ho; Feb. 1: International Guitar Night with Andrew York, Laurence Juber, Peppino D’Agostino, and Brian Gore; Feb. 2: Cats & Jammers; Feb. 3: Lou & Peter Berryman; Feb. 4: Dave Van Ronk; Feb. 5: Tony Trischka & Junk Genius; Feb. 6: Chuck Brodsky; Feb. 7: Keola Beamer with Moana Beamer; Feb. 8 & 9: Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys. 1111 Addison St. 548-1761

The St. Mary’s soccer team went into Friday’s match against Kennedy undefeated in league play and looking for a first-place finish. They headed home with their first BSAL loss and hoping to salvage a first-round playoff bye. 

Missing one of their best offensive weapons for disciplinary reasons, the Panthers fell 2-0 to the EBAL leaders, falling to 5-1-1 in league play. Only the two top finishers get a bye in the first round, and St. Mary’s now has to win their final match on Friday to assure themselves a second-place finish. 

Midfielder Bryan Warren has been suspended for the remainder of the season for earning his second red card of the year. But he may be able to return, according to St. Mary’s coach Teale Matteson, because the second ejection came as a result of foul language, not violent play. 

Without Warren, the Panthers were forced into a defensive posture against Kennedy. They managed some moves forward, mostly through striker Patrick Barry, but were unable to finish any chances. 

“Bryan would have made a big difference in the match,” Matteson said. “He can convert chances into goals, make things happen.” 

Thirty minutes into the first half, Kennedy forward Roberto Murilio slipped past St. Mary’s sweeper Nolan Hornuchi for a breakaway, and goalkeeper Mick Osborne could only deflect the ball on its way into the net, giving the home side a 1-0 lead. 

The Panthers were unable to answer the goal with their defensive tactics, and were forced to push more and more players forward as the second half wore on. Barry came close in the 70th minute, making a 20-yard run, beating two defenders and putting a shot just over the bar from 25 yards out. 

Murilio made the Panthers pay for their offensive push with just five minutes remaining, standing alone at midfield to run onto a long clearance by one of his defenders. Osborne, who made several spectacular saves in the game, was helpless, and Murilio put the game away cleanly. 

“We got caught pushing up on the second goal,” Matteson said. “We got caught off guard on the through balls.”

Washington board member calls fears ‘paranoia’ 

Promulgation of draft bylaws has caused a stir in the KPFA activist community, where people are saying that proposed board rules would allow a concentration of power in the hands of just a few board members. 

The bylaws’ author, Washington, D.C. attorney John Murdock, however, says the activists are overreacting, that the document is a jumping off point, not set in stone. 

“Instead of engaging in productive dialogue – asking, ‘can we rework this?’ people scream at you,” Murdock said in a phone interview Thursday. “That’s not free speech.” 

Tuesday, eight persons were arrested for trespassing, when they entered the San Francisco offices of Murdock’s law firm and, calling for his resignation from the board, refused to leave. 

The Pacifica Board owns five community radio stations around the country including KPFA. Tensions between the local listener-sponsors and staff on the one hand and the board on the other has grown over the two years since the board changed its bylaws to become self-selecting. It had formerly been made up of representatives of the stations’ Local Advisory Boards. 

The firing of a popular station manager at KPFA in March 1999 set off a string of protests that continued through the summer. Listener and Local Advisory Board lawsuits naming the board are now wending their way through the judicial system. 

Murdock said his goal in reworking the bylaws is to “provide some order for the process. It’s a starting point (in order to) get feedback.” 

Instead of using the document to open dialogue, Murdock says activists have been distorting its purpose and content. He points to the section of the draft that refers to the sale of the Foundation’s assets: 

“...the Executive Committee shall not have the power or authority with regard to the following matters:...the sale, transfer or other disposition of substantially all of the assets or property of the Foundation....” 

Board member Tomas Moran, who represents the KPFA listener area and is an active opponent of the board majority, sees the new bylaws as one more step board members are taking to consolidate their power and shut out those who are pushing to democratize the board. 

He jumped on the clause that talks about the sale, contending, in fact, that it would, in fact, permit the sale of some of the assets, such as a single radio station.  

Murdock argued that, in fact, that clause was meant to protect the assets. “It says the executive committee does not have the power of sale,” he said. But Moran said that if that were so “Murdock would have written it in(to the bylaws).” 

Moran points to another section of the draft document with which he disagrees: “permission to compensate a director for services rendered.” Moran conceded that, under other circumstances, for a board member to do paid work for a board from time to time might be acceptable. However, given the mistrust between the listener-sponsors and the board, “it raises a whole host of trust issues,” Moran said. 

Murdock said such a clause was acceptable under California nonprofit law, as long as the work is publicly disclosed. (The Foundation is incorporated in California.) He pointed out that such work can be advantageous to the nonprofit. For example, his law firm is defending Pacifica in some of the lawsuits that the listeners and LABs have filed. “Epstein, Becker & Green offer legal services at a discount,” he said, noting that he had worked long hours on the bylaws without pay. The notion that the purpose of the clause is to allow board members to profit from their membership on the board is “paranoid,” he said. 

Moran’s overarching fear is that “the tone and nature (of the draft bylaws) tend to centralize power in a few hands. The board would be unaccountable.” 

He points to the section of the bylaws that says that board meetings can be called within a 24-hour period when notices are delivered by telephone or electronically or “on such shorter notice as the person or persons calling such meeting may deem necessary or appropriate under the existing circumstances.”  

Moran said that means that “a small group of people might control the board.” They could call a meeting and, with limited attendance, pass resolutions with a quorum of those present.” 

Murdock said he encourages board members to put forward their ideas to modify the draft. “It’s a working document,” he said. “I’m interested in seeking input, not wild attacks. 

Local activists, such as KPFA reporter Aaron Glantz who was arrested at the law offices on Tuesday, say they do not trust the board and plan to keep up demonstrations at the firm’s San Francisco offices. 

Asked about recent firings of three staff people and bannings of a number of volunteers from the New York Pacifica station, Murdock said that the board was not involved. “We are a policy board. Day to day operations are up to management.” 

The full text of the bylaws is at http://www.savepacifica.net/bylaws_revise.html.

It took the first quarter for Berkeley High to find its rhythm, but as soon as the whistle blew to start the second period, the Yellowjackets dominated Encinal en route to a 58-32 win Friday. 

With the win, Berkeley improved to 14-5 overall and 5-0 in the Alameda Contra Costa Athletic League. 

Known for their tough full-court press, the ‘Jackets forced turnovers and capitalized on the offensive end by pushing the ball quickly up the court for easy hoops. Berkeley led by as many as 34 midway through the fourth quarter.  

“When we play hard and when we get the tempo of the game quick, we’re very hard to beat,” said Berkeley coach Mike Gragnani. “We’ve got some pretty quick athletes, so if we get good pressure on the ball, we’re in good shape.” 

After keeping pace with the ‘Jackets through the game’s first eight minutes, Encinal struggled during the second quarter. Berkeley scored 10 straight points to start the period and ultimately outscored a sluggish Jets team 21-5, taking a 33-15 lead into the locker room.  

Encinal became even more discouraged with Berkeley’s scrappy defense following the break. The Jets’ first points of the second half didn’t come until the 3:58 mark of the third quarter. Meanwhile, Berkeley had added another eight, increasing its advantage to 41-17 with just over four minutes to play in the third. 

“We play that way all the time,” Gragnani said of the ‘Jackets stingy defense. “Basically we’re a full-court, man-to-man team. We pressure the other team and make them work hard for every inch of the court they get.” 

The ‘Jackets wore out Encinal, whichGragnani credited to the depth of Berkeley’s bench. 

“We go 11, 12 deep and try to wear other teams down,” he said. “Tonight, I just don’t think they were ready for that.” 

By comparison, Encinal had just two players score in the first half. Overall, only five Encinal players put points on the board. Berkeley, on the other hand, played a balanced offense with 10 players scoring, led by Byron St. Jules’ 12 and Ryan Davis’ 10. The ‘Jackets also were solid from the free throw line, at one point hitting seven in a row and finishing 9 of 14.  

Following the game, St. Jules said that the ‘Jackets didn’t take advantage of their inside game as much as they should have.  

“We need to work on our help defense when they’re penetrating,” St. Jules said. “And we need to throw the ball into our big men. We have some big men that can play so we have to mix it up a little bit.” 

Gragnani couldn’t explain the ‘Jackets slow start. He said it was just a matter of stepping up the intensity. 

“In the first quarter, we weren’t playing at nearly the game speed that we had been playing, so we just picked it up, hit them with a couple groups of five guys,” Gragnani said. “Any time you hold a team to single digits in a quarter, that’s a pretty good defensive effort.” 

Also contributing for the ‘Jackets was 6-1 forward Ramone Reed, who tossed in five points and forced some key turnovers. Junior Madiou Diouf added two three-pointers for the ‘Jackets. 

Berkeley next travels to face El Cerrito on Tuesday. According to Gragnani, the key for the ‘Jackets in that game will be containing El Cerrito’s perimeter players. 

“Their (El Cerrito’s) perimeter players are good at handling pressure,” he said. “We’re going to need to do a good job of containing them. They’re a little more adept at finishing (than Encinal).”

Perhaps it was a twist of fate or maybe Lady Luck stepped in. 

One thing is for sure: Mark Manashil and Dr. Omer Pasi barely missed being caught in the midst of an international incident. 

The two men work for The Clarence Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Albany. Manashil and Pasi took a trip to Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, in late December as part of their work in providing grants to other non-profit groups.  

Manashil returned a couple of weeks later, on a Thursday; Pasi came back the following Saturday. 

They flew out of Congo just four and two days, respectively, before the country’s president, Laurent Kabila, was reportedly shot to death on Jan.17. 

“We would have been trapped there,” said Pasi, pondering the likely outcome if they had not left when they did.  

Kabila, according to news reports, was killed by one of his bodyguards after he met with advisers at his Marble Palace. 

Kabila assumed power in 1996 after overthrowing the late Mobutu Sese Seko, who was president for 30 years. The Congolese government government has named Kabila’ s son, Maj. Gen. Joseph Kabila, as its new leader. 

Manashil, executive director of The Clarence Foundation, said that he is thankful he was not in Congo when the shooting occurred. 

“What if I had been there?” Manashil said he thought to himself after hearing about Kabila’ s shooting. “It’s just a weird feeling.” 

Though it is impossible for Pasi to have predicted the assassination, he said that he felt an eerie aura lingering around his homeland. 

“Being there was very strange. It was very calm, almost too good to be true,” said Pasi, who serves on foundation’s board of directors and is studying at the University of California, Berkeley. 

“Within two weeks, the currency had devalued twice. There was no gas and hundreds of cars were lined up at gas stations,” Pasi said. 

“When I would ask people how were things going and I heard, “Well, there’ s no gas and we’re close to starving. But other than that, life is great,’” he said, noting that the responses he received were not coated with sarcasm. They were sincere. 

Pasi and Manashil said that they plan to return to Congo to finish the work that they had started on behalf of The Clarence Foundation. 

Formed a year and a half ago, The Clarence Foundation is a small group run by private donations. It searches for grassroots organizations throughout the world that are doing successful work in health 

care, education or working on human rights issues within their communities. 

The Clarence Foundation then provides the groups with financial support so that they may expand their services. 

Manashil said Pasi told the foundation about projects underway in Congo, a country with a long history of military and regional conflicts. 

“The people there have a certain resiliency,” said Manashil. “But 

we can’t neglect the fact that there’s suffering there.” 

Some of their work went beyond visiting a project site. Soon after arriving at an orphanage, Manashil and Pasi rushed an 8-year old boy to a health center for emergency care. 

“He was obviously sick for a couple of weeks and he never went to see anybody,” said Pasi, a general practitioner. 

“So, we decided to pay out of our own pocket. He had fever of 104 degrees. We paid 50 cents for the visit and 75 cents for the medication.” 

Manashil and Pasi are now reviewing seven projects based in Kinshasa and surrounding towns. 

Pasi said that the trip was one that he and his friends would not soon forget. 

“I’m still getting phone calls from friends who heard about (Kabila’s) shooting. They’re leaving messages asking, ‘Are you trapped?’” Pasi said. 

The Clarence Foundation is at 1501 Washington Ave., in Albany and can be reached at 558-7188 or  

info@theclarencefoundation.org  

Nearly everything that could have gone wrong for the Berkeley girls’ basketball team did just that on Friday. Their star player was late for the game and sat for most of the first half. They shot poorly, and were called for 19 fouls in the first half. Their coach called it their worst effort of the year. Yet the Lady ’Jackets still beat the Encinal Jets by 15 points. 

“I’m thoroughly embarrassed by the way we played tonight,” Berkeley head coach Gene Nakamura said. “There was not one person who played well.” 

The turnovers and missed shots were bad, but the constant whistles made it an agonizing game for players and fans alike. The referee’s called fouls in the first half as if it were a bodily function, with 26 personal fouls in the first 10 minutes and 29 in the half. Berkeley and Encinal combined to shoot 52 free throws, keeping the game at a snail’s pace and preventing either team from getting into a flow. 

“I’ve been in basketball for 20 years, and I’ve never seen anything like that,” said Encinal head coach Tanda Rucker, who played for Nakamura from 1987 to 1991, helping to establish the Lady ’Jacket tradition. “This was a totally new experience.” 

Berkeley’s leading scorer, forward Robin Roberson, arrived late and was benched for most of the first half, and the ’Jackets struggled, making just one of their first seven shots. But they were fierce on the offensive glass, and crawled to a 13-11 lead at the end of the first quarter on 11 free throws. Up just 26-22 with three minutes left in the half, Nakamura finally inserted Roberson, who led her team on a 13-5 run with three quick baskets. Roberson finished the game with 16 points, supported by Angelita Hutton’s 15 and Danielle Milburn’s 12. 

The ’Jackets pulled away in the second half, but were still plagued by turnovers and missed opportunities. 

“We just didn’t show any court sense out there,” Nakamura said. “I thought back to when Tanda was playing for me, and she was the best floor leader I ever had. She was like a coach on the court. We certainly could have used that tonight.”

Berkeley police report that a train struck a semi-truck at about 12:34 p.m. today but there are no reports of any injuries. 

A spokeswoman says the accident happened on the tracks near Camelia and Fourth streets in Berkeley.

SAN FRANCISCO – A man has been accused of taking $200,000 from his nephew after selling part of the Golden State Warriors that he didn’t own. 

Roger Steven Miller, 56, of Menlo Park, was indicted Thursday on eight counts of mail fraud by the U.S. Attorney’s office here. 

Miller allegedly told Jay Frye, an Indiana man, that he was seeking investors to buy the Warriors, and collected $250,000 from him for the deal. 

Prosecutors allege that to repay Frye, Miller took more than $200,000 of American Building Maintenance Industries stock from his nephew, Scott Ladenheim, in Oct. 1998. Miller forged Ladenheim’s signature to transfer the stock to his Prudential account, an indictment said. He then sold the shares and used $175,000 of the funds to pay his debt to Frye. 

For each violation in the Ladenheim case, Miller faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution. He has been released on bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 2.

SAN QUENTIN – At least 50 inmates broke into a race riot at San Quentin State Prison that saw nine men injured, two by makeshift knives fashioned from bed springs. 

A San Quentin official said the prison remained in lockdown Friday evening pending the results of an investigation. 

The riot broke out around 6:20 p.m. Thursday, when a group of about 10 black inmates attacked a small group of white inmates, prison spokesman Vernell Crittendon said. 

About two dozen guards controlled the situation with the help of pepper spray. In disarming the inmates, guards found four weapons made from straightened-out bedsprings, each about six inches long. 

Prison officials believe the attack stemmed from an earlier incident when the white inmates taunted the black inmates with racial epithets. 

The melee quickly grew to about 50 inmates, Crittendon said. Combatants have been segregated from other prisoners while San Quentin officials investigate the incident, he said. 

Two of the inmates suffered stab wounds — a white prisoner had a puncture wound in his back, and a black prisoner had one behind his knee. The rest had cuts and scrapes, Crittendon said. 

All nine were treated at the prison. 

The riot took place in the Badger Section of the prison, where new prisoners are screened before being placed into the prison or shipped to other prisons.

SACRAMENTO – No one trying to solve California’s power crisis wants to utter the b-word to describe the multibillion-dollar plan that would keep the lights on while rescuing the state’s two largest utilities. 

“It’s not a bailout,” Gov. Gray Davis hastened to say after the proposal emerged this week. 

Assembly Speaker Robert Hertzberg said: “It’s not just a quick fix, a Band-Aid. It’s not a gift.” 

Though the plan and its costs are still evolving, consumer advocates and economists aren’t so shy about calling it a bailout. They say utility customers will bear the cost through rate hikes that will be in effect for a decade. 

“The utilities get bailed out and the consumers pay and pay,” said Jamie Briesemeister, senior policy analyst with Consumers Union. “If this proposal gets enacted, deregulation will go down as the biggest consumer rip-off in California history.” 

Whatever the terminology, the relief plan being forged for Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric — who say that together they are more than $12 billion in debt — would rank among the nation’s biggest. 

The deal would be dwarfed by the federal bailout of the savings and loan industry, where cost estimates soared as high as $481 billion. But it would be much bigger than the 1995 bailout of Orange County, which rolled up $819 million in debts, and the 1979 Chrysler bailout, even when inflation is factored in. 

Congress authorized $1.5 billion for the moribund automaker while it reorganized under Lee Iaccoca. Chrysler used only $1.2 billion of the money. 

California has been under a Stage 3 alert for nearly two weeks, meaning power reserves are practically exhausted. Thousands of homes and businesses have been hit by rolling blackouts in a crisis blamed in part on California’s deregulation of its electric industry. 

Under the deregulation law, the utilities had to sell off their power plants and buy electricity on the open market. But the two biggest utilities have been sliding toward ruin because wholesale prices are soaring and the companies are not allowed to pass the full cost on to their customers. 

“The ratepayers’ anger is understandable because that’s the entity to which they pay their bills,” said Catherine Wolfram, a University of California energy economist. “But the utilities faced real regulatory hurdles. And the power generators have been making out like bandits.” 

Because the two utilities’ credit is practically worthless, the state is spending at least $400 million to buy power on their behalf on the expensive spot market. At the same times, state officials are negotiating long-term power contracts with suppliers of up to 10 years. 

California lawmakers are also trying to put together a rescue plan under which the state would issue bonds to cover SoCal Edison and PG&E’s debts. Millions of the utilities’ customers would pay back the bonds over several years through an extension of recently approved rate increases. The exact amount of the deal is uncertain. 

As part of the deal, the state would get long-term options that would let it buy utility stock at a low price. If stock prices rise, the state could sell the stock and use any profits to pay off the bonds. 

Investment analysts offered cautious praise for the rescue plan, which stops far short of another option that has been on the table: a huge state takeover of utilities’ hydroelectric plants and other facilities. 

“Bailout implies incompetence on the part of companies who don’t deserve help,” said Susan Abbott, managing director of the public utilities group at Moody’s Investor Service. But “the way the market was structured didn’t allow the companies to protect themselves from the volatility of electricity pricing. We believe this is a step in the right direction, although a lot more has to be done.”

SACRAMENTO – California’s power managers working on the state’s fragile electricity grid Friday ordered service cut to voluntary customers in Southern California as they lost power imports from Arizona and the Northwest. 

The state was in a Stage 3 alert for the 11th straight day, but managers said blackouts were unlikely. 

“We still anticipate being able to avoid rotating blackouts; however, conservation is even more critical,” said Stephanie McCorkle, spokeswoman for the California Independent System Operator. 

At one minute before midnight Thursday, the ISO had lifted the Stage 3 alert for the first time in nearly two weeks. That alert means power reserves are so low that there is a good chance of blackouts. 

However, the ISO reinstated the Stage 3 at 4:32 a.m. PST, when a 260-megawatt Northern California power plant went down. The ISO said the alert would run through midnight Friday. 

A total of 1,200 Southern California customers who have been paying lower rates in return for allowing their power to be cut during shortages were ordered to shut off electricity until 4:15 a.m. Friday, McCorkle said. 

In addition to the plant being down, the state had imports from Arizona and the Northwest cut by a total of about 2,200 megawatts, she said. 

A Stage 3 alert means power reserves are below 1.5 percent, Stage 2 is below 5 percent and Stage 1 is below 7 percent. 

Energy managers on Thursday had suggested they might even be able to go to a Stage 1 alert later Friday, in which people are simply advised to conserve energy, and praised the state’s consumers. 

“California’s conservation efforts played an important role in the ISO’s ability to keep the lights on this week,” the ISO, which controls most of the state’s power grid, said in a statement. 

On Thursday, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan warned that if the state’s energy crisis isn’t resolved soon, it could cause a ripple effect throughout the U.S. economy that could undermine the nation’s decade-long expansion. 

“It’s scarcely credible that you can have a major economic problem in California which does not feed to the rest of the 49 states,” Greenspan said in congressional testimony, adding that the crisis could reduce investment in the West, which in turn could shake consumer confidence. 

He called the situation “a significant problem that this country is going to have to address, and ... rather quickly.” 

System operators, meanwhile, said as many as 1,000 megawatts of electricity — enough to power one million homes — were saved each day this week through conservation. 

Last week, in the midst of a record 10 straight days of Stage 3 alerts, power had to be shut off to hundreds of thousands of users across central and northern California on two consecutive days. 

Many more large users, those who had signed agreements to shut off their power during a shortage in exchange for lower rates, also lost electricity for hours at a time. Representatives of many of them were in San Francisco on Friday to lobby the state Public Utilities Commission to let them out of those agreements. 

“What we are stuck with is a program that was put together prior to deregulation that makes no sense now,” said Phillip L. Doolittle, vice president for finance and administration at the University of Redlands. The school has amassed hundreds of thousands of dollars in penalties by ignoring the agreement and keeping its electricity on to avoid canceling classes. 

As Friday began, the biggest threat of the day to most power users appeared to be a heavy winter storm that brought driving rain to San Francisco and several inches of snow to the Sierra Nevada. It knocked out power to more than 40,000 users in Sonoma and Marin counties and parts of the Sierra foothills as it lumbered toward Southern California. 

Lawmakers prepared to work through the weekend to find a long-term solution to the crisis. 

Occupying their attention was a plan under which California would issue bonds to cover the multibillion-dollar debts of its two biggest electric utilities and make the utilities’ customers pay the money back over 10 years. 

One of the state’s most prominent consumer activists immediately denounced the plan as a bailout and promised to lead a voter initiative campaign against it. 

“If that’s what they plan to do, they’ll have to contend with a ratepayer revolt at the ballot box in 2002,” said Harvey Rosenfield of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights. 

“It’s not a bailout,” said Gov. Gray Davis, who supports the proposal. “It accomplishes two purposes: It provides the funding to revitalize the utilities, but it lets ratepayers know they will gain as the utilities gain.” 

Under the proposal, the state would issue revenue bonds that Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas and Electric Co. customers would pay back through recently approved rate increases of 9 percent for residential customers and 7 to 15 percent for businesses that would be kept in force for 10 years. 

In exchange, California would be granted long-term options allowing the state to buy low-priced stock in the utilities. If the price goes up, the state could sell the stock and use the profits to help pay off the bonds. 

The utilities have declined to comment on the proposal. 

Assembly Speaker Robert Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, said the plan wouldn’t require spending taxpayer money, but Rosenfield complained that it would be financed through “hidden charges on people’s utility bills.” 

“They’re desperately looking for a way to make it look as if the rate payers are going to get something in exchange for giving the utilities $12 billion to bail them out for the mistakes they’ve made under deregulation,” he said.

Belgian endives are those torpedo-shaped, pale green leafy heads that sell for high prices in the market. The hefty price tag comes about because Belgian endive is a specialty vegetable and much of it is flown here from Europe. But this pricey item is easy to grow indoors in winter -- the plants need no light and little soil. 

To harvest Belgian endives in winter, you have to plan ahead by sowing seeds out in the garden in late spring. Growing outdoors through summer and autumn, the plants store up minerals and the sun’s energy to be tapped later when you “force” the roots indoors. 

Do not harvest any leaves from the plants while they are growing out in the garden. 

Before the ground freezes solid in autumn, dig the roots and save for forcing those that are straight and an inch or two thick at their tops. With a sharp knife, cut off any side roots, cut the leafy tops to within an inch of the crowns, and shorten each root to a manageable length of about eight inches. 

To prolong the winter harvest, store some roots in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator (just as you would store carrots), and remove a few at a time for forcing. 

Force Belgian endive indoors in a deep flowerpot or wooden or cardboard box. Pack the roots upright into the container, sifting well-drained garden soil, sand, or new or used potting soil into the spaces between the roots. Water thoroughly. 

Belgian endive leaves taste best when forced in the dark. Keep the leaves in the dark and keep the growing heads tight by covering the crowns of the plants with about eight inches of dry sand, soil, or sawdust. (Do not use sawdust from wood that has been treated with a preservative.) 

Place the box in the basement or some other spot where the temperature is cool, preferably in the low 60s, and periodically check to make sure the mix around the roots is moist. 

In three or four weeks, depending on the temperature, tips of leafy heads will begin to peek through the top layer. That’s the time to pull off the covering and harvest the heads.

HERMOSA BEACH – In a significant victory for opponents of coastal oil drilling, an appeals court has ruled the city may ban ocean-tapping wells within city limits. 

The California Court of Appeals overturned a 1998 trial court decision that said the city had violated a contract with Macpherson Oil Co. that allowed it to place “slant wells” just a few blocks from the beach. 

If the oil company had been given the go-ahead to tap undersea oil pockets, it would have been the first slant oil drilling project in Santa Monica Bay since the 1950s, according to an attorney who represented a coalition of residents and environmental groups that appealed the initial court decision. 

The battle over oil drilling has stirred emotions for nearly 70 years in Hermosa Beach, a picturesque beach town southwest of Los Angeles. City officials banned drilling in 1932 but voters approved lifting the ban in 1984 because the city needed money. 

The city signed a lease in 1986 with Santa Monica-based Macpherson, and in 1998, after a lengthy process, the company received the needed approval to drill from the California Coastal Commission. 

But in the meantime a citizens’ coalition called Hermosa Beach Stop Oil had helped sway public sentiment against the drilling. In 1995 voters passed a new drilling ban and in 1998 the City Council voted to stop the project, sending Macpherson to court to fight to keep it alive. 

In sending the case back to the lower court Wednesday, the appeals court did not address whether the city can be held liable for damages to Macpherson, which has asked for $100 million in restitution. 

Attorneys for Macpherson did not immediately return voice mail messages seeking comment early Friday.

OXNARD – Rose Burgess played red-light, green-light with the California Department of Motor Vehicles after she was told she incorrectly answered one of the questions on her renewal test. 

The Oxnard woman was given Test No. 8, one of 10 given annually to about 3 million Californians who renew their licenses each year. 

Question No. 13 read: Your wheels should be pointed straight ahead, unless you are: 1) Waiting to make a left turn at a traffic light; 2) Parked on a hill or sloping driveway; 3) Parked on the side of a level roadway and there is no curb. 

Burgess marked the second answer, but a DMV official said it was wrong and insisted the correct answer was No. 3. Burgess, a senior citizen, pulled out the California Driver Handbook 2000, turned to page 26, and showed the examiner she was correct. 

The examiner brushed her off, so Burgess took the matter to an administrator. 

The test was corrected Monday throughout the state. “We will no longer mark the answer wrong,” said Bill Branch, a spokesman for the DMV. “We regret the error. Very few errors slip by us.” 

Burgess told the Ventura County Star that she just wanted to do the right thing. “Something was wrong, I investigated it. I wanted to help other people,” she said. 

For the record, Burgess only missed one other question out of 18 and the state allows people renewing their licenses to miss three questions.

SAN JOSE – When a rolling blackout hit the neighborhood of Equinix Inc.’s data center, the hundreds of computers inside hummed along unperturbed, the lights didn’t blink and the temperature remained a steady 68 degrees. 

Thanks to a warning from Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and constant monitoring of the power supply, diesel generators fired up in time to maintain the facility that serves some of the world’s largest Web sites. 

Electricity is the lifeblood of the Internet Age, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the power-hungry data centers that connect backbone networks and provide a home for thousands of servers. 

The Internet’s growth as a marketplace and demands for reliability have led to an explosion in the number of server-filled data centers nationwide, particularly in electricity-starved California with its abundance of high-tech companies and the data highways that make up the core of the Internet. 

“We have a very tight ship here where we’re watching literally every electron that passes through,” said Jay Adelson, chief technology officer of Equinix, whose clients include IBM Corp. and Yahoo! Inc. 

Data centers offer services ranging from a fast links to the Internet for companies to complete Web management solutions.  

With racks of servers, air conditioning and support systems, they can draw from 10 to 65 megawatts of electricity, enough to power on average 10,000 to 65,000 homes.  

It is estimated that the equipment needed to power the Internet consumes from 1 percent to as high as 13 percent of national demand. Koomey believes the actual figure is at the low end. 

Because most data centers are built to withstand terrorist attacks and other calamities, California’s rolling blackouts have not posed a serious threat to the traffic they process daily. 

Equinix, which has six centers around the nation, has enough fuel to power its generator for 48 hours at full load — or a week or more when usage is less. It also has contracts with two diesel suppliers. 

The company also has contingency plans in place to enter into energy contracts or construct its own power plant, Adelson said. 

Exodus Communications Inc., recently announced it would work with General Electric to construct a natural-gas-powered generator at one of its Santa Clara facilities. 

Planning started last year, before the energy crisis exploded, said chief executive officer Ellen Hancock. The company sees the plant as a way to strengthen its reliability beyond battery and diesel backups. 

Centers are limited in what they can do to conserve power. Server processors are sensitive to the slightest changes in electricity. The other big expense — air conditioning — is necessary to prevent meltdown in the racks. 

Exodus, like most firms, dims the lights when possible. Center operators note that by centralizing servers, they use less power than if their clients ran separate server farms, each with its own air conditioning and support. 

But the equipment in data centers could be more efficient — and some companies plan to introduce servers that draw considerably less power. 

FiberCycle, RLX Technologies Inc. and others are planning to launch servers using lower-energy chips developed by Transmeta Corp. 

Transmeta’s Crusoe chip can adjust its speed – measured in megahertz – according to demand, and thus decrease power consumption. 

“The great thing about Transmeta’s technology is that it allows you to throttle the CPU (central processing unit) down enough megahertz to handle what’s happening on the server at that time, and nothing more,” said Chris Hipp, RLX’s co-founder and chief technology officer.

After a devastating 5-1 loss to league rival Richmond on Tuesday, the Berkeley High boys’ soccer team could have done two things: come back and play harder than ever, or go into the toilet against a weak opponent. They chose the former. 

All negative feelings over the loss were washed away with a 7-0 whipping of Pinole Valley (1-6-1 ACCAL) on Thursday. Senior Stefan Isaksen got a first-half hat trick, then sat for the second half with most of his senior teammates, as head coach Eugenio Juarez took advantage of a 5-0 halftime score to try out some of his younger players. 

Most of the first half was played in a driving rainstorm, but the ’Jackets (11-5 overall, 7-2 ACCAL) somehow caught fire anyway. It took all of nine minutes for them to run up a 3-0 lead, with the opening salvo coming just four minutes in. Isaksen took a feed from senior captain Tiago Venturi and slammed the ball past Spartan goalkeeper Tim Torres from 10 yards out. 

Freshman Kamani Hill scored the next two goals in the seventh and ninth minutes, both off of assists by Venturi. Isaksen scored on a solo effort soon after, and wrapped up the first-half scoring from yet another assist by Venturi in the 29th minute. 

“We knocked the ball around well in the first half and kept possession,” Juarez said. “It looked like we were just playing with them for a while.” 

That ease led Juarez to pull most of his starters, including Isaksen, Venturi and goalkeeper Andrew Kelley, but it made little difference. The younger Berkeley players kept possession for most of the second half, as the Spartans started to look more and more weary. Torres began screaming at his defenders, and with good reason. He was forced to make several spectacular saves on wide-open Berkeley shots, and only his heroism kept the score 5-0 for almost the entire half. Venturi re-entered the game with 10 minutes left, and immediately created chances for himself and his teammates. 

“This was a great way to come back from the loss,” Venturi said. “This builds our confidence going into Alameda next week.” 

Alameda dealt the ’Jackets their first loss of the ACCAL season earlier this year. 

Just when it looked as if the Spartans would manage a scoreless second half, Berkeley midfielder Liam Reilly took center stage. The junior streaked ahead for a breakaway and scored with 2:16 on the clock, and waited all of 30 seconds to score his second, beating two defenders on the way. 

“Our young guys didn’t play badly out there, they just couldn’t ring up the scores for a while,” Juarez said.

Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm.” $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. Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 647-1111 or www.habitot.org  

Judah L. Magnes Museum “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. “Second Annual Richard Nagler Competition for Excellence in Jewish Photography” Through Feb., 2001. Featuring the work of Claudia Nierman, Jason Francisco, Fleming Lunsford, and others. 2911 Russell St. 549-6950  

UC Berkeley Art Museum “Tacita Dean/MATRIX 189 Banewl” through Jan. 28. A film instillation by British conceptual artist Tacita Dean of the total solar eclipse of Aug. 11, 1999; “The Mule Train: A Journey of Hope Remembered,” through March 26. An exhibit of black and white photographs that capture the fears and faith of those who traveled from Marks, Mississippi to Washington, D.C. ,with mule-drawn wagons to attend the Poor People's Campaign in December, 1967; “Joe Brainard: A Retrospective,” Feb. 7 through May 27. The selections include 150 collages, assemblages, paintings, drawings, and book covers. Brainard’s art is characterized by its humor and exhuberant color, and by its combinations of media and subject matter; Muntadas - On Translation: The Audience, Feb. 7 through April 29. This conceptual artist and pioneer of video, installation, and Internet art presents three installations. $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. 2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. 642-0808. 

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 by 40-foot replica of the fearsome dinosaur 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 22-23 feet. The Pteranodon lived at the same time as the dinosaurs. 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 “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.“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. Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way and College Ave. 643-7648  

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. “Vision,” Through April 15, 2001. Get a very close look at how the eyes and brain work together to focus light, perceive color and motion, and process infomation. “Saturday Night Stargazing,” First and third Saturdays each month. 8 - 10 p.m., LHS plaza. $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. “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, UC Berkeley 642-5132 or www.lhs.berkeley.edu  

Music 

924 Gilman St. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted $5; $2 for a year membership 

Jan. 26: Tragedy, Yaphet Kotto, Esperanza, Under a Dying Sun; Jan. 28, 5 p.m.: 18 Visions, 12 Tribes, Blood Has Been Shed, Anti Domestix; Feb. 2: Nerve Agents, Jemuel, The Blottos; Feb 3.: Time In Malta, The Cost 525-9926  

Albatross Pub All music at 9 p.m. unless noted Feb. 1: Keni “El Lebrijano”; Feb. 3: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Quartet; Feb. 6: Pickpocket Ensemble; Feb. 7: Whiskey Brothers; Feb. 8: Keni “El Lebrijano”; Feb. 13: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Duo; Feb. 14: Carlos Oliveira Brazilian Jazz Duo 1822 San Pablo 843-2473 

Ashkenaz Jan. 24, 8 p.m.: Fling Ding, Bluegrass Intentions, Clogging w/Evie Ladin; Jan. 25, 9 p.m.: Berkeley & Oakland Students for South African Relief Benefit with Moxi Heartbeat, Neglected Dialectz, DJ Eklectyk, Sugarflip; Jan. 26, 9:30 p.m.: Johnny Nocturne with Kim Nalley, dance lesson at 8 p.m.; Jan. 27, 9:30 p.m.: Amandla Poets & Zulu Spear; Jan. 28, 8 p.m.: Ellis Island Old World Folk Band; Jan. 30, 7 p.m.: Bandworks; Jan. 31, 9 p.m.: Cajun Coyotes, dance lesson at 8 p.m. 1370 San Pablo Ave. (at Gilman) 525-5054 or www.ashkenaz.com  

Eli’s Mile High Club Jan. 26: Carlos Zialcita Band; Jan. 27: Mark Hummel; Feb. 2: Henry Clement; Feb. 3: Daniel Castro; Feb. 9: Red Archibald; Feb. 10: Kenny Blue Ray; Feb. 16: Little Johnny & the Giants; Feb. 17: Ron Thompson; Feb. 23: Carlos Zialcita; Feb. 24: R.J. Mischo 3629 MLK Jr. Way Oakland  

Freight & Salvage All shows begin at 8 p.m. Jan. 24: Pierre Bensusan; Jan. 25: Ben Graves, Erika Lucket, Austin Willacy; Jan. 26: Adrian Legg; Jan. 27: Mike Greensill; Jan. 28: Okros Ensemble w/Balogh Kalman & Aladar Csiszar; Jan. 31: Slack Key Guitar Festival w/George Kahumoku, Jr., Princess Owana Salazar, Daniel Ho; Feb. 1: International Guitar Night with Andrew York, Laurence Juber, Peppino D’Agostino, and Brian Gore; Feb. 2: Cats & Jammers; Feb. 3: Lou & Peter Berryman; Feb. 4: Dave Van Ronk; Feb. 5: Tony Trischka & Junk Genius; Feb. 6: Chuck Brodsky; Feb. 7: Keola Beamer with Moana Beamer; Feb. 8 & 9: Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys; Feb. 10: Baguette Quartette with Odile Lavault; Feb.11: Bob Franke 1111 Addison St. 548-1761  

Jupiter All music begins at 8 p.m. Jan. 24: Realistic w/DJ Turtle; Jan. 25: Joshi Marshall Project; Jan. 26: Paula Murray Trio; Jan. 27: Solomon Grundy 2181 Shattuck Ave. Call THE-ROCK  

Jazzschool/La Note All shows at 4:30 p.m.Tickets are $10 - $12  

Jan. 28: Ann Dyer Trio; Feb. 4: Jeff Chambers and the J2W Project 2377 Shattuck Ave. 845-5373 

Crowden School Sundays, 4 p.m.: Chamber music series sponsored by the school. 1475 Rose St. (at Sacramento) 559-6910 

Cal Performances Jan. 27,8 p.m. and Jan. 28, 3 p.m.: The Peking Acrobats $18 - $30; Feb. 2 & 3, 8 p.m.: Allee der Kosmonauten by Berlin choreographer Sasha Waltz with video installations by New York artist Elliot Caplan, $20 - $42; Feb. 4, 4 p.m.: Russian National Orchestra, $30 - $52; Feb. 10, 8 p.m.: Masters of Persian Classical Music, $20 - $40; Feb. 16 & 17, 8 p.m.: Balinese Orchestra Gamelan Sekar Jaya present “Kawit Legong: Prince Karna’s Dream,” $18 - $30. Zellerbach Hall UC Berkeley. 642-9988 or www.calperfs.berkeley.edu 

Feb. 11, 3 p.m.: Horacio Gutierrez $24 - $42 Hertz Hall UC Berkeley 

“Women in Salsa” Jan. 25, 8 p.m. Orquesta D’Soul, a San Francisco based band, is hosting this benefit featuring the musical talents of local bay area women in salsa. $8 in advance, $10 at the door. La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 or visit www.lapena.org 

Duets for Dance & Piano Jan. 25, 8 p.m. Maxine Heppner, choreographer/dancer, with John Sharpley, composer/pianist. $20 Takara Sake Tasting Room 708 Addison St. 527-1892 

“Sweet Honey” Jan. 26, 8 p.m. This Grammy award-winning African American female a cappella ensemble has deep musical roots in the sacred music of the black church including spirituals, hymns, gospel, as well as jazz and blues. Their words will also be interpreted in American Sign Language. $25 - $27.50 Zellerbach Hall UC Berkeley 642-9988 

“Clori, Tirsi e Fileno” Jan. 27, 8 p.m.; Jan. 28, 7 p.m. Pre-concert talk 45 minutes before each performance. Teatro Bacchino, the Bay Area’s Baroque Opera company perform Handel’s opera. $15 - $20. Crowden School Theater 1475 Rose St. (at Sacramento) 658-3382 

Berkeley Symphony Orchestra Jan. 31, April 3, and June 21, 2001. All performances begin at 8 p.m. Single $19 - $35, Series $52 - $96. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley 841-2800  

Eighth Annual Robert Burns Birthday Celebration Feb. 2, 8 p.m. and Feb. 4, 7 p.m. A celebration of Scotland’s beloved 18th century poet: his songs, his letters, his life. St. Alban’s Episcopal Church 1501 Washington Ave (at Curtis) Albany 848-3422 

Empyrean Ensemble Feb. 3, 3 p.m. The ensemble will present “The Soldier’s Tale,” by Igor Stravinsky, “Prosperous Sould, Gregarious Heart,” by Peter Josheff, and “Horizon Unfolds,” by Yu-Hui Chang. $4 - $10 Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. (at Derby) 925-798-1300 

Flauti Diversi Ensemble Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m. Performing the music of 17th and early 18th century composers on baroque instruments in a program titled “Bell Fiore, Belle Fleur.” $10 - $15 Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley 1 Lawson Rd. 525-0302 

“Mostly Baroque” Feb. 4, 5 p.m. Instrumental works by Corelli, Schickhardt, Quantz, Mozart, a new work by Glen Shannon and Bach’s Cantana 82. Donations accepted Church of Saint Mary Magdalen 2005 Berryman (at Milvia)  

Toshi Makihara & Colin Stetson Feb. 4, 7:48 p.m. Philadephia percussionist Makihara teams up with local solo saxophonist Voigt and local contrabassist Morgan Guberman for an evening of improvised music. $8 donation Tuva Space 3192 Adeline (at MLK Jr. Way) 649-8744 

Theater 

“Fall” by Bridget Carpenter Through Feb. 11. $15.99 - $51. Berkeley Repertory Theatre 2025 Addison St. 647-2949, www. berkeleyrep.org 

“Waiting for Godot” by Samuel Beckett Through Feb. 3, Thursday - Saturday, 8 p.m. $8 - $12. Subterranean Shakespeare La Val’s Subterranean 1834 Euclid (at Hearst) 234-6046  

“The Road to Mecca” by Athol Fugard Jan. 26 - Feb. 24, Friday - Saturday, 8 p.m. Feb. 22, 8 p.m. $10 Live Oak Theatre 1301 Shattuck 528-5620 

“Nightingale” presented by Central Works Theater Feb. 9 - March 4, Friday & Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 24 & Saturday, March 3, 5 p.m.; Free preview Feb. 8, 8 p.m. $8 - $14 LaVal’s Subterranean 1834 Euclid Ave. 558-1381 

“Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me” by Frank MacGuinness Feb. 15 - March 17, Thursday - Saturday, 8 p.m. Sunday, 8:30 p.m. The story of three men - an Irishman, an Englishman and an American held in a prison in Lebanon. $10 - $15 8th St. Studio Theatre 2525 Eighth St. (at Dwight) 655-0813 

Films 

“Abel Paz Durruti & the Spanish Revolution” A new documentary film made in 1998. Feb. 11, 7:30 p.m. $7 donation requested. La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave. LaborFest, 415-642-8066  

Human Rights Watch International Film Festival Jan. 26, 7:30 p.m.:“Long Nights Journey Into Day,” presented by filmmakers Deborah Hoffman and Frances Reid. Jan. 27, 5 p.m.: “Pripyat,” “Crazy,” and “Bread & Roses.” $7 for one film, $8.50 for multiple films. Pacific Film Archive 2575 Bancroft (at Bowditch) 642-1412  

“Magnetic North” Six programs of experimental Canadian video from the past 30 years that range from documentary to conceptual art. In all, 40 tapes from 46 artists will be shown on six Wednesday evenings. Through Feb. 28. $7. Pacific Film Archive 2575 Bancroft (at Bowditch) 642-1412  

Exhibits 

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. Free. 1931 Center St. 848-0181 

“Consecrations: Spirits in the Time of AIDS,” Through Feb. 24. An exhibit seeking to expand the understanding of HIV and AIDS and the people affected by them. Wednesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Pro Arts Gallery 461 Ninth St., Oakland. 763-9425  

“Celebration” An exhibit of artists working and living in the East Bay. Through Feb. 3; Tuesday - Saturday, 11 - 6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 - 5 p.m. !hey! Gallery 4920-b Telegraph Ave., Oakland 428-2349 

Acrylic Paintings of Corinne Innis Paying homage to her subconscious, Innis uses rich colors in her acrylic paintings. Through Feb. 26; Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday, 1 - 7 p.m. and by appointment. Women’s Cancer Resource Center 3023 Shattuck Ave. 548-9286 x307  

Drawings & Watercolor Paintings of Daniel Hitkov Hitkov is a young Bulgarian artist whose subjects are the real and unreal in nature, people and things. Through Feb. 12. Red Cafe 1941 University Ave. 843-7230 

“Trees With Frosting” Stevie Famulari decorates landscapes with sugar and frosting, making her artwork edible and changeable by viewers. This particular display will remain for two months. Through February Skapades Hair Salon 1971 Shattuck Ave. 251-8080 or steviesart@hotmail.com 

BACA Members’ Showcase Exhibition Nearly 150 artists submitted art in every imaginable medium: Painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and mixed media. More than ever before. Through Feb. 3 Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St. Live Oak Park Wednesday through Sunday, Noon - 5 p.m. 644-6893  

“Dorchester Days,” the photographs of Eugene Richards is a collection of pictures portraying the poverty, racial tension, crime and violence prevalent in Richards’ hometown of Dorchester, Massachusetts in the 1970s. Jan. 25 - April 6; Opening reception Jan. 25, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.; Public lecture and screening of “but, the day came,” a film written, produced and directed by Richards, Jan. 26, 7 p.m. UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism 121 North Gate Hall #5860 642-3383 

“Still Life & Landscapes” The work of Pamela Markmann Through March 24, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Red Oak Gallery 1891 Solano Ave. 527-3387 

“Kick Back,” the Department of Art Practice of UC Berkeley spring faculty show Feb. 6 through March 2; Opening reception Feb. 6, 4 - 6 p.m. Informative lecture Feb. 14, Noon Worth Ryder Gallery Kroeber Hall UC Berkeley Call 642-2582 

“Unequal Funding: Photographs of Children in Schools that Get Less” An exhibit of black & white photographs by documentary photographer Chris Pilaro. Feb. 1 - March 16, Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.; Opening reception, Feb. 9, 6 - 8 p.m. Photolab Gallery 2235 Fifth St. 644-1400 

“Musee des Hommages,” Masterworks by Guy Colwell Faithful copies of several artists from the pasts, including Titian’s “The Venus of Urbino,” Cezanne’s “Still Life,” Picasso’s “Woman at a Mirror,” and Boticelli’s “Primavera” Ongoing. Call ahead for hours 2028 Ninth St. (at Addison) 841-4210 or visit www.atelier9.com 

Readings 

Boadecia’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted Jan. 27: Susan Swartz reads from “Juicy Tomatoes: Plain Truths, Dumb Lies, & Sisterly Advice About Life After 50”; Feb. 10: Karin Kallmaker reads from “Sleight of Hand”; Feb. 23: Becky Thompson reads “Mothering Without a Compass: White Mother’s Love, Black Son’s Courage” 398 Colusa Ave. Kensington 559-9184. www.boadeciasbooks.com 

Cody’s Books All events at 7:30 p.m., unless noted Jan. 24: “Grrrrr Anthology” poets CB Follett, Lynne Knight, Rafael Jesus Gonzalez, Robert Aquinas McNally, & John B. Rowe; Jan. 25: Norman Stolzoff presents “Wake the Town and Tell the People: Dancehall Culture in Jamaica”; Jan. 26: James Carroll discusses “Constantine’s Sword: The Church and the Jews”; Jan. 28: Poetry of Lynne Knight & Kathleen Lynch; Jan. 29: Tim Wohlforth discusses “On the Edge: Political Cults Right and Left”; Jan. 30: James Elkins discusses “how to use Your Eyes”; Jan. 31: Poetry of Steven Ajay & Anita Barrows  

“Strong Women - Writers & Heroes of Literature” Fridays Through June, 2001, 1 - 3 p.m. Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program. North Berkeley Senior Center 1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 549-2970  

Duomo Reading Series and Open Mic. Thursdays, 6:30 - 9 p.m. Jan. 25: Glenn Ingersoll; Feb. 1: John Rowe; Feb. 8: Tom Odegard; Feb 15: Kathleen Lynch; Feb. 22: Charles Ellick; March 1: Eliza Shefler; March 8: Judy Wells; March 15: Elanor Watson-Gove; March 22: Anna Mae Stanley; March 29: Georgia Popoff; April 5: Barbara Minton; April 12: Alice Rogoff; April 19: Garrett Murphy; April 26: Ray Skjelbred. Cafe Firenze 2116 Shattuck Ave. 644-0155. 

Lunch Poems First Thursday of each month, 12:10 - 12:50 p.m. Feb. 1: Sherman Alexie; March 1: Aleida Rodrigues; April 5: Galway Kinnell; Morrison Room, Doe Library UC Berkeley 642-0137 

Robert Hass Former U.S. Poet Laureate will read Jan. 31, Noon - 1 p.m. Lower Sproul Plaza, Pauley Ballroom in case of rain UC Berkeley 

Tours 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Free. University of California, Berkeley. 486-4387 

Berkeley City Club Tours 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. 848-7800  

The fourth Sunday of every month, Noon - 4 p.m. $2  

Golden Gate Live Steamers Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Lomas Cantadas Drive at the south end of Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley. 486-0623  

Small locomotives, meticulously scaled to size. Trains run Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rides: Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., weather permitting.  

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden Centennial Drive, behind Memorial Stadium, a mile below the Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley. 643-2755 or www.mip.berkeley.edu/garden/  

The gardens have displays of exotic and native plants. Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 1:30 p.m. $3 general; $2 seniors; $1 children; free on Thursday. Daily, 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. 

Lectures 

Berkeley Historical Society Slide Lecture & Booksigning Series Sundays, 3 - 5 p.m. $10 donation requested Jan. 28: “The Finns in Berkeley and Co-op Beginnings,” a panel discussion on Finnish and Co-op history; March 11: Director of Berkeley’s International House, Joe Lurie, will show a video and dicuss the history and struggle to open the I-House 70 years ago. Berkeley Historical Center Veterans Memorial Building 1931 Center St. 848-0181 

“Great Decisions” Foreign Policy Association Lectures Series Tuesdays, 10 a.m. - Noon, Feb. 13 - April 3; An annual program featuring specialists in the field of national foreign policy, many from University of California. Goal is to inform the public on major policy issues and receive feedback from the public. $5 per session, $35 entire series for single person, $60 entire series for couple. Berkeley City Club 2315 Durant Ave. 526-2925 

City Commons Club Social Hour & Speaker Series Fridays, 11:15 a.m., Jan. 26: “The Aftermath of the National Election,” Susan Rasky, senior lecturer at the graduate school of journalism at UC Berkeley. Berkeley City Club 2315 Durant Ave. 848-3533 

Friday, Jan. 26

Strong Women - Writers & 

Heroes of Literature 

1 - 3 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly literature course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program. 549-2970  

“The Aftermath of the  

National Election” 

11:45 a.m. luncheon 

12:30 p.m. speaker  

Berkeley City Club  

2315 Durant Ave.  

Susan Rasky, senior lecturer at the graduate school of journalism at UC Berkeley will speak.  

$11 - $12.25 with luncheon, $1 with coffee, students free  

848-3533 

Stagebridge Free Acting  

|& Storytelling 

Classes for Seniors 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

First Congregational Church  

2501 Harrison St.  

Oakland  

Call 444-4755 or visit 

www.stagebridge.org 

Crisis in Colombia 

7 p.m. 

Berkeley UU Fellowship Hall  

1924 Cedar (at Bonita)  

Peter Dale Scott, UC Berkeley professor and Daniel de la Pava, of the Colombia Support Network will, will discuss the U.S. role in perpetuating the violence and how to organize to help.  

$5 - $10 donation requested  

Call 704-9608 

Yiddish Conversation  

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way) 

With Allen Stross 

Call 644-6107 

Saturday, Jan. 27

Clori, Tirsi & e Fileno 

8 p.m. 

Crowden School  

1475 Rose St. (at Sacramento) 

Teatro Bacchino, the Bay Area’s Baroque Opera company, will be performing Handel’s story of jealousy in love. Pre-concert talk 45 minutes before the performance.  

$15 - $20 Call 658-3382  

Cuddly, Soft, Furry Things & Friends 

10 - 10:50 a.m. & 11:10 a.m. - Noon  

Lawrence Hall of Science  

UC Berkeley  

A special workshop for two - three year-olds to meet, pet, and feed rabbits, doves, and snakes.  

$22 - $25, $10 for additional family members, registration required  

Call 642-5134 

Amnesty  

& Immigrant Rights March  

11 a.m.  

St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church  

1500 34th Ave.  

Confirmed speakers at the rally, to be held at Carmen Flores Park on Fruitvale Avenue in Oakland, are Senator Barbara Boxer and Congresswoman Barbara Lee.  

Book Publishing Seminar 

10 a.m. - 1 p.m.  

Regent Press 

6020-A Adeline St.  

Mark Weiman presents an overview of the business of book publishing oriented towards the author considering self-publication. Weiman will cover all practical aspects of independent book publishing.  

Call 547-7602 or e-mail: regent@sirius.com 

Free Tae-Bo Classes for Adults  

10 - 10:45 a.m.  

Frances Albrier Community  

Center San Pablo Park 

2800 Park St. 644-8515 

Free Martial Arts  

Classes for Kids  

11:15 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Frances Albrier  

Community Center  

2800 Park St.  

Classes taught by Michael Johnson, a fourth degree black belt. Ages 5 - 7, 11:15 a.m. - Noon; Ages 8 - 12, 12:15 p.m. - 1 p.m.; Ages 13 to adults, 1:15 p.m. - 2 p.m. 644-8515 

One-Day Travel Careers Class 

8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. 

Vista College  

2020 Milvia St.  

Room 210 

Learn about new employment opportunities in travel in the 21st century. Bring payment by check to the class. $5.50 for California residents 981-2931  

President George W. Bush's decision to rescind current policy toward foreign family planning agencies will result, tragically, in more abortions. 

To understand this, consider the daily round for health workers in any one of the thousands of grassroots family programs now receiving U.S. aid. 

Walk or ride a slow bus (funds rarely cover a car) to a remote location, fish through near-empty medicine cabinets (funds rarely provide enough medicine) to find the de-worming pills or oral rehydration supplies women seek for their children before they ask for contraceptives for themselves. 

Or it means a day of carrying an anatomically correct poster door to door in an urban misery belt where few can read or write. 

“We have organs we see, and organs we don't see,” I heard a 28-year-old local health educator in Guatemala City explain to a woman of 39, “and this is where the man's seed joins with our seed to make the baby.”  

The older woman, barefoot in the mud, looked at the picture as if she had never seen anything like it before. Asked how many children she had, the woman answered in the two-part fashion of the poor, “Seven – four alive.”  

The overwhelming emphasis of overseas family planning programs subsidized by U.S. dollars is on ensuring that pregnant women give birth to healthy youngsters and on keeping them that way.  

Often, this means assisting women to become financially independent, even in a small way. 

One of the 138 partner organizations in 40 countries connected to the Center for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA), a 30-year-old Washington-based non-profit, created a milk cooperative in northeast India.  

When one of the women (there are hundreds) delivers the product of her single cow to a collecting station she finds medics and family planning advice. 

In a tiny project in central Guatemala, young teen-age girls learn to sew beautiful aprons for sale in the market. An hour per session is given to sex education.  

This U.S.-funded program gives girls a skill – and information they won't get at home. In this way, it is possible to delay the onset of sexual relations – an important step in areas where girls have babies by age 14. 

U.S. taxpayer dollars do not fund abortions abroad – that has been outlawed since l973.  

For that matter, neither funded programs nor planning experts consider abortion a safe or necessary method of birth control. 

In four months of interviewing ordinary women about reproductive health in Mexico and Guatemala, I found not one who advocated abortion as a planning “option” or a “right” – nor anyone who thought it a “wrong.”  

The Roman Catholic Church takes a strong public stand against abortion in those countries, but even outside the Church, abortion is widely considered a tragedy, although sometimes unavoidable. 

“ We use the stone method,” said a middle-aged mother of six in a Mexican village.  

At night, when no one can see, a woman trudges up and down the precipitous cliffs with a boulder strapped to her back until she aborts. 

Worldwide, some 200,000 to 400,000 die from illegal, unsafe abortions each year, most in developing countries, according to the World Health Organization. Others are mutilated or rendered infertile. 

Should any of the thousands of U.S.-assisted family planning programs – using money from another source – advocate for safe abortions in a country where they are illegal or perform safe abortions where legal, it can lose all U.S. funding, including for humanitarian child welfare or adolescent education outreach.  

Even small cuts can close shoestring operations. 

The requirements set by President Bush revert to those presented by President Reagan at the l984 population conference in Mexico City. They are extreme. 

If a sex-education pamphlet for youth includes the question, “What is abortion?” that trips the cut-off (this happened to a prestigious Mexican program). 

If women are told under any circumstances that abortion is an option for ending pregnancy, funds can be cut off. 

The decision on whether a given program meets the guidelines rests with the Bush administration, but until directives are in place, agencies do not know precisely what to expect. 

The United Nations Population Fund receives $25 million from Washington yearly, for instance, and spokesman Alex Marshall says President Bush's new policy “won't have an effect because we don't support abortion in any way, shape or form.”  

But from l984 to l993, the United States contribution was “zero” because the agency cannot withhold funds from UN member nations where abortion is legal. 

At a time when intelligent, community-based planning programs are making headway in providing care to families who desperately want it, more money – not threats of less – ought to be going out.  

If Bush's decision eliminates or weakens programs among the poorest, there will be more unplanned pregnancies, and in a real world of few safe harbors, sadly more – not fewer – unsafe abortions.

A sociology class in Wheeler Hall on the UC Berkeley campus reviews texts without the help of electric lighting  

Thursday. The California Public Interest Research Group launched an initiative on campus to encourage students and instructors to minimize electricity use. Lights blazed brightly in the four other classrooms along the second-story  

hall way, but CALPIRG organizers said they’ve just begun their campaign. “The UC’s use a lot of energy and the students should be a major part of the solution to the energy crisis,” said CALPIRG Energy Coordinator Melanie Lane.

It had all the ingredients of a tough Pac-10 loss for the Cal Bears. They went ahead of Washington State early, only to struggle early in the second half, just like in losses to Arizona and Arizona State earlier this year. But the Bears, jump-started by an injury substitute, came right back and took control of the game with a 20-4 run that gave them their second conference win of the year. 

“We could have folded, but we didn’t,” Cal head coach Caren Horstmeyer said. “We did what we had to do late in the game.” 

That fight finally showed up with five minutes left in the game. Down 46-39, Cal guard Courtney Johnson hit a three-pointer to pull her team within four points. Johnson scored Cal’s first eight points of the second half on her way to a game-high 18 to go with nine assists and just two turnovers. 

Forward Lauren Ashbaugh finally shook her Pac-10 slump with two tough baskets inside, sandwiched around a blocked shot on the defensive end, to tie the game. Ashbaugh, who averaged less than five points in the team’s first five conference games, including two scoreless efforts, scored 13 on Thursday to go with six rebounds, including four on the offensive end. 

“I haven’t played well at all in the Pac-10, because I was putting too much pressure on myself,” Ashbaugh said. “I thought back to what I did in high school and totally reset myself for this game.” 

After an Amy White free throw gave the Bears (6-10 overall, 2-4 Pac-10) the lead, Johnson went down with a muscle cramp in her calf. Losing their floor general could have brought the Bears down, but reserve Nicole Ybarra came in and gave them a lift instead. The senior scored two quick baskets to extend the lead to 51-48, then drove the baseline and found Ami Forney open under the basket. Forney made her layup and was fouled, making the free throw to give the Bears a five-point lead. Forney then hit a turn-around jumper, and Ashbaugh made a layup to finish the Bears’ furious run and seal the victory with less than a minute remaining. 

“Nicole Ybarra really set a new tempo for us when she came in, and that got us going,” Horstmeyer said. 

That surge was necessary because of a 14-5 Washington State run to start the second half. The Cougars (8-9, 3-4) started pounding the ball in low, getting four easy baskets in a row to get the lead after trailing 34-32 at halftime. Center Kelley Berglund finished with 12 points, and hefty forward Brittney Hawks bulled her way inside for seven. But Horstmeyer decided to let her inside players loose on defense, and Forney and Ashbaugh combined for five blocked shots. Overall, the Bears had seven blocks in the game, a season-high. 

“I’m usually a big supporter of the two-hands-in-the-shooter’s-face defense, but I told Ami and Lauren they could try to block some shots tonight,” Horstmeyer said. “I hope nature doesn’t strike me with lightning or something.”

The City Council held a public hearing Tuesday in the latest of a long list of skirmishes that go back 20 years with a landlord who is notorious for substandard housing. 

Reza Valiyee, who owns at least 10 properties in Berkeley, appealed a Nov. 9 Zoning Adjustments Board decision to declare his building at 2412 Piedmont Ave. a public nuisance largely because of five units Valiyee built without permits. The City Council will take action on the appeal at its Feb. 13 meeting. 

Valiyee applied for a permit to add four units in 1981, which was denied by the planning department because of a lack of sufficient open space and parking. Undaunted, Valiyee built the four units in a basement area of the two-story house. He also added another allegedly illegal unit to the second floor. 

The building is a former fraternity house. There are currently 30 to 40 rooms in the building that are mostly rented to students. Tenants share common cooking areas and bathrooms. 

If the council supports the ZAB’s resolution, Valiyee will have to remove the five units.  

Councilmember Polly Armstrong said Valiyee recently spent two days in jail for refusing to comply with city requirements on his property at 2455 Prospect St. The city has spent well over $100,000 in staff hours trying to get Valiyee to comply with building regulations, according to Councilmember Kriss Worthington. 

“It seems (Valiyee) doesn’t understand the importance of working with authorities,” Armstrong said. “He’s threatened and angered by having to deal with rules and regulations.” 

Armstrong added that Valiyee has become adept at delaying tactics. According to a staff report written by Wendy Cosin, the acting director of planning, the city has been trying to get Valiyee to bring the illegal units into compliance for 18 years. 

Valiyee’s lawyer, San Francisco attorney Malcolm Smith, said the city has been looking for reasons to give his client a hard time.  

“There’s a lot of evidence that Berkeley has decided to make Reza a poster boy for building violations,” Smith said. “The city has known about these units for 20 years and now they want to take five affordable units off the market during the biggest housing crunch the city has ever seen.” 

Worthington said allowing illegal units to be built would cause the quality of life to decline all over Berkeley. “It’s true there’s an urgent need for housing but we can’t say because of the need we will accept substandard housing.” 

Lynne Craven, who lived in the Piedmont Street property in 1981-84 while she attended UC Berkeley, recalled the squalid conditions of the building. “There was a leak in the roof and when it would rain a section of the wall in my room would become soaked,” Craven said. “There were sections of carpet in the common areas that had mushrooms growing on them from the dampness and dirt. It was depressing.” 

Craven sued Valiyee when she fractured her ankle after tripping on a torn piece of carpet on a stairway. She said that even after he was forced to pay her medical bills, he never fixed the hazardous section of carpet. 

“We used to call that place ‘Reza Land’ because of his nutty ideas about how his tenants should live,” she said. 

PULLMAN, Wash. – California’s Sean Lampley scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds Thursday night to lead the Golden Bears to a 75-71 overtime victory over Washington State. 

After overcoming a late, six-point Washington State lead, Shantay Legans’ layup with 1:04 left in the game gave California a 63-62 advantage. Legans then extended the lead to three points with a pair of free throws on California’s next possession. 

But Washington State’s Mike Bush answered with a 3-pointer with 23 seconds left to send the game into overtime. 

In the extra period, Lampley and Legans scored six points each to down the Cougars on their home court for the first time this season. 

Bush scored 22 points and freshman Marcus Moore added 17 to pace Washington State (7-9, 1-6 Pac 10). 

California (13-5, 4-2) has won 12 of its last 14 games.

A San Francisco police officer on trial in Oakland Superior Court has been found innocent of charges he battered his girlfriend in her Berkeley home and then tied her hands together with a device the pair used during sex.  

A jury hearing the misdemeanor criminal case against 52-year-old motorcycle officer James McKeever returned “not guilty” verdicts on both charges shortly after 11 a.m. Thursday, after deliberating for four hours. 

“We’re exceedingly happy,” said defense attorney Michael Cardoza. “It was a verdict of 12 people from the community saying ‘we don’t believe what happened,’” he said. “They did the right thing.”  

McKeever was arrested in the morning on Aug. 7 at an apartment on Seventh Street in west Berkeley after an altercation with the alleged victim, a 36-year-old woman with whom he has admitted having an extramarital affair. McKeever claimed he acted in self defense. 

The four-day trial before Judge Carlos G. Ynostroza became a battle of dueling stories about the nature of their relationship and what transpired that midsummer night. 

“These types of cases are hard where it’s one person’s word against another person’s word,” said Oakland Deputy District Attorney Tara Desautels, who prosecuted the case. “It comes down to a question of credibility,” she said. “Unfortunately for the victim in this case, (the jury) didn’t think it was enough.”  

Carmia Caesar, a staff attorney with the Family Violence Law Center in Berkeley who represents the alleged victim in the case, expressed disappointment with the verdict. “Of course we’re disappointed,” she said. “If someone violates the law and threatens the safety of a citizen we have a system of justice that’s set up, ideally, to punish them,” she said. 

Despite his acquittal Thursday, McKeever’s legal battles are far from over. He faces continuing legal proceedings in Berkeley, San Francisco and Texas. 

McKeever will appear for a restraining order hearing on Feb. 2 in Berkeley Superior Court that could jeopardize his career with the police department. Federal law prohibits anyone who is the subject of a restraining order from carrying a firearm.  

“If the restraining order is put into effect with the gun prohibition he loses his job,” defense attorney Cardoza said in an interview Thursday. McKeever, a motorcycle officer who joined the police force in 1975, is currently on desk duty.  

Cardoza said he would agree to a three-year restraining order if it did not include a firearms prohibition. Caesar declined to comment whether her office would agree to such an arrangement.  

McKeever also faces a hearing before the San Francisco Police Commission, which will hear evidence on the Berkeley incident and could terminate him from the force, or take no action at all. McKeever was briefly suspended from the force in September but reinstated a week later. 

But McKeever’s greatest remaining legal challenge is a felony case pending against him in Texas. That prosecution stems from an incident at the Dallas/Ft. Worth airport two weeks after his Berkeley arrest in which McKeever is alleged to have twice struck his 13-year-old stepdaughter in the face while waiting to board a Delta Airlines flight to San Francisco. The teenager and her younger sister attended part of the trial in Oakland along with several other of McKeever’s family members. 

McKeever has been charged with felony injury to a child by the Tarrant County, Texas district attorney.  

Oakland DA Desautels said she had been in contact with authorities handling the McKeever prosecution in Texas, but would not elaborate.  

According to Cardoza, Texas police only arrested McKeever when they checked his name against a criminal database and discovered the Berkeley arrest for domestic violence. “They probably would have blown by it otherwise,” Cardoza said. 

“I haven’t heard anything like that,” Desautels said about Cardoza’s comments.  

Desautels would not comment whether a plea bargain had been offered to McKeever before trial, saying only “There was no agreement.”  

She said the Oakland DA’s office did not hesitate to prosecute the 26-year veteran of the San Francisco police force, despite the dependence of prosecutors on police testimony to secure criminal convictions. 

“We reviewed this case as we do every case in terms of evaluating the victim, the defendant and the witnesses,” she said. “We wouldn’t have gone forward unless we believed in the case.”  

St. Mary’s High School star and future Cal Bear Lorenzo Alexander was one of two East Bay players selected for the 2000 Parade All-America High School Football team this week. 

Alexander, a two-way lineman who is the jewel of Cal’s 2001 recruiting class, joins De La Salle’s Kevin Simon on the prestigious national list. A total of 57 players were selected from 33 states. California had the most players of any state with eight. 

The 6-foot-2, 275-pound Alexander was lineman of the year in the Alameda Contra Costa Athletic League as a junior, and took the same honor in the Bay Shore Athletic League this season.

“ ...we have to ask ourselves whether medicine is to remain a humanitarian and respected profession or a new but depersonalized science in the service of prolonging life rather than diminishing human suffering...” Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, M.D. On death and dying. 1969  

By Helen Wheeler 

Last fall I interviewed Berkeley senior citizens about the election. Most were eager to share their opinions and willing to be quoted.  

But when I asked people about the “right-to-die” – assisted suicide, death with dignity, euthanasia, medicide, mercy killing, physician-assisted-dying, self-deliverance, suicide, voluntary euthanasia – people were more hesitant.  

A number of seniors responded: “I don’t want to think about that!” Others were willing to express opinions and talk about personal information, but not “to have everyone know.” Ultimately, I learned about some remarkable and admirable people.  

Eighty-year old Aiko Yamamoto favors physician-assisted suicide, but she is not confident that physicians can be counted on for  

that assistance. Her family has been decimated by cancer. She knows well that physicians “don’t do that,” that is, provide adequate pain relief. 

Aiko had been a Hemlock Society member for many years. She joined when she underwent colon cancer surgery. When six months of chemotherapy was recommended, she learned that survival chances might be enhanced by 5 percent. “Forget it!” Aiko, a positive and active person declares: “ I am ready to go any time. To me, the right-to-die means no extraordinary measures.” 

J.W. is an 84-year old breast cancer survivor who relies on a hearing aid, and considers herself in good health. She has disaffiliated from her Jewish heritage. She was reluctant to be interviewed until I suggested using initials, rather than her full name. A widow living separately in the same building with a married son, she takes for granted that he will regard her wishes as recorded in “that health thing” stored in a box in her apartment.  

What does it provide? Have you gone over it with him? Not sure. No. Have you discussed your wishes with your primary care physician? No.  

Occasionally she laughed nervously, “ Whatever you do, I don’t care!” Suddenly serious: “I don’t want to go to a home. What do they call it? No extraordinary measures.” Then, “ I am going to live forever.”  

Are you a feminist? I asked Doris Brown Echols, a 67 year-old African American widow. “ No. I’m for whatever is best for the situation.” Doris lives alone with her rottweiler in her own home, which she owns, within walking distance of the senior center where she is an active volunteer Exercise to Music leader and also staffs the telephone one afternoon a week. She received her bachelor’s degree with a psychology major in Texas and was employed as a bookkeeper, secretary and Berkeley junior high school teacher. Raised a Methodist, she is a member of her church choir and serves on its Board of Education.  

Doris had a hasty response to all concerns. What does the term, right-to-die, mean to you? “ If I found life boring or not interesting, nobody could tell me what is legal or illegal. I’d just go do it!” Boredom, depression, no pleasure in life would be her personal criteria. Meantime, “I stay here.” Undaunted by the But how would you do it? question, she readily acknowledged she hadn’t a plan, but she is certain she could do it. Shifting gears, I asked about concern for so-called extraordinary measures. She has prepared no plans or documents that would relate to a good death, and has absolute confidence in her daughter’s handling “it.” Doris takes no medications – not even calcium – because she eats right, and indeed her Kaiser physician concurs that she is in great shape.  

Well-known as a congenial Strawberry Creek Lodge neighbor and senior center participant, 80-year old Norman Hutchings depends on numerous medications for serious congestive heart and lung problems. “I am more afraid of pain than I am of dying.” Never married, he is alone except for one surviving sibling; a brother suicided in his early forties. They were raised in the Methodist environment of an orphanage. He graduated from Oakland High School and UC Berkeley and worked as an equipment specialist in naval supply. Hutchings is a participant in a UC Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Center controlled study, has taken numerous related tests, and his brain will be autopsied “for research on dementia and normal aging.” He wants no extraordinary measures, but has taken no steps to ensure this.  

My conversation with 72-year old Miriam Hawley was unrelated to her role as member of the Berkeley City Council. Mim received a bachelor’s degree from Antioch College, and her master’s in history is from San Francisco State University. She was employed as a transportation analyst. Raised a Methodist, she considers herself a “ nonpracticing Christian.” She has a family, is in good health, and her family health history is one of long life. Like many Kaiser patients, she has completed a “ durable power” document, but has not discussed it nor her desire for “no extraordinary measures” with her physician. She is concerned about the possible association of elder abuse with the right-to-die. Were a physician-assisted dying bill similar to that proposed by California Assemblymember Dion Louise Aroner reintroduced, she said she would support it “with safeguards.”  

Edie McDonald Wright is a 71-year old retired public nonprofit director who describes herself as “ a fallen away Catholic.” She rents a one-bedroom apartment in the Redwood Gardens senior housing development, with rents subsidized by HUD. Her daughter lives in Tracy. She was recently elected by her peers to serve on the North Berkeley Senior Center Advisory Council. Chronic fibromyalgia is a problem. She receives her health care at the Over 60 Health Center, where her file contains information provided by her concerning her demise. She has indicated a wish for no extraordinary measures, although she has completed no related legal documents. As our conversation (mainly in English with some Spanish) moved toward the idea of the right-to-die as a civil right, she declared: “ I don’t plan to die that way. When push comes to shove, I just want to not wake up one day.” How are you going to do this? “ I don’t know... I haven’t thought about it. I’m too young.” “ Conflicted” and “ cautious” were the key words. 

I drew several conclusions from the interviews: 

• Seniors often lack information needed to make informed decisions concerning a good death and the right-to-die; 

• Many seniors who consider themselves “ informed” have not taken a proactive approach to ensuring that their wishes are carried out;  

• Deficient care at the end of life is due in part to health care providers’ failure to implement the patient’s wishes and to provide adequate palliatives. 

Dr. Helen Wheeler is a member of the Alameda County Advisory Commission on Aging, the Berkeley Housing Authority, representing seniors and Section 8 tenants), and the North Berkeley Senior Center Advisory Council. She teaches in the Berkeley Adult School Older Adults Program and can be reached at pen136@inreach.com 

Albany resident Joanna Selby was no stranger to the issues of the elderly when she was appointed by Gov. Gray Davis to the Commission on Aging Dec. 4.  

Selby, 69, volunteered at the North Berkeley Senior center between 1986 and 1996 after retiring from a string of government jobs, which included a position at the U.S. Forest Service in Berkeley. In 1995, she applied to go to a White House Conference on Aging and was selected as the Alameda County delegate at the five-day conference in Washington, D.C.  

Selby, who immigrated to the United States from Korea in 1958, said all of her volunteering had to take a back seat after she was appointed to the Commission on Aging of Alameda County in 1996. She said she feels that it’s important that older people have a representative because they often feel that they don’t have anything to do and will stay inside their homes instead of venturing out into their communities. She feels it’s important to encourage older people to be independent as long as they can. “It allows people to enjoy their lives.”  

As a state commissioner, Selby deals will senior issues including health care, mental health care, housing, financial security and transportation.  

She serves on the commission’s transportation committee and said the committee is trying to deal with the unique problems facing seniors who live in rural areas where public transportation is not readily available. She said these people often have to rely on friends or neighbors for transportation, and the committee is trying to change that and balance suburban and urban public transportation funding.  

Selby also serves as the chair of PAPCO, the Paratransit Planning Advisory Committee, which works on issues dealing with BART, AC Transit, Paratransit, bicycle commuting, open space, and freeway and highway expansion. She has served on the committee since 1996.  

Selby said that housing is a major issue for the elderly in California because of a lack of low-income housing in the state. She said the solution is to get land and money, but said the land must come first. And because senior housing can’t be located in isolated areas, they need to obtain land in urban areas. “Urban areas are so well developed, it’s hard to find places to build,” Selby said Thursday. As a result, Selby said the number of homeless elderly is increasing. She also said that some seniors live on such a low fixed-income that they have too little money to qualify for low-income housing. 

Selby said she would like to see a universal health care plan because when people don’t have health care available to them and are ill they will simply get sicker and sicker.  

She said that universal health care is especially important for seniors because it makes health care preventative, rather than reactive. “That way you don’t have to wait until something bad happens.”  

Selby is a busy woman these days, with up to five meetings in one day sometimes. She says she enjoys being so active. “I say I have a full blossoming life,” she said. “I feel sorry for older people who don’t do anything. When I talk to older people, I say ‘get up, have your breakfast and go for a walk. Don’t stay home and look at the four walls.’ ”

More than half of Californians believe Congress is doing a good job, according to a poll released Thursday. 

The poll, conducted by the Field Institute, reported that despite the relatively high rating, a majority of Californians foresee political gridlock on Capitol Hill. 

The poll also reported the Supreme Court suffered in the eyes of state residents after the protracted fight over the presidential re-count and that the state’s two Democratic senators, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, continue to be popular. 

The Field Poll surveyed 1,001 California adults by phone Jan. 12 through 16. The margin of error was 3.2 percentage points. 

Congress fared relatively well in the poll, with 54 percent of respondents saying they approve of the overall job performance of congressional members and 35 percent saying they disapprove. 

That 54 percent approval rating jumped from 41 percent in June 2000 and 33 percent in Oct. 1999, but was less than the 57 percent peak in Aug. 1998. 

Despite that relatively favorable opinion of Congress, Californians said given the GOP’s razor-thin margin in the House and even split in the Senate, gridlock will prevail over cooperation. 

While 52 percent predicted gridlock, 42 percent expected progress. 

Meanwhile, California’s two senators did well. 

Feinstein received approval from 60 percent of respondents — a full eight percentage points higher than June 2000 and her highest rating since 1994. Only in March 1999 has Boxer equaled the 51 percent approval rating she received from those polled. 

The Supreme Court’s reputation, however, has taken a hit. 

Though 63 percent of respondents approved of the institution to 28 percent who didn’t, the election re-count hurt its reputation. Among the 41 percent of respondents who said the case affected their opinion of the court, 30 percent said the re-count case “lowered their opinion of the court” while just 11 percent said the case improved its standing. 

Fluorescent light fixtures are more efficient and cheaper to run than incandescents.  

But some fluorescent fixtures buzz or hum, and they take a long time to start when temperatures fall much below balmy. If your fixtures have these problems, a failing ballast – the component that gives the lamps the power boost they need to start – might be the cause. If the light flickers or won’t work at all, the ballast is probably shot. 

Replacing a faulty ballast isn’t difficult, but it’s essential to match the ballast to the lamps in your existing fixture. That 4-foot, two-lamp fixture in your garage or basement, for example, likely uses T12 lamps and a matching electromagnetic ballast, says Jeff Goldstein, of Lamar Lighting in East Farmingdale, N.Y. (The industry measures the diameter of lamps in one-eighth-inch increments, so a T12 is 11/2 inches in diameter.) If you don’t know which ballast to buy, take your old one to an electrical-supply house. 

Magnetic ballasts are readily available and cost about $16. If you want to eliminate loud buzzing noises, upgrade to an electronic ballast (about $28), which is quieter and more efficient. Electronic ballasts are standard on newer T8 fixtures, according to Goldstein, but it might be more difficult to find them for older T12 lights. Also consider the location of the fixture. Standard ballasts work best in temperatures above 50 F, but if lamps are in areas where it’s colder, buy cold-weather ballasts; they fire up the lamps in conditions as low as zero. 

To remove the ballast, cut power to the circuit at the panel. It’s safer to turn the circuit breaker off at the main panel than it is to rely on a wall switch that might be wired improperly. Most corded garage or shop fixtures are hung from the ceiling by lightweight chain, so it’s simple to take a fixture down for repairs.  

Take out the lamps, then remove the access panel on the fixture and disconnect the black and white wires from the power supply.  

Next, clip the three pairs of wires emerging from the ballast; there should be two reds, two blues and two yellows. Reconnect leads on the new ballast with wire nuts; the light should work fine once again. 

One tip: Reconnect each pair of colored wires individually. The ballast won’t work properly if you gang together all four red wires, for example, and connect them with a single wire nut. 

Buying Fluorescent Lamps 

There’s an option in buying a replacement fluorescent tube or lamp that you might not be aware of. If you’re tired of the harsh, gray light given off by standard fluorescents, look for a lamp with a higher Color Rendering Index, or CRI. The CRI is a relative scale that rates light sources on a scale from 0 to 100 (sunlight is rated at 100). Lamps with a higher CRI make people and objects look more realistic. Manufacturers adjust the CRI by tinkering with the mix of phosphors that coat the inside of the lamp. A standard 34W “cool white” lamp has a CRI of 62, but lighting stores and home centers also stock lamps rated all the way up to 90. The only downside is that you will pay two or three times as much per lamp for that great-looking light. 

Remember the time you painted the bathroom and about a month after it was finished, the mildew started to show up again on your freshly painted ceiling? 

Have you ever had to scrape out the caulking from your shower because the mildew was so deeply imbedded in the joint you couldn’t bleach it away? 

Are the bedroom closets beginning to smell a bit musty? 

Is mildew growing somewhere in your home? 

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, read on. 

Mildew is everywhere. It’s in the air – all around us. And the minute it comes into contact with any kind of moisture, it begins to multiply exponentially after only about two hours of exposure. As it multiplies, it becomes visible as a soft blanket of black or green fir that begins to cover everything in its path. 

Mildew gets the liquid refreshment it needs in the most interesting ways: steam in a shower hits the surrounding walls and ceilings and condenses; steam from cooking hits the surrounding walls and ceilings and condenses; steam from the clothes washer hits the surrounding walls and ceilings and condenses. Starting to get the picture? Believe it or not, this same kind of condensation can occur when the clothes dryer is not ducted to the exterior. 

The damp air that a dryer usually exhausts can immediately inundate an area with moist air, which then condenses upon contact with any cold surface such as walls and ceilings. 

If your dryer already is ducted, make sure that the ducting is clean and clear. According to the National Fire Protection Agency, clothes dryers cause an estimated 14,000 home fires each year? And the leading cause of dryer fires was clogged ducting. So, if you are installing ducting do it properly, and keep it clean. 

Here are the rules on how to install an efficient and safe dryer duct: 

• Dryer ducting must be a minimum of 4 inches in diameter. 

• The ducting can be flexible in locations where it can be accessed (attic, basement, crawl space, etc.) and should be the foil or aluminum type – not the plastic kind. 

• Ducting must be rigid in inaccessible areas (as when built into a wall or between floors). 

• The male joint of each section should connect in the direction of the flow. 

• The duct must be dampered at the exterior. 

• All joints should be secured with metal tape (the shiny silver kind) – not duct tape. 

• No length of concealed rigid duct should exceed 25 feet in length. 

Deduct 5 feet for each 90-degree turn and half that amount for each 45-degree fitting (example: a concealed rigid duct with one 90-degree fitting should not exceed 20 feet; 25 feet minus 5 feet is 20 feet). Lengths may vary depending on local codes and manufacturer’s specifications. 

• Keep in mind that dryer vents must not be combined with any other vent system or chimney of any kind. 

Whatever you do, don’t duct your dryer into the attic, garage, basement or crawl space. You will create a fire hazard and a stinky, hard-to-access, mildewed mess. 

As to the actual installation, all you have to do is secure enough pipe and fittings to do the job, and cut to length as necessary. Tin snips (metal scissors) make light work of the task. And don’t forget heavy leather gloves. Freshly cut tin can be sharper than a jagged piece of glass. Use 1-inch-wide strips of tin to secure the pipe in place off the ground. Simply make a full wrap around the duct with the tin strap and nail the two loose ends to the framing. 

Finally, don’t forget to test your ducting on a regular basis. It’s easy. While the dryer is running, go outside and get up close to the exhaust damper. Is it open and is air gushing out or does the flow seem restricted? If the latter is the case, a cleaning is in order. You can do it yourself or hire it done, but don’t use your dryer when the duct is partially clogged. 

Readers can mail questions to: On the House, APNewsfeatures, 50 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020, or e-mail Careybro(at)onthehouse.com. To receive a copy of On the House: Plumbing or On the House: Painting, send a check or money order payable to The Associated Press for $6.95 per booklet and mail to: On the House, PO Box 1562, New York, NY 10016-1562, or through these online sites: www.onthehouse.com or apbookstore.com. 

In an era of speed gardening, when shortcuts vie for attention, some vegetable gardeners still cherish the old, slow ways. Instead of saving time, they save seeds. 

The seed subculture, aside from commercial seed packets, features wide-ranging networks of seed-swapping among gardeners and, at the most demanding level, saving seeds from your own plants. 

The last requires attention, patience and devotion, but mastering the skills takes one back to ancestral days of agriculture when humans first selected seeds for replanting. Because of the historical associations and the acquired know-how, a tomato or other vegetables grown from your own seed gives you a sense of satisfaction not felt in easier ways of raising plants. 

Also, you may have an heirloom vegetable long cultivated in your family or community or one that has disappeared from the commercial market. You keep it on-going by saving the seed. Not to mention that should you ever need a survival tool, knowing seeds could be a life-saver. 

A cardinal rule of seed-saving is to avoid doing it from hybrid plants. That’s because hybrids are crosses, and the seed from them may not reproduce the original plants that you liked. The best way is to work with nonhybrids, or heirlooms. 

Gathering seeds differs according to the kind of plant. Some seeds are left to dry on the plant, like beans or peas, and then separated from their pods by various forms of threshing. But seeds of soft fruit, like tomatoes, which are embedded inside the plant, are harder to extricate. 

Saving tomato seeds involves several steps. After washing a fully ripe fruit, you slice it across the middle to expose the seed cavity, then you squeeze the seeds with their gel into a bowl or other container and let them ferment for several days, stirring the mixture occasionally. 

When the bowl, which has become smelly, gets covered with a layer of mold, you add enough water to double the size of the mixture. You stir this until the good seeds sink to the bottom. Then you pour off the hollow seeds and waste, leaving only the good seeds. These you rinse until clean, put them in a strainer on a cloth to rid them of moisture, then drop them onto a dish to dry. This takes a while and an electric fan may help, but don’t dry them in the sun or an oven. 

When dried, the seeds are best stored in an airtight container. Depending on the tomato variety, they should be good for 4-10 years. 

That sounds like a lot of work, especially in a day when even commercial seed providers acknowledge a drop in seed demand and an increase in customers who want ready-to-go plants. 

Anyone new to seed-saving can find excellent directions for as many as 160 vegetables in Suzanne Ashworth’s 222-page manual, “Seed to Seed,” available \or $20 from the Seed Savers Exchange, 3076 North Winn Road, Decorah, Iowa, 52101; phone 319-382-5990; Web site www.seedsavers.org. 

The volume is a treasure-house of information, starting with historical profiles of the plants and going on to botanical classification, flower structure and pollination method, isolation distances, caging and hand pollination techniques, and ways of harvesting, drying, cleaning and storing seeds. Ashworth, a master gardener from Sacramento, Calif., personally grew seed crops of all the vegetables mentioned. 

The Seed Savers Exchange, incidentally, is the best place to go in search of heirloom or nonhybrid vegetable seeds. Its latest Garden Seed Inventory ($26) lists more than 7,300 nonhybrid vegetables offered by more than 250 mail order providers throughout North America. After you grow such plants, you can save the seeds for a self-perpetuating garden.

Swing dancing – and then sex between a 14-year-old girl and a man 10 years older – are a lot of what Bridget Carpenter’s flashy and provocative, but ultimately insubstantial new play “Fall” is about.  

On Wednesday, Berkeley Repertory Theater opened a middling quality production of the play, which starts with promise, then teases and titillates, but ultimately doesn’t boil down to much of substance. 

Carpenter is part of a generation of playwrights younger than those the Rep usually produces.  

With this production, the company is making an effort to bring new work and new writers into the generally conservative world of repertory theater.  

Fourteen-year-old upper middle class Southern California teenager Lydia (Megan Austin Oberle) is bright and articulate, but moody and sarcastic – in fact, a typical teenager of her class. She has that self-conscious teen sneer and is, of course, embarrassed by her parents.  

Lydia calls her mother (Nancy Bell) by her first name Jill, because it annoys the mother. Lydia is at an age where she sees the worst of everything, and has sex on the brain. She also has a ghoulish, morbid streak. 

When Lydia’s school teacher mother Jill and businessman father Dog (Andy Murray) insist that she join them for three weeks on Catalina Island at swing dance camp – the parents’ passion – Lydia is dragged along under strong protest, miserable the whole time. Eventually she has an affair. 

Oberle’s hilarious and spot-on performance as acerbic teen Lydia is this production’s highlight. Bell and Murray also turn in strong performances as her parents. 

But once the character of Lydia is introduced and performed for a while, and once the play’s story device of swing dancing is given a few rounds, “Fall” takes a header. 

The play really doesn’t go anywhere meaningful or consequential or surprising. At best, it’s like a mainstream teen identity chick flick. 

The two story lines – swing camp and Lydia’s identity crisis – are not very well connected in “Fall.”  

They are two separate stories running at the same time. 

The parents turn out to be background for Lydia’s crisis, and neither parent changes in the play.  

Eventually, Lydia herself decides to keep her aborted affair secret, so whatever its deeper meanings and consequences for her might be, we get none of that. 

All this is ironic in the context of the play’s abrupt didactic message late in the second half that swing dancing (and they’re actually isn’t that much dancing in the production) is about learning to listen. 

There are other false notes in the story.  

Often the play’s moments of conflict seem to arrive out of the blue and not fit in well with the flow of the story, such as Lydia’s sudden snit with the dance instructor (Donnie Keshawarz) over dance steps, or a fight over dancing between the two parents. 

Elsewhere, mother Jill tells Lydia she would stay with her husband even if he had a mistress. When the play hits such adult issues, it often sounds childish. It is especially odd at the end of the play that the parents don’t figure out about their daughter’s affair. 

There are also some false notes in the staging by director Lisa Peterson, who mounted a fine minimalist production of "Antony and Cleopatra" a couple seasons back at Berkeley Rep. The dancers in "Fall," for example, often dance in sneakers. Swing nuts probably would not do that. And the swing dance teacher is not as good a dancer as his students. 

“Fall” is a tease with no payoff. Underage sex is a volatile and difficult issue. If it’s raised in a play, the playwright needs to make an effort to deal with it meaningfully, instead of in titillating teen romance movie clichés. 

The Eagles’ popular song says, “some dance to remember, some dance to forget.” The people in this play dance to forget. 

“Fall,” by Bridget Carpenter, presented by Berkeley Repertory Theater, 2025 Addison Street, through March 11. Call (510) 647-2949 or visit www.berkeleyrep.org. 

Twenty half-price “HotTix” go on sale at noon at the Berkeley Rep box office Tuesday through Friday for that evening’s performance (cash only).  

Berkeley Rep also offers $15.99 tickets for anyone under the age of 30, with valid I.D. (not good for Saturday performances).

President Bush’s plan to scrap the federal estate tax would mean lower revenue for states too, in a ripple effect that would cut tens of millions of tax dollars from every state’s budget. 

Bush’s plan would cut $50 billion a year from the federal budget after about a decade. At the same time, it would knock out some $9 billion to the states, because their tax codes piggyback the federal government’s. 

In the fiscal year that just ended, estate and inheritance taxes brought in $5.5 billion for the states. California got $900 million. Alabama received $67 million. By 2010, the figure nationally would probably reach $9 billion a year, according to the nonpartisan Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. 

“We can’t afford that kind of hit,” said Alabama House Speaker Seth Hammett, a Democrat who said lawmakers would be faced with having to pass a new estate tax or raise the revenue through other taxes and fees. 

Whether any states would be willing to create a new tax is questionable, after six solid years of state tax cuts. And the estate tax has few defenders – voters this year repealed it in Montana and South Dakota. 

“It is an unfair tax. These are assets that have been accumulated through hard work,” said Michigan Treasurer Mark Murray, who was appointed by a Republican governor. He acknowledged the state would lose money – the tax brought in $187 million this year — but said the government can absorb the loss as the cut is phased in. 

“As a public policy, we agree with it,” Murray said. 

In Michigan, estate taxes account for less than 1 percent of the total budget. Nationally, the taxes, which can vary widely each year, make up between 1 percent and 2 percent of a state’s budget on average, said Harley Duncan, executive director of the Federation of Tax Administrators. 

“That’s not chump change,” he said. 

The tax is levied on estates greater than $675,000. Nationwide in 1997, the estates of fewer than 43,000 people had to pay estate tax, out of 2.3 million who died that year, according to the center’s study. 

Former President Clinton vetoed a bill to eliminate the tax last year. He said it would threaten the nation’s financial well-being while handing the richest 3,000 families an average tax cut of $7 million apiece. 

Thirty-five states rely solely on the federal estate tax to calculate the death taxes paid to their governments, so if the federal tax were eliminated, their tax would also be lost. The remaining 15 states rely partly on the federal estate tax, but also have state estate taxes that would bring in less revenue if the federal law were eliminated, according to the center. 

Though Connecticut, New York and Louisiana are phasing out their estate tax and Montana and South Dakota repealed it, all continue to collect such revenue through a mechanism tied to the federal tax. 

State lawmakers with the National Conference of State Legislatures are studying the issue and have yet to take a stand. At a meeting last month, some wanted to lobby to keep the tax, while others wanted to let it die. 

Bush’s tax proposals, which were laid out during the campaign and introduced in Congress this week, would also affect other parts of state budgets, though none would be as sweeping as the estate tax change. 

If his plan becomes law, North Dakota, Vermont and Rhode Island would all see their income tax revenue shrink significantly because they set their taxes as a straight percentage of federal taxes, Duncan said. 

Nine states would see a slight increase in revenue, because they allow people to offset their state taxes according to the amount they paid in federal taxes, Duncan said. A cut in taxes paid to Washington would then mean slightly more taxes paid to the state. 

——— 

On the Net: 

Center for Budget and Policy Priorities: http://www.cbpp.org 

National Conference of State Legislatures: http://www.ncsl.org 

National Governors Association: http://www.nga.org 

SAN JOSE — Opponents of Cisco Systems’ plan to build a $1.3 billion campus in one of the Silicon Valley’s few remaining rural areas filed suit Wednesday to halt the development or at least put it up for a referendum vote. 

The suit seeks to override the City Council’s Jan. 16 decision that effectively killed a bid to let voters decide whether to proceed with the 688-acre office park. City officials claimed the petition was legally flawed. 

“Today’s legal action is taken to vindicate the constitutional rights of those who signed the petition,” said Brian Grayson, spokesman for the People for Livable and Affordable Neighborhoods, which filed the lawsuit. 

Cisco, the city’s largest private employer and a leading manufacturer of equipment that runs the Internet, says its proposed campus is well planned out and sensitive to preserving open space.  

City officials approved the project in October. 

But opponents argued the complex and its 20,000 workers would worsen the area’s already snarled traffic and make housing prices soar in nearby communities. They launched the petition drive and gathered 40,000 signatures. 

Just after the signatures were collected, lawyers for the city and Cisco said it was fatally flawed because it focused on the density of development allowed on the North Coyote Valley site and the amount of open space required. 

Such factors are administrative decisions, which are not subject to referenda, said San Jose City Attorney Richard Doyle. The City Council agreed and tabled the ballot measure. 

The lawsuit, filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court, names the city of San Jose and the City Council. It specifically requests that the council repeal the planning amendments that allow construction or submit the plan to voters. 

The city attorney did not return a telephone message seeking comment Wednesday afternoon. 

Meanwhile, at least four other lawsuits against the development have been filed related to its environmental impact report. Plaintiffs of those include the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments, the city of Salinas, Santa Cruz County and the Sierra Club. 

Despite the litigation, project organizers expect to begin work on the massive complex later this winter, said Cisco spokesman Eric Morley.  

He added more than 110,000 San Jose residents have signed petitions in support of the campus. 

On the Net: 

San Jose City Council: http://www.ci.san-jose.ca.us/cty—clk/agenda.htm 

Coyote Valley Research Park: http://www.c-v-r-p.com/overview.html

When Margot Smith went shopping for medicine for a visiting relative, she was startled to find that different pharmacies charge greatly varying prices for drugs. Not content to simply purchase the cheapest drug for the relative, Smith, an active member of the Berkeley Gray Panthers, decided to take her discovery to a new level. 

She engaged her fellow Gray Panthers in a project to compare drug prices: They found Candis Poon, a graduate student in public health, to help. Poon went to various local drug stores and checked prices. 

“In general, the American Association of Retired Persons had the best prices for brand name drugs, and Costco had the best prices for generic drugs. However, AARP orders are taken over the Internet, so the drugs take time to arrive and one must pay shipping costs. Costco purchases are only available for members,” according to the Gray Panther report. “Longs Drug Store charges the most for brand name drugs, but offers a 10 percent senior discount.” 

Smith pointed out that seniors having Medicare don’t regularly take advantage of a law that kicked in one year ago. “The law requires that drug stores charge Medicare seniors the same price for drugs that MedicCal patients pay.”  

The report concludes “the moral of the story is that seniors must first ask the pharmacist for the MedicCal price and make sure it is lower than the asking price. Seniors must shop around for the best prices if they wish to save money on prescription.” 

The Gray Panther survey is available by calling the organization at 548-9696.

SAN FRANCISCO — Two white supremacists serving time at Pelican Bay State Prison are now part of the investigation into the bloody, fatal mauling of a 33-year-old San Francisco woman by dogs, state prison officials and local authorities confirmed Monday. 

Russ Heimerich, a spokesman for the California Department of Corrections, said inmates Paul Schneider and Dale Bretches are being investigated for any role they might have played in organized dog fights. 

The owners of the dogs involved in the fatal mauling, attorneys Robert Noel, and his wife Marjori Knoller, have both visited Schneider and Bretches at Pelican Bay in their professional role, Heimerich confirmed. 

Noel acquired the two huge dogs three months ago. Bane, a 3-year-old, 120-pound Mastiff Canary Island cattle dog, attacked and killed Diane Whipple. The other dog was 113-pound Hera, 2, also a Mastiff-Canary Island mix. 

There is no indication Noel received the dogs from the inmates or that the animals had been used in fights. No charges have been filed against either Noel or Knoller. 

“We did run an investigation into a fighting dog ring with links to those two inmates,” Heimerich said. State officials have turned their information on Schneider and Bretches over to San Francisco police investigators as they look into the attack. 

Whipple died Friday night after the two large dogs broke free from their handler. Bane latched onto Whipple’s neck. Whipple died a few hours later. 

The two inmates have violent pasts and authorities are investigating possible links they might have had to dog fighting rings. 

“Schneider is a validated gang member belonging to the Aryan Brotherhood,” Heimerich said. He described the organization as a violent white supremacist group. 

Bretches is also a member of the Aryan Brotherhood, he said. He said both men are active members of the tight-knit supremacist sect. 

Schneider, 38, is in prison for a robbery conviction in Los Angeles County and attempted murder while incarcerated at Folsom State Prison. He has been in Pelican Bay since 1986, Heimerich said. Schneider is currently serving life without the possibility of parole. 

Bretches, 44, is in Pelican Bay for second degree murder and was also found guilty of assault with a deadly weapon while incarcerated, according to state records. He is currently serving life without the possibility of parole. 

“Noel and Knoller have visited Mr. Schneider in an attorney capacity at Pelican State Prison,” Heimerich said. Both attorneys have also visited Bretches, he said. 

San Francisco investigators would not say if Noel had acquired his dogs from Schneider or Bretches. San Francisco district attorney’s office spokesman Fred Gardner did say his office was trying to determine if Noel’s dogs were “trained to fight, attack or kill causing injury.” 

Information of such trained behavior would allow the district attorney’s office to “go forward with a maximum prosecution,” Gardner said. 

Knoller and Noel did not return calls from The Associated Press seeking comment. 

Noels’ dogs were a dangerous crossbreed, according to Merry Johnson, president of the Gunpowder Bull Mastiff group based in Baltimore and a Mastiff breeder with 25 years experience. 

“It’s unwise because you’re taking a terrier type personality and you’re making it very large,” Johnson said. “The Canary mix is a dangerous dog.” 

Whipple was a two-time first team All-American lacrosse player at Penn State and was named NCAA national player of the year in 1990. She was on the Penn State squads that captured the NCAA championships in 1987 and 1989. 

Whipple was hired in 1999 as St. Mary’s first varsity coach in the inaugural season as a Division I team. 

SAN FRANCISCO – The lawyer who owned the two dogs that attacked and killed a 33-year-old woman says the animals were generally gentle and showed no previous signs of aggression. But neighbors who say they called Bane, a Canary mastiff, “Killer Dog” or “Dog of Death,” often avoided the dogs and regret not reporting them. 

One unidentified neighbor, interviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle, said she went so far as to work out a schedule with Bane’s owner, Robert Noel, so their quarreling canines would not cross paths. 

“None of us ever filed a complaint, and that’s what makes me sick now,” said Cydnee Dubrof, a dog owner who lives a few doors away from Noel and his wife, Marjorie Knoller. “This woman died from our negligence.” 

On Friday, the 123-pound dog lunged at Diane Whipple, who lived next door to Bane’s owners in an upscale apartment building at Pacific Avenue and Fillmore Street. Whipple had just returned home from her job as women’s lacrosse coach at St. Mary’s College in Moraga. 

“Marjorie just about had the dogs completely in the apartment when the elevator door opened and our neighbor came out,” said Noel, who arrived home shortly after the attack. “Bane sort of perked up and headed down to the end of the hall. The woman had the apartment door open and was just standing there” when the dog attacked. 

Despite the efforts of Noel’s wife to come between the two, Whipple sustained deep bites to her neck and died at San Francisco General Hospital about five hours later. 

Bane, a mix of English mastiff and Canary Island cattle dog, was euthanized at the city’s animal shelter Friday night. The couple’s other dog, Hera, that was also in the hallway but, according to Noel, did not join in the attack, remained at the shelter. 

A shelter spokesman said the fate of 112-pound Hera, also a Canary mix, depended on the outcome of a police investigation. 

No charges have been filed against Noel, 59, or Knoller, 45, both attorneys who work out of their sixth-floor apartment. 

“He looked like the beast of death,” said Dubrof, who referred to Bane as “Killer Dog” to her friends. 

Another neighbor who worked out the dog-walking schedule with Noel said she began walking her dog in tennis shoes and bought pepper spray in case she ever needed to react quickly. 

She said she was particularly concerned when she began to see Knoller walking both dogs. She had doubts that Noel could control one dog; she didn’t think his wife would be able to control two, she said. 

“I literally would take my dog and walk back into my apartment” if she saw them, she said. 

Despite neighbors’ fears, Noel insisted that neither dog had ever shown aggression toward humans. In fact, Bane had in the past befriended a kitten, whom he would gently carry around in his mouth. 

Noel said he once owned a greyhound that nipped at children. “Inside the hour, that dog was at the vet with a needle in his arm,” Noel said. “If Bane had shown any aggression toward people, he wouldn’t have been here.”

SAN FRANCISCO – Infants in California are less likely to be counted than in any other state when the U.S. Census Bureau conducts its surveys, according to a new analysis released Wednesday. 

And no where more so than San Francisco, the city where the greatest percentage of those under age one were missed. The census reportedly failed to count nearly four in ten of the city’s infants. 

The conclusions were drawn from 1990 census data but have implications for 2000 data that will trickle out in the coming months and years. 

“I was astounded by these findings and though they pertain to the 1990 count, they demonstrate the shortcomings that are inherent in the process of the census,” said study co-author Dr. Beth Osborne Daponte of Carnegie Mellon University. 

Overall in California, one in four infants were not counted, Daponte reported. 

Meanwhile, infants in North Dakota were most likely to be counted, as the census missed only 10 percent there, Daponte said. 

The Census Bureau, in a politically divisive blueprint established by the Clinton administration, is ascertaining whether the statistical method known as “sampling” offers the most accurate picture of the American population, including traditionally undercounted groups like minorities and the poor. 

Most Republicans contend the Constitution calls for an “actual enumeration” free of statistical adjustment and President Bush said during the campaign that a “head count” is the most accurate way to conduct the census. He has not said if he supports releasing sampled data.

California’s clean air board debated Thursday whether to scale back regulations that would require automakers to market thousands of electric vehicles in the state, starting in 2003. 

The Air Resources Board’s staff recommended a series of complicated changes that would cut the number of electric vehicles initially required by the regulations from about 22,000 to as few as 4,650. 

“We would rather start small and build than have an overly ambitious program that results in unsold vehicles,” said Charles Shulock, a vehicle program specialist with the board. 

Environmentalists and health groups urged board members to beef up the staff proposals, but the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers argued that electric vehicles would be too expensive and too limited in range to sell or lease in significant numbers. 

“Electric vehicles with broad consumer appeal are an idea whose time has come and gone, much like eight-track tapes, Betamax and New Coke,” said Josephine Cooper, the association’s president and chief executive officer. 

She urged the board to put off consideration of the changes for 60 days. She said that would give automakers and the board time to discuss an arrangement under which the regulations would be suspended for a period of years and the staff proposals would be tested under agreements between the board and automakers. 

Suspending the regulation would prevent other states from implementing them, she said. 

States have the option under federal law of adopting California’s clean air requirements or following the usually weaker federal standards. 

“We are going to push vehicles out there that may not be sold,” Cooper said. 

But board member Matthew McKinnon rejected the idea of a delay. “We have cut this to the bone,” he said. “What the 60 days might do for me is convince me that we need to add to the (staff’s) numbers.” 

The board’s executive officer, Michael Kenny, said automakers did not fully live up to earlier agreements with the state under which they leased a few thousand electric vehicles to Californians. 

Currently, the regulations require that zero-emission vehicles or extremely low-polluting vehicles make up at least 10 percent of the new cars and light trucks offered for sale in California by major manufacturers, starting with 2003 models. 

At least 4 percent would have to be zero-emission vehicles. 

With current technology that would mean auto companies would have to produce about 22,000 electric vehicles the first year. That number would jump to about 38,600 if the companies decide to market only so-called city electric vehicles or neighborhood electric vehicles, which are smaller and have less range than full-size EVs. 

Under the staff proposal, those numbers would drop to 4,650 to 15,450 electric vehicles, depending on the mix of vehicles involved. 

The staff proposals include a long list of incentives designed to ease the impact of the regulations on automakers and increase the variety of vehicles that could help a company meet the state’s requirements. 

For example, they would allow low-polluting hybrid vehicles that have both gasoline and electric motors and can get at least 20 miles between battery charges to count as zero-emission vehicles. 

Another change would change the definition of major manufacturer to a company that sells 60,000 vehicles a year in California instead of 35,000. 

Bonnie Holmes-Gen, a spokeswoman for the American Lung Association, said environmental and health groups wanted the board to increase the number of zero-emission vehicles required under the staff plan so there would be 40,000 on the market in 2010. 

Jerry Martin, an ARB spokesman, said the staff proposal would result in 8,000 to 9,000 zero-emission vehicles in 2010. 

The environmental groups also urged the board not to classify hybrids as zero-emission vehicles and to include trucks and sports utility vehicles weighing up to 8,500 pounds in the vehicles from which the 4 percent and 10 percent requirements would be calculated. 

S. David Freeman, general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, urged the board to reject the staff proposals, saying that automakers hadn’t really tried to market electric vehicles. 

“Have you seen television ads with good looking people wrapped around electric vehicles?” he asked reporters. “Until you do they are not trying to sell them.”