The Week
News
Calendar of Events & Activities
Passing the bucks: Campaign finance reform is debating the wrong question
Panthers dominate another BSAL meet
Possible candidates line up for Assembly seat
The primary’s not until March 2002, but a gaggle of State Assembly wannabes are already crowding ‘round the starting gate, elbows set to jab, coffers ready to fill – term limits loom that will eject Dion Aroner from the 14th District Assembly seat next year. -more-
Vander Laan to transfer
Sophomore center Nick Vander Laan has been granted his release to transfer from Cal, head coach Ben Braun announced Wednesday. -more-
Council lends aid to smaller theater
Program fails to help students
A program to address the high failure rate among Berkeley High School freshman – particularly students of color – has failed to yield significant gains after a year and a half, Berkeley High School teachers and administrators reported to the school board Wednesday. -more-
Woman hit by truck mourned
When Jayne Ash would get off from her job as a tuberculosis controller with the State Department of Health, she’d often head for the Jazz School, not far from Hearst and Shattuck avenues, where she worked. -more-
Review done by Navy before practice runs
SAN FRANCISCO — The Navy has decided to do a full environmental review of its proposal to expand its practice runs at a target in Fort Hunter Liggett, about 40 miles south of Big Sur. -more-
Pea planting heralds a new spring
POUND RIDGE, N.Y. — The weather may still feel wintry, with snow barely gone, but gardeners gladly ignore the wind chill factor to celebrate a first rite of spring – planting peas. -more-
Sunflowers are easy to grow and still look great
Sunflowers have changed. It’s as if they’ve been to charm school and been taught manners, thank you! -more-
Planting a tree can be a historic moment
Very quietly, history is coming alive in the yards of thousands of Americans and it is a tree, not a historian, that is doing the telling – telling of patriots and battles, of musicians and industrialists, of space exploration and slavery. -more-
‘The Oresteia’ trilogy makes strong showing
Berkeley Repertory Theatre opened parts two and three of its strong, epic staging of Greek playwright Aeschylus’ 458 B.C. tragic trilogy “The Oresteia” on Wednesday in its new Roda Theater, adjacent to the company’s old space on Addison Street in downtown Berkeley. -more-
Schwab will slash up to 13 percent of work force
SAN FRANCISCO — Concluding that the stock market’s technology craze was a fad, leading online brokerage Charles Schwab Corp. Thursday said it will jettison as many as 3,400 jobs – about 13 percent of its work force. -more-
Microsoft warns of imposter with digital certificates
SEATTLE — Microsoft warned users Thursday that an unauthorized party had obtained digital certificates that would enable someone to falsely represent themselves as the software giant and deliver a computer virus to an unsuspecting recipient. -more-
Dow recovers after hitting bear market area
NEW YORK — Despondent investors intensified their selloff of blue chip stocks Thursday, accelerating the decline in the Dow Jones industrial average and narrowly avoiding bear market territory. -more-
St. Mary’s wins battle for bragging rights
When the two Berkeley-based high school baseball teams play against each other, the players don’t just want to do well to help their team. They want to win bragging rights over their friends on the other team. The St. Mary’s Panthers did just that on Wednesday, downing Berkeley High, 7-5. -more-
Trying to buck backaches
“The spelling book is heavier than it looks,” said sixth-grader Margaret Lawrence, as she leaned forward against the weight of her giant backpack Wednesday. -more-
’Jackets can’t find their offense against University
The Berkeley High boys’ lacrosse team started its game against University (San Francisco) with a bang, with midfielder Ed Hill scoring the game’s first goal on the Yellowjackets’ opening possession. Unfortunately, the ’Jackets went out with a whimper, as they were held scoreless for the next 40 minutes and lost 11-2. -more-
City Council attacks power crisis
The City Council adopted an energy plan Tuesday that will take some of the financial sting out of the energy crisis and begin implementing programs for renewable energy and energy conservation. -more-
Lecture aims to help parents talk to kids
More than 50 parents – many with their children – filled the Berkeley Arts Magnet School Auditorium Tuesday night to hear Dr. Barbara Staggers talk about strategies for better communication between parents and children. -more-
Two more plead guilty in girl’s assault last fall
Latin jazz musician takes his act south
After bringing his salsa sounds to the Bay Area for five decades, a Latin jazz institution is headed south. -more-
Berkeley film focuses on cosmetic surgery
When “Forrest Gump” was released to wild box office success in 1994, the title character was poised to represent the soul of a generation: a man who bumbled his way through every major historical event and cultural trend for 30 years. -more-
Energy futures rise, prices under pressure
NEW YORK — Concerns over shrinking inventories of petroleum products lifted energy futures sharply higher Wednesday at the New York Mercantile Exchange. -more-
Market Brief
NEW YORK — Investors punished stocks once again Wednesday, directing their anger mostly at blue chips as they grappled with disappointment over the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy. The Dow Jones industrials tumbled 233 points, the sixth time in the past nine sessions that the index has dropped by triple digits. -more-
Tree demolitions anger residents
A woman upset by the apparent violation of a city agreement to save eight New Zealand pine trees in front of the Central Library, halted the destruction of their concrete planter boxes and several remaining stumps Tuesday. -more-
Calendar of Events & Activities
Letters to the Editor
Beth El question not about good works but good development -more-
Arts & Entertainment
924 Gilman St. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted $5; $2 for a year membership March 23: 18 Visions, Walls of Jericho, Time In Malta, Undying, Betray the Species; March 24: Workin’ Stiffs, The Bodies, Strychnine, East Bay Chasers, For the Alliance 525-9926 -more-
Revolving door for Willard
One class minus -more-
Study claims there’s not a crisis in parking
The much anticipated Transportation Demand Management study, jointly sponsored by the city and the university, revealed some surprising facts about the state of parking in Berkeley: “Lack of parking has more to do with perception than reality,” said Jeffrey Tumlin, a principal for Nelson Nygaard Consulting Associates, the group which conducted the study. -more-
Group promotes boycott of Starbucks
For some, Starbucks is java heaven. For others, it’s the enemy. -more-
Board agenda includes academic schedule, smoking resolution
The school board is expected to approve the 2001-2002 academic schedule for kindergarten through 12th-grade at its regular board meeting tonight. -more-
Stocks fall sharply after Fed rate cut
NEW YORK — Investors, disappointed by the Federal Reserve’s latest interest rate cut, turned their fury on Wall Street yet again Tuesday, sending prices skidding and leaving the Dow Jones industrials at their lowest level in two years. -more-
Developers appeal 48-unit project permit
The City Council will decide tonight whether to hear an appeal by developers of a proposed four-story project consisting of 48 units of housing with a floor of commercial space at 2700 San Pablo Ave. -more-
Calendar of Events & Activities
Letters to the Editor
Proposed regs for medical pot already found viable -more-
Arts & Entertainment
Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm.”An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels like an earthworm, look into a mirrored fish pond, don farm animal costumes, ride on a John Deere tractor and more. $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 -more-
Sexual diversity training for police
City Council members, community activists and others gathered late Monday afternoon to celebrate the first day of training for the Berkeley Police Department in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues. -more-
Council reviews Wozniak position
The City Council will consider a variety of issues including the controversy surrounding Gordon Wozniak’s position on the Community Environmental Advisory Commission. -more-
POLICE LOGS
A 26-year-old woman returning home from a party was allegedly dragged behind a house by three men and forced to perform oral sex on one of them, police said. -more-
Students stay outside chancellor’s mansion
Some 30 students spent the night outside the mansion of University of California at Berkeley Chancellor Robert Berdahl Monday night to urge the university to work on affordable housing issues. -more-
Mercury News head steps down to urge look at practices
SAN JOSE — Jay Harris, chairman and publisher of the San Jose Mercury News, resigned Monday, saying he hoped his action would prompt the newspaper’s parent company, Knight Ridder, to “closely examine the wisdom” of the paper’s profit targets. -more-
Market Watch
NEW YORK — Investors hoping for a big interest rate cut sent blue chip stocks higher Monday, helping Wall Street’s major indexes recover after last week’s beating. But analysts warned that the market’s mood will likely sour again if the Federal Reserve doesn’t deliver the aggressive action the market wants. -more-
Arts standards draw school board attention
The Berkeley School Board will consider at its regular meeting Wednesday whether to adopt new Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards published by the California State Board of Education in January. -more-
Conversation with James Schevill: reflection on false dreams, words and real stories
Recently, I was privileged to spend several afternoons visiting with James Schevill, esteemed friend and poet, Berkeley born and bred. I would like to share something of our talks about his life and work with Daily Planet readers -more-
Panthers slay Crossroads giant, win state title
Guards lead St. Mary’s past bigger foe -more-
Rules make it tough for disabled to get training and go to work
Aroner calls for legislation to stop punishing disabled who go to work -more-
Roberson’s heroics fall just short as Lady ’Jackets lose
Senior scores 13 points in fourth quarter to lead furious comeback, but Berkeley falls to Narbonne in title game for third time -more-
BHA begins to address needs of Section 8 program
In an attempt to facilitate rent hikes for Berkeley landlords approved by HUD two years ago, the interim manager of the Berkeley Housing Authority discussed the procedure with the Black Property Owners Association on Thursday. -more-
Cal rugby wins own Invitational
It took a while, but the Cal rugby team eked out a 25-0 win over Army Sunday to clinch its own Invitational Tournament. -more-
17-year-old San Pablo boy drowns in Lake Anza
A 17-year old boy from San Pablo drowned in Lake Anza Saturday afternoon, despite his friends’ attempts to rescue him. -more-
Traffic study finally here
A joint city and university study has been released, about eight months after it had been anticipated. The study addresses traffic congestion and transit use in and around the campus area. It will play an important role in informing planning programs and strategies of the university and the city, particularly around such volatile questions as whether to increase parking. -more-
Benecia’s solar houses failed to bring anticipated savings
20-year-old experimental neighborhood not living up to promises, owners say -more-
Emeryville-bound train derails; one person dead
Overnight Amtrak crash injures 90; investigators unsure what caused wreck -more-
Census technology changes backroom politics to mouse-driven activism for redistricting
OAKLAND – In the upstairs room of a mission-style library, two dozen men and women lean over giant maps of the East Bay and consult color-coded computer printouts showing where Hispanics, blacks, Asians, Republicans and Democrats live. -more-
AltaVista to roll out online newsstand
Search engine hopes to keep results more current -more-
Pot growing limits on council agenda
The City Council will have to hash out one final problem in the Medical Marijuana Ordinance it will consider Tuesday night – what amounts individuals and collectives will be allowed to grow and possess. -more-
Calendar of Events & Activities
Subterranean take on ‘Tempest’ tale taxing
Last weekend Subterranean Shakespeare began its 14th season of low-budget productions of the Bard at LaVal’s Subterranean with a modern-dress production of Shakespeare’s last play “The Tempest.” -more-
Berkeley teams face bigger foes
For the first time ever, two Berkeley high school basketball teams could bring home state championships in the same season. But if the Berkeley Lady ’Jackets and the St. Mary’s Panthers are to win their respective titles, they will both have to overcome bigger, stronger opponents. -more-
Students learn from microsociety
Fifth-graders Erin Williams and Keila Russell lead busy lives. -more-
Bears fall to Fresno St. in NCAA tournament
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Demetrius Porter scored a career-high 27 points and helped stem three second-half comebacks by California as ninth-seeded Fresno State beat the Bears 82-70 on Friday night in the first round of the South Regional. -more-
Hundreds turn out for David Horowitz speech, discussion
In the 1960s, then UC Berkeley master’s student and campus activist David Horowitz was hauled before the campus administration and disciplined for holding an unscheduled “rally” for a liberal cause. -more-
Bears fall to powerful ASU to open Pac-10 play
Last year, Arizona State was a team experts predicted would be hampered by inexperience and youth. They only won the Pac-10 championship and advanced to a NCAA regional final. Cal’s baseball team has such lofty goals, but they are now the inexperienced team in the Pac-10, and their inexperience showed this afternoon in a frustrating 7-4 loss to the Sun Devils at Evans Diamond. -more-
East Bay Depot gets temporary reprieve
It’s got boxes of old buttons, stacks of paper of all shapes, sizes and colors, lots of paper clips and ribbons. -more-
Maps can be important in understanding history
Berkeley Observed -more-
ACLU, school district settle banned book dispute
ANAHEIM — Biographies on homosexuals will be returned to a school library under terms of a settlement between the American Civil Liberties Union and the Anaheim Union High School District. -more-
State jobless rate lowest in three decades
SACRAMENTO — California may be in the midst of an energy crisis and a high-tech slowdown, but those developments are not yet affecting the state’s employment rate, which is at a three-decade low. -more-
Dow closes week 821 points down
NEW YORK — It felt at first like stocks had perhaps hit bottom this past week – and not just once, but twice. -more-
Opinion
Editorials
UC Berkeley marks 133 years
The University of California at Berkeley is turning 133 years old, and the campus is taking the occasion to celebrate its history, particularly its “Nobel” past. -more-
Court rules workers can be forced into arbitration
Lawsuit against bookstore chains allowed to continued
SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge Tuesday allowed a lawsuit to proceed against Barnes & Noble Inc. and Borders Group Inc. filed by independent booksellers who allege the chains receive illegal preferential treatment from publishers for secret deals and steep discounts. -more-
The bad news hasn’t sunk in yet
NEW YORK — For people who’d turn blue were an errant wind to blow away a $20 bill, investors seem remarkably detached, even blase, about seeing more than $4 trillion in equity assets disappear into the air. -more-
Singing officers release CD to educate kids
SAN FRANCISCO – Several crooning Newark cops were rocking in their dress blues at Parkway Heights Middle School this week to promote the release of their new CD — all in the name of traffic safety education. -more-
Census leaves social agencies worried
LOS ANGELES — At the downtown headquarters of Chicana Service Action Center, soon-to-be released U.S. Census Bureau statistics represent more than numbers. -more-