Dave Lyons, president of the Rosa Parks Elementary School PTA, thought he was ready for the first day of school. -more-
When Cal women’s soccer coach Kevin Boyd is asked about his biggest concern heading into the 2001 season, he has a hard time coming up with something he’s really worried about. But ask him about the team’s biggest strength, and an answer is immediate. -more-
Albatross Pub Sept. 1: David Widelock Jazz Trio; Sept. 5: Whiskey Brothers; Sept. 6: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 11: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Duo; Sept. 13: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 19: Whiskey Brothers; Sept. 20: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 22: Larry Stefl Jazz Quartet; Sept. 27: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Free. All shows begin at 9 p.m. 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473 albatrosspub@mindspring.com -more-
SAN FRANCISCO – On a cable car over Nob Hill the other day, I overheard a blonde, middle-age tourist whisper this confidence to her companion: “It sure ain’t Texas, I can tell you that much.” “No kidding,” mumbled the burly man in a Hawaiian shirt as he continued filming the city with his camcorder. -more-
The first day of Berkeley High School’s new student ID policy was far from a booming success, with many students not receiving their identification cards and most of the others disregarding the policy even though they had their tags. -more-
About 50 law enforcement officers and 24 cadets attended an all-day seminar and training at Oakland City Hall to become more familiar with issues related to the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender community. -more-
By Daniela Mohor -more-
One lawmaker stuffed spinach in his milk carton. Another recalled “barfaroni” with distaste. A third learned to love liver. -more-
SACRAMENTO — Democrats proposed new districts Wednesday that would probably allow them to maintain their overwhelming majority in the state Assembly for the next decade. -more-
Patients rate hospital stays statewide -more-
WASHINGTON — At least 40,000 federal tax returns and payments involving $810 million were either lost or destroyed at a Pittsburgh processing facility. -more-
WASHINGTON — The nation’s economy inched ahead in the spring at the slowest pace in eight years. Still, the fact that there was any growth at all fueled hope that the economy may be ready to begin climbing again – without tipping into recession. -more-
Nearly 200 people gathered outside KPFA Tuesday morning to show support for “Democracy Now!,” the popular news magazine that recently reheated the crisis within the Pacifica group of listener-sponsored radio stations. -more-
Albatross Pub Sept. 1: David Widelock Jazz Trio; Sept. 5: Whiskey Brothers; Sept. 6: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 11: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Duo; Sept. 13: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 19: Whiskey Brothers; Sept. 20: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 22: Larry Stefl Jazz Quartet; Sept. 27: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Free. All shows begin at 9 p.m. 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473 albatrosspub@mindspring.com -more-
In a special budget workshop Monday night, Alameda County education officials told the Berkeley school board that its 2001-2002 budget will probably not be approved by the state due to a number of errors and inconsistencies. -more-
Touting the resurrection of the commercial nuclear energy industry, Dr. Denis Beller, told a group of 20 people Monday night at UC Berkeley that nuclear power is now safe, clean and affordable. -more-
After a summer of overnight sailing adventures and educational voyages on the San Francisco Bay, the 11 graduates from the Pegasus Lifeskills Project celebrated the completion of their program with a barbecue Friday night at the Berkeley Marina. -more-
HOPLAND — A man accused of starting a campfire that burned out of control and led to the death of two air tanker pilots was charged with two counts of murder Tuesday by Mendocino County prosecutors. -more-
SACRAMENTO— HealthNet of California plans to drop Sutter Health from its Medicare HMO network, and will stop paying for Seniority Plus subscribers’ care from Sutter’s hospitals or doctors after Jan. 1. -more-
WASHINGTON — The Bush administration wants to ensure that a U.N. conference on children does not proclaim support for abortion, officials said Tuesday. It was the latest sign of a prickly relationship between the United States and the United Nations, which already are at odds over a racism meeting. -more-
The Associated Press -more-
BEIT JALLA, West Bank — Israeli troops seized parts of this Palestinian town and fortified positions with sandbags Tuesday as Israel said it was settling in for an indefinite stay – a first in 11 months of fighting. -more-
SAN DIEGO — Struggling personal computer maker Gateway announced Tuesday it is laying off about 5,000 employees – 25 percent of its global workforce – as it tries to cope with an increasingly bleak market. -more-
NEW YORK — Consumer confidence dropped for the second consecutive month in August, a sign of growing concern about a lack of jobs and unemployment, a private research group said Tuesday. -more-
LOS ANGELES — Jury selection began Tuesday in what was expected to be a mammoth court battle between two partners who helped spawn the biotechnology revolution. -more-
UC Berkeley students face an easier housing search this fall than last in the wake of the dot-com bust, according to city and university housing officials and local rental agencies – but not necessarily a less expensive one. -more-
Editor: -more-
Parents and professionals -more-
Proponents of strengthening a warning against wearing chemical fragrances at public meetings say the city’s current admonition, printed on public meeting agendas, is vague and arbitrary. The council will consider stronger wording when it meets Sept. 11. -more-
A weekend riot at UC Berkeley has prompted school officials to ban all dances at the school’s main dance hall for the semester, the university announced Monday. -more-
The National Institutes of Health announced Monday that the University of California at San Francisco is among 10 organizations worldwide that are eligible to receive federal funds for stem cell research. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — Florence Vangay was once a refugee in search of opportunity. Like thousands of Hmong, she fled her native Laos to escape persecution after the Vietnam War, and eventually settled in California’s Central Valley. Now she has joined a growing wave of Southeast Asian immigrants again on the move, looking for a better life. -more-
Open Paw seeks another ‘doggy’ first -more-
SAN JOSE, CA. — “‘Til death do us part,” that age-old marriage vow, has always sounded a little, well, non-committal to Confucian ears. In Vietnam, for instance, where I come from, death is not the end of relationships, it only deepens them. -more-
Albatross Pub Sept. 1: David Widelock Jazz Trio; Sept. 5: Whiskey Brothers; Sept. 6: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 11: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Duo; Sept. 13: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 19: Whiskey Brothers; Sept. 20: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 22: Larry Stefl Jazz Quartet; Sept. 27: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Free. All shows begin at 9 p.m. 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473 albatrosspub@mindspring.com -more-
Two years ago, the Pac-10 was a national joke. Last year, three teams tied for the conference title, had big bowl wins and finished in the top 10 nationally. So with expectations raised sky-high for the conference leaders this season, can Oregon, Oregon State and Washington replicate their super seasons? Or will the league be hit with another down cycle? With eight teams returning their starting quarterbacks and a couple of early Heisman candidates in Oregon quarterback Joey Harrington and Oregon State tailback Ken Simonton, this could be the year that establishes the conference back in the nation’s elite. Here are our predictions for the upcoming season. -more-
Lamont is nervous. A police officer has stopped him and is asking for his identification. But Lamont refuses to produce his wallet or the I.D that is inside. And the police officer looks like he is getting mad. -more-
The Berkeley Daily Planet received this letter addressed to United States President George W. Bush. -more-
For reading 275,462 pages over six months last year – on their own time – John Muir Elementary School students will be awarded $5,000 from the state. -more-
“The students are here.” -more-
CARLSBAD – Straddling a longboard, Kim Kennis scanned the incoming waves, searching for one packing enough height and force. -more-
Berkeley High School staff arrived back on campus Friday for the first of three “staff development” days, two of which will focus on formulating a response to the criticisms leveled against the school in a recent report by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. -more-
A sudden-death haiku was called for at the Berzerkeley Slam Wednesday night to break a tie between competing poets. The standing room only audience at the Starry Plough’s weekly event snapped their fingers and shouted encouragement to the performers taking their turn at the microphone. -more-
Albatross Pub Sept. 1: David Widelock Jazz Trio; Sept. 5: Whiskey Brothers; Sept. 6: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 11: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Duo; Sept. 13: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 19: Whiskey Brothers; Sept. 20: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 22: Larry Stefl Jazz Quartet; Sept. 27: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Free. All shows begin at 9 p.m. 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473 albatrosspub@mindspring.com -more-
With academics back in order, sophomore cornerback is at the top of the depth chart -more-
The city of Berkeley has put out the call for a new transportation czar who will be responsible for all transportation planning, traffic engineering and alternative transit programs. -more-
The Berkeley Daily Planet received this letter addressed to Nancy Conway, the executive director at the Oakland Tribune. -more-
State Sen. Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo, strongly encouraged women to run for public office during the League of Women Voters of Berkeley, Albany and Emeryville annual community luncheon Friday. -more-
Editor: -more-
Only three 19th century commercial buildings are still standing on busy University Avenue. 844 and 982 University Avenue are physically intact examples of what was, in the 1880s, a common commercial style. Tall display windows for lighting the interior of the business reflected a technical advance of pane-glass making in the mid-nineteenth century. Surrounding these large windows were carved wood moldings and brackets typical of the Victorian era. -more-
The Berkeley Daily Planet received this letter addressed to the school board and superintendent of Berkeley. -more-
East Bay lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pride conference under way -more-
SACRAMENTO — Police across the nation detained passengers in airports and stopped them on the streets Friday if they bore a passing resemblance to a Ukrainian immigrant accused in Monday’s brutal slayings of six family members. -more-
Dear Tom and Ray: My wife drives our 1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, which has only 60,000 miles of easy driving on it. The car is loaded and is in mint condition. -more-
NEW YORK — After languishing through the dog days of August, the stock market finally perked up Friday with the Dow industrials enjoying a 194-point gain. -more-
A group of the city’s disabled people are organizing to protest Councilmember Linda Maio’s decision to remove Commissioner Karen Craig from the Commission on Disability earlier this month. -more-
Have you ever wanted to taste the cultural spices of Boriqua, sip Arabic coffee, invite Yemaya for a stroll, but couldn’t fit a world cruise into your schedule? -more-
Albatross Pub Sept. 1: David Widelock Jazz Trio; Sept. 5: Whiskey Brothers; Sept. 6: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 11: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Duo; Sept. 13: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 19: Whiskey Brothers; Sept. 20: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 22: Larry Stefl Jazz Quartet; Sept. 27: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Free. All shows begin at 9 p.m. 1822 San Pablo Ave.843-2473 albatrosspub@mindspring.com -more-
A new head coach. A new offensive coordinator. A new quarterback. The Berkeley High football team has a lot of obstacles to overcome if the Yellowjackets are to score many points in the upcoming season. -more-
New Superintendent of Schools Michele Lawrence has scheduled a special budget meeting for Monday to review persistent problems with the district’s budget for the school year beginning Aug. 29. -more-
NEW YORK — It sounds as surreal as an old Bob Dylan song: Pancho Villa playing center field for a 1930s team called the Boston Fords, taking on such rivals as the Pittsburgh Plymouths and the St. Louis Cadillacs. -more-
City Carshare and the city of Berkeley have decided to launch a scaled-down car sharing program in November rather than waiting for UC Berkeley to approve additional funding for the project. -more-
KPFA-area listeners are planning a response to the suspension without pay of news magazine “Democracy Now!” host Amy Goodman and her staff at WBAI in New York by holding a rally at the Berkeley station Tuesday morning. -more-
LOS ANGELES — The South Coast Air Quality Management District can continue its ban on diesel vehicles in public fleets after a federal judge upheld the air quality agency’s policy on Thursday. -more-
SAN JOSE — American Indians want to be part of the solution to the nation’s energy woes, and are eager to work with energy companies to build power plants and extract fuels on tribal lands. -more-
CERES— By the time Rep. Gary Condit’s televised interview with ABC-TV reporter Connie Chung had ended, so, it seemed, had much of his support in his rural Central Valley congressional district. -more-
SAN DIEGO — A Northern California couple say they will pay a British surrogate mother who is suing them for breach of contract. -more-
When painting, the color choice or combination of colors (“color palette”) has a significant effect on both the appearance and value of a home. This is true of both interior- and exterior-painting projects. At the exterior, the color configuration can make a narrow house appear wider or a short, stubby house look taller. On the interior, a light color can make a room appear larger, while a dark color has the opposite effect. -more-
Liens from contested home improvement projects are unnerving to many homeowners. They risk legal fees, poor credit ratings, and lose their ability to sell their home if the lien is not resolved. -more-
BOSTON — Scientists are questioning the most surprising discovery from last winter’s deciphering of the human genetic code – the assertion that people have only about 30,000 genes, or roughly twice as many as the fruit fly. -more-
BEIJING — China’s government admitted the growing scale of its AIDS epidemic with rare candor Thursday, saying HIV cases nationwide had surged and confirming that hundreds of people in a single village were infected by a blood-buying operation. -more-
WASHINGTON — The number of laid-off workers drawing unemployment benefits has hit a nine-year peak, the government reported Thursday, providing stark evidence of the toll the yearlong economic slowdown was taking on the nation’s labor markets. -more-
SAN JOSE — Airports, schools and hotels might want to look closer at the wireless Internet networks they increasingly have been installing as a convenience for the must-stay-connected crowd. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — A federal grand jury has indicted three executives of a Marin County electronics firm, accusing them of illegally selling gear to India that could be used to make nuclear weapons, prosecutors said Wednesday. -more-
SACRAMENTO — This year’s California high school graduates thinking about college increased their scores slightly on their college-entrance tests in English skills, but dropped in math. -more-
LOS ANGELES — Steaming, swamp green and topped with whipped cream, the chocolatey “o-cha mocha” drink is the brainchild of Japanese executives hoping to do for green tea what Starbucks has done for coffee. -more-
Oakland’s downtown Chinatown area returned to normal yesterday afternoon following a gas leak that forced the evacuation of numerous businesses along Eighth Street. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — State regulators expanded a program to help low-income residents pay their power bills on Thursday, but left unaddressed a laundry list of other issues that will determine the future of California’s electricity market. -more-
