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Megawatts, volts and all that explained -more-

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In a bid to encourage more landlords to rent to the poor, the Berkeley Housing Authority will consider guaranteeing security deposits for Section 8 tenants. -more-

After a three hour teach-in on the California energy crisis Sunday community members endorsed a resolution to pursue public ownership of utilities, and to refuse to pay the 9 percent rate hike if it becomes permanent. -more-

While UC profs are proffering manifestoes to solve California’s energy crisis and Berkeley radicals are rallying for a state takeover of the gas and electric industries, a few locals, calling themselves Public Utility Kinship Exhibition (PUKE) decided to take matters into their own hands Monday. -more-

SAN JOSE — Driven by the expansion of the Internet and demand for communications equipment, worldwide sales of semiconductors topped $200 billion in 2000, an industry group said Monday. -more-

The Associated Press -more-

OAKLAND — A woman who impersonated her sister in public after stuffing her dismembered body in a freezer was sentenced Monday to life without parole, and barred from profiting from the crime. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Blame Canada. -more-

LOS ANGELES — A dozen years after leaving the White House and looking forward to sunset years chopping wood and riding horses, Ronald Reagan celebrates his 90th birthday as a recluse battling old age with Alzheimer’s disease and a broken hip. -more-

SACRAMENTO — Seeking to stabilize California’s wild energy market, the governor Monday pursued the first of $10 billion in state power-buying agreements and seized millions of dollars in utility electricity contracts. -more-

WASHINGTON — Standing by his word, President Bush will allow a federal order to expire Tuesday that required wholesale electricity companies to sell to California’s cash-strapped utilities, Bush’s spokesman said. -more-

Walt Disney meets Franz Kafka – sort of – in Michael McClure’s 1979 play “Josephine the Mouse Singer,” which Berkeley’s Last Planet Theater revived Saturday at SomArts in San Francisco, in an unusual musical production that contains a powerful original score by world-renown Bay Area composer Terry Riley. -more-

WASHINGTON — The unbridled joy of children extends into to the federal tax code, where parents can qualify for breaks for education expenses and student loans, adoption costs and even for simply having a child at all. -more-

A group of Berkeley residents and students at UC Berkeley took advantage of yesterday’s warm weather and played a series of pick-up basketball games at People’s Park. Although people across the Bay Area broke out shirt-sleeves and shorts this weekend, the National Weather Service promises cooler weather for the next few days, beginning this afternoon. Winds should pick up to 15 mph by 4:00 p.m. and temperatures are predicted to the -more-

Monday, Feb. 5

The sickening smell of beer in northwest -more-

Jeff Trepagnier’s return to Southern California’s lineup has given the Trojans’ offense a big lift. But it was his defense that made the difference against California. -more-

Utility Allowance may jump to between 25 and 40 percent for Section 8 recipients -more-

Cal women beat UCLA to end SoCal road trip -more-

Dr. Davida Coady lives in the home her family bought, in 1965, high in the Berkeley hills. A lemon tree laden with fruit graces the front window, birds cruise a painted bird house and a piano stands ready. It is a place full of light and calm where one could escape the world. Instead the visitor is led straight into the heart of what matters. -more-

Shaking off a rough third inning and a clutch home run by their opponent, the Cal baseball team scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to beat Santa Clara in the Bears’ home opener at Evans Diamond on Saturday. -more-

Researchers from one of the world's most technologically-advanced countries, Finland, and researchers at the International Computer Science Institute (ICSI) and the University of California, Berkeley, will launch a collaboration to spark new discoveries in computer science, e-commerce, intellectual property rights and the sociology of theinformation society. -more-

The Bears cruised to a 51-19 victory over Davis Saturday. The victory part was good. The cruising part was not. -more-

Dr. James A. Donahue a scholar, ethicist and administrator at Georgetown University has accepted the leadership role of president of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. -more-

Environment-friendly policies don’t always get results; SUVs and huge homes eat up power, contribute to current power shortage -more-

Californians looking to save power and money; products flying off store shelves -more-

DNA evidence proves that skull found in Santa Cruz Mountains is hers; search for kidnappers still ongoing -more-

UNION CITY – Inside the modest home of Cora Lorenzo, where she claims mysterious oils appear on small religious statues and crucifixes, the real miracle may be that she can squeeze in all the visitors. -more-

Former schools superintendent gave his girlfriend district contract -more-

Cellphones can connect users to lots of information -more-

Senior citizens can have complex tax issues, but also different rules -more-

WASHINGTON – The number of taxpayers likely to be entangled in the complex alternative minimum tax is projected to reach 1.5 million this year, twice as many as three years ago. Increasingly, unsuspecting middle-class people are being affected. -more-

The Planning Commission is asking the City Council to save crafts and manufacturing jobs in west Berkeley by enacting a moratorium on the construction and expansion of office space. -more-

Saturday, Feb. 3

Community takes a hard look at Berkeley High -more-

As the story goes, Canadian playwright George F. Walker, born and raised in Toronto’s industrialized inner city, was driving a cab in the early 1970s when he saw a poster for a local theater company requesting original scripts. -more-

St. Mary’s John Sharper missed the game’s opening shot, but he and the rest of the aggressive Panthers team didn’t miss much else as they cruised to a 78-50 win over St. Joseph’s on Friday night. -more-

By Erika Fricke -more-

3-1 defeat gives St. Patrick-St. Vincent first-round bye -more-

Principal Patricia Saddler of LeConte School knows how she wants to spend the $22,225 award the state just granted the school because of its improved performance on the Stanford 9 test. -more-

Berkeley now 7-0 in ACCAL -more-

Smoke and fire pour from a home at 782 Contra Costa Road midday on Friday. Firefighters had the blaze under control in about 20 minutes. The single-alarm blaze that was reported at 11:40 a.m. was probably caused by an electrical malfunction, Assistant Chief David Orth said. Nobody was injured in the fire, which destroyed the second floor of the home and killed two parakeets. Orth reported an early estimate of at least $200,000 damage. -more-

FOSTER CITY — Webvan Group could be among the first few dot-coms to push for unionization, but union activists say company rules are hurting their efforts. -more-

WASHINGTON — California power plants shut down during the state’s energy crisis had legitimate repair needs, federal regulators looking into allegations of market manipulation said Friday. -more-

WILLITS — California taxpayers are sinking $60 million into reopening a North Coast railroad that has repeatedly fallen victim to a quagmire environment, crippling costs and chronically poor maintenance and management. -more-

LOS ANGELES — Corrupt ex-policeman Rafael Perez will remain in local custody because moving him to state prison would place him in potential danger, a judge ruled Friday. -more-

SACRAMENTO— California’s legislative counsel has concluded a new state law bars consignment sales of many used handguns, prompting criticism from firearms dealers and owners. -more-

SACRAMENTO — The California Department of Fish and Game recommended Friday that coho salmon north of San Francisco Bay be considered for the state’s endangered species list as a result of its “dramatic and significant decline.” -more-

NEW YORK — With corporate earnings season almost over and two interest rate cuts under its belt, the stock market might appear poised for a February rally. -more-

In a solemn ceremony Thursday, Fire Chief Reginald Garcia swore in 12 of 14 fire officials who had earned promotions. -more-

Utilities acted irresponsibly; why should consumers pay? -more-

Friday, Feb. 2

Friday, Feb. 2 -more-

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A diverse group of 75 people attended the first public planning meeting Wednesday on the design and use for the last undeveloped site downtown – the Oxford Street parking lot. -more-

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An unidentified man, who is a regular at a doughnut shop at the intersection of Ashby and College avenues, suffered a serious head injury on Wednesday night. Alta Bates Hospital is asking the public’s help in identifying -more-

A record number of California high school seniors have applied for admission to UC Berkeley for the fall 2001 freshman class, including an unprecedented number of African American, Chicano, Latino and American Indian students. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — The University of California, San Francisco said Wednesday it will use a $15 million gift to maintain documents on the tobacco industry in a permanent online archive and to establish a research center to study the material. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — One person was killed in a drive-by shooting Thursday afternoon on a busy highway leading out of San Francisco. -more-

The state of California has good news for high school seniors who are looking for money to attend college next fall. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — A majority of Californians believe the state’s economy is strong, but residents’ optimism about their own financial prospects is at its lowest point in five years, a new poll shows. -more-

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While prosecutors investigate whether a dog owner should be held criminally responsible for a 33-year-old woman’s death, family and friends were expected to attend a memorial service at St. Mary’s College in Moraga where Diane Whipple coached the women’s lacrosse team. -more-

The Associated Press -more-

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WASHINGTON — More than half of Americans are concerned that California-like energy problems could hit their communities, yet most oppose exploring for more oil in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, according to a poll by The Associated Press. -more-

Q: Our refrigerator light bulb went out, and we tried replacing it with two new ones, but we’re still in the dark. What should we check out next? -more-

Buying a house is just the beginning. Before long, you’ll be repairing it, too. Fortunately, many building components – foundation, framing, plumbing and wiring – should last 50 years or more. But mechanical systems, appliances and surfaces exposed to the weather will not last nearly that long, even under the best of circumstances. -more-

Wood floors of the Victorian era, with plain, unfinished planks, have given way to parquet designs. Restoring these floors goes a long way to creating an authentic period look. Unlike unfinished planks that got their charm from natural wear patterns, shiny strip and parquet floors benefited from new finishing products such as oil, varnishes and shellacs, that added a special look to the floorboards. -more-

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. -more-

Thursday, Feb. 1

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. -more-

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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. -more-

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.” -more-

Angelita Hutton – Berkeley High -more-

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

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. -more-

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

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. -more-

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. -more-

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. -more-

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. -more-

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

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. -more-

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. -more-

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. -more-

By Michelle Hopey -more-

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

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Wednesday, Jan. 31

By Erika Fricke -more-

Labs should test staff blood -more-

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. -more-

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. -more-

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. -more-

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. -more-

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. -more-

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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. -more-

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. -more-

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

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. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Business owners say a proposed ban to keep truck deliveries out of the city’s financial district could wreak havoc on their bottom lines by preventing them from receiving necessary supplies. -more-

Usually jammed with cars, Telegraph Avenue was shut down for nearly an hour Sunday afternoon while police questioned a young man allegedly involved in a burglary, according to a police officer at the scene. -more-

SACRAMENTO — With a $10 billion power-buying plan in place after two days of vote-wrangling, lawmakers prepared Friday for more contentious negotiations over what to do, if anything, about $12 billion in debts claimed by the state’s biggest utilities. -more-

The Associated Press -more-

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. -more-

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. -more-