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News

Tough semester for Rebound program teacher

By Ben Lumpkin Daily Planet staff
Saturday June 23, 2001

“Welcome to my chaos,” said Katrina Scott-George, as she watched a reporter walk into her Berkeley High math classroom a few weeks ago. 

It was a perfunctory greeting. 

Not that Scott-George wasn’t willing – eager, really – to explain how she and five other first time teachers have done more in six months to chip away at the “achievement gap” than the school district has managed in years (at least by their estimation).  

It’s just that she’s seen it all as far as the media goes: the San Francisco Chronicle, the online magazine Salon, the Berkeley High Jacket. 

She’s watched her students squirm in their seats as photographer flash bulbs lit up the room like an electric storm. 

And it hasn’t made a bit of difference. The Rebound program, of which Scott-George is a part, is slated for termination at the end of this summer, unless the school board comes up with more money at the final hour. 

Even more hurtful for Scott-George is the feeling that, despite the media frenzy, her work at Berkeley High has somehow escaped the notice of Berkeley school administrators. 

Two weeks after this reporter’s visit, Scott-George would stand in front of the Berkeley School board and say, with an air of total resignation: “I’m feeling that there isn’t much point speaking to this body. I feel that this body doesn’t listen.” 

And the thing is, it’s just so obvious to Scott-George, and other supporters of the Rebound program, what needs to be done. 

A civil engineer by training, Scott-George moved to Berkeley from Connecticut recently and enrolled her child in Berkeley High School. She’d heard about the achievement gap separating students of color from their peers at the school, but she was “shocked,” she said, to see how little was being done to address the gap. 

Last fall Scott-George joined a group called Parents of Children of African Descent (PCAD) to demand that the school district institute special classes – with fewer students and more instructional time – to keep freshman students of color who were failing their classes from falling further behind at the school. 

In the smaller classes, teachers could meet these students where they were, build relationships of trust, and get the students to truly engage in their academic work at the high school for the first time, PCAD members argued. 

The school district approved the Rebound program in January to run though the second semester and into the summer. When it proved impossible for the district to find experienced teachers to staff the program on such short notice, Scott-George volunteered. 

After six months as a Rebound math teacher – she received her emergency teaching credential midway through the semester – Scott-George has seen her worst suspicions about what happens to students of color who arrive at Berkeley High unprepared confirmed. 

To begin with, Scott-George has seen just how unprepared many of these students are when the step onto the Berkeley High campus. Rebound administered a math preparation test to its 50 students back in January, testing the most basic concepts they should have picked up from the sixth grade on, Scott-George said. Only eight out of 50 got more than 50 percent of answers correct. 

Other Rebound teachers tell stories of students who couldn’t write a complete sentence in English being asked to read, discuss and write about English literature in freshman English classes. 

“My experience has been that the greatest reason that they have not engaged in math (before Rebound) is that the preparation has not occurred,” Scott-George said. 

“If they can’t engage in it, there is nothing else for them to do but horseplay,” she said. 

Scott-George and other Rebound supporters understand that the reasons these students have fallen so far behind are numerous and complex. What they don’t understand, they have said again and again, is how the school district can stand by and watch as these kids are assigned to classes at Berkeley High where they have little hope of success. 

As long as this continues to happen, they argue, a large part of the African American and Latino communities will remain alienated and marginalized at Berkeley High, feeling that the school consistently fails to serve their interests. 

“Parents feel like they’re giving they’re children to the school and getting back garbage,” said an exasperated Scott-George. “And the school, I guess, feels that they’re getting garbage and what can they do?” 

After this summer, the 50 Rebound students will resume their place in regular Berkeley High classes as sophomores. PCAD members are already worried about their transition. Debrah Watson, a member of the PCAD Steering Committee, said the group is in the process of hiring a counselor to work closely with the 50 PCAD students for at least for the first couple months of school – until funds run out.  

With only 50 students to look after, instead of the 500 students assigned to each of the school’s existing guidance counselors, PCAD members hope this temporary employee will be able to make the move from the close-knit Rebound community back into the huge, comprehensive school a little less abrupt. 

For her part, Scott-George tried to prepare her students for the tough transition ahead by giving them an challenging, double-period test a few weeks ago. 

Some of the students registered their discontent with a return to the horseplay and willful disobedience they have indulged in so often before Rebound. 

“This is how they act when they’re angry,” Scott-George said. 

To the students, she said: “I know that was tough. I knew it would be tough. Why am I giving you challenging problems? Because I expect you can do challenging work.” 


Calendar of Events & Activities

Saturday June 23, 2001


Saturday, June 23

 

Maudelle Shirek turns 90 

North Berkeley Sr. Center 

1900 Hearst Ave. 

2-4 p.m. 

90 people will talk about their experiences with the vice mayor. 

$25/sliding scale. 549-1861. 

 

“Feast of Fire” benefit  

for the Crucible 

10:30 p.m. 

The Crucible 

1036 Ashby Ave. 

Act III, The Flight of Icarus, will feature live music and performances by several groups including Capacitor and Xeno. Price of admission benefits the Crucible, a multi-disciplinary community arts center. $20 at the door. 

 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market 

Summer Solstice Celebration 

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

Civic Center Park 

Center St. and MLK Jr. Way 

Farmers market plus crafts fair and live reggae and jazz. 

548-3333 

 

Strawberry Creek Walking Tour 

10 a.m. - Noon 

Learn about Strawberry Creek’s history, explore its neighborhoods, and consider its potential. Meet four experts on the local creeks. Reservations required, call 848-0181. 

 

Energy-Efficient Wood Windows 

9:30 - 11:30 a.m. 

Truitt and White Lumber 

642 Hearst Avenue 

Free seminar by Marvin Window’s representative Chris Martin on how to measure and install the double-hung Tilt Pac replacement unit, as well as a review of the full line of Marvin’s energy-efficient wood windows. 

649-2574 

 

What You Need to Know Before You Build or Remodel 

10 a.m. - Noon 

The Building Education Center 

812 Page Street 

Free seminar by professional builder Glen Kitzenberger. 

525-7610 

 

Choosing to Add On: The Pros and Cons of Building an Addition 

Noon - 2 p.m. 

The Building Education Center 

812 Page Street 

Free seminar by author/designer Skip Wenz 

525-7610 

 

Schools for Chiapas Benefit 

7 p.m. 

Lost City 23 Club 

23 Vistitacion Ave., Brisbane 

El Camioncito Escolar Por La Paz en Chiapas  

“The Little School Bus for Peace in Chiapas” is coming to the Bay Area after two months on the road accompanying the Zapatistas on their historic march to Mexico City. Benefit show featuring Fleeting Trace and other bands. 18 and over. Ride to the show on “The Little School Bus for Peace in Chiapas.” Meet at the downtown Berkeley BART station on Shattuck at 6 p.m. Sharp! 

 

Our Nations Speak 

8 p.m. 

La Peña Cultural Center 

3105 Shattuck Avenue 

Voices Writing Workshop faculty will read from their works. Proceeds will go to attendees of one of the two week-long workshops who cannot attend without financial support. The Voices Writing Workshop nurtures developing writers through the perspectives of writers of color. $10 donation requested. 415-422-5488 

 

Midsummer’s Festival 

1 - 5 p.m. 

People’s Park 

Telegraph and Haste 

Strange News, Something of Substance, and The American Lion perform live to celebrate the park’s 30th summer. 


Sunday, June 24

 

Hands-On Bicycle Repair  

Clinics  

11 a.m. - Noon  

Recreational Equipment, Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Learn how to fix a flat from one of REI’s bike technicians. All you need to bring is your bike. Free  

527-4140 

 

Uncle Eye 

2 p.m. 

Berkeley-Richmond Jewish 

Community Center 

1414 Walnut Ave. 

Come see Ira Levin, a.k.a. Uncle Eye, give a special performance as a fund-raiser for a television pilot to be filmed this summer. $7 - $10. 848-0237  

www.uncle-eye.com 

 

Carefree/Carfree Tour 

1 p.m. 

Berkeley Arts Festival Gallery 

2200 Shattuck Avenue 

Artful garden tour, part of the Berkeley Arts Festival. Ride AC Transit to Marcia Donohue and Mark Bulwinkle’s Our Own Stuff Garden and Gallery, then walk to the Dry Garden. 486-0411 

 

Carefree/Carfree Tour #2 

1:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Arts Festival Gallery 

2200 Shattuck Avenue 

Ride the bus to the Codornices Creek Restoration Project and the Peralta Community Garden and enjoy a concert by Nicole Miller. 

486-0411 

 

Music and Meditation 

8 - 9 p.m. 

The Heart-Road Traveller 

1828 Euclid Avenue 

Group meditation using instrumental music and devotional songs. Free. 496-3468  

 

Buddhist Philosophy 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Barr Rosenberg, co-dean of the Nyingma Institute, will present some of the central ideas and perspectives of the Madhyamaka School of Buddhism. 843-6812 


Monday, June 25

 

Tectonic Theater Project 

7 p.m. 

Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theater 

2015 Addison Street 

“Page to Stage: Surviving the Media” is a conversation with the Tectonic Theater Project and professor Douglas Foster. The Tectonic Theater Project traveled to Laramie, Wyoming after the murder of openly gay student Matthew Shepard and wrote a play about the impact The Laramie Project is running through July 8 at the Berkeley Rep. 647-2900 

 

What You Need to Know Before You Build or Remodel 

7 - 9 p.m. 

The Building Education Center 

812 Page Street 

Free seminar by professional builder Glen Kitzenberger. 

525-7610 

 

NOW Meeting 

6:30 p.m. 

Mama Bears Book Store 

6537 Telegraph Avenue 

The general meeting of the National Organization for Women. 

 

Parks and Recreation Commission 

7 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Avenue 

Regular meeting, including the Civic Center Park Draft Environmental Impact Report and the Draft General Plan. Also, Director’s Update on Eastshore State Park Planning Process. 

981-6707 or 981-6903 (TDD) 

 

 

 

 

— compiled by Sabrina Forkish and Guy Poole 

 

 

 

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 Don, 525-3565 

 


Wednesday, June 27

 

Conversations in Commedia 

7:30 p.m. 

La Pena 

3105 Shattuck Ave. 

The series pairs radical theater “elders” to share memories of their years in Commedia. This week with former Mime Troupe actress Audrey Smith and Ladies Against Women character Selma Spector. $6 - $8. 

849-2568 

 

Disaster Council 

7 p.m. 

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar Street 

Update on Measure G. 

644-8736 

 

Socratic Circle Discussion 

5 p.m. 

Cafe Electica 

1309 Solano Avenue 

Gather for espresso and discussion at the “green” teen cafe. Open to all. Free. 

527-2344 

 


Thursday, June 28

 

 

Quit Smoking Class 

6 - 8 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center 

2939 Ellis Street 

A six week quit smoking class. Free to Berkeley residents and employees. 

Call 644-6422 or e-mail at: quitnow@ci.berkeley.ca.us 

 

Summer Noon Concerts 2001 

Noon - 1 p.m. 

Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza 

Shattuck at Center St. 

Weekly concert series. This week Berkeley Opera performs pieces of Carmen. 

 

Pink Slip Party and Career Mixer 

6 - 9 p.m. 

Pyramid Brewery and Alehouse 

901 Gilman Street 

Meet with East Bay job seekers while listening to music by DJ and Emcee Marty Nemko. Also, cash bar, free hors d’oeurves, and prize giveaways. Free and open to the public. Call 251-1401. 

www.eastbaytechjobs.com/mixer/ 

 

Take the Terror Out of Talking! 

Noon to 1:30 p.m. 

California Dept. of Health Services 

2151 Berkeley Way 

Room 804 

Open house at State Health Toastmasters Club to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Free. 

649-7750 


Letters to the Editor

Saturday June 23, 2001

Investigate pedestrian death 

 

The Daily Planet received this letter originally addressed to the mayor and council: 

We are writing to request your assistance in addressing critical issues related to the March 13, 2001 collision at the intersection of Hearst and Shattuck avenues, which resulted in the death of our friend and co-worker, Jayne Ash.  

At the May 17, 2001 Transportation Commission meeting, a report was presented by Reh-Lin Chen, traffic engineer of the Berkeley Public Works Department summarizing the incident and suggesting possible remedies. The report was inadequately investigated, as it focused on the layout of the intersection with only one logistical improvement suggested for that intersection. Further, it focused on the fact that Jayne’s death was the only pedestrian fatality at this particular intersection in the past few years, and deemed it an “isolated case.”  

Moreover, the report neglected to consider the density of pedestrian and bicycle accidents within the two-mile radius of the university and downtown. This problem has been acknowledged in Berkeley police reports and verified by our own experience crossing Shattuck Avenue on a daily basis. There have been dozens of collisions, and some deaths, of both pedestrians and cyclists within only a few blocks along this area of Shattuck in the past few years.  

We feel strongly that all of the factors contributing to Jayne’s death need to be thoroughly investigated in order to be able to ensure that this type of accident does not occur again, and that some benefit may arise from the death of our healthy, pedestrian-law-abiding co-worker. While we are not traffic safety experts, we believe the following questions must be addressed in order to begin such an investigation, and answers provided to all interested parties: 

Collision-specific issues: 

• Did the driver see Jayne before hitting her? 

• If not, was this due to inattention, light glare, poor vision, impairment due to drugs, a structural defect of the truck, or some other cause or combination of causes? 

Commercial and construction issues: 

• Was the truck (a concrete pumping truck) traveling to or from a construction site, on an approved route for construction vehicles? 

• Was the driver licensed and appropriately trained to drive a commercial vehicle? 

• Had the truck been recently inspected for commercial use by an appropriate government agency? Was it inspected immediately after the accident? 

Contextual issues 

• Are the speed limits and the timing of traffic lights appropriate for the volume of pedestrian and bicycle travel on Shattuck and Hearst avenues? 

• Are pedestrian safety laws adequately funded and enforced?  

Comprehensive measures are clearly indicated. We understand that the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety (BAPS) Plan, which is currently before the City Council Budget Committee, addresses some of these global issues. We were surprised to learn that the plan was not initially fully funded, and shocked that many portions of the plan that were funded have still not been implemented. Why is this situation continuing, and how will it be rectified? 

We strongly urge you to fully fund this plan in the City budget for this fiscal year, and to clearly delineate the persons/offices responsible for each aspect of BAPS implementation, including timelines.  

We are committed to ensuring that these issues are resolved immediately. Unfortunately, we have still have not received any answer to our letter of April 5, 2001 that outlines why pedestrian safety in Berkeley is a public health emergency, and should be treated as such. Please let us know who is responsible for responding to this life-threatening situation, and whom we should contact for follow-up. 

To Berkeley Daily Planet readers- we urge you to write or call your councilmember to take decisive, immediate action on this public health emergency. One way to contact your councilmember is through the city clerk’s office by email at clerk@ci.berkeley.ca.us. 

 

Joan Sprinson, Berkeley 

Melissa Ehman 

and 20 others 

 

 

Readers: the letter that ran Friday called “Beth El Planning process worked” inadvertently had its author’s name omitted. It was written by James H. Samuels AIA, of Berkeley. -editor 

 

Bush here in Berkeley? 

 

Editor: 

At the June 13 meeting of the Claremont Elmwood Neighborhood Association, a P.G.&E representative was invited to speak about energy conservation. He explained the current crisis as being generated by a 30 percent growth in demand, while supply has only grown 6 percent. He then presented a series of tips which consisted of replacing light bulbs with more efficient bulbs, cleaning furnace filters regularly and keeping the lint filter and the exhaust vent clean on one’s clothes dryer. He did note that gas dryers were more efficient, and that homes should be insulated and that newer double pane windows saved heat.  

No mention was made of the threatened rolling blackouts, or changing energy habits to reduce usage, not even of hanging out clothes to dry in the summer sunshine and heat.  

What was presented was the George W. Bush energy plan. That is, you don’t have to give up anything, just tinker here and there and you can continue consuming.  

Implied in the opening remarks is the idea that we must increase supply. Bush in Berkeley, what a concept. 

 

John Cecil  

Berkeley 

 

Win-win answer for Beth El  

 

Editor: 

Why is this Beth El business so complicated? City policy says open the creeks. That is a good thing; opening the creeks will make our community a nicer place to live.  

Berkeley is the most densely built city in the area. It is safe to say that open space is more important to us than more buildings. 

Right now, we are looking at a vacant lot; if we are going to open the creek, no better time then now. Maybe that means scaling back the project, but I’ve been to the site, and there is plenty of room for anything short of the Taj Mahal. And scaling it back is going to make for a lot of happy neighbors. Open creek; less intrusive buildings; new synagogue; everyone’s happy. Why can’t this work? 

And, please, no more letters about how Beth El is such a wonderful community member. Come on guys, this is not about who you are, its about what you’re building – unless you believe that good works should allow you to trample over the interests of your fellow citizens. Let’s just stick talking about how appropriate this structure is for the land, the neighborhood, and the city. OK? 

 

Steen Jensen 

Berkeley 

 

Thanks where thanks is due 

 

Editor: 

With the improvements to the downtown area partial completed Berkeley citizens have a wonderful opportunity to compare the area before and after improvement. From the Berkeley Public Library building north on Shattuck the messy trees that once cluttered the sidewalk have been replaced by smaller and cleaner trees in the traffic median where they will not block the beautiful signage of the downtown business establishments. The space once taken up by these messy trees are now devoted to lovely poster resistant light posts making for a sterile and shade free plaza like space which will discourage dawdling and surely increase commerce. 

Compare this with the area to the south of the library which is still dangerously darkened by the oppressive canopy of foliage from the mature trees that remain, blocking important signs and storefronts and encourage pedestrians to stand or sit still in this high traffic venue. 

I hope that after comparing the unimproved with the improved space in downtown Berkeley citizens will give the Downtown Berkeley Association, Mayor Dean and all the city planners and elected officials who fostered these improvements the thanks they are due and remember their work when they offer up further improvements. 

Robert Nichols 

Berkeley 


Arts & Entertainment

Saturday June 23, 2001

Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm” An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels, 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. $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  

 

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!” 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. “Saturday Night Stargazing,” First and third Saturdays each month. 8 - 10 p.m., LHS plaza. Space Weather Exhibit now - Sept. 2; now - Sept. 9 Science in Toyland; June 21: 6 a.m., Solar Eclipse Day Computer Lab, Saturdays 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. $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  

 

The UC Berkeley Art Museum is closed for renovations until the fall. 

 

924 Gilman St. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted $5; $2 for year membership. All ages. June 23: The Hellbillies, The Fartz, The Tossers, Roundup, The Fightbacks; June 29: Barfeeders, Pac-Men, Hell After Dark, A.K.A. Nothing, Maurice’s Little Bastards; June 30: The Cost, Pg. 99, Majority Rule, 7 Days of Samsara, Since by Man, Creation is Crucifixion; July 6: Victim’s Family, Fleshies, The Modern Machines, Once For Kicks, The Blottos; July 7: The Stitches, Real MacKenzies, The Briefs, The Eddie Haskells, The Spits 525-9926  

 

Albatross Pub Music at 9 p.m. unless noted otherwise. June 26: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Duo; June 28: Keni “El Lebrijano”; June 30: Larry Stefl Jazz Quartet; July 3: 9 p.m., pickPocket ensemble; July 4: Whiskey Brothers; July 5: Keni “El Lebrijano.” 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473  

 

Anna’s Music at 8 p.m. June 23: 10:30 p.m., Ducksan Distones; June 24: The Joe Livotti Sound; June 26: Tangria; June 27: Bob Schoen Jazz Quartet; June 28: ConFusion; June 29: Anna and Susie Laraine and Sally Hanna-Rhine; 10 p.m., Hideo Date; June 30: Anna and Susie Laraine and Peri Poston; 10 p.m., The Ducksan Distone. $2 weeknights, $3 weekends. 1801 University Ave. 849-ANNA  

 

Ashkenaz June 23: 9 p.m., Baba Ken Okulolo and the Nigerian Brothers celebrate the release of their CD “Songs From the Village”; June 24: 8 p.m., Babatunde Olantunji; June 26: 9 p.m., DP & The Rhythm Riders; June 27: 8 p.m. June “Fling Ding” featuring Circle R Boys and Dark Hollow; June 28: 9 p.m., Monkey, Stiff Richards, Go Jimmy Go; June 29: 8:30 p.m., Fountain’s Muse CD release party and Musicians and Fine Artists for World Peace fund-raiser, with Obeyjah and others; June 30: 9:30 p.m. Tropical Vibrations. 1370 San Pablo Ave. 525-5054 or www.ashkenaz.com 

 

Berkeley Arts Festival June 24: 7 p.m. “A Beanbenders’ Reunion” Gems from the Vault, Daniel Popsicle, Ben Goldberg’s Brainchild, The Toychestra and Graham Connah’s Jettison Slinky. June 25: The Just Friends Quinte; June 26: Donald Robinson Trio; June 28: Con Alma Vocal Jazz Sextet; June 30: 7:30 p.m. Marvin Sanders and Vera Berheda, plus Mozart, Beethoven, Hadyn and Fuare in the gallery; July 1: 11 a.m., “Free Jazz on the Pier” The Christy Dana Quartet (on the Berkeley Pier). All shows at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted Donations requested 2200 Shattuck Avenue 665-9496 

 

Freight & Salvage All music at 8 p.m. June 23: Lara & Reyes; June 24; Darryl Purpose, Dave Carter & Tracy Grammar; June 26; Freight 33rd Anniversary Revue; June 27: Dilema, Hookslide; June 28: Jim Campilongo; June 29: Don’t Look Back; June 30: Jim Hurst & Missy Raines, Due West; July 5: Druha Trava; July 6 and 7: Ferron. 1111 Addison St. www.freightandsalvage.org; 548-1761 

 

Jupiter All shows at 8 p.m. June 23: Wayside; June 26: Bruno Pelletier Trio; June 27: O Maya; June 28: Beatdown w/ DJ’s Delon, Yamu & Addi; June 29: Zoe Ellis Quartet; June 30: Go Van Gogh 2881 Shattuck Ave. 843-8277 

 

Julia Morgan Center for the Arts June 23: 8 p.m., “Celebrating Rumi with Persian Classical Music” by Mohammed Reza Lofti. $23 - $25; July 1: 1 & 2 p.m., “Kourosh Taghavi: The Beauty of Iranian Music and Stories of its Origins” $5 - $10. 2640 College Ave. 654-0100 

 

Live Oaks Concerts, Berkeley Art Center, June 24: Stephen Bell; July 1: Matthew Owens; July 15: David Cheng, Marvin Sanders, Ari Hsu; July 27: Monica Norcia, Amy Likar, Jim Meredith. All shows at 7:30 unless otherwise noted Admission $10 (BACA members $8, students and seniors $9, children under 12 free) 

 

Ed Ivey’s Brass Band Blowout June 23: 9:45 p.m. Featuring Polkacide, Brass Monkey Band, and Banda La Bahia. $6. Starry Plough 3101 Shattuck Avenue 

 

125 Records Release Party June 30: 9:45 p.m. Anton Barbeau and Belle De Gama will celebrate the release of their albums The Golden Boot: Antology 2 and Garden Abstract respectively. These are the first two albums released on the 125 Records label, founded by Joe Mallon with his winnings from his appearance on “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.” $5. Starry Plough 3101 Shattuck Avenue 841-2082  

 

“Cymbeline” Through June 24, Tues. - Thur. 7:30 p.m., Fri. 8 p.m., Sat. 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sun. 4 p.m. Opening of the California Shakespeare Festival features one of Shakespeare’s first romances, directed by Daniel Fish. $12 - $146. Bruns Memorial Amphitheater off Highway 24 at the Shakespeare Festival Way/Gateway Exit. 548-9666 or www.calshakes.org 

 

“Kid Kaleidoscope and the Puppet Players” June 24: 2 p.m., Julia Morgan Center for the Arts. The Puppet Players are a multi-media musical theatre group. Their shows are masterfully produced to thrill people of all ages with handmadesets and puppets. Adults $10, Children $5, 2640 College 867-7199 

 

Dramatic Joyce July 3: 7:30 p.m. Dramatic interpretations of the works of James Joyce by local and international actors. Introduction by UC Berkeley Professor John Bishop with commentary by and conversation with the audience. Part of the week-long conference “Extreme Joyce/Reading on the Edge.” Free. Krutch Theater, Clark Kerr Campus 2601 Warring Street 642-2754 

 

“Cuatro Maestros Touring Festival” July 4: 8 p.m. Music and dance performed by four elder folk artists and their young counterparts, accompanied by Los Cenzontles. $12 - $18. Julia Morgan Theater 2640 Collage Ave. 925-798-1300 

 

“Do You Hear What I Am Seeing?” July 5: 7:30 p.m. One man show by David Norris, a two-hour sampling of Joyce’s works with Norris’ insights. Part of the week-long conference “Extreme Joyce/Reading on the Edge.” $10. Julia Morgan Theater 2640 Collage Ave. 925-798-1300 

 

“Romeo and Juliet” Through July 14, Thurs. - Sat. 8 p.m. Set in early 1930s just before the rise of Hitler in the Kit Kat Klub, Juliet is torn between ties to the Nazi party and Romeo’s Jewish heritage. $8 - $10. La Val’s Subterranean Theater 1834 Euclid 234-6046 

 

“A Life In the Theatre” Runs through July 15. Wed. - Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. David Mamet play about the lives of two actors, considered a metaphor for life itself. Directed by Nancy Carlin. $30-$35. $26 preview nights. Berkeley City Club 2315 Durant 843-4822 

 

“The Laramie Project” Through July 22: Weds. 7 p.m., Tues. and Thur. -Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. (After July 8 no Wednesday performance, no Sunday matinee on July 22.) Written by Moises Kaufmen and members of Tectonic Theater Project, directed by Moises Kaufman. Moises Kaufman and Tectonic members traveled to Laramie, Wyo., after the murder of openly gay student Matthew Shepherd. The play is about the community and the impact Shepherd’s death had on its members. $10 - $50. The Roda Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre 2015 Addison St. 647-2949 www.berkeleyrep.org 

 

“Iphegenia in Aulis” Previews June 23 at 5 p.m., runs June 24 - August 12: Sat. and Sun. 5 p.m. No performances July 14 and 15, special dawn performance on August 12 at 7 a.m. A free park performance by the Shotgun Players of Euripides’ play about choices and priorities. With a masked chorus, singing, dancing, and live music. Feel free to bring food and something soft to sit on. John Hinkel Park, Southhampton Place at Arlington Avenue (different locations July 7 and 8). 655-0813 

 

Films 

 

Berkeley Film Makers’ Festival, June 23, 1 p.m. Berkeley Arts Festival Gallery. Presentation of Six films: The Good War, and Those Who Refused to Fight it (Judith Ehrlich and Rick Tejada Flores), Just Crazy About Horses (Tim Lovejoy and Joe Wemple), Los Romeros: The Royal Family of the Guitar (L. John Harris and Bill Hayes), In Between the Notes (William Farley and Sandra Sharpe) and KPFA On The Air (Veronica Selver and Sharon Wood). 2220 Shattuck 486-0411 

 

Pacific Film Archive June 23: 7 & 9:10 p.m. I can’t Sleep; June 24: The Ruined Map 5:30 p.m. & Summer Soldiers 7:50 p.m.; June 26: 7:30 p.m. San Francisco Cinematheque: 40 Years in Focus; June 27 7:30 p.m. Nature vs. Nurture; June 28: 7:30 p.m. The Beginning of an Unknown Era; June 29: Molba 7:30, Shadows of Our Forgotten Ancestors 9:10; June 30: 7, 9:10 p.m. Nenette and Boni; July 3: 7:30 p.m., Pineapple. Pacific Film Archive Theater 2575 Bancroft Way (at Bowditch) 642-1412 

 

Exhibits 

 

 

Tyler James Hoare Sculpture and Collage Through June 27, call for hours. The Albatross Pub 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473 

 

Ako Castuera, Ryohei Tanaka, Rob Sato Through June 30, Tues. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Group exhibition, recent paintings. Artist’s reception June 9, 6:30 - 9 p.m. with music by Knewman and Espia. !hey! Gallery 4920 B Telegraph Ave., Oakland 428-2349  

 

“Watershed 2001” Through July 14, Wednesday - Sunday Noon - 5 p.m. Exhibition of painting, drawing, sculpture and installation that explore images and issues about our watershed. Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St. 644-6893 

 

Rachel Davis and Benicia Gantner Works on Paper Through July 14, Tues. - Sat., 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Watercolors by Davis, mixed-media by Gantner. Opening reception June 13, 6 - 8 p.m. Traywick Gallery 1316 Tenth St. 527-1214 www.traywick.com 

 

Constitutional Shift Through July 13, Tuesdays - Fridays, noon - 5 p.m. Permanence and personal journey link Hee Jae Suh, Ursula Neubauer and Marci Tackett. Korean-born Suh explores an inner psychological world with a dramatic series of self-portraits. Neubauer explores self-portraiture as a travel map of identity with multiple points of view. Tackett explores Antarctica’s other-worldly landscape in a series of stunning digital photographs. Kala Art Institute 1060 Heinz Ave. 549-2977 

 

“The Trip to Here: Paintings and Ghosts by Marty Brooks” Through July 31, Tues. - Sun. 11 a.m. - 1 a.m. View Brooks’ first California show at Bison Brewing Company 2598 Telegraph Ave. 841-7734  

 

Bernard Maisner: Illuminated Manuscripts and Paintings. Through Aug. 8 Maisner works in miniature as well as in large scales, combining his mastery of medieval illumination, gold leafing, and modern painting techniques. Flora Lamson Hewlett Library 2400 Ridge Rd. 849-2541 

 

“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 

 

“New Visions: Introductions 2001” July 12 - August 18, Wed. - Sat.: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Juried by Artist- Curator Rene Yanez and Robbin Henderson, Executive Director of the Berkeley Art Center, the exhibition features works from some of California’s up-and-coming artists. Reception July 12 from 6 - 8 p.m. Pro Arts 461 Ninth St., Oakland 763-9425 

 

“Geographies of My Heart” Collage paintings by Jennifer Colby through August 24; Flora Lamson Hewlett Library 2400 Ridge Rd. 649-2541 

 

Images of Portugal Paintings by Sofia Berto Villas-Boas of her native land. Open after 5 p.m. Voulez-Vous 2930 College Ave. (at Elmwood) 

 

“Queens of Ethiopia: Intuitive Inspirations,” the exceptional art of Esete-Miriam A. Menkir. Through July 11. Women’s Cancer Resource Center Gallery 3023 Shattuck Ave. 548-9286 ext. 307 

 

“The Decade of Change: 1900 - 1910” chronicles the transformation of the city of Berkeley in this 10 year period. Thursday through Saturday, 1 - 4 p.m. Now - September. Berkeley History Center, Veterans Memorial Building, 1931 Center St. Wheelchair accessible. 848-0181. Free.  

 

 

Readings 

 

Cody’s Books 2454 Telegraph Avenue All events at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. June 23: Francisco Aragon’s Momotombo Press Poets Read Lisa Sperber, Sean McDonnell, Angela Garcia, Eric Gudas and Maria Melendez; June 24: Alison Luterman and Nina Lindsay read poems from their recent publications; June 25: Pamela Rafael Berkman reads from her book “Her Infinite Variety: Stories of Shakespeare and the Women He Loved.” 845-7852 

 

Freight & Salvage June 23, 10 a.m.-noon Diane di Prima, beat poet and author of “recollections of My Life as a Woman”. 

 

Weekly Poetry Nitro Mondays 6:30 p.m. sign up, 7 - 9 p.m. reading. Performing poets in a dinner atmosphere. June 25: Featuring Steve Arntsen; July 2: Featured artist April Ipock. Cafe de la Paz 1600 Shattuck Ave. 843-0662 

 

“Bittersweet Legacy: Creative Responses to the Holocaust” June 24: 2 p.m. Poets Chana Bloch, Stewart Florsheim, Elaine Starkman, and Cynthia Moskowitz Brody will read from their work in this new anthology. Judah L. Magnes Museum 2911 Russell St. 549-6950 

 

“Berkeley Stories” June 29: 7:30 p.m. Stories of local Celebrity Artists. Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. 549-3564  

 

 

Tours 

 

“Berkeley in the Sixties” Berkeley Arts Festival presents free speech Veterans Kate Coleman and Michael Rossman leading a tour from Sather Gate Friday June 29, 3 p.m. 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 


‘Romeo and Juliet’ makes for good night at theater By John Angell Grant Daily Planet correspondent The feud between a Nazi family and a Jewish family in 1930s Germany provides an updated framework for the strong Subterranean Shakespeare production o

By John Angell Grant Daily Planet correspondent
Saturday June 23, 2001

The feud between a Nazi family and a Jewish family in 1930s Germany provides an updated framework for the strong Subterranean Shakespeare production of “Romeo and Juliet” currently running at LaVal’s in Berkeley. 

Added to this, director Yoni Barkan has lifted the opening scene from the musical "Cabaret" and put it near the top of his show. Shakespeare’s story, then, becomes a play within a play, set inside a decadent nightclub environment. 

The result is a vivid and rich production, and an excellent example of grassroots theater at its best. 

Although this production of "Romeo and Juliet" contains emotional political images of the Nazi/Jewish conflict in 1930s Germany, as the evening unfolds the equally powerful humanity of Shakespeare’s story of star-crossed lovers takes center stage. 

The result is a striking reminder of the paradox between political life and daily human life, and a reminder of how irrelevant politics can be in the lives of people just trying to live out their personal humanity. 

The Sub Shakes production opens with a short, moving scene between Lord and Lady Montegue – Romeo’s parents, in 1930s period dress – as they perform a wordless, heart-felt Jewish candle ceremony at one side of the otherwise darkened theater. 

In abrupt cinematic fashion, the production then cuts to the noisy opening of "Cabaret," with the sleazy, sexual emcee (Jeffrey Meanza) singing the famous song from that show ("Willkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome!"), and inviting the audience to enjoy a night of debauch in his S&M-flavored nightclub. 

The story then fades to the opening of Shakespeare’s play – a street fight between the feuding Montegue and Capulet families. Fiery Capulet cousin Tybalt (Pete Caslavka) stirs up trouble on the street, dressed as a Nazi brownshirt complete with swastika armband and skinhead haircut. 

The emcee lounges on a sofa at the side of the theater and watches the show, as star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet meet at a masquerade ball, fall in love, and begin their tragic journey to death and destruction. 

Famous Broadway and Hollywood director Elia Kazan once said that 90 percent of directing lies in the casting. Director Barkan has obviously cast this current show with great thought. He gets effective performances from all of his actors. 

Brendan Wolfe is an intense, hormone-crazed Romeo, suddenly distracted by his sexual energy away from the carousing, good old times with his male buddies. Maureen Coyne stands out as Juliet’s gabby, excitable, playful nurse. Her friendly, bawdy relationship with Juliet lubricates that young girl for love. 

Bruce Moody is both dirty-minded and tantrum-throwing as Juliet’s father Capulet. The violence in this Nazi story flows easily from his sadomasochistic authoritarianism. 

Meanza pulls a strong focus as the leering, oversexed emcee, obviously taking his cue from the Sam Mendes/Alan Cummings revival of “Cabaret” that has made such a splash in recent years. 

Karen Goldstein is a crabby Lady Capulet, more concerned with the cotton balls between her toes as she rigs her make-up, than with her daughter. You can see why Juliet doesn’t like her mother. 

Armand Blasi is very effective as Friar Lawrence, the churchman who tries unsuccessfully to help the two wayward lovers.  

In this production, we first meet the Catholic Friar Lawrence removing his phylacteries. But, hey, life is a cabaret, my friend. And this is a play within a play. 

Nicole DuPort is a beautiful Juliet. She seems a less skillful actor than some of the others, but her simplicity with the language, and her youthful, unmodulated diction works well for the character. She and Wolfe have a hot chemistry. 

Pete Caslavka has staged some of the best fight choreography I’ve ever seen in the theater. The opening street brawl between the Montegues and Capulets starts with swords, and quickly turns to very realistic punching and kicking. There’s a lot of hurting going on in this show. 

Romeo’s slow knifing of Juliet’s cousin Tybalt is like an act of sexual penetration – a reminder of how much this play is about the polar struggles in young men between love and violence. 

Jackie Bendzinski and Amoreena Vera have cooked up intriguing period costumes, with a slightly modernized, stylized feel – perfect for the world of imagination inside this cabaret. Dustin O’Neal’s black and red set manages both heaven and hell. 

Barkan’s effective sound design includes Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World,” “Putting on the Ritz,” various 1930s dance band tunes, and some 1960s jazz. 

A lot of components come together to make this show work well. Maestro Barkan is a talented director. Last June at LaVal’s he staged a very effective production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” as a rave in the woods. This show is even better. 

If you’re looking for a strong evening of grassroots theater, look no further. 

Planet theater reviewer John Angell Grant has written for "American Theatre," "Back Stage West," "Callboard," and many other publications. E-mail him at jagplays@yahoo.com.


Cal basketball schedule released; Bears to host two tournaments

Staff Report
Saturday June 23, 2001

The Cal men’s basketball 2001-2002 schedule was released on Friday, highlighted by the Bears hosting two tournaments at Haas Pavilion. 

Ben Braun’s squad will open the year by hosting the Black Coaches Association Classic on Nov. 15-16. The first round games pit the Bears against Princeton and St. Joseph’s against Eastern Washington. 

Cal will stay at home through November, as Santa Clara and New Mexico will both pay a visit to Berkeley. The Bears’ first road game will be against South Florida on Dec. 1. Other non-conference foes include Fresno State, which knocked Cal out of the NCAA Tournament in March, St. Louis and Mount St. Mary’s. 

The ninth annual Golden Bear Classic will be held Dec. 28-29, with Cal taking on Harvard in the first round. The other first-round game will be Penn State against Coppin State. 

Due to the reinstatement of the Pac-10 Conference Tournament at the end of the regular season, the Bears’ two conference matchups with archrival Stanford will be back-to-back, kicking off the league season for both teams. The Cardinal will host the first game on Jan. 4, with the return date at Haas Pavilion slated for Jan. 6. 

The Pac-10 Tournament will take place March 7-9 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. 

Tickets for the 2001-02 will go on sale in the fall. Fans can either click on the tickets icon at www.calbears.com or call 1-800-GO-BEARS. 

The Bears will have to cope with the loss of senior star and leader Sean Lampley next season, as well as the exit of center Nick Vander Laan, who transferred out of the program. But Braun has brought in one of the best-regarded recruiting classes in the nation for 2001, with center Jamal Sampson, forward Erik Bond and wingman Julian Sensley all considered blue-chip athletes.


Perata calls for higher arsenic standards

By Daniela Mohor Daily Planet staff
Saturday June 23, 2001

OAKLAND – State Sen. Don Perata and representatives from a number of environmental and cancer prevention groups strongly criticized the Bush administration’s environmental policy during a press conference to support a bill to establish higher standards for arsenic in drinking water. 

“This bill is a response to (President) Bush’s immediate intention upon his swearing in to begin to relax the standards that we have,” Perata said during the briefing at Lake Temescal Friday. “California cannot wait for the Bush administration to decide on the safety of our drinking water and the fate of our health.” 

Perata, who represents the Berkeley-Oakland area, wrote the bill after the Bush administration decided not to pursue former President Bill Clinton’s efforts to reduce the amount of arsenic, a natural but dangerous contaminant in tap water. The measure would require California’s Department of Health Services to conduct a feasibility analysis and to adopt a standard reducing arsenic levels to three parts per billion. Established in 1942, the current standard is 50 parts per billion and represents a cancer risk of one per 100. The bill, SB 463 would also force water providers to better notify their consumers of the adverse health effects from the ingestion of arsenic in water. Exposure to arsenic is known to cause cancer, and it can also lead to heart problems, diabetes, and endocrine system problems. 

Perata was not alone in his criticism of the Bush administration. Jon Rainwater, executive director of the California League of Conservation Voters blamed Bush for not setting public health as a priority. “We can not trust President Bush to put the public health before the interests of his campaign contributors,” said Rainwater, adding that the president’s refusal to raise the standard for arsenic may be related to his interest in protecting the mining industry. “The mining industry... released 585 million pounds of arsenic into the environment last year,” he said. “And the same industry pumped $6.5 million into last year’s elections. The largest recipient for that money was President Bush.” 

But Republicans see the value in Bush’s decision to drop Clinton’s proposal. “From what I’ve read, the Clinton standard was basically impossible for companies to comply with,” said Robb McFadden, chair of the Berkeley College Republicans. “People who criticize the Bush administration for being environmentally hostile are really doing it for their political purposes.” 

The bill recently passed out of the State Senate on a 23-11 vote and will be presented to the Assembly in July. But it still faces strong opposition. Only one water agency in the state, the East Bay Municipal Utility District, supports it. “You would think that water agencies would be on our side,” said Perata. “Nine times out of ten they’re in opposition to our policies.” 

The senator attributes this resistance to the water companies’ reluctance to pay the additional costs a higher standard of purification of their product would entail. “This is about money. It’s about requiring someone to make less profit so that somebody else has better health,” he said. 

Still, Perata said he is fully confident that the bill will pass in the state legislature and reach Gov. Gray Davis’ office for signature and set an example to the country. “California will set its own standard,” he said. “The state of California will impress upon the nation how we should be governing ourselves with regards to the environment.”


Cal Ripkin is through, but nurse keeps on

By John Geluardi Daily Planet staff
Saturday June 23, 2001

When baseball-great Cal “Iron Man” Ripken, who holds the professional baseball record for playing the most consecutive games, announced he was calling it quits last week it caused more than a few of Elena Griffing co-workers at Alta Bates Hospital to snicker. 

Mrs. Griffing, 75, has not taken a sick day since 1952. In her 55-year career as an office manager and laboratory assistant, she has missed a total of three work days.  

Mrs. Griffing credits her stamina and energy to her “good Sicilian genes” and her attitude toward work.  

“I love my job. I love people and I love the patients.” Mrs. Griffing says between answering phones and scheduling appointments for burn specialist Dr. Jerold Kaplan in the Alta Bates, DeNicolai Burn Center.  

Loving your job is one thing but achieving the level of dedication Mrs. Griffing has shown for her responsibilities is another. In 1986 she underwent an appendectomy at Alta Bates. That evening, after most hospital employees had gone home, she donned a bathrobe and made her way to the other side of the hospital to get some work done in her office. “Ya know, you can get four or five hours of good work in after 5 p.m.,” she says. 

“She runs around here like that all the time” 

Mrs. Griffing appears to have more energy then most people half her age. There is constant activity in the her small fifth-floor office. When the phone isn’t ringing, Dr. Kaplan, who Mrs. Griffing describes as one of the busiest doctors in the hospital, stops in to exchange information with her or a patient pops in to schedule an appointment or just to exchange a few words. 

Mrs. Griffing is an attractive woman who has always been a snappy dresser. She is also known to round out her stylish outfits with high-heeled shoes. When she first began working at the hospital, her taste in footwear caused some friction with Alta Alice Miner Bates, the nurse who founded the hospital in 1905.  

“I was always flipping around here pretty fast back then and Miss Bates was afraid I’d fall and break my leg,” Mrs. Griffing says.  

Miss Bates’ reason for concern suddenly becomes evident when Mrs. Griffing sees a co-worker down the hall whom she has to speak with. She bounds from her chair and trots down the hall balancing on a pair of high-heeled Salvatore Ferragamo spectator pumps. 

Another co-worker with a disbelieving look on her face watches as Mrs. Griffing rounds the corner at the end of the hall. “She runs around here like that all the time,” she says. 

Berkeley origins 

In 1926, Mrs. Griffing was born on Roble Road in Berkeley, the ninth and last child to her Sicilian immigrant parents, Giorgio and Maria Selestre. The Selestres lived on a one-acre piece of land where they had a barn and several cows.  

“We only had one cow after I was born. Her name was Baby, but before that we had as many as five and we supplied everyone who lived on Roble and Tunnel Road with milk,” she says. 

Mrs. Griffing attended John Muir Elementary, Willard Middle School and Berkeley High School. After graduating high school she took a job in a bank where she worked until 1946 when she became suddenly and mysteriously ill. 

Old Blue Eyes 

“I had a blood disorder and the doctors said it was from a steady diet of fava beans, which was a traditional staple of my parents,” she says. “But if that was the problem, all of Sicily should have been sick.” 

She went to Alta Bates hospital where she spent a lot of time in the clinical laboratory for blood tests. For two months she was treated with blood transfusions. She received 13 units of blood and was still not showing any signs of improvement.  

Despite her illness, Mrs. Griffing, a life-long Frank Sinatra fan, attended a week’s worth of his performances at the Golden Gate Theater in March of 1946. “After the performances I was better,” she says. “The doctors suspected it might have something to do with my excitement level during the week.” 

Mrs. Griffing, who became a friend of Sinatra’s, keeps a picture of her standing next to him in her office. When she talks about him, her eyes and smile broaden as the timeless bobby socker swoons to life. “He was so accessible in the 40s,” she says. “He was all of 120 pounds and five of that was hair.” 

Reluctant frogs 

Mrs. Griffing began working in the Alta Bates clinical laboratory the following April. While she was ill, she would often answer phones and do minor secretarial work while she was between treatments. The doctor in charge of the laboratory, Dr. Singman, liked her work and offered a job when another lab assistant quit. 

“I didn’t want to go home at night,” she says. “This place was magic to me, there was so much to learn.” 

In those days pregnancy tests were carried out by injecting a urine sample from the inquiring patient into a male frog. After 24 hours, a urine sample was taken from the frog, who was sometimes reluctant to produce, and then it was tested for seaman, which would be present if the woman was pregnant. 

“I did a little bit of everything in those days and I was an especially good at catheterizing the frogs,” Mrs. Griffing says. “I would try talking to them and tickling them under the chin and if that didn’t work we had to do something.” 

Then versus now 

Mrs. Griffing, who doesn’t care for computers and still works on an electric IBM type writer, says there are things she misses about the hospital procedures of the past. “In those days it was ‘the patient comes first’” she says. “Today it’s a constant battle for patients’ rights,” 

She says there’s so much paperwork for every procedure, the patient often gets lost in the shuffle. 

“I’m very lucky to work for Dr. Kaplan,” she says. “He’s an old-style doctor who still puts the patient first.” 

Mrs. Griffing says he allows her to take time with the patients who need a little extra explaining about a procedure or can use some advice about dealing with insurance companies.  

Mrs. Griffing’s husband, Don, passed away eight and one-half years ago. They never had children – “too busy” – and she now spends much of her spare time raising Camellias and playing with her two dachshunds, Corky and Megan. 

Mrs. Griffing says she has no real plans for the future and has told Dr. Kaplan to let her know if she starts forgetting things or gets a little slow. Although one doesn’t have to be around her long to guess that won’t be happening anytime soon. 

“I can’t wait to get to work in the morning,” she says with her usual excitement. “How could you stay in one place for so long and not love it?” 


Early 20th century laundry located near commercial hub

By Susan Cerny
Saturday June 23, 2001

Berkeley Observed 

Looking back, seeing ahead 

 

After the 1906 earthquake and fire, Jack Jaymont and Pauline Mirandette moved from San Francisco to Berkeley and established a laundry at 2578 Shattuck Ave. This location was just one block south of Dwight Way Station, the hub of a thriving commercial district.  

When the first steam trains began running downtown in 1876, Dwight Way Station was the transfer station for a horse drawn streetcar line to the Schools for the Deaf and Blind at the top of Dwight Way. James Barker was the original owner of the land around Dwight Way Station and he hoped that downtown would be located here.  

Although Dwight Way Station did not become the center of downtown, a small commercial district was established and several of the more substantial buildings are still standing. On Dwight Way above Shattuck Avenue a number of impressive 19th century homes are still standing. They would have been conveniently located within walking distance of the station.  

As was typical during the early part of the century, the Berkeley French Laundry  

building had the business on the ground floor and living  

quarters above.  

 

Susan Cerny writes Berkeley Observed in conjunction with the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association  

 


Symphony honor

Jared Green/Daily Planet
Saturday June 23, 2001

Former mayor and Berkeley Symphony Orchestra Board member Jeffrey Leiter, center, was honored Thursday night as he prepared to leave Berkeley for a new home in Grass Valley. Leiter served as interim mayor between March and December 1994 when then mayor Loni Hancock left her post for a job in the  

former President Clinton’s administration. Leiter served as president of the Berkeley Symphony Board of Directors from 1986 to 1992 during which time the symphony’s budget grew by more than 30 percent.  

During that time the symphony moved its performances from the Berkeley First Congregational Church to Zellerbach Hall on the UC Berkeley campus. Standing with Leiter at the Thursday night celebration at the Santa Fe Bar and Grill is Hancock, left, and Mayor Shirley Dean, right.


Judge halts oil, natural gas exploration off coast

The Associated Press
Saturday June 23, 2001

SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge halted oil and natural gas exploration off central California’s coast Friday, saying the area can’t be drilled or explored until the federal government studies the environmental impacts and the California Coastal Commission approves of the plan. 

The decision by U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken is a major blow to petroleum companies that have left their leases dormant while natural gas and oil prices have neared all-time highs. It comes as California struggles through an energy crisis. 

Environmentalists hailed the decision, which affects the proposed developments off San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. 

“We think it’s a bad idea to have additional oil and gas drilling off the coast,” said Drew Caputo, an attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. 

For now, the decision blocks any attempt to build the first new oil platforms off California’s coast since 1994. No drilling to explore for oil deposits has been conducted since 1989. 

At issue is an amount of oil that could be large enough to run California’s refineries for two years and fuel five months worth of the state’s natural gas demands.  

Those estimates are about one-fifth the amount of energy within Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, where the Bush administration wants to drill. 

Sarah Christie, the Coastal Commission’s legislative coordinator said she hoped that Friday’s decision would not prompt louder calls to drill in the Arctic refuge. 

“It’s certainly not the intent ... to push offshore oil exploration into a different but equally sensitive and magnificent and valuable place on the map,” she said. 

California sued to block the exploration days after President Clinton’s Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt extended the leases for ten years in 1999.  

The lawsuit contended that Babbitt’s decision was subject to review by the state under a federal law giving California authority to determine whether offshore drilling in federal waters is consistent with the state’s coastal protection plans. 

Babbitt’s order allowed the companies to begin paperwork on their plans, but banned all physical work on the leases, including drilling wells, until the U.S. Minerals Management Service completed an environmental impact study on new drilling. 

Under the Coastal Zone Management Act, amended in 1990, Congress gave states a say in any activity affecting coastal communities. 

Mary Nichols, resources secretary to Gov. Gray Davis, said she was gratified by the decision. 

“We were really not happy about having to file the lawsuit, but we believed – the governor believed – we were right on the law and it was important to defend California’s right to protect our coast,” Nichols said. 

Davis said he will continue working to make sure California’s coastline remains protected. 

“Nineteen months ago I said that when it comes to offshore oil leases, California is entitled to be the engine, not the caboose on the train,” Davis said in a statement.  

“Should this decision be appealed, I will vigorously pursue all legal remedies to ensure that actions taken by federal agencies concerning leases for oil and gas production along the California coast fully comply with the law.” 

The oil companies have paid $1.25 billion for the 40 leases, each covering about a nine square-mile expanse of ocean. The leases were issued between 1968 and 1984. Four of them expired in 1999. 

Oil exploration off California’s coast has been an explosive issue since 1969, when a massive oil spill soiled the Santa Barbara coast.  

Offshore rigs account for roughly 20 percent of the state’s petroleum production, and offshore gas could prove to be a key resource as California seeks to solve its energy crisis. 

The oil companies affected by Friday’s decision include AERA Energy LLC of Bakersfield, Conoco Inc. and Nuevo Energy Co. of Houston; Samedan Oil Corp of Santa Barbara; and Poseidon Petroleum LLC, which could not be located. Calls to the other companies for comment were not immediately returned. The Western States Petroleum Association declined comment. 

“I don’t know what the implications are at this point,” said the companies’ attorney, Steven Rosenbaum. He said he had not seen Wilken’s ruling and declined further comment. 

“This is good news, Californians prize their coast and additional oil development has no place here,” said Bruce Hamilton, national conservation director for the Sierra Club.  

“It’s good to know those promoting it have been set back and eventually we need permanent protection.” 

Wilken, in a highly technical ruling, said that the federal government in 1999 illegally extended the companies’ 10-year leases. The extensions are called “suspensions” in legal jargon. 

She said the government “must provide the state of California with a determination that its grant of the lease suspensions at issue here is consistent with California’s coastal management program.” 

Wilken ordered all leases terminated until the federal Minerals Management Service complies with her order.


San Diego police show off launcher for crowd control

The Associated Press
Saturday June 23, 2001

SAN DIEGO — Demonstrators who get out of hand at next week’s biotechnology industry convention could get a blast from the newest weapon in the police department’s arsenal. 

The Pepperball launcher is designed to pelt people or the area around them with a marble-sized plastic ball that breaks on impact into a dusty cloud of acrid pepper dust. It can fire six rounds per second but, if used as intended, won’t kill anyone. 

San Diego police bought two dozen Pepperball launchers and plan to have them ready for the BIO 2001 convention that opens Sunday, said SWAT team commander Lt. Cesar Solis. 

“It gives the officers one more option, rather than resort to something that could be lethal,” Solis said. 

Police expect thousands of demonstrators to converge on the San Diego Convention Center and have trained to crack down on those who turn violent. 

The biggest concerns are the so-called “black blocs” of masked anarchists who brought mayhem to the 1999 World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle and other gatherings of world leaders. 

The Seattle protests turned violent and resulted in more than 600 arrests and $2.5 million in vandalism and property damage. 

“There will be the heaviest presence of blue uniforms in downtown San Diego that this city has seen in some time,” police spokesman David Cohen said. 

He declined to provide numbers or specifics on tactics. 

Officers will move quickly to arrest any demonstrators who block intersections and violate laws and get them off the streets for the duration of the convention, which ends Wednesday. 

“We will be very aggressive,” Cohen said. “Our goal is to not let it become a Seattle.” 

Police and the manufacturers of the non-lethal weapons credit them with saving lives, but not everyone believes they are harmless. Paul Marini, a political activist from Oakland who demonstrated in Seattle, said nonlethal devices such as Pepperball or beanbag guns can cause injuries if the projectiles hit someone in the eye or other sensitive body part. 

“It’s an unholy alliance between pepper spray and the rubber bullet,” said Marini, who works with the Midnight Special Law Collective, an organization that provides assistance to demonstrators. 

“What they really are is maiming weapons.” 

Officials with Jaycor Tactical Systems Inc., the San Diego company that manufactures Pepperball, said their product is unlikely to cause serious injury. 


Parents charged with kidnapping schools chief

The Associated Press
Saturday June 23, 2001

LUCERNE VALLEY — Two parents barged into a school superintendent’s office, handcuffed him, announced he was under citizens’ arrest and drove him away in their vehicle, authorities said Friday. 

Sheriff’s deputies pulled them over 10 miles away, freed the schools official and arrested the couple, who said they were taking the superintendent to the district attorney’s office. 

Carl Williams, 45, and wife Kathy Williams, 48, were charged with kidnapping, conspiracy and false imprisonment. 

The couple — who have five children, ages 7 to 17, in school – had been complaining about district policies for a decade, Jim Wheeler, superintendent of the school system in this community 120 miles northeast of Los Angeles. 

Two months ago, the unemployed couple sent a 15-page letter accusing school officials of giving sexually explicit material to students, among other things, Detective Norm Neiman said. The letter set a Tuesday deadline to resolve the problems. 

On Wednesday, investigators said, the couple barged into Wheeler’s office. With his wife videotaping, Carl Williams handcuffed Wheeler, Neiman said. 

“We have the video. You can see his fear and disbelief in what was going on,” the detective said. 

They forced him into their sport utility vehicle and drove down a highway past a sheriff’s station, Neiman said. 

Bail was set at $100,000 each. Kathy Williams was released on bail Thursday. They were not immediately appointed a lawyer. 

“It was a freaky morning,” said Wheeler, 61, who suffered only a wrist rash from the handcuffs. 

“It’s a bizarre thing,” said Neiman. “I believe they are the type of people who read the Constitution and local laws and interpret it the way they want to. I can’t explain it.” 

School district attorney Hector Salitrero said he planned to seek a restraining order to keep the Williams couple away from Wheeler.


Bush nominates California conservative, to 9th Circuit

The Associated Press
Saturday June 23, 2001

President Bush nominated conservative Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl of Los Angeles and Republican activist Richard Clifton of Honolulu on Friday to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, considered among the most liberal federal courts in the country. 

The lifetime appointments require Senate confirmation. California and Hawaii are both represented by Democratic senators who said they would have to look more closely at the appointments before making a decision. 

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., said she has heard from numerous constituents who oppose Kuhl, now a judge at Los Angeles County Superior Court. 

“These letters and calls raise a number of issues important to Californians including: the right to choose, civil rights, representation of tobacco companies, privacy rights and whistleblower protection,” Boxer said in a statement Friday. “I am continuing to evaluate this nomination.” 

California’s other Democratic senator, Dianne Feinstein, promised not to block a vote on Kuhl. Feinstein had raised objections with the White House after it floated Kuhl’s name for the federal bench without consulting California lawmakers. 

Feinstein has since “had a chance to discuss it with the White House and now she wants to hear the full case for Judge Kuhl and make a decision,” said the senator’s spokesman, Howard Gantman. 

Hawaii’s two Democratic U.S. senators also reserved comment on Clifton. 

Sen. Daniel Inouye, who earlier complained that no one had approached him about Clifton’s potential nomination, said Friday he wants to hear the American Bar Association’s evaluation of the appointment. Sen. Daniel Akaka said he sought “the mana‘o (advice) of Hawaii’s legal community. Pending this review, I will reserve judgment and further comment.” 

Hawaii Gov. Ben Cayetano earlier urged opposition to Clifton, whom he said has demonstrated that he “is very partisan.” 

“If you want appoint a Republican to the federal judiciary, there are a lot of good Republican lawyers around who are fair, who are objective, who believe in the integrity of the judicial system,” Cayetano said last month. “You don’t need politicians sitting on the bench.” 

Clifton, who has been a partner in the firm of Cades Schutte Fleming & Wright since 1977, also has served as volunteer attorney for the local Republican Party in Honolulu and as legal counsel for GOP gubernatorial candidates in Hawaii. 

The 9th Circuit handles federal appeals from California, Oregon, Arizona, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Alaska, Hawaii and Washington. 


Slow recovery for victim of pit bull attack

The Associated Press
Saturday June 23, 2001

RICHMOND — Shawn Jones, the 10-year-old boy mauled to the edge of life by pit bulls, faced an uphill road to recovery as local law authorities continued the search for the animals on Friday. 

Shawn was listed in critical but stable condition at Children’s Hospital Oakland, where he is on a breathing machine, according to hospital spokeswoman Cynthia Romanov. 

The dogs tore off his ears during the Monday evening attack. Other wounds on his face, neck and arms are so severe, doctors said they have not been able to close many of them. 

Shawn rested Friday with family and hospital personnel at his side. 

“We are in the throes right now of trying to save this boy’s life,” said Dr. James Betts, chief of surgery at the hospital. The dogs shook him violently, “like a doll,” Betts added. 

Shawn continues to receive rabies shots because two of the three dogs have not been captured and therefore cannot be tested for the disease. 

Benjamin Moore, 27, the dogs’ owner was charged Thursday with attempting to hide the three pit bull terriers that brutally mauled Shawn as he rode a new bicycle he had been given for doing well in school. 

Moore was being held on $30,000 bail, reduced from the $50,000 set Thursday. His girlfriend, Jacinda Knight, 33, was released from custody Thursday after authorities decided not to charge her. 

One of the dogs responsible for the attack was recovered, but two remain on the loose. Police believe Moore hid  

those dogs. 

Contra Costa County officials have not decided whether to destroy the recovered dog currently being held at an animal shelter in Pinole. Animal officials had a tough time corralling the dog once they found it. 

For now, police seem inclined to keep the dog alive because it could be tested to see whether it had been trained to attack humans, Richmond Police Department Sgt. Enos Johnson said. 

“It could show through testing and through examination that the dog was aggressive in social behavior,” Johnson said. “It could show any scars from previous fights.” 

A $10,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the seizure of the other dogs. 

The public has been offering donations to help Shawn’s family. A trust fund has been set up at a Richmond bank, as well as a separate fund where 100 percent of proceeds go directly to aid the Jones family. A manager at the Richmond branch of The Mechanics Bank would not say how much has been donated. 

One San Francisco Bay area radio station began taking donations for Shawn’s family Friday morning by auctioning concert tickets and autographed CDs. 

The auction items ran out quickly, but calls and cash pledges continued, reaching $12,000 by noon. 

••• 

Editors note: A trust fund has been established for Shawn and contributions can be sent to Shawn Jones Fund, c/o The Mechanics Bank, 4100 Macdonald Ave., Richmond, CA 94805, account No. 139020128.


Appeals court refuses to halt release of convicted murderer

The Associated Press
Saturday June 23, 2001

LOS ANGELES — An appeals court refused Friday to reverse a judge’s ruling granting parole to a gay man who gunned down his boyhood friend 16 years ago. 

The state immediately appealed to the California Supreme Court. 

In ordering Robert Rosenkrantz’s release from prison, Superior Court Judge Paul Gutman had ruled Thursday that Gov. Gray Davis has an unlawful blanket policy of denying parole to murderers. 

Rosenkrantz’s supporters say he has rehabilitated himself during his time behind bars, but Davis maintains he remains a threat to society. 

“We don’t think Mr. Rosenkrantz should be given parole,” Deputy Attorney General Robert Wilson said of the state’s reason for appealing. 

It wasn’t immediately clear how soon the California Supreme Court would act on the case after the 2nd District Court of Appeals’ rejection. If the state loses again, Rosenkrantz’s attorney said he expects his client will be freed. 

“We hope he will be released, we’re demanding it and there is an order,” Donald Specter said. 

Rosenkrantz, 33, was sentenced to 17 years to life for the 1985 murder of a boyhood friend who had revealed his homosexuality to Rosenkrantz’s father. He shot 17-year-old Steven Redman 10 times with a semiautomatic weapon. 

Rosenkrantz has been a model prisoner and become an expert with computers during his years in prison. Several lawmakers and even the judge who sentenced him have lobbied for his release. 

In his ruling Thursday, Gutman said there was no evidence to support Davis’ contention that Rosenkrantz is a threat. 

“While the governor is entitled to express his opinion, the opinion itself must be factually supported and it is not,” the judge ruled. 

Gutman further found that Davis denies parole to murderers “regardless of any extenuating circumstances,” a policy the judge said amounts to “actual bias against an entire class of cases.” 

Barry Goode, Davis’ legal affairs secretary, reiterated the governor’s contention that he does not arbitrarily rule against granting murderers parole. 

Since taking office in 1999, Davis has reversed the state Board of Prison Terms on 47 of 48 cases in which it granted parole to murders. The one exception was for Rose Ann Parker, who shot her abusive boyfriend in 1986 after he threatened to kill her and her son. She was released in December. Rosenkrantz, who is incarcerated at the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo, was given a release date by the Board of Prison Terms after two courts ruled the board had abused its discretion in denying him freedom. Davis vetoed that decision last October, citing the viciousness of the crime. 


Ex-workers bring charges against energy plant

The Associated Press
Saturday June 23, 2001

SACRAMENTO — Former workers at Duke Energy’s South Bay power plant accused the company of shutting down production units there in what they called a scheme to drive up electricity prices. 

Duke officials termed the charges “baseless.” 

The former workers told the state Senate Select Committee to Investigate Price Manipulation Friday that officials at the San Diego-area plant ordered power units off-line for apparently unnecessary maintenance; destroyed parts that were needed for repairs; and manipulated the electricity it was feeding the statewide grid. 

“This is the first smoking gun that’s appeared — whistleblowers,” said Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, who is sitting in with the committee. “That is called market manipulation, and that, in effect, ended up costing the ratepayers of California billions of dollars.” 

Gov. Gray Davis said the testimony, if true, would provide “very disturbing evidence” that could help the state convince federal regulators to order generators to refund $9 billion in power charges. 

State legislators, regulators and prosecutors are investigating whether power generators illegally manipulated the power supply to drive prices to record levels, forcing the state to buy more than $8 billion worth of electricity since January for the state’s three investor-owned utilities. 

All three longtime San Diego Gas & Electric employees were laid off in April when Charlotte, N.C.-based Duke completed its two-year acquisition of the former SDG&E plant in Chula Vista. 

Mechanics Glenn Johnson and Ed Edwards said they were ordered to shut down machinery for unneeded repairs, and to do so when they didn’t have the necessary parts available to quickly repair the equipment. They said they were ordered to dispose of perfectly good parts that could have been used in those repairs. 

“We were told when things were shut down that it was for ’economics,”’ Johnson testified. “Sometimes a unit would be ’down for economics’ for two or three days.” 

Duke officials said the plant’s performance belies the workers’ accusations. They said Duke’s four California plants produced 50 percent more electricity last year than in 1999 and are on a pace to improve that performance this year. 

The company was so pleased with its unanticipated windfall from soaring energy prices that it threw two prime rib-and-shrimp parties for the plant’s employees, the workers said and Duke vice president Bill Hall acknowledged. 

“Duke Energy is not (price) gouging,” Hall said after he was denied a chance to testify at Friday’s hearing. “Duke does not collude with any other entity to drive market prices up.” 

Operating decisions were made based on market conditions, Hall said, but he denied illegal collusion or market manipulation that could drive state or federal regulators to step in. “Depending on the amount of supply or demand, some of our units which are in some cases not as efficient as others in the state simply aren’t economic to run,” Hall said. “That’s the market sending a signal, ’We have sufficient supply, we don’t need your less-efficient, more costly units.”’ 

Operators rapidly cycled the plant’s electricity production “like a yo-yo — up and down, up and down,” former worker Johnson said, in a way that damaged equipment but maximized prices. He, Edwards and assistant control room operator Jimmy Olkjer backed their testimony with copies of control room logs Johnson smuggled out of the plant. 

“Duke Energy Trading and Marketing was calling the shots – that’s where they made the money,” Senate Energy Committee Chairwoman Debra Bowen, D-Marina del Rey, said after examining the logs. 

Any fluctuations, Hall said, were ordered by the California Independent System Operator, which runs the state’s power grid, or were needed to meet environmental standards. 

Duke destroyed new parts, as the workers testified, Hall said, because they were obsolete or to cut the tax Duke paid on its parts inventory. 

But Edwards and Johnson said it cost the company more money to order replacement parts shipped in as needed, in addition to the cost of the lost production. 

Duke often ran the plant’s smallest, least-efficient turbine even at a cost of trucking in jet fuel from the Los Angeles area, they said.  

Hall countered by saying jet fuel was then cheaper than natural gas, which powered the plant’s other four generators. 

Its four California plants have had fewer forced outages than when the plants were operated by the state’s utilities, Duke said, and perform more consistently than the industry average despite running hard during the power crisis that began a year ago. 

“All of the spinning and excuse-making goes out the window at some point when you’re confronted with the people actually running the machinery,” said attorney Mike Aguirre, who is suing several power generators and convinced the workers to testify. Duke supplies about 5 percent of California’s electricity at four power plants, including three purchased from Pacific Gas and Electric for $501 million in 1998. It is undertaking a 1,060-megawatt expansion of its Moss Landing power plant. 

It confirmed earlier this month that it sold 5,000 megawatt hours of electricity in California for as much as $3,880 per megawatt hour in January – double the rate recently cited by Gov. Gray Davis as an “obscene” example of price gouging. 

Duke spokesman Tom Williams said the company will accept the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s decision to cap the company’s payment at $273 per megawatt hour for the power it sold into California in January and $430 for the power sold in February.  

 

 

 

 


Budget committee scales back education proposals

The Associated Press
Saturday June 23, 2001

SACRAMENTO — State budget negotiators approved a massive education package Friday that scales back new spending proposals but still increases school funding by $2 billion. 

After three weeks of closed-door meetings and sporadic talks, the Legislature’s budget conference committee Friday whisked through its toughest issue – spending for elementary and secondary schools – in less than 30 minutes. 

The package eliminates Gov. Gray Davis’ $65 million proposal to extend the middle school year and scales back a performance awards program for schools with the highest test scores. 

It includes $300 million to help schools pay rising energy bills. If approved in a final budget plan, each school would receive at least $16,000 to offset electricity costs and launch conservation programs. Those with the most students would receive the largest sums. 

The package also contains $220 million for a grant program for low-performing schools. 

Davis proposed $570 million in cuts to the education spending plans he proposed in May to boost the state’s reserve fund from $1.1 billion to $3 billion. The governor called for the increased reserves after analysts warned that a sagging economy and stock market could cost the state billions in revenues. 

The committee’s education spending trims fell $237 million short of the reduction the governor proposed. 

Still, public schools and community colleges will receive $4.4 billion above the minimum they are guaranteed by state law and $2 billion more than they received in the current fiscal year. 

In other actions Friday, the committee: 

• Scaled back a proposed $63 million package aimed at improving foster care programs to $18 million. 

• Added $60 million in new spending for higher education. Department of Finance officials said Friday that Davis plans to veto the increases. 

• Approved a measure to exempt certain adults from a requirement to be fingerprinted and photographed in order for the children they live with to receive public aid such as food stamps. 

• Agreed to remove a September sunset date for the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants, which extends state welfare benefits to legal immigrants. 

The committee planned to meet into the night Friday to wrap up remaining issues and send a $102.9 billion budget plan to the full Legislature early next week. 

Davis has said he will sign a final 2001-02 budget before July 1, when it goes into effect. However, Republican lawmakers have promised to hold up the budget if an automatically triggered quarter-cent sales tax increase is not removed.


Supreme Court to take up voucher case

The Associated Press
Saturday June 23, 2001

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration urged the Supreme Court to take up school vouchers Friday, arguing that an Ohio school choice program does not violate the Constitution’s ban on government promotion of religion. 

In a friend of the court brief, Solicitor General Theodore Olson, the government’s top lawyer, asked the Supreme Court to hear three appeals that offer an opportunity for a broad ruling on the constitutionality of private school vouchers. 

By filing an uninvited brief to the nation’s top court, the Bush administration is signaling its intention to press the case for programs that allow tax dollars to be used to pay student tuition at religious schools. 

School vouchers were a centerpiece of President Bush’s education platform during his campaign. Congress rejected vouchers when it recently passed a sweeping education reform package — not enough Republicans backed the idea, and most Democrats oppose vouchers, arguing that they take money away from struggling public schools. 

Now the Justice Department has taken up the fight, filing its first brief staking out an ideological position on a case not already under way before the Supreme Court. 

The three cases in question all deal with the constitutionality of the Ohio Pilot Project Scholarship Program. The program provides tuition aid to parents of students in failing public schools in Cleveland. 

Parents are permitted to use the aid to enroll their children in a private school, including religious schools. 

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the program on grounds that it violates the First Amendment’s ban on government promotion, or establishment of religion. 

The Justice Department argued that the Ohio program follows the model the Supreme Court has set out in previous cases for the acceptable blending of public money and religion. 

The program is constitutional, the government argued, because it distributes educational aid neutrally among students without regard to religion. The choice of whether to send children to religious or nonreligious schools is left up to parents. 

“All private schools ... are eligible to participate in the program, without regard to whether they are sectarian or not,” the brief said. “Religious schools may benefit under the program only as a result of the independent and private choice of parents to enroll their children in a participating religious school.” 

Supporters of the Ohio program argue that vouchers give low-income parents an alternative to local public schools. 

Opponents, including the Ohio Federation of Teachers, Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the American Civil Liberties Union, say it is an illegal use of public money. 

Teachers’ unions, who have opposed vouchers, said Bush should not have gotten involved with the case. 

“The fact is that two states, California and Michigan, overwhelmingly rejected vouchers this year,” said Bob Chase, president of the National Education Association. “They’ve been rejected every time voters had an opportunity to vote against them. They were defeated in both the House and the Senate this year. The American people and Congress are saying they don’t want vouchers. It seems to me the American people and Congress should be listened to.” 

Jamie Horwitz, spokesman for the American Federation of Teachers, agreed. 

“Time, resources and attention have been squandered on vouchers, instead of investing in proven reform programs,” he said. “The voters know this, a congressional majority knows this. The Bush administration should know better.” 

The Supreme Court has declined to review similar cases out of Wisconsin and Maine. The court will make its decision in the fall.


Employer protection on patients’ rights debated

The Associated Press
Saturday June 23, 2001

WASHINGTON — Republicans on Friday proposed giving employers ironclad protection from lawsuits under patients’ rights legislation, while Democrats said they were willing to limit, if not eliminate, the liability contained in their bill. 

Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., signaling a partial retreat, noted that Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, was crafting a compromise on the issue. “I think that I’m in a position to be supportive of it,” he said. Wrapping up the first week of debate on the measure, Sen. Phil Gramm proposed inserting a provision from Texas patients’ rights law that protects employers from being sued by patients. “Under Texas law employers can’t be sued, no ifs and or buts about it,” said the Texas Republican. 

The issue has emerged as a sensitive one in the debate over legislation to regulate HMOs. Republicans argue that exposure to unlimited legal liability will prompt some employers to drop the insurance coverage they provide to their workers. 

“If there’s injury, a trial lawyer is going to go after all the pockets of money that are out there, and there’s a big pocket of money out there called the employer,” said Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn. 

The patients’ rights measure, backed by Democratic Sens. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts and John Edwards of North Carolina and Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, allows suits against employers in some circumstances. 

A spokesman for Snowe said the Maine Republican was working with several senators, including Kennedy, Edwards and McCain, but no formal agreement has been reached. 

In general, the bill is designed to guarantee patients access to emergency care, the right to see medical specialists and the ability to select a pediatrician as a child’s primary care physician. 

There is relatively little disagreement over the extent of the protections to be offered. Major points of contention include where and when patients can bring suits, and when and how state patient protection laws should be pre-empted by the federal government. 

Democrats have made patients’ rights their top priority since winning control of the Senate. 

There was little more than skirmishing on the floor during the week, capped by a Friday’s vote on a nonbinding provision relating to clinical trials. By a vote of 89-1, lawmakers voted in favor of giving patients access to federally funded or approved clinical trials recommended by their physician. 


States reports problems with ‘motor voter’ registrations

The Associated Press
Saturday June 23, 2001

WASHINGTON — Half the states using the “motor voter” program – which lets a voter sign up while renewing a driver’s license – suffered serious glitches last election. In some cases, Americans were denied ballots, a government review found. 

The Federal Election Commission said Friday the problems ranged from motor vehicle departments that failed to forward registration information in a timely manner to forms that were filled out incorrectly. 

In all, 23 of the 44 states subject to the National Voter Registration Act reported significant problems with the program. 

The number of complaints last fall were triple those of the election in 1998, officials said. 

Florida, where vote-counting problems prompted the presidential election stalemate between Democrat Al Gore and Republican George W. Bush, was not among the states reporting serious motor voter problems last fall. 

In 18 states, motor vehicle departments had trouble getting registration information to election officials expeditiously – in some cases, in time for voters to be included on rolls on Election Day, the FEC said. 

“Some of the states reported voters saying they had registered at the DMV, but come Election Day they were not on the rolls, so there was a breakdown somewhere in the system,” FEC researcher Brian Hancock said. 

Meanwhile, the Pentagon said its review of the handling of absentee ballots from overseas military personnel found no major problems that would have delayed delivery to election offices last fall. 

The review was requested last November by then-Defense Secretary William Cohen after several hundred absentee ballots from troops abroad were rejected in Florida due to flaws such as the lack of signatures or postmarks. Those problems are being examined in a separate study. 

The motor voter law was enacted in 1995 to make it easier for voters to register, allowing voters to register by mail and when they renew driver’s licenses, register cars or apply for various government benefits. 

The FEC said it received hundreds of calls from voters who said they went to the polls last November only to be told they couldn’t vote because motor vehicle offices never sent their registration forms to election officials. 

High turnover among motor vehicle workers is a big part of the problem, officials said. 

“When the law was passed, most of the states did a very, very good job in training the people there,” Hancock said. “I think maybe the training has not been ongoing in many states.” 

One state where poll workers turned away voters who thought they registered at motor vehicle offices was Arizona, where Bush defeated Gore by about 96,000 votes. 

In many cases, motorists checked off a box indicating they wanted to register to vote, but motor vehicle workers failed to make sure they also filled out a registration form, state election director Jessica Funkhouser said. She said she was not ruling out the possibility that offices also failed to turn in forms. 

Funkhouser said such instances were too few to have made much of a difference in the presidential vote totals. Still, Arizona is taking steps to improve its program. 

The state is working on a computer program that will require motor vehicle workers to complete voter registration questions, and had already reduced worker errors by expanding training before last year’s election, Funkhouser said. 

Others reporting problems getting motor voter forms to election officials include Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Utah. 

Florida reported only scattered complaints from people who weren’t allowed to vote even though they thought they had registered at the motor vehicle department. 

Florida elections director Clay Roberts said some voters registering at the DMV may not have realized state law required them to do so no later than 30 days before the election. 

Worker error also played a role, Roberts said. To reduce that problem, the Florida DMV recently added a staffer to serve as a motor voter liaison between counties and motor vehicle offices, he said. 

Among other states with problems, Illinois, Kansas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Virginia listed glitches such as incomplete applications, change-of-address errors or motor vehicle workers failing to consistently provide voter registration forms. 

Connecticut reported cases in which the Spanish-language form was not provided to motor vehicle customers as required by the Voting Rights Act. 

The FEC survey, given to Congress every two years, provides further fodder as lawmakers consider legislation to fix voting glitches that surfaced in last fall’s presidential election. 

Senate Rules Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., plans hearings on election reform next week. 


What to do about that nasty carbon buildup

By Tom and Ray Magliozzi King Features Syndicate
Saturday June 23, 2001

Dear Tom and Ray: 

I have an older car (1966 Jaguar) that diesels, or keeps running, for several seconds after the engine is turned off.  

Then it finally dies with quite a clatter. Is there anything that would cause this besides carbon buildup in the combustion chamber? If it is carbon buildup, is there any cure other than to remove the head and scrape off the carbon?—Thomas 

RAY: It probably IS carbon buildup, Thomas.  

But there are also several other possibilities. 

TOM: If the engine is running too hot, it can diesel. Even after you turn off the ignition, there can still be enough residual heat in the engine to keep combusting fuel, even without the benefit of a spark. 

RAY: Timing that's too advanced can make the engine run too hot and too fast. That combination can also cause dieseling.  

So both of these possibilities should be investigated. 

TOM: But when you determine that it IS carbon, you have to get rid of it somehow.  

One technique that's worked for years is to trickle some water into the carburetors.  

You don't want to use your garden hose here, but if you pour a very slight, continuous trickle of water into the throat of the carburetor while the engine is revving at 2,500 or 3,000 rpm, you might steam enough carbon off of the pistons to make a difference. 

RAY: Of course, you might also hydro-lock your engine and ruin it. So be careful not to use too much water at one time. 

TOM: If the water doesn't do it, you might have to try one of the products specifically designed for this purpose, like Chevron's Techron (available in stores) or 44K from BG Products (800-961-6228 or www.bgprod.com). 

RAY: And if you still have no luck, then you have to take the head off and scrape the carbon from the pistons with your false teeth ... or some other blunt instrument. Good luck, Thomas.  

••• 

Got a question about cars? e-mail them by visiting the Car Talk section of cars.com on the World Wide Web..


Information and advice not fit to be believed

By John Cunniff The Associated Press
Saturday June 23, 2001

One day last week a high-tech company whose stock had collapsed from more than $170 to $3 and change in little more than a year, revealed that conditions were even worse than he had anticipated. 

The company, Exodus Communications Inc., already had reported a first-quarter loss of $650 million, which was bad enough. But now it was running low on cash and its business was not recovering as expected. 

If company officials, equipped with computers and software able to sop up every nuance in the marketplace, were caught unaware, their shock was matched by that of investors who had relied on information from “experts.” 

The experts were brokerage house stock analysts, calculating types who earn six-figure annual incomes for dissecting the finances of companies they cover, issuing recommendations and, often, publicizing their firms. Many if not most of them had advised investors to buy Exodus. In fact, some had been so advising investors since Exodus was trading in triple digits. They indicated they had not anticipated Exodus’ dismal news. Within a couple of days or sooner, they rushed to cleanse the record. Salomon Smith Barney downgraded Exodus stock to “neutral” from “buy.” UBS Warburg cut its price target to $3 from $15. Lehman dropped its advice from “buy” to “market perform.” All after the fact. 

Too often during the long decline in stock prices investors had observed the same thing: Buy recommendations on declining stocks from advisers who claim to see ahead. At one point when the Nasdaq composite index was down 60 percent, almost all recommendations were to buy. 

For a marketplace that depends on investor trust and confidence the consequences could be deadly. Investors, portfolios depleted, now wonder if they were duped. Conflict of interest accusations have been made. Are analysts hucksters or advisers?Recognizing the dangers, the Securities Industry Association, a major trade group, has endorsed a “best principles” set of guidelines that it believes might quiet suspicions and restore confidence levels. 

Among other things, the principles encourage a wall being erected between analysts and other, profit-seeking activities of their firms. And it would prohibit analysts from trading against their own recommendations. 

But the principles are voluntary, and so might be insufficient to the task. Already feeling deceived, investors might be excused if they question soft discipline.  

Whatever the resolution, the stock market’s confidence problem depends on assurance of a free flow of quality information as certainly as the welfare of society in general depends on a flow of good water. In the view of many, some of the information seems tainted if not plain polluted. 

It begins not with Wall Street but with corporations and industries, where officials, though equipped with computers and software that sop up every nuance of the marketplace, still can’t forecast their own markets. In evidence, one chief executive officer after another — at Nortel, Lucent, JDS Uniphase, Xerox, to name a few — has conceded in recent weeks a failure to anticipate major changes occurring just weeks ahead. Analysts, then, might be forgiven for not having had insight superior to that of the company’s chief. But even if such insight were possible, the suspicions may remain. 

The questions have been raised and the fears expressed that in one way or another the information that flows through Wall Street might emerge tainted. So tainted it isn’t to be believed. 

 

John Cunniff is a business analyst for The Associated Press


Tower Records downplays bankruptcy prospects

The Associated Press
Saturday June 23, 2001

SACRAMENTO — Tower Records, a worldwide music, book and video retailer that began in a family drug store, is downplaying the possibility it may have to file for bankruptcy because of tightening credit. 

“We have no present intention to file bankruptcy,” company spokeswoman Louise Solomon said Friday, two days after Moody’s Investors Service downgraded Tower’s debt ratings. 

Moody’s said it was likely that Tower would file for bankruptcy protection if it could not find additional sources of capital or pay off its current loans in the next few months 

In a recent Securities and Exchange Commission report, Tower said its revolving credit facility had been extended for a year, but that the amount the company could borrow had dropped from $275 million to about $225 million. 

That’s enough to cover the company’s current needs, Moody’s said, but under the new agreement with lenders the amount of credit available to Tower will drop to $210 million in July, to $195 million in October and to $100 million by December. 

Tower said in a statement that it was “actively seeking further external financing.” 

Solomon stressed that there was no mention in the SEC report about filing for bankruptcy. 

The 41-year-old company has seen its revenue flatten out in recent years as it’s battled competition from aggressive online sellers like Amazon.com and mass merchants like Borders. 

In its SEC statement, Tower reported $34.4 million in losses for the quarter ending April 30, compared to a $4.3 million loss in the same period in 2000. 

Tower said a large part of the loss was attributable to costs involved in closing “underperforming” stores. The company closed 10 stores and opened one in that three-month period, according to the SEC statement. 

The company also said it is negotiating the sale of its operations in Argentina, Taiwan and Hong Kong. 

Net revenue for both quarters was $255 million. 

Michael Solomon, Tower’s president and chief executive officer, said the company was encouraged by the “revenue stability for the quarter at a time when the revenue trend in retail is down.” 

Besides closing the low-performing stores, Tower has eliminated a number of inefficiencies in its operations as part of a restructuring plan. 

“We expect positive contributions from that strategy in the quarters ahead,” he said. 

Solomon’s father, Russell, started selling records out of his family’s drug store and opened the first Tower Records in 1960 in Sacramento. The company, based in neighboring West Sacramento, now runs 187 stores worldwide. 


Friday June 22, 2001

 

Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm” An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels, 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. $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  

 

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. 2911 Russell St. 549-6950  

 

The Asian Galleries “Art of the Sung: Court and Monastery.” 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!” 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. “Saturday Night Stargazing,” First and third Saturdays each month. 8 - 10 p.m., LHS plaza. Space Weather Exhibit now - Sept 2; now - Sept 9 Science in Toyland; June 21: 6 a.m., Solar Eclipse Day Computer Lab, Saturdays 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. $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 year membership. All ages. June 22 Hoods, Fall Silent, Clenched Fist, Osiva, Hellcrew; June 23 The Hellbillies, The Fartz, The Tossers, Roundup, The Fightbacks; June 29 Barfeeders, Pac-Men, Hell After Dark, A.K.A. Nothing, Maurice’s Little Bastards; June 30 The Cost, Pg. 99, Majority Rule, 7 Days of Samsara, Since by Man, Creation is Crucifixion 525-9926  

 

Albatross Pub Music at 9 p.m. unless noted otherwise. June 26 Mad & eddie Duran Jazz Duo; June 28: Keni “El Lebrijano”; June 30: Larry Stefl Jazz Quartet; July 3: 9 p.m., pickPocket ensemble; 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473  

 

Anna’s Music at 8 p.m. June 23:The maestro Rich Kalman & His Jazz Trio; June 24 The Joe Livotti Sound; June 26: Tangria; June 27: Bob Schoen Jazz Quartet; June 28: ConFusion; $2 weeknights, $3 weekends. 1801 University Ave. 849-ANNA  

 

Ashkenaz June 24, 8 p.m.: Babatunde Olantunji; June 26, 9 p.m.: DP & The Rhythm Riders; June 27, 8 p.m.: Fling Ding/Circle R Boys/Dark Hollow; June 28, 9 p.m.: Monkey/Stiff Richards/ Go Jimmy Go.1370 San Pablo Ave. 525-5054 or www.ashkenaz.com 

 

Berkeley Arts Festival June 24: 7 p.m. “A Beanbenders’ Reunion” Gems from the Vault, Daniel Popsicle, Ben Goldberg’s Brainchild, The Toychestra and Graham Connah’s Jettison Slinky. June 25: The Just Friends Quintet- donations requested; June 26: Donald Robinson Trio; June 28: Con Alma Vocal Jazz Sextet; June 30: 7:30 p.m. Marvin Sanders and Vera Berheda, plus Mozart, Beethoven, Hadyn and Fuare in the gallery; All shows at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted Donations requested 2200 Shattuck Avenue 665-9496 

Freight & Salvage All music at 8 p.m. June 22: Sourdough Slim w/ Blackwood Tom; June 23: Lara & Reyes; June 24; Darryl Purpose, Dave Carter & Tracy Grammar; June 26; Freight 33rd Anniversary Revue; June 27: Dilema, Hookslide; June 28: Jim Campilongo; june 29: Don’t Look Back; June 30: Jim Hurst & Missy Raines, Due West. 1111 Addison St. www.freightandsalvage.org; 548-1761 

 

Jupiter All shows at 8 p.m.,June 22: Realistic; June 23: Wayside; June 26: Bruno Pelletier Trio; June 27: O Maya; June 28: Beatdown w/ DJ’s Delon, Yamu & Addi; June 29: Zoe Ellis Quartet; June 30: Go Van Gogh 2881 Shattuck Ave 843-8277 

 

Live Oaks Concerts Berkeley Art Center, June 24: Stephen Bell; July 1: Matthew Owens; July 15: David Cheng, Marvin Sanders, Ari Hsu; July 27: Monica Norcia, Amy Likar, Jim Meredith. all shows at 7:30 unlice otherwise noted Admission $10 (BACA members $8, students and seniors $9, children under 12 free) 

 

Julia Morgan Center for the arts June 23: 8 p.m., “Celebrating Rumi with Persian Classical Music” by Mohammed Reza Lofti. $25 adults, $23 others ; July 1: 1 & 2 p.m., “Kourosh Taghavi: The Beauty of Iranian Music and Stories of its Origins” Adults $10, Children $5. 2640 College Ave. 654-0100 

 

Kalanjali in Concert June 22, 7 p.m. Kalanjali concludes its celebration of its 25th year in Berkeley with a special recital. Experienced dancers and young students, with guests from India including dancer K. P. Yesoda and the musicians of Bharatakalanjali. $6 - $8 Juia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 Collage Ave. 925-798-1300 

 

 

 

“Cymbeline” Through June 24, Tues. - Thur. 7:30 p.m., Fri. 8 p.m., Sat. 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sun. 4 p.m. Opening of the California Shakespeare Festival features one of Shakespeare’s first romances, directed by Daniel Fish. $12 - $146. Bruns Memorial Amphitheater off Highway 24 at the Shakespeare Festival Way/Gateway Exit. 548-9666 or www.calshakes.org 

 

“The Laramie Project” Through July 8: Weds. 7 p.m., Tues. and Thur. -Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Written by Moises Kaufmen and members of Tectonic Theater Project, directed by Moises Kaufman. Moises Kaufman and Tectonic members traveled to Laramie, Wyo., after the murder of openly gay student Matthew Shepherd. The play is about the community and the impact Shepherd’s death had on its members. $10 - $50. The Roda Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre 2015 Addison St. 647-2949 www.berkeleyrep.org 

 

“Kid Kaleidoscope and the Puppet Players” June 24: 2 p.m., Julia Morgan Center for the Arts. The Puppet Players are a multi-media musical theatre group. Their shows are masterfully produced to thrill people of all ages with handmadesets and puppets. Adults $10, Children $5, 2640 College 867-7199 

 

“Romeo and Juliet” Through July 14, Thurs. - Sat. 8 p.m. Set in early 1930s just before the rise of Hitler in the Kit Kat Klub, Juliet is torn between ties to the Nazi party and Romeo’s Jewish heritage. $8 - $10. La Val’s Subterranean Theater 1834 Euclid 234-6046 

 

“A Life In the Theatre” Runs through July 15. Wed. - Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. David Mamet play about the lives of two actors, considered a metaphor for life itself. Directed by Nancy Carlin. $30-$35. $26 preview nights. Berkeley City Club 2315 Durant 843-4822 

 

 

 

 

Films 

 

Berkeley Film Makers’ Festival, June 23, 1 p.m. Berkeley Arts Festival Gallery. Presnetation of Six films: The Good War, and Those Who Refused to Fight it (Judith Ehrlich and Rick Tejada Flores), Just Crazy About Horses (Tim Lovejoy and Joe Wemple), Los Romeros: The Royal Family of the Guitar (L. John Harris and Bill Hayes), In Between the Notes (William Farley and Sandra Sharpe) and KPFA On The Air (Veronica Selver and Sharon Wood). 2220 Shattuck 486-0411 

 

Pacific Film Archive June 22 Three by Aurthur Peleshian 7:30 p.m., Ivan’s childhood 9 p.m.; June 23 7 & 9:10 p.m. I can’t Sleep; June 24 The Ruined Map 5:30 p.m. & Summer Soldiers 7:50 p.m.; June 26 7:30 p.m. San Francisco Cinematheque: 40 Years in Focus; June 27 7:30 p.m. Nature vs. Nurture; June 28 7:30 p.m. The Beginning of an Unknown Era; June 29 Molba 7:30, Shadows od Our Forgotten Ancestors 9:10; June 30 7, 9:10 p.m. Nenette and Boni. Pacific Film Archive Theater 2575 Bancroft Way (at Bowditch) 642-1412 

 

Exhibits 

 

Constitutional Shift, Through July 13, tuesdays - fridays, noon - 5 p.m. Kala Art Institute. Permanence and personal journey link Hee Jae Suh, Ursula Neubauer and Marci Tackett. Korean-born Suh explores an inner psychological world with a dramatic series of self-portraits. Neubauer explores self-portraiture as a travel map of identity with multiple points of view. Tackett explores Antarctica’s other-worldly landscape in a series of stunning digital photographs. 1060 Heinz Ave. 549-2977 

 

Tyler James Hoare Sculpture and Collage Through June 27, call for hours. The Albatross Pub 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473 

 

Ako Castuera, Ryohei Tanaka, Rob Sato Through June 30, Tues. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Group exhibition, recent paintings. Artist’s reception June 9, 6:30 - 9 p.m. with music by Knewman and Espia. !hey! Gallery 4920 B Telegraph Ave., Oakland 428-2349  

 

“Watershed 2001” Through July 14, Wednesday - Sunday Noon - 5 p.m. Exhibition of painting, drawing, sculpture and installation that explore images and issues about our watershed. Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St. 644-6893 

 

Rachel Davis and Benicia Gantner Works on Paper Through July 14, Tues. - Sat., 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Watercolors by Davis, mixed-media by Gantner. Opening reception June 13, 6 - 8 p.m. Traywick Gallery 1316 Tenth St. 527-1214 www.traywick.com 

 

“The Trip to Here: Paintings and Ghosts by Marty Brooks” Through July 31, Tues. - Sun. 11 a.m. - 1 a.m. View Brooks’ first California show at Bison Brewing Company 2598 Telegraph Ave. 841-7734  

 

Bernard Maisner: Illuminated Manuscripts and Paintings. Through Aug. 8 Maisner works in miniature as well as in large scales, combining his mastery of medieval illumination, gold leafing, and modern painting techniques. Flora Lamson Hewlett Library 2400 Ridge Rd. 849-2541 

 

“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 

 

“Geographies of My Heart” Collage paintings by Jennifer Colby through August 24; Flora Lamson Hewlett Library 2400 Ridge Rd. 649-2541 

 

Images of Portugal Paintings by Sofia Berto Villas-Boas of her native land. Open after 5 p.m. Voulez-Vous 2930 College Ave. (at Elmwood) 

 

“Queens of Ethiopia: Intuitive Inspirations,” the exceptional art of Esete-Miriam A. Menkir. Through July 11. Women’s Cancer Resource Center Gallery 3023 Shattuck Ave. 548-9286 ext 307 

 

“The Decade of Change: 1900 - 1910” chronicles the transformation of the city of Berkeley in this 10 year period. Thursday through Saturday, 1 - 4 p.m. Now - September. Berkeley History Center, Veterans Memorial Building, 1931 Center St. Wheelchair accessible. 848-0181. Free.  

 

 

Readings 

 

Freight & Salvage, June 23, 10 a.m.-noon Diane di Prima, beat poet and author of “recollections of My Life as a Woman”. 

 

Julia Morgan Center for the Arts June 29: 7:30 p.m., “Berkeley Stories” by local Celebrity Artists. 2640 College Ave. 549-3564  

 

Weekly Poetry Nitro Mondays 6:30 p.m. sign up, 7 - 9 p.m. reading. Performing poets in a dinner atmosphere. June 25 Steve ArntsenCafe de la Paz 1600 Shattuck Ave. 843-0662 

 

Tours 

 

“Berkeley in the Sixties” Berkeley Arts Festival presents free speech Veterans Kate Coleman and Michael Rossman leading a tour from Sather Gate Friday June 29, 3 p.m. 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 


FORUM

Friday June 22, 2001

Don’t forget us 

Editor, 

When Robert and Dorothy Bryant (6/21) suggested donating tax refund checks to a favored charity (preferably one Bush hates), they wrote that it was difficult to choose just one charity from a list they could not even name. While their decision to donate to the Library Foundation was a very good one, I’d like to offer another choice to those who agree with the Bryants. 

Endorse your check over to the Berkeley Community Fund (2320 Shattuck Avenue, Suite A; Berkeley, CA, 94704; 843-5202). As a community foundation, we consider it a serious responsibility to know about the nonprofit organizations serving our city. We encourage proposals from small, innovative, “below the radar” organizations you might never know about, as well as from long-established ones. All of our grantees have programs in areas that match our mission of narrowing inequities within our community and creating hope and opportunity for disadvantaged youth. All of them provide their services in BERKELEY.  

Our staff and board carefully review every grant proposal, including the organization’s financial information and history. Each grant cycle, though, we have to turn down proposals from organizations doing wonderful, important work in our community simply because our funding is limited. While I doubt President Bush could really hate any of our grantees, many of them are too small, too local, or too innovative to benefit from federal programs. Your gift would make a real difference right here in Berkeley. 

And here is the very BEST part: every cent of your gift will go to grants. How can this be? Our Board of Directors covers all administrative costs of the Fund from their own pockets! This is something very few foundations can say (and something very few in Washington D. C. would even believe).  

Lisa Allphin 

Executive Director, Berkeley Community Fund 

EIR failed to look at cumulative traffic  

The Daily Planet received the following letter addressed to Mayor Shirley Dean: 

During the June 5 City Council hearing on 1301 Oxford St., you asked me a good question regarding the current impact of Congregation Beth El’s Saturday morning parking on the neighborhood that includes both the current site of the congregation and the proposed future site between Oxford and Spruce streets. Your question deserves a better and more detailed answer than I was able to provide at the time. 

Indeed, the fact that you had to ask the question, and my inability to provide more than an anecdotal answer, are both testimony to the inadequacy of the Environmental Impact Report, which could and should have answered the question but did not. While acknowledging that neighbors had expressed concerns about the current, existing facility, the final EIR states that “it is not within the bounds of CEQA to appraise the operational conditions and capacities of the existing Congregation facility.” This was their conclusion in the face of numerous letters and testimony from neighbors that during the frequent Saturday Bar Mitzvahs at the present site, the neighborhood is indeed “parked up” between Cedar and Rose streets on Spruce and Arch, on Eunice between Cedar and halfway up Spring Way, and on Vine from near Hawthorn Terrace to Oxford St. 

Worse yet, the EIR specifically declined to examine what it acknowledged is a “potential for cumulative (parking) impacts if both the existing and proposed sites of Congregation Beth El are operated with institutional uses,” as will clearly be the case. It also totally ignores the cumulative impact of parking at the proposed site in combination with the Berkeley-Richmond Jewish Community Center, which is one and a half blocks away. These two institutions offer virtually the same programs and services, and they share the same operating calendar. When they start doing so within a block and a half of one another, they will find themselves in fierce competition for the same few available parking spaces, and those who live in the neighborhood will be caught in the squeeze. Imagine the additional impact when yet another institution starts using Beth El’s Arch St. site! 

Unfortunately, neither the drafters of the EIR nor the city staff nor the ZAB members dared to imagine such a thing. The EIR almost casually dismissed the problem with the observation that “a more detailed analysis of the potential cumulative (parking) impacts of operation of Congregation Beth El and the existing Arch/Vine site (by another religious institution) is not possible since no new use has been proposed for that site.” 

What we are left with is totally inadequate data and analysis, which should be more than sufficient grounds for the City Council to decertify the ZAB report and require a new report, with reliable, objective data that will respond to your own very relevant question. 

Jon Stewart 

Berkeley 

Beth El planning process worked 

Editor: 

In a recent article, Kevin Powell claims that in the case of the Congregation Beth El Synagogue and School project, the City Planning process has been dysfunctional. Nothing can be further from the truth. Mr. Powell cites the unprecedented turnout (some 450 people) as evidence for his claim. He fails to mention that about 85 percent of the turnout were Beth El supporters. This expression by Beth El members, by Berkeley clergy, by Camp Kee Tov bus drivers, and by neighbors who are not Beth El members reflects the breadth and depth of support for this fine project.  

Remarkably, in Mr. Powell’s long article about process, he has only one sentence about the EIR. He claims that although the EIR dissected the project in extraordinary detail, it did not guide ZAB’s decision. Mr. Powell is simply wrong. The EIR was a central event in the planning process. The EIR concluded that the project would have no significant environmental impacts that cannot be mitigated. 

The final EIR contained responses to the extensive public comments made during this process. The EIR also included the significant ruling by the city attorney that no Berkeley ordinances or policies require the daylighting of Codornices Creek. Mr. Powell should have been at the numerous EIR discussions at ZAB. ZAB members discussed the three thick volumes, the analysis of parking, traffic, storm run-off, fish, sound, trees and the other environmental issues surrounding the project. ZAB members reviewed in detail the work of the team of engineering and environmental specialists.  

This EIR went far beyond the scope of a standard EIR. It had an additional section analyzing planning and zoning impacts that are not “environmental impacts” under EIR law. It did so explicitly for the guidance of ZAB. ZAB used that analysis in coming to its decision to certify the EIR as complete and, ultimately, to revise and approve the project. 

Mr. Powell would also have a different perspective of this process if he read the numerous City Planning Staff reports issued during the course of 13 ZAB public hearings - they represent many hours of time and effort. Significant among these were the detailed parking analysis of the staff. As is now well known, Berkeley has no specific parking requirements for religious institutions, this being determined on a case by case basis. As it was ZAB responsibility to determine the parking for Beth El, staff aided the ZAB by first reviewing the Fehr & Peers and CCS Engineering traffic and parking studies. Staff then analyzed other local projects, surveyed other localities in California and reviewed how Berkeley’s policies and treatment of parking have evolved over the years. This resulted in a staff recommendation of 1 space per eight seats in the sanctuary formula (31 spaces) which the ZAB eventually approved on March 8. 

Mr. Powell also complains that there was little change in the plans during the ZAB hearings. But the original application reflected the most important of the values urged upon Beth El by the neighborhood. And there were numerous significant changes made during the ZAB process. The huge crowd in support of the project demonstrates that this is a balanced project. 

James H. Samuels AIA,  

Berkeley


Calendar of Events & Activities

Friday June 22, 2001


Friday, June 22

 

Living Philosophers  

10 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Hear and entertain the ideas of some modern day philosophers: Jacob Needleman, J. Revel, Hilary Putnam, John Searle, Saul Kripke, Richard Rorty and others. Every Friday, except holidays. Facilitated by H.D. Moe.  

 

Therapy for Trans Partners  

6 - 7:30 p.m.  

Pacific Center for Human Growth  

2712 Telegraph Ave. (at Derby)  

A group open to partners of those in transition or considering transition. The group is structured to be a safe place to receive support from peers and explore a variety of issues, including sexual orientation, coming out, feelings of isolation, among other topics. Intake process required. Meeting Fridays through August 17.  

$8 - $35 sliding scale per session  

Call 548-8283 x534 or x522 

 

City Commons Club,  

Luncheon and Speaker 

11:45 a.m. 

Berkeley City Club 

2315 Durant Ave. 

This week featuring Jeffrey Riegle, Ph.D., on “Historical Reasons for China’s Current Conduct.” Come early for social hour. Lunch at 11:45 for $11-$12.25. Come at 12:30 to hear the speaker only for $1, students free. Reservations required for three or more. 

848-3533 

 

Schools for Chiapas Benefit 

7 p.m. 

Shattuck Down-Low Lounge 

2284 Shattuck 

El Camioncito Escolar Por La Paz en Chiapas  

“The Little School Bus for Peace in Chiapas” is coming to Berkeley after two months on the road accompanying the Zapatistas on their historic march to Mexico City. Ride in the bus, enjoy music and support Schools for Chiapas. Featuring Bay Area bands Fleeting Trace, Bern and others. Age 21 and over. $5 - 10 sliding scale. 

415-699-5686 

 


Saturday, June 23

 

“Feast of Fire” benefit  

for the Crucible 

10:30 p.m. 

The Crucible 

1036 Ashby Ave. 

Act III, The Flight of Icarus, will feature live music and performances by several groups including Capacitor and Xeno. Price of admission benefits the Crucible, a multi-disciplinary community arts center. $20 at the door. 

 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market 

Summer Solstice Celebration 

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

Civic Center Park 

Center St. and MLK Jr. Way 

Farmers market plus crafts fair and live reggae and jazz. 

548-3333 

 

Strawberry Creek Walking Tour 

10 a.m. - Noon 

Learn about Strawberry Creek’s history, explore its neighborhoods, and consider its potential. Meet four experts on the local creeks. Reservations required, call 848-0181. 

 

Energy-Efficient Wood  

Windows 

9:30 - 11:30 a.m. 

Truitt and White Lumber 

642 Hearst Avenue 

Free seminar by Marvin Window’s representative Chris Martin on how to measure and install the double-hung Tilt Pac replacement unit, as well as a review of the full line of Marvin’s energy-efficient wood windows. 649-2574 

 

What You Need to Know Before You Build or Remodel 

10 a.m. - Noon 

The Building Education Center 

812 Page Street 

Free seminar by professional builder Glen Kitzenberger. 

525-7610 

 

Choosing to Add On:  

The Pros and Cons of  

Building an Addition 

Noon - 2 p.m. 

The Building Education Center 

812 Page Street 

Free seminar by author/designer Skip Wenz 525-7610 

 

Schools for Chiapas Benefit 

7 p.m. 

Lost City 23 Club 

23 Vistitacion Ave., Brisbane 

El Camioncito Escolar Por La Paz en Chiapas  

“The Little School Bus for Peace in Chiapas” is coming to the Bay Area after two months on the road accompanying the Zapatistas on their historic march to Mexico City. Meet at the downtown Berkeley BART station on Shattuck at 6 p.m. Sharp! 

 


Sunday, June 24

 

Hands-On Bicycle Repair Clinics  

11 a.m. - Noon  

Recreational Equipment, Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Learn how to fix a flat from one of REI’s bike technicians. All you need to bring is your bike. Free  

527-4140 

 

Uncle Eye 

2 p.m. 

Berkeley-Richmond Jewish 

Community Center 

1414 Walnut Ave. 

Come see Ira Levin, a.k.a. Uncle Eye, give a special performance as a fund-raiser for a television pilot to be filmed this summer. $7 - $10. 

848-0237 www.uncle-eye.com 

 

Carefree/Carfree Tour 

1 p.m. 

Berkeley Arts Festival Gallery 

2200 Shattuck Avenue 

Artful garden tour, part of the Berkeley Arts Festival. Ride AC Transit to Marcia Donohue and Mark Bulwinkle’s Our Own Stuff Garden and Gallery, then walk to the Dry Garden. 486-0411 

 

Carefree/Carfree Tour #2 

1:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Arts Festival Gallery 

2200 Shattuck Avenue 

Ride the bus to the Codornices Creek Restoration Project and the Peralta Community Garden and enjoy a concert by Nicole Miller. 

486-0411 

 

Music and Meditation 

8 - 9 p.m. 

The Heart-Road Traveller 

1828 Euclid Avenue 

Group meditation using instrumental music and devotional songs. Free. 496-3468  

 

Buddhist Philosophy 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Barr Rosenberg, co-dean of the Nyingma Institute, will present some of the central ideas and perspectives of the Madhyamaka School of Buddhism. 843-6812 

 

— compiled by Sabrina Forkish and Guy Poole 

 

 


Monday, June 25

 

Tectonic Theater Project 

7 p.m. 

Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theater 

2015 Addison Street 

“Page to Stage: Surviving the Media” is a conversation with the Tectonic Theater Project and professor Douglas Foster. The Tectonic Theater Project traveled to Laramie, Wyoming after the murder of openly gay student Matthew Shepard and wrote a play about the impact Shepard’s death, and the following media scrutiny, had upon the small community. The Laramie Project is running through July 8 at the Berkeley Rep.  

647-2900 

 

What You Need to Know Before You Build or Remodel 

7 - 9 p.m. 

The Building Education Center 

812 Page Street 

Free seminar by professional builder Glen Kitzenberger. 

525-7610 

 

NOW Meeting 

6:30 p.m. 

Mama Bears Book Store 

6537 Telegraph Avenue 

The general meeting of the National Organization for Women. 

 


Tuesday, June 26

 

Saranel Benjamin of Globalization 

7 p.m. 

Oakland YMCA 

1515 Webster Street, Oakland 

Saranel Benjamin, trade unionist from South Africa, will discuss the impact of corporate globalization on South African workers. Sponsored by Berkeley’s Women of Color Resource Center. 

848-9272 

 

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 Don, 525-3565 

 


Wednesday, June 27

 

Conversations in Commedia 

7:30 p.m. 

La Pena 

3105 Shattuck Ave. 

The series pairs radical theater “elders” to share memories of their years in commedia. This week with former Mime Troupe actress Audrey Smith and Ladies Against Women character Selma Spector. $6 - $8. 

849-2568 

 

Disaster Council 

7 p.m. 

Emergency Operations Center 

997 Cedar Street 

Update on Measure G. 

644-8736 

 


Thursday, June 28

 

 

Quit Smoking Class 

6 - 8 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center 

2939 Ellis Street 

A six week quit smoking class. Free to Berkeley residents and employees. 

Call 644-6422 or e-mail at: quitnow@ci.berkeley.ca.us 

 

Summer Noon Concerts 2001 

Noon - 1 p.m. 

Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza 

Shattuck at Center St. 

Weekly concert series. This week Berkeley Opera performs pieces of Carmen. 

 

Pink Slip Party and Career Mixer 

6 - 9 p.m. 

Pyramid Brewery and Alehouse 

901 Gilman Street 

Meet with East Bay job seekers while listening to music by DJ and Emcee Marty Nemko. Also, cash bar, free hors d’oeurves, and prize giveaways. Free and open to the public. Call 251-1401. 

www.eastbaytechjobs.com/mixer/  

 


Friday, June 29

 

Living Philosophers  

10 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave.  

Hear and entertain the ideas of some modern day philosophers: Jacob Needleman, J. Revel, Hilary Putnam, John Searle, Saul Kripke, Richard Rorty and others. Every Friday except holidays. Facilitated by H.D. Moe.  

 

Therapy for Trans Partners  

6 - 7:30 p.m.  

Pacific Center for Human Growth  

2712 Telegraph Ave.  

A group open to partners of those in transition or considering transition. The group is structured to be a safe place to receive support from peers and explore a variety of issues, including sexual orientation, coming out, feelings of isolation, among other topics. Intake process required. Meeting Fridays through August 17.  

$8 - $35 sliding scale per session  

Call 548-8283 x534 or x522 

 

Strong Women: Arts, Herstory and Literature 

1:15 - 3:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. 

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

Call 549-2970  

 

Saturday, June 30 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Center Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Milvia Street 

548-3333 

 

Science of Spirituality 

5 p.m. 

St. John’s Presbyterian Church 

2727 Collage Avenue 

Professor Andrew Vidich will speak on “Rumi: Mystic and Romantic Love, Stories of Masnavi.” Childcare and vegetarian food provided. Free. 

925-830-2975  

 

Bonfire III: Stories and  

Songs By the Sea 

7:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Marina 

Spinnaker Way, near Olympic Circle Sailing Club 

Come for Havdala and share stories, sing and watch the flames dance. Bring food and drink to share, kosher s’mores provided. 

848-0237 

 

Know Your Rights 

11 - 2 p.m. 

2022 Blake St. 

Copwatch workshop: learn what your rights are when dealing with the police. Special section on juvenile rights.  

548-0425 


72-year-old business still going

By Jennifer Dix Daily Planet correspondent
Friday June 22, 2001

Don’t go to the Berkeley Stamp Company to beef up your postage stamp collection.  

“We get people in every so often looking for that,” said owner W. H. Ellis, with a smile. The modest store with the sign that boasts “Since 1929” caters not to philatelists but to corporations, turning out office signs, name plates and plaques.  

And don’t mention retirement to Ellis, who turns 89 this month and has been with the company from the beginning. 

A slight but active man with twinkling brown eyes, Walter Herbert Ellis was just 17 when his father, Herbert Ellis, was laid off from his job as an office manager on the eve of the Great Depression. The senior Ellis decided to launch his own office-supply business from the basement of the family home on Josephine Street, and the younger Ellis, third of seven children, went to work for his dad.  

It wasn’t always fun working in such close quarters, Ellis said. But the H.R. Ellis Company grew slowly and steadily. H.R. Ellis retired in the late 1940s and his son took over, moving the company into a University Avenue storefront in 1952, where it has remained ever since. He changed the name to Berkeley Stamp Company, but the vintage sign hanging outside proudly reminds passersby that this is a company that’s been around for more than 70 years. 

Ellis’ family spans quite a stretch of history. His parents met on Alcatraz when the island served as an Army base. His mother was a San Francisco native and his father came from Pennsylvania to fight in the Spanish-American War. Ellis was born in San Francisco, but grew up in Berkeley. He remembers the Key Route System that preceded BART, and says his father gave the Westbrae station its name. “The sign said Albany, but it wasn’t in Albany, it was in Berkeley,” he said. “My father wrote (officials) a letter and suggested Westbrae.” 

Ellis graduated from Berkeley the year after his father began the company, and worked at the business until 1943, when he enlisted in the Navy. After three years on a troop transport ship, he came back to Berkeley and the family business. Soon thereafter, his father turned the reins over to him. 

When Ellis began working for his father, print jobs meant setting type by hand. The company made rubber stamps using a vulcanizing machine that pressed the rubber into molds. The vulcanizer, long unused, still sits in a back corner of the shop, near a stack of metal molds that are also gathering dust.  

Today, it’s all done by computer. On a recent day, employee Steve Patton was seated at the computer, pulling up a fancy font for an engraved invitation. On a nearby desk are scattered colorful plastic name tags, some for a church, some for a local pet food store. Patton simply scans the company logo and engraves it on the tags using a laser machine. 

While technology has made work easier, it’s also taken its toll on the business. “It’s dropped off quite a bit,” Ellis said, musing back over the past few decades. “The computers have taken over.”  

There is far less demand for personalized stationery, business cards, or other documents, which professionals can now create on their own desktops. Business rubber stamps are slowly becoming extinct. Where Ellis once employed eight people, he now has a staff of three. The business today is mostly name plates and plaques, such as one listing the winners in an area bowling league. Major clients include the University of California and Peet’s Coffee, which buys individualized labels for its various coffee blends. 

Ellis still works full time every day. But he says he’s planning to cut back to half time, any day now. “My wife wants to see more of me.” He fairly beams when he mentions his second wife, Patricia, an organist at the Unitarian Church in Kensington. He met her about seven years ago, following the death of his first wife. “I wish you could meet Pat,” he says, looking around as if she might appear. “She’s really something.” He speaks with pride of her many abilities – she keeps the books for the store – and her large social circle. “You wouldn’t believe how many people she knows – oh, it’s amazing.” 

His wife’s music and social engagements will certainly keep him busy in semi-retirement, and Ellis has projects of his own. “I need to catch up on my reading,” he said. “I follow the stock market.” Though he has no children of his own, he speaks warmly of his stepson, and his stepdaughter, whom he recently gave away at her marriage. His zest for life clearly remains undiminished. He speaks with delight of his home in Kensington, which has Bay views and shade trees. 

But don't expect W. H. Ellis to spend all his time at home. Retiring completely from the job he’s held since he was a teenager seems inconceivable. “I like coming in here, seeing the customers and talking to them.”  


BHS players head to Cuba for baseball tour

By Jared Green Daily Planet Staff
Friday June 22, 2001

Rattlers to be first junior team to visit Castro. 

 

 

Sometime late on Saturday night, a plane will be landing in Cuba carrying with it historic significance. On it will be 58 Americans, which is unusual enough for a country that has been at odds with the United States for most of the 20th century. And among the company will be several Berkeley representatives. 

The Oakland Rattlers AAU baseball team will be the first high-school-age team to tour the last bastion of communism since the U.S. embargo was enacted in the early 1960s. The 16-and-under team has three players who also play for Berkeley High: Cole Stipovich, Andre Sternberg and Ryan Nelson. 

Stipovich, who has played for Rattlers’ head coach Eddie Abrams for two years, was one of the first kids Abrams recruited for his new team from his old team, the Oakland Oaks. 

“He told us he was going to make a new team with us and a bunch of other players, Stipovich said. “The trip came along after that, so I was one of the first to know about it, and I got pretty excited.” 

The Rattlers were chosen mostly due to Abrams’ reputation for fielding highly successful teams, but also because he puts together racially diverse squads. 

“It’s very important to the Cubans that the team not be lily-white,” assistant coach Jim Stipovich said. “When we play in national tournaments, so many of the teams don’t have any minorities. It’s almost shameful.” 

The team will be accompanied by a crew from Fox Sports World, which will be creating a documentary on the unique trip. 

The trip will be one week long, with the first day dedicated to sightseeing in Havana. The team will play doubleheaders against the Cuban junior Olympic team on Monday and Tuesday, then visit the National Sports School in Havana on Wednesday. Thursday will bring another doubleheader, but the two teams will mix and play together. The final day of the trip will consist of a dinner with Cuban leader Fidel Castro, himself a former ballplayer. 

According the elder Stipovich, the Rattlers are set on sweeping the two formal doubleheaders. 

“We want to show them what we’ve got,” he said. “But the Cubans are going to be desperate to win on their own turf, in front of their fans. All the pressure will be on them.”


BUSD accused of ignoring student help program

By Ben Lumpkin Daily Planet staff
Friday June 22, 2001

Members of Berkeley’s African American community – church leaders, community leaders, parents, teachers, and students – turned out en masse at the Wednesday night School Board meeting to denounce the school district for not doing enough to help students of color improve their academic skills. 

“The level of disenchantment with this school district by black people in particular, and people of color in general, is rather astounding,” said Alex Papillon, president of the Berkeley Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. 

In a separate meeting last week at St. Joseph the Worker Church, members of Berkeley’s Latino community listed grievances against Berkeley High School, arguing that their children are receiving a second-class education through the school’s English Language Learner program. 

On Wednesday, African Americans also focused their complaints on the high school, arguing that the administration has done nothing to address the achievement gap and is even turning its back on a popular, parent-backed program aimed at addressing the issue. 

Concerned that 242 Berkeley High freshman were in danger of failing two or more classes midway through the first semester this year, the group Parents of Children of African Descent (PCAD) took a plan for intervention to the school board in January. The school board later joined the city in giving PCAD the money it needed to launch its program for eight months – from the beginning of the second semester to the end of the summer.  

The program they called “Rebound” took 50 of the 180 students who finished the semester with failing grades in two or more classes and placed them in smaller classes of longer duration, where teachers could give students more one on one attention.  

According to statistics presented to the school board by Rebound supporters Wednesday, Rebound students’ grades and attendance improved dramatically in just their first few months in the program.  

The statistics compare 30 Rebound students to a “control group” of 30 freshman from similar racial and economic backgrounds who were also failing two or more classes at the end of the first semester but did not join Rebound.  

Of the 30 students in the control group, all were failing English at the end of the first semester and 26 were still failing midway through the second semester. Of the 30 Rebound students, 29 were failing English at the end of the first semester but only 11 were still failing the class midway through the second semester. 

Rebound students posted similar grade gains over their peers in algebra and history classes, although Berkeley High Principal Frank Lynch cautioned Thursday the results from statewide standardized tests taken in the spring will provide a more objective measure of changes in students’ academic performance. 

Rebound supporters also argued Wednesday that the program had a dramatic impact on student attendance. Whereas the 30 Rebound students accumulated 259 absences in the math class during the first half of the first semester, they accumulated only 121 absences in the class during the first half of the second semester. In the control group, meanwhile, 268 math absences in the first half of the first semester grew to 464 absences in the first half of the second semester. 

Rebound student Elizabeth Feamster explained the difference to the school board. There was a large group of students of color who “messed up the first semester and decided to just give up,” she said. 

“It’s hard to be in a big class...where you don’t know what to do and you’re scared to ask because you feel like you’re the dumb one,” Feamster said. 

“Once you fall short on your grades, you’re in the lost land of no support at Berkeley High school,” agreed Ryan Collins-Lee, a Berkeley High freshman who didn’t join Rebound and barely managed to pass his classes. 

Despite graduating Willard Middle School with a 3.7 GPA, Collins-Lee said, he nearly didn’t make it to his sophomore year at Berkeley High. 

“No one seems to care, except for a very few teachers, and my parents and my friends, who give me the power to keep going,” Collins-Lee said. 

Given the universal acknowledgment of the seriousness of the achievement gap problem at Berkeley High, PCAD Steering Committee member Debrah Watson said she was “at a loss” to understand why school board members and other school administrators haven’t paid closer attention to Rebound’s successes, or laid out plans for emulating those successes in the larger Berkeley High community. 

“By not doing anything, they have shown that they are not concerned about the community or the students,” Watson said. 

In a comment that brought applauding audience members to their feet Wednesday, Peralta Community College District Board member Darryl Moore said: “Instead of eliminating (Rebound), the program should be expanded.”  

Lynch said Thursday that, as he understood it, there was never any intention either by the school board or PCAD to continue Rebound beyond the end of the summer. It was a pilot program to identify effective ways for addressing the achievement gap, which it did, he said. 

“We learned from (Rebound), and we will do something, but we can’t replicate what’s been going on,” Lynch said. 

With five teachers and one coordinator working with just 50 students, the Rebound program provided a level of support to students and their parents that simply isn’t feasible in the larger school environment, where teachers have an average of 150 to 180 students passing through their classroom each day, Lynch said. 

Rebound supporters are justly proud of the record for getting parents involved in the academic life of their students through weekly meetings and phone calls, Lynch said. But the sheer numbers make this strategy unworkable for other Berkeley High teachers, he said.  

The school does plan to follow Rebound’s lead next year, Lynch said, by dividing incoming freshman into different core groups based on their academic support needs and then connecting them with backup programs, counseling and after school services. 

“The only thing that we can’t duplicate is the 12-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio,” Lynch said. “That’s totally impossible to do, unless you’re a school district rolling in dollars.” 

It’s not ideal, Lynch said. It just the way it is. 

“As long as you have students in classes with 30-to-1 ratios as opposed to 12-1 (some students) are going to feel like people don’t care,” Lynch said. “And that is really unfortunate.” 

Still, PCAD members and their supporters vowed to continue fighting Wednesday until the district institutes reforms that truly impact the achievement gap. 

“PCAD is not going to stop until those kids have the same opportunities” as other Berkeley High students, PCAD Steering Committee member Michael Miller told the school board. 

The NAACP’s Papillon said the time has come for Berkeley’s African American community to come together in a “town hall” meeting to bring more pressure to bear on the school board. 

“It is abundantly clear that this school district will not respond to the concerns that we have until we stand before you at the size of a gorilla,” Papillon said Wednesday. 


Northern California’s top players facing off at Berkeley Tennis Club

By Jared Green Daily Planet Staff
Friday June 22, 2001

The best junior tennis players in northern California are squaring off this week at the Berkeley Tennis Club, trying to add on points to qualify for the junior national tournament in August. 

Starting Monday, 68 boys and 37 girls opened the United States Tennis Association NorCal 18-and-under Sectionals Tournament. By Saturday, each bracket will be pared down to two competitors in the finals. 

Tournament director Todd Mitchell, who is the Director of Tennis and head pro at the Berkeley Tennis Club, said this year’s draws are smaller than usual. 

“Some kids have already signed with colleges, so they don’t want to play,” Mitchell said. “But it’s just a fact that the numbers particpating at this age are down across the board.” 

But for the ones who are playing, the sectionals are a good chance to up their national standing. Since the tournament is only open to the finalists from smaller events, the point values are doubled, making this an opportunity to jump up in the rankings. 

In addition, this is the last tournament before the seeding for the national finals is selected. So a big upset or a surprise loss could have a sudden impact that can’t be fixed. The boys’ national tournament will be held in Kalamazoo, Mich., with the girls’ in San Jose, both on August 6-13. Mitchell said he expects about five boys and five girls from the NorCal region to be selected for the nationals. 

With the cream of the crop all in one tournament, the competition is very tough. Complicating matters is that most of the competitors know each other, having come up in the same system for many years. 

“By the time they get here, they usually know each other pretty well,” Mitchell said. “That can be good, but it can also make things harder. 

The doubles finals will be held at approximately 2:30 p.m. today, depending on singles results. The singles finals will be on Saturday, 10 a.m. for the girls, 11:30 a.m for the boys.


Residents want to purchase project

By John Geluardi Daily Planet staff
Friday June 22, 2001

Residents of the University Avenue Co-op Homes want to take advantage of a rare opportunity to buy their affordable housing development and have asked the City Council to fund a study of the proposed purchase. 

Because of the tenant-co-op structure of the development, the 47-unit property on Addison Street, has been managed and maintained by the tenants since the complex first opened. The co-op is now seeking to purchase the property from Capitol Housing Partners, the for-profit East Coast real estate company that owns the apartments.  

The city owns the land the apartments are built on and currently leases it to CHA for $1 a year. 

Housing officials say no purchase price has been discussed. Co-op tenants would likely secure low-interest federal, state and city loans to buy the property, according to Councilmember Dona Spring, who represents District 7 where the apartments are located. 

CHA’s contract with the Housing and Urban Development Department expires on Jan. 3 and the residents are concerned the housing will revert to market rates and that the development will lose its project-based Section 8 status, which provides rental subsidies for qualified residents. 

The co-op’s board of directors has carried out the responsibilities of property owners since the project first opened in the mid 1980s. The tenants have balanced the project’s budget and have been responsible for all the repair work performed on the property. The board of directors even instigated a $750,000 lawsuit against the development’s contractor for shoddy work in 1991. 

Dan Sawislak, a project manager for the nonprofit developer Resources for Community Development, said the co-op’s tenant control has encouraged many of the residents to get involved with the development’s upkeep and management. 

Resident Elsie Blunt, 74, who is raising her 13-year-old great-grandson in the complex said the tenants have created a pleasant atmosphere. 

“This place is kept up very nice, it’s quiet, the people are friendly and there isn’t any drug problems here,” Blunt said. “I’ve lived in Berkeley since 1947 and if we lose this place, I won’t be able to afford another.”  

Sawislak said the co-op’s opportunity to purchase the property is rare. The tenant-purchase option was written into the development’s contract in the early 1980s when co-ops were popular structures for affordable housing projects. 

Ellen Rodin, an attorney and long-time resident of the co-op, said the project was structured by Irv Routenberg, who was a project manager for University Avenue Housing, Inc., which developed the property.  

“What we have here is a very unique situation because of the way Irv organized this project,” she said. “The management lives on site and because of it you get a much better place. People who visit the apartments never believe it’s low-income housing.” 

The study the tenants are requesting from the city would examine a variety of purchase scenarios, said Interim Housing Director Stephen Barton. 

“We’ll have to examine when the best time to purchase the building would be, whether it’s now or five years down the road. We also need an estimate of value and we have to find out just what the nature of the private investors ownership is. Right now that’s still unclear,” Barton said. 

He added the study would likely cost $2,000 to $4,000. 

Spring has been supportive of the co-op purchasing the apartments and put the tenants’ request for funding the study in the biennial budget, which is scheduled to be adopted next Tuesday. “This would be a great thing for the tenants and it would guarantee the project would remain affordable in perpetuity.” 

Spring said she would like to see a county bond measure go before the voters that would create a pool of money for assisting low-income tenants who want to purchase the affordable housing complexes they live in, as they came up for sale.


Playground soil tested for arsenic

By Daniela Mohor Daily Planet staff
Friday June 22, 2001

The American Chemistry Council, an organization representing the U.S. chemical industry, tested the soil at the Cedar and Rose Park playground in north Berkeley Thursday, to determine whether the site is contaminated with arsenic. 

The sampling plan of the laboratory commissioned by ACC to do the analysis indicates that the Berkeley park is one of only five playgrounds throughout the country to be tested. The ACC was not available for comment. 

City officials say the testing may be related to the nationwide controversy surrounding the safety of wooden play structures treated with a preservative made of chromium, copper and arsenic (CCA). In Berkeley, at least four parks, including Cedar and Rose present risks of arsenic poisoning. 

“They clearly decided to do it because there was all this brouhaha,” said Nabil Al-Hadithy, manager of the Toxics Management Division.  

The brouhaha started last March when three parks were closed in Miami because arsenic leaching from CCA-treated wooden play structures was found in the soil. Florida citizens’ concern quickly grew into a national worry. And in May, the Environmental Working group and the Healthy Building Network asked the government to ban the use of CCA-treated wood in playgrounds.  

According to the study the two groups made public in Berkeley that same month, a 5-year-old child exposed to that kind of equipment for five hours a day, would reach his or her lifetime acceptable load of arsenic in fewer than 14 days. The health risks of such exposure include lung, bladder, and skin cancer. 

The EWG/HBN report brought to light the negligence of the city in meeting the codes adopted in 1987 by the California Department of Health Services. According to these codes the arsenic-treated play structures have to be coated with sealant every two years, but Berkeley did it for a couple of years only. 

After the study was made public, Parks and Waterfront Department Director Lisa Caronna, immediately addressed the issue. She had the hazardous structures coated and plans to replace them within five years. However, officials fear that contaminants have leached into the soil during the years the structures were not protected. 

“The concern is the dusting and the fact that with the run off the soil is contaminated too, because there was a long period of time when it wasn’t coated and the sealant was lost,” said L.A. Wood, vice chair of the Community Environmental Advisory Commission, who attended Thursday’s sample collection.  

The results of the American Chemistry Council’s soil analysis should be available within two and one-half weeks. But to the city, the ACC’s findings make little difference. Caronna said she was pleased that the ACC, unlike other organizations in the past, informed the city of the testing and asked officials to supervise the sample collection. But she added that it will not influence city policies – the Parks Department will soon do an independent and thorough soil analysis. 

“From our perspective, we want to know if there is any other site that presents a danger,” she said.  

The testing should be done in the next couple of months if the City Council approves the recommendation that the Community Environmental Advisory Commission will present to it July 17. 

Among other things, the commission requests the city replace all CCA-treated structures, test all playgrounds with treated wood, and address the problem of Berkeley’s non city-owned playgrounds, including those belonging to the school district, private schools and day care centers. 

 


Teachers vie for prized housing spots on district land

The Associated Press
Friday June 22, 2001

SANTA CLARA — Forty teachers in one of the nation’s tightest housing markets won coveted spots Thursday in inexpensive apartments being built on school district property as part of a program believed to be the first of its kind anywhere. 

About 85 Santa Clara teachers entered the lottery for the new apartments in “Casa del Maestro” – Home of the Teacher. It is expected to open next spring with rents about one-half the market rate. 

School district officials hope it helps them retain new teachers, who are increasingly fleeing Silicon Valley’s exorbitant cost of living after a few years. 

A local disc jockey plucked the lucky teachers’ names from a plastic bin in a stuffy room at an elementary school, where the apartments are being built on the edge of a soccer field. Besides the 40 winners, 20 teachers were placed on a waiting list. 

Most of the winners were not at the ceremony because this is the break between the regular school year and summer school. But those attending were delighted when their names were called, while their fellow teachers applauded. 

First-grade teacher Aimee Brinks hugged the superintendent. Toby Stack, who starts teaching fifth grade in the fall, pumped his fist and grinned. 

Stack, 24, moved to Santa Clara from Missoula, Mont., last week and has been sleeping on a friend’s couch. Now he has his eye on a 1,200-square foot, two-bedroom apartment with a den, deck, washer and dryer that will cost around $1,200 a month. 

“Now I can make a commitment to the district and these kids,” he said. When asked what he would have done if he hadn’t won the lottery, he said: “Struggle like the rest of them. Try as hard as I can to get by, and if it doesn’t work, I’d probably leave like the rest of them.” 

The downturn in the technology economy has softened the real estate market in Santa Clara County somewhat, but the median price of a single-family home in May still was $561,350, according to the Santa Clara County Association of Realtors. That’s up from $525,000 last year. 

Apartment rents in the county have dropped as much as 20 percent from their peak prices last fall, said Alan Pontius, senior vice president at Marcus & Millichap, a real estate investment company.  

But that follows a 30 percent rise at the height of the Internet boom, and the market remains relatively tight, he said. 

That situation is becoming a crisis for schools. 

In the Santa Clara Unified School District, which has about 850 teachers and 15,000 students, teachers earn between $41,000 and $75,000 a year. Those who leave their jobs very often cite the area’s cost of living as the reason, Superintendent Paul Perotti said. 

To fight the problem, the district tapped funds left over from the sale of schools that closed long ago. The $6 million Casa del Maestro is being built at a school the district owns but leases to a private school. 

A nonprofit organization set up by the district is overseeing the project, and a private company will manage the apartments – so school administrators can stay out of the landlord business. 

The lottery for Casa del Maestro was limited to teachers with less than three years of experience in the district, but they will be able to stay as long as they remain teachers at a Santa Clara public school. Spouses are welcome, of course, as long as the couple’s combined income does not exceed $136,000. 

While other districts have helped subsidize homes for teachers, no other public school system has built teacher housing on its property, according to Lawrence D. Carr, director of education for the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group, which helped plan the project. 

 

American Federation of Teachers spokeswoman Janet Bass also said she had not heard of another program like this one. A similar project proposed at a San Francisco school last year never materialized. 

Before the lottery began, special-education teacher Christine Williams said an apartment in Casa del Maestro would help her save for her daughter’s college education. For now, they live with two other teachers in a four-bedroom apartment in Los Gatos that rents for a total $2,200 a month, but they’re forced to move because one roommate is leaving the area. 

“You’d think a teacher could be able to find a house — not Beverly Hills, of course,” Williams said with a laugh. “Prices haven’t come down as much as I thought they would.” 

As the winning names were announced, Williams sat by herself on a metal folding chair, looking anxious. But her name was never called, and she left out a back door without saying a word. 

——— 

On the Net: 

School district: http://www.scu.k12.ca.us 


High-speed rail project trying to limp along

The Associated Press
Friday June 22, 2001

SACRAMENTO — Facing a bare-bones budget, California’s high-speed rail planners are trying to scrape together enough money to keep the project limping along over the next 12 months. 

The Legislature’s budget-writing committee approved only $1 million for the project in the fiscal year that starts July 1. 

That’s enough to cover staff costs but it leaves little or nothing to continue the 2 years of environmental studies needed before the state can begin building the 700-mile, $26 billion system. 

“It’s one of those years you limp along but you’ve got to run faster to catch up,” said Medhi Morshed, executive director of the state’s High-Speed Rail Authority, the nine-member board that’s overseeing the project. 

The proposed system would link Sacramento, the San Francisco area, Los Angeles and San Diego with trains that could reach speeds of more than 200 mph. 

Lawmakers put $5 million in the current state budget to begin the environmental reviews, and the authority hired teams of engineering and environmental firms to do the work.  

The authority asked for $14 million in the next budget to continue those studies. 

But warnings of looming deficits put the Legislature’s budget writers in a cost-cutting mood. 

“Everyone got axed,” Edward Graveline, the authority’s acting chairman, said Thursday.  

“It wasn’t just us. ... It’s regrettable but I don’t think it’s insurmountable. I do think we can make progress.” 

Morshed said the authority should be able to augment its budget by getting about $500,000 in voter-approved bond money from the state Transportation Commission. 

That money is already earmarked for environmental reviews of a high-speed train line between Bakersfield and Los Angeles, according to Morshed. 

The authority could also do some more environmental work on a potential coastal route between San Diego and Los Angeles by teaming up with the state Department of Transportation, Morshed said. 

The department is planning to expand conventional rail passenger service between the two cities and needs environmental reviews too. 

“If we can come to terms with what they need, we can continue working on that corridor,” Morshed said. 

The authority also plans to generate more planning money by leaving vacant two staff positions, and it hopes to get as  

much as $8 million from the 

federal government. 

Morshed said he didn’t know what the prospects were for getting federal assistance.  

“The (federal) budget crunch time has not arrived so I don’t know if anyone’s focused on it,” he said. 

Assemblyman Dean Florez, D-Shafter, said California could get $15 million or $16 million in federal support over a two- or three-year period.  

He also said there might be discretionary funding in the state Department of Transportation budget that the authority could tap. 

State Sen. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, said Sen. Dianne Feinstein was working on lining up federal support for the project. Costa said he also plans to try to get the backing of U.S. Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta, a former California congressman. 

Graveline said some counties “that recognize the imperative of having high-speed rail” might be willing to chip in planning funds if the state repaid them. 

“That’s been a common practice with highway projects,” he said. “We’re just getting creative about how we can continue to operate.”


Bluesman John Lee Hooker dies at 83

The Associated Press
Friday June 22, 2001

Veteran bluesman John Lee Hooker, whose foot stompin’ and gravelly voice electrified audiences and inspired several generations of musicians, died Thursday at his Los Altos home. He was 83. 

He died at in his sleep at his home, said Hooker’s agent Mike Kappus. 

Hooker died of natural causes with friends and family near, said his manager Rick Bates. 

During a more than six-decade-long music career, the veteran blues singer from the Mississippi Delta estimated he recorded more than 100 albums. Some of his better-known songs include “Boogie Chillen,” “Boom Boom” and “I’m In The Mood.” 

Throughout it all, Hooker’s music remained unchanged. His rich and sonorous voice, full of ancient hurt, and his brooding and savage style remained hypnotic but unpredictable. To the strains of his own guitar, he sang of loneliness and confusion. Neither polished nor urbane, his music was raw, primal emotion. 

His one-chord boogie compositions and rhythmic guitar work were a distinctive sound that influenced rock ’n’ rollers as well as rhythm and blues musicians. 

In 1991, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Last year at the Grammys, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Among those whose music drew heavily on Hooker’s style are Van Morrison, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt and ZZ Top. In 1961, the then-unknown Rolling Stones opened for him on a European tour; he also shared a bill that year with Bob Dylan at a club in New York City. 

Even in the ’90s, when his fame was sealed and he was widely recognized as one of the grandfathers of pop music, Hooker remained a little in awe of his own success, telling The Times of London, “People say I’m a genius but I don’t know about that.” 

Like many postwar bluesmen, Hooker got cheated by one fly-by-night record producer after another, who demanded exclusivity or didn’t pay. Hooker fought back by recording with rival producers under a slew of different names: Texas Slim, John Lee Booker, John Lee Cocker, Delta John, Birmingham Sam and the Boogie Man, among others. 

Hooker’s popularity grew steadily as he rode the wave of rock in the ’50s into the folk boom of the ’60s. In 1980, he played a street musician in “The Blues Brothers” movie. In 1985, his songs were used in Steven Spielberg’s film, “The Color Purple.” 

Hooker hit it big again in 1990 with his album “The Healer,” featuring duets with Carlos Santana, Raitt and Robert Cray. It sold 1.5 million copies and won him his first Grammy Award, for a duet with Raitt on “I’m in the Mood.” 

Several more albums followed, including one recorded to celebrate his 75th birthday, titled “Chill Out.” 

In his later years, Hooker laid back and enjoyed his success. He recorded only occasionally; he posed for blue jeans and hard liquor ads.  

Born in Clarksdale, Miss., in 1917, Hooker was one of 11 children born to a Baptist minister and sharecropper who discouraged his son’s musical bent. 

His stepfather taught him to play guitar. By the time Hooker was a teenager, he was performing at local fish fries, dances and other occasions. 

Hooker hit the road to perform by the age of 14. He worked odd jobs by day and played small bars at night in Memphis, then Cincinnati and finally Detroit in 1943. 

“I don’t know what a genius is,” he told the London newspaper. “I know there ain’t no one ever sound like me, except maybe my stepfather. You hear all the kids trying to play like B.B. (King), and they ain’t going to because, ooh, he’s such a fine player and a very great man. But you never hear them even try and sound like John Lee Hooker.” 

“All these years, I ain’t done nothin’ different,” he added. “I been doing the same things as in my younger days, when I was coming up, and now here I am, an old man, up there in the charts. And I say, well, what happened? Have they just thought up the real John Lee Hooker, is that it? And I think, well, I won’t tell nobody else! I can’t help but wonder what happened.” 

 

 

On the Net: www.boomboomblues.com


Liberal Democrats declare war on GOP, moderates

The Associated Press
Friday June 22, 2001

 

LOS ANGELES — With “Bulworth” actor and political wannabe Warren Beatty as its headliner, a group of liberal Democrats is declaring war on Republicans this weekend, and possibly some Democrats as well. 

The organization wants Democrats to abandon all efforts at bipartisanship and do battle with the GOP over the Bush administration’s agenda. The new Southern California Americans for Democratic Action goes so far as to say it will work to oust Democrats from office who deviate from the liberal party line. 

“I think they’ve been handling things naively. I think bipartisanship is a myth,” Lila Garrett, the group’s president, said of congressional Democrats. “We’re really in danger of losing all of the social gains we’ve made.” 

Garrett hopes to rally support at an all-day conference on Sunday. Specifically, she wants attendees to lobby members of Congress to support the group’s positions on such things as universal health care, public education and a limited defense budget, with no room for compromise. 

For those who don’t pass the group’s litmus tests, Garrett wants funds raised in the coming months to get them booted from office during primaries. In the Senate, for example, there only 38 “real Democrats,” she said. 

Democrats enjoy a 50-49 advantage in the Senate with one independent. The House is 222-210 in favor of Republicans, with independents holding two seats and one seat vacant. 

Bipartisanship and compromise have become the Washington buzzwords of the day in the wake of November’s tight elections and President Bush’s controversial electoral win over Al Gore. 

Among the speakers are Beatty – whose flirtation with a bid for president gained momentum at a SCADA event in 1999, film director Rob Reiner, environmentalist and actor Ed Begley Jr. and House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo. Liberal California lawmakers, including Rep. Maxine Waters and Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, also are scheduled to speak. 

Democratic and Republican analysts alike describe the group’s approach as unrealistic and dispute Garrett’s claims that bipartisanship can’t work. Voters have no interest in political posturing, analysts say, they simply want lawmakers to get things done. 

“I think it’s a classic case of people who misunderstand the political arena. It’s about compromise. It’s about finding the middles – it’s rarely about the extremes,” said Jim Duffy, a Democratic consultant in Washington. “Those who tend to say it’s my way or the highway don’t tend to be very effective in politics.” 

Duffy also predicted that any efforts to campaign against Democrats who fail the group’s litmus tests may backfire. Moderate Democrats tend to hail from swing states anyway, he said, where voters might be inclined to support a Democrat who draws the ire of a left-wing, Hollywood group. 

Nonetheless, Duffy said he welcomes input from any political group. 

“I’m always encouraged when people want to get involved and be involved in the political dialogue,” he said. 

Rudy Fernandez, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee, described the group’s actions as “a shame.” 

“It send a negative tone,” he said. “This group is definitely politicizing issues that are important to all Americans, and we should be working together.” 

Fernandez said Congress and Bush have shown that bipartisanship works during the past few months as they’ve worked together on tax and education bills. 

Even the speakers who agreed to attend Sunday’s event are quick to point out they don’t follow the strict ideological approach of the Southern California Americans for Democratic Action. 

Reiner, who is well known as both an activist and fund-raiser, plans to continue supporting candidates based on their support for early childhood education and generally not get involved in primaries, his spokesman said. 

Both Reiner and Begley, the “St. Elsewhere” actor and staunch environmentalist, also said they are comfortable crossing party lines to work with or support people who share their beliefs 

 

“I think Rob is very pragmatic in the policies that he advocates for and the politics it takes to get things done in Washington,” Reiner’s spokesman, Chad Griffin said. 

Gephardt’s spokeswoman, Kori Bernards, said the Missouri congressman planned to talk in broad terms about the direction of the Democratic party. 

“We’re just speaking, we’re not endorsing their views on not being bipartisan,” she said. “Certainly the leader has been someone who has worked to bring bipartisanship to the House.” 


Pit bulls’ owner faces charges in attack on boy

The Associated Press
Friday June 22, 2001

 

RICHMOND — A home health care nurse whose three pit bulls chewed off a 10-year-old boy’s face and ears was arraigned Thursday on two misdemeanor charges for allegedly concealing the dogs after the attack. 

Benjamin Moore, 27, was charged in Contra Costa County Superior Court in Richmond and was held on $50,000 bail. He pleaded innocent to the charges. 

Prosecutors had hoped to charge Moore with felony mayhem and failing to exercise care with dogs trained to fight, attack or kill, but said their investigation did not support those charges. 

Moore’s girlfriend, Jacinda Knight, 33, was released without charges. 

Moore’s lawyer, public defender Michael Friedman, asked Commissioner Stephen Houghton to release Moore without bail, but Houghton said he thought Moore should stay in jail because he did not call 911 after the attack. 

“The court is concerned with the alleged disregard for the victim in this case,” Houghton said. He set a pretrial hearing for July 13. Moore said he fled with his dogs Monday evening because he thought the boy was dead. Now two of the dogs are still missing, and Shawn Jones is in critical condition.  

He spent most of Monday night in surgery, but his ears could not be reattached, said Dr. James Betts, chief of surgery at Children’s Hospital Oakland.  

If he survives, the boy faces years of plastic surgery and may never fully recover, the doctor said.  

He’s also suffering through painful rabies shots because the dogs haven’t been tested. On Thursday, Shawn’s blood pressure dropped precipitously but doctors did stabilize him, said Carol Hyman, a spokeswoman for Children’s Hospital Oakland. 

Animal control officials said Thursday they found one dog in an unincorporated part of Contra Costa County near Richmond. Police Sgt. Enos Johnson said late in the day that the dog has been identified as one of the three dogs involved in the attack. 

Moore insists the dogs were current with their vaccinations, have no history of violence and do not pose a threat now that they’ve been separated. But county officials say they have no records proving the dogs have been vaccinated. 

 

 

“I’d provide as much money as I could to help. I feel real sorry for the family and the boy,” he said. 

But Darryl Cyrus, Shawn’s stepfather, only wants to find the dogs. 

“I raised pit bulls, and I know when you raise them, you love them,” he said. “I know his heart wouldn’t allow him to just turn them loose. Someone’s got those dogs.” 

The city of Richmond is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of the dogs, which would have to be destroyed to be tested for rabies. 

A trust fund for Shawn’s medical treatment also has been set up at the Mechanics Bank in Richmond. 

“I’m a God-fearing man. I’m not going to be angry at him,” Cyrus added. “I want to plead with him. Turn those dogs in and let them be destroyed. If you have kids, your kids could be next.” 


Judge orders release of killer saying Gov. Davis can’t stop it

The Associated Press
Friday June 22, 2001

LOS ANGELES — Gov. Gray Davis does not have blanket powers to deny parole to murderers, a judge ruled Thursday in ordering the release of convicted killer Robert Rosenkrantz. 

Rosenkrantz, who killed a boyhood friend in Calabasas 16 years ago for revealing Rosenkrantz’s homosexuality, has become the rallying point against Davis’ reluctance to grant parole to murderers. 

“There is a total absence of any evidence in the record supporting the governor’s opinion that (Rosenkrantz) represents a ‘continued threat to the public,’ ” Superior Court Judge Paul Gutman wrote.  

“While the governor is entitled to express his opinion, the opinion itself must be factually supported and it is not.” 

The decision “reverses a policy that says even people who have a chance to be redeemed are having that chance taken away,” said Alan Schlosser, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union’s Northern California chapter. 

“This is a strong testament showing that no one, even the governor, is above the law ... he can’t act cavalierly and capriciously,” Schlosser said. 

The state will file an appeal to keep Rosenkrantz in prison “as soon as possible,” said Nathan Barankin, spokesman for Attorney General Bill Lockyer. 

Davis’s decision was unconstitutional, Gutman wrote, because he failed to apply the standards used by the Parole Board for inmate release. 

The governor says he does not employ a no-parole policy, but Gutman found that his actions and public statements show he denies parole to murderers “regardless of any extenuating circumstances.” 

Of the 48 convicted murderers granted parole by the Board of Prison Terms since Davis took office in 1999, the governor has rejected all but one of them. Rose Ann Parker, who shot her abusive boyfriend in 1986 after he threatened to kill her and her son, was released in December. 

Barry Goode, Davis’ legal affairs secretary, reiterated the governor’s contention that he does not arbitrarily rule against granting murderers parole. 

“Gov. Davis studied Mr. Rosenkrantz’s case carefully before deciding that he is not suitable for parole at this time,” Goode said in a statement Thursday.  

 

“Gov. Davis gives each case careful scrutiny. He determines each on its own merits and will continue to do so.” 

Rosenkrantz, 33, was convicted of second-degree murder and was sentenced to 17 years to life in prison, where he became a model prisoner and a computer expert. But the Board of Prison Terms’ decision to release him sparked immediate controversy — as did Davis’ decision to overturn it. 

Davis said in his October decision to block the release that Rosenkrantz was fortunate not to have been convicted of first-degree murder, a verdict he said would have been supported by the facts. 

During court hearings before Gutman, Deputy Attorney General Robert Wilson argued that Davis does not arbitrarily deny parole to all murderers. His denial in Rosenkrantz’s case was made because of the vicious nature of the killing, Wilson said. 

Rosenkrantz had just graduated from high school when he shot and killed 17-year-old Steven Redman with an Uzi semiautomatic weapon on June 28, 1985. Days earlier, Redman had told Rosenkrantz’s father that Rosenkrantz was gay. 

A jury convicted Rosenkrantz of second-degree murder; he was sentenced to 17 years to life in prison. 

Rosenkrantz’s attorney Donald Specter said Rosenkrantz and his family were thrilled. 

“They’re all extremely happy and relieved and thankful for the courage that the judge showed to make a ruling such as the one he did,” Specter said. “They’re looking forward very much to having Robert Rosenkrantz released.” 


Water conservation can take many forms

By Lee Reich The Associated Press
Friday June 22, 2001

No one wants to stand by and watch their tomato plants wilt away to nothing in dry weather. Then again, who wants to run their well dry or waste water? The challenge is to keep plants happy and, at the same time, conserve water. 

Water conservation begins with making sure that every raindrop gets into the soil instead of running elsewhere. Hillside gardens catch rain best if they are terraced or have low ridges built perpendicular to the slope. On flat ground, soil formed into slightly raised basins around individual plants ensures that water runs right to those  

plants’ roots. 

Bare soils form surface crusts that shed rainfall almost like concrete. Encourage percolation by loosening the surface with a hoe or, even better, covering the surface with an organic mulch like straw, leaves, or compost. Peat moss is not a good choice because, although very absorbent when moistened, it sheds water when dry. 

Once water is in the soil, keep it there for plants as long as possible. Organic mulch also conserves water by preventing evaporation from the soil surface. 

Despite efforts to catch and hold rainwater, supplemental watering might be needed. If you use a sprinkler, apply a lot of water infrequently – a 1-inch depth once a week suits most plants. The best time to sprinkle is midmorning so that leaves dry off quickly enough to avoid diseases, yet temperatures are not yet warm enough to cause excessive evaporation. 

The idea behind a second watering method – drip irrigation – is to apply water frequently, but only a little each time. Drip irrigation is applied through inexpensive tubes and emitters, and has the advantages of using less water than sprinkling, pinpointing water just where it is needed, and being easily automated. 

You also can conserve water by only putting it where and when it is needed. For instance, many types of lawngrass go dormant in dry weather, but will green up again once rainfall returns. Leafy vegetables, on the other hand, need a steady supply of water to remain succulent and flavorful. Cucumber, squash, and corn plants need plenty of water just as their edible portions start growing. 

Lee Reich is a features writer for The Associated Press


Test for radon leak before starting to fill cracks

AP
Friday June 22, 2001

Q: I have two questions. I have cracks in my concrete basement floor from which I believe radon gas is creeping in.  

What is the best way to seal those cracks? How can I decide what type of heavy-duty snow shovel to buy? I want one that doesn’t get its edges rolled up by snow and ice. What should I expect to pay? 

A: Before you do anything about that cracked floor, test for radon first. Better yet, have a professional make the test for you.  

Another reason for contacting a professional: You might need to install a system to exhaust the vapors if the radon is present in a dangerous concentration. The concentration of radon should be checked both before and after the concrete is sealed. Sealing the cracks in the floor of your basement might be all that you need to do.  

Then again, maybe more work will be needed.  

Perhaps you will not have to install the exhaust system we mentioned. In any event, use a polyurethane concrete caulk.  

Remember: You are dealing with simple, old-fashioned gas vapors.  

There doesn’t seem to be much pressure associated with radon vapors, so most any concrete caulk will do. We have recommended the type that bonds the best and that holds up the longest. 

As to snow shovels, we suggest that you contact someone at your local tool rental store for unbiased advice. The brand that they buy will be the one that probably holds up the best and will more than likely have been purchased locally, and therefore, should be readily available to you as well. 

Q: Chris asks: The paint on my outside wall is peeling. What is the best way to remove it before I put on a new coat of paint? 

A: Paint removal by a do-it-yourselfer is most easily accomplished with a pressure washer. Although pressure washers are available for rent, if you are a homeowner, we suggest you consider purchasing one. Its uses around the house are endless.  

Be careful. If you aren’t, you can damage the siding below. Pressure washing takes patience, attention to the matter at hand and a careful touch. Once you have finished pressure washing, you might want to touch things up with a paint scraper.  

Also, sand those areas where the pressure washer lifted the wood grain. Finally, use sandpaper to feather in all the edges between the remaining paint and any bare wood. Next, apply a coat of high quality, oil-base primer and then your finish coat. We suggest high-quality acrylic latex.


Poll shows Americans see divide in economy

The Associated Press
Friday June 22, 2001

 

 

WASHINGTON — Americans increasingly see an economic divide between the haves and have-nots, according to a new poll that also finds a majority of people dissatisfied with the country’s direction. 

The poll, released Thursday, indicated the economic boom of the 1990s helped the upper middle-class and wealthy, but had little impact on the outlook or financial condition of those who make less money. 

“The boom has passed these people by,” said pollster Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. 

Overall satisfaction with the country’s direction has fallen in the past six months, with 43 percent now saying they’re satisfied and 52 percent saying they’re dissatisfied. That dropoff from a 55-41 positive split in January was led by a decline among women and minorities. 

The number of people who think the country is divided between those who have enough and those who don’t has grown steadily and now is at 44 percent — up from 26 percent in 1988. 

Just over four in 10 in the new poll thought President Bush was mostly concerned with helping those who have enough, while one in 20 said he was interested in helping those who don’t. Four in 10 said he was treating both groups about the same. 

The president has pitched his recently passed tax cut as a way to help all Americans. Just over a third said they were looking forward to getting their income tax rebates, while almost six in 10 said they hadn’t thought about it. 

Less than half, 44 percent, now say they are in good or excellent financial shape personally, a drop of 8 percentage points from a year ago. 

“The economic gains the middle class have made seem to be very much threatened by the credit crunch and by energy costs,” said Kohut. 

The people who say they have more debt than they can afford to owe have grown from a fifth of Americans in 1992 to almost three in 10 in 2001. More than a third of those who have family incomes of less than $50,000 said they have credit card and loan debts that are more than they can afford. 

A fourth of people in the survey said not having enough money to make ends meet was the biggest problem facing them and their families. High prices were right behind that. The poll of 1,200 people was taken last Wednesday through Sunday and had an error margin of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. 

Those at the lower end of the economy saw few signs of economic progress. 

“The survey gives a lot of evidence that poor people remain about as poor as they were in the early 1990s,” Kohut said. 

The numbers who said they didn’t have enough money for food, clothes and health care were all up slightly from other polls taken over the past two decades. 

Middle-income and wealthy people said it is now easier for them to afford housing, appliances and vacations. 

Some other findings from the poll: 

—Women were more concerned about rising prices than men. 

—Four in 10 Americans now say there are plenty of jobs available, up from one in 10 who felt that way eight years ago. Those from wealthy households were twice as likely to feel that way as those with low incomes. 

—Blacks, Hispanics and other minorities were more likely than whites to struggle with economic issues, even when compared with whites in the same economic ranges. 

Despite stark differences in perceptions between those with money and those without, the public still had a generally upbeat view of the economy. 

“The only measure in this poll that is less positive overall is the question of how much debt do you have,” said Kohut. “It’s not high-income people, but lower-income and middle-income people — that’s where the credit crunch comes in.” 

——— 

On the Net: Pew Research Center Web site — http://www.people-press.org 


Trade deficit decreases

The Associated Press
Friday June 22, 2001

WASHINGTON — Americans’ demand for foreign-made TVs, toys and clothes waned in April, helping to narrow the U.S. trade deficit. Exports fell for the second month in a row. 

The country’s trade imbalance shrank to $32.2 billion, a 2.7 percent decrease from March’s $33.1 billion deficit, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. 

Imports, hurt by sagging demand because of the weak U.S. economy, fell more than exports did in April, narrowing the trade gap.  

The two-month drop in exports reflected the impact of sluggish demand overseas. 

“This is really a sign of weakness all around,” said Paul Kasriel, chief economist at the Northern Trust Co. 

On Wall Street, growing anticipation that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates for a sixth time this year to revive the U.S. economy helped lift stocks higher.  

The Dow Jones industrial average closed up 68.10 at 10,715.43. 

 

 

In April, imports of goods and services declined by 2.2 percent to $119.1 billion, while exports dipped by 2 percent to $86.9 billion. 

“We have a lackluster American consumer and slowing growth abroad,” said economist Clifford Waldman of Waldman Associates. 

Through the first four months of this year, the deficit swelled to $127.2 billion, compared with $116.8 billion during the same period last year. 

For all of last year, the deficit mushroomed to a record $375.7 billion, according to annual revisions also released Thursday. The government had previously reported a trade shortfall of $368.9 billion for all of 2000. 

America’s continuing trade deficits represent a political challenge for President Bush as he tries to overcome congressional resistance to give him unfettered authority to negotiate new regional and international trade pacts. 

Bush administration officials pressed their case for that on Capitol Hill on Thursday, a day after Bush criticized opponents who want to add labor and environmental conditions to his “fast track” trade authority. 

Fast-track authority would allow Bush to strike a new free-trade agreement with all the democratic nations in the Western Hemisphere, as well as open a new round of World Trade Organization talks on lowering trade barriers. 

The Bush administration argues that American companies have no choice but to compete in the global economy, but critics contend that lower trade barriers subject American workers to unfair competition from low-wage countries with lax environmental standards. 

The monthly trade report also showed that the United States’ politically sensitive deficit with China jumped by 9.7 percent in April to $6.3 billion. The U.S.’ deficit with Japan widened by 3.1 percent to $6.4 billion, as U.S. exports to the country hit their lowest point in a year. 

Exports of U.S.-made capital goods, such as airplanes and semiconductors, fell to $27.9 billion in April, the lowest level since March 2000, adding to the woes of domestic manufacturers, who have been hardest hit by the domestic economic slowdown. 

At the same time, imports of capital goods declined to $26 billion, the lowest level since November 1999, as U.S. businesses, struggling with the slowdown, cut back on their purchases, economists said. 

In a bright spot for U.S. companies, sales of U.S.-made consumer goods, such as artwork, books and furniture, to other countries rose to a record $7.9 billion in April. 

A broader measure of cross-border activity, the “current account,” narrowed in the first three months of this year to $109.6 billion from an imbalance of $116.3 billion in the fourth quarter. 

The current account includes not only goods and services but also investment flows between countries and unilateral transfers, including U.S. foreign aid payments. 

In a third report, the Labor Department said the number of Americans filing new claims for state unemployment insurance fell sharply by 34,000 to 400,000 last week. Even with the unexpected drop, claims are still at a level suggesting that the weak U.S. economy has sapped demand for workers. 

——— 

On the Net: 

April trade report: 

http://www.census.gov/indicator/www/ustrade.html 

Current account:http://www.bea.doc.gov/briefrm/tables/ebr10.htm 


Gene mutation helps fight malaria

The Associated Press
Friday June 22, 2001

WASHINGTON — A gene mutation that arose thousands of years ago now protects hundreds of millions of people from severe malaria, the mosquito-borne disease that is the world’s deadliest infection. 

Researchers report Friday in the journal Science that they have traced the natural evolution in Africa, Asia and the Mediterranean area of the mutation that gives some protection from malaria’s most serious effects. 

Malaria annually infects about 500 million people and kills more than 2 million, making it globally a more deadly infection than HIV/AIDS or tuberculosis. Without the mutation, it could be even worse. 

“This is a striking example of how infectious disease can shape the path of human evolution” and how organisms battle for survival on a molecular level, said Sarah A. Tishkoff of the University of Maryland. 

Tishkoff is first author of the study with 17 co-authors from eight countries. 

The researchers traced the development of a malaria resistant gene that they believe first appeared in humans thousands of years ago in Africa and later among people in the lands of the Mediterranean and parts of Asia. 

Tishkoff said the mutation of an X chromosome gene called G6PD evolved as a natural response to widespread infection from the mosquito-borne parasite that causes malaria. In its mutated form, it helps block the reproduction of the malaria parasite. 

“Malaria may have been present in a mild form throughout human evolution,” said Tishkoff. Primitive hunters and gatherers wandered the land, not staying in one place long enough for malaria to take a significant toll. 

That all changed, she said, with the development of agriculture about 10,000 years ago. Forests were cleared and sunlit still waters became mosquito breeding sites. People stayed near their crops, and the first cities were born. 

There also was a change in African weather, which became wetter and hotter about 12,000 years ago. 

“We think a more deadly strain became prevalent and began having a major impact on humans,” said Tishkoff. 

Evidence of this is indirect. Specimens from Egyptian mummies contain swollen spleens and antigens to malaria. Homer, an 8th century B.C. Greek poet, described a disease thought to have been malaria. Later, rich Romans left their city in the summer to escape a disease Tishkoff said was probably malaria. 

It’s even possible, said Tishkoff, that the army of Alexander the Great spread malaria throughout the Middle East, North Africa and India in the 4th century B.C. 

The mutation of G6PD provides a more direct indication of how malaria affected humans. 

Since humans developed a genetic defense, said Tishkoff, it suggests that the disease was prevalent enough to exert “a strong selective force.” 

She said mutations occur randomly. If some such mutation protects against a disease that is killing others, then people with that gene change have a greater chance to survive and to reproduce. Over many generations, this advantage becomes more common and widespread. 

By analyzing how and where the mutations accumulated over time, Tishkoff and her colleagues determined that a G6PD mutation arose in Africa 3,800 to 11,700 years ago. The gene variant developed independently at 1,600 to 6,640 years ago around the Mediterranean, in the Middle East and in India. 

The G6PD gene variant differs slightly from region to region, but Tishkoff said about 400 million people now carry the mutation. 

In Africa, studies have shown the mutation lowers the risk of severe malaria by up to 58 percent. 

Such protection, however, is not without risks. Some people with the mutation develop a severe anemia from infection, drugs or from eating fava beans. 

A mutation that causes sickle cell anemia also is thought to have originated as a defense against malaria, but double mutations of the gene can cause a deadly disorder. 

Jonathan Friedlaender, a biological anthropologist at Temple University in Philadelphia, said the study by Tishkoff and her colleagues is an “elegant” look at how disease and resistance can develop over time. 

“It’s like an arms race, but nobody wins because everything is constantly changing,” he said. 

Understanding how disease and resistance evolve may help scientists develop therapies, he said. 

 

On the Net: 

Malaria: http://www.diseaseworld.com/malaria.htm 

Science: http://www.eurekalert.org


Pedestrian death spurs safer streets appeal

By John Geluardi
Thursday June 21, 2001

Three co-workers of Jayne Ash, a pedestrian who was killed by a cement truck at Shattuck and Hearst avenues last March, urged the council Tuesday to approve funds to implement bicycle and pedestrian safety measures. 

Ash’s friends and co-workers, Melissa Ehman, Lisa Pascopella and Elizabeth Lawton, addressed the council during a public hearing on the city’s biennial budget, which is scheduled to be adopted by the council on June 26.  

They asked the council to approve $200,000 over the next two years for safety measures that were approved by the council over a year ago in the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety report. The report was compiled by a six-member task force and endorsed by a host of city departments and commissions, including the Community Health Commission, Commission on Disability and the Transportation Commission. 

The 119-page report calls for an action plan that includes safety education, the re-engineering of dangerous intersections, stepped up traffic enforcement and the creation of a pedestrian safety plan. 

Bicycle and pedestrian activists say very few of the safety projects have been accomplished since the council approved the plan on May 9, 2000. 

“While we’re urging the council to approve funding for the comprehensive safety plan, our bigger message is that the city needs to get its act together,” Ehman said Wednesday. 

The three women, who work for the State Department of Health, cited traffic statistics from the report and noted that Berkeley ranks number one in the state for bicycle and pedestrian deaths and injuries. 

“If this were an infectious disease it would be public health emergency,” Pascopella told the council. 

Since the plan was approved only a  

few of its recommendations have been implemented. The Health and Human Services Department has arranged for banners to be placed on Shattuck and University avenues, which will encourage drivers to slow down; there will be a discount coupon program that will allow pedestrians, bicyclists and people who use wheelchairs to purchase flashing safety lights, and a web site will be launched sometime this summer, according to Chandra Sivakumar, the city’s health educator. 

Safe Routes to School Project Manager Sarah Syed said these projects are a drop in the bucket. “The city is notoriously unmotivated on these issues and there seems to be no comprehensive plan,” she said. “The city isn’t even going after safety grants that could help fund safety projects because they don’t have the personnel.”  

Syed said an example of the city’s lack of action is the list of high-hazard intersections in the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety report. She said that despite the identification of the most dangerous intersections, nothing has been done to make them safer. 

City Manager Weldon Rucker said in a June 7 interview that he is aware of the problem in addressing bicycle and pedestrian safety issues and has taken steps to correct the improve the city’s response to the problems. 

Rucker said the city’s Planning and Public Works departments have been plagued with a series of personal problems that have delayed traffic safety projects. The city’s traffic engineer, Jeff Knolls, quit in December for a better-paying job after being employed by the city for eight months. Then last May, the city’s first traffic planner, Joe Kott, quit less than a month after he was hired. 

Kott, who returned to his former job in Palo Alto, cited organizational problems as the reason for his departure. Knolls said his decision to leave the city was partially based on similar issues. The city’s bicycle safety officer, Rochelle Wheeler also recently quit to pursue other career options and the Health and Human Services coordinator for educational projects, Dina Quan, has just returned from a four-month maternity leave. 

Rucker said he will reorganize traffic safety efforts by putting the new traffic planner and traffic engineer in the City Manger’s Office, once they are hired, so he can directly monitor their progress. 

Police and California Highway Patrol records show that four pedestrians were killed in Berkeley between 1997 and 2000. During that same time, 523 pedestrians and 610 bicyclists were injured. There were no bicycle deaths during those years, according to the report. 

According to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety report, University and Shattuck avenues is the most dangerous intersection in the city for both pedestrians and bicyclists. From 1994 to 1998, there were 17 pedestrian and 12 bicycle accidents at the intersection.  

Other dangerous intersections include Durant and Telegraph avenues, Gilman Street and San Pablo Avenue and Ashby Avenue and Sacramento Street. 

Deputy City Manager Phil Kamlarz said much of the $200,000 budgeted for bicycle and pedestrian safety programs will go to hiring a new staff person and to re-engineer the high-hazard intersections. 

Ehman said she felt compelled to address the council because of Ash’s death while legally crossing Shattuck Avenue during a coffee break.  

“We got involved with this because of Jane and because we cross the same streets all the time,” she said. 


Panthers break school record at Adidas meet

By Jared Green
Thursday June 21, 2001

Relay team finishes year with third-place at national event; Guy to attend Northridge St. 

 

The St. Mary’s boys’ relay team finished its season with a flourish last weekend, finishing third in the 4x200-meter relay with the fourth fastest time in the nation this year at the Adidas National Outdoor Championships in Raleigh, N.C. 

The meet, which was delayed halfway through due to a tropical storm, brought together some of the top individuals and teams from around the country. The St. Mary’s team of Asokah Muhammed, Courtney Brown, Julian Keyes and Halihl Guy also finished fifth in the 4x100-meter relay despite the absence of Chris Dunbar, who has been hampered by a pulled hamstring for the past two months. The Panthers had the third-fastest time in the qualifying heats at 41.60 seconds, but had two botched handoffs in the final and limped home in 42.76 seconds. 

Also complicating matters, Guy had run in the 400-meter hurdles race just eight minutes before the 4x100 final. Guy finished ninth in the hurdles race. 

“I think Halihl might have ran out of gas for the final,” St. Mary’s head coach Jay Lawson said. “Combine that with two bad handoffs, and we just couldn’t stay with the other fastest teams.” 

But the 4x200-meter relay, which the Panthers hadn’t run since the Oakland Athletic Invitational in early April, was a different story. With no qualifying heats for the event, the Panthers were fresh and ready to run. Lawson said the team set a goal of breaking the school record in the event, and they did just that, bettering the mark by more than two seconds with a blistering 1:26.0. They were beaten by Forest Brook and O.D. Wyatt, the top two finishers from the Texas state meet, in a reverse finish of the 4x100 final. 

“Julian ran very well in Dunbar’s place, and we did as well as we could have,” Lawson said. “It’s a nice way to end the season.” 

The Panthers planned to run the 4x400-meter relay on Saturday, but the storm pushed the event back to Sunday and the team left before the race. Only two teams stuck around long enough to compete in the race, with Camden (N.J.) winning in 3:09.91. 

NOTES: St. Mary’s Guy, a senior, pulled a sudden switch in his college choice. As recently as a week ago, he was set on attending Washington State. But Cal State Northridge called and invited him to check out the campus and program, and Guy took a trip south before heading to North Carolina. 

“I told him to go check it out, because he had nothing to losebut a day,” Lawson said. “He’s going to be a communications major, so being close to Los Angeles makes more sense. When they offered him a full ride (Washington State was only offering a partial scholarship), I think that sealed the deal.” 

“They’re really trying to build up the men’s program down at Northridge, and Halihl can be part of that.” 

Northridge also signed McClymonds sprinter Rashaad Allen this week.


Forum

Thursday June 21, 2001

Spend tax windfall on charity GW hates 

Editor: 

We needn’t tell you that President Bush’s tax cut means a windfall for the rich and further cuts in needed public services (education, health care, etc.) for the rest of us. We dread this re-direction of money so badly needed for the public good. And we deeply resent Bush’s cynical assumption that our acquiescence can be bought with a few hundred dollars. 

Yes, there are many ways we could spend our tax refund when the check arrives. Fortunately for the two of us, at the moment there is no way that we really MUST spend it. 

Therefore we decided to sign over our refund to one of the public or private services that needs and deserves our support. But how could we name them all, let alone choose one? After endless discussion, we decided on the Berkeley Public Library Foundation. 

If this idea makes sense for you, we suggest you choose a favorite cause – education, the arts, the environment, peace, health, human rights, the needy and oppressed here and abroad – the list goes on and on. Sign over your refund check to a group that furthers your chosen cause. (Feeling mischievous? Choose one that Bush supporters HATE.) Before sending it, make a photo-copy for your representative in Congress, perhaps adding a word or two about what this gesture means to you. Contact friends and colleagues who might want to do the same. (You can forward this message or make up your own, even urging your choice on others!) 

By putting our money where our mouth is, we make a statement that some legislators might heed as evidence of serious protest. Even if they don’t, we at least console ourselves that our small refunds bought valuable services for our common welfare. 

 

Robert and Dorothy Bryant 

Berkeley 

 

Prioritize needs: now not time to save Codornices 

Editor: 

I hadn’t been paying attention to the brouhaha in north Berkeley over the construction of a synagogue in a decaying sylvan area, unnoticed for decades, until I heard about the Save the Creek (Codornices) campaign from an old friend. The friend is a longtime member of the congregation of Beth El, which has outgrown its location and would like to replace it.  

Like any longtime resident of Berkeley, I am used to controversy. After all, I have always lived on the south side, the side that usually gets the most attention in the press. The south side is noted for its advocacy of Causes and is especially fierce about Saving the Environment, so when my friend told me about the campaign in north Berkeley, I was interested. I had been on a committee decades ago to plan Willard Park, and our committee had also faced a Save the Creek campaign – Derby Creek – which is underground and, it was thought by some, needed exposure. Eventually, we decided it didn’t. It would have been expensive and difficult to summon up our creek. That campaign was relatively benign and ended quietly.  

In the case of the north Berkeley neighborhood campaign, a lot of passionate planning appears to be involved. “Go up and down Oxford and Shattuck,” my friend advised, “There are signs everywhere.” And, she said, they’re all printed the same; no handmade scrawls here. There’s something to be admired about a campaign like that. Solidarity. Unity. But, to the outsider (OK, me) there is a sticky aspect to this campaign: has this subject occupied the neighbors a lot in the past? Or are they really worried about parking disappearing from their streets? (Even people on the south side – dare I say it – are very touchy about parking.) Are they worried about noise emanating from the synagogue and disturbing them? Some of these more common concerns have probably already been brought up and their solutions tackled.  

There are many worthwhile causes to be espoused in this world, but because there are so many, sometimes there is a need to establish priorities. As high-minded an idea as the north Berkeley Save the Creek campaign may be, it may also be that the time is not ripe to throw enormous energy into saving the creek. Later, surely, but not right now. The time may be far riper to assure the congregants of Beth El that their desire for a new place of worship is of a higher priority.  

 

Heidi Seney 

Berkeley 

 

Republicans got us into energy mess 

Editor: 

Students of advanced spin strategy could have a field day with the June 14th letter by Shawn Steel, chair of the California Republican Party. In it, Steel lauds “President” Bush for his $1.35 trillion tax cut while blaming Governor Gray Davis for the California energy mess, stating that Davis “is using taxpayer dollars to hire ‘spin doctors’ who handled the Whitewater and Lewinsky scandals in the Clinton White House.” 

Though I am no fan of Davis, I seem to recall that it was Republican Pete Wilson and Republican-funded right wing think tanks that brought us the miracle of deregulation, breaking a system that wasn’t broke in the first place. Steel’s attempt to lay blame on Davis is actually the opening salvo of an expensive ad campaign orchestrated by Republican spin doctor Alex Castellanos whom the Los Angeles Times identifies as a Texas media expert and attack ad specialist who worked for the Bush presidential campaign. 

Steel’s party is understandably getting antsy about exactly which holes California voters will punch in the next election as they learn more about what the boys on the Houston energy exchange who bankrolled the Cheney presidency are doing to the state’s economy. The GOP needs a scapegoat other than itself. 

In a related op ed piece on why the U.S. should not build a national missile defense shield (June 17), Professor Dietrich Fischer states that “The principal beneficiaries - and supporters - of the NMD are U.S. defense contractors who hope to make an estimated $60 to $100 billion at taxpayers’ expense.” Since the Rube Goldberg technology promoted by the Lawrence Livermore lab has yet to be developed and most tests have failed, those oft-repeated figures mean nothing; like the previous nuclear arms race, the NMD is actually a blank check which we taxpayers are about to sign over to the eager weapons contractors and Livermore-Los Alamos scientists. 

The confluence of the Republican tax cut, the Houston-generated energy crisis, and the NMD will generate the social and economic equivalent of the Perfect Storm. Unfortunately, we are all in the same boat facing that cresting wave. 

 

Gray Brechin 

Berkeley 

 

Israel or oil? 

Editor: 

Franz Schurman, Berkeley Daily Planet, June 10, writes: “Saudis are prepared to cover all shortages in world markets after Iraq halted all exports.” What the professor left out was another factor, namely, “Saudis are prepared to withdraw all oil from world markets if Israel enlarges the war.” 

After that insane suicide bombing in Tel Aviv recently, Israel must widen the war to stay in the picture; this means attacking another Arab country (Sharon said last month, before the Tel Aviv bombing, that he wants “the other side of the Jordan River.”) In 1992, my wife and I were in Israel and we toured down the Israeli side of the Jordan; our tour guide said “See those women working in the fields? They are Jordanians.” Not for long.  

If the U.S. must choose between Israel or oil, it will sell out Israel. This is why the CIA sent their top dog to Jerusalem last week; perhaps the professor can tell us about that? 

 

George Kauffman 

Berkeley


‘Theater’ adaptation leaves something to be desired

By John Angell Grant
Thursday June 21, 2001

Berkeley’s Aurora Theater opened a well performed but not-quite-satisfying production Thursday of David Mamet’s difficult 1977 backstage story “A Life in the Theater.” 

Running one hour and 20 minutes with no intermission, this two-character play is a romantic, nostalgic paean to the life of professional actors working day-in and day-out in a changing series of plays at a repertory theater. 

Mamet’s script is a challenging one, and it’s left to the production’s two actors and director to create a drama out of a series of 40 or so vignettes filled with innuendo, in which the story is told indirectly. 

Though the performances from actors Michael Shipley and Warren Keith are compelling and empathetic, director Nancy Carlin’s production doesn’t quite manage to rise above the level of an extended vignette and become a full play. In “A Life in the Theater,” older actor Robert (Keith) and younger actor John (Shipley) perform in many short scenes, which include segments from their repertory performances on stage, as well as backstage talk in their dressing room, before, during and after shows. 

They play, alternately, World War I British troops in a battlefield trench, dueling foes in Renaissance garb, two dying sailors drifting in a lifeboat, doctors in surgery, businessmen in a love triangle, and an elderly man in a wheelchair with his attendant. 

Backstage they change costumes between scenes, gab while working at the make-up table, debate form versus content in art, critique each other’s performances, backbite about other actors, and criticize the critics. 

Standing in the wings at one point, they panic over their lines, just before going on stage. They may or may not have a romantic fling. 

Mamet’s play about the theatrical changing of the guard is told from the outside in.  

Sharing craft discussion, the two men work to understand each other and themselves, and to develop some sort of friendship. Older actor Robert is a lonely man with less life outside the theater than younger John. 

Both Aurora performances are large-spirited and sympathetic, but the play is a hard one to direct. Mamet’s style of dialogue employs barbed, elliptical Pinteresque gaps, in which more is unspoken in the words than spoken. 

Mamet developed the play originally from a collection of 15 individual scenes that he accumulated one at a time. He then eventually expanded the piece and stitched it into a full evening. 

A lot of the dramatic issues between the two characters are not stated directly, or take place offstage, and are then internalized indirectly in later scenes.  

In director Carlin’s Aurora production, however, this offstage conflict doesn’t build clearly enough in the subsequent onstage scenes. 

Although older actor Robert stumbles by the end of the play, his impact on younger actor John isn’t clearly registered. It’s hard to put your finger on the story in this production. 

“A Life in the Theater” is a lesser play by the great David Mamet – a romance about a bygone era, and a love story, of sorts, between two people who can’t express themselves any better than when they act in plays. 

Planet theater reviewer John Angell Grant has written for “American Theatre,” “Backstage West,” “Callboard,” and many other publications. E-mail him at jagplays@yahoo.com.


Music

Staff
Thursday June 21, 2001

 

924 Gilman St. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted $5; $2 for year membership. All ages. June 22 Hoods, Fall Silent, Clenched Fist, Osiva, Hellcrew; June 23 The Hellbillies, The Fartz, The Tossers, Roundup, The Fightbacks; June 29 Barfeeders, Pac-Men, Hell After Dark, A.K.A. Nothing, Maurice’s Little Bastards; June 30 The Cost, Pg. 99, Majority Rule, 7 Days of Samsara, Since by Man, Creation is Crucifixion 525-9926  

 

Albatross Pub Music at 9 p.m. unless noted otherwise. June 26 Mad & eddie Duran Jazz Duo; June 28: Keni “El Lebrijano”; June 30: Larry Stefl Jazz Quartet; July 3: 9 p.m., pickPocket ensemble; 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473  

 

Anna’s Music at 8 p.m. June 21: The Jazz Singers Collective; June 23:The maestro Rich Kalman & His Jazz Trio; June 24 The Joe Livotti Sound; June 26: Tangria; June 27: Bob Schoen Jazz Quartet; June 28: ConFusion; $2 weeknights, $3 weekends. 1801 University Ave. 849-ANNA  

 

Ashkenaz June 21, 10 p.m.: Digital Dave; June 24, 8 p.m.: Babatunde Olantunji; June 26, 9 p.m.: DP & The Rhythm Riders; June 27, 8 p.m.: Fling Ding/Circle R Boys/Dark Hollow; June 28, 9 p.m.: Monkey/Stiff Richards/ Go Jimmy Go.1370 San Pablo Ave. 525-5054 or www.ashkenaz.com 

 

Berkeley Arts Festival June 24: 7 p.m. “A Beanbenders’ Reunion” Gems from the Vault, Daniel Popsicle, Ben Goldberg’s Brainchild, The Toychestra and Graham Connah’s Jettison Slinky. June 25: The Just Friends Quintet- donations requested; June 26: Donald Robinson Trio; June 28: Con Alma Vocal Jazz Sextet; June 30: 7:30 p.m. Marvin Sanders and Vera Berheda, plus Mozart, Beethoven, Hadyn and Fuare in the gallery; July 1: 11 a.m., “Free Jazz on the Pier” The Christy Dana Quartet (on the Berkeley Pier). All shows at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted Donations requested 2200 Shattuck Avenue 665-9496 

 

Freight & Salvage All music at 8 p.m. June 21 Rachel Garlin, $15.00 advance, $16.50 door; June 22: Sourdough Slim w/ Blackwood Tom; June 23: Lara & Reyes; June 24; Darryl Purpose, Dave Carter & Tracy Grammar; June 26; Freight 33rd Anniversary Revue; June 27: Dilema, Hookslide 

 

Jupiter All shows at 8 p.m., June 21: Beatdown w/ DJ’s Delon, Yamu & Addi; June 22: Realistic; June 23: Wayside; June 26: Bruno Pelletier Trio; June 27: O Maya; June 28: Beatdown w/ DJ’s Delon, Yamu & Addi; June 29: Zoe Ellis Quartet; June 30: Go Van Gogh 2881 Shattuck Ave 843-8277 

 

Live Oaks Concerts, Berkeley Art Center, June 24: Stephen Bell; July 1: Matthew Owens; July 15: David Cheng, Marvin Sanders, Ari Hsu; July 27: Monica Norcia, Amy Likar, Jim Meredith. all shows at 7:30 unlice otherwise noted Admission $10 (BACA members $8, students and seniors $9, children under 12 free) 

 

Jazzschool Recitals June 21: 4 p.m., Jazz Combos. Free. The Jazzschool/La Note 2377 Shattuck Ave. 845-5373  

 

Julia Morgan Center June 23: 8 p.m., “Celebrating Rumi with Persian Classical Music” by Mohammed Reza Lofti. $25 adults, $23 others ; July 1: 1 & 2 p.m., “Kourosh Taghavi: The Beauty of Iranian Music and Stories of its Origins” Adults $10, Children $5. 2640 College Ave. 654-0100 

 

Berkeley Symphony Orchestra Season Finale June 21, 8 p.m. Works by Shostakovich, Brahms, and Rohde. $19 - $35 Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley 841-2800  

 

Dance 

 

Kalanjali in Concert June 22, 7 p.m. Kalanjali concludes its celebration of its 25th year in Berkeley with a special recital. Experienced dancers and young students, with guests from India including dancer K. P. Yesoda and the musicians of Bharatakalanjali. $6 - $8 Juia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 Collage Ave. 925-798-1300 

 

Theater 

 

“Cymbeline” Through June 24, Tues. - Thur. 7:30 p.m., Fri. 8 p.m., Sat. 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sun. 4 p.m. Opening of the California Shakespeare Festival features one of Shakespeare’s first romances, directed by Daniel Fish. $12 - $146. Bruns Memorial Amphitheater off Highway 24 at the Shakespeare Festival Way/Gateway Exit. 548-9666 or www.calshakes.org 

 

“The Laramie Project” Through July 8: Weds. 7 p.m., Tues. and Thur. -Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Written by Moises Kaufmen and members of Tectonic Theater Project, directed by Moises Kaufman. Moises Kaufman and Tectonic members traveled to Laramie, Wyo., after the murder of openly gay student Matthew Shepherd. The play is about the community and the impact Shepherd’s death had on its members. $10 - $50. The Roda Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre 2015 Addison St. 647-2949 www.berkeleyrep.org 

 

“Kid Kaleidoscope and the Puppet Players” June 24: 2 p.m., Julia Morgan Center for the Arts. The Puppet Players are a multi-media musical theatre group. Their shows are masterfully produced to thrill people of all ages with handmadesets and puppets. Adults $10, Children $5, 2640 College 867-7199 

 

“Romeo and Juliet” Through July 14, Thurs. - Sat. 8 p.m. Set in early 1930s just before the rise of Hitler in the Kit Kat Klub, Juliet is torn between ties to the Nazi party and Romeo’s Jewish heritage. $8 - $10. La Val’s Subterranean Theater 1834 Euclid 234-6046 

 

“A Life In the Theatre” Runs through July 15. Wed. - Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. David Mamet play about the lives of two actors, considered a metaphor for life itself. Directed by Nancy Carlin. $30-$35. $26 preview nights. Berkeley City Club 2315 Durant 843-4822 

 

 

 

 

Films 

 

Berkeley Film Makers’ Festival, June 23, 1 p.m. Berkeley Arts Festival Gallery. Presnetation of Six films: The Good War, and Those Who Refused to Fight it (Judith Ehrlich and Rick Tejada Flores), Just Crazy About Horses (Tim Lovejoy and Joe Wemple), Los Romeros: The Royal Family of the Guitar (L. John Harris and Bill Hayes), In Between the Notes (William Farley and Sandra Sharpe) and KPFA On The Air (Veronica Selver and Sharon Wood). 2220 Shattuck 486-0411 

 

Pacific Film Archive June 21 Days of the Eclipse 7 p.m. & A Spring for the Thirsty 9:30 p.m.; June 22 Three by Aurthur Peleshian 7:30 p.m., Ivan’s childhood 9 p.m.; June 23 7 & 9:10 p.m. I can’t Sleep; June 24 The Ruined Map 5:30 p.m. & Summer Soldiers 7:50 p.m.; June 26 7:30 p.m. San Francisco Cinematheque: 40 Years in Focus; June 27 7:30 p.m. Nature vs. Nurture; June 28 7:30 p.m. The Beginning of an Unknown Era; June 29 Molba 7:30, Shadows od Our Forgotten Ancestors 9:10; June 30 7, 9:10 p.m. Nenette and Boni. Pacific Film Archive Theater 2575 Bancroft Way (at Bowditch) 642-1412 

 

Exhibits 

 

Constitutional Shift, Through July 13, tuesdays - fridays, noon - 5 p.m. Kala Art Institute. Permanence and personal journey link Hee Jae Suh, Ursula Neubauer and Marci Tackett. Korean-born Suh explores an inner psychological world with a dramatic series of self-portraits. Neubauer explores self-portraiture as a travel map of identity with multiple points of view. Tackett explores Antarctica’s other-worldly landscape in a series of stunning digital photographs. 1060 Heinz Ave. 549-2977 

 

Tyler James Hoare Sculpture and Collage Through June 27, call for hours. The Albatross Pub 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473 

 

Ako Castuera, Ryohei Tanaka, Rob Sato Through June 30, Tues. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Group exhibition, recent paintings. Artist’s reception June 9, 6:30 - 9 p.m. with music by Knewman and Espia. !hey! Gallery 4920 B Telegraph Ave., Oakland 428-2349  

 

“Watershed 2001” Through July 14, Wednesday - Sunday Noon - 5 p.m. Exhibition of painting, drawing, sculpture and installation that explore images and issues about our watershed. Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St. 644-6893 

 

Rachel Davis and Benicia Gantner Works on Paper Through July 14, Tues. - Sat., 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Watercolors by Davis, mixed-media by Gantner. Opening reception June 13, 6 - 8 p.m. Traywick Gallery 1316 Tenth St. 527-1214 www.traywick.com 

 

“The Trip to Here: Paintings and Ghosts by Marty Brooks” Through July 31, Tues. - Sun. 11 a.m. - 1 a.m. View Brooks’ first California show at Bison Brewing Company 2598 Telegraph Ave. 841-7734  

 

Bernard Maisner: Illuminated Manuscripts and Paintings. Through Aug. 8 Maisner works in miniature as well as in large scales, combining his mastery of medieval illumination, gold leafing, and modern painting techniques. Flora Lamson Hewlett Library 2400 Ridge Rd. 849-2541 

 

“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 

 

“Geographies of My Heart” Collage paintings by Jennifer Colby through August 24; Flora Lamson Hewlett Library 2400 Ridge Rd. 649-2541 

 

Images of Portugal Paintings by Sofia Berto Villas-Boas of her native land. Open after 5 p.m. Voulez-Vous 2930 College Ave. (at Elmwood) 

 

“Queens of Ethiopia: Intuitive Inspirations,” the exceptional art of Esete-Miriam A. Menkir. Through July 11. Women’s Cancer Resource Center Gallery 3023 Shattuck Ave. 548-9286 ext 307 

 

“The Decade of Change: 1900 - 1910” chronicles the transformation of the city of Berkeley in this 10 year period. Thursday through Saturday, 1 - 4 p.m. Now - September. Berkeley History Center, Veterans Memorial Building, 1931 Center St. Wheelchair accessible. 848-0181. Free.  

 

 

Readings 

 

Freight & Salvage, June 23, 10 a.m.-noon Diane di Prima, beat poet and author of “recollections of My Life as a Woman”. 

 

Julia Morgan Center for the Arts June 29: 7:30 p.m., “Berkeley Stories” by local Celebrity Artists. 2640 College Ave. 549-3564  

 

Weekly Poetry Nitro Mondays 6:30 p.m. sign up, 7 - 9 p.m. reading. Performing poets in a dinner atmosphere. June 25 Steve ArntsenCafe de la Paz 1600 Shattuck Ave. 843-0662 

 

Tours 

 

“Berkeley in the Sixties” Berkeley Arts Festival presents free speech Veterans Kate Coleman and Michael Rossman leading a tour from Sather Gate Friday June 29, 3 p.m. 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 


City dedicates pathway to poet

Staff
Thursday June 21, 2001

By Tracy Chocholousek 

Special to the Daily Planet 

 

Each morning for the past 28 years, give or take a day, Geneva Agnes Gates Foote has traveled the same path between her Berkeley home and her morning cup of coffee. 

Though the path has transformed from dirt to pavement, people in her Westbrae neighborhood have come and gone, and her destination point has changed over time with the opening and closing of Gilman Street coffee shops, her journey has been a constant source of inspiration.  

These days her little dog and loyal companion, Betsy Jingle, dances to and fro as Gates Foote walks slowly and cautiously along the path. She holds tightly onto the back of her wheelchair, guided by her husband Abbot Foote. Along the way, he describes the people passing and the blooming flowers.  

For many years the path, that runs south under the BART tracks, beginning at Gilman and Curtis streets, revealed itself to Gates Foote through colorful sights and familiar faces. Since she lost her vision in 1972 from complications of diabetes, Gates Foote has relied on sounds and smells and the gentle touch of passersby to envision her surroundings. Her blindness sparked a newfound creative outlet and she began to write.  

“Once in a while, a poem would appear and I would write it down. When I was going blind, a lot of poems came to my mind,” she said. “When you can’t see out, you start seeing in, and that’s where poetry lives.”  

Since 1998 Gates Foote has self-published five books of poetry and prose. Each carries a resonating theme, be it nature, her past, the colorful characters she’s met along the way, or the pathway she  

treads daily.  

“If there’s anything,” she says, speaking of what most inspires her, “it’s love and caring. They are the only reasons we are here. It’s too bad we don’t seem to learn that early on.” 

Her fourth book, entitled “Geneva’s Path,” celebrates her relationship with the path and sparked the chain of events leading to a dedication ceremony held earlier this month. On June 3, friends and neighbors gathered to witness the dedication of that stretch of land she calls her own which is now officially named the Geneva Agnes Gates Foote Path.  

“There is a treed and ivied spot to the right of the paved path which goes from Neilson over to Gilman and Curtis. This path has been mine from the beginning,” she writes in “Geneva’s Path.” 

“I know it’s a big ego thing, but maybe someone would think to name it after me.”  

And the community pulled together and did just that. With help from neighbors and friends, a petition was circulated gathering more than 100 signatures from the community. It was submitted to Councilmember Linda Maio and Gates Foote’s wish turned into a reality.  

“I’m not used to having a fuss made over me. One thing to being blind, you really feel quite invisible,” she said.  

At the ceremony Gates Foote’s characteristic strength gave way to sentiment. 

“Emotionally I don’t usually tip, but I knew the tears were somewhere back in there,” she said.  

Maio presented Gates Foote with a proclamation from the city celebrating the poet’s contributions and commitment to the Westbrae community.  

“I was so pleased to be able to finally make this happen,” Maio said. “Geneva is a person who has really learned to get joy from the moment. She reminds herself all the time that even though she may not be able to see the flowers anymore, she can smell them, she can feel the petals.” 

As to what she feels is her greatest contribution to the community, Gates Foote believes that an open heart and a listening ear are her most commendable assets.  

“I think I just kind of know what people go through and the way the mind works. I always seem to have time to listen,” she said.  

In the proclamation from the city she is recognized for her dedication to the maintenance and construction of the path.  

“Geneva’s vigilance over the path during its history includes asking her friends to dig trenches along its sides to allow for drainage, calling the city to clear garbage or debris and seeking help when light posts would fall or trees would become uprooted,” it reads.  

For 61 years Gates Foote has battled diabetes.  

“Sometimes it’s almost impossible, but here I am,” she confides. “Everywhere the people would help me. It’s been really kind of a joint effort to keep me going.” 

While holding tight to her strength and self-sufficiency, she has also learned the importance of accepting help from others. 

“She still has a natural talent for finding people to help her,” said longtime friend Jean Jaszi.  

An occupational therapist for disabled children in her working years, Gates Foote has always been committed to helping others. And because of that selflessness, she has also benefited from an abundance of generous people within her community. 

“I’ve had moments where I’ve been aware that everything in my life fits,” she said.  

As to what the future holds, Gates Foote has confidence in human nature and at the same time is curious about what’s in store for her.  

“I don’t know if I believe in a divine being, but the divinity that is present in each being is enough to live on and to leave with,” she professed.  

Two green posts mark the end of Geneva’s Path. She has named them Scylla and Charybdis after characters in Greek mythology. They act as nostalgic mile markers on her path in life. In one of her poems she writes metaphorically about the two posts.  

“I wonder about that final path. 

Will it be smooth or bumpy? 

Will Abbot and Betsy be there to cheer me on?  

What will happen when I pass between the posts?” 

– from, Between the Posts, in “Geneva’s Path.”  

Although she feels a special guardianship over the path, Gates Foote emphasizes that it belongs to anyone who cares to follow its meanderings.  

“The path may say Geneva’s Path, but it’s everybody’s. We’re all on the same path, living our lives,” she said. 

Born in Boston, Gates Foote has lived in the East Bay for nearly 50 years. She was honored as Woman of the Year by the city in 2001. Her next book of poetry and prose, “Traveler of the Dark,” will come out next month. Some of her books can be found in Westbrae neighborhood shops such as Tiddly Winks and Natural Grocery or at Hida Tool on San Pablo Avenue and Pegasus on Solano Avenue.


Cal finishes 12th in Sears Cup standings

Daily Planet Wire Services
Thursday June 21, 2001

School’s highest ranking ever 

 

Cal completed the 2000-01 academic year with a final 12th-place standing in the Sears Directors’ Cup competition, the Golden Bears highest finish ever.  

Cal’s best previous placing was 13th in 1994-95. This also mark’s the school’s third consecutive year of improvement after taking 23rd in 1998-99 and 15th last year.  

The Sears Cup measures a school’s overall level of athletic success based on performances of teams in 20 selected sports and ranks all 318 NCAA Division I institutions.  

Cal had a particularly impressive spring, with eight sports receiving NCAA Tournament invitations and six teams finishing in the Top 25 in the nation. Women’s rowing and softball placed sixth, with both men’s and women’s tennis taking ninth place, women’s golf 19th and men’s track & field 22nd. In addition, the Bears received points from baseball (33rd) and men’s golf (48th).  

Other teams that gained Top 25 status during the year were: men’s gymnastics (3rd), women’s gymnastics (19th), women’s swimming (7th), men’s swimming (8th) and women’s soccer (17th). Cal also scored points in men’s basketball with the team’s bid to the NCAA Tournament.  

However, Cal’s finish could have been even higher except that four teams that finished among the top four in the nation did not contribute to the standings. Both rugby and men’s crew defended their national titles, but neither sport competes under the NCAA umbrella. In addition, men’s and women’s water polo were ranked fourth in the final polls, but the Bears were not among the four teams invited to the NCAA championships, and thus received no Sears Cup points.


Many want help with new center

By Daniela Mohor
Thursday June 21, 2001

Queer organizations, overwhelmed by an increasing demand for services, may find a way out in the next few years through the opening of a new Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community center in Berkeley. 

At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, a number of representatives from East Bay queer organizations called on the city to help build the center. 

Proposed in May by City Councilmember Kriss Worthington, the project is just at its starting point, but it appears to have gathered the support of at least three other councilmembers and Mayor Shirley Dean. The center is also included in the city manager‘s budget proposal for the next fiscal year. If the current proposal is adopted at the end of June, the project will receive $25,000 for preliminary planning purposes. 

The details of the project haven’t been set yet, but the goal is to build a new and modern facility that includes space for LGBT groups and businesses, for public meetings , and for housing. The building would have disabled accessibility and would be environmentally sustainable. It would offer social services, such as mental health counseling or HIV services, as well as community-oriented activities. 

The project was initiated when staff members of the Pacific Center for Human Growth - Berkeley’s main LGBT service provider - approached Worthington two months ago. At that time, the center suffered from a lack of space and its services were already strained.  

“Since the Pacific Center has been in its current location for over 25 years, the facility is absolutely too small and we don’t have room for our 180 volunteers and all the support groups,” said Executive Director Frank Gurucharri. “We turned down a significant number of requests, and we have a long waiting list for mental health clients.” 

The Pacific Center is likely to become one of the major partners in the new facility and therefore use the largest amount of space. However, the purpose of the LGBT community center project, is not only to provide the Pacific Center with a larger facility, it aims at filling the need for more services by promoting the collaboration between different organizations and at giving Berkeley’s queer population a sense of community. 

“It would provide space for other kind of organizations to interact and increase civic awareness and visibility for the whole community,” explained James Green, who chairs the board of Gender Education and Advocacy, Inc. and supports the proposed center. 

It is still unclear how many groups would be part of the new facility, but leaders of the project are trying to include a great diversity of organizations, with a particular emphasis on women’s groups. 

“A really significant part of this project stresses the feminist angle and makes sure that women are included in the leadership and the decision making,” said East Bay Lesbian/Gay Democratic Club member Nancy Carleton, who attended Tuesday’s City Council meeting. For instance, Worthington recently asked Mama Bears, a women’s bookstore in Oakland, to participate in the planning process. 

While they wait for the budget to be approved, supporters are contacting a variety of individuals and foundations to start raising the estimated $5-$6 million for the building. It could take at least three years before the new center opens its doors.  


Bears place 20 on Pac-10 academic teams

Daily Planet Wire Services
Thursday June 21, 2001

Cal also has 31 honorable mention award winners 

 

The Pacific-10 Conference’s 2001 spring academic teams have been announced by Pac-10 Commissioner Tom Hansen. A total of 51 Cal athletes were honored, including 20 selections to the first and second teams.  

To be eligible for selection to the academic teams, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.0 overall grade-point average, be a significant contributor to the team and be at least a second-year competitor in the sport at the league school.


Interim superintendent stepping down in July

By Ben Lumpkin
Thursday June 21, 2001

A group of about 50 teachers, parents, principals and administrators turned out before the school board meeting Wednesday to bid a fond farewell to Berkeley school district  

nterim Superintendent Stephen Goldstone. Goldstone will step down July 6 to make way the recently selected permanent Superintendent, Michele Barraza Lawrence. 

“My heart is broken,” said Cheryl Chinn, principal of the Malcolm X Arts and Academic Magnet School, at the farewell reception Wednesday. “This is one superintendent who stepped up to the plate and made really serious decisions about what needed to be done in Berkeley.” 

Chinn and other principals present Wednesday credited Goldstone with making real improvements in district central office services that have been “dysfunctional” for years. 

Berkeley Arts Magnet principal Lorna Skantze-Neill said this in the first year in memory where key instructional materials she ordered in the spring, to prepare for the coming school year, were actually delivered to the school before then end of the school year. In the past she has been lucky to see all the materials by the end of the summer, she said. 

“He made more changes than any (superintendent) I’ve ever seen,” Skantze-Neill said. 

Principals, teachers and parents alike applauded Goldstone Wednesday for making a constant effort to get out into the community and listen to what people had to say – in marked contrast to earlier superintendents who they said seemed to focus on other parts of the job. He was a constant presence at PTA meetings, principal meetings, school dramatic performances and more, they said. 

“I just don’t believe he was one person,” said Washington School Principal Rita Kimball, still marveling at the way Goldstone seemed to be everywhere at once.  

Kimball said Goldstone made it clear that providing services and support to the individual schools – and the students that fill their classrooms – was his top priority. 

When he visited Washington, said Kimball, “He looked like, ‘I have all the time in the world. This is what I’m here for.’”  

Christine Lim, associate superintendent of instruction for the district, said Goldstone went to great lengths to maintain staff morale within the district. For the Day of the Teacher in May, he asked administrators to come to work by 5:30 a.m. so they could polish up more than 300 apples and deliver them to Berkeley High teachers by hand, Lim said. 

“You should have seen their faces,” Lim said. “It was like you had given them 100 dollar bills.” 

But Goldstone’s most lasting legacy, said Lim and others, may be his move to completely restructure the district’s business office. By creating a clear line of command from the superintendent on down, they said, Goldstone’s reorganization could bring greater accountability to an office where, as one observer put it, “the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand it doing.” 

“It’s so big because for so long the principals have felt that the business office has been so unresponsive and dysfunctional,” Lim said.  

In some cases, school principals couldn’t get the accurate, timely information they needed to plan their school budgets, Lim said, leaving them to wait in frustration as important decisions went unmade. 

Goldstone, an avid beach-goer from his time spent working in southern California school districts, said Wednesday he plans to vacation in Mexico with his wife this summer before deciding the next move in his career. He is very interested in other interim superintendent jobs in the Bay Area, he said, should they become available. 

His only fear, he told those gathered at the reception Wednesday, is that his next interim superintendency might not be as rewarding as his time in Berkeley. 

“This have been one of the most satisfying experiences of my life,” Goldstone said. “And it’s because of all of you.” 

When he began the job in February, Goldstone said he was somewhat apprehensive that, as an interim superintendent, he might not command the respect of more long-term appointee. But, he said, “that has not been the case (in Berkeley). 

“People have been so very supportive,” he said.


City of Franklin school microcity gets help

By Ben Lumpkin
Thursday June 21, 2001

Things haven’t come easily for the City of Franklin Microsociety Magnet School. 

When the school, located at Virginia Street and San Pablo Avenue, opened its doors in the fall of 1999, the federal grant money awarded as part of its “magnet” status had yet to arrive in the mail, said Addie Holsing, an educational consultant who works closely with the school.  

Franklin teachers had yet to be trained in how to implement the microsociety model: an innovative educational philosophy that calls for making the school a mirror image of the community around it – with banks, businesses, a city council and so forth – so students can see how the skills they are taught in school are applied in “the real world.” 

Teaching materials were bare bones, with little money allotted for extras such as art supplies and library books. 

“Franklin has sort of been the stepchild of the school district because they weren’t sure we could create a community and pull this off,” Holsing said. 

But even before the school opened its doors, the community came together to lend its support, said City of Franklin Parent Coordinator and PTA Co-president Marissa Saunders. 

Parents volunteered to clean the rooms of the old school building – which the school district had been renting out before increased enrollment spurred the creation of City of Franklin in 1999 – desk by desk. They volunteered to weed the gardens and spread a new coat of paint where needed.  

Through the school’s outreach efforts, businesses and organizations stepped forward one by one to offer their support. 

The League of Women Voters volunteered to help with the school’s election day, sending its members to explain the duties of various civic offices and to oversee the school’s election process.  

The Chamber of Commerce invited students to run a booth at the Berkeley business fair each year. Volunteers from UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science visited classrooms to make science-related presentations. This past year, the congregation of the Church By The Side Of The Road raised $3,000 to pay for a fourth grade field trip into the Sierras. Franklin students spent three days panning for gold while they learned about the role of black and Latino cowboys in California history. 

Just this week, Check Center, located on San Pablo Avenue, four blocks south of Franklin, announced that it had raised $1,600 to buy 100 dictionaries for the school: 10 for each classroom. Until now the school has made due with a handful dictionaries contributed by parents, Saunders said. 

“We’re coming up with a wish list and (the community) is checking it off,” Saunders said. 

Franklin students made colorful signs asking check cashing customers to set aside a few dollars for their school. Nearly 200 customers made donations ranging from $1 to $50, said Check Center manager Vanessa Calhoun. The store matched its customers’ contributions to bring the total to $1,600, she added. 

“The customers loved it,” Calhoun said. “We still have customers coming in – even though we’ve met our goal – saying, ‘No, I said I was going to give.’” 

With the donations still flowing, Calhoun said she is in discussions with the City of Franklin to determine how it might make use of another contribution in the future. 

Collaborations like this advance the City of Franklin’s education goals in more ways than one, Holsing said Wednesday. By playing a role in the school’s outreach efforts, Franklin students learn a powerful lesson about the importance of collaboration in advancing the goals of a community, she said. 

It helps the school “turn out the inclusive, thinking young people that Berkeley values as citizens,” she added.


Police Briefs

Kenyatte Davis
Thursday June 21, 2001

A West Coast Pizza employee was robbed at gun point Tuesday night on the 1600 block of Harmon Street, according to police.  

Two large pizzas were ordered, but when the delivery person came, a man sitting on a nearby porch yelled to him that he was the one who had ordered the pizzas, Lt. Russell Lopes said. When the delivery person crossed the street another male allegedly appeared with a shotgun and pointed it at the West Coast Pizza employee, ordering him to place the pizzas on the ground. The delivery person dropped the pizzas, ran to his car and drove back to West Coast Pizza where he called police. 

••• 

A 30-year-old man was attacked and robbed while walking to his home from the Downtown Berkeley BART on Monday at 11 p.m. The victim was approached by three males walking in the opposite direction, Lopes said. The largest of the three allegedly punched the victim in the face which made the victim fall immediately to the ground. The other two suspects allegedly grabbed him while he was on the ground and stole his backpack, wallet and jacket. The victim had a swollen jaw but required no medical attention, Lopes said. 

 

 


Study shows U.S. students lack knowledge about Asia

The Associated Press
Thursday June 21, 2001

LOS ANGELES — U.S. students lack general knowledge about Asia – the most populous and fastest-growing area in the world – partly because materials used in schools are outdated, superficial, and even inaccurate, a study found. 

The study released Wednesday by the National Commission on Asia in the Schools analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of current teaching and learning about Asia and Asian-American topics in primary and secondary classrooms. 

Although many schools work to incorporate Asia-related content into their curriculum, teachers lack adequate background and often teach without the benefit of quality instructional materials, the commission found. 

”(Prospective teachers) are not required to take any kind of specialized course (about) Asia as part of their teacher training program,” said Nancy Girvin, a commissioner and also director of curriculum and instruction at Cajon Valley Union School District. “So we bring our teachers into the classroom with little or no knowledge about Asia and expect them to teach a curriculum that involves topics related to Asia.” 

Classroom resources, especially textbooks, also contribute to the problem, Girvin said. They remain the most widely used classroom resource but commissioners found few that do a good job contextualizing the continent. After reviewing textbooks, ample opportunity for improvement was discovered. 

There were factual inaccuracies, cliches and misspellings of Asian names and terms. The commission – which includes education, policy, business, media and civic leaders – also found textbooks often portrayed Asian countries as universally exotic, impoverished, or both. 

James Hunt, former governor of North Carolina who chaired the study, said he was surprised by the findings. 

“I was shocked how uninformed the American people are about Asia,” he said. “For example, we discovered one out of four college-bound high school students cannot name the ocean that lies between the United States and Asia.” 

The study also found 82 percent of adults and 74 percent of students agree that there is a connection between Asia and America’s future, with most saying it is important to learn about Asia because of its influence on the U.S. economy and population. 

However, less the 20 percent of adults and students knew that India – with a population more than four times bigger than the United States – is the world’s largest democracy. And despite the painful legacy of U.S. military involvement in Vietnam, half the adults and two-thirds of the students incorrectly identified it as an island nation, the study found. 

“We have to get across to our students that learning about Asia is absolutely essential to our future,” Hunt said. 

The National Commission on Asia in the Schools is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization dedicated to fostering understanding of Asia and communication between Americans and Asians.


Police seek second interview with California congressman

The Associated Press
Thursday June 21, 2001

Police have asked Rep. Gary Condit for a second interview about his relationship with a missing 24-year-old woman. 

Chandra Levy of Modesto has not been seen in seven weeks, shortly after finishing an internship with the federal Bureau of Prisons in Washington. 

“We’d like to know more about his relationship with Miss Levy and what insight he might have into her mindset,” said Terrance W. Gainer, Washington’s No. 2 police official. “We want to find out more about her and how she lived and what she was thinking.” 

Gainer said police could talk to Condit as early as Wednesday night, but that no time had been set. 

Condit, 53, has described Levy as a “good friend” but has otherwise kept quiet publicly about his relationship with the University of Southern California graduate student. 

Levy’s mother, Susan, has said her daughter told her she was seeing the congressman, who is married. The family lives in Condit’s district. 

Gainer said Condit “is absolutely not a suspect” in Levy’s disappearance, which police consider a missing persons case, not a crime. The congressman was interviewed by police once before. 

Calls to Condit’s offices in Washington and Modesto were not immediately returned. Calls to his lawyer, Joseph W. Cotchett of Burlingame, also were not returned. 

Levy’s parents traveled to Washington late Tuesday to meet with their new lawyer, Billy Martin. Martin’s clients have included the mother of Monica Lewinsky and heavyweight boxer Riddick Bowe. He currently is representing Cincinnati as the Justice Department investigates the city’s police force. 

Martin spent part of the day Wednesday in Cincinnati. He later returned to Washington and said he planned to meet with the Levys. 

They might hold a news conference Thursday, he said. 

Police also would like to talk to the Levys, but no time has been set, Gainer said. 

Gainer said police still do not have a good idea about what happened to Levy, even after examining her bank, computer and telephone records. 

“We don’t have any particular direction to go,” he said. 

Levy was last seen April 30 at a Washington gym. She was expected to return to California a few days later for her graduation from USC with a master’s degree in public administration. 

When police searched her apartment they found no signs of foul play. Only her keys were missing.


Speculation begins on successor to Justice Stanley Mosk

The Associated Press
Thursday June 21, 2001

As flags flew at half staff on state buildings a day after California Supreme Court Justice Stanley Mosk died, speculation ran rampant Wednesday over who would succeed the state’s longest-serving justice. 

The 88-year-old Mosk, the panel’s only Democrat, died unexpectedly Tuesday after complaining of chest pains the day before. His death has left a vacuum on the seven-member panel, where he served 37 years. 

Aides to Democratic Gov. Gray Davis, who must appoint a successor, said the governor has neither picked a nominee nor set a timetable for filling the void. 

“If he has, he’s keeping it to himself,” said Hilary McLean, Davis’ chief deputy press secretary. 

Mosk had spoken with the governor about retiring, according to a source who spoke on condition of anonymity. McLean wouldn’t confirm that, or say whether Davis had begun considering a new appointee even before Mosk’s death. 

“Whether they spoke or not about a potential retirement, he has not brought forth any names either privately or publicly,” McLean said. 

She said any nominee would have to be evaluated by the State Bar before Davis makes a nomination. The nominee must be confirmed by Chief Justice Ronald M. George, an appellate court justice and Attorney General Bill Lockyer. 

“Anybody who reports to know of any short list is in my view not well informed. I’m convinced the governor will be setting up a wide-ranging process for one or more candidates for review,” George said. 

But the governor’s silence hasn’t stopped rampant speculation over who may replace a man George described as a “legal giant.” 

Insiders and scholars suggested a hodgepodge of candidates that may emerge as leading contenders, including Los Angeles federal judge Carlos Moreno. He was appointed by President Clinton and would become the court’s only Hispanic. 

Legal experts said Davis may sway to federal judges because the modern tradition of tapping state appellate court justices may be a tough sell. He has appointed just 10 appellate justices, and the bulk of the appeals bench includes those appointed by Republican governors during the past two decades. 

“He doesn’t have a crop of recent young justices that he may elevate. It’s kind of anybody’s guess,” said Jay Eisen, a Sacramento appellate attorney. 

Even so, on the appellate judge level, some experts pointed to Arthur Gilbert, a 2nd District Court of Appeal justice in Ventura who took the bench in 1982 upon Gov. Jerry Brown’s appointment. 

“This is a very early moment to be asking these questions,” said Gilbert, declining to say whether he was interested in the post. “People are trying to get over the fact that we lost a giant in the law.” 

Other Davis appeals court appointees mentioned as potential candidates include Los Angeles Justice Candace Cooper; Santa Ana Justice Kathleen Elizabeth O’Leary; San Francisco Justice Mark Simons, and Los Angeles Justice Kathryn Doi Todd. But those appeals court justices may not meet race considerations. Some say the governor wants a sitting judge who is a Hispanic Democrat and one who accepts Davis’ pro-death penalty position and other political views. 

The high court runs the racial gamut, but has no Hispanic member. 

“In the abstract we say race, gender and party affiliation should have nothing to do with that,” said San Francisco appellate Justice Carol A. Corrigan. “A contrary argument is that there is a value to have the court reflect the broader face of California.” 

Stephen Barnett, a University of California at Berkeley law professor who closely follows the state Supreme Court, said he wants Davis to consider lawyers that are not judges. 

“I think the governor should not limit himself to a sitting judge of the court of appeal,” he said. 

A potential Hispanic candidate who is not a judge could be Vilma Martinez, a Los Angeles lawyer and former University of California regent, Barnett said. Assembly Speaker Robert Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, said Martinez would be an “excellent choice” for the court. 

Others discounted Martinez, saying Davis may not risk giving the job to someone without judicial experience. 

Martinez, former head of the Mexican-American Legal Defense Fund, refused to say whether she was in the running. 

“I would not like to comment on that,” she said. 


Mars looms 42 million miles from Earth

The Associated Press
Thursday June 21, 2001

LOS ANGELES — The Red Planet is ready for its close-up. 

The orbits of Earth and Mars is bringing the two planets the closest they have been in 13 years. That has left Mars to shine brightly in the night sky, its tawny red color obvious to even naked-eye astronomers. 

“Mars is the brightest thing in the evening sky, unless the moon is out,” said John Mosley, an astronomer at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. 

Stargazers in the southern hemisphere have the better view of the planet, which appears high in the sky. But anyone in the northern hemisphere can still see Mars as it lurks low in the south, near the constellation Scorpius. 

Earthlings get a particularly good view of Mars once about every 26 months. During what is called planetary opposition, Earth aligns itself roughly between Mars and the sun. 

The opposition began on Monday, but on Thursday, Mars will be the closest it has been since 1988: about 42 million miles. 

The two planets will be even closer – just 35 million miles apart – in August 2003. 

“It will be the closest approach of Mars to Earth in at least 5,000 years; probably more like 100,000 years,” said Myles Standish, an astronomer at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 

The Earth’s sweep near Mars comes a few months before NASA’s latest Mars mission enters orbit around the Red Planet in October. 

The Mars Odyssey spacecraft, launched in April, is expected to arrive in Mars orbit on Oct. 23 and begin taking measurements to determine the composition of the planet’s surface and search for water or shallow ice beneath the planet’s surface.  

Many scientists speculate that the planet could have once harbored life, or may still, and NASA’s missions to the planet have sought evidence of water. 

Recent tests of the spacecraft’s instruments and systems by JPL engineers showed everything was working fine. NASA came under increased criticism in 1999 after both its Mars Climate Orbiter and Mars Polar Lander missions failed. 

The closeness of the two planets is significant for the launch dates of such missions. Standish compared the launching of spacecraft between the planets to tossing a ball between two moving vehicles. 

“Earth and Mars are like a couple of race cars going around a race track. If you’re going to throw a ball from Earth to Mars, you have to throw before you catch up and you have to aim at a spot ahead of Mars,” Standish said. 

“The timing is much more crucial than the closeness,” he added. 

A missed launch opportunity would mean having to wait more than two years for the next approach. 

For the Earth-bound, Mars should remain bright through October. 

Mosley said while a telescope is needed to see any of the planet’s surface features, including its brilliant polar caps, anyone can see Mars with just their eyes. 

“It’s easy to see, no trouble at all to see in your backyard. Everyone should go out and see it,” he said. “Mars rules.” 

On the Net: 

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/


Sudden Oak Death is hazard in worst fire season in years

The Associated Press
Thursday June 21, 2001

SACRAMENTO — For any lover of trees, the deadly fungus called Sudden Oak Death is alarming enough, as it has killed thousands of oaks in Northern California. 

Beside the environmental damage, however, fire experts worry the thousands of dry, dead oaks drooping along the northern coast are potential torches waiting to light up during one of the most dangerous fire seasons in years. 

Dryer than healthy trees, infected oaks are more likely to catch fire and turn into conduits for racing flames and exploding embers carried by the wind, fire prevention experts said. 

When they burn, dead trees “generate a lot of heat and make fires burn hotter and make them more difficult to control,” said Louis Blumberg, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. “Fires ignite more easily and the trees become fuel.” 

So many dead oaks are making this year’s fire season the most dangerous in years, experts said. 

Already, state forestry and fire protection officials declared fire season a month earlier this year, as they went to peak staffing because of record heat, unusual dryness and erratic winds. 

“The northern 40 percent of the state this year is extremely dry or in drought conditions,” Blumberg said. 

“We’ve already seen 12 major forest fires in California by this time, when it’s usually one or two,” said Matthew Mathes, a spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service. 

On Sunday, a huge fire erupted in the Sierra Nevada Mountains east of Truckee, Calif., and burned toward Reno, Nev. Flames and smoke also led authorities to close Interstate 80. 

Last week, Gov. Gray Davis cited a 68 percent increase in wildfires and issued a new fire plan that includes buying equipment, hiring new firefighters and preparing the state National Guard. “This could be one of the worst fire seasons in California history,” he said. 

The CDF is responsible for about a third of the 101 million acres in California, with a budget of $380 million. This year, it has asked for and received an additional $24 million. The department responds to an average of 6,700 fires a year covering almost 160,000 acres, said Karen Terrill, a CDF spokeswoman. 

The CDF also received $2.8 million from the federal government to prepare for fire season. 

“One of our main concerns is all the dead trees in those” seven counties where Sudden Oak Death is a problem, Terrill said. Some of the precautions include sawing off dry weed and brush that could conduct flames. 

Caused by a newly described fungus called Phytophthora, Sudden Oak Death also resembles the species that caused the 1845 potato famine in Ireland. Since the disease first appeared in 1995 in Mill Valley, Calif., it has killed tens of thousands of oak trees from Sonoma County to Big Sur. It attacks tanoak, coastal live oak and black oak, and scientists still don’t know how the disease is spread. 

While a major concern in California, Sudden Oak Death has other states alarmed as well. In January, Oregon officials imposed a quarantine on oak firewood and nursery stock from California. Dead oaks in California led to them being cut for firewood and then shipped out of state. 

A series of measures in the California Legislature and Congress would give more funds to fighting the Sudden Oak Death and reducing its fire hazards. 

The Assembly passed a bill by Assemblywoman Carole Migden, D-San Francisco, that calls for $4.7 million to cut the risks of Sudden Oak Death by clearing dead trees and other measures. The state Senate has a similar bill pending. 

In Congress, Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer is sponsoring legislation that would provide more than $70 million over the next five years for researching the disease and preparing for fire risks. Democratic Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Santa Rosa, has sponsored a similar bill in the House. 

In the revised May budget, Davis proposed $1.9 million for research and fire precaution. 


Greenspan not worried about tax cut

The Associated Press
Thursday June 21, 2001

WASHINGTON — Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said Wednesday he’s not worried that the new $1.35 trillion tax cut might plunge the federal budget into deficit. 

“I’m not, senator,” Greenspan replied when asked by Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., at a hearing whether he was concerned about a potential slide back into government deficit spending. 

On another economic issue, Greenspan said that a recent increase in job layoffs – new claims for state unemployment insurance have risen to more than 400,000 a week – will affect consumers’ confidence and willingness to keep buying. 

However, he added, there hasn’t been “any real serious deterioration” in spending. 

During questioning, Schumer and several other Democratic senators prodded the central bank chief to express concern over the big 10-year tax cut, given the state of the economy and the low savings rate of Americans. The tax cut, recently enacted by Congress and signed into law by President Bush, is the centerpiece of Bush’s economic program. 

Greenspan lent crucial support to Bush’s tax-cut proposal in January, and has subsequently stated his belief that reducing taxes is a preferred use for ballooning budget surpluses. 

In his testimony before the Banking Committee, Greenspan said the sagging economy has brought more problem loans and made bankers fairly tightfisted. He cited weaknesses in retailing, manufacturing, health care, telecommunications and among California utilities, strapped by high wholesale electricity prices they are barred from passing on to consumers. 

Bank regulators “need to be more sensitive to problems at individual banks, both currently and in the months ahead,” Greenspan said at the hearing on the state of the nation’s financial system. 

“We are fortunate that our banking system entered this period of weak economic performance in a strong position,” he said. 

Greenspan did not discuss the future course of interest-rate policy. 

To ward off recession, the Federal Reserve has slashed interest rates five times this year. Many analysts predict policy-makers will make a sixth cut at the end of their two-day meeting June 27. 

Greenspan’s remarks come as Americans’ personal debt is at an all-time high. Mortgage delinquencies and write-offs by credit card companies are rising, and personal bankruptcy filings could hit a record this year. 

During questioning, Greenspan suggested that the problem of Americans’ low savings rate – which stood at a negative 0.7 percent of after-tax income in April – is tempered by the “extraordinary degree of productivity from our savings.” 

One of his fellow Fed governors, Edward Gramlich, said in a speech Wednesday that personal saving is vital for households to maintain their standard of living, and more work should be done to help consumers – especially low- and moderate-income families – improve their financial situation. 

On the Net: 

Fed: http://www.federalreserve.gov


State leaders discuss Microsoft

The Associated Press
Thursday June 21, 2001

WASHINGTON — The state attorneys general who pursued the antitrust case against Microsoft are privately discussing a new lawsuit, concerned that the software giant’s latest products will unfairly hamper competition, two leaders say. 

Attorneys General Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Tom Miller of Iowa said they’re particularly concerned about Microsoft’s plans to bundle new features into its Windows XP operating system, due out this fall, and to offer new Web-based subscription services. 

“Microsoft seems to be using much of its power to preclude competition on a new platform,” said Miller, who organized the 19 attorneys general who joined the Justice Department in the current antitrust suit. 

“This is what they did before and this is what they’re doing again to maintain their monopoly,”  

Miller said in an interview with The Associated Press. 

Blumenthal said the states were discussing the possibility of a second lawsuit as one of several options, even as the current case awaits a ruling in federal appeals court. 

“We haven’t reached a point where we’re discussing it publicly,” Blumenthal said.  

“We have been exploring strategies, consulting experts, doing legal research. Generally preparing.” 

Another option, according to Miller and Blumenthal, is to bring up concerns about the new products as part of the current case if the appeals judges send it back to a lower court. 

Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer is in Washington this week, meeting with congressional leaders and Vice President Dick Cheney.  

The White House said the antitrust case didn’t come up in the Cheney meeting. 

The company says any talk of additional litigation is premature since most of the products cited by critics aren’t even finished yet. And it says its goal isn’t to monopolize but to give customers want they want. 

“The key point in this whole process is that users decide if they want to use Web services and what information they want to give,” Microsoft spokesman Jim Cullinan said. 

The nation’s attorneys general are meeting in Vermont this week for their annual conference. A group backed by Microsoft’s rivals made a presentation Wednesday in an effort to persuade the states to file a second antitrust suit to stop Microsoft’s new products. 

The group, called ProComp, includes Oracle, Sun Microsystems and Netscape, a subsidiary of AOL Time Warner. ProComp director Mike Pettit wrote a 59-page paper criticizing Microsoft’s practices. 

Blumenthal said the competitors’ concern that Microsoft may try to extend its market dominance is valid. 

“They certainly raise the prospect, if not the probability of the same dangers and potential harms that resulted from past practices that were proved at trial,” Blumenthal said. 

Miller agreed: “It sounds at least on the surface to be very familiar as to the maintenance-of-monopoly case that we’ve had.” 

Blumenthal said the attorneys general also are prepared to continue to pursue their case against Microsoft even if the Bush Justice Department seeks to settle the current case. 

“We have never said that the Justice Department was an essential partner,” he said. “Certainly a critically important one, but never a prerequisite to our pursuing the case. We are absolutely determined to pursue this case.” 

Last year, U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson ordered Microsoft broken in two for antitrust violations. He concluded the company unfairly tied its Windows operating system to its Explorer Web browser in order to gain and keep a software monopoly. 

Microsoft appealed to the federal appeals court in Washington, and awaits a decision. 

Windows XP, due to be released in October, will enhance the company’s recently announced Internet initiatives, called Hailstorm and .NET. The company’s new philosophy is to encourage customers to store their data on the Internet, accessible from anywhere on any device. Hailstorm and .NET rely on Microsoft’s software architecture on network servers, desktop computers and handheld devices. Windows XP, too, will offer for free many new features that competitors charge for. 

Over the weekend, Microsoft and AOL stopped negotiating how to place AOL’s software on Windows XP, leaving open the possibility that AOL might sue its rival. 

Cullinan said one reason the talks broke down is that AOL would not preclude legal action. “There’s no way we were going to include them in Windows XP if they were going to sue us over Windows XP,” Cullinan said. 

AOL vice president John Buckley said his firm didn’t want to give up its right to sue, although he said that doesn’t mean AOL has such plans. 

——— 

On the Net: Microsoft: http://www.microsoft.com 

ProComp: http://www.procompetition.org 


Reddy sentenced to extra jail time

By Judith Scherr Daily Planet staff
Wednesday June 20, 2001

OAKLAND – Adding 21 months to the original plea bargain agreement between prosecutors and the defense, a federal judge sentenced wealthy Berkeley landlord Lakireddy Bali Reddy Tuesday to 97 months in prison and the payment to his victims of $2 million in restitution. 

Reddy pleaded guilty March 7 to one count of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud, two counts of transporting a minor for illegal sex and one count of submitting a false tax return in 1998 by lying about his foreign bank accounts in India. 

In the Tuesday morning standing-room only court session, federal District Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong refused the plea deal and sent the two parties back to the negotiating table for some fine tuning. The judge argued that the original six and one-half year prison term should be enhanced because Reddy had participated in the obstruction of justice after his arrest and the victims had received severe psychological trauma as a result of their ordeal. 

By 3 p.m., the two sides had agreed to accept a stiffer sentence.  

At the same time, the judge used her discretion to knock off some of Reddy’s potential jail time because he said he was remorseful for his acts. 

The judge’s call for the longer sentence was motivated by an investigative report written by a federal probation officer. According to the report, Reddy’s relatives gave three of the victims, identified only as victims No. 4, 5 and 7, airplane tickets to go to India, gave the girls money and instructed them stay away from the village where they grew up and where Reddy still owns a villa. 

In India, Armstrong said, the three victims were brought to the villa. “Reddy spoke to each by telephone, telling them to stay (in India) until they were told they could return to the United States.” 

Reddy’s attorney, Ted Cassman, said Reddy spoke with one, not three of the girls, although the others might have been on the phone line. And he argued that the conversation was not willful obstruction of justice. Rather, according to Cassman, Reddy advised the young woman, known as Victim No. 5, to stay in India, until “everything was OK.” Then Cassman said Reddy told her: “I’ll find you a new husband.” 

U.S. Attorney John Kennedy, the prosecutor, echoed what Cassman had said, but the judge responded that the “court obviously has a responsibility to make its own assessment.” 

The second reason for the enhanced sentencing cited by the judge was the “psychological injuries the victims have sustained.”  

Armstrong spoke about Reddy’s impact on the victims’ lives, noting that Victim No. 1 had endured physical, sexual and verbal abuse for over seven years. As a result, she experiences severe headaches, depression and panic attacks. She even tried to kill herself.  

The judge underscored the “severity,” and “duration,” of the crimes and that the women were as young as 13 years old. “Here they are isolated, without friends and family and a support system. They were fully dependent on (Reddy) for care,” she said. 

Kennedy argued the original plea bargain took into account the “vulnerable age” of the girls in question and “Mr. Reddy’s leadership role was factored in.” 

The idea of the plea bargain was to get the funds to the victims as soon as possible so that they could pay for counseling and move ahead in their lives, Kennedy said. 

But Armstrong argued that restitution was not a motivating factor, since “the victims were offered large sums of money not to come back to the United States” and they came back anyway. 

Both the prosecution and the defense attorneys argued that the victims wanted the case put to rest and did not want it to go to trial, where they would have to testify against Reddy. “Mostly, they want it to be over,” said Cassman’s law partner, Cristina Arguedas. 

The victims’ lawyers, who may file a civil lawsuit, spoke before the judge, confirming that they did not want the case to go to trial. 

Armstrong responded, however, that “the case is not just about these victims. It is the intent of society to insure that this does not continue. It’s not just about these individuals.” 

Arguedas further argued that Reddy, 64, would be 70 when he left prison, and should not be kept there any longer than six years. But Armstrong once again reminded the court that the girls were as young as 13 when Reddy gained control over them. 

At that, applause broke out in the courtroom. The clerk of the court silenced the spectators. 

Arguedas continued, explaining to the judge that she understood the ages of the girls was a factor and did not mean to “minimize the vulnerability of the victims.” 

“(Reddy) was here, sobbing about it when he entered his plea,” she said, reminding the court that “these events are not the sum total of his life.” 

The judge took that into consideration. 

She told the court that, along with letters calling for a lengthy prison sentence, she had received letters touting Reddy’s virtues, including his philanthropy. Reddy funded a school in India, among other good works. 

“I think the judge made a very fair decision,” Arguedas said, speaking to reporters outside the courtroom. “I think she put a lot of care and thought into it. She balanced a lot of competing considerations. It was a just result and she has to be credited for it.” 

It has not yet been determined where Reddy will serve his sentence. He will be eligible for parole after six years and 10 months. 

Daily Planet reporter Daniela Mohor contributed to this story. 

 


Calendar of Events & Activities

Wednesday June 20, 2001


Wednesday, June 20

 

Carefree/Carfree Tour 

11 a.m. 

Berkeley Arts Festival Gallery 

2200 Shattuck Ave. 

Meet at the Gallery, take the bus to the Oakland Museum to take a tour with David Bacon of his exhibition “Every Worker Is An Organizer: Farm Labor and the Resurgence of the UFW.” 

486-0411 

 

Berkeley Communicator  

Toastmasters Club 

7:15 a.m. 

Vault Cafe 

3250 Adeline 

Learn to speak with confidence. Ongoing first and third Wednesdays each month. 

527-2337 

 

A “Thank You” Reception for  

Berkeley School Interim  

Superintendent Steve  

Goldstone 

Public invited. 

4:30 to 6:00 (before the school board meeting) 

2134 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, second floor, old council chambers. 

 

Anarchism Forum 

7 p.m. 

La Peña Cultural Center 

3105 Shattuck Avenue 

Three Kevin Keating, Howard Besser, and Perry Matloc will discuss the history of Anarchism and its relevance to recent actions. The short video “Anarchists in Action” will be shown. $5 - $7. 

415-927-1645  

 

Support Group for Family/Friends  

Caring for Older Adults 

4 - 5:30 p.m. - 3rd Wednesday of each month 

Alta Bates Medical Center  

Herrick Campus 

2001 Dwight Way 

3rd floor, Room 3369B (elevator - B) 

The group will focus on the needs of the older adult with serious medical problems, psychiatric illnesses, substance abuse, and their caregivers. Facilitated by Monica Nowakowski, LCSW. 

Free. For more information call 802-1725 

 


Thursday, June 21

 

Best Northern California  

Hikes 

7 p.m. 

REI 

1338 San Pablo Ave. 

Guidebook author Matt Heid shares his favorite day hikes and overnight backpacking trips in Northern California. Slide presentation. Free. 

527-4140 

 

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. 869-2547 

 

LGBT Catholics Group  

7:30 p.m. 

Newman Hall  

2700 Dwight Way (at College)  

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender Catholics group are “a spiritual community committed to creating justice.” This session will be a “Pride Mass.” 654-5486 

 

Summer Noon Concerts 2001 

Noon - 1 p.m. 

Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza 

Shattuck at Center St. 

Weekly concert series. This week Capoeira Arts Cafe. 

 

Community Tribute to Jeffrey  

Leiter 

5 p.m. Dinner, 8 p.m. Performance 

Santa Fe Bar and Grill 

1310 University Avenue 

The Berkeley Symphony Orchestra is hosting a Community Tribute to honor former Mayor and Symphony Board President Jeffrey Shattuck Leiter. Dinner at Santa Fe Bar and Grill, followed by an 8 p.m. Berkeley Symphony performance at Zellerbach Hall. For information and tickets, call 841-2800  

 

Global Trade  

and Local Environments 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Avenue 

Panel discussion with Antonia Juhasz, Martin Wagner, and Andrea del Moral. Also a community discussion and network-building, related resources. Potluck. 

548-2220 ext. 233  


Friday, June 22

 

Living Philosophers  

10 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Hear and entertain the ideas of some modern day philosophers: Jacob Needleman, J. Revel, Hilary Putnam, John Searle, Saul Kripke, Richard Rorty and others. Every Friday, except holidays. Facilitated by H.D. Moe.  

 

Therapy for Trans Partners  

6 - 7:30 p.m.  

Pacific Center for Human Growth  

2712 Telegraph Ave. (at Derby)  

A group open to partners of those in transition or considering transition. The group is structured to be a safe place to receive support from peers and explore a variety of issues, including sexual orientation, coming out, feelings of isolation, among other topics. Intake process required. Meeting Fridays through August 17.  

$8 - $35 sliding scale per session  

Call 548-8283 x534 or x522 

 

Strong Women; The Arts,  

Herstory and Literature 

1:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. Taught by Dr. Helen Rippier Wheeler, author of “Women and Aging: A Guide to Literature,” this is a free weekly cultural studies course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program. Free. 549-2970  

 

City Commons Club,  

Luncheon and Speaker 

11:45 a.m. 

Berkeley City Club 

2315 Durant Ave. 

This week featuring Jeffrey Riegle, Ph.D., on “Historical Reasons for China’s Current Conduct.” Come early for social hour. Lunch at 11:45 for $11-$12.25. Come at 12:30 to hear the speaker only for $1, students free. Reservations for three or more. 848-3533 

 


Saturday, June 23

 

“Feast of Fire” benefit for the Crucible 

10:30 p.m. 

The Crucible 

1036 Ashby Ave. 

Act III, The Flight of Icarus, will feature live music and performances by several groups including Capacitor and Xeno. Price of admission benefits the Crucible, a multi-disciplinary community arts center. $20 at the door. 

 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market 

Summer Solstice Celebration 

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

Civic Center Park 

Center St. and MLK Jr. Way 

Farmers market plus crafts fair and live reggae and jazz. 

548-3333 

 

Strawberry Creek Walking Tour 

10 a.m. - Noon 

Learn about Strawberry Creek’s history, explore its neighborhoods, and consider its potential. Meet four experts on the local creeks. Reservations required,  

call 848-0181. 

 

Energy-Efficient  

Wood Windows 

9:30 - 11:30 a.m. 

Truitt and White Lumber 

642 Hearst Avenue 

Free seminar by Marvin Window’s representative Chris Martin on how to measure and install the double-hung Tilt Pac replacement unit, as well as a review of the full line of Marvin’s energy-efficient wood windows. 649-2574 

 

What You Need to Know Before You Build or Remodel 

10 a.m. - Noon 

The Building Education Center 

812 Page Street 

Free seminar by professional builder Glen Kitzenberger. 

525-7610 

 

Choosing to Add On: The Pros and Cons of Building an Addition 

Noon - 2 p.m. 

The Building Education Center 

812 Page Street 

Free seminar by author/designer Skip Wenz 

525-7610 


Sunday, June 24

 

Hands-On Bicycle  

Repair Clinics  

11 a.m. - Noon  

Recreational Equipment, Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Learn how to fix a flat from one of REI’s bike technicians. All you need to bring is your bike. Free  

527-4140 

 

 

— compiled by Sabrina Forkish and Guy Poole 

 

 

Uncle Eye 

2 p.m. 

Berkeley-Richmond Jewish 

Community Center 

1414 Walnut Ave. 

Come see Ira Levin, a.k.a. Uncle Eye, give a special performance as a fundraiser for a television pilot to be filmed this summer. $7 - $10. 

848-0237 or www.uncle-eye.com 

 

Carefree/Carfree Tour 

1 p.m. 

Berkeley Arts Festival Gallery 

2200 Shattuck Avenue 

Artful garden tour, part of the Berkeley Arts Festival. Ride AC Transit to Marcia Donohue and Mark Bulwinkle’s Our Own Stuff Garden and Gallery, then walk to the Dry Garden. 

486-0411 

 

Carefree/Carfree Tour #2 

1:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Arts Festival Gallery 

2200 Shattuck Avenue 

Ride the bus to the Codornices Creek Restoration Project and the Peralta Community Garden and enjoy a concert by Nicole Miller. 

486-0411 

 

Music and Meditation 

8 - 9 p.m. 

The Heart-Road Traveller 

1828 Euclid Avenue 

Group meditation using instrumental music and devotional songs. Free. 

496-3468  


letters to the Editor

Wednesday June 20, 2001

Caring for the caregivers 

 

Editor 

When a person is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, attention immediately shifts to him or her. The physician focuses on treatment and cure. Family and friends visit or call to inquire about the welfare of the patient. The caregiver, on the other hand, is most often forgotten.  

In the case of a terminal or fatal illness that may last years, it’s a long period of care for the 

patient. It’s a long period for the caregiver to be giving his or her all. Professional literature on care for the caregiver tells us that a patients’ care is dependent on how well the caregiver is taken care of.  

Family Caregivers Alliance and Eldercare Services are excellent organizations to get resource information.  

If you’re not able to find one that meets your need, start one, if possible. My church came alongside my husband and I and worked with us to start a Caregivers Survival Series and a support group. Care of the caregiver is vital to good care of the ill person and 

a must for the survival of the caregiver. 

 

Kate Gong 

Berkeley 

 

Give it all away 

 

Editor: 

The Supreme Court has now allowed Bible study and other religious activity to take place in the public schools.  

Why not go the logical whole hog? 

The public schools hold classes Monday through Friday; weekends most are deserted.  

The holy Sabbaths of Christians and Jews occur on Saturday and Sunday, when communal religious services are held in their churches and synagogues. Monday through Friday their sanctuaries stand virtually empty. (Of regularly spaced communal religious services in mosques, I am ashamed to say, I am too ignorant to speak.) 

Why not abandon churches and synagogues (mosques too?) and fully utilize our public school buildings by holding the nation’s communal religious services in them? Perhaps as worshippers the public could see to it that all our public school buildings be kept in much better condition than we arrange for as taxpayers! 

The consequently abandoned formerly religious edifices could give around-the -clock shelter to the impoverished, usually in more convenient locations than where our present jerry-rigged patchwork of “homeless shelters” are hidden away in half-deserted blighted neighborhoods or abandoned military posts, far from job opportunity and public transportation, to mollify sanctimonious NIMBY’S.  

A fantastic idea? Yes, but doesn’t it make sense? 

 

Judith Segard Hunt 

Berkeley 

 

 

Beth El’s good works deserves public support 

 

Editor: 

The City Council's public hearing on Congregation Beth El's new synagogue amazed me. Though I have belonged to the congregation for more than 20 years, I didn't know, until that night, the full story of what Beth El does for its members and for the community. 

Nearly 400 people came to the hearing and stayed late into the night to thank and support Beth El. You couldn't help noticing that these speakers looked like Berkeley itself - young, old, and in-between; of many different religions and races; from every neighborhood in the city. 

Some critics of the project, nearly all of whom live near the new site, spoke too. They were a very homogeneous group, and they didn't mention people much. They talked mainly about creeks and trees. 

As someone who has not been close to the situation, but who listened carefully that night, it struck me that the congregation, despite its focus on services to people, is also doing more to restore Codornices Creek and to protect trees on the site than anyone has done before.  

The questions I was left with were: Is Codornices Creek the real agenda of the opponents of this project?  

If so, why haven't they done more to take care of the creek in their neighborhood over the years?  

Why did they wait until Beth El bought the property to wage a campaign to open a part of the creek that is 27 feet underground?  

Why didn't they find a way to buy the property themselves or persuade the city buy it if they wanted it to be open space? 

I don't know the answers to these questions, but what I do know now is that Congregation Beth El has an outstanding plan to take care of people - and creeks and trees. 

 

Jeffrey Brand 

Berkeley 

 

 

 

 

Beth El needs more space for its good works 

 

The Daily Planet received this letter addressed to the Mayor and City Council: 

I am writing in strong support of the effort to build a new synagogue for the Beth El congregation at 1301 Oxford.  

The congregation is engaged in many good works in the community and deserves to have a larger space as the number of members and their activities have increased.  

It is clear the congregation has made great efforts to meet the requirements of the Zoning Commission and the wishes of the near neighbors.  

As an urban sociologist, I am well aware of the need to preserve truly beautiful buildings, major historical sites, and important open space available for public use.  

There is nothing of that kind at the site chosen by Beth El for their new building.  

Also as an urban sociologist, I know that all cities must evolve and grow, neighborhoods shift, and institutions expand and contract if the city is to continue to be a live entity.  

It seems to me that the opposition to this new building and grounds is a form of trying to reverse this inevitable process in a very destructive way.  

As a member of the Pastoral Council at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church I am also aware of the difficulty religious communities in Berkeley have in making any changes to their plant or grounds no matter how much these changes may contribute to the common good of the community.  

It does not seem a practice designed to enhance the social and physical health of the city.  

I hope you will consider the extensive efforts made by Beth El to satisfy the Zoning Commission and disregard the efforts of the Landmarks Commission to prevent this synagogue from being built.  

 

 

Mary Anna C. Colwell 

Berkeley 

 

 

The creation of a martyr 

 

Editor: 

One might be opposed to the death penalty as a matter of conscience, but still consider it for bosses and program directors of the electronic media.  

They bombarded the public with messages that have greatly contributed to confusion, frustration, anger and paranoia that have become common among the population.  

It took the Pope many years to create over 400 new Saints but the media created the biggest martyr of the century in just a few days! 

 

Max Alfert 

Albany


Conductor returns to Berkeley Symphony

by Miko Sloper Daily Planet correspondent
Wednesday June 20, 2001

Kent Nagano comes back to conduct the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra in a program that nicely reflects his career.  

The concert begins with a world premiere of Kurt Rohde's “Five Pieces for Orchestra,” then presents Dmitri Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 2, a difficult and introspective work from the middle of the 20th century, and concludes with Johannes Brahms’ first symphony, a workhorse from the standard repertory of Romanticism.  

When Nagano was first becoming prominent, he was considered a maverick who focused on esoteric postmodern compositions.  

He gradually moved back through compositions of the earlier decades of the 20th century and eventually developed a friendly relationship with the masters of the classical and romantic traditions.  

Now it is common for Nagano to include a mainstream work or two in a concert which showcases a world premiere by a living composer. 

Audiences have grown to trust Nagano’s taste in selecting new music, and recently they have learned to relish his interpretations of familiar works. 

Reflecting on Kurt Rohde's piece “Five Pieces for Orchestra” Maestro Nagano says “It is something extraordinary.  

He is among the finest of our young generation of composers, even from an international viewpoint. He has an individual voice. His way of expressing himself is emotional and dramatic without being melodramatic or sentimental, so the feelings of his music are deep and heartfelt.” 

Rohde writes, “Beginning with a relatively simple and direct opening movement, the piece evolves to more involved and intricate movements towards the end.  

There is a progression of intensity over the course of the piece.” 

Although Shostakovich is well-known and several of his symphonies and piano concertos are played often, this violin concerto is under-appreciated and rarely heard.  

Perhaps few soloists feel capable of such contrasting styles of gypsy indulgence and heroic strength.  

Stuart Canin is clearly capable of these extremes and enjoys rising to the requirements of this famously difficult piece.  

Nagano said, “There are lots of master violinists, but Canin shows hunger and curiosity. He is always seeking more. I have known Canin for over 25 years and he still becomes more and more fascinating to me.”  

Nagano notes that Shostakovich’s second violin concerto is “enigmatic, private, full of irony and personal reflection. It has a different character than the first concerto, which is more dramatic and more popular.”  

It is clearly a good match for Canin’s mature virtuosity. 

In the Brahms’ symphony, Nagano keeps tempos brisk and insists that the strings play with certain attacks and a crisp sense of line.  

This allows the wind and brass parts to be heard distinctly, instead of merely contributing to a hazy cluster of thick chords, as is the common fare with Brahms. This approach yields more muscle than mush. Brahms worked many years on this symphony before he considered it worthy of being performed, because of the shadow cast by Beethoven’s works in the same genre.  

Its finale is every bit as uplifting as the conclusion of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, as the audience is lead to a jubilant resolution of the conflicts which have been explored in the previous three movements.  

Although the vigorous concluding melody does not have a text, many listeners will be singing or humming the theme for days to come. 

Nagano’s career has taken him away from his native California for long periods of time as he has held important conducting positions for orchestras in London, Manchester, Berlin and Lyon.  

His calendar is also full of guest conducting jobs.  

It is fortunate he has remained loyal to the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, where he has been music director and conductor since 1978. Yet Nagano asserts “I never left Berkeley. I grew up and went to school in the bay area. I had the privilege of being given the music directorship of the Berkeley Symphony when I was still quite young. I love California. Berkeley is one of the most beautiful places in the world. The combination of people makes it a unique vortex of energy.”  

About his lengthy tenure with the BSO Nagano said, “Music making takes on new dimensions when you let a relationship grow with time.  

Twenty-three years is a long time, but certain aspects of the relationship need time to deepen.” The energy and enthusiasm generated by the orchestra attests to the success of this ongoing relationship. 

This will be the final performance of the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra this season. Next season's schedule will be announced during the program.


Many applaud judge’s ruling

By Daniela Mohor Daily Planet staff
Wednesday June 20, 2001

OAKLAND – Members of the organizations involved in the campaign for a just punishment for Berkeley landlord Lakireddy Bali Reddy reacted positively to U.S. District Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong’s decision Tuesday to sentence the Berkeley landlord to eight years in prison. 

“The sentence today is a powerful moment for the women and the families victimized by Mr. Reddy, who now stands exposed, humiliated and shamed,” said Chic Dabby of Narika, a Berkeley-based South Asian women’s organization. 

Reddy pleaded guilty last March to illegally bringing girls form India for sex and  

cheap labor. In exchange, prosecutors recommended a maximum sentence of six and one-half years in prison - a punishment Narika and other advocacy groups considered too lenient. In the past few weeks, they sent Armstrong dozens of letters urging her to reject the plea bargain and impose a harsher sentence on Reddy. To many of them, Tuesday’s decision was therefore a victory. 

“We are extremely happy,” said Nithya Ramanathan, a member of South Asians Taking Action (ASATA) after the hearing. “We feel that the judge really recognized the severity of the case. By inflicting a (more severe) sentence she demonstrated that this kind of behavior is not going to be accepted.” 

Reddy’s victims also expressed satisfaction with the sentence. At the end of the hearing, attorney Jayashri Srikantiah from the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project read a statement on behalf of two victims the foundation represents in a possible civil lawsuit against Reddy. 

“We are deeply gratified by today’s event. Nothing can compensate us for what (Reddy) did but we are satisfied that he has finally been brought to justice and that he’s going to prison,” according to the statement. 

Only one organization, Women Against Sexual Slavery, expressed discontent towards the judge’s decision. “This is absolutely not justice,” said Diana E.H. Russell, leader of the organization. “He’s not even being prosecuted for the things he needs to be prosecuted for.” Russell was against the settlement because it means Reddy will not have to face charges for crimes such as rape or labor violations. 

During the day, other members of Women Against Sexual Slavery, representatives of ASATA, a few Berkeley residents as well as City Councilmembers Kriss Worthington and Linda Maio quietly demonstrated at the entrance of the courthouse. They distributed documentation about the case and held colorful signs. Some of them had the form of a woman’s profile and read “Reddy = sex Slaver” or “The money talks and Reddy walks.” 


Landmark officials can sue city

By John Geluardi Daily Planet staff
Wednesday June 20, 2001

A Superior Court judge has ruled that three commissioners can sue the city for reinstatement of their full authority on the Landmarks Preservation Commission. 

The commissioners filed a suit naming the city and LPC Chair Burton Edwards, because of an Oct. 21 opinion by City Attorney Manuela Albuquerque that alleged a conflict of interest related to the commissioners’ affiliation with the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association. 

Last November Albuquerque instructed Edwards not to acknowledge commissioners Becky O’Malley, Lesley Emmington-Jones, Carrie Olson and Doug Morse’s comments or votes on the controversial proposal for a synagogue and school at 1301 Oxford St. The proposal was before the LPC because of the property’s status as a city landmark.  

Three commissioners are challenging Albuquerque’s opinion and the fourth, Morse, is not participating in the suit for undisclosed reasons. 

According to the commissioners’ petition, the suit seeks a direction from the Alameda Superior Court to allow the commissioners to participate fully on the LPC without restrictions. The suit does not seek monetary damages. 

The June 15 decision, by Alameda County Superior Court Judge Judith Ford, overruled Albuquerque’s assertion that there was no basis for the commissioners’ suit. Ford’s ruling came one day after hearing arguments from Albuquerque and the commissioners’ attorney, Antonio Rossman. 

“Our motion, which was to get the complaint dismissed on its face value, was denied,” Albuquerque said. “But the decision doesn’t go to the merits of the case.” 

Rossman said the next step will be a hearing, likely to be scheduled in late summer. 

Albuquerque said in her Oct. 31 opinion that the four commissioners had a conflict of interest because of their association with the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association. Three of the commissioners are on the board of directors and the fourth is paid staff.  

The opinion said the conflict arose from a letter written by BAHA President Sarah Wikander on BAHA stationery that criticized the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the proposed Oxford Street development. Wikander said in the letter that the report did not adequately take historical aspects of the site into consideration. Albuquerque said in her opinion that Wikander’s letter represented a prejudgement of the project on the part of all BAHA’s directors and therefore caused a conflict of interest on the part of the four commissioners who have ties to BAHA. 

Edwards said the issue is an important one and he’s anxious for a quick decision. “I would welcome the earliest decision possible so the commission can settle this question of impartiality.” 

Albuquerque issued a number of opinions in the last year that have effected the duties of commissioners because of conflicts of interest. The former chair of the Community Environmental Advisory Commission, Gordon Wozniack, was asked not to participate in any issues related to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he is employed and another former CEAC chair, John Selawsky, was forced to resign the commission because of a conflict of interest over his duties as an elected director of the Board of Education. 

O’Malley said that what’s at stake in the suit is whether people who are nominated to commissions in Berkeley can be active participants in public life.  

“The option is to have city commissions made up of ‘political eunuchs,’ to quote California Supreme Court Justice Stanley Mosk in a similar case,” O’Malley said. “What he meant by that is commissioners who aren’t active, have no opinions or background in related fields.” 


Students sing lessons of Martin Luther King Jr.

By Ben Lumpkin Daily Planet staff
Wednesday June 20, 2001

Eighth graders at Martin Luther King Jr., Middle School know when they walk into English teacher Rachel Garlin’s classroom that they could be in for a show. 

“We’ll ask her to sing a song because it like relaxes you a little bit,” said Theresa Fortune, who had Garlin as her first period English teacher this past year. 

A 27-year-old singer/songwriter who uses long weekends and teacher holidays to tour folk music venues throughout the western United States, believes music has an important place in the classroom – particularly a middle school English classroom. 

Garlin said to begin with eighth graders love music. For them, devotion to favorite musical styles and groups is a way to express their growing independence, she said. 

“It’s an area where they can be really independent,” Garlin said.  

“They can be independent of the parents; independent of their peers.” 

As an English teacher, Garlin tries to capitalize on this universal love of music by showing students the close relationship between song writing and other forms of writing. 

“Anything you write can be put into song,” Garlin said. “A lot of song writing is really just recording events and putting it to music.” 

To drive the point home, Garlin worked with eighth graders last fall to compose a song that would express a theme of particular importance to the school community: the daily struggle to live up to the ideals espoused by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

At King Middle School, everyone from the principal on down takes seriously the fact that their school is named after the famed leader of the Civil Rights Movement, Garlin said. Each year there is an award ceremony where students are honored for living up King’s ideals of courage, compassion and equality. 

“From the sixth grade, (King students) know that award recipients are people who show compassion and empathy; who make an effort to be inclusive in their social lives; who show some leadership potential,” Garlin said. 

Her students agreed. 

“I feel like a lot of schools don’t try to live out what they’re named after,” said eighth grader Martina Miles, one of the students involved in the song writing project. “Our school really tries.” 

But as the students set out to write the song, Garlin had them take a hard look at their lives at King to assess just how well this community of students and teachers lives up to Dr. King’s most cherished ideals.  

Garlin composed the chorus of the song as a question: 

“Dr. King, do you see your dream? 

Dr. King, does the freedom ring? 

Do we take every chance we see 

To create true equality?” 

Working with Garlin, the students filled in the other verses to the song, reflecting the divide they perceive between King’s ideals and the day to day reality of middle school life.  

“It’s something I can see on the school yard,” said King eighth grader Jack Nicholas. “Once the bell rings, people are like, ‘screw you.’” 

“I’ve had days at school where I like cried because someone made me so mad,” said eighth grader Bina Morris. 

Writing the song gave them an opportunity to capture these emotions, the students said, and to share them with the rest of their community in a way that would be heard. 

“It’s a lot different when people stand up there and sing because people will listen,” Miles said. “They won’t just turn their mind off to it.” 

A self-selected group of half a dozen students, including Fortune, Miles, Nicholas and Morris, performed the song – “Equality” – at the mid-year award ceremony honoring those who live up to King’s ideals, and at the schools graduation ceremony last week. Both times the audience was encouraged to sing along. 

“It really helping kids develop ideals and values,” Garlin said. “They get a strong message that education is about learning how to communicate effectively; learning how to clearly express yourself in a way that gives others respect...” 

Garlin was so impressed with the graduation performance that she invited the students to perform “Equality” with her this Thursday, as she headlines for the first at the Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse – a popular traditional music venue in Berkeley. 

“The song lends itself to a group performance,” Garlin said. “Especially with kids who represent the diversity of our school and city.” 

Garlin performs at Freight & Salvage Thursday, June 21, beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15.50 if purchased in advance, or $16.50 at the door. Freight & Salvage is located at 1111 Addison Street. Call 548-1761 for tickets. 

 

 


AC Transit shows off information centers

By Kenyatte Davis Daily Planet staff
Wednesday June 20, 2001

AC Transit, along with Berkeley officials held an unveiling ceremony Tuesday for the new informational displays to be installed at major bus stops throughout Berkeley. 

The new postings contain information on the schedules and routes for buses that stop at the ten stops that received the add-on Tuesday, along with fare information and general transit information written in English, Spanish and Chinese. 

The 10 a.m. event was led by AC Transit Director of Marketing and Communications Jaimie Levin, and included short speeches by Mayor Shirley Dean, AC Transit Director Joe Wallace and City Council member and former member of the AC Transit Board of Directors, Miriam Hawley. 

“This is a big step forward for AC Transit’s program to improve information at the point of travel,” said Levin. “This program will work not only for the regular riders, but most importantly for intending riders. We think this is going to be very well-accepted by our riders and the public in general.”  

Dean was ecstatic about the program. “This is wonderful. I can’t tell you how much these little things can really help change people’s habits,” she said. “The change is going to be very encouraging.” 

City officials received funding from Panoramic Interests, a local property development firm, to launch the program. Each of the displays will reportedly cost about $400 to install and maintain. 

“The displays are made to be durable and we have to buy spare parts,” said Levin. “Our responsibility is not to just put this up and leave it, but to maintain it. We expect to get a significant increase in funding from UC Berkeley’s Class Pass program.” 

Class Pass is an AC Transit program that allows UC Berkeley students unlimited rides on all AC Transit buses and many university shuttles free of charge for a semester. All pay $18 per semester for the pass, but not everyone opts to use it. 

The ceremony was held on the corner of University Avenue and Grant Street across from a property owned by Panoramic Interests’ Patrick Kennedy who was scheduled to participate in the ceremony, but was unable to make it. 

Chris Hudson, a representative from Panoramic Interests, was able to speak at the ceremony, however. “We think that this is a critical part of what we try to do here in Berkeley,” he said. “We want to make sue that the people have quality public transportation as a real alternative to having everyone drive everywhere. We’re happy to be able to help.” 

After the ceremony an AC Transit maintenance crew went out to install additional info holders along University Avenue. 

Many riders are pleased to see the changes, but still hope to see more done. “I’m happy that they’re doing this,” said Bus Riders’ Union member Charlie Betcher, “Hopefully the service will be more reliable.” 

“I don’t like them, they don’t have the right information,” said Raul Skolnick, while waiting for a bus at a stop with one of the new postings. “They’ve got potential though, it’s a good idea. It has to be accurate and it has to be useful information.” 

“I think it’s terrific that it’s written in more than one language,” said another rider. “It’s a big improvement on asking the bus driver where the bus goes, but it could be better.”


California coast homes out of reach for most

The Associated Press
Wednesday June 20, 2001

SAN FRANCISCO — Coastal California slipped out of reach of all but the well-to-do in the ’90s as demand pushed house prices up and the poor and middle-income out. The problem was that households boomed, by 10.8 percent, but housing didn’t, growing only 9.2 percent, recent U.S. Census data show. At the same time, healthier seniors hung on to their homes, more people lived alone and immigrants entered the housing market. 

The result is a state where the coast is the preserve of those with the most, and the squeeze is on all over, defying demographers who had predicted a slack housing market as relatively smaller Generation X began buying homes from the Baby Boom set. 

“We have this enormous housing crisis,” said Doug Shoemaker, policy and program director for the National Nonprofit Housing Association of Northern California. 

Vacancy rates plunged over the last decade. Only 3.7 percent of all rental units were vacant, compared to 5.9 percent in 1990. Looking at homes, the rate dropped from 2 percent to 1.4 percent. 

Some of those who couldn’t pony up for mega-mortgages doubled up instead. Average household size grew from 2.79 to 2.87 and the number of households including relatives outside the immediate family grew by 37 percent, from 2.08 million in 1990 to 2.85 million in 2000. 

The number of traditional families — a married couple with children under 18 — also grew, by 12.6 percent statewide. 

Not along the coast, though. Thirteen of the 15 counties strung along California’s 900-or-so miles of Pacific splendor came in below the 12.6 rate, some well below. The remotely beautiful far northern coastal counties of Humboldt, Mendocino and Del Norte, for instance, showed a decrease in those types of families. 

In San Francisco, where $524,000 was the median house price in February, only 12.2 percent of its households consisted of traditional families, the lowest rate for a county in the state. 

The ’90s was the decade where many realized the American dream of home ownership meant giving up living anywhere close to the California dream of surf and sand. 

“Families have gone inland,” said John Landis, professor of city and regional planning at the University of California. 

It was basically all about money. 

“Ten years ago, a middle income family with one wage earner could probably find an owner-occupied house probably within five miles of the (San Francisco) Bay or the coast,” Landis said. 

With a regional median house price of $394,000, houses here now take two good incomes or one great one. 

The same phenomenon occurred in landlocked Silicon Valley, although there the trend came courtesy of a new wave of technology jobs. Median house prices in Santa Clara County passed the half-million mark in 2000. “I can’t afford to live here. I’m not a dot.com millionaire,” said Michael Roberriques, who moved four years ago to the Central California community of Los Banos. Roberriques now commutes 2 hours, 15 minutes each way to his job in San Jose. On the other hand, he paid $125,000 for the small single-family home he was looking for. 

In Corte Madera, a small city in ultra-expensive Marin County just north of San Francisco, only three members of the 20-member fire department live in the county. Not the city, the county. The pay’s good, around $60,000, but it doesn’t come close to covering the mortgage in a town where the median house price is $600,000. 

Marin County, home to the rich and famous such as director George Lucas, isn’t typical, but it faces the same obstacles to building more housing as the rest of the state — environmental regulations limiting development, builders going for high-end, more profitable houses, and a tax system that encourages cities to go after retail developments, such as big-box discount stores that produce taxable sales. 

Charles Rynerson, a demographer with the San Diego Association of Governments, looked at the reshuffling of California’s population and found an interesting trend: Population was falling in established neighborhoods of single-family homes and rising in areas where there were more apartments and condos. 

“It was as if the households that were built for families were being occupied by singles and couples and the housing that was built for singles and couples was being occupied by families,” he said. 

Even formerly affordable places, like Oakland on the San Francisco Bay, climbed into the high-price bracket. 

“It’s really pretty challenging,” says Oakland elementary school teacher Charles Wilson, who’d like to live in the city where he teaches but has been renting in San Francisco. 

Wilson and his partner make around $90,000 together, a good income but one that is quickly dwarfed by a market where the median house price is more than $200,000. 

“The irony is that anywhere else in the country we’re actually upper class. We’re pushing the six-figure income for two people. Here it’s not,” he said. 

 

There was one surprising number among the flurry of census statistics. 

The ratio of homeownership to renters increased slightly in California, with 56.9 percent of homes owner-occupied in 2000, compared to 55.6 percent in 1990. However, that was much lower than the national average of about 67 percent and experts said the uptick could be due to a number of people in the 20-35 age group – potential renters – moving out of state. 

In their place, new homebuyers emerged in California, including immigrants and single parents, many of whom used new, low-down-payment loans and other programs to get into the market. Some buyers were coming up with new strategies, such as immigrants buying houses together and young people squeezing in extra roommates. 

“All of a sudden what’s beginning to take place is you have an influx of people coming in with families utilizing ... housing stock more effectively,” said Greg Schmid, director of the 10-year forecast project for the Menlo Park-based Institute for the Future. 

For people on the bottom of the economic ladder, plunging vacancy rates mean grim measures. 

In San Jose, people are renting garages, said Shoemaker of the nonprofit housing association. He’s seen classic Victorian three-bedroom apartments in San Francisco “and there’s a family in each bedroom.” 

Long-distance commuter Roberriques looks at the real estate listings in quiet disbelief. His father bought a house in Santa Clara, near San Jose, for $54,000 in 1971. It’s now worth about $700,000. “That is literally outrageous when you consider that in other parts of the country $700,000 would buy you 10,000 acres of land,” he said. “It’s just outrageous. There’s no rational explanation that I can see.” 


Bush mandates help for those who are disabled

The Associated Press
Wednesday June 20, 2001

WASHINGTON — President Bush ordered federal agencies Tuesday to help states locate and use community services – rather than institutions – for people with disabilities. 

“It is compassionate, it is needed, and it is now the federal official policy of my administration,” he said. 

The president ventured across the Potomac River to the Pentagon to highlight government efforts to accommodate disabled workers. He browsed a display of specialized computer technology – keyboards that ease carpal tunnel syndrome, voice-recognition systems for those who cannot use their hands, talking computers for the blind – developed by the Defense Department for some 20,000 of its employees and now commercially available. 

Bush bent over a keyboard and typed a message to deaf student intern Jennifer McLaughlin, who was monitoring the Internet from a Defense Department facility miles away.  

“We will treat Americans with disabilities as people to be respected, rather than problems to be confronted,” Bush said afterward. 

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said 21st century security threats make it necessary for the military “seek out the most capable people we can find, including the many talented Americans with disabilities.” 

“And, in this era of continuing advancing technology, there are possibilities to harness their talent in ways that were previously inconceivable,” Rumsfeld said. 

The president’s executive order follows a 1999 Supreme Court ruling that the Americans With Disabilities Act requires states, whenever possible, to place individuals with mental disabilities in community settings rather than institutions. 

Bush said he wants his administration to make sure the decision is fully enforced and to “ensure that no one is unjustly institutionalized.”  

His order applies broadly to services for all disabled people, not just those with mental disabilities. 

This week, a new accessibility law sponsored by Sen. James Jeffords, I-Vt., begins to  

take effect. 

As of Thursday, all new information on federal Web sites must be accessible to disabled people. Starting next Monday, new electronic and information technologies bought by federal agencies will have to meet accessibility standards. 

Brilliant graphics on the Internet make reading tough for the visually impaired, Bush said. Many Web sites lack closed captions for video images, and complex keyboard commands often keep disabled users from being able to “tap a computer’s full potential.” 

“As a result, computer usage and Internet access for people with disabilities is half that of people without disabilities,” Bush said.  

“Researchers here at the Department of Defense and at other agencies throughout the federal government and in the private sector are developing solutions to these problems. ... I’m committed to bringing that technology to users as quickly as possible.” 

On the Net: 

Defense Department computer access program: http://www.tricare.osd.mil/cap/


Wal-Mart accused of discrimination

The Associated Press
Wednesday June 20, 2001

SAN FRANCISCO — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. was accused Tuesday of rampant discrimination against female employees in a federal lawsuit against the nation’s largest private employer. 

The suit, which seeks to represent as many as 500,000 current and former women workers, claims the company “systematically discriminates against its women employees,” said Brad Seligman, one of several attorneys on the case. 

If granted class-action status, the suit would become the nation’s largest gender-based discrimination case against a private employer. The plaintiffs are seeking to change the company’s alleged discriminatory practices. They have not specified how much money they are seeking. 

Wal-Mart, which also operates Sam’s Club, denied the allegations. 

“Wal-Mart does not condone discrimination of any kind,” said Bill Wertz, a spokesman for the Bentonville, Ark.-based chain. “Women hold positions of significant responsibility at Wal-Mart.” 

The suit, filed in San Francisco’s U.S. District Court, alleges there are nearly double the number of women in management at competing retail stores and that male Wal-Mart workers get higher pay than women for the same duties. It says the retailing giant passes over women for promotions and training, and retaliates against women who register complaints. 

Three-fourths of the company’s one million employees are female but women hold less than one-third of managerial positions. 

Micki Miller Earwood, a former personnel manager at an Urbana, Ohio, Wal-Mart, said she recently was terminated after complaining about what she said was discriminatory treatment. 

“Wal-Mart is not a place I would ever hope for my daughter to work at,” said Earwood, one of six plaintiffs in the suit. 

Wertz said women are well represented at the company – the chief executive of walmart.com is a woman, as is one of three executive vice presidents of Sam’s Club, he said. Women also hold high positions in the company’s labor relations and legal departments. 

In all, Wertz said, women hold 37 percent of 55,000 management positions. 

He also said that Wal-Mart does not count store department managers as management, while other retailers might to inflate their figures. 

Betty Dukes, another plaintiff, has been working at the Wal-Mart in Pittsburg for seven years. She said she has only ascended to cashier while her similarly qualified male counterparts have moved substantially higher up the ladder. 

“There’s a great divide between the men and women at Wal-Mart,” Dukes said.


House construction falters in May, but remains at reasonable level

The Associated Press
Wednesday June 20, 2001

WASHINGTON — Housing construction dipped in May but remains at a healthy level, further evidence of the industry’s resilience in the face of a faltering national economy. 

The number of new housing units builders began work on last month dipped by 0.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.62 million, following a strong 2.3 percent increase in April, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. 

Even with May’s decline, which was smaller than many analysts were expecting, the level of housing starts remained solid, economists said. 

“Things are still cooking along,” said David Seiders, chief economist at the National Association of Home Builders. Taking a look at quarterly patterns, however, construction activity appears to be flattening, he said. 

“For builders, flattening at this level is just dandy, but for the economy, construction activity going forward might not provide as much of a kick to economic growth as it has,” Seiders said. 

On Wall Street, unease about weak company profits ruled the market. The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 48.71 at 10,596.67, despite an earlier gain of 94 points. 

Even as the rest of the economy has slowed markedly since the second half of last year, housing activity has remained stable, thanks to low mortgage rates and falling interest rates in general. 

In May, the average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 7.14 percent, compared with 8.52 percent for the same month a year ago. 

The strength of the housing and construction markets has been a main force keeping the struggling economy afloat. 

“Housing ... is clearly providing a shield against full-fledged recession, rather like a levee protecting against the rising flood of manufacturing layoffs and stock market declines,” said First Union chief economist David Orr. 

To stave off recession, the Federal Reserve has slashed interest rates five times this year, driving borrowing costs down to the lowest point in seven years. 

Many analysts believe Fed policy-makers will cut rates again at the end of their two-day meeting June 27. Some predict policy-makers will cut by another half point, while others believe they will opt for a more moderate quarter-point move. 

In May, construction of single-family homes slipped by 0.2 percent to an annual rate of 1.29 million. Starts of apartments, condos, townhouses and other multifamily housing fell by 1.5 percent to a rate of 331,000. 

By region, total housing starts declined by 28.3 percent in the Northeast to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 132,000 and were down by 1.9 percent in the South to a rate of 724,000. But in the Midwest, starts rose by 15.8 percent to a rate of 344,000, and in the West they increased 2.9 percent to a rate of 422,000. 

Housing permits, a good barometer of current demand, rose by 2.1 percent in May to an annual rate of 1.62 million. 

While consumer spending, which accounts for two-thirds of all economic activity, has held up fairly well during the economic slowdown, some analysts worry that could change if the labor market seriously weakens in the coming months. That could force consumers to sharply cut back on spending, tipping the economy into recession. 

Even with this fear, other economists are hopeful that aggressive rate-cutting by the Fed, along with tax-cut refunds, will pave the way for a recovery later this year. 

On the Net: 

Housing starts: http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/briefroom/BriefRm 

National Association of Home Builders: http://www.nahb.com/


District foots bill for payroll snafu

Ben Lumpkin
Tuesday June 19, 2001

A Superior Court Judge issued an injunction against the Berkeley Unified School District Monday saying its plan for recovering the money it overpaid classified employees this March is illegal.  

With the injunction in place, the district would have to take 67 classified employees to court individually to recover the money, an estimated $46,000. 

Due to an error in the payroll office, the Berkeley school district paid nearly 500 classified employees double the backpay due to them under a new contract this March. 

At the time, the solution to the problem seemed simple enough – withhold the amount the district had overpaid from a future pay check. 

In meeting with Public Employees’ Union Local One, the district eventually agreed to deduct the overpayment from employees pay checks in two installments – one in May and one in June – so the bite out of any one pay check wouldn’t be as big. 

But not all classified employees were happy with this solution either. Claiming the district’s mistake was causing them financial hardship, 67 classified employees turned to another union for help – Stationary Engineers Local 39 out of San Francisco. 

In response to a petition from Local 39, an Alameda Superior Court Judge Ford issued an injunction on behalf of the 67 employees, prohibiting the school district from proceeding with the plan to deduct the second half of the March overpayment from their June paychecks. (The injunction only applies to the 67 employees named in the petition). 

The judge found that the district had not followed the letter of the law in the way it attempted to recover overpayment, according to Local 39 Business Representative Stephanie Allan. 

Catherine James, the associate superintendent of support services for the school district, conceded that the district, “did not go through the legal process of getting a garnishment of wages.”  

Issues of law aside, Allan said the district’s method for recovering the overpayment placed many classified employees – custodial, maintenance, food services, clerical workers and others – in an extremely difficult position.  

Because the March overpayment was taxed in a higher bracket, even if employees did not spend a cent of the overpayment money it would not have been enough to cover the repayment deductions from their May and June paychecks, Allan said.  

Allan said as a result, a number of classified employees must find a way to get through the month of June with significantly reduced income. 

“You’re dealing with employees who are at or near the poverty line; people who are living from pay check to pay check. ” Allan said. 

Many classified employees make between $11 to $14 an hour, Allan said. 

James said the district explained to classified employees how to ensure that the money taxed in a higher bracket is refunded by the IRS, either over the course of the next fiscal year or in one lump sum at the end of the year.  

But Allan said this provides no solution to the employees’ current financial hardship. Furthermore, she said, the process of filing new tax forms is onerous for many. 

“What are they going to do, go to the tax accountant to figure it out?” Allan asked. “This is going to be a nightmare for them.”  

In addition to the 67 employees who filed for the injunction with Local 39, more than 100 classified employees have filed claims against the district with the State Labor Commissioner, Allan said. 

 


Out & About Women Against Sexual Slavery 9 a.m. Federal Building & Courthouse 1301 Clay St. (13th & Clay) Oakland Protest Sex Slaver Lakireddy Reddy’s light sentence. Bring signs and flyers urging Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong to give Reddy the maximum

Staff
Tuesday June 19, 2001


Tuesday, June 19

 

Women Against Sexual  

Slavery 

9 a.m. 

Federal Building & Courthouse 

1301 Clay St. (13th & Clay) Oakland 

Protest Sex Slaver Lakireddy Reddy’s light sentence. Bring signs and flyers urging Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong to give Reddy the maximum sentence of 38 years. 

841-8282 or 843-0680 

 

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 Don, 525-3565 

 

Young Queer Women’s Group 

8 - 9:30 p.m.  

Pacific Center 

2712 Telegraph Ave.  

Make some new friends, expand your horizons and get support with a bunch of queer women all in the same place at the same time (somewhere between 18 and 25).  

548-8283 www.pacificcenter.org 

 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market 

2 - 7 p.m. 

Derby Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Milvia Street 

548-3333 

 

Intelligent Conversation  

7 - 9 p.m.  

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

A discussion group open to all, regardless of age, religion, viewpoint, etc. This time the discussion will center on frugality, generosity, simplifying life, and dealing with money. Informally led by Robert Berend, who founded similar groups in L.A., Menlo Park, and Prague. Bring light snacks/drinks to share. Free  

527-5332 

 

Fibromyalgia Support Group  

Noon - 2 p.m.  

Alta Bates Medical Center 

Maffly Auditorium, Herrick Campus  

2001 Dwight Way  

This will be a rap session.  

601-0550 

 

A Journey Through Eastern  

Europe 

7:30 p.m. 

Easy Going Travel Shop and Bookstore 

1385 Shattuck Avenue 

Angelina Sorensen, Bulgarian native, will give an overview of the best places to visit through a slide presentation and display of regional arts and crafts. Free. 

843-3533 

Energy-Saving Skylight 

8 a.m. - Noon 

Truitt and White Lumber 

642 Hearst Avenue 

The new Velux VSE skylight, winner of the Energy Star award, could help reduce home energy use. On view today. 841-0511 

 

Medical Waste Management  

and Environmental Health in  

India 

6 - 8 p.m. 

University of California, Room 150 University Hall, 2199 Addison St. 

Shyamala Mani, coordinator and educator with India’s Centre for Environment Education, will give a public talk on successful medical waste disposal strategies. The talk will be of interest to environmental, labor and community organizers, healthcare workers and students of environmental health and occupational safety. 845-1447 

 

Early Music Group 

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

Hearst and MLK Jr. Way 

Small group sings madrigals and other voice harmony every Tuesday morning. Drop-ins welcome. 

655-8863 

Wednesday, June 20 

Carefree/Carfree Tour 

11 a.m. 

Berkeley Arts Festival Gallery 

2200 Shattuck Ave. 

Meet at the Gallery, take the bus to the Oakland Museum to take a tour with David Bacon of his exhibition “Every Worker Is An Organizer: Farm Labor and the Resurgence of the UFW.” 

486-0411 

— compiled by Sabrina Forkish and Guy Poole 

 

 

 

 

Berkeley Communicator  

Toastmasters Club 

7:15 a.m. 

Vault Cafe 

3250 Adeline 

Learn to speak with confidence. Ongoing first and third Wednesdays each month. 

527-2337 

 

A “Thank You” Reception for  

Berkeley School Interim  

Superintendent Steve  

Goldstone 

Public invited. 

4:30 to 6:00 (before the school board meeting) 

2134 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, second floor, old council chambers. 

 

Anarchism Forum 

7 p.m. 

La Peña Cultural Center 

3105 Shattuck Avenue 

Three Kevin Keating, Howard Besser, and Perry Matloc will discuss the history of Anarchism and its relevance to recent actions. The short video “Anarchists in Action” will be shown. $5 - $7. 

415-927-1645  

 

Thursday, June 21 

Best Northern California  

Hikes 

7 p.m. 

REI 

1338 San Pablo Ave. 

Guidebook author Matt Heid shares his favorite day hikes and overnight backpacking trips in Northern California. Slide presentation. Free. 

527-4140 

 

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 

 

LGBT Catholics Group  

7:30 p.m. 

Newman Hall  

2700 Dwight Way (at College)  

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender Catholics group are “a spiritual community committed to creating justice.” This session will be a “Pride Mass.”  

654-5486 

 

Summer Noon Concerts 2001 

Noon - 1 p.m. 

Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza 

Shattuck at Center St. 

Weekly concert series. This week Capoeira Arts Cafe. 

 

Community Tribute to Jeffrey  

Leiter 

5 p.m. Dinner, 8 p.m. Performance 

Santa Fe Bar and Grill 

1310 University Avenue 

The Berkeley Symphony Orchestra is hosting a Community Tribute to honor former Mayor and Symphony Board President Jeffrey Shattuck Leiter. Dinner at Santa Fe Bar and Grill, followed by an 8 p.m. Berkeley Symphony performance at Zellerbach Hall. For information and tickets, call 841-2800  

 

Global Trade and Local Environments 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Ecology Center 

2530 San Pablo Avenue 

Panel discussion with Antonia Juhasz, Martin Wagner, and Andrea del Moral. Also a community discussion and network-building, related resources. Potluck. 

548-2220 ext. 233  

 


Friday, June 22
 

Living Philosophers  

10 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Hear and entertain the ideas of some modern day philosophers: Jacob Needleman, J. Revel, Hilary Putnam, John Searle, Saul Kripke, Richard Rorty and others. Every Friday, except holidays. Facilitated by H.D. Moe.  

 

Therapy for Trans Partners  

6 - 7:30 p.m.  

Pacific Center for Human Growth  

2712 Telegraph Ave. (at Derby)  

A group open to partners of those in transition or considering transition. The group is structured to be a safe place to receive support from peers and explore a variety of issues, including sexual orientation, coming out, feelings of isolation, among other topics. Intake process required. Meeting Fridays through August 17.  

$8 - $35 sliding scale per session  

Call 548-8283 x534 or x522 

 

Strong Women; The Arts,  

Herstory and Literature 

1:15 p.m. - 3:15 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 cultural studies course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program. Free. 

Call 549-2970  

 

City Commons Club,  

Luncheon and Speaker 

11:45 a.m. 

Berkeley City Club 

2315 Durant Ave. 

This week featuring Jeffrey Riegle, Ph.D., on “Historical Reasons for China’s Current Conduct.” Come early for social hour. Lunch at 11:45 for $11-$12.25. Come at 12:30 to hear the speaker only for $1, students free. Reservations required for three or more. 

848-3533 

 


Saturday, June 23

 

“Feast of Fire” benefit for the Crucible 

10:30 p.m. 

The Crucible 

1036 Ashby Ave. 

Act III, The Flight of Icarus, will feature live music and performances by several groups including Capacitor and Xeno. Price of admission benefits the Crucible, a multi-disciplinary community arts center. $20 at the door. 

 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market 

Summer Solstice Celebration 

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

Civic Center Park 

Center St. and MLK Jr. Way 

Farmers market plus crafts fair and live reggae and jazz. 

548-3333 

 

Strawberry Creek Walking Tour 

10 a.m. - Noon 

Learn about Strawberry Creek’s history, explore its neighborhoods, and consider its potential. Meet four experts on the local creeks. Reservations required, call 848-0181. 

 

Energy-Efficient Wood Windows 

9:30 - 11:30 a.m. 

Truitt and White Lumber 

642 Hearst Avenue 

Free seminar by Marvin Window’s representative Chris Martin on how to measure and install the double-hung Tilt Pac replacement unit, as well as a review of the full line of Marvin’s energy-efficient wood windows. 

649-2574 

 

What You Need to Know Before You Build or Remodel 

10 a.m. - Noon 

The Building Education Center 

812 Page Street 

Free seminar by professional builder Glen Kitzenberger. 

525-7610 

 

Choosing to Add On: The Pros and Cons of Building an Addition 

Noon - 2 p.m. 

The Building Education Center 

812 Page Street 

Free seminar by author/designer Skip Wenz 

525-7610 

 

 


Sunday, June 24

 

Hands-On Bicycle Repair Clinics  

11 a.m. - Noon  

Recreational Equipment, Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Learn how to fix a flat from one of REI’s bike technicians. All you need to bring is your bike. Free  

527-4140 

 

Uncle Eye 

2 p.m. 

Berkeley-Richmond Jewish 

Community Center 

1414 Walnut Ave. 

Come see Ira Levin, a.k.a. Uncle Eye, give a special performance as a fundraiser for a television pilot to be filmed this summer. $7 - $10. 

848-0237 or www.uncle-eye.com 

 

Carefree/Carfree Tour 

1 p.m. 

Berkeley Arts Festival Gallery 

2200 Shattuck Avenue 

Artful garden tour, part of the Berkeley Arts Festival. Ride AC Transit to Marcia Donohue and Mark Bulwinkle’s Our Own Stuff Garden and Gallery, then walk to the Dry Garden. 

486-0411 

 

Carefree/Carfree Tour #2 

1:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Arts Festival Gallery 

2200 Shattuck Avenue 

Ride the bus to the Codornices Creek Restoration Project and the Peralta Community Garden and enjoy a concert by Nicole Miller. 

486-0411 

 

Music and Meditation 

8 - 9 p.m. 

The Heart-Road Traveller 

1828 Euclid Avenue 

Group meditation using instrumental music and devotional songs. Free. 

496-3468  

 


Monday, June 25

 

Tectonic Theater Project 

7 p.m. 

Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theater 

2015 Addison Street 

“Page to Stage: Surviving the Media” is a conversation with The Tectonic Theater Project and professor Douglas Foster. The Tectonic Theater Project traveled to Laramie, Wyoming after the murder of openly gay student Matthew Shepard and wrote a play about the impact Shepard’s death, and the following media scrutiny, had upon the small community. The Laramie Project is running through July 8 at the Berkeley Rep.  

647-2900 

 

What You Need to Know Before You Build or Remodel 

7 - 9 p.m. 

The Building Education Center 

812 Page Street 

Free seminar by professional builder Glen Kitzenberger. 

525-7610 

 

NOW Meeting 

6:30 p.m. 

Mama Bears Book Store 

6537 Telegraph Avenue 

The general meeting of the National Organization for Women. 

 


Tuesday, June 26

 

Saranel Benjamin of Globalization 

7 p.m. 

Oakland YMCA 

1515 Webster Street, Oakland 

Saranel Benjamin, trade unionist from South Africa, will discuss the impact of corporate globalization on South African workers. Sponsored by Berkeley’s Women of Color Resource Center. 

848-9272 

 

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 Don, 525-3565 

 


Wednesday, June 27

 

Conversations in Commedia 

7:30 p.m. 

La Pena 

3105 Shattuck Ave. 

The series pairs radical theater “elders” to share memories of their years in commedia. This week with former Mime Troupe actress Audrey Smith and Ladies Against Women character Selma Spector. $6 - $8. 

849-2568 

 


Thursday, June 28

 

(gp) 

Quit Smoking Class 

6 - 8 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center 

2939 Ellis Street 

A six week quit smoking class. Free to Berkeley residents and employees. 

Call 644-6422 or e-mail at: quitnow@ci.berkeley.ca.us 

 

Summer Noon Concerts 2001 

Noon - 1 p.m. 

Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza 

Shattuck at Center St. 

Weekly concert series. This week Berkeley Opera performs pieces of Carmen. 

 

Pink Slip Party and Career Mixer 

6 - 9 p.m. 

Pyramid Brewery and Alehouse 

901 Gilman Street 

Meet with East Bay Job Seekers while listening to music by DJ and Emcee Marty Nemko. Also, cash bar, free Hors d’Oeurves, and prize giveaways. Free and open to the public. To RSVP call 251-1401. 

www.eastbaytechjobs.com/mixer/  

 


Friday, June 29

 

Living Philosophers  

10 a.m. - Noon  

North Berkeley Senior Center  

1901 Hearst Ave. (at MLK Jr. Way)  

Hear and entertain the ideas of some modern day philosophers: Jacob Needleman, J. Revel, Hilary Putnam, John Searle, Saul Kripke, Richard Rorty and others. Every Friday, except holidays. Facilitated by H.D. Moe.  

 

Therapy for Trans Partners  

6 - 7:30 p.m.  

Pacific Center for Human Growth  

2712 Telegraph Ave. (at Derby)  

A group open to partners of those in transition or considering transition. The group is structured to be a safe place to receive support from peers and explore a variety of issues, including sexual orientation, coming out, feelings of isolation, among other topics. Intake process required. Meeting Fridays through August 17.  

$8 - $35 sliding scale per session  

Call 548-8283 x534 or x522 

 

Strong Women; The Arts, Herstory and Literature 

1:15 - 3:15 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 cultural studies course in the Berkeley Adult School’s Older Adults Program.  

Call 549-2970  

 


Saturday, June 30

 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market 

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Center Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Milvia Street 

548-3333 

 

Science of Spirituality 

5 p.m. 

St. John’s Presbyterian Church 

2727 Collage Avenue 

Professor Andrew Vidich will speak on “Rumi: Mystic and Romantic Love, Stories of Masnavi.” Childcare and vegetarian food provided. Free. 

925-830-2975  

 

Bonfire III: Stories and  

Songs By the Sea 

7:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Marina 

Spinnaker Way, near Olympic Circle Sailing Club 

Come for Havdala and share stories, sing and watch the flames dance. Bring food and drink to share, kosher s’mores provided. 

848-0237 

 

(gp) 

Know Your Rights 

11 - 2 p.m. 

2022 Blake St. (one block west of Shattuck) 

Learn what your rights are when dealing with the police. Special section on juvenile rights.  

548-0425 


We need an alternative to missile defense

By Dietrich Fischer Pacific News Service
Tuesday June 19, 2001

During his trip to Europe, President Bush faced opposition to his planned missile shield from Russia’s President Putin and from the leaders of France, Germany and the Netherlands. 

But one of the strongest arguments against NMD on record comes from Caspar Weinberger, Secretary of Defense under Ronald Reagan. Arguing in favor of “star wars,” NMD’s predecessor, Weinberger said, “Imagine how dangerous it would be if the Soviet Union got such a system first. Theycould launch their missiles without fear of retaliation.” 

The same, of course, is true in reverse. 

It is doubtful that such a system would ever work reliably, but a leader who believed — however incorrectly — that it could work would be tempted to strike first. 

That is why Russia and China have announced they would have no choice but to increase their nuclear arsenals sufficiently to convince any potential opponent that they could penetrate any possible defense system. 

In other words, if the United States embarks on a plan to build a national missile defense system, a new nuclear arms race would begin. 

Since NMD would violate the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty, it could unravel the whole process of arms control. 

The principal beneficiaries — and supporters — of NMD are U.S. defense contractors, who hope to make an estimated $60 to $100 billion at taxpayers’ expense. 

If the nuclear powers break their commitment under the ABM treaty to eliminate all nuclear weapons, other states will be encouraged to obtain their own nuclear weapons. India and Pakistan justified their nuclear weapons programs by rejecting the monopoly of the established nuclear weapons powers. 

And if nuclear weapons proliferate, it is only a matter of time until “countries of concern” (formerly called rogue nations) and terrorist groups acquire some. 

NMD offers no protection against this, even if it worked perfectly, because it cannot intercept bombs delivered in a suitcase, on a truck, or sailboat. 

What we need is not a new defense system, but a more open world in which nuclear weapons can be effectively banned — as we have already concluded treaties banning biological and chemical weapons, with intrusive verification. 

The treaty with North Korea negotiated during the Clinton administration, which allows the United States to verify that North Korea has abandoned its nuclear weapons and long range missile programs in return for two nuclear power plants unable to generate nuclear weapons fuel, is a good example of what we need. 

Thorough inspections are needed to prevent nuclear proliferation, and if we wish to inspect other countries, we must be willing to open our country to such inspections as well. 

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) can now inspect only sites that member countries voluntarily place under its supervision. This would be like a suspected drug smuggler telling a border guard, “You may check my trunk, but don't open the glove compartment.” 

The IAEA must have the power to inspect any suspected nuclear facilities without advance warning, even in non-member countries, if we are to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.Many governments today object to such intrusive inspections as a “violation of their national sovereignty.” (President Bush has opposed stringent verification provisions of the biological weapons treaty.) 

Many airline passengers also protested against having their luggage searched for guns or explosives, when that policy was first introduced after a series of fatal hijackings. But most have come to realize that such inspections enhance their own security. Those with nothing to hide have nothing to fear. 

Sooner or later, governments will reach the same conclusion. The question is only whether this will happen before or after the first terrorist nuclear bomb explodes. 

“National sovereignty” is a false issue here, since no country today has sovereign control over the world’s nuclear arsenals. Giving the IAEA effective authority to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, does not mean giving up any control over our lives. Rather, it gives us additional control — more than we could ever achieve at the national level. 

Ultimately, we must destroy all nuclear weapons. Some have argued that we cannot “disinvent” nuclear weapons and will have to live with them as long as civilization exists. But nobody disinvented cannibalism — we simply abhor it. Can’t we learn to abhor equally the thought of incinerating entire cities with nuclear weapons? 

PNS commentator Dietrich Fischer, a professor at Pace University, New York, is co-director of TRANSCEND, a peace and development network.


Arts & Entertainment

Staff
Tuesday June 19, 2001

MUSIC 

 

924 Gilman St. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted $5; $2 for year membership. All ages. June 22 Hoods, Fall Silent, Clenched Fist, Osiva, Hellcrew; June 23 The Hellbillies, The Fartz, The Tossers, Ruodp, The Fightbacks; June 29 Barfeeders, Pac-Men, Hell After Dark, A.K.A. Nothing, Maurice’s Little Bastards; June 30 The Cost, Pg. 99, Majority Rule, 7 Days of Samsara, Since by Man, Creation is Crucifixion 525-9926  

 

Albatross Pub Music at 9 p.m. unless noted otherwise. June 19: pickPocket Ensemble; June 20: Whiskey Brothers; June 21/28: Keni “El Lebrijano”; June 26 Mad & eddie Duran Jazz Duo; June 30: Larry Stefl Jazz Quartet 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473  

 

Anna’s Music at 8 p.m.June 19 Jason Martinwau; June 20,27: Bob Schoen Jazz Quartet; June 21: The Jazz Singers Collective; June 23:The maestro Rich Kalman & His Jazz Trio; June 24 The Joe Livotti Sound; June 26: Tangria; June 28: ConFusion. $2 weeknights, $3 weekends. 1801 University Ave. 849-ANNA  

 

Ashkenaz June 19, 9 p.m.: Brass Menagerie; June 20, 9 p.m.: Gator Beat; June 21, 10 p.m.: Digital Dave; June 24, 8 p.m.: Babatunde Olantunji; June 26, 9 p.m.: DP & The Rhythem Riders; June 27, 8 p.m.: Fling Ding/Circle R Boys/Dark Hollow; June 28, 9 p.m.: Monkey/Stiff Richards/ Go Jimmy Go.1370 San Pablo Ave. 525-5054 or www.ashkenaz.com 

 

Freight & Salvage All music at 8 p.m. June 19: Toshi Reardon; June 20 Cliff Eberhardt; June 21 Rachel Garlin, $15.00 advance, $16.50 door; June 22: Sourdough Slim w/ Blackwood Tom; June 23: Lara & Reyes; June 24; Darryl Purpose, Dave Carter & Tracy Grammar; June 26; Freight 33rd Anniversary Revue; June 27: Dilema, Hookslide; June 28: Jim Campilongo; june 29: Don’t Look Back; June 30: Jim Hurst & Missy Raines, Due West. 1111 Addison St. www.freightandsalvage.org; 548-1761 

 

Jupiter All shows at 8 p.m. June 19: Mas Cabeza; June 20: Wavelord; June 21: Beatdown w/ DJ’s Delon, Yamu & Addi; June 22: Realistic; June 23: Wayside; June 26: Bruno Pelletier Trio; June 27: O Maya; June 28: Beatdown w/ DJ’s Delon, Yamu & Addi; June 29: Zoe Ellis Quartet; June 30: Go Van Gogh 2881 Shattuck Ave 843-8277 

 

Live Oaks Concerts Berkeley Art Center, June 24: 7:30 p.m., Stephen Bell. Admission $10 (BACA members $8, students and seniors $9, children under 12 free) 

 

Jazzschool Recitals June 19: 4 p.m., Jazz Groups; June 20: 4 p.m., Jazz Ensembles; June 21: 4 p.m., Jazz Combos. Free. The Jazzschool/La Note 2377 Shattuck Ave. 845-5373  

 

Berkeley Symphony Orchestra Season Finale June 21, 8 p.m. Works by Shostakovich, Brahms, and Rohde. $19 - $35 Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley 841-2800  

 

DANCE 

 

Kalanjali in Concert June 22, 7 p.m. Kalanjali concludes its celebration of its 25th year in Berkeley with a special recital. Experienced dancers and young students, with guests from India including dancer K. P. Yesoda and the musicians of Bharatakalanjali. $6 - $8 Juia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 Collage Ave. 925-798-1300 

 

THEATER 

 

“Cymbeline” Through June 24, Tues. - Thur. 7:30 p.m., Fri. 8 p.m., Sat. 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sun. 4 p.m. Opening of the California Shakespeare Festival features one of Shakespeare’s first romances, directed by Daniel Fish. $12 - $146. Bruns Memorial Amphitheater off Highway 24 at the Shakespeare Festival Way/Gateway Exit. 548-9666 or www.calshakes.org 

 

“The Laramie Project” Through July 8: Weds. 7 p.m., Tues. and Thur. -Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Written by Moises Kaufmen and members of Tectonic Theater Project, directed by Moises Kaufman. Moises Kaufman and Tectonic members traveled to Laramie, Wyo., after the murder of openly gay student Matthew Shepherd. The play is about the community and the impact Shepherd’s death had on its members. $10 - $50. The Roda Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre 2015 Addison St. 647-2949 www.berkeleyrep.org 

 

“Kid Kaleidoscope and the Puppet Players” June 24: 2 p.m., Julia Morgan Center for the Arts. The Puppet Players are a multi-media musical theatre group. Their shows are masterfully produced to thrill people of all ages with handmadesets and puppets. Adults $10, Children $5, 2640 College 867-7199 

 

“Romeo and Juliet” Through July 14, Thurs. - Sat. 8 p.m. Set in early 1930s just before the rise of Hitler in the Kit Kat Klub, Juliet is torn between ties to the Nazi party and Romeo’s Jewish heritage. $8 - $10. La Val’s Subterranean Theater 1834 Euclid 234-6046 

 

“A Life In the Theatre” Runs through July 15. Wed. - Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. David Mamet play about the lives of two actors, considered a metaphor for life itself. Directed by Nancy Carlin. $30-$35. $26 preview nights. Berkeley City Club 2315 Durant 843-482 

 

FILMS 

 

Berkeley Film Makers’ Festival June 23, 1 p.m. Berkeley Arts Festival Gallery. The Good War, and Those Who Refused to Fight it (Judith Ehrlich and Rick Tejada Flores), Just Crazy About Horses (Tim Lovejoy and Joe Wemple), Los Romeros: The Royal Family of the Guitar (L. John Harris and Bill Hayes), In Between the Notes (William Farley and Sandra Sharpe) and KPFA On The Air (Veronica Selver and Sharon Wood). 2220 Shattuck 486-0411 

 

Pacific Film Archive Jun 16: 7 and 9 p.m.: Beau Travail; June 17, 5:30 p.m.: The Face of Another; June 19 7:30 p.m.: Los; June 20 7:30 p.m.: filial Fixations; June 21 Days of the Eclipse 7 p.m. & A Spring for the Thirsty 9:30 p.m.; June 22 Three by Aurthur Peleshian 7:30 p.m., Ivan’s childhood 9 p.m.; June 23 7 & 9:10 p.m. I can’t Sleep; June 24 The Ruined Map 5:30 p.m. & Summer Soldiers 7:50 p.m.; June 26 7:30 p.m. San Francisco Cinematheque: 40 Years in Focus; June 27 7:30 p.m. Nature vs. Nurture; June 28 7:30 p.m. The Beginning of an Unknown Era; June 29 Molba 7:30, Shadows od Our Forgotten Ancestors 9:10; June 30 7, 9:10 p.m. Nenette and Boni. Pacific Film Archive Theater 2575 Bancroft Way (at Bowditch) 642-1412 

 

Exhibits 

 

Constitutional Shift, Through July 13, tuesdays - fridays, noon - 5 p.m. Kala Art Institute. Permanence and personal journey link Hee Jae Suh, Ursula Neubauer and Marci Tackett. Korean-born Suh explores an inner psychological world with a dramatic series of self-portraits. Neubauer explores self-portraiture as a travel map of identity with multiple points of view. Tackett explores Antarctica’s other-worldly landscape in a series of stunning digital photographs. 1060 Heinz Ave. 549-2977 

 

East Bay Open Studios June 16 & 17, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Jennifer Foxly: Oil paintings and 2-d mixed media works 3206 Boise St.; Lewis Suzuki: Scenes from California to the Philippines, florals to nudes 2240 Grant St.; Guy Colwell: Painted replicas and recent original work 2028 9th St. (open until 7 p.m.) 

 

PASSING: The Re-Definition of Sex and Gender Through the Personal Re-Presentation of Self Through June 16, Mon. - Fri. 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Black and white photographs by Ann P. Meredith. Free. Reception with the artist June 7, 6 - 8 p.m. Photolab Gallery 2235 Fifth St.  

 

Ledger drawings of Michael and Sandra Horse Exhibit runs through June 18. Gathering Tribes Gallery 1573 Solano Ave. 528-9038 www.gatheringtribes.com  

 

“Alive in Her: Icons of the Goddess” Through June 19, Tuesday - Thursday, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Photography, collage, and paintings by Joan Beth Clair. Pacific School of Religion 1798 Scenic Ave. 848-0528 

 

Tyler James Hoare Sculpture and Collage Through June 27, call for hours. Party June 9, 5-9 p.m. with music by Sauce Piquante. The Albatross Pub 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473 

 

Ako Castuera, Ryohei Tanaka, Rob Sato Through June 30, Tues. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Group exhibition, recent paintings. Artist’s reception June 9, 6:30 - 9 p.m. with music by Knewman and Espia. !hey! Gallery 4920 B Telegraph Ave., Oakland 428-2349  

 

“Watershed 2001” Through July 14, Wednesday - Sunday Noon - 5 p.m. Exhibition of painting, drawing, sculpture and installation that explore images and issues about our watershed. Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St. 644-6893 

 

Rachel Davis and Benicia Gantner Works on Paper Through July 14, Tues. - Sat., 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Watercolors by Davis, mixed-media by Gantner. Opening reception June 13, 6 - 8 p.m. Traywick Gallery 1316 Tenth St. 527-1214 www.traywick.com 

 

“The Trip to Here: Paintings and Ghosts by Marty Brooks” Through July 31, Tues. - Sun. 11 a.m. - 1 a.m. View Brooks’ first California show at Bison Brewing Company 2598 Telegraph Ave. 841-7734  

 

Bernard Maisner: Illuminated Manuscripts and Paintings. Through Aug. 8 Maisner works in miniature as well as in large scales, combining his mastery of medieval illumination, gold leafing, and modern painting techniques. Flora Lamson Hewlett Library 2400 Ridge Rd. 849-2541 

 

“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 

 

“Geographies of My Heart” Collage paintings by Jennifer Colby through August 24; Flora Lamson Hewlett Library 2400 Ridge Rd. 649-2541 

 

Images of Portugal Paintings by Sofia Berto Villas-Boas of her native land. Open after 5 p.m. Voulez-Vous 2930 College Ave. (at Elmwood) 

 

“Queens of Ethiopia: Intuitive Inspirations,” the exceptional art of Esete-Miriam A. Menkir. Through July 11. Women’s Cancer Resource Center Gallery 3023 Shattuck Ave. 548-9286 ext 307 

 

“The Decade of Change: 1900 - 1910” chronicles the transformation of the city of Berkeley in this 10 year period. Thursday through Saturday, 1 - 4 p.m. Berkeley History Center, Veterans Memorial Building, 1931 Center St. Wheelchair accessible. 848-0181. Free.  

 

 

Readings 

 

Cody’s Books 1730 Fourth St. All events at 7 p.m. unless noted otherwise. June 16, 4 p.m.: Chris Raschka presents a talk and demontration for children, and paints the store front window; June 18 Sherman Alexie- The Toughest Indian in the world. 559-9500 

 

Freight & Salvage, June 23, 10 a.m.-noon Diane di Prima, beat poet and author of “recollections of My Life as a Woman”. 

 

Simone Martel June 16, 2 p.m. Martel will read from her book “The Expectant Gardener: A Wise and Fun Guide to the Adventure of Backyard Growing” Barnes and Noble 2352 Shattuck Ave. 644-0861  

 

Weekly Poetry Nitro Mondays 6:30 p.m. sign up, 7 - 9 p.m. reading. Performing poets in a dinner atmosphere. Featured poets: June 18: Katie Daley; June 25 Steve ArntsenCafe de la Paz 1600 Shattuck Ave. 843-0662 

 

Tours 

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 


Workers reflect county diversity

By John Geluardi
Tuesday June 19, 2001

Minorities and women are “well represented” among the city’s full-time employees, according to a Human Resources Department informational report to be released to the City Council today. 

The report, which was requested by council last September, compares the minority and gender make up of city employees to the minority and gender make up of Alameda County’s eligible work force, which is comprised of people between 16 and 65.  

The report concluded that African Americans, Asians and women employees are near and in some cases over their corresponding numbers in the county’s work force. The report also notes that Hispanics are under represented in the city’s work force, second only to whites. 

Of the city’s 1,467 full-time employees, 490 are African Americans, which exceeds the county’s percentage by 18.5 percent.  

According to the report, which was prepared by Dennis Feggans, the city’s equal employment opportunity and diversity officer, the number of Asian employees are nearly equal to the county’s numbers but are still behind by about 6 percent.  

Women are well represented in management and professional positions in the city but are still behind in overall numbers by about 10 percent compared to the percentage of women in the county’s eligible work force. 

Compared to the percentages of eligible Hispanic workers in the County, Berkeley is behind by about 22 percent although the numbers of Hispanic employees has increased in recent years.  

“Historically, Hispanics have had the lowest representation figures in the city,” according to the report. “This continues to be true, but it was found that the Hispanic work force has increased considerably over the last three years, from 116 to 149, raising their representation from 8.2 percent to 10.2 percent.”  

The percentage for Hispanics in Alameda County’s work force is 13.1 percent. 

The most underrepresented group among city employees is whites, according to the report. Whites represent 42.7 percent of the city’s work force, which is more than 25 percent below the county’s percentage of eligible white workers.  

Feggans said there are fewer whites working for Berkeley not because of the city’s hiring practices but because whites have more opportunities in other fields. He said whites still predominate in managerial jobs. 


Who’s to blame?

Tuesday June 19, 2001

Editor: 

Let's see if I understand how it works lately . .. .  

If a woman burns her thighs on the hot coffee she was holding in her lap while driving, she blames the restaurant. If your teen-age son kills himself, you blame the rock ‘n’ roll music or the musician he liked. If you smoke three packs a day for 40 years and die of lung cancer, your Family blames the tobacco company. If your daughter gets pregnant by the football captain you blame the school for poor sex education. If your neighbor crashes into a tree while driving home drunk, you blame the bartender.  

If your cousin gets AIDS because the needle he used to shoot up with heroin was dirty, you blame the government for not providing clean ones. If your grandchildren are rude brats without manners, you blame television. If your friend is shot by a deranged madman, you blame the gun manufacturer.  

And if a crazed person breaks into the cockpit and tries to kill the pilots at 35,000 feet, and the passengers kill him instead, the mother of the deceased blames the airline. I must have lived too long to understand the world as it is anymore. So if I die while my old, wrinkled ass is parked in front of this computer, I want you to blame Bill Gates, OK?  

David W. Gee 

Alameda


Council redistricting tops agenda

By John Geluardi
Tuesday June 19, 2001

The City Council will hear a presentation tonight from the city manager about the pending council redistricting based on the results of the 2000 Census.  

The council is required by the city’s charter to redraw the city’s eight districts after each federal census to ensure that each district has an equal number of potential voters.  

The 2000 Census shows that Berkeley’s population only grew by 19 people but “population shifts within each district are significant enough to require that boundaries are redrawn to be nearly equal in population,” a report from the city manager reads.  

The new districts must be adopted by the council by Dec. 31, 2001. 

 

AC Transit study 

 

The Transportation Commission has recommended the council adopt a resolution that will Telegraph Avenue as the preferred route in AC Transit’s Major Investment Study. 

The study is an effort to address congestion and accommodate future growth through enhanced public transit in Berkeley, Oakland and San Leandro. 

One of the key objectives of the study are to improve access to major employment and educational centers and enhance connections to other AC Transit services, BART, ferry service and other transit providers.  

Other goals include increased frequency and reliability of transportation service and to ensure cleanliness and safety while riding or waiting for transit services.  

One option AC Transit is considering is transferring from bus to light rail service on Telegraph Avenue.  

 

Honoring Phil Lesh 

Councilmember Kriss Worthington is asking the council to support a proclamation honoring Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh for many performances for charities and fund raisers.  

The recommendation also notes Lesh’s record of 34 performances at the Greek Theater. Some of the causes Lesh has volunteered his musical talents for include SEVA, the Rainforest Action Network and the Unbroken Chain Foundation. On his 60th birthday he performed at a concert to raise money for the Bay Area’s hepatitis centers. 

 

Closed Session 

The council will meet in closed session at 2180 Milvia St. on the sixth floor at 5:30 p.m. to discuss litigation between the Berkeley Redevelopment Agency and the Richfield Oil Co.  

Prior to going into closed session, the council will hear 10 minutes of public comment.  

 

Redevelopment Agency meeting 

There will also be a meeting of the Berkeley Redevelopment Agency in the Council Chambers just prior to the regular City Council meeting to discuss to amend a contract with Gordon & Rees, LLP to raise legal services fees to $125,000. 

 


Reddy sentencing today

Staff
Tuesday June 19, 2001

A Berkeley real estate tycoon, who admitted he brought Indian teen-age girls into the country for sex, will be sentenced today in an Oakland federal courtroom. 

Lakireddy Bali Reddy, the 63-year-old landlord and restaurateur, faces more than six years in a federal prison for his guilty pleas, which he entered in March as a result of a deal that he struck with prosecutors. 

The sentence was suggested by prosecutors as part of the deal, in which Reddy pled guilty to two counts of bringing minors into the county for immoral purposes, one count of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud and one count of tax fraud. 

Reddy also agreed to pay $2 million in restitution to four of his victims, who were not identified in court documents. 


Forget a V-shaped recovery, settle for a ‘U’

By John Cunniff, The Associated Press
Tuesday June 19, 2001

NEW YORK — In the midst of a muddled economic scene, one thing is becoming clearer by the day: Time has about run out on chances for a V-shaped recovery, in which the economy rises as abruptly as it fell. 

The plunge in industrial activity, the shocking financial warnings from high-tech companies, the growing resistance of consumers, and continued sluggishness of exports are among factors in the fading hopes. 

Early in the downturn, a V-shaped recovery was almost taken for granted by some economists, and especially by stock market analysts who couldn’t accept the idea that the massive, inexorable force called the “new economy” could be stopped in its tracks. 

In fact, neither could the heads of new-economy companies, who until late last fall saw little in the immediate future to be concerned with — the same CEOs who belatedly are now conceding their companies are burdened with massive inventories and shattering financial losses. And vastly disillusioning is the realization that some of the greatest inventions of the new economic age, including fiber-optics and all the wireless gadgetry, are more visionary than immediate and practical. 

The wealth effect has been deflated with a great hissing sound. Close to $5 trillion of stock market wealth has disappeared, and when you add in the loss of confidence, the economic effect is a multiple of that. 

Consumer spending has slowed, understandably, but debt hasn’t, and official figures show that home mortgage delinquencies have risen to some of the highest rates in years. Meanwhile, the savings rate remains near zero. 

It has taken a while for shocked Americans to absorb the reality that after years of fantastic economic progress, we are still in the same old world rather than merely at a rest stop on the way to the great tomorrow. 

The ingredients of a V-shaped recovery just aren’t there, and so the likelihood now is for the economy to remain depressed for many more months, its recovery line tracing a soft U-shape rather than a sharp V-shape. 

Readers of DRI-WEFA’s U.S. Forecast Summary, an influential and widely circulated look into the immediate economic future, are likely to be surprised and disappointed by its latest summary that “the U.S. economy appears headed for five more quarters of sub-par growth.” That’s a long time to wait for an economy that just a few months ago was seen by many who should have known better, such as corporate chiefs and maybe some Fed governors, as too strong for its own good. 

The extent of the current weakness, and the difficulty of quickly putting the economy back on its feet, is suggested by the inability of lower taxes and interest rates — usually a bullish pair – to provide a jolt. 

Finally recognizing that economic good times are not to be accepted lightly, Americans may now be giving thanks that the downturn is short of a recession, and that the Fed can cut rates still more. 

John Cunniff is a business analyst for The Associated Press.


POLICE BRIEFS

Staff
Tuesday June 19, 2001

A 42-year-old man shot in the abdomen about 2 a.m. Monday on Forrest Street is recovering from surgery at Highland Hospital, according to police. 

Berkeley Police Lt. Russell Lopes said the victim was walking home when a car stopped beside him and a black male got out. Without speaking or giving any warning, Lopes said the man was shot in the abdomen. There are no suspects.  

••• 

A sleeping 32-year-old homeless man was stabbed numerous times by a 27-year-old Latino male inside an abandoned building on Heinz Street at 11 p.m. Sunday, according to police. 

The men argued earlier, and the suspect allegedly attacked the victim with a six-inch knife. The man was stabbed multiple times in the left shoulder, arm and abdomen. He also suffered cuts on the left side of his face and his left ear, Lopes said. 

The victim was taken to Highland Hospital, and a suspect has not been identified, Lopes said. 

••• 

A 23-year-old UC Berkeley student, walking home about 10:30 Saturday, was robbed by four black males and nearly stabbed by a wrench, according to police. 

The suspects surrounded the victim and beat him, and during the beating, the suspects went through his pockets and removed his wallet, keys and a Swiss Army knife, Lopes said. One suspect attempted to stab the victim, but instead of using a knife, Lopes said he attacked him with the wrench. 

The victim had cuts and bruises but refused medical attention. There have been no arrests. 

••• 

A man was arrested while standing with a group of friends outside of the hospitals Emergency Room, after it was determined he intentionally set fire to a stack of wax cups at Alta Bates Hospital. 

A 23-year-old male asked a security guard where the cafeteria was, and a few minutes later, the security guard saw the man leaving quickly, Lopes said. Minutes later, a fire was reported in the cafeteria and a security tape showed the suspect stacking wax cups on a table and lighting them, Lopes said.


BRIEFS

Staff
Tuesday June 19, 2001

Bowl-a-thon will benefit B-TV 

The Berkeley Community Media, B-TV cable channel 25, is holding a Bowl-A-Thon on at 11 a.m. June 23 at Albany Bowl to benefit the station. 

Proceeds go toward educational and government programs in the making that need additional funding, as well as upgrading the facility and equipment for public use. To sponsor the event or a team, or to donate items to the raffle contest, contact Programming and Outreach Director Taryn Clark at 848-2288 ext. 14 or tclark@betv.org. Albany Bowl is located at 540 San Pablo Avenue. 

Annual Pride Mass Friday 

The Fourth annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Mass will be at 7 p.m., June 21 at the Newman Hall/Holy Spirit Parish. This year’s theme will be “One Body/Many Parts,” focusing on the positive aspects of diversity within the parish and community. The parish is located on the corner of College Avenue and Dwight Way.  

The LGBT will host other summer events such as barbecues, community meetings, and Scripture Study: For information about events contact lgbt_newman@yahoo.com.


Day laborer numbers on the rise in west Berkeley

By John Geluardi Daily Planet staff
Monday June 18, 2001

The mayor will propose at Tuesday’s City Council meeting that the city manager examine ways to address problems created by the growing number of day laborers who gather on Hearst Avenue in west Berkeley hoping to find work.  

According to Mayor Shirley Dean’s written recommendation, the number of day laborers is growing and there are currently no accommodations for them such as bathrooms or shelters. The mayor’s executive assistant, Tamlyn Bright, said the mayor’s office has also received numerous complaints from Truitt and White Lumber Company about day laborers harassing customers in their eagerness to find work. 

The recommendation estimates there are as many as 150 people gathering on Hearst Avenue between Sixth Street and Frontage Road at any given time of the day. 

The recommendation also suggests that meetings be planned between the day laborers, many of whom are undocumented, and affected businesses to determine solutions. 

According to Lynn Svenson, an organizer for the Day Labor Institute, an organization that helps workers organize themselves, the number of day laborers is growing in California, Texas and a growing number of states on the East Coast.  

Svenson has been instrumental in assisting day laborers develop systems that allow them to charge minimum hourly rates depending on the nature of the work in cities such as Van Nuys, Glendale and Concord.  

The city of Glendale placed a 1,700-square-foot trailer, complete with computers and a drive-through area for perspective employers, near a Home Depot. Glendale laborers pay $1 per day and organize themselves, which increases their interest in participating, according to Svenson. 

“Our approach is to work with the laborers to find out what works best for them and then have them make the rules,” Svenson said. “People are more likely to follow the rules when they’re the ones who are making them.” 

Councilmember Linda Maio, who represents district 7 where the laborers look for work, said she likes the idea of providing some kind of shelter for the laborers.  

“I see those guys standing there in the blazing sun or pouring rain,” she said. “Something needs to be done.” 

Berkeley Police Lt. Russell Lopes said there have consistently been complaints about the day laborers for the last few years. 

Lopes said the majority of the complaints are not of a serious nature and that the laborers have been cooperative with the regular beat patrolman in the area. 

“The complaints are never of a criminal nature,” he said. “These guys don’t want to create problems, they just want to find work.” 

 


Calendar of Events & Activities

Monday June 18, 2001


Monday, June 18

 

Raging Grannies Meeting 

7 p.m. 

1924 Cedar Fellowship Hall 

UC Berkeley 

East Bay/San Francisco Raging Grannies organizing meeting. Celebrate life with laughter and song. 

528-5403 

 

Rent Stabilization Board -  

Regular Meeting 

7 p.m. 

2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way 

Council Chambers, Second Floor 

Appeal T-3760 — 1501 Stuart Street, #3. The landlord appeals the decision of the hearing examiner that found that he was required to refund the tenants’ entire security deposit and to pay them the interest that had accrued on it.  

 


Tuesday, June 19

 

Women Against Sexual  

Slavery 

9 a.m. 

Federal Building & Courthouse 

1301 Clay St. (13th & Clay) Oakland 

Protest Sex Slaver Lakireddy Reddy’s light sentence. Bring signs and flyers urging Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong to give Reddy the maximum sentence of 38 years. 

841-8282 or 843-0680 

 

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 Don, 525-3565 

 

Young Queer Women’s Group 

8 - 9:30 p.m.  

Pacific Center 

2712 Telegraph Ave.  

Make some new friends, expand your horizons and get support with a bunch of queer women all in the same place at the same time (somewhere between 18 and 25).  

548-8283 or visit www.pacificcenter.org 

 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market 

2 - 7 p.m. 

Derby Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Milvia Street 

548-3333 

 

Intelligent Conversation  

7 - 9 p.m.  

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

A discussion group open to all, regardless of age, religion, viewpoint, etc. This time the discussion will center on frugality, generosity, simplifying life, and dealing with money. Informally led by Robert Berend, who founded similar groups in L.A., Menlo Park, and Prague. Bring light snacks/drinks to share. Free  

527-5332 

 

Fibromyalgia Support Group  

Noon - 2 p.m.  

Alta Bates Medical Center 

Maffly Auditorium, Herrick Campus  

2001 Dwight Way  

This will be a rap session.  

601-0550 

 

A Journey Through Eastern  

Europe 

7:30 p.m. 

Easy Going Travel Shop and Bookstore 

1385 Shattuck Avenue 

Angelina Sorensen, Bulgarian native, will give an overview of the best places to visit through a slide presentation and display of regional arts and crafts. Free. 

843-3533 

 

 

 

Energy-Saving Skylight 

8 a.m. - Noon 

Truitt and White Lumber 

642 Hearst Avenue 

The new Velux VSE skylight, winner of the Energy Star award, could help reduce home energy use. On view today. 

841-0511 

 

Medical Waste Management  

and Environmental Health in  

India 

6 - 8 p.m. 

University of California, Room 150 University Hall, 2199 Addison St. 

Shyamala Mani, coordinator and educator with India’s Centre for Environment Education, will give a public talk on successful medical waste disposal strategies. The talk will be of interest to environmental, labor and community organizers, healthcare workers and students of environmental health and occupational safety.  

845-1447 

 

Early Music Group 

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

Hearst and MLK Jr. Way 

Small group sings madrigals and other voice harmony every Tuesday morning. Drop-ins welcome. 

655-8863 

 


Wednesday, June 20

 

Carefree/Carfree Tour 

11 a.m. 

Berkeley Arts Festival Gallery 

2200 Shattuck Ave. 

Meet at the Gallery, take the bus to the Oakland Museum to take a tour with David Bacon of his exhibition “Every Worker Is An Organizer: Farm Labor and the Resurgence of the UFW.” 

486-0411 

 

Berkeley Communicator  

Toastmasters Club 

7:15 a.m. 

Vault Cafe 

3250 Adeline 

Learn to speak with confidence. Ongoing first and third Wednesdays each month. 

527-2337 

 

A “Thank You” Reception for  

Berkeley School Interim  

Superintendent Steve  

Goldstone 

Public invited. 

4:30 to 6:00 (before the school board meeting) 

2134 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, second floor, old council chambers. 

 


Thursday, June 21

 

Best Northern California  

Hikes 

7 p.m. 

REI 

1338 San Pablo Ave. 

Guidebook author Matt Heid shares his favorite day hikes and overnight backpacking trips in Northern California. Slide presentation. Free. 

527-4140 

 

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 

 

LGBT Catholics Group  

7:30 p.m. 

Newman Hall  

2700 Dwight Way (at College)  

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender Catholics group are “a spiritual community committed to creating justice.” This session will be a “Pride Mass.”  

654-5486 

 

Summer Noon Concerts 2001 

Noon - 1 p.m. 

Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza 

Shattuck at Center St. 

Weekly concert series. This week Capoeira Arts Cafe. 

 

Community Tribute to Jeffrey  

Leiter 

5 p.m. Dinner, 8 p.m. Performance 

Santa Fe Bar and Grill 

1310 University Avenue 

The Berkeley Symphony Orchestra is hosting a Community Tribute to honor former Mayor and Symphony Board Presedent Jeffrey Shattuck Leiter. Dinner at Santa Fe Bar and Grill, followed by an 8 p.m. Berkeley Symphony performance at Zellerbach Hall. For information and tickets, call 841-2800.


Forum

Monday June 18, 2001

Texas energy companies keeping wind power under wraps 

 

By Peter Asmus 

Pacific News Service 

 

Texas energy companies have a well-kept secret, including the producers demonized in California as the cause of rolling blackouts and sky-high prices. That secret is wind power. 

Houston-based Enron Corp. and Reliant Energy Inc., have tacitly admitted that wind power is one of the cheapest ways to generate electricity. The evidence? Both are voluntarily exceeding their state’s mandates for integrating this renewable fuel into the mix they will offer under new rules calling for a competitive retail market. 

Environmentalists are not alone in favoring wind power in Texas: rural farmers and ranchers are among its biggest fans. State law called for bringing 400 megawatts of new wind power on-line by the end of the year. Instead, Texas will add more than twice that – 900 megawatts in one year – according to the American Wind Energy Association. The state’s deregulation law calls for adding 2,000 megawatts (enough electricity for more than 400,000 homes) of new renewables to the state’s grid by 2009. Thus far, wind power has captured 90 percent of this new market. 

Installing just one wind turbine can bring rural farmers and ranchers from $2,000 and $3,000 annually. Since wind farms install turbines in clusters, some of these folks can continue their traditional use of the land and bring in an extra $20,000 to $50,000 per year, as royalties for rights to their wind. Already, wind generating machines in the garden represent a way to preserve rural communities with clean economic development. 

Texas is hardly alone. It’s the same story in Minnesota, Colorado, and across the ocean in Denmark and Germany. Regulators in Minnesota and Colorado have computed that wind power should be the first power supply choice in both of these states, since it is so much cheaper than the natural gas that now comprise 90 percent of all new electricity generators. 

In Colorado, an Enron subsidiary posted a bid to build 162 megawatts of new wind power under a category of "conventional" power supply, as the state had limited new wind power additions to just 25 megawatts. Though the utility Excel balked, arguing that gas prices were expected to decline by more than seven percent – when in fact that jumped by 400 percent – the state utility commission ordered the utility to build wind farms instead of fossil fuel power plants. 

Even more impressive statistics come from Europe. Denmark now gets 17 percent of its total electricity from wind power – in contrast, the U.S. gets less than one percent from the wind. Germany, which has modest winds and had virtually no wind power development five years ago, now produces more wind-generated electricity than any country in the world. 

Soon, wind farms will allow the 12 members of the European Union to reduce emissions linked to global climate change dramatically. A full third of the carbon dioxide (CO2) emission reductions required to comply with the Kyoto protocols by 2020 will come from replacing electricity generated from fossil fuels with wind power. 

In this light, America’s conduct on the global climate change front is disturbing. Instead of meeting the Kyoto treaty’s call for a seven percent reduction in CO2 from 1990 levels by 2012, the Department of Energy projects a 34 percent increase in U.S. CO2 emissions by that same date. To continue our fossil fuel addictions in light of current advances with wind power not only pollute the environment; they but could deal a large blow to an economy subject to faltering from escalating fossil fuel prices and highly dependent on its technology sector. 

Whereas natural gas is a finite fossil fuel, the world’s wind resource is still largely untapped. The winds blowing on just six percent of the windiest land sites in the U.S. (excluding Hawaii and Alaska) could supply one-and-a-half times the entire U.S.’s electricity needs. 

The United States once had bragging rights to generating 90 percent of the world’s wind power. That figure has dropped to less than 20 percent. 

Reclaiming its position as a wind power leader would require the United States to make a real commitment to cool global warming. Considering President Bush’s posture on global warming, it appears as if only Europe is making that commitment. 

 

 

PG&E representative gives Bush-like energy tips 

Editor: 

At the recent 6/13/01, meeting of the Claremont Elmwood Neighborhood Association, a P.G.&E representative was invited to speak about energy conservation.  

He explained the current crisis as being generated by a 30% growth in demand, while supply has only grown 6 percent. He then presented a series of tips which consisted of replacing light bulbs with more efficient bulbs, cleaning furnace filters regularly, keeping the lint filter and the exhaust vent clean on your clothes dryer, he did note that gas dryers were more efficient, and that homes should be insulated and that newer double pane windows saved heat.  

No mention was made of the threatened rolling blackouts, or changing your energy habits to reduce usage, not even of hanging out clothes to dry in the summer sunshine and heat.  

What was presented was the George W. Bush energy plan. That is, you don't have to give up anything, just tinker here and there and you can continue consuming. Implied in the opening remarks is the idea that we must increase supply.  

Bush in Berkeley, what a concept. 

 

John Cecil 

Berkeley


Arts & Entertainment

Staff
Monday June 18, 2001

Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm” An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels, 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. $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  

 

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. 2911 Russell St. 549-6950  

 

The Asian Galleries “Art of the Sung: Court and Monastery.” 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!” 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. “Saturday Night Stargazing,” First and third Saturdays each month. 8 - 10 p.m., LHS plaza. Computer Lab, Saturdays 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. $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 year membership. All ages. June 22 Hoods, Fall Silent, Clenched Fist, Osiva, Hellcrew; June 23 The Hellbillies, The Fartz, The Tossers, Ruodp, The Fightbacks; June 29 Barfeeders, Pac-Men, Hell After Dark, A.K.A. Nothing, Maurice’s Little Bastards; June 30 The Cost, Pg. 99, Majority Rule, 7 Days of Samsara, Since by Man, Creation is Crucifixion 525-9926  

 

Albatross Pub Music at 9 p.m. unless noted otherwise. June 19: pickPocket Ensemble; June 20: Whiskey Brothers; June 21/28: Keni “El Lebrijano”; June 26 Mad & eddie Duran Jazz Duo; June 30: Larry Stefl Jazz Quartet 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473  

 

Anna’s Music at 8 p.m. June 18,25: The Renegade Sidemen; June 19 Jason Martinwau; June 20,27: Bob Schoen Jazz Quartet; June 21: The Jazz Singers Collective; June 23:The maestro Rich Kalman & His Jazz Trio; June 24 The Joe Livotti Sound; June 26: Tangria; June 28: ConFusion. $2 weeknights, $3 weekends. 1801 University Ave. 849-ANNA  

 

Ashkenaz June 19, 9 p.m.: Brass Menagerie; June 20, 9 p.m.: Gator Beat; June 21, 10 p.m.: Digital Dave; June 24, 8 p.m.: Babatunde Olantunji; June 26, 9 p.m.: DP & The Rhythem Riders; June 27, 8 p.m.: Fling Ding/Circle R Boys/Dark Hollow; June 28, 9 p.m.: Monkey/Stiff Richards/ Go Jimmy Go.1370 San Pablo Ave. 525-5054 or www.ashkenaz.com 

 

Freight & Salvage All music at 8 p.m. June 19: Toshi Reardon; June 20 Cliff Eberhardt; June 21 Rachel Garlin, $15.00 advance, $16.50 door; June 22: Sourdough Slim w/ Blackwood Tom; June 23: Lara & Reyes; June 24; Darryl Purpose, Dave Carter & Tracy Grammar; June 26; Freight 33rd Anniversary Revue; June 27: Dilema, Hookslide; June 28: Jim Campilongo; june 29: Don’t Look Back; June 30: Jim Hurst & Missy Raines, Due West. 1111 Addison St. www.freightandsalvage.org; 548-1761 

 

Jupiter All shows at 8 p.m. June 19: Mas Cabeza; June 20: Wavelord; June 21: Beatdown w/ DJ’s Delon, Yamu & Addi; June 22: Realistic; June 23: Wayside; June 26: Bruno Pelletier Trio; June 27: O Maya; June 28: Beatdown w/ DJ’s Delon, Yamu & Addi; June 29: Zoe Ellis Quartet; June 30: Go Van Gogh 2881 Shattuck Ave 843-8277 

 

Jazzschool Recitals June 19: 4 p.m., Jazz Groups; June 20: 4 p.m., Jazz Ensembles; June 21: 4 p.m., Jazz Combos. Free. The Jazzschool/La Note 2377 Shattuck Ave. 845-5373  

 

Berkeley Symphony Orchestra Season Finale June 21, 8 p.m. Works by Shostakovich, Brahms, and Rohde. $19 - $35 Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley 841-2800  

 

 

 

Kalanjali in Concert June 22, 7 p.m. Kalanjali concludes its celebration of its 25th year in Berkeley with a special recital. Experienced dancers and young students, with guests from India including dancer K. P. Yesoda and the musicians of Bharatakalanjali. $6 - $8 Juia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 Collage Ave. 925-798-1300 

 

 

“Cymbeline” Through June 24, Tues. - Thur. 7:30 p.m., Fri. 8 p.m., Sat. 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sun. 4 p.m. Opening of the California Shakespeare Festival features one of Shakespeare’s first romances, directed by Daniel Fish. $12 - $146. Bruns Memorial Amphitheater off Highway 24 at the Shakespeare Festival Way/Gateway Exit. 548-9666 or www.calshakes.org 

 

“The Laramie Project” Through July 8: Weds. 7 p.m., Tues. and Thur. -Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Written by Moises Kaufmen and members of Tectonic Theater Project, directed by Moises Kaufman. Moises Kaufman and Tectonic members traveled to Laramie, Wyo., after the murder of openly gay student Matthew Shepherd. The play is about the community and the impact Shepherd’s death had on its members. $10 - $50. The Roda Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre 2015 Addison St. 647-2949 www.berkeleyrep.org 

 

“Kid Kaleidoscope and the Puppet Players” June 24: 2 p.m., Julia Morgan Center for the Arts. The Puppet Players are a multi-media musical theatre group. Their shows are masterfully produced to thrill people of all ages with handmadesets and puppets. Adults $10, Children $5, 2640 College 867-7199 

 

“Romeo and Juliet” Through July 14, Thurs. - Sat. 8 p.m. Set in early 1930s just before the rise of Hitler in the Kit Kat Klub, Juliet is torn between ties to the Nazi party and Romeo’s Jewish heritage. $8 - $10. La Val’s Subterranean Theater 1834 Euclid 234-6046 

 

“A Life In the Theatre” Runs through July 15. Wed. - Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. David Mamet play about the lives of two actors, considered a metaphor for life itself. Directed by Nancy Carlin. $30-$35. $26 preview nights. Berkeley City Club 2315 Durant 843-4822 

 

 

 

Berkeley Film Festival June 23, 1 p.m. Berkeley Arts Festival Gallery. Presnetation of Six films: The Good War, and Those Who Refused to Fight it (Judith Ehrlich and Rick Tejada Flores), Just Crazy About Horses (Tim Lovejoy and Joe Wemple), Los Romeros: The Royal Family of the Guitar (L. John Harris and Bill Hayes), In Between the Notes (William Farley and Sandra Sharpe) and KPFA On The Air (Veronica Selver and Sharon Wood). 2220 Shattuck 486-0411 

 

Pacific Film Archive June 19 7:30 p.m.: Los; June 20 7:30 p.m.: filial Fixations; June 21 Days of the Eclipse 7 p.m. & A Spring for the Thirsty 9:30 p.m.; June 22 Three by Aurthur Peleshian 7:30 p.m., Ivan’s childhood 9 p.m.; June 23 7 & 9:10 p.m. I can’t Sleep; June 24 The Ruined Map 5:30 p.m. & Summer Soldiers 7:50 p.m.; June 26 7:30 p.m. San Francisco Cinematheque: 40 Years in Focus; June 27 7:30 p.m. Nature vs. Nurture; June 28 7:30 p.m. The Beginning of an Unknown Era; June 29 Molba 7:30, Shadows od Our Forgotten Ancestors 9:10; June 30 7, 9:10 p.m. Nenette and Boni. Pacific Film Archive Theater 2575 Bancroft Way (at Bowditch) 642-1412 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Constitutional Shift Through July 13, tuesdays - fridays, noon - 5 p.m. Kala Art Institute. Permanence and personal journey link Hee Jae Suh, Ursula Neubauer and Marci Tackett. Korean-born Suh explores an inner psychological world with a dramatic series of self-portraits. Neubauer explores self-portraiture as a travel map of identity with multiple points of view. Tackett explores Antarctica’s other-worldly landscape in a series of stunning digital photographs. 1060 Heinz Ave. 549-2977 

 

Ledger drawings of Michael and Sandra Horse Exhibit runs through June 18. Gathering Tribes Gallery 1573 Solano Ave. 528-9038 www.gatheringtribes.com  

 

“Alive in Her: Icons of the Goddess” Through June 19, Tuesday - Thursday, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Photography, collage, and paintings by Joan Beth Clair. Pacific School of Religion 1798 Scenic Ave. 848-0528 

 

Tyler James Hoare Sculpture and Collage Through June 27, call for hours. Party June 9, 5-9 p.m. with music by Sauce Piquante. The Albatross Pub 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473 

 

Ako Castuera, Ryohei Tanaka, Rob Sato Through June 30, Tues. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Group exhibition, recent paintings. Artist’s reception June 9, 6:30 - 9 p.m. with music by Knewman and Espia. !hey! Gallery 4920 B Telegraph Ave., Oakland 428-2349  

 

“Watershed 2001” Through July 14, Wednesday - Sunday Noon - 5 p.m. Exhibition of painting, drawing, sculpture and installation that explore images and issues about our watershed. Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St. 644-6893 

 

Rachel Davis and Benicia Gantner Works on Paper Through July 14, Tues. - Sat., 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Watercolors by Davis, mixed-media by Gantner. Opening reception June 13, 6 - 8 p.m. Traywick Gallery 1316 Tenth St. 527-1214 www.traywick.com


U.S. women finish tour with win over Aussies

By Jared Green Daily Planet Staff
Monday June 18, 2001

Cal’s Lorenz leads Americans with two goals at Spieker 

 

When Ericka Lorenz hits the water at Spieker Aquatics Center on the UC Berkeley campus, she’s always been representing the Golden Bears. But on Saturday, she had a different uniform on, one with “USA” across it, and her opponents weren’t Trojans or Bruins but Aussies. 

Current Cal student and 2000 Olympic women’s water polo team member Lorenz scored two goals on Saturday to help lead the U.S. team to an 8-6 victory over the Australian national team in the final match of the four-game International Challenge Series. The win, in which three current Cal players participated, gave the U.S. a 3-1 overall advantage in the series, which was a small measure of revenge against the team that beat them for the gold medal in Sydney, Australia, in the 2000 Olympic Games. 

The match also extended up a long stretch of international competitions for the U.S. team in the three weeks. They won the Thetis Cup in Greece on June 3, finished second to Australia in the Canada Cup, and wrapped it up with the four-game northern California tour. The first three games were in Fresno, Roseville and Palo Alto, respectively. 

“It’s just nice to be home, to get to see all of my friends again,” Lorenz said. “My parents even surprised me be coming up from San Diego.” 

Lorenz started the game shakily, however, as she earned two ejections in the first period, both of which led to power-play goals by Australia. But the U.S.’s Heather Moody kept the Americans in it with two goals in the period, and teammate Rachel Scott scored a goal with 13 seconds left to tie the score at 3-3. 

The second period was more of the same, with neither team able to pull away. Rana Tito scored for Australia, but Lorenz answered with a laser shot from the outside past Aussie goalkeeper Liz Weekes to tie the score, and Kathy Sheehy scored from the hole with 31 seconds left to put the U.S. up 5-4 at halftime. 

In the second half, Cal’s Fana Fuqua replaced Bernice Orwig in goal for the U.S. With Lorenz, Fuqua and Heather Petri, not to mention former Cal star Courtney Johnson, on the squad, Cal was the best represented college program on the U.S. team. 

Fuqua proceeded to fairly shut down the Aussie offense, allowing just a penalty shot to dent her net in the next 10 minutes of action. Lorenz scored on another outside shot, then Cat von Schwarz scored a no-look backhand from in front of the Australia goal to finally open a two-goal lead at 7-5. Brenda Villa scored halfway through the final period to assure the U.S. of victory, and all Australia could do was score on a sudden restart that caught Fuqua napping with three minutes left. 

After the game, the players mingled with each other and the fans, a remarkable showing of sportsmanship considering the intense rivalry between the teams. 

“These teams get along, which is rare at this level of play,” said U.S. coach Guy Baker. “We play each other so much and play so hard, you’d expect things to get a little testy. But that really hasn’t happened.” 

Part of the reason for the friendship is that the tour is intended to promote the sport in the U.S. Baker said women’s water polo is the fastest growing sport in the country, and having the players be friendly and accessibleto fans is part of that equation. 

“We want this to develop into a national sport,” he said. “Part of that is to be successful over a long period of time, but we also need to have contact with the fans. It was great to see so many kids in the stands, kids that can look up to our players.” 

The crowd of about 300 people was clearly pro-American, and the Cal players got particularly loud cheers before and during the game. But the players seemed to appreciate the fans just as much, if not more. 

“A lot of this tour is about promoting the sport, and it’s great to see fan support,” Johnson said. “We’ve had success when we leave the country, now it’s time to see what we can do at home.” 

For Johnson, who was Cal’s female athlete of the year in 1996, the game was a chance to revisit the site of her college triumphs. 

“It’s nice to be back here. This pool holds so many memories for me,” she said. “Of course, Haas Pavilion is way bigger than I remember.” 

When Johnson started at Cal, women’s water polo was a club sport. The Bears have risen quickly and achieved a No. 4 national ranking last season. 

“It’s tremendous what they’ve done in the past few years,” she said. “The talent increase is just amazing, and the societal views of women athletes has changed so much.” 

The U.S. team next heads to the Holiday Cup in Los Alamitos, July 4-7. Team USA will be one of eight national women’s teams competing in the tournament.


Arts Festival is in full swing

By Daniela MohorDaily Planet staff
Monday June 18, 2001

A crowd of people clapped and danced in the streets of Berkeley Saturday during the opening celebration of the fourth annual Berkeley Arts Festival that runs through June 30. 

The event, called the “Music Circus,” brought together about 125 performers who filled the corners of Shattuck Avenue from University Avenue to Channing Way with music during the whole afternoon. The celebration also included a corner of poetry readings. 

The majority of the participants were jazz bands, including the Richard Kalman & Friends from Albany Adult School, the band of saxophonist Steve Adams, and the John Schott’s Typical Orchestra. But the program wasn’t limited to R&B or swing. At festival headquarters on Shattuck Avenue at Allston Way, opera singers Hope Briggs, Isabelle Metwalli, Eliza O’Malley and Terry Alvord performed breathtaking arias. Outside, pop, folk, experimental and world music mixed in the air — reflecting Berkeley’s cultural diversity. 

“The mission of the Music Circus is to present the wide range of musicians and poets that are connected to Berkeley and give them exposure to the public,” explained Arnie Passman, a festival organizer. 

The festival went into full swing at 2:30 p.m. when parents with children, teenagers, and senior citizens of all ethnicity started forming an enthusiastic audience at the corners. Some had come specifically for the event, others were just passersby attracted by the music and the nice weather. 

“I love it,” said Mary Kennedy a psychiatrist who came from Marin County to attend the event. “The audience is great, the performers are terrific, and the sun is good.” Events like the festival are part of the reason why Kennedy plans to move to Berkeley, a town she loves for, she said, “its sense of community.” 

Many of the musicians who played during Saturday’s Music Circus had come in memory of their former days in Berkeley. 

For the Bear Cats’ trombone player Bob Mielke, the opening of the festival was an opportunity to meet and play with old friends.  

“We’ve known each other for years. Jack Minger and I roomed together back in 1949,” he said, referring to his band’s trumpet player.  

Berkeley native Sy Klopps and his orchestra ended the event. In the span of a couple of ballroom tunes only — many of which were tracks from the band’s last CD, “Berkeley Soul” — Klopps managed to attract more than a hundred people on BART plaza. About 20 of them soon started moving to the rhythm of the music and turned the gathering into a party. 

“It’s fun to play in the streets of my hometown, because my fondest memories are of my childhood in Berkeley,” Klopps said after his show. “This was my starting ground.”  

The success of this year’s Music Circus is a new example of the growing popularity of the Arts Festival. When it first started in 1997, the coordinators only had the means to list the cultural activities happening in town. They prepared very few events themselves. But progressively more artists and more organizers got involved. This year the festival received $40, 000 from the city and local sponsors and was able to prepare a variety of events. The program features all kinds of music concerts, photography and sculpture exhibitions, historic and architectural tours, as well as poetry readings. 

 

For additional information about the Berkeley Arts Festival, visit the website http://www.berkeleyartsfestival.com


Self-testing for Berkeley teachers

By Ben Lumpkin Daily Planet staff
Monday June 18, 2001

At a time when the lack of fiscal resources has some Berkeley schools struggling to make ends meet, the Berkeley Federation of Teachers believes it has found a way to make sure the critical area of teacher training and evaluation isn’t a casualty. 

Too often, school sources say, principals overwhelmed by other responsibilities have found little time to conduct timely teacher evaluations. 

“There’s been a void in the whole evaluation process,” said BFT President Barry Fike. “It’s just not been consistent across the board as much as it really needs to be.” 

As a result, some teachers aren’t given feedback on strengths and weaknesses, or recommendations about training opportunities that could help them improve. 

Now, taking advantage of a new state law that makes money available when school districts and teachers unions agree to work together in the area of teacher evaluation and support, the Berkeley school board has approved a program which union members hope will more than fill the “void” in the evaluation process. 

At a recent meeting with more than 300 K-12 teachers present, the BFT itself approved the so-called Berkeley Peer Assistance Review program, or B-PAR, by a margin of 9-to-1, Fike said. 

“We want to be evaluated,” he said. 

Fike said teachers understand as well as anyone the consequences of failing to intervene when one in their ranks is struggling to meet the demands of the job. 

“We all know the importance of that because we teach next door to each other and get each others students the next year,” he said. 

With an annual budget of $500,000 in state education money, the B-PAR program will be implemented throughout the district next year. 

At the heart of the program are eight “consulting teachers” who have been selected from Berkeley’s teaching staff for their depth of experience and exceptional skills, Fike said. These teachers will be trained over the summer how to evaluate and train their peers. Beginning next fall, each consulting teacher will be assigned a caseload of roughly 15 teachers with whom they will work closely throughout the year. More than 120 teachers are expected to work with consulting teachers next year alone. 

Beginning teachers will automatically be assigned to work with consulting teachers, based on the assumption that they will benefit greatly from sessions with more veteran teachers well versed in the tricks of the trade. 

“For any teacher, the first few years are really tough,” said school board director Joaquin Rivera, who teachers chemistry at Skyline Community College in San Bruno. “You’re dealing with a lot of issues.” 

Teachers who receive unsatisfactory evaluations from their principals will also be referred to the B-PAR program. 

A B-PAR governing panel made up of four teachers and four administrators will help determine appropriate “Professional Development Plans” for each B-PAR participant. At the end of a given year, the panel will make recommendations regarding retention and dismissal to the Berkeley superintendent of schools. 

This all represents an unprecedented level of collaboration between teachers and administrators in the evaluation process, according to Fike. Over time, it has the potential to make the whole relationship between the teachers union and the school district less adversarial, he added. 

“This changes the relationship,” he said. “We now really have teachers and administrators joining together to address this issue.” 

B-PAR is not only for beginning teachers, or teachers who have been found to be unsatisfactory. Other Berkeley teachers who simply want an opportunity to hone their skills can volunteer to work the consulting teachers. 

“It will take teachers who are maybe doing okay and really turn them into great teachers,” Fike said. 

Plans also call for B-PAR’s consulting teachers to lead workshops open to all teachers in critical areas of teacher development. Here they could share best practices for managing classrooms, keeping students engaged, and more, Fike said. 

When it comes to addressing the challenges faces educators today — violence, the achievement gap, truancy and more — there is no substitute for individual teacher training, Fike added. 

“Of all the various approaches that have been taken when it comes to the achievement gap, the one that stands out as the most effective is teacher-quality,” he said. 

“Parents struggle mightily to get their kids into schools that have good teachers. Parents know just by intuition that that’s what’s driving it all.” 


San Francisco’s black population plummets

Associated Press
Monday June 18, 2001

(AP) — A major drop in the city’s black population took place in the last decade reducing its numbers by 15 percent. 

More than 1 in 7 black residents left in the 1990s — the highest rate of decline of the nation’s 50 most populous cities, a 2000 Census data analysis by the San Francisco Chronicle revealed. 

Experts say the trend nationally is for blacks to move to the suburbs but locally the high housing prices are driving lower-income residents out. 

Black families in San Francisco are three times more likely to live below the poverty level, according to a 1999 Census Bureau survey of 1 out of 33 household in the city. 

Another reason for the sudden change is people who move in search of stronger black communities. 

“San Francisco was a cosmopolitan city but I didn’t see enough black people around even then,” said Jule Anderson, a former school board member and 30-year Richmond District resident, who moved to Atlanta in 1991. “I wanted to be around more black people.” 

In the last 20 years, demographers have traced an increase of blacks moving from the western United States to the South. In the 1990s, census records show, the South gained more then 3 million black residents, seeing that population grow more rapidly than in any other part of the country. 

But not all the blacks who leave San Francisco head to the South. Demographer Hans Johnson of the Public Policy Institute of California noted that cities on the outer edges of the Bay Area, such as Vallejo, Antioch and Tracy, have seen the number of black residents grow in great numbers. 

Then, there are those residents who improve their economic status and abandon the inner-city neighborhoods. 

“If you move up and get a better job, are you going to want to stay in the Bayview, where the only bread you can buy is Wonder Bread?” said San Francisco Supervisor Sophie Maxwell. “No. When people do a little better, they say, ’I’m out of here.”’ 

The number of blacks who live in the city now is 60,500. If those who listed themselves as being of more than one race in the 2000 census are included the number increase to 67,000. This is a sharp decline compared to the 1970s, when the black population reached a peak of 96,000.


Rhythm and Blues Juneteenth

Jon Mays/Daily Planet
Monday June 18, 2001

Ricardo Scales (on piano) plays with James Levi and Carl Lockett at the Juneteenth  

Festival in Berkeley yesterday. The festival, attended by well over a thousand people, is a celebration of African American emancipation. The celebration dates back to June 19, 1865 when Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, declared freedom for all slaves. Music, food, games, arts and crafts were part of this year’s celebration.


Appeals court upholds domestic partner ordinance

By David Kravets Associated Press Writer
Monday June 18, 2001

City contractors must offer health, other benefits to unmarried partners 

 

SAN FRANCISCO – A federal appeals panel has upheld a San Francisco ordinance, similar to ones in Los Angeles and Seattle, that demands city contractors offer health and other benefits to domestic partners of unmarried workers. 

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday struck down an Ohio contractor’s challenge to San Francisco’s 1997 law, the nation’s first, requiring that contractors doing business with the city offer the same benefits to unmarried employees’ domestic partners as they do to married employees. 

“This is a tremendous triumph for our equal benefits law,” said City Attorney Louise H. Renne. “San Francisco won’t do business with companies that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.” 

The decision came as many of the nation’s biggest companies are offering such benefits. In 1993, seven Fortune 500 companies had such benefits — compared to 127 today, according to the gay rights group, Human Rights Campaign. 

Thursday’s case arose after electronics firm S.D. Myers of Tallmadge, Ohio, was disqualified from a San Francisco project. Although it was the lowest bidder, it did not afford the same health benefits to its domestic partner employees as it did to married ones. 

The firm’s lawyers, funded by televangelist Pat Robertson’s American Center for Law and Justice, argued that only Congress can adopt an ordinance that impacts interstate commerce. 

But the appellate panel said the law was valid because it treated California and out-of-state companies equally. 

“The ordinance contains no language explicitly or implicitly targeting either out-of-state entities or entities engaged in interstate commerce,” Judge J. Clifford Wallace wrote. “Rather, the ordinance applies to all contractors with the city without any reference to the type or extent of a contractor’s commercial operations.” 

Kevin H. Theriot, a lawyer for Robertson’s group, said he may ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case or demand the appeals court reconsider its decision. 

“We don’t think organizations have to give domestic partner benefits if they don’t want to,” Theriot said. 

After a federal judge sided with San Francisco in 1999, Los Angeles and Seattle adopted similar ordinances. New York City and Atlanta are considering such laws and Florida’s Broward County gives preference to companies offering those benefits. 

Kim Mills, Human Rights Campaign’s education director, said the decision should spur some other municipalities to adopt rules similar to San Francisco’s. 

“It will certainly have an impact on cities contemplating this kind of legislation,” Mills said. 

The Ohio engineering firm was not the only company to challenge San Francisco’s ordinance. 

The city’s ordinance affected the 28 airline carriers at San Francisco International Airport, who lease land from the city, and an untold number of contractors that perform a hodgepodge of work for the city. 

Last year, a federal judge sided largely against a suit brought by the airline industry that challenged San Francisco’s law. U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken ruled that the airlines must provide the same fare discounts, family leave and bereavement leave to domestic partners as to married couples working in San Francisco. 

The judge excluded health and pension benefits, saying the federal government has jurisdiction for the airline industry. Following the ruling, several airlines began offering the same benefits to domestic partners as they do to married couples. 

The airlines’ case, however, is pending before the appeals court. 

The case decided Thursday is S.D. Myers Inc. v. San Francisco, 99-16397.


Embattled Napster CEO discusses copyright issues

By Ron Harris Associated Press Writer
Monday June 18, 2001

SAN FRANCISCO – Embattled Napster, Inc. CEO Hank Barry took the stage at a conference of librarians Saturday to speak about the thorny issues surrounding his troubled song-swap company — issues that could soon vex libraries as well. 

Sitting alongside privacy experts, Barry sought to dispel the notion that copyright issues illuminated by Napster’s legal woes would disappear once a new, legal version of the song-sharing software debuts later this summer. 

“This is a very big battle that were all engaged in and it has very little to do with Napster,” Barry said. “It’s a battle over access to information.” 

He said “copyright absolutists” were responsible for the crackdown on individuals and business exploring the gray and unlitigated areas of intellectual property law. 

Barry spoke of Napster’s widespread popularity, saying that 375 million music files were merely a mouse-click away for the avid users sharing files on March 1. 

“From a record company perspective, that’s about the worst thing that ever happened,” Barry said. 

Those numbers have since dropped off as Napster continues to comply with a federal court injunction demanding the Redwood City-based company vigilantly police its system for unauthorized recordings. 

Siva Vaidhyanathan, a professor of culture and communication at New York University, told the audience that the peer-to-peer concept made popular by Napster would survive and flourish despite changes the company plans to make to its service this summer. Gnutella and Freenet, file-sharing applications with no central server to shut down, would carry on the torch, Vaidhyanathan said. 

A legal gauntlet thrown down by publishing houses and record labels presents a formidable challenge for libraries seeking to augment their services through technology. 

“It cuts us out of the whole argument because you can’t argue for theft,” Vaidhyanathan said. 

Librarians have begun floating the idea of Docster, a Napster-like system wherein documents requested at separate branches could be scanned once and shared via a computer network. 

The inter-library loan system currently in place requires documents be re-scanned each time an individual requests to view them. This allows libraries an effective, but labor-intensive method of servicing the public. 

Changes could be in store for copyright law as lobbyists from many camps push lawmakers for changes to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. 

“Get ready because its going to be a big fight and its going to last around 10 years,” Barry said. 

The panel discussion was hosted by Chris Arnold of National Public Radio and was part of the American Library Association’s annual conference.


Fewer students get aid despite expanded grant program

The Associated Press
Monday June 18, 2001

Incorrect forms causing a big problem for needy California college students 

 

SAN FRANCISCO – Although California education officials have expanded the state’s $500 million college scholarship program, fewer students are expected to receive grants next fiscal year – in part because many applicants didn’t fill out the forms correctly. 

Last year, the Legislature increased funding for the Cal Grants program by $131 million, to $503 million. 

The goal was to expand the number of recipients from 77,600 this year to 125,000 for the fiscal year that begins next month, the San Jose Mercury News reported. But program administrators worry they won’t be able to match current totals. 

Cal Grants are available to California residents attending public or private colleges in the state. They range from $1,550 to nearly $10,000, depending on where a student attends school. The program guarantees financial aid to low-income students who earn a C average or above. 

Gov. Gray Davis has hailed Cal Grants as “the most generous college financial aid program in the nation.” 

But while the bank remains open, not enough people are lining up. 

The commission awarded 77,600 awards this year, but expects to parcel out about 75,500 grants in the fiscal year beginning July 1. 

One reason is that forms can be complicated and applicants are not filling them our properly, Wally Boeck, executive director of the California Student Aid Commission, told the Mercury News. 

Next year, he said, the applicant pool will be larger as an additional high school graduating class becomes eligible for the grant, which is guaranteed so long as students meet academic and financial qualifications. 

Legislators who supported the expansion last year said the decrease in awards was disappointing. 

“It’s unbelievable,” said Elaine Alquist, D-Santa Clara, chairwoman of the Assembly Higher Education Committee. “We were supposed to give grants to 125,000 students and we will be offering them to 75,500 students.” 

Alquist said she plans to hold a hearing next week into the shortfall. 

Boeck said additional funding for outreach would help increase the number of applicants. Pending legislation would provide up to $5 million, including money to employ college students to help applicants fill out the forms. 


Caltrans declares cease-fire in graffiti war

By Robert Jablon Associated Press Writer
Monday June 18, 2001

Department of Transportation to stop painting over vandalized murals 

 

LOS ANGELES – California has declared a cease-fire in the war for the walls. 

Complaints by artists have prompted the California Department of Transportation to temporarily halt the whitewashing of freeway murals vandalized by graffiti. 

In the past six months or so, at least four giant wall paintings, some of them dating back to the 1984 Olympics, have been hit by graffiti “taggers” and then partially or completely covered by cleanup crews. 

“We don’t want to destroy artwork (but) we have to obliterate (graffiti) because we do get quite a number of complaints” from drivers, said Michael Miles, the agency’s deputy district director of maintenance for Los Angeles and Ventura counties. 

A few years ago, graffiti artists had an “unwritten code” against spray-painting their names on artwork, said mural artist Frank Romero, who has done numerous public art projects throughout California. 

“I’ve had murals up 20 years and they’ve never been hit,” Romero said. “This is recent, in the last three to five years. It’s a war.” 

These days, the new generation of taggers proudly posts photographs of defaced paintings on Web sites. 

“It’s the name. It’s the fame,” said VcrOne—LA, a former Los Angeles tagger who runs a graffiti Web site and agreed to speak only if his name was withheld. 

VcrOne said one tagger told him murals are “bombed” — spray-painted with large, multicolored signatures — because taggers seeking recognition know it takes longer for the artwork to be “buffed,” that is, painted over or erased. 

Bill Lasarow, president of the nonprofit Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles, which works to preserve the estimated 2,500 murals throughout Los Angeles County, said the situation was discouraging. 

If gifted artists lose confidence that their murals will be around for the long term, “the less likely it is that we’ll get world-class art in the public place,” he said. 

After declaring a moratorium several weeks ago on covering the murals, Caltrans is working with the conservancy to obtain federal grants to maintain them. 

Another possibility is enlisting businesses to pay for the upkeep of murals as they do for stretches of freeway under the state’s “adopt-a-highway” program. Caltrans also is considering requiring new murals to be painted at least 10 feet above the ground to prevent taggers from reaching them. 

Caltrans now spends $1.4 million a year in Los Angeles and Ventura counties to clean up freeway graffiti. Workers try to clean up normal graffiti within 10 days. But in the case of murals, it can take 45 to 60 days because the artists are notified and given a chance to repair the damage. 

Artists or their sponsors are responsible for maintaining the murals because Caltrans doesn’t have the resources to do it. Miles said it can cost from $250 to $1,500 to erase graffiti from a mural. 

Artists can’t afford to keep putting out that kind of cash, said Judith Baca, co-founder of the Social and Public Art Resource Center, a Venice-based public mural program. Her 1984 freeway mural, “Hitting the Wall,” a 90-foot piece showing women Olympic marathon runners, has been repeatedly tagged. 

Caltrans would spend less money by paying artists to repair their own work than by sending crews to paint them over, she contended. 

“It is a public work and a gift to the city and to the freeway system,” Baca said. “Maintenance of a work like that is a major cost. It’s in the public sphere, so therefore it should be supported by public money.”


Layoff-stricken tech workers find refuge in shelters

By Karen A. Davis Associated Press Writer
Monday June 18, 2001

SAN JOSE – Mike Schlenz, who recently installed computer networks for a living, had been sleeping in his Honda Civic for three months when he went to a homeless shelter. 

John Sacrosante, who earned more than $100,000 a year as a free-lance database engineer, spent his 39th birthday last week with the “brothers” he’s met at the church shelter where he has been living. 

Both are casualties of the struggling economy in Silicon Valley, where a surprising number of former high-tech workers are rubbing elbows with society’s castaways — the mentally ill, drug addicts and hard-luck cases — in homeless shelters. 

“We’re all equal here,” said Sacrosante. “When you’re used to making six figures and working in a dynamic and exciting environment and all of a sudden it goes away, you do have a nice little world of depression going on.” 

Across Northern California, high-tech workers who have suddenly lost their livelihoods are feeling far removed from a manic but contented lifestyle where they counted free cappuccino as perks. 

Nearly 30 unemployed tech workers are among the 100 men at the Montgomery Street Inn and other shelters in San Jose run by InnVision, said Robbie Reinhart, director of the nonprofit organization. 

“They’re not what we used to call hobos on the street. Most have college degrees,” she said. 

Dot-com failures sent San Francisco’s unemployment rate up to 4.2 percent in May from a rock-bottom 2.6 percent a year ago — with 18,000 people added, a new state report shows. 

In Santa Clara County, the heart of the Silicon Valley, layoffs in electronic equipment manufacturing and business services rose for the fifth consecutive month, contributing to a 3.2 percent unemployment rate in May. 

Reinhart says most of the tech workers she sees have had their contracts canceled or been laid off from start-ups and other smaller technology companies. 

Some shelter residents still have jobs, but don’t make enough to afford the high price of living alone in the valley, she said. 

Top consultants and contractors once named their salaries in the valley. Now, even those who qualify for unemployment benefits soon discover the $40 to $230 weekly check won’t cover the rent for an apartment here, where average monthly rents are around $1,800. 

Besides being financially draining, layoffs can be psychologically wrenching for people married to their jobs, said Dr. Ilene Philipson, a clinical psychologist and sociologist at the Center for Working Families at the University of California, Berkeley. 

“There have always been layoffs and economic downturns, but what makes this unusual is that people in the valley have become appendages of their jobs and their workplace. They’ve worked up to 110 hours per week and slept on the conference room floor,” she said. “People have given up all sorts of things to give to their job and when there’s a layoff there’s no other support for them.” 

Suicide and crisis hot line operators in San Francisco and Santa Clara counties report that job-related calls nearly doubled from October to April; many complained of lost jobs or feared they would soon be out of work. 

Studies have shown that 12-18 months after downturns in the economy, suicide rates rise, said Eve Meyer, director of the San Francisco Suicide Prevention Crisis Line. 

“They lose their car, and they can stand it,” said Meyer. “Then they lose their house, and that’s bad. Then they may lose their family. That’s when you get into substance abuse. A year may have gone by the time they call us.” 

Schlenz, 35, a Bay Area native with a degree in environmental chemistry, made as much as $60,000 a year as a free-lance contractor, installing Unix networks, configuring routers and working in desktop support for small companies. Then his jobs disappeared. 

“I’d been to all the job fairs. I’d followed up on all the resumes,” he said. “Some of the larger companies approached me several times, but then kept leading me on for months. Departments were downsized and outsourced. Recruiters just stopped returning messages.” 

Schlenz still has some stock, but the value has dropped. 

“I cashed in half my stocks to eat. I couldn’t even afford gas anymore,” he said. He gave up his apartment after running out of cash, and “car-camped” behind a book store. He showered at a gym where his membership was good through May. 

Someone told him he could get a meal at the Montgomery Street Inn, where he now stays and volunteers as a monitor and teacher in the shelter’s computer lab. 

The Inn has the same policy for all its residents — stay free for a month, then pay $45 a week, whether they have a job or not. Sacrosante had planned to stay no more than five weeks at the shelter, where he teaches residents how to use the computers. 

It’s a far cry from the Oracle database certification classes Sacrosante taught as a consultant to major firms before becoming an independent contractor. He was laid off shortly after moving from San Jose to Phoenix to work on what was supposed to be a six-month project for a company there. 

Sacrosante came back to San Jose three weeks ago with the promise of being hired by one of two Santa Clara-based technical training companies. The offers fell through. 

Though forced to a shelter, there’s an only-in-Silicon Valley twist to his story. Sacrosante and three other former high-tech workers who met at the shelter are launching Intellikon Technologies, a start-up that will resell wearable mobile computing systems. 

Sacrosante said he’ll use some of the funding he secured for the venture to rent a house that will double as an office and housing for the four men. 

Schlenz is still waiting for his lucky break. 

He said he’s applied for an entry-level position, something for which he’s overqualified, at Redwood Shores-based Oracle Corp. 

He hasn’t told his mother, who is in Arkansas, about his current situation. 

But he says he now has more of what it takes to make it when a top company hires him. 

“After this experience, I feel I have more determination than other people,” he said.


Market research says Compaq will surpass Palm in handheld revenues

By May Wong AP Technology Writer
Monday June 18, 2001

SAN JOSE – Palm Inc. remains the world’s leading supplier of handheld computers but will lose its top spot in terms of revenue to Compaq Computer Corp. in the second calendar quarter, according to Gartner Dataquest. 

In a report to be released Monday, the market research firm projects Palm will ship about 700,000 units worldwide, earning between $130 million to $135 million in hardware-related revenues for its fiscal quarter ended June 1. That’s a dramatic drop from the record $507 million it earned two quarters ago. 

By comparison, Houston-based Compaq, whose current quarter ends June 30, is expected to ship up to 500,000 units, resulting in revenues of more than $200 million. Gartner Dataquest did not have historical revenue comparisons for Compaq but said it shipped 250,000 units two quarters ago. 

Palm’s loss in revenue leadership — its first since the Palm Pilot debuted in 1996 — stems partly from the fact that the average price of Compaq’s rival iPAQ devices are about $500, or twice that of Palm products, according to analysts. 

But it also underscores an erosion of Palm’s once high-flying dominance in the young and fast-growing industry of personal digital assistants. 

Palm is currently struggling with an inventory glut and a slowdown in sales — both economy-driven and somewhat self-imposed because of a transition to a new product line. 

At the same time, the Santa Clara-based company has lagged behind competitors, especially in wireless features, and improvements to date of its operating system have not been very significant, said Ken Dulaney, vice president of mobile computing at Gartner Dataquest. 

Microsoft Corp.’s competing Pocket PC operating system, which is used in the iPAQ, is gaining ground as a result, though it remains a distant second to Palm’s overall market share of handheld devices. 

Palm officials have said the company is streamlining its operations and will continue to aggressively develop new products, including ones with wireless features. 

Dulaney thinks Palm will be able to regain its revenue crown from Compaq in perhaps one or two quarters, after it sifts through its troubles. But, he said, the company “must make some changes” to “achieve the level of profitability it enjoyed in the past.”


Opinion

Editorials

BRIEFS

Saturday June 23, 2001

Public can view project environmental review 

A Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Northeast Quadrant Science and Safety Projects is now available for public review. A public hearing on the report will be held July 9 at 105 North Gate Hall at 7 p.m. 

Outdated and seismically unsafe Stanley Hall and Davis Hall North are slated to be replaced with new buildings to house interdisciplinary research facilities, according to a UC Berkeley Office of Physical and Environmental Planning press release.  

The projects will also include construction of a new low-rise structure north of Soda Hall, seismic reinforcement of the Naval Architecture Building, and removal of recreational facilities at the top of the Lower Hearst Parking Structure to make way for more parking. 

The DEIR finds significant “unavoidable” impacts – construction noise and loss of recreation facilities – that will result from the approximately 325,000 square feet of developed space that NEQSS projects will create.  

The Draft EIR is available at the UC Berkeley Physical and Environmental Planning Office in Room 300, 1936 University Avenue, or at the Berkeley Public Library downtown branch at 2121 Allston Way.  

James Joyce Conference and Festival begins July 2 

 

The weeklong 2001 James Joyce Conference and Festival will officially begin at 9 a.m. on July 2.  

This year’s event is sponsored by the UC Berkeley English Department and the Irish Arts Foundation, and takes place primarily at UC Berkeley’s Clark Kerr campus. James Joyce conferences have occurred around the world annually since 1962, making them the longest running academic conferences devoted to a single author.  

Joyce’s works (Ulysses, Finnegans Wake, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Dubliners) have an international following of readers who claim his writing is life-transforming, according to a UC Berkeley Department of English press release. The conference theme this year is “Extreme Joyce/Reading on the Edge” and will explore Joyce’s revolutionary literary style and the ways in which it challenges readers. 

The conference and festival provide an opportunity for those who are not familiar with Joyce, or have found his works too difficult or intimidating, to learn more about the author.  

Drop-in panels will take place all day July 2, 3, 5 and 6, with topics ranging from “Ulysses in Overview” to “Geopolitical Joyce: Some Joycean Border-Crossings.” The conference is $25 per day for the general public and $15 per day for students and will take place at 2601 Warring Street. 

The festival portion of the week will begin at 8 p.m. on July 2 with Leopold’s Fancy giving a free performance of Irish music at Beckett’s Irish Pub, 2271 Shattuck Ave.  

On July 3 at 7:30 p.m. dramatic interpretations of Joyce’s work will be performed at the Krutch Theater on the Clark Kerr Campus, also free and open to the public. 

For more information about the conference, call the Irish Arts Foundation at 642-2754. 

 

Berkeley resident  

earns high school award 

 

Adam Stern of Berkeley has received an Excellence Award for academic achievement during his junior year at Hyde School in Bath, Maine. Hyde is a character-based school which emphasizes attitude and effort more highly than aptitude and talent, according to a Hyde School press release. The growing school now includes a campus in Woodstock, Connecticut and the Hyde Leadership Public Charter School in Washington, D.C.


Two versions of biotech protest story told

The Associated Press
Friday June 22, 2001

SAN DIEGO — Launching a week’s worth of protests tied to a biotechnology convention, activists entered a supermarket Thursday and slapped warning labels on shelves they say were filled with foods made with genetically-engineered crops. 

“People don’t know they are eating this stuff,” said Ama Marston, 26, of San Francisco, before placing a yellow warning label below boxes of Frosted Flakes. The label warned fans of Tony the Tiger: “Genetically Engineered Food – Hazardous for kids, health and the environment.” 

Across town, San Diego Mayor Dick Murphy joined a number biotech executives to praise an industry that saves lives – kicking off the BIO 2001 convention, which officially begins Sunday. 

“Biotechnology is a big word for hope,” said BIO President Carl Feldbaum. 

The two events about an hour apart amounted to a long-distance debate over an industry taking center stage next week when 15,000 people and thousands of protesters are expected to converge on the San Diego Convention Center. 

The convention will be a showcase for an industry that claims to benefit humanity with new cures for diseases and medicines that ease the suffering of millions. Outside, thousands of protesters are planning marches, demonstrations and other colorful, telegenic actions to drive home the message that biotech firms are introducing potentially harmful, genetically engineered products into homes and farms, placing profits above people. 

Police plan a major presence throughout downtown. 

There have been mounting fears that the protests may turn violent, but Thursday’s half-hour event at the Albertson’s supermarket was peaceful. The dozen or so activists were careful to avoid defacing merchandise, labeling only the shelves. They left the store moments before police arrived. 

No arrests were made. Supermarket employees told police they would not press charges. 

Montie Robinson happened to be shopping with his mother for his favorite cereal, Frosted Flakes at the moment the Greenpeace activists were busy attaching labels, with a gaggle of reporters watching. 

“I don’t know what’s in all our food,” he said. “No one is telling me whether I should eat it.” 

At the mayor’s conference, four people with life-threatening diseases stepped forward to say that treatments pioneered by the biotech industry helped save their lives. 

Larry Kincaid, an attorney from East San Diego County, said he is living with a rare form of non-Hodgkins lymphoma with the help of a drug produced by Ligand Pharmaceutical Co. 

“A year ago I was planning my funeral. Now, I’m looking forward to retiring and spending time with my grandchildren,” Kincaid said.  

“This kind of technology gives us a future. It gives our children a future.” 

The three others were an AIDS survivor taking a drug discovered by a pharmaceutical company, a man with lupus who is participating in a clinical trial and a breast cancer survivor who showed her support for firms pioneering new cancer therapies. 

“They are why this conference is important – not just to San Diegans but to people around the world,” Murphy said. 

Protesters are holding their own convention, called Beyond Biodevastation 2001, beginning Friday. Organizers have issued pledges promising all events will follow a strict code of non-violence. 

Police, however, aren’t taken any chances. Officers have been training for months to deal with protesters who plan on being disruptive or violent. The biggest concerns are the so-called “black blocs” of masked anarchists who brought mayhem to the 1999 World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle and other areas. 

“There will be the heaviest presence of blue uniforms in downtown San Diego that this city has seen in some time,” said police spokesman David Cohen. He declined to provide specifics on weapons or tactics. 

As many as 4,000 demonstrators, many from the West Coast, converged on the industry’s conference last year in Boston. San Diego police expect the crowd to be much larger this year. 

Officers will move quickly to arrest any demonstrators who block intersections and violate laws and get them off the streets for the duration of the convention, which ends Wednesday. 

“We will be very aggressive,” Cohen said. “Our goal is to not let it become a Seattle.” 


Vice mayor celebrates 90th birthday

Staff
Thursday June 21, 2001

Vice mayor Maudelle Shirek is having a 90th birthday celebration and 90 people will be taking a minute to share how the councilmember has impacted their lives.  

The party is from 2-4 p.m, Saturday at the North Berkeley Senior Center, 1900 Hearst Ave. 

This extraordinary woman, whose grandparents were slaves in Arkansas, has touched many lives in Berkeley, according to her friend and aide Mike Berkowitz. She has helped people get their first cars, homes and loans when she worked for the Credit Union. Shirek fought for and won funding for the school lunch program at Berkeley High School and is still fighting for the city Youth Center in south Berkeley. She helped get the grant for improving the Adeline Corridor street frontage.  

At a time when the city was resistant to hiring people of color, she helped union members and city workers get employment, raises and job protection, Berkowitz said in a press statement. While Shirek is reportedly the oldest city councilmember in California, she still shops and cooks for the seniors at the New Light Senior Center on a daily basis.  

Special guests expected at the birthday bash include Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, Assemblymember Dion Louise Aroner, Supervisor Keith Carson, plus a host of former and current mayors, councilmembers and other officials.  

Food, drink and entertainment for all ages. $25 sliding scale. 

RSVP 549-1861. People should call this number to sign up to talk for a minute about their experiences with Shirek.


State Supreme Court Justice Stanley Mosk dead at 88

The Associated Press
Wednesday June 20, 2001

SAN FRANCISCO — Stanley Mosk, a self-described liberal whose 37-year tenure on the California Supreme Court made him the state’s longest-serving justice, died unexpectedly at his home here Tuesday. He was 88. 

One of the nation’s most influential state judges, Mosk authored more than 1,500 opinions, many of them landmark decisions on civil rights, free speech, criminal justice and independent state constitutional grounds. 

“This is a sad day for all Californians,” said Gov. Gray Davis in a statement. “We are all the beneficiaries of his extraordinary wisdom and foresight.” 

Mosk, who clerks said was at work Monday, was the remaining liberal on the seven-member court. Davis’ aides said it was premature to discuss a replacement. 

A lifelong Democrat who was appointed to the court in 1964 by Gov. Pat Brown, Mosk was a leading dissenter on conservative courts of recent years. But he confounded liberals by voting to uphold the state’s parental consent law for minors’ abortions – a majority opinion in 1996 that became a dissent a year later when the court’s membership shifted. 

Mosk was a civil rights advocate who established the state attorney general’s civil rights division. As a Los Angeles Superior Court judge overturned a whites-only home deed restriction in 1947, a year before the U.S. Supreme Court voided such covenants nationwide. 

Mosk often produced opinions separate from the court majority and was opposed to the death penalty. But he also showed flexibility, and a knack for anticipating political currents and riding them out. 

The most striking example was his survival in the 1986 election that swept Rose Bird and two fellow liberals from the court, clearing the way for the first conservative majority in 30 years. 

Potential opponents that year were lulled by Mosk’s hints of retirement and unwilling to target a judge with national stature, one who had worked closely with prosecutors as attorney general. 

Also, his position on death penalty cases had changed noticeably: previously a consistent member of court majorities that overturned death sentences, Mosk voted to uphold 10 death sentences on a single day in December 1985. 

That foreshadowed his 1987 ruling, on the new conservative court, overturning a major pro-defense decision in death cases that he had supported four years earlier. A similar episode happened in 1979, when Mosk changed his vote and upheld a mandatory-sentence law that was causing a political furor. 

Stephen Barnett, a University of California at Berkeley law professor who closely follows the high court, said Mosk survived on the bench by knowing “when to trim his sails on a court that’s subject to political pressures.” 

Mosk prevailed and remained to provide balance on a court with no other Democratic appointees, sharing his experience with newer justices and continuing a career that shaped California law for decades. 

His 1978 ruling banned racial discrimination in jury selection, eight years before the U.S. Supreme Court took the same step nationwide. Courts in many other states have adopted his 1982 ruling, banning testimony by previously hypnotized witnesses, and an innovative 1980 decision allowing suits against an entire industry when marketing made it impossible to tell which brand of a product had caused injury. 

Mosk’s 1972 ruling, possibly the most important environmental decision in the court’s history, extended to private developers a law requiring a study of each major project’s likely environmental impact and ways to avoid harm. 

He has also been the court’s foremost advocate of interpreting individual rights in the state Constitution more broadly than federal rights. In response, prosecutors sponsored ballot measures in 1982 and 1990 that wiped out dozens of rulings in criminal cases, many by Mosk; but courts in other states have adopted the same doctrine to chart their own course. 

But in the 1976 case of Allan Bakke, a white student who challenged a minority admissions program at the University of California at Davis Medical School, Mosk ruled all racial preferences unconstitutional. The U.S. Supreme Court disagreed and said race could be considered to promote student diversity, but 20 years later Mosk’s conclusion was adopted by California voters in Proposition 209. 

 

 

 

 

Mosk, the target of picketing and student protests after his ruling, said after the passage of 209 that it had been ahead of its time. 

He is survived by his wife Kaygey Kash Mosk and son Richard Mitch Mosk. Private services in Los Angeles are pending. 


Companies charged in pyramid scheme

The Associated Press
Tuesday June 19, 2001

WASHINGTON — The government has charged four companies with using the Internet to con consumers around the globe out of about $175 million in a massive pyramid scheme. 

SkyBiz.com, based in Tulsa, Okla., and three partner companies promoted a work-at-home business, charging $125 for an educational Internet software package and the opportunity to earn money by recruiting others to buy the packages, the Federal Trade Commission said Monday. 

The recruits would have to buy one or more packages and then could recruit still more people and so on, earning commissions for those above them in the recruiting chain, the agency said, announcing the details of sealed charges filed on May 30. 

“This is one of the biggest pyramid schemes we’ve seen,” said Howard Beales, director of the FTC’s consumer protection bureau. He said the Internet is a “quick, cheap way to reach consumers around the world with whatever the latest con is and here it has provided a forum to resurrect one of the oldest scams around.” 

The agency said in court papers that only people at the very top of the pyramid were successful and most investors lost money. 

On June 6, U.S. District Judge Terry C. Kern froze the operation’s assets and ordered the companies to halt any illegal activities until a hearing June 26, FTC attorney Jim Elliot said. 

Elliot said the government is seeking to disband SkyBiz and return money to consumers. 

 

The FTC charged that the SkyBiz companies and their officers violated federal laws by creating a pyramid scheme, making false claims that consumers would earn large incomes and failing to mention that most people in such schemes lose money. 

The four Oklahoma companies named in the lawsuit are SkyBiz.com Inc.; World Service Corporation; Nanci Corporation International; and WorldWide Service Corporation. 

Joel Wohlgemuth, lawyer for most of the SkyBiz defendants, and Reuben Davis, lawyer for the Nanci company, declined to comment. Lawyers for Stephen D. McCullough, a SkyBiz vice president, didn’t immediately return calls. 

The government said that SkyBiz since 1998 has used in-person sales presentations, seminars, teleconferences, Web site presentations and other marketing material to tout the opportunity to earn thousands of dollars a week by recruiting for the program. 

An ad for the program claimed that one person was able to retire with a monthly income of $400,000 only six months after joining the SkyBiz program, the FTC said. 

The government started investigating the company after receiving complaints from American consumers and from people in Australia, Thailand, India, South Africa and other countries, Elliot said. 

He added that Canadian authorities have brought criminal charges against four of the program’s associates in their country, an Australian civil case is pending against one associate and the Indian government has raided local SkyBiz offices and frozen their assets. 

In its promotional material, SkyBiz says it operates in 200 countries. 

——— 

On the Net: 

Federal Trade Commission: http://www.ftc.gov 


Mill Valley firm looks to clone pets — for a price

Associated Press
Monday June 18, 2001

(AP) — An aging dog named Missy walks with a limp and her time is winding down, but the unassuming pooch is at the forefront of research that could see her become the first cloned pet. 

A small San Francisco Bay area company called Genetic Savings & Clone, Inc. is behind the effort to clone Missy and build a business on doing the same for other pet owners. 

The company has partnered with scientists at Texas A&M University, where the first cattle were cloned. 

Making a perfect copy of Fido won’t be cheap. The procedure could cost $100,000 per animal at first and drop to $20,000 as technology improves.