The Week

 

News

Panel seeks ways to tackle chronic BHS problems

By Ben Lumpkin Daily Planet staff
Saturday May 05, 2001

In advance of a communitywide meeting on May 19 to consider a major overhaul in the way Berkeley High School delivers its academic programs, small groups of high school staff and parents have met weekly to ponder the question. -more-


Calendar of Events & Activities

Saturday May 05, 2001


Saturday, May 5

-more-


Letters to the Editor

Saturday May 05, 2001

Four stories on San Pablo good for community -more-


Arts & Entertainment

Staff
Saturday May 05, 2001

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. “Recycling Center” Lets the kids crank the conveyor belt to sort cans, plastic bottles and newspaper bundles into dumpster bins, and become little “dump” workers. $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. (closed Sundays, Memorial Day through Labor Day) Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 647-1111 or www.habitot.org -more-


Pinole Valley gets revenge, shuts out Yellowjackets

By Jared GreenDaily Planet Staff
Saturday May 05, 2001

Kopmar hurt in 3-0 loss; ACCAL title up for grabs -more-


Power panel points to water district

By Judith Scherr Daily Planet staff
Saturday May 05, 2001

Public power advocates spoke out Thursday evening at a forum hosted by Assemblymember Dion Aroner, D-Berkeley. -more-


Panthers romp, 28-0

By Tim Haran Daily Planet Correspondent
Saturday May 05, 2001

Call it glorified batting practice. -more-


City not ready for big quake

By John Geluardi Daily Planet staff
Saturday May 05, 2001

In anticipation of a major earthquake that could isolate Berkeley for up to seven days, the City Council and the Board of Education are holding a joint meeting Tuesday to discuss a preparedness plan. -more-


The Dempster House: a prominent example of a Berkeley Brown Shingle

By Austene Hall and Susan Cerny
Saturday May 05, 2001

Berkeley Observed -more-


Huff, a fighter for life and patients’ rights

Special to the Daily Planet
Saturday May 05, 2001

At age 4 Stephanie Huff’s parents were told she could possibly live until 11. -more-


California crisis brings new talk of energy conservation

The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

In the 1970s, energy conservation was Jimmy Carter in a cardigan telling people to bundle up and turn down the heat. Today, it’s about using energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs, computerized thermostats and motion sensors. -more-


Baja California broke from Mexico 6 million years ago

The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

LOS ANGELES — Baja California was wrenched from mainland Mexico 6 million years ago by a series of earthquakes, starting in earnest the peninsula’s 160-mile push to the northwest, a study says. -more-


Judge rules against bill in smog fee suit

The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

SACRAMENTO — Attorneys who argued against the state’s vehicle smog fees are unlikely to receive an $88 million fee an arbitration board once awarded them, a judge ruled Friday. -more-


Immigrant may be sedated before deportation

The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

SACRAMENTO — A federal attorney is suing the Immigration and Naturalization Service over the case of an illegal immigrant whom the agency has said it might sedate before deporting to China. -more-


Legislators bracing for summer blackouts

The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

MONTEREY — Despite months of seeking solutions to the energy crisis, state officials are still preparing for blackouts this summer, Assembly Speaker Robert Hertzberg said Friday. -more-


State seizes tax boycotter’s records

The Associated Pres
Saturday May 05, 2001

HUNTINGTON BEACH — State tax officials have raided the home and office of an Orange County business owner who has refused to withhold taxes from employee paychecks. -more-


Farmers will be paid for water diverted to save fish

The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

CORCORAN— A federal judge has ruled that the government must pay farmers in the arid Central Valley for depriving them of irrigation water to protect endangered fish. -more-


Number of independent voters nearly doubled

The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

SACRAMENTO — The number of California voters shunning political parties has nearly doubled in 10 years, but Democratic and Republican officials say they aren’t worried. -more-


Kidnapper says he’ll commit child crimes from jail

The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

The man found guilty Wednesday of kidnapping and sexually assaulting an 8-year-old girl has had a lot to say to media representatives in the day following his conviction. -more-


Capital murder, felonies charged in L.A. bus hijacking

The Associated Press The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

LOS ANGELES — Prosecutors filed a potential death penalty murder case Friday against a man who allegedly shot a man and tried to get away by hijacking a bus that sped through downtown until a violent collision that killed a minivan driver. -more-


Death penalty opponents ready for McVeigh execution

The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

SPENCER, Ind. — In a fluorescent-lit barn 40 miles from a federal penitentiary, Glenda Breeden applies paint to 14-foot-tall papier-mache puppets of Uncle Sam and Jesus. -more-


Lawmakers angry over U.N. panel ejection of U.S.

The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

WASHINGTON — The ejection of the United States from the U.N. Human Rights Commission has infuriated lawmakers, and some are calling for withholding $650 million in payments to the United Nations. -more-


Forest road ban to take effect, then be amended

The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration will allow a ban on road-building in much of the nation’s federal forest lands to take effect next week but will propose changes to it in June, Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said Friday. -more-


Unemployment hits 4.5 percent as companies shed jobs

The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

WASHINGTON — The unemployment rate jumped to 4.5 percent in April, reviving fears of recession as companies shed the largest number of jobs in a decade. The White House stoked that concern, suggesting that economic growth in the first quarter might be less than originally reported. -more-


Florida lawmakers overhaul election system

The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Six months after Florida plunged the presidential race into chaos, lawmakers approved a sweeping election overhaul Friday that will banish the hanging chads and butterfly ballots that made the state a laughingstock. -more-


Grocers want clarity on biotech food products

The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

WASHINGTON — Food companies reeling from recalls of biotech corn products say the government shouldn’t let genetically engineered crops go to market unless there are tests to tell those crops apart from conventional varieties. -more-


Pope arrives in Greece, faces centuries of mistrust

The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

ATHENS, Greece — Pope John Paul II arrived in Greece on Friday for a personal pilgrimage with much wider implications: trying to heal nearly 1,000 years of discord between the Vatican and Orthodox churches. -more-


Computer chip designer loses key ruling

The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

SAN FRANCISCO — Computer chip designer Rambus Inc. has lost a crucial round in its legal fight to enforce patent claims that could generate $1 billion in royalties. -more-


Fed study suggests investors are sluggards

By John Cunniff The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

Popular assumptions can create vast misimpressions, such as the one that the typical American household has become a daring investor in stocks, devouring market data and trading aggressively. -more-


Market Watch

The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

NEW YORK — Stocks moved higher Friday as more dismal economic news raised hopes that the Federal Reserve will aggressively cut interest rates. -more-


Businesses focus on Cinco de Mayo to enter Hispanic market

The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

SAN FRANCISCO — Tracking growth of the nation’s Hispanic population, the Cinco de Mayo holiday has become a bull’s-eye for businesses targeting a largely untapped market. -more-


Possibility of an even weaker economy

The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

NEW YORK — Wall Street has no doubt that the stock market and the economy will eventually regain the kind of strength they enjoyed for much of the last decade. -more-


Bears going for 11th straight title

By Jared Green Daily Planet Staff
Friday May 04, 2001

Friday May 04, 2001

MUSEUMS: -more-


Friday May 04, 2001

Rally speakers preached hate -more-


Calendar of Events & Activities

Friday May 04, 2001


Friday, May 4

-more-


Students rally against Bush tax cuts

By John Geluardi Daily Planet staff
Friday May 04, 2001

A group of UC Berkeley sociology students donned traditional blues garb and took up instruments to mock a congressional agreement approving President George W. Bush’s $1.25 trillion tax cut: -more-


Berkeley falls to Gauchos

By Jared Green Daily Planet Staff
Friday May 04, 2001

The Berkeley High boys’ volleyball team has had a tough year. A collection of underclassmen, some of whom never played organized volleyball before this year, the ’Jackets have yet to win a match. Thursday, ACCAL leaders El Cerrito came calling, and the outcome was fairly predictable, as the Gauchos ran off an easy 15-2, 15-12, 15-2 win. -more-


Mayor’s State of the City address sheds light

By Judith Scherr Daily Planet staff
Friday May 04, 2001

School Board balances budget with cuts

By Ben Lumpkin Daily Planet staff
Friday May 04, 2001

After months of discussion and hand-wringing, the Board of Education cut more than $4 million from the district’s 2001-2002 budget Wednesday. -more-


Sports this weekend

Staff
Friday May 04, 2001

Friday -more-


Suspicious box found at building

Daily Planet staff
Friday May 04, 2001

Wind-aided fire burns Oakland residential neighborhood

The Associated Press
Friday May 04, 2001

OAKLAND — A six-alarm fire whipped by 45 mph winds destroyed a four-story building under construction and damaged or destroyed 11 homes early Thursday, fire officials said. -more-


Convicted kidnapper admits part in Xiana case

The Associated Press
Friday May 04, 2001

EBay bans Nazi artifacts and hate-group material

The Associated Press
Friday May 04, 2001

Internet auction giant eBay Inc. is banning the sale of artifacts from Nazi Germany, the Ku Klux Klan and notorious criminals, in hopes of avoiding legal problems in other countries. -more-


U.S. breaks up Ukrainian immigrant smuggling ring

The Associated Press
Friday May 04, 2001

LOS ANGELES — Federal agents broke up a ring that smuggled hundreds of people from the Ukraine into the United States through Mexico and forced some into prostitution, authorities said Thursday. -more-


Berkeley High Jazz Ensemble strong

By Miko Sopler Daily Planet correspondent
Friday May 04, 2001

The Berkeley High Jazz Ensemble -more-


Gardening lilacs can yield many varieties

The Associated Press
Friday May 04, 2001

POUND RIDGE, N.Y.— Lilacs bring mixed emotions, linked in poetry to love but also death. Prized by gardeners in many lands, the flowers’ beauty and fragrance, aside from promptings of joy or sadness, proclaim Spring has fully arrived. -more-


Federal agents seize 260 pounds of ivory at airport

The Associated Press
Friday May 04, 2001

LOS ANGELES — Dining-room chairs and statues concealed more than 200 pounds of ivory in the nation’s biggest seizure of elephant tusks since laws banning their import took effect. -more-


N.Y. students protest standardized testing

The Associated Press
Friday May 04, 2001

SCARSDALE, N.Y. — Nearly 200 eighth-graders boycotted a state science exam with their parents’ blessing Thursday in this well-to-do community of doctors, corporate executives and other high-achievers. -more-


N.J. Senate approves resolution asking for resignation of justice

The Associated Press
Friday May 04, 2001

TRENTON, N.J. — The Senate approved a resolution Thursday urging Supreme Court Justice Peter G. Verniero to resign because he allegedly lied about racial profiling by state police. -more-


Bush orders California agencies to conserve

The Associated Press
Friday May 04, 2001

WASHINGTON — Federal workers in power-strapped California could be taking the stairs and sweating out the summer under an energy conservation directive signed by President Bush Thursday. -more-


Study: Bottled water no better than tap water

The Associated Press
Friday May 04, 2001

GENEVA — Despite perceptions that it’s healthier, there is little difference between bottled water and tap water – apart from cost – a conservation group said Thursday. -more-


U.S. losses seat on U.N. human rights council

The Associated Press
Friday May 04, 2001

UNITED NATIONS — The United States lost its seat Thursday on the top U.N. human rights body for the first time since the commission was formed in 1947. -more-


Napster stands by claim company is healthy

The Associated Press
Friday May 04, 2001

Lucent scientist arrested by FBI for stealing software

The Associated Press
Friday May 04, 2001

NEWARK, N.J. — Two Lucent Technologies scientists and another man – all three of them Chinese-born – were arrested by the FBI on Thursday and accused of stealing Lucent software and sharing it with a company largely run by the Chinese government. -more-


Market Brief

Friday May 04, 2001

Delta pilots now prepare for vote

The Associated Press
Friday May 04, 2001

ATLANTA — Delta Air Lines pilots will soon begin voting on a new contract now that their union’s leadership has endorsed a tentative agreement that could end the threat of a strike at the nation’s third-largest carrier. -more-


Mayor’s state of the city address calls for unity

John Geluardi Daily Planet staff
Thursday May 03, 2001

Mayor Shirley Dean outlined her vision of the city’s future Tuesday, which included a citywide conversion to solar power, creating affordable housing and a controversial 500-space garage under Civic Center Park. -more-


Calendar of Events & Activities

Thursday May 03, 2001


Thursday, May 3

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A neighbor tries to save a very special little girl

By Tom Yamaguchi
Thursday May 03, 2001

It was a mother's worst nightmare. She went to wake her daughter to get up for school, but the child would not wake up. She was unconscious and unresponsive to her mother's panicked reaction. I happened to hear the cry of my West Berkeley neighbor and went out that morning to find out what the matter was. “My baby!” she cried. “Does anyone know CPR!” came the cry from a family immobilized by grief. -more-


Arts & Entertainment

Thursday May 03, 2001

924 Gilman St. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted $5; $2 for a year membership. All ages. May 4: Plan 9, Zodiac Killers, Reverend B. Dangerous Freakshow, Dory Tourette & The Skirtheads, Knockoffs; May 5: Shikabane, Phobia, Harum Scarum, Vulgar Pigeons, Insidious Sorrow; May 11: Subincision, Next to Nothing, Fracus, Thrice, The Average Joe; May 12: The Sick, Impalid, Creuvo, Tearing Down Standards. 525-9926 -more-


Cal makes crew coach Gladstone new AD

By Jared GreenDaily Planet Staff
Thursday May 03, 2001

In a surprise move this week, Cal Chancellor Robert Berdahl announced he had hired crew coach Steve Gladstone to be athletics director of the university. -more-


Speech stirs up parking controversy

By John Geluardi Daily Planet staff
Thursday May 03, 2001

Mayor Shirley Dean’s unveiling of a plan to construct a 500-space parking garage under Civic Center Park was barely unveiled before controversy erupted. -more-


Letters to the Editor

Thursday May 03, 2001

Support and strengthen the United Nations -more-


Bears pound USF

Daily Planet Wire Services
Thursday May 03, 2001

SAN FRANCISCO – Behind outstanding pitching from freshman right-hander Brian Montalbo and a 17-hit attack, Cal powered past San Francisco, 12-1, Tuesday at Benedetti Diamond. -more-


Standardized tests rules schools

By Ben LumpkinDaily Planet staff
Thursday May 03, 2001

Students sound off on taking statewide exams -more-


’Quakes beat Cal in exhibition

Daily Planet Wire Services
Thursday May 03, 2001

The California men’s soccer team was blanked by the San Jose Earthquakes, 6-0, Tuesday afternoon in an exhibition at Golden Bear Soccer Field. -more-


Measures in place to help school deal with meningitis death

By Judith Scherr Daily Planet staff
Thursday May 03, 2001

A 9-year-old girl who died Tuesday morning of bacterial meningitis set off a rapid community response from city health and school officials, who hoped to prevent the spread of both the disease and the rumors it engendered. -more-


Sports shorts

Staff
Thursday May 03, 2001

Panthers sign letters of intent -more-


Police say two should be happy morning scuffle didn’t slice them

By Ben Lumpkin Daily Planet staff
Thursday May 03, 2001

Are you wondering about those two men you saw plunging through the giant plate glass window of north Berkeley’s famous Cheese Board Pizza Wednesday morning? -more-


One killed, seven injured as hijacked L.A. transit bus crashes

The Associated Press
Thursday May 03, 2001

LOS ANGELES — A shooting suspect hijacked a transit bus Wednesday and held a gun to the driver’s head as police chased the bus through downtown until it crashed into a minivan. The van’s driver was killed and seven people were injured, police said. -more-


Vallejo man found guilty of kidnapping 8-year-old girl

The Associated Press
Thursday May 03, 2001

VALLEJO — Curtis Dean Anderson was found guilty Wednesday of kidnapping and sexually assaulting an 8-year-old Vallejo girl who testified that Anderson forced her to drink alcohol before he assaulted her last August. -more-


Feinstein cosponsors bill requiring better gas mileage for SUVs

The Associated Press
Thursday May 03, 2001

Gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles would have to meet the same federal mileage standard as passenger cars under a bill introduced in the Senate. -more-


The new economy is really old stuff

By John Cunniff The Associated Press
Thursday May 03, 2001

It may be a bit early to announce a verdict, but today’s New Economy of computers, the Internet and telecommunications devices not even imagined a century ago may not measure up. -more-


test

Staff
Wednesday May 02, 2001

test -more-


Wednesday May 02, 2001

Wednesday May 02, 2001

Help collect -more-


Calendar of Events & Activities

Wednesday May 02, 2001


Wednesday, May 2

-more-


Student dies of meningitis

By Judith Scherr Daily Planet Staff
Wednesday May 02, 2001

A 9-year-old Oxford School student died Tuesday morning of bacterial meningitis. -more-


May Day fest celebrates workers

By Erika Fricke Daily Planet Staff
Wednesday May 02, 2001

Most of the U.S. work force labored Tuesday, but at the Inkworks print shop in West Berkeley a banner of Che Guevara billowed across the balcony and members of Berkeley’s worker cooperatives celebrated May Day with the rest of the world. -more-


Immersion classes popularity soars

By Ben Lumpkin Daily Planet staff
Wednesday May 02, 2001

Flying in the face of Proposition 227, the voter-approved 1998 law abolishing bilingual education in California schools, the Berkeley brand of bilingual education has become one of the school district’s most popular programs in recent years. -more-


Conflict continues over Civic Center lot

By John Geluardi Daily Planet staff
Wednesday May 02, 2001

The refurbishing of a paved area behind the newly renovated Civic Center building has alarmed park advocates who have been working to create a car-free transition to the park behind the structure. -more-


Bridge bike lanes may be possible

By Erika Fricke Daily Planet Staff
Wednesday May 02, 2001

If the view from the Bay Bridge looks good from the window of a car, it’s even better with the Bay breezes circling your helmet, cyclists promise. -more-


125 arrested in Long Beach May Day protest

The Associated Press
Wednesday May 02, 2001

LONG BEACH — May Day protesters rushed a police line and threw rocks and bottles at officers Tuesday, leading to 125 arrests when the group refused to disperse, authorities said. -more-


Juror dismissed for discussing kidnapping case

The Associated Press
Wednesday May 02, 2001

VALLEJO — A juror was dismissed early Tuesday from deliberations in the case against Curtis Dean Anderson, who is accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting an 8-year-old Vallejo girl last August. -more-


Users say Yahoo quietly extending porn crackdown to chat rooms

The Associated Press
Wednesday May 02, 2001

SAN JOSE — When Yahoo! Inc. got rid of the adult videos and DVDs on its shopping pages last month, the popular Internet site wasn’t done wrestling with pornography. -more-


Chemical leak in Richmond contained, shelter in place

The Associated Press
Wednesday May 02, 2001

RICHMOND — A chemical leak in Richmond that forced residents to stay inside for much of the day Tuesday has been contained, said Contra Costa County health officials. -more-


Lung Association gives 33 counties failing air grades

The Associated Press
Wednesday May 02, 2001

SACRAMENTO — Thirty-three of California’s 58 counties received failing clean-air grades Tuesday from the American Lung Association in its latest report on air pollution levels. -more-


Man sentenced to life for 1963 church bombing

The Associated Press
Wednesday May 02, 2001

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A former Ku Klux Klansman was convicted of murder Tuesday for the 1963 church bombing that killed four black girls, the deadliest single attack during the civil rights movement. -more-


GOP agrees on tax cut plan

The Associated Press
Wednesday May 02, 2001

WASHINGTON — Top congressional Republicans reached tentative agreement Tuesday on next year’s budget, deciding to include a $1.35 trillion, 11-year tax cut that would give President Bush most of the tax reduction he has long treasured but less than he and GOP leaders wanted. -more-


Weakest link in economy: manufacturing

The Associated Press
Wednesday May 02, 2001

High job growth linked to population surges

The Associated Press
Wednesday May 02, 2001

WASHINGTON — There is plenty of work to be found in places like Las Vegas and San Diego. -more-


Market Brief

AP
Wednesday May 02, 2001

NEW YORK — Another wave of optimism swept over Wall Street Tuesday, carrying stocks higher and lifting the Dow Jones industrials to their highest level in nearly three months. -more-


Tuesday May 01, 2001

Vietnamese father answers his American son: living with defeat

Tuesday May 01, 2001

Recent revelations by former Sen. Bob Kerrey about his role in the death of women and children in Vietnam underscore how that war refuses to go away for America. The Vietnam War is an everyday remembrance for Thi Quang Lam – one of the four top South Vietnamese generals – who now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. His son, Pacific News Service Associate Editor Andrew Lam, finally mustered the courage to ask his father questions he has had since arriving here 26 years ago. -more-


Calendar of Events & Activities

— compiled by Chason Wainwright
Tuesday May 01, 2001


Tuesday, May 1

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Students rally to condemnBush’s environmental record

By Judith ScherrDaily Planet staff
Tuesday May 01, 2001

On the occasion of George Bush’s first 100 days, Students for Climate Protection rallied on the UC Berkeley campus Monday, blasting the president for what they called his “disastrous” environmental policies and vowing to do whatever they can locally to save the planet. -more-


Divided panel looks at SAT issue

By Ben Lumpkin Daily Planet staff
Tuesday May 01, 2001

At a time when many say an overemphasis on high-stakes, standardized tests in public schools perpetuates social and economic inequalities, a panel of experts visiting UC Berkeley last Friday discussed the strengths and drawbacks of perhaps the most infamous test of all: the Scholastic Aptitude Test. -more-


Homeless agencies vie for $1.5 million

By John Geluardi Daily Planet staff
Tuesday May 01, 2001

The City Council is pondering grant applications from 15 nonprofit homeless service agencies that are vying for nearly $1.5 million in city and federal funds. -more-


Annual celebration honors struggles of People’s Park

By Jonathan Kiefer Special to the Daily Planet
Tuesday May 01, 2001

At around this time of year in 1969, leaflets appeared on the streets of Berkeley bearing the words: “We are building a park on the land. We will take care of it and guard it, in the spirit of the Costanoan Indians. When the University comes with its land title we will tell them: ‘Your land title is covered with blood. We won’t touch it. Your people ripped off the land from the Indians a long time ago. If you want it back now, you will have to fight for it again.’ ” -more-


Berkeley Daily Planet earns reporting honors

Staff reports
Tuesday May 01, 2001

Scarcely into its third year, the Berkeley Daily Planet picked up an award from the Peninsula Press Club on Friday at its 24th annual awards ceremony. The event drew more than 120 club members and contest participants. -more-


Mayor’s speech will address energy, housing, schools

By John Geluardi Daily Planet staff
Tuesday May 01, 2001

Mayor Shirley Dean will give the annual “State of the City” address tonight and is expected to cover a range of issues including the energy crisis, housing and troubles at Berkeley High School. -more-


Cajoun-Creole band member dies at age 63

By Suzy Thompson Special to the Daily Planet
Tuesday May 01, 2001

The great Cajun-Creole accordion player Danny Poullard died Friday morning of a massive heart attack while in his back yard. He was 63 years old. -more-


SLA fugitive defense given time to appeal for delay

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 01, 2001

LOS ANGELES — A judge Monday rejected a bid by former Symbionese Liberation Army fugitive Sara Jane Olson to delay her attempted-murder trial for five months but gave lawyers at least a week to file an appeal. -more-


Sex-change benefits approved in San Francisco

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 01, 2001

SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco on Monday became the only city in the nation to pay for its employees to receive sex changes, after the Board of Supervisors narrowly passed the measure. -more-


Potential gubernatorial candidate to tour state

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 01, 2001

SACRAMENTO — After keeping a low profile since announcing he may run for governor, Los Angeles investment banker William E. Simon Jr. will make his first campaign-style appearances Tuesday. -more-


Illegal immigrants swamp INS offices to beat deadline

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 01, 2001

LOS ANGELES — With a midnight deadline looming to apply for a visa without leaving the country, thousands of illegal immigrants spent Monday standing in line at Immigration and Naturalization Service offices throughout the state. -more-


Closing arguments in Vallejo kidnapping trial

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 01, 2001

VALLEJO — A jury began deliberating late Monday in the case against Curtis Dean Anderson, who is accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting an 8-year-old Vallejo girl. -more-


Medical residents want shorter work hours

Staff
Tuesday May 01, 2001

The Associated Press -more-


Lead levels deemed safe can still be harmful to child’s IQ

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 01, 2001

BALTIMORE — Children exposed to lead at levels now considered safe scored substantially lower on intelligence tests, according to researchers who suggest one in every 30 children in the United States suffers harmful effects from the metal. -more-


Many senators don’t want investigation into Kerrey

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 01, 2001

WASHINGTON — Some of Bob Kerrey’s former Senate colleagues who served in Vietnam said Sunday they have little desire for a Pentagon investigation into his recent admission that civilians were killed during a mission for which he won the Bronze Star. -more-


Teens drink,drive less in states with stricter limits

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 01, 2001

WASHINGTON — Teens’ drinking and driving has dropped by nearly one-fifth in states with stricter blood-alcohol limits for young people, according to a 30-state survey of high school seniors. -more-


Record number of girls going to jail

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 01, 2001

‘Slings & Arrows’ players hits their mark

By John Angell Grant Daily Planet correspondent
Tuesday May 01, 2001

Black Box Productions – “the anarchist wing of Shotgun Players,” joked playwright/director Rebecca Goodberg – is currently presenting two new challenging and thought-provoking short experimental works at LaVal’s Subterranean Theater in Berkeley. -more-


Reading the consumer mind can be difficult

By John Cunniff The Associated Press
Tuesday May 01, 2001

There is something to be explained about the popular measurements of consumer confidence. A lot, perhaps, but a beginning would be to explain why people won’t buy a refrigerator but will buy a stock. -more-


Video game industry reports rapid growth

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 01, 2001

LOS ANGELES — Computer and video games now represent a $10.5 billion industry that eventually could rival the market for movies, according to a trade organization study. -more-


Wireless data standard gaining much support

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 01, 2001

Water is the star at Berkeley Bay Festival

By Erika FrickeDaily Planet staff
Monday April 30, 2001

The Berkeley Bay Festival offers boat rides, art activities and educational experiences each year. And each year new people are stunned by what the Berkeley Marina has to offer. -more-


Trash causes trouble at Berkeley High

By Ben Lumpkin Daily Planet staff
Monday April 30, 2001

“I basically just flipped,” said Corinne Eno, chair of the Berkeley High school Grounds Committee, describing her reaction when asked to organize a campus clean-up in advance of an Arts Festival today. -more-


Calendar of Events & Activities

Monday April 30, 2001


Monday, April 30

-more-


Letters to the Editor

Monday April 30, 2001

New Temple Beth El will be good for the community -more-


Cardinal use late surge to avoid Bear sweep

By David Stanton Daily Planet Correspondent
Monday April 30, 2001

A capacity crowd of 2413 fans filled Evans Diamond on Sunday to watch the Golden Bears (26-22, 11-10) play the Stanford Cardinal (34-12, 12-6). The Bears, having taken the first two games from Stanford, were looking for a sweep to further their chances at making the post-season. -more-


St. Mary’s has up-and-down day at Top 8

Staff Report
Monday April 30, 2001

The St. Mary’s track & field team once again had a good day at a top meet on Saturday, with several wins at the Top 8 Invitational at James Logan High School. -more-


City plans for more affordable housing

By John Geluardi Daily Planet staff
Monday April 30, 2001

The city plans to develop 100 affordable housing units in the coming year despite ongoing obstacles facing nonprofit developers such as the rising land and construction costs. -more-


Sierra Club suggests energy crisis solutions

By Tracy Chocholousek Special to the Daily Planet
Monday April 30, 2001

Tuning up appliances, opening or closing vents and swapping energy-eating incandescent light bulbs with compact florescent ones are just a few ways Berkeley residents can reduce utility costs in light of California’s energy crisis, a Sierra Club panel said Saturday. -more-


People’s Park skate

Jon Mays/Daily Planet
Monday April 30, 2001

Jay Moody, 22, of North Carolina celebrates the 32nd -more-


Berkeley High School beefing up its security

By Ben Lumpkin Daily Planet staff
Monday April 30, 2001

After police arrested five Berkeley High School students in connection with a series of assaults at the school over the last several weeks, city and school district officials announced late Friday a number of extraordinary measures for boosting safety. -more-


Maximum-security inmates managed outside murders, feds say Associated Press Writer

By Kim Curtis
Monday April 30, 2001

SANTA ROSA – Some send orders to kill through the mail disguised as letters to lawyers. Others scrawl notes in tiny letters on scraps of paper and wrap them in plastic for visitors to hide in their bodies. -more-


Maximum-security inmates managed outside murders, feds say

By Kim Curtis Associated Press Writer
Monday April 30, 2001

SANTA ROSA – Some send orders to kill through the mail disguised as letters to lawyers. Others scrawl notes in tiny letters on scraps of paper and wrap them in plastic for visitors to hide in their bodies. -more-


Utility’s bankruptcy hurting conservation rebates

The Associated Press
Monday April 30, 2001

SACRAMENTO – Pacific Gas and Electric’s bankruptcy filing could hurt the state’s efforts to encourage conservation with energy-efficiency rebates. -more-


Municipal utilities get second look as energy woes grow

The Associated Press
Monday April 30, 2001

SACRAMENTO – More California cities are considering starting their own utilities as the state’s problems with its privately owned power companies drag on. -more-


The battle for digital living rooms is joined

By May Wong AP Technology Writer
Monday April 30, 2001

Companies spending millions on new entertainment tech -more-


Witnesses describe 1969 attack on Vietnamese village

By Tini Tran Associated Press Writer
Monday April 30, 2001

Woman’s statement clashes with Kerrey’s recent account of raid -more-


Opinion

Editorials

UC Regents set to revisit affirmative action vote

The Associated Press
Saturday May 05, 2001

BERKELEY — Six years after capturing the national spotlight by dropping affirmative action admissions, University of California regents are poised to revisit the contentious topic. -more-


State Supreme Court gives boost to seniors’ patient rights

The Associated Press
Friday May 04, 2001

SAN FRANCISCO — About 1.5 million California seniors covered by Medicare-contracted HMOs got a legal boost Thursday from the state’s highest court, which ruled they can sue their health maintenance organizations for damages. -more-


Man pleads guilty to helping Reddy

The Associated Press
Thursday May 03, 2001

OAKLAND — A man charged with smuggling two teenage girls from India into the country for a wealthy Berkeley landlord by posing as their father pleaded guilty as part of a deal with federal prosecutors, according to court documents. -more-


Report shows schools need more money

The Associated Press
Wednesday May 02, 2001

SACRAMENTO — All school districts should receive more school construction money more often, according to a report released Tuesday by the Legislative Analyst’s Office. -more-


Berkeley runners to ‘Breeze’ through Devil Mountain

Bay City News
Tuesday May 01, 2001

Four of the seven Berkeley girls who ran a marathon in Rome last month to raise money to create a lounge at Oakland Children's Hospital in memory of a friend who died of cancer are at it again. -more-


Community helps nonprofits rebuild together

By Diwata Fonte Special to the Daily Planet
Monday April 30, 2001

Nine community organizations and 29 households saved about $500,000 when 1,500 local volunteers completed a flurry of building repairs last Saturday. -more-