The Week
News
Arts
Ashkenaz Aug. 21: 9 p.m. Slavonkian Traveling Band. 8 p.m. dance lesson w/ Joyce Clyde. $10; Aug. 22: 9 p.m. Badenya Les Freres Coulibaly, $10; Aug. 23: 10 p.m. - 2 a.m. Dead DJ Night with Digital Dave. $5; Aug. 24: 9:30 p.m. Caribbean All Stars $11; Aug. 25: 9 p.m. California Brazil Camp Benefit, $10; Aug. 26: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. Middle Eastern Dance Workshops with Ma Shuga Mira Murijan and Nanna Candeleria. $45. 8 p.m. Harmonia, $10; Aug. 28: 9 p.m. Gerard Landry and the Lariats, $8; Aug. 29: 8 p.m. Earl White Oldtime Band, Bluegrass Intentions, plus clogging lessons. $10, Kids under 12 Free; Aug. 30: 9 p.m. Samite, Forward Kwenda, $10; Aug. 31: 9:30 p.m. Wawa and the Oneness Kingdom, The Calypsonians, $10; 1317 San Pablo Ave. 525-5054 www.ashkenaz.com -more-
Mentoring program bridges gap
Vista Community College is only two short blocks from the UC Berkeley campus but in the minds of many Vista students it might as well be in another dimension. -more-
Tribune staff calls editorial ‘embarrassing’
East Bay Pride, an Oakland-based organization advocating for gay, lesbian and transgender rights, was not alone expressing outrage at an Aug. 14 Oakland Tribune editorial calling Councilmember Kriss Worthington despicable and a coward and calling the gay council member a single-issue politician. -more-
Brainchild is for kids who love to compete
Don Arreola Burl’s ingenuity created Playground Rats, a competitive summer sports program that’s part of the Berkeley-Albany YMCA offerings. -more-
BHS students elated after 600-mile ride
Far from collapsing in exhaustion, 17 Berkeley High students ended their 600-mile cycling trip to San Diego County’s Santana High School Monday with a burst of spontaneous dancing. -more-
Berkeley environmentalist honored
Berkeley environmentalist Jami Caseber will receive one of the five 2001 Clean Air Champion Awards from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District at its board meeting on Sept. 5. -more-
New web page for healthcare services
OAKLAND — Seniors, the disabled and caregivers in Alameda County can now turn to the Internet to find information about health care services in an attempt to make in-home care easier. -more-
Agilent cutting 4,000 jobs
SAN JOSE — Agilent Technologies Inc., a maker of test and measurement equipment, reported a third-quarter loss that was narrower than Wall Street had expected but said Monday it is slashing 4,000 jobs because business is expected to stay sluggish for quite some time. -more-
Key economic indicators stable
NEW YORK — A key gauge of future U.S. economic activity crept higher for the fourth straight month in July, suggesting that some improvement may lie ahead for the economy. -more-
Companies could be forced to clean MTBE sites
A judge signed an agreement Monday forcing five major oil companies to clean up sites they own that have been contaminated with the gasoline additive MTBE, as part of a settlement with a San Francisco Bay area environmental group. -more-
A bit of bayou in Berkeley
Judging from the sounds of fiddles, accordions and washboards, Civic Center Park was temporarily transported to the prairies and bayous of southern Louisiana Saturday afternoon during the Ecology Center’s 12th annual Cajun Festival. -more-
Smoke detector laws can be deadly
The Daily Planet received this letter addressed to councilmember Maudelle Shirek: -more-
Arts & Entertainment
Ashkenaz Aug. 21: 9 p.m. Slavonkian Traveling Band. 8 p.m. dance lesson w/ Joyce Clyde. $10; Aug. 22: 9 p.m. Badenya Les Freres Coulibaly, $10; Aug. 23: 10 p.m. - 2 a.m. Dead DJ Night with Digital Dave. $5; Aug. 24: 9:30 p.m. Caribbean All Stars $11; Aug. 25: 9 p.m. California Brazil Camp Benefit, $10; Aug. 26: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. Middle Eastern Dance Workshops with Ma Shuga Mira Murijan and Nanna Candeleria. $45. 8 p.m. Harmonia, $10; Aug. 28: 9 p.m. Gerard Landry and the Lariats, $8; Aug. 29: 8 p.m. Earl White Oldtime Band, Bluegrass Intentions, plus clogging lessons. $10, Kids under 12 Free; Aug. 30: 9 p.m. Samite, Forward Kwenda, $10; Aug. 31: 9:30 p.m. Wawa and the Oneness Kingdom, The Calypsonians, $10; 1317 San Pablo Ave. 525-5054 www.ashkenaz.com -more-
KPFA reaches out to disabled community
Members of the disabled community discussed ways to improve KPFA’s coverage of disability issues at a special meeting organized by the public radio station on Saturday afternoon. -more-
Rhetoric can’t fully explain a complicated market
Editor: -more-
Skaters get their power from the sun
When Jonah Most told his mother that he was looking for something to do this summer, she suggested that he get a special project going – something like creating a solar-powered skateboard. -more-
Bush’s stem-call ‘compromise’ fails to satisfy either side
Editor: -more-
Using the tax break for something worthwhile
The Daily Planet received this letter addressed to President Bush: -more-
Blighted industrial sites home of new development
EMERYVILLE — Ten years ago, this sliver of a town was a blighted urban joke of the Bay Area, a smokestack hamlet that became an apparition of tattered warehouses and dead industrial buildings. Below ground was worse. -more-
UC Berkeley extends public input on construction
UC Berkeley has announced that it will extend its period for public comment on a draft document that details potential environmental impacts of proposed campus construction. -more-
Davis renews hopes of saving Edison
California governor wants to help power company avoid bankruptcy; some senators are unconvinced -more-
State power traders to be pulled from control room
LOS ANGELES – The agency that buys and sells electricity on behalf of the California government will pull traders from a power grid control room. -more-
When things go wrong, companies often re-install retired CEOs
TRENTON, N.J. – When the European Union blocked Honeywell Inc.’s merger with General Electric last month, throwing Honeywell in limbo, its board of directors knew they needed a new leader fast to reassure skittish shareholders and stabilize the company. -more-
When things go wrong, companies often re-install retired CEOs
TRENTON, N.J. – When the European Union blocked Honeywell Inc.’s merger with General Electric last month, throwing Honeywell in limbo, its board of directors knew they needed a new leader fast to reassure skittish shareholders and stabilize the company. -more-
Ford says ignition design safe, but lawsuits allege 11 deaths
SAN FRANCISCO – While Ford Motor Co. maintains that alleged defects in its ignition system in 20 million cars don’t cause stalling or endanger passengers, a series of lawsuits nationwide blame stalling in various models for crashes in which at least 11 people died and 31 were injured. -more-
Crucible fires burn for those practicing, learning metal arts
The Crucible’s barren Ashby street facade belies the fires burning inside the brick warehouse. -more-
Community fights back and protests Maio’s firing of popular disability commissioner
Craig’s removal unjust -more-
Slamming fits lifestyle for one poet
Kenny Mostern’s committed to writing poems about every day issues. -more-
Arts
924 Gilman St. Music at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Aug. 18: Dr. Know, The Sick, Society of Friends, Manchurian Candidates, Shut the F*ck Up; $5. 924 Gilman St. 525-9926. -more-
Rock climbing novices celebrate achievements
The youth from the Cal Adventures rock climbing camp celebrated five days of hard work Friday by picnicking with their families and camp advisors in the shadows of Pinnacle Rock at Remillard Park, at Keeler Avenue and Poppy Lane in the north Berkeley hills. -more-
District may lag in testing for play structure arsenic
Despite a nationwide controversy surrounding the safety of arsenic-treated wooden play structures,the Berkeley Unified School District has not taken any steps to reassure concerned parents. -more-
Craig one of best advocates for disabled
The Daily Planet received this letter addressed to Councilmember Linda Maio: -more-
Vigil strives to honor those who have died
Some die on the streets, some in crack houses, some with a bullet to their heads. Their deaths might get a quick mention on the back pages of a newspaper. The stories of their lives, however – even at their funerals – are overshadowed with the dark clouds that surrounds what bluesman Masallah calls the “dubious circumstances” of their deaths. -more-
Students weave Web sites, careers
Switching speaking personas between streetwise youth, motivational speaker and drill sergeant, Jessy Gonzalez captivated the attention of 28 high school students on the last day of a summer computer course. -more-
Center Street restaurant brings back memories
A Berkeley Observed article published a few weeks ago sparked the interest of a reader. Richard Dinkelspiel, who celebrated his 88th birthday this year, looked at the photograph of Center Street and exclaimed, “Ennors Restaurant was right there! Mom and Dad always had dinner there when they visited Berkeley from Suisun where the Ennors had their first restaurant.” -more-
Court says police wrongfully relegates disabled officers
SAN FRANCISCO — The San Jose Police Department has relegated its disabled officers to “unsatisfactory jobs” in which they have “little or no possibility for promotion,” violating the Americans with Disabilities Act, an appeals court ruled Friday. -more-
Thousands of dollars spent to alter state term limits
SACRAMENTO — Lawmakers, corporations and special interest groups have poured more than $800,000 into a drive to change California’s term limit laws to let some lawmakers stay longer in office. -more-
Owner should be singing happy tune for new engine
Dear Tom and Ray: -more-
Tech turnaround more elusive after latest warnings
Hopes for a tech turnaround suffered another blow this past week when Ciena Inc. and Dell Computer Corp. became the latest sector bellwethers to report weak results and pessimistic forecasts. -more-
Ford Motor Co. plans to cut 4,000 jobs
DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. plans to slash between 4,000 and 5,000 white-collar jobs in North America by the end of the year, a high-ranking Ford executive told The Associated Press on Friday. -more-
Israeli tanks move into Palestinian territory
JERUSALEM — Israeli tanks rolled into a Palestinian area in the southern Gaza Strip early Saturday and exchanged fire with militants, leaving one dead and 10 injured, Palestinian officials said. -more-
Jamaica considers legalizing marijuana for private use despite U.S. protests
KINGSTON, Jamaica — In the heart of Kingston, about a dozen men stand in an open-air emporium stacking long buds of marijuana even though the crop is illegal in Jamaica. -more-
Lamile Perry breaks 5 wheelchair track records
The Bay Cruisers proved they were worthy of their name when they flew through the National Junior Wheelchair Track and Field Championships, capturing over a dozen medals, breaking nine national records and receiving the award for the best large team in the country. -more-
Tribune should retract prejudiced editorial
The Daily Planet received a copy of this letter written by Councilmember Kriss Worthington to The Oakland Tribune responding to an Aug. 14 editorial in which the author called Worthington a “coward” and accused him of “advancing what seems to be a single agenda in a city widely known for its diversity.” -more-
City nets 4 redistricting plans
By Wednesday at closing time, the City Clerk’s Office had received four proposals to redraw the boundary lines of the eight council districts in order to distribute the city’s population equally within each. -more-
Cal athletic director preps for success
The honeymoon is almost over for new Athletic Director Stephen Gladstone. Just two months on the job, he's been busy preparing the department for the coming year. -more-
Little change seen in scores of state tests
Initial analysis of the 2001 Stanford 9 test scores, released this week, revealed little change from last year’s scores among Berkeley students. -more-
Nonprofit fights environmental degradation
In the four years she has been working at Project Underground, a Berkeley-based nonprofit organization that fights against abusive gold mine and oil exploitation, Catherine Baldi has seen the organization grow. -more-
State conservation buoyed by incentives, weather
SACRAMENTO — Higher electricity rates and state-funded rebates on energy efficient appliances have helped Californians conserve power this summer. But the main reason for that may be due more to the weather than Gov. Gray Davis. -more-
Stores continue pulling gel candies linked to deaths
SAN FRANCISCO — Two major grocery chains have pulled a type of imported jelly candy from thousands of supermarkets nationwide after public health officials here warned they were linked to the choking deaths of two children. -more-
Blazes under control in Northern California
SACRAMENTO — Firefighters battling the largest fire in Northern California contained it Thursday morning, while residents living near another fire were allowed to return to their homes as that blaze also wound down by evening, officials said. -more-
Marine World fatality after ride
VALLEJO — The death of a woman who suffered bleeding in the brain after riding a spinning teacup-style ride at Six Flags Marine World has officials wondering if such rides should be more closely studied. -more-
Report says feds discriminate with grants
WASHINGTON — Federal officials routinely discriminate against religious groups when handing out grant money, taking constitutional concerns about the separation of church and state too far, the White House contended in a report Thursday. -more-
Committee proposes some Internet access to federal court records
WASHINGTON — People could log onto their home computers instead of going to the federal courthouse to get information on many cases under a plan to put records on the Internet. -more-
Pollution killing more people than traffice crashes
WASHINGTON — More people are being killed by pollution from cars, trucks and other sources than by traffic crashes, researchers estimate in a report that says cleaning up would prolong the lives of thousands of people. -more-
Unusual circumstances in Texas stay of execution
AUSTIN — The successful last-minute attempt to spare the life of convicted killer Napoleon Beazley included two unusual twists: the judge who presided over Beazley’s trial asked the governor to stop the execution, and one of his own appeals lawyers admitted doing a poor job. -more-
Study finds hands-free phones still distracting
DETROIT — A study released Thursday said hands-free devices for cell phones do not appreciably reduce driver distraction, suggesting laws mandating the use of such devices may be ineffective. -more-
Gardening isn’t just gardening, it’s life
Grinding a slug under the heel of your boot and then selecting flora to tenderly cultivate. Methodically exterminating generations of snails and then constructing your very own greenhouse. -more-
Industry Standard magazine to file for bankruptcy
SAN FRANCISCO — Sinking along with the Internet economy that it covered, the Industry Standard will suspend publication next week and file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, according to an internal company memo obtained Thursday by The Associated Press. -more-
Economists encouraged by falling consumer prices
WASHINGTON — A sharp drop in the cost of gasoline and other energy products helped drive down consumer prices in July by the largest amount in 15 years. -more-
Nosebleeds can signify something serious
DALLAS — Nosebleeds can be a nuisance. Or something more serious. -more-
Make changes, lose the medicine
ROCHESTER, Minn. — Make a few changes in your life, and you could reduce or even eliminate the need for blood pressure medicine, advises the Mayo Clinic Health Letter. -more-
Career stems baseball, military, school services
Charles Richardson tends his thriving garden of beans, tomatoes, peppers and corn in the side yard of his north Berkeley home. -more-
BHS senior takes seat on board
Serena Chandler, a Berkeley High School senior, never dreamed she’d be in the chair she’d be seated in Wednesday night, when she would take her place as student director on the Board of Education. -more-
Something constructive can come of the quandary
I sometimes claim I was seven feet tall before I became mayor of Berkeley but got so short – under five feet – from everybody beating on me! Nothing brought that home to me more than the recent episode involving the Boy Scouts. In response, I am determined to carve something constructive out of the embarrassing happenings of last week. -more-
Gay group criticizes ‘homophobic’ editorial
East Bay Pride, the largest gay organization in the East Bay, announced Wednesday that it has severed its relationship with the Oakland Tribune because of a “homophobic” editorial attacking Councilmember Kriss Worthington. -more-
City sponsors safety light program
Berkeley lab nabs computer funding
The U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory announced today that it has received nearly $2 million this year and expects to receive an additional $6 million over the next three years to participate in an advanced computing program. -more-
Bristol-Myers offers competing drug for free
NEW YORK — Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. is offering a free, one month supply of its prescription cholesterol drug Pravachol in a bid to capture patients who took a competing drug Bayer Corp. pulled from the market last week amid safety concerns. -more-
UC students have own idea to reconfigure districts 7,8
The Associated Students of the University of California held a news conference Tuesday after submitting a redistricting plan that could elect the first student to the City Council and shift the city’s balance of power in the progressives’ favor. -more-
Pacifica crisis reheats with show under siege
The crisis within the Pacifica family of listener-sponsored radio stations may be coming to a head, as the morning news magazine produced by popular host Amy Goodman was canceled Tuesday and replaced, in much of the country, by a rerun of an old show. -more-
State senator poses gun legislation
State Sen. Don Perata unveiled legislation Tuesday that would hold gun manufacturers liable for what he called irresponsible design and marketing of their products. -more-
Alta Bates Summit CEO announces resignation
OAKLAND— Irwin Hansen, president and chief executive officer of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center said today that he will resign, effective September 1. -more-
Police Briefs
An incident between a cyclist and a motorist raged out of control late Sunday night, leaving a man and his bike banged up. -more-
Opinion
Editorials
Make smart changes to decrease power bill
According to a 1996 Department of Energy report on residential lighting, in the average U.S. home, lighting accounts for about 1,800 kilowatt-hours a year of the total electricity bill, more than $200 annually at current energy rates. -more-
Two-fifths of schools in Davis program slip on test
YUBA CITY – Everyone was ecstatic a year ago when test scores soared at April Lane Elementary, one of 430 schools in the first group going through Gov. Gray Davis’ three-year improvement program. -more-
Video shows city employees disposing of homeless’ belongings
SAN FRANCISCO — A video obtained by a Bay Area television station shows Department of Public Works employees dumping shopping carts full of the personal belongings of homeless people into the back of a garbage truck. -more-
Court mandate says officers must make traffic stops safely
SAN FRANCISCO — Law enforcement officers are required to use “reasonable care” when making traffic stops, the California Supreme Court ruled Thursday. -more-