The Week
News
Quiet Berkeley streets are full of surprises
There are several residential streets in Berkeley which are almost pristine examples of early 20th century development. Walking down one of these quiet streets (often by-passed and hidden because of street barriers) is to experience a different era. -more-
Judi Bari trial is about civil rights
To the Editor: -more-
‘Homebody/Kabul’ – Kushner sends Berkeley Rep audiences on fascinating journey through Afghanistan
American playwright Tony Kushner wrote the most famous play of 1990s with his seven-hour, two-part creation “Angels in America,” which won a Pulitzer Prize and many other awards. “Angels” was commissioned by San Francisco’s Eureka Theater, then under the direction of Tony Taccone, who now heads the Berkeley Rep. -more-
Arts & Entertainment Calendar “Pericles, Prince of Tyre” Through May 4: Thur. - Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 7 p.m., William Shakespeare’s tale of lost hopes and love regained. Directed by Jon Wai-keung Lowe. $14. La Val’s Subterranean, 1834 Euclid, 234-60
Theater -more-
Panthers drop second straight extra-inning game
The St. Mary’s High baseball team lost their second straight extra-inning game on Friday, as Andy Duncan’s sacrifice fly brought home the winning run for St. Joseph in the ninth inning of a 12-11 final at Washington Park in Alameda. -more-
Food activist weighs School Board run
Joy Moore, a community nutrition outreach worker for the City of Berkeley, is considering a run for the Board of Education in November. -more-
Berkeley school chiefs should expain need for standardized tests, or oppose them
aTo the Editor: -more-
ABC insists Peter Jennings take $3 million pay cut
NEW YORK — ABC’s need to reverse years of excessive spending by its news division may be prompting the network to ask Peter Jennings to take a substantial pay cut, an industry analyst said Friday. -more-
Nader attacks Congress on energy, campaign finance policies at Cal
Consumer advocate and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader criticized Congress for watering down energy and campaign finance legislation and railed against corporate influence on politics at a UC Berkeley appearance Friday afternoon. -more-
Reworking of ‘Long Day’s Journey’ adds little to classic play
Eugene O’Neill is one of America’s greatest playwrights. Over the course of his career he almost single-handedly lifted American playwriting from being looked at as narrow and provincial to internationally-respected and first-rate. -more-
Transportation is number one issue at Southside Plan meeting
Officials called for transportation to be the number one priority of the developing Southside Plan at this week's Berkeley Planning Commission meeting. -more-
California Assembly: Vote yes on clean energy SB532
To the Editor: -more-
SF Intl. Film Festival showcases Berkeley directors
The audiences cuing up outside Bay Area theaters for the San Francisco International Film Festival – continuing until May 2 – are not only getting the first and sometimes only look at films from around the world, they are getting a chance to see and hear makers of those films in person. -more-
Immigration laws face scrutiny at ethics conference
Scholars and legal experts gathered at UC Berkeley to debate the changing face of immigration laws in the United States at The 6th Annual Travers Ethics Conference. -more-
Student convicted of plotting attack at De Anza College DeGuzman faces up to 94 years in prison for assembling arsenal
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Al Joseph DeGuzman, who assembled an arsenal of guns and homemade bombs while plotting a killing spree of fellow students at De Anza College, was convicted on 108 counts Friday of possessing and planning to use those weapons. -more-
Governor puts $25 billion in education bonds on November ballot
LOS ANGELES — Measures to put $25.3 billion in education bond measures before California voters in two elections were signed by Gov. Gray Davis on Friday. -more-
Shorebirds migrating past Northwest to the Arctic
HOQUIAM, Wash. — In a rush to get to their arctic breeding grounds, hundreds of thousands of migrating shorebirds are making their annual pit stops along the coast of Washington. -more-
Future’s bright with glass block walls
As artistry and functionality creep back into modern home design, glass block re-emerges, not just as a privacy solution for bathroom windows, but as an attractive way to keep light flowing in throughout the home. -more-
Japanese-Americans re-create World War II internment experience
WATSONVILLE, Calif. — At noon on Saturday, Japanese-American men, women and children in fedoras and flowered dresses will report to a government building, attach tags with government-issued numbers to their suitcases and buttonholes, and ride a bus to a place with fences and guard towers. -more-
A year later, no breaks in Chandra Levy’s disappearance
WASHINGTON — Chandra Levy has been gone for a year now and her parents see no end to the uncertainty that fuels their anguish. -more-
Chronology of events in the year since Chandra Levy disappeared
A chronology of events in the disappearance of Chandra Levy: -more-
UC Berkeley dance program founder David Wood dies at 77
Berkeley - David Wood, a renowned dancer, choreographer and professor emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley, who founded the campus's dance program, died on April 21 of complications from Parkinson's disease and muscular dystrophy. He was 77. -more-
Doris Hoffmann, early face of Alzheimer’s in documentary, dies at 94
OAKLAND, Calif. — Doris Goodday Hoffmann, an Alzheimer’s patient who put a face on the devastating disease in her daughter’s Oscar-nominated film, has died. She was 94. -more-
Veritas backup software thriving on security worries
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Veritas Software Corp., one of the world’s top-selling software makers, always seemed to take a back seat to other high-tech heavyweights — until Sept. 11. -more-
UCB suspends pro-Palestine student group over Wheeler Hall takeover
UC Berkeley has suspended Students for Justice in Palestine while officials investigate the group’s April 9 takeover of Wheeler Hall. -more-
New citizen votes for clean energy, SB532
To the Editor: -more-
NPR icons bring East Coast wit & angst to Zellerbach Hall
They are three unlikely stars of American letters – their unsteady, vulnerable voices can be heard through their writing and on the radio – but David Sedaris, Sarah Vowell, and David Rakoff are the crowned triumvirate of humor prose. Their published memoirs wrought with witty failure and anxiety have charmed and amused the in-crowd. -more-
Berkeley, El Cerrito split track meet
Yellowjacket boys, Gaucho girls win -more-
School Board tangles over maintenance budget
The Board of Education tangled with activists over the multi-million dollar maintenance budget and tabled a change in the hiring process for principals at its Wednesday night meeting. -more-
California should clean up its energy policy
To the Editor: -more-
‘Jihad’ explores dynamics of Islamist movements
The calamity of September 11 has unleashed a flurry of books – both old and new – that seek to explain the intricacies of the volatile region to a hungry public. Gilles Kepel, author of “Jihad: The Trail of Political Islam”, will discuss his own historical viewpoint tonight at 7:30 at Cody’s Books on Telegraph Avenue. -more-
Gauchos blast BHS
El Cerrito volleyball completes season sweep over Berkeley -more-
Protesters call on UCB to end animal research
Berkeley Organization for Animal Advocay (BOAA) held a vigil last night before UC Berkeley’s Northwest Animal Facility to protest the use of animals for experimentation. Clutching signs and candles, the black-clad protesters stood in silence along Oxford St. between Hearst and Berkeley streets while campus police video-taped the scene. -more-
If people love Berkeley, let them create new cities like it - don’t overcrowd this one
To the Editor: -more-
Earth First! exuberant in FBI/OPD conspiracy trial
The third week of testimony in the civil suit of Earth First v. The FBI and the Oakland Police Department came to a close Thursday evening with the plaintiffs feeling exuberant over early strides made in their case. -more-
Responsibility for securing a clean energy future rests on us
To the Editor: -more-
History
Today is Friday, April 26, the 116th day of 2002. There are 249 days left in the year. -more-
Not all who oppose Israel’s policies are anti-Semitic
To the Editor, -more-
16 sexual predators go free
SAN FRANCISCO — While Gov. Gray Davis’ efforts to keep Patrick Ghilotti behind bars went all the way to the California Supreme Court, few noticed when at least 16 other sexually violent predators were allowed to disappear quietly into their communities. -more-
Ghilottii denied release
SAN FRANCISCO — The California Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Gov. Gray Davis cannot arbitrarily overrule a state law that sets guidelines for freeing rapists and child molesters after they have served their sentences. -more-
Livermore lab director says no more nuclear testing
LIVERMORE — A year ago, President Bush asked the director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to find out how long it would take to restart nuclear test explosions. -more-
Local man arrested in airport security sting
The FBI announced Thursday that four Oakland International Airport employees have been arrested on suspicion of failing to disclose prior felony convictions when applying for airport badges that gave them access to secure areas of the airport. -more-
State sued over timber logging practices
SACRAMENTO — A Sierra Nevada conservation group sued the state Thursday over its approval of logging plans by the state’s largest timber company. -more-
New wholesale power market design approved
Five glasses of water per day keeps the doctor away
Home and Garden – Q&A
Q. I have a humming noise in my water lines, caused by a vibration that results when the tank float valve in my toilet nears shut-off. Is there a way to fix it other than by replacing the float and shut-off valve assembly? -more-
California existing home prices hit record in March
LOS ANGELES — The cost of home ownership in California broke another barrier in March, with the median home price topping $300,000 for the first time, according to industry figures released Thursday. -more-
Airport scanner reduction hurts InVision Tech.
NEW YORK — Shares of InVision Technologies Inc., which makes airport luggage scanners, fell Thursday after the Transportation Department reduced the number of such machines it plans to deploy at airports this year. -more-
City Council looks back at Israel vote
After input from citizens and councilmembers, the controversial resolution from the Peace and Justice Commission to divest from Israel and Palestine that contained several items supporting peace processes in the region was picked apart, rewritten, but in the end it was still voted down. -more-
Panthers drop extra-inning thriller to Albany
The St. Mary’s High baseball team missed a chance to put itself ahead of the BSAL pack on Wednesday, falling apart in the ninth inning to lose, 8-3, to Albany. -more-
Teacher challenges standardized tests
To the Editor: -more-
O Music, Where Art Thou?
Blue grass music is alive and well and can be heard in Berkeley and Albany. The Ashkenaz hosts a monthly Fling Ding, where local bluegrass performers jam, as pictured at left on April 17. -more-
Thursday, April 25
Berkeley High releases new blueprint for change
Berkeley High School has released a blueprint for reform four weeks before a crucial visit by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, a Burlingame-based accrediting group which has threatened to withdraw its seal of approval if BHS does not make progress in 11 areas first identified in 1999. -more-
Support human rights for Palestinians
To the Editor: -more-
Sony’s summer sequels seek super size sales
LOS ANGELES — Sony Pictures is spinning a commanding box-office web this summer, with a lineup anchored by that blockbuster-in-the-making, “Spider-Man,” and sequels to “Men in Black” and “Stuart Little.” -more-
City Council denounces plan for Dublin juvenile facility
The Berkeley City Council passed two resolutions opposing a new Alameda county juvenile facility planned for construction in Dublin. Opponents of the facility say there is no need for a larger facility and that the proposed Dublin location will be inaccessible to most Alameda county families. -more-
City Council spoke clearly against Israel boycott
To the Editor: -more-
Bush official defends U.S. treatment of Taliban prisoners at Guantanamo Bay
John Yoo, a Bush Administration official on loan from UC Berkeley, defended the president’s handling of the 299 alleged Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba at a Wednesday appearance at the university’s Boalt School of Law. -more-
What the Israelis and the Palestinians really want
To the Editor: -more-
History
Today is Thursday, April 25, the 115th day of 2002. There are 250 days left in the year. -more-
University clerical workers rally again, prepare for possible strike
Armed with signs, flyers, food and a woman in a peanut suit, the Coalition of University Employees Local 3 held a lunch-hour rally on the lawn before Sproul Hall on Wednesday to demand an increase in wages for clerical workers from the university. -more-
Rep. Barbara Lee wins integrity award
BERKELEY – U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee has been named the winner of the Wayne Morse Integrity in Government Award for 2002, in part for challenging President Bush’s military plans after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. -more-
Berkeley cyclist sues AIDS Ride charity
SAN FRANCISCO — A Berkeley bicyclist has sued the organizer of the AIDS Vaccine Rides for allegedly misrepresenting how much money raised by the events ends up going to medical research. -more-
Calif. teachers’ bid to select textbooks slips as bill stalls in Assembly committee
SACRAMENTO — A hotly debated bill that would let teacher contract negotiations include textbook and curriculum selection stalled Wednesday night in an Assembly committee. -more-
Calif. cities can ban gun shows, high court rules
SAN FRANCISCO — Counties and cities in California may prohibit gun shows on their fairgrounds and other public properties, despite state laws that allow such events, the state Supreme Court ruled Monday. -more-
California’s first new prison since 1995 nixed in Senate
SACRAMENTO — A Senate budget subcommittee stripped money intended to build California’s first new prison since 1995 on Wednesday, saying the maximum-security facility is unnecessary as the state’s prison population falls. -more-
State Board of Education adopts new standardized test
SACRAMENTO — The state Board of Education picked a new standardized test Wednesday to replace the Stanford 9 exam students take each spring. -more-
Supreme Court squelches Lake Tahoe development
SACRAMENTO — Land-use planners and government agencies, accustomed to second guessing themselves when saying no to developers, are hailing a new U.S. Supreme Court ruling as a victory for sound planning in California. -more-
Berkeley software company sues for consumers’ right to copy commercial DVDs
SAN JOSE, Calif. — A small software company that has an office in Berkeley is taking on entertainment behemoths, suing nine major movie studios for the right to sell a program that allows the user to copy commercial DVDs. -more-
Microsoft agrees to support AMD’s next Athlon microprocessor chip
SAN JOSE, Calif. — In an endorsement of Advanced Micro Devices Inc.’s next-generation processor, Microsoft Corp. has agreed to work on adding support for the chip to its Windows operating system. -more-
South Berkeley explosion injures construction crew
A South Berkeley construction crew was burned early Monday when fumes from a diesel mixture combusted. The crew was working on a new foundation in the basement of a five-unit building at the southeast corner of Milvia and Parker streets. -more-
St. Mary’s jumper hurtles toward 2008 Olympics
Three steps, for most of us, is the distance between the fridge and the cupboard while rummaging for yet another commercial-break snack. But St. Mary’s High track standout Solomon Welch stretches those three steps out a bit. -more-
Rally for more school funding
To the Editor: -more-
‘Scorpion King’ stings competition, opens with $36.1 million weekend
LOS ANGELES — The Rock was ready to rumble at the box office. -more-
Tuesday, April 23
Schultz retires from School Board; Riddle seeks vacant seat
Ted Schultz, an eight-year veteran of the Board of Education, has announced that he will not run for re-election in November. Nancy Riddle, chief financial officer for Monster Cable Products, Inc. of Brisbane and long-time parent activist, has declared her candidacy for the coming vacancy. -more-
Richard Cherry belongs on BHS team
To the Editor: -more-
Berkeley group protects world’s islands
It’s the environmental catastrophe no one seems to know about – the degradation of the world’s islands – and a Berkeley group is addressing it head-on. -more-
History
Today is Tuesday, April 23, the 113th day of 2002. There are 252 days left in the year. -more-
News of the Weird
ERIE, Pa. (AP) — Police are looking for three very unwelcome wedding guests. -more-
Gore criticizes Bush administration’s environmental policies
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Al Gore used Earth Day to unleash his harshest criticism of President Bush since losing the White House to him, saying the administration’s environmental policies serve “special interests instead of public interests.” -more-
Bush defends his environmental record as Gore and others criticize his record; promotes “clear skies” anti-smog plan
WILMINGTON, N.Y. — After a muscle-burning walk through snowy Adirondack Mountain woods, President Bush defended his environmental record on Earth Day and dismissed a chorus of Democratic critics, including former rival Al Gore. -more-
Trash talk: New York mayor’s proposed recycling halt angers environmental groups
NEW YORK — The nation’s recycling movement has been steadily expanding for three decades — so much that it has become almost standard practice for people to separate their paper, plastic and glass. -more-
California shaves $3.5 billion off cost of power contracts
SAN FRANCISCO — California will save $3.5 billion on its long-term energy pacts, state officials said Monday, under reworked terms on eight contracts with four power companies, including San Jose-based Calpine Corp. -more-
Measure boosting benefits retroactively sent to Davis
SACRAMENTO — Lawmakers on Monday sent the governor a bill raising unemployment benefits for workers who lost their jobs following the Sept. 11 attacks, but a partisan fight will delay the increases for months. -more-
A day in the life ... campesinos from Latin America work long days in Arizona fields
YUMA, Ariz. — It’s 2:30 a.m. and Francisco Perez Marez wakes to his alarm. He’s had six hours of sleep. -more-
California court allows local bans of gun shows on public property
SAN FRANCISCO — Counties and cities in California may prohibit gun shows on their fairgrounds and other public properties, despite state laws that allow such events, the state Supreme Court ruled Monday. -more-
Southern farmers pin hopes on growing demand for goat meat
ALBANY, Ga. — Charles Batten turned a few goats loose on his cow pastures 10 years ago to keep weeds down. They do a great job, but these days they’re more valuable for their meat. -more-
Cable network for women gets minuscule ratings in first survey
NEW YORK — Oxygen, the cable television network for women that began with great fanfare two years ago, is barely being seen. -more-
‘Dateline NBC’ and General Motors make peace after flaming truck incident
NEW YORK — A decade after “Dateline NBC” got in trouble for staging a collision to illustrate fire dangers in a General Motors truck, the newsmagazine and automaker have apparently made peace. -more-
Univison to unveil new strategy, programs for Galavision cable
LOS ANGELES — Univision Communications Inc. is programming its Galavision cable channel to appeal to different audiences than its two broadcast networks. -more-
Cal Day, a celebration to recruit
Prospective students and their parents flooded UC Berkeley's Sproul Plaza Saturday taking in the sights and sounds of Berkeley and gathering information, advice and tips on college life at the annual Cal Day. -more-
Undefeated Bears rumble into Final Four
The juggernaut that is Cal rugby continued its quest for a 12th consecutive national championship with a 63-6 demolition of Ohio State in the Elite Eight on Sunday at Witter Field. The Bears allowed just two penalty kicks in the game and shut out the Buckeyes in the second half. -more-
Judge stalls pot club’s defense
SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge in San Francisco spent little time Friday on a bid by the Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative to raise new arguments about why it should be allowed to dispense medical marijuana. -more-
Bears beat Arizona for first-ever state sweep
On the strength of senior Jocelyn Forest’s one-hit, 15-strikeout performance, the No. 8 Golden Bears upset No. 1 Arizona, 2-1, Sunday afternoon at Levine-Fricke Field, marking the first time California has swept the desert schools in a weekend series dating back to the inception of Pac-10 softball in 1987. -more-
Budget cuts to programs for elderly is ill advised
To the Editor: -more-
‘Harmon’ious memories revisited over the weekend
Past and present generations of Harmon House residents gathered Saturday to touch base with old friends, to share stories and memories and of course eat food and at what may be the final reunion at the historic Berkeley communal house. -more-
No. 1 Cal crew beats No. 6 Wisconsin
The No. 1 ranked Cal men’s varsity eight defeated No. 6 Wisconsin by five seconds in dual racing on the Redwood Shores Lagoon, April 21. The undefeated, defending IRA National champion Bears covered the course in a time of 5:40.43. -more-
Homes in Yorba Linda briefly threatened by 125-acre fire
YORBA LINDA — A 125-acre fire apparently sparked by illegal fireworks came dangerously close to homes on the eastern edge of Yorba Linda on Sunday evening, but winds pushed it northeast into a state park and no evacuations were required, authorities said. -more-
Farmers pin hopes on growing demand for goat meat
ALBANY, Ga. — Charles Batten turned a few goats loose on his cow pastures 10 years ago to keep weeds down. They do a great job, but these days they’re more valuable for their meat. -more-
Corn study spurs debate over corporate meddling in academia
When a prestigious scientific journal backed away from a study that found genetic contamination in Mexican corn, it was a big public relations victory for the biotechnology industry. -more-
Monterey 5-year-old girl dies, Placerville boy badly mauled in three days of dog attacks
SAN FRANCISCO – An 11-year-old boy was severely mauled by a neighbor’s pit bull, an attack that came just a day after a 5-year-old Monterey girl died after being attacked by her family dog. -more-
Fistfights during step contest prompt early evacuation at Great America
SANTA CLARA – Paramount’s Great America theme park was evacuated and closed an hour early Saturday night after several fistfights broke out, leaving several parkgoers injured, officials said. -more-
Legislators call for halt to plans to build new prison
SACRAMENTO – The chairman of the Senate Public Safety Committee and other lawmakers plan to call this week for the state to halt its plans to build a new maximum security prison at Delano. -more-
Gas prices hold steady despite bad news from around globe
CAMARILLO – Gasoline prices edged down a fraction of a cent over the past two weeks, despite tensions in oil-producing regions like the Middle East and South America, an analyst said Sunday. -more-
Trio wins environmental prize for fighting ANWR
SAN FRANCISCO – As Congress and President Bush have debated whether to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling, three indigenous spokespeople have devoted their days to ensuring the potential effects on the land, its wildlife and their people are not overlooked. -more-
Opinion
Editorials
Eastshore State Park plan nearing maturity
The plans to establish Eastshore State Park, the swath of coastal greenbelt that stretches from the foot of the Bay Bridge to Marina Bay in Richmond, is taking a somewhat cohesive form. Entitled the “preferred park plan,” it is ready for the next stage after a Tuesday presentation in Berkeley. The city will be receiving it with a special meeting composed of the City Council, the Parks and Recreation Commission, and the Waterfront Commission this Tuesday, April 30, 7 p.m. at the Berkeley Community Theater, 1930 Allston Way. -more-
Afghanistan’s war veterans prowl the streets
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Well after midnight, police who hadn’t been paid in four months pulled over a vehicle at a checkpoint on a barely lit street. But it wasn’t money they were after. They asked the car’s Western passengers for help getting artificial limbs. -more-