The Week

 

News

City stalls hate crime policy

By Kurtis Alexander Daily Planet Staff
Thursday May 30, 2002

History

The Associated Press
Thursday May 30, 2002

On May 30, 1431, Joan of Arc, condemned as a heretic, was burned at the stake in Rouen, France. -more-


Pedestrian safety needs to be addressed

Wendy Alfsen
Thursday May 30, 2002

To the Editor: -more-


Arts & Entertainment Calendar

Staff
Thursday May 30, 2002

Theater -more-


Calendar of Events & Activities

Staff
Thursday May 30, 2002


Thursday, May 30

-more-


Clayton Valley ends ’Jackets’ NCS run

By Jared Green Daily Planet Staff
Thursday May 30, 2002

A boatload of errors and a hot Clayton Valley High pitching staff ended the Berkeley Yellowjackets’ season on Wednesday in Concord, as the Eagles scored seven runs in the final two innings to blow open a close game for a 10-1 win in a North Coast Section 3A East Bay semifinal game. -more-


Concerns raised over future of independent study program

By David Scharfenberg Daily Planet staff
Thursday May 30, 2002

Teachers and administrators in the Berkeley Unified School District’s Independent Study program are concerned about proposals to alter its administration and reduce its classroom space, but Superintendent Michele Lawrence says the issues are still unsettled. -more-


News of the Weird

The Associated Press
Thursday May 30, 2002

Dean’s support for the arts is selective

John Curl
Thursday May 30, 2002

To the Editor: -more-


BHS principal search delayed

By David Scharfenberg Daily Planet Staff
Thursday May 30, 2002

The pool of applicants for the position of principal at Berkeley High School is not strong enough to warrant moving forward with the interview process, according to a selection committee composed of staff and community members. -more-


Pink Man returns to Berkeley in multimedia show

Jennifer Dix Special to the Daily Planet
Thursday May 30, 2002

If you’ve lived in the Bay Area for even a short time, you’ve probably encountered Pink Man. He’s hard to miss, wearing a unitard the color of Pepto-Bismol and careening through the streets on a unicycle. Sometimes he sports a fluttering cape, or flaps his arms like a giant bird. -more-


Drugs dominate police review commission forum

By Matthew Artz Special to the Daily Planet
Thursday May 30, 2002

Fundraiser teases Brainwash Film Fest

Andy Sywak Special to the Daily Planet
Thursday May 30, 2002

In a place with more than its share of film buffs, aspiring amateurs and famous directors, the Bay Area seems to never tire of film festivals. -more-


Feds join hands with state officials to purchase salt ponds

By Colleen Valles The Associated Press
Thursday May 30, 2002

FREMONT — State and federal officials have joined philanthropic groups in pledging $100 million to buy 16,500 acres of salt ponds ringing San Francisco Bay, launching the largest wetlands restoration project on the West Coast. -more-


Davis professors conduct two-day walkout

The Associated Press
Thursday May 30, 2002

DAVIS — A two-day walkout by lecturers shut down some classes Wednesday at the University of California’s Davis campus. -more-


Assembly approves bill to ban Ward Valley from nuclear waste site list

By Jennifer Coleman The Associated Press
Thursday May 30, 2002

SACRAMENTO — The Assembly approved a bill Wednesday night that could lead to a new low-level nuclear waste site in California. -more-


Video games rely on appeal of movies, sequels

By Anthony Breznican The Associated Press
Thursday May 30, 2002

LOS ANGELES – Sequels and movie adaptations — that’s what the coming year promises from the video game industry. -more-


Nortel to cut 3,500 jobs, may sell optical-parts unit

The Associated Press
Thursday May 30, 2002

NEW YORK – Telephone-equipment maker Nortel Networks Corp. said Wednesday it will cut another 3,500 jobs, more than expected, and may sell its optical-components business as it revamps its operations to save money. -more-


Openwave agrees to acquire SignalSoft Corp.

The Associated Press
Thursday May 30, 2002

REDWOOD CITY – Communications infrastructure software company Openwave Systems Inc. has agreed to acquire SignalSoft Corp. for about $59 million, or $2.26 a share. -more-


Rescue crews battling helplessness and fatigue return to river to recover bodies in Oklahoma

By Jennifer L. Brown Associated Press Writer
Thursday May 30, 2002

By Jennifer L. Brown -more-


Pakistan must stop militants to avoid war, Indian officials say

The Associated Press
Thursday May 30, 2002

NEW DELHI, India — If Pakistan wants peace, it must act urgently to stop Islamic militants from infiltrating Indian territory to carry out terror attacks in the dispute over Kashmir, India’s foreign minister said Wednesday. -more-


Enron exec did not give nod to destroy documents

By Kristen Hays The Associated Press
Thursday May 30, 2002

HOUSTON — Two Arthur Andersen accountants testified Wednesday that they didn’t consider an instruction to comply with the firm’s document policy as an order to shred Enron-related paperwork. -more-


DEA raids Santa Rosa medical marijuana club

The Associated Press
Thursday May 30, 2002

SANTA ROSA — Federal agents raided a medical marijuana buyers club here Wednesday and arrested two people. -more-


Another Davis aide resigns during contracts controversy

The Associated Press
Thursday May 30, 2002

SACRAMENTO – Another aide to Gov. Gray Davis resigned Wednesday as the administration continued its efforts to put to rest a continuing controversy surrounding a potentially costly computer contract. -more-


L.A. Veterans Chapel dedicated to 99-year-old comedian Bob Hope

By Bob Thomas The Associated Press
Thursday May 30, 2002

LOS ANGELES – When Bob Hope was named an “honorary veteran” in 1997 by an act of Congress and President Clinton’s signature, the comedian remarked: “To be numbered among the men and women I admire most is the greatest honor I have ever received.” -more-


UC Berkeley employee accused of embezzling

By David Scharfenberg, Daily Planet staff
Wednesday May 29, 2002

UC Berkeley police have arrested an employee and an off-campus accomplice for allegedly stealing $250,000 in BART tickets from a university transportation office and reselling them on the street. -more-


Light needed for crossing Shattuck between Ashby and Alcatraz

Barbara Judd
Wednesday May 29, 2002

To the Editor: -more-


Out & About Calendar

Staff
Wednesday May 29, 2002


Wednesday, May 29

-more-


’Jackets facing another ace in North Coast semifinal

By Jared Green, Daily Planet Staff
Wednesday May 29, 2002

The Berkeley High baseball team has faced a lot of challenges this season, and so far the Yellowjackets have passed each with flying colors. They beat top-ranked California High and its ace, Adam Brisentine. They dealt Pinole Valley’s Kurt Koehler his first loss in three seasons. They won the ACCAL title and beat Antioch and De La Salle to reach the North Coast Section semifinals. -more-


Embattled housing project approved

By Kurtis Alexander, Daily Planet Staff
Wednesday May 29, 2002

In a neighborhood battle that pitted the small-town values of south Berkeley against the city’s needs for affordable housing, city leaders carried the housing developers to victory. -more-


City needs zero tolerance on traffic issues

Nick Roosevelt
Wednesday May 29, 2002

To the Editor: -more-


Baker, Jackson make All Pac-10

Daily Planet Wire Services
Wednesday May 29, 2002

WALNUT CREEK – The Cal baseball team had two players, junior catcher John Baker and sophomore first baseman Conor Jackson, selected to the 2002 All-Pac-10 Baseball Team, Pac-10 Commissioner Tom Hansen announced Tuesday. -more-


Berkeley Police Chief to retire

By Devona Walker Daily Planet Staff
Wednesday May 29, 2002

Berkeley Police Chief Dash Butler has endured a lot in his 31 years of service to the community— riots, numerous protests, a growing department and community and a prolific citizenry. As of July 13, Butler will retire, and the community must learn to endure without him. -more-


Passengers matter more than profits

Dr. Max Alfert
Wednesday May 29, 2002

To the Editor: -more-


Hanging corpse found in Claremont Canyon

By Kurtis Alexander, Daily Planet Staff
Wednesday May 29, 2002

An early morning hiker in the Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve was shaken Tuesday when he stumbled upon a human body hanging lifeless from the branch of a tree, according to East Bay Regional Park officials. -more-


Learn more about the United Nations

Bill Trampleasure
Wednesday May 29, 2002

To the Editor: -more-


History

Staff
Wednesday May 29, 2002

Historical Highlight -more-


Center for developmentally disabled celebrates 30 years

By David Scharfenberg, Daily Planet staff
Wednesday May 29, 2002

Amy Chun, who has Down syndrome, often feels isolated at Albany Middle School. -more-


Jury nears Earth First! verdict

The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

OAKLAND — Jurors may have reached a partial verdict in the federal case against police and FBI agents accused of framing two Earth First! activists. -more-


Father of teen accused of killing four in Isla Vista testifies

The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

SANTA BARBARA — The father of a former college student on trial for running down four people with his car testified Tuesday that he couldn’t accept repeated diagnoses that his son was mentally ill. -more-


CBS Television City employees evacuated after gunman enters complex

The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

LOS ANGELES — Employees at the CBS television complex were safely evacuated Tuesday as police negotiated with a gunman threatening suicide. -more-


Riders jury selection begins

Daily Planet Wire Service
Wednesday May 29, 2002

OAKLAND — Defense attorneys and Alameda County prosecutors today are scheduled to begin their search for a jury that will sit in what is believed to be the largest case of alleged criminal police misconduct in Oakland's history. -more-


SF considers $3.6 billion to fix area water system

By Olga R. Rodriguez, The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

xSAN FRANCISCO — City utility officials approved a proposal Tuesday that could put a $3.6 billion bond measure to upgrade the aging Hetch Hetchy water system on the November ballot. -more-


Assembly votes to force schools to reduce backpack weight

By Stefanie Frith, The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

SACRAMENTO — Concerned that students who lug heavy backpacks will develop spinal problems, the state Assembly approved a bill Tuesday that would force school boards to figure out ways to reduce excess backpack weight. -more-


Lawmakers to fill $1 billion budget gap

By Alexa Haussler, The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

SACRAMENTO — A preliminary budget plan that restores some health care cuts proposed by Gov. Gray Davis but still leaves lawmakers the chore of filling a $1 billion gap stalled at least briefly Tuesday in the Senate. -more-


Panel chairman unhappy with Davis’ reply

By Steve Lawrence, The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

SACRAMENTO — Despite its claims of full compliance, the governor’s office apparently didn’t completely respond to a request for information from a committee investigating a potentially costly state contract, the panel’s chairman said Tuesday. -more-


Existing home sales, prices hit new records

By Gary Gentile The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

LOS ANGELES — Existing single family homes sold at a sizzling pace and at record prices in April, according to the California Association of Realtors. -more-


Andersen exec defends Andersen lawyer maligned by prosecutors

By Mark Babineck, The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

HOUSTON – After prosecutors spent three weeks quizzing a witness list packed with Arthur Andersen LLP employees as the government tried to prove obstruction of justice against the accounting firm, the defense has fired back with one of its own. -more-


Excite@Home to auction off its remains

The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

SAN FRANCISCO — Bankrupt Excite@Home will auction off the last pieces of its defunct high-speed Internet access service Wednesday, putting the finishing touches on a fire sale that has extracted about $60 million from a business valued at $28 billion three years ago. -more-


Chandra Levy’s death a homicide, but little evidence exists

By Mark Sherman, The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

WASHINGTON — Someone killed Chandra Levy, but there’s too little evidence to say how or who might have left her body on a rugged park hillside a year ago, Washington’s medical examiner said Tuesday. -more-


Texas inmate executed by injection for murder he committed at age 17 years old

By Michael Graczyk, The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

HUNTSVILLE, Texas — Napoleon Beazley, whose death sentence for a murder committed at 17 stirred national debate over capital punishment for youths, was executed Tuesday after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to spare his life. -more-


Crew members said they heard no alarm before barge crashed into bridge; toll rises to 13

By Clayton Bellamy The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

WEBBERS FALLS, Okla. — Rescuers hoisted two vehicles with four bodies inside from the murky Arkansas River on Tuesday, bringing the death toll from the collapse of an interstate bridge to 13. -more-


Talks between India, Pakistan unlikely after rhetoric

By Beth Duff-Brown, The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

NEW DELHI, India — India sharply criticized a speech by Pakistan’s military leader as “disappointing and dangerous” on Tuesday and asserted that al-Qaida terrorists now are in disputed Kashmir. -more-


Infiltrator kills three Israelis at Orthodox Jewish high school

By Mark Lavie, The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

JERUSALEM — A gunman sneaked onto the grounds of an Orthodox Jewish high school in the West Bank late Tuesday and killed three teen-agers, even as Israeli troops continued their daily raids into Palestinian towns. -more-


Bush expresses concern to pope about priest scandal in America

By Ron Fournier, The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

ROME — President Bush, in a one-on-one meeting inside the Vatican, told Pope John Paul II he is concerned about the Roman Catholic church’s standing in America where the church has been rocked by sex-abuse scandal. -more-


Libya offers $10 million per family in Pan Am bombing

By George Gedda, The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

WASHINGTON — Libya has offered to pay $10 million per family as compensation for the deaths of 270 people in the 1988 Pan Am 103 bombing, lawyers representing the family said Tuesday. -more-


Russia becomes limited partner in NATO in historic accord

By Ron Fournier, The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

ROME — NATO declared Russia a limited partner in the Western alliance Tuesday, embracing its former Cold War enemy as an ally in the battle against modern-day threats like terrorism. -more-


Bill to stop use of American Indian mascot names thwarted

By Stefanie Frith, The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

SACRAMENTO — Public schools will be allowed to keep American Indian team names and mascots after the Assembly defeated a bill Tuesday that would have forced schools to give up the names. -more-


Senate approves bill to curb suburban sprawl

The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

SACRAMENTO — A bill that could give state government significant new power over how and where its cities grow has cleared the Senate. -more-


Senate votes to move state primary from March to August

By Steve Lawrence, The Associated Press
Wednesday May 29, 2002

SACRAMENTO — Agreeing that California’s primary election is too early to attract many voters, the Senate on Tuesday approved a bill that would move the primary for state and congressional candidates from March to August. -more-


Minority groups demand hate crime policies

By Kurtis Alexander Daily Planet Staff
Tuesday May 28, 2002

Minority activists of numerous descents took to heart the idiom “strength in numbers” Monday and joined together on the steps of Old City Hall to speak out against the rising incidence of hate crime. -more-



History

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 28, 2002

Historical Highlight -more-


Reflections on Memorial Day

Boona Cheema
Tuesday May 28, 2002

To the Editor: -more-


Staff
Tuesday May 28, 2002


Wednesday, May 29


Calendar of Events and Activities

Staff
Tuesday May 28, 2002


Wednesday, May 29

-more-


Memorial Day is not entirely ignored in city of Berkeley

By Matthew Artz Special to the Daily Planet
Tuesday May 28, 2002

There is no Memorial Day parade through downtown Berkeley, but one local resident made sure people remembered there was a holiday to commemorate. -more-


Castroneves victory is upheld

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 28, 2002

INDIANAPOLIS — Preening and playing to the cameras, Helio Castroneves enjoyed the spoils of winning the Indy 500. -more-


Chopping up the UC Theatre would be a mistake — repeated

Garrett Murphy
Tuesday May 28, 2002

To the Editor: -more-


Council may send truckers packing

Matthew Artz Special to the Daily Planet
Tuesday May 28, 2002

Don Nunes didn’t know where he was going to sleep last night. As a truck driver making a stop in the Bay Area, his choices are severely limited. -more-


Bryant sees hard work behind Lakers’ lucky break

By Greg Beacham The Associated Press
Tuesday May 28, 2002

SACRAMENTO — No matter what the Sacramento Kings believe, Kobe Bryant knows it’s more than luck keeping the Los Angeles Lakers on track for their third straight championship. -more-


Israel has no right to make arrest in Bethlehem

Marc Sapir
Tuesday May 28, 2002

To the Editor: -more-


UC students in Church of Nativity siege deported from Israel

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 28, 2002

RIVERSIDE — A University of California, Riverside student, who had been detained by Israel after trying to provide humanitarian aid to armed Palestinians during a church siege in Bethlehem, was back in the United States on Monday, his father said. -more-


Berkeley Censor Media?

Helen Rippier Wheeler
Tuesday May 28, 2002

To the Editor: -more-


Cal pleased with summer enrollment numbers

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 28, 2002

BERKELEY — Officials at the University of California at Berkeley say they are -more-


Colorful traditions rolls on in Humboldt County on Memorial Day

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 28, 2002

ARCATA — Eric Striedieck’s team was making good time in the race when disaster struck — the 10-foot, human-powered sculpture they were piloting over Humboldt Bay sank, and they were overtaken by a 14-foot iguana. -more-


Workers’ comp bill shows Davis’ way with campaign money

By Martha Mendoza The Associated Press
Tuesday May 28, 2002

SACRAMENTO — After vetoing workers’ compensation reforms for three years, Gov. Gray Davis this year declared the legislation long overdue and signed the labor-friendly bill into law. -more-


AIDS caregiver limits GlaxoSmithKline activities to protest pricing policies

By Simon Avery The Associated Press
Tuesday May 28, 2002

LOS ANGELES — AIDS Healthcare Foundation, one of the largest providers of specialized care for HIV patients in the United States, said it will bar GlaxoSmithKline from marketing drugs at its outpatient sites to protest the company’s pricing policies. -more-


Biotech industry squeezed by lack of ‘breweries’

By Paul Elias AP Biotechnology Writer
Tuesday May 28, 2002

Sales tax increase remains unpopular option

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 28, 2002

Amnesty International Criticizes war on terrorism

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 28, 2002

Mom was right, broccoli is good for you, say cancer researchers

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 28, 2002

WASHINGTON — Broccoli and broccoli sprouts contain a chemical that kills the bacteria responsible for most stomach cancer, say researchers, confirming the dietary advice that moms have been handing out for years. -more-


Disabled climbers break ground on Mount Shasta

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 28, 2002

REDDING — After five hours traveling at night, four paraplegic climbers have gained 1,200 feet on Mount Shasta by using special handcranked machines. -more-


Breakthrough on UC nurses contract dispute

By David Scharfenberg, Daily Planet staff
Friday May 24, 2002

The University of California has offered to curtail mandatory overtime for its nurses and shift from a merit pay system to one based on seniority, marking a major shift in the contract squabble between the two sides. -more-


Pedestrian death was not isolated event

Lisa Pascopella, PhD, MPH
Friday May 24, 2002

To the Editor: -more-


Elvis shows us the origins of his obsession

By Ian M. Stewart, Special to the Daily Planet
Friday May 24, 2002

xIf you think Elvis Costello, the once kingpin of Punk and New Wave angst, has stifled his sharp tongue and rocking sensibilities in favor of just collaborating with the likes of Burt Bachrach and Swedish mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter only, think again. Costello proved beyond a doubt where his musical roots lay at a recent show at the Berkeley Community Theater. He showed the crowd that though his musical styles have expanded beyond the fast-paced, witty lyrics of his early career, his origins of being a great rock 'n' roll songwriter and a captivating performer are still perfectly intact. -more-


Out & About Calendar

Staff
Friday May 24, 2002


Friday, May 2

-more-


Schools may carry deficit into next year

By David Scharfenberg, Daily Planet staff
Friday May 24, 2002

The Berkeley Unified School District revealed new budget figures and Superintendent Michele Lawrence warned that the district may carry a deficit into next year at the Board of Education meeting Wednesday night. -more-


BUSD is not a good neighbor

V. Peters
Friday May 24, 2002

Solano Avenue is a treat for the senses this weekend

By Jim Emerson, Special to the Daily Planet
Friday May 24, 2002

Solano Avenue sidewalks will explode with chocolate and colorful chalk artwork for three days during the Memorial Day holiday weekend at the Chocolate & Chalk Art Festival running May 25- 27. -more-


University to 86 area food vendors

By Kurtis Alexander, Daily Planet Staff
Friday May 24, 2002

City Council considers new regulations as well -more-


Obscene material is not protected

John Parman
Friday May 24, 2002

To the Editor: -more-


Midnight marks witching hour ‘Harry Potter’

The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

LOS ANGELES — If you want to be among the first to own “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” you need to get to the store at an appropriate hour: midnight. -more-


Airports gear up for busiest weekend since Sept. 11th

Daily Planet Wire Report
Friday May 24, 2002

All three Bay Area airports are expecting an especially heavy flow of travelers to pass through their terminals this Memorial Day weekend, perhaps the highest numbers since the Sept. 11 attacks traumatized American air travel. -more-


Our society is not colorblind

Paul Hogarth
Friday May 24, 2002

To the Editor: -more-


Electronic Music amps up in Motor City

By David Enders, The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

DETROIT — The Detroit Electronic Music Festival drew more than 1 million people in each of its first two years. -more-


Clear sky in the East; Cold front moves into the Central Plains

The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

A high pressure system along the mid-Atlantic coast brought sunny skies to much of the East on Thursday afternoon. -more-


Censorship is not the Berkeley way

Harry Siitonen
Friday May 24, 2002

To the Editor: -more-


Stand-up comedienne takes on the big ‘C’

By Jennifer Dix, Special to the Daily Planet
Friday May 24, 2002

Female genital mutilation is not usually the subject of stand-up comedy. But for African-born Sia Amma, humor has proved powerful and healing. Subjected to a clitorodectomy in her native Liberia when she was just nine years old, Amma has made the problem of female circumcision the central subject of a one-woman show. -more-


News of the Weird

The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

FBI agent allegedly switched allegiance to gangsters -more-


Stayner pleads innocent by reason of insanity

The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

xSAN JOSE — Attorneys for former motel handyman Cary Stayner, who has admitted in grotesque detail how he killed three Yosemite National Park tourists in 1999, will try to save his life by arguing to a jury he is mentally ill. -more-


Judge rules that parole board should give more guidance to former Manson family inmate

The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

xSAN BERNARDINO — A judge said Thursday that a board that has repeatedly denied Leslie Van Houten parole in two Manson Family murders has failed to give her any guidance on what she could do to make herself suitable for release. -more-


BAY AREA BRIEFS

Staff
Friday May 24, 2002

Goat killer sought -more-


Rubber bullets found to maim and sometimes kill

By Emma Ross, The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

LONDON — Some types of rubber bullets used by police to restrain unruly protesters kill and maim too often to be considered a safe method of crowd control, new research concludes. -more-


Netflix gets thumbs up in stock market debut

By Michael Liedtke The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

Online company’s shares skyrocket by almost 12 percent after initial IPO -more-


Agency sets up ’Enron link’ for reporting suspicious activities

The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

WASHINGTON – A federal agency set up an “Enron Information Link” for people to report suspicious activities involving Enron or other companies that may have affected West Coast energy prices. -more-


Orbitz and Gay.com team up to offer gay vacation packages

The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

SAN FRANCISCO – Online travel service Orbitz will target footloose gays and lesbians under a marketing partnership announced Wednesday with Web portal Gay.com. -more-


Budget negotiators to consider boosting logging fees

The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

SACRAMENTO – Budget negotiators will consider boosting logging fees to help trim the state’s projected $23.6 billion budget shortfall, lawmakers decided Wednesday evening. -more-


Yahoo! withdraws some of its European auctions

The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

SAN JOSE — Yahoo! Inc. said Thursday it plans to pull most of its online auction initiatives in Europe and instead promote eBay’s market-leading auction site there. -more-


Hundreds evacuate as New Mexico wildfire grows to 6,000 acres

The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

TRUCHAS, N.M. — Hundreds of people left their homes Thursday as a fast-moving 6,000-acre wildfire threatened a small northern New Mexico town. -more-


Landmark tobacco cases come to fruition

The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

xLandmark cases brought by individual smokers against the tobacco industry, listing date, location, award, parties and status: -more-


Two convicted in Tennessee ‘love connection’ bank heist cas

The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Two men who forced a bank manager to rob her own bank while they held her family hostage were convicted Thursday of armed bank robbery by extortion. -more-


Mayor, ex-mayor join campaign against Los Angeles breakup

The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

Hahn, Riordan speak out against plan to separate San Fernando Valley from second-biggest U.S. city -more-


Report: More than a third of state’s single women in poverty

The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

SACRAMENTO – More than a third of California’s single women live in poverty, according to a report released Wednesday by the San Francisco-based Women’s Foundation. -more-


Immigrants fear proposal to allow local police to enforce federal laws

By Deborah Kong, The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

Justice Department considering giving cops power to enforce immigration laws; Florida the first state to agree to idea -more-


Walker Lindh pleaded ‘Please don’t kill me,’ defense motion says

By Larry Margasak, The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – John Walker Lindh pleaded “please don’t kill me” as U.S. troops took the captured Taliban soldier to a U.S. military camp in Afghanistan, his defense lawyers said Thursday. -more-


Walker Lindh pleaded ‘Please don’t kill me,’ defense motion says

By Larry Margasak, The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – John Walker Lindh pleaded “please don’t kill me” as U.S. troops took the captured Taliban soldier to a U.S. military camp in Afghanistan, his defense lawyers said Thursday. -more-


Senate OKs sales of hypodermic needles without prescriptions

The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

SACRAMENTO – Pharmacies could sell hypodermic needles to adults without a doctor’s prescription under a bill approved Thursday by the state Senate. -more-


Police chief: Condit may be questioned again

By Mark Sherman, Associated Press Writer
Friday May 24, 2002

WASHINGTON – Police and forensic experts worked Thursday to solve the mystery of how Chandra Levy died, with investigators saying most evidence points to murder. -more-


Suspect in Montana child slaying gets 130 years for separate assaults

By Tom Laceky, Associated Press Writer
Friday May 24, 2002

GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Nathaniel Bar-Jonah, the man accused of butchering a 10-year-old boy here and feeding his remains to unsuspecting neighbors, was sentenced Thursday to 130 years in prison without parole for assaults on two other boys. -more-


Committee approves altered textbook bill

By Stefanie Frith The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

Provisions to give teachers power over book and curriculum selection dropped -more-


Lesbian teacher settles discrimination lawsuit

The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

Oceanside Unified School District to pay more than $140,000 -more-


Court: Inmate can’t mail sperm from prison

By David Kravets, The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

SAN FRANCISCO – A California inmate has no right to mail his sperm from prison to impregnate his wife, a divided federal appeals court ruled Thursday. -more-


Opinion

Editorials

Grand jury says SF should tackle homeless problem

Daily Planet Wire Service
Thursday May 30, 2002

SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco's Civil Grand Jury yesterday released a detailed report on the city's response to homelessness, finding a serious lack of leadership and coordination as the problem has worsened over the years. -more-


News of the Weird

Staff
Wednesday May 29, 2002

‘I got hit by a goose’ -more-


Emeryville development at burial site protested

The Associated Press
Tuesday May 28, 2002

Lady Bird Johnson goes home

The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

AUSTIN, Texas — Lady Bird Johnson was released from an Austin hospital Thursday, three weeks after suffering a mild stroke. -more-


Columns

Ex-Davis aide didn’t expect Oracle donation

By Steve Lawrence, The Associated Press
Friday May 24, 2002

SACRAMENTO – A former aide to Gov. Gray Davis says he was surprised when a computer company lobbyist gave him a $25,000 campaign contribution for the governor at a Sacramento bar. -more-