Alleged sexual assaults at Berkeley high
The Berkeley Police Department is investigating allegations of a sexual assault and an attempted sexual assault on the Berkeley High School campus, a department spokesperson said Thursday. -more-
The Berkeley Police Department is investigating allegations of a sexual assault and an attempted sexual assault on the Berkeley High School campus, a department spokesperson said Thursday. -more-
Filmmaker Finn Taylor will make special appearance at Shattuck Theater -more-
OAKLAND) — With six straight wins, Barry Zito says he’s just warming up. -more-
Club had promised to limit amount of cash, marijuana stashed there -more-
To the Editor: -more-
The 10th annual Nomad Video Film Festival screened at the Fine Arts Cinema in Berkeley last weekend. The last NOMAD festival for two years, as described by founder Antero Alli, showcased new films, returning notables, experimental shorts, a film that featured gerbils and a hysterically disgusting close-up of everyone’s favorite bodily fluid– spit. -more-
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Everybody assumes there are only two sides to Mike Tyson. Bad. And worse. -more-
To Francisco Garcia marijuana is a medicine that helps ease the pain in the Vietnam veteran’s aching leg. -more-
Somewhere between home and work is the BART station, an area transit, a there that is not there. Today, it was the unlikely destination for over a hundred people who gathered around Brenda Boykin and her backup band to enjoy some blues and jazz in the sweltering afternoon heat. -more-
FRESNO – To help people breathe easier, air quality officials kicked off a voluntary program designed to cut pollution Thursday — much earlier than usual, and with a stricter monitoring scale. -more-
Five local emergency response teams at five sites yesterday conducted a terrorism preparation exercise dubbed “Berkeley Alert.” -more-
SAN FRANCISCO – CBS won’t show a Charles Schwab television commercial drawing a sleazy picture of Wall Street stock brokerages at a time the industry is fending off charges of abusive sales practices. -more-
LOS ANGELES – After six years of nurturing high-technology companies, the University of Southern California is closing is incubator program known as EC2. -more-
SAN JOSE – Citing a lower-than-expected demand for personal computer processors in Europe, Intel Corp. on Thursday scaled back its second-quarter revenue forecast. -more-
Median home price jumps almost 30 percent compared to a year ago -more-
SANTA CLARA – 3Com Corp. plans to merge its Business Connectivity Co. unit into its Business Networks Co. unit in an effort to increase efficiencies and reduce costs. -more-
For 100 years anthropologists have recorded cultural -more-
WASHINGTON – The federal government spent $62 million on a building to store and treat low-level radioactive waste at a California nuclear weapons laboratory, then decided the structure wasn’t secure enough. -more-
LOS ANGELES – An immigrant with alleged ties to the Russian mob pleaded guilty Thursday to helping orchestrate a deadly kidnapping plot targeting wealthy businessmen whose bodies were found in a Northern California reservoir. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco couple convicted on charges related to the fatal dog mauling of their neighbor were scheduled for sentencing Friday, though a judge first was expected to rule on a bid for a new trial. -more-
xSAN DIEGO – A judge fined R.J. Reynolds Co. $20 million Thursday, ruling that the maker of Winston and Camel cigarettes violated terms of the 1998 tobacco settlement by running magazine ads aimed at teen-agers. -more-
TRUCKEE – Police searched a former priest’s vacation home Thursday for clues into the disappearance of a girl who was last seen jumping rope in her front yard 14 years ago. -more-
SACRAMENTO – California must be ready to vaccinate entire regional populations in the event of a bioterrorist attack, the federal government said Thursday. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO – A man who helped rear a young boy since birth is his lawful father even though he is not the biological parent, the California Supreme Court ruled Thursday. -more-
UPLAND – A small religious movement under attack for its followers’ devotion to faith healing and corporal punishment has backed away from those controversial tenets. -more-
BAKERSFIELD – An Amtrak train struck a pickup Thursday, hurling the driver 50 feet from his truck and breaking his leg. -more-
SACRAMENTO – The 260,000 state employees whose financial information was accessed by a computer hacker will get help making sure their credit ratings aren’t affected, Gov. Gray Davis said. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO – California’s power supply dwindled as temperatures soared into triple digits this week, prompting managers of the state’s electricity grid to order power plant operators to forego scheduled maintenance so they could keep generating needed megawatts. -more-
SAN DIEGO – American Red Cross officials voted Thursday to remove the entire board of the agency’s troubled San Diego chapter, hoping to put to rest questions over the handling of aid for victims of a 2001 fire. -more-
NEW YORK – The New York Archdiocese says its annual fund drive is closing in on a record this year despite the sex scandal that has rocked the church. -more-
HERSHEY, Pa. — Hershey Foods Corp. and negotiators for 2,700 striking factory workers reached a tentative contract agreement Thursday that could end a 42-day strike, a company official said. -more-
WASHINGTON — The man suspected of masterminding the Sept. 11 terror attacks is believed to have once attended college in North Carolina and, in 1999, visited the German city where chief hijacker Mohammed Atta lived, U.S. officials said Thursday. -more-
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Space shuttle Endeavour closed in Thursday on the international space station, where three men eagerly awaited the arrival of their ride home. -more-
The University of California announced this week that it is temporarily suspending its fall 2002 study abroad program in India in light of escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. -more-
To the Editor: -more-
St. Mary’s High senior Chase Moore was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates during the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft on Wednesday. The Pirates selected Moore with the 1153rd overall pick, the first selection of the 39th round. -more-
The last three months have been a “nightmare” for 24 year-old Israeli Roy Gordon. -more-
The playfulness of the venue, the beat from a live DJ and the exuberance of the cast make Impact Theater’s "Love is the Law" light up into a true party. And playwright Zay Amsbury is smart enough to know that no party is complete without a little drama. Raver-boy Kenzie, deadened to the rave “love drug” ecstasy because of overuse, is ready to leave the party - until he meets Sarah, and they hit it off. That night Sarah drops a bomb: she’s with the Drug Enforcement Agency. She’s not there to shut the drug-laden rave down – or is she? It all depends on Kenzie. -more-
YOKOHAMA, Japan – The U.S. team wasted no time rebounding from the bottom of the soccer world. -more-
News of a 75 percent price hike at Shattuck Avenue Self-Storage has prompted Berkeley leaders to question a 10-year-old, city-funded program that pays for storage lockers for the community’s homeless. -more-
To the Editor: -more-
Cal senior second baseman Carson White was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 23rd round of the 2002 Major League Amateur Draft. -more-
Warm weather and high winds caused the California Department of Forestry to declare fire season early this year. The wind has dried grass rapidly. The warm temperatures have also fueled the dangerous conditions, say California fire safety officials. -more-
Berkeley’s library system will be doing its part to fight off summer doldrums. -more-
REDWOOD CITY – Worldwide semiconductor sales are expected to increase 3.1 percent in 2002 and jump 23.2 percent in 2003, according to a midyear forecast released Wednesday by an industry trade group. -more-
SAN JOSE – Internet auction leader eBay Inc. is trying to fight fraud on the site with a new software program that scans for suspicious listings and alerts company investigators, chief executive Meg Whitman said Wednesday. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO – Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, say the state could see warmer temperatures and a smaller snowpack over the next half-century because of global warming, a change that could diminish water supplies in a state already familiar with drought. -more-
HANFORD– A priest accused of raping a 16-year-old girl who worked as a clerk in his parish will stand trial, a judge has ruled. -more-
LOS ANGELES – A dazzling solar eclipse will be on display across a broad swath of the western United States, Mexico, Canada and Asia on Monday, with as much as 99 percent of the sun obscured by the moon. -more-
More than 140 University of California professors, including 68 from UC Berkeley, signed a petition calling on the university to divest from Israel, joining professors at Harvard, MIT, Princeton and Tufts University who have taken similar action. -more-
To the Editor: -more-
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Ohio State standout Nick Swisher joined his father, former major leaguer Steve Swisher, as a first-round baseball draft choice Tuesday. -more-
Poor service prompted the change after 40 or so years -more-
Perspective -more-
The Cal baseball program had two players, senior right-hander Trevor Hutchinson and junior catcher John Baker, selected in the first four rounds of 2002 Major League Amateur Draft on Tuesday. -more-
November elections may be months away, but Berkeley leaders are preparing to meet a June deadline for submitting a list of bond proposals for the voter ballot. Most plans involve basic repairs to municipal buildings and streets. -more-
YOKOHAMA, Japan – South Korea was the biggest star on Asia’s biggest day at the World Cup. -more-
University Avenue owner waits for preservation committee to decide -more-
RANCHO SANTA FE –The schools are outstanding, there’s almost no crime and the sun shines 320 days a year. Only residents can join the community’s world-class golf club. -more-
Jurors in the federal Earth First! versus FBI and Oakland Police Department case did not report a verdict Tuesday as many had expected. -more-
Samuel Black is nervous now, but he won’t be once he gets on stage. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO – An Afghan woman who suffered as a result of that country’s communist regime has received a scholarship to study law at a local university. -more-
SAN JOSE – Apple Computer Inc. has resurrected the cathode-ray tube for the retail desktop market with a new computer that was originally intended only for schools. -more-
PALO ALTO – The financial reporting system needs change, and auditors should not bear the entire burden of disasters such as the Enron debacle, according to the former chief executive of the embattled accounting firm Arthur Andersen. -more-
The latest in company’s several recent acquisitions -more-
LOS ANGELES – The head of the nation’s largest Roman Catholic archdiocese will place full-page ads in three newspapers to reassure the public that he is doing all he can to prevent future abuse by priests. -more-
Accused Bush of allowing Sept. 11 attacks to -more-
SACRAMENTO – A lawyer for a Sacramento landlady convicted of killing three of her tenants and burying them in the backyard claims there is no evidence the deaths were homicides and has asked a federal judge to release her from prison. -more-
LIVERMORE – Michael R. Anastasio will lead the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, regents for the University of California announced Tuesday. -more-
SACRAMENTO – Optimism was in short supply Tuesday as lawmakers delved into the grim task of carving $23.6 billion from the state budget. -more-
SAN DIEGO – The trial of the man accused of killing 7-year-old Danielle van Dam opened Tuesday with prosecutors outlining new forensic evidence and the defense seeking to discredit the girl’s parents for giving false statements to police. -more-
CHICAGO – One of the world’s leading medical journals has put itself and its competitors under the microscope with research showing that published studies are sometimes misleading and frequently fail to mention weaknesses. -more-
CANON CITY, Colo. – Dozens of families headed back into the charred foothills Tuesday to search for remnants of their lives after a 4,400-acre wildfire destroyed more than 80 homes. -more-
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A federal judge on Tuesday acquitted Mayor Vincent Cianci Jr. on five of 17 corruption charges, but left intact more serious allegations that he headed a criminal empire run out of City Hall. -more-
SAN JOSE – A comeback attempt by the financially troubled San Jose Symphony has failed, forcing the 123-year-old orchestra to fall silent for up to a year and a half and almost certainly file for bankruptcy, the organization announced Tuesday. -more-
The Alameda County District Attorney has offered to drop charges against the 78 pro-Palestinian activists who occupied UC Berkeley’s Wheeler Hall April 9, the Planet has learned. -more-
To the Editor: -more-
LOS ANGELES – This might be a tough encore for the Los Angeles Lakers. -more-
Several gun shots were fired at the driver of a car parked on the 1500 block of Alcatraz Avenue early Sunday morning, according to the Berkeley Police Department. -more-
To the Editor: -more-
His body looks sculpted by Praxiteles, his thick blond hair is youthfully tousled, and he commands the stage like a star. -more-
SAN DIEGO – Marvin Benard had his first three-hit game of the season, including a three-run homer, then caught nothing but grief from teammate Shawon Dunston. -more-
OAKLAND–Freddy Garcia’s patience is being tested this season. -more-
BERKELEY–The University of California temporarily is suspending its fall 2002 study abroad program in India, citing the military buildup and the threat of war with Pakistan. -more-
East Bay resident Anne Finger has had a hard time buying personal hygiene products at her local drugstore lately, and blames plastic blue storage bins that are stacked in the aisles, keeping her from reaching the retail shelves. -more-
Thousands of low-income Berkeley residents eligible for a 40 percent reduction in their electricity bills may not be taking advantage of the opportunity. -more-
Plans for deeming the corner of San Pablo and University Avenues as an International Marketplace may soon become a reality. -more-
SEATTLE – A consumer-rights lawyer is seeking $1 billion in damages from some of the nation’s largest power companies, claiming they made billions from artificially created power shortages during last year’s power crunch. -more-
SACRAMENTO – A herd of 3,000 dairy cattle in Tulare County has been quarantined and 56 cows have been killed after a federal meat inspector found traces of bovine tuberculosis. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO – Napster Inc.’s bankruptcy filing Monday won’t alter rulings by a judge and a federal appeals court that the Internet song-swapping service unlawfully violated the music industry’s copyrights. -more-
DALLAS – Phone company SBC Communications Inc. and online giant Yahoo! Inc. have teamed up to launch an Internet service they hope will challenge AOL and Microsoft for dominance of the dial-up market. -more-
BEVERLY HILLS – Winona Ryder’s preliminary hearing on shoplifting and drug charges was interrupted Monday when a television camera bumped her on the way into court, and her attorney reported later that she suffered a broken right arm. -more-
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK – An injured rock climber was rescued by helicopter Monday after spending a night on a sheer granite wall. -more-
“The course of true love never did run smooth,” Lysander famously notes in Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. -more-
The No. 1 Cal men’s varsity eight won its fourth-consecutive Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championship on the Cooper River in Cherry Hill, NJ, June 31. The winning time of 5:26.81 was just 3 seconds off the course record set by the Bears in 1999. In addition to the varsity eights success, the JV eight also brought home gold for the second consecutive year. For the record, it was coach Steve Gladstone’s 10th Varsity Challenge Cup title-second only to Charles “Pop” Courtney who won 11 titles between 1901-1915. -more-
Just two blocks from the Fourth Street retail promenade, the operators of Berkeley’s newest monthly market have aspirations of doing more than just giving a space for local craftspeople to sell their goods. -more-
Whether you are a seasoned veteran of the pre-Classical music scene or a curious newcomer, this week’s Berkeley Festival and Exhibition provides a wide range of opportunities to binge in gluttonous aural indulgence, or sample a new but ancient part of the musical palette. -more-
Welch second in triple jump -more-
With the fifth annual Berkeley Arts Festival just around the corner now, festival organizers have begun raising money to create the best possible event in a city they contend is letting its vibrant art scene slowly slip away. -more-
To the Editor: -more-
YOKOHAMA, Japan – Spain finally figured out how to start a World Cup with a victory. England still doesn’t know how to beat Sweden anywhere. -more-
Julia Parker sometimes dreams of baskets. After 40 years of weaving baskets and serving as a cultural interpreter with the Indian Cultural Program at Yosemite National Park, Parker, a Kashaya Pomo, hopes others will continue to share her dreams. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — At least 100 people were left homeless early Sunday after a fire ripped through a residential hotel. -more-
OJAI — A 700-acre wildfire burned out of control Sunday along the steep, brush-covered hillsides of Los Padres National Forest, destroying an abandoned building and prompting the evacuation of two campgrounds. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO – The dot-com boom may be bust, but multimedia art still thrives on the Internet, where audiences hungry for authentic, uncensored creative content are clicking through “webisodes” in droves. -more-
STINSON BEACH – The surfer who was attacked by a shark at Stinson Beach was recovering over the weekend and talking about the toothy beast that nearly took him down for good. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO – Organizers of the California AIDS Ride said Saturday that a competing ride and a lawsuit claiming the event doesn’t give enough of its proceeds to research have cut by half the number of participants in this year’s trek. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO – The Ravenswood school district is under fire from the state for its failure to improve its special education and the unethical behavior of some of its administrators. -more-
SACRAMENTO – It was nearly 40 years ago that California set a national trend by creating a comprehensive Master Plan for Higher Education, a blueprint for the state’s public universities and community colleges. -more-
SACRAMENTO – A four-member disabled climbing team made history early Saturday, becoming the first paraplegic climbers to reach the 14,162-foot summit of northern California’s Mt. Shasta. -more-
Animal implanted with cloned cells hasn’t rejected new tissue; process could make organ transplants much easier -more-
xLOS ANGELES – A lawmaker planned to unveil a bill Monday that would raise California’s smoking age from 18 to 21, making it the highest in the nation. -more-
Educators, administrators weigh demise of teacher’s textbook bill -more-
What would become Berkeley, was once a rural unincorporated part of the Oakland Township. It was sparely populated and mostly used for farming. The photograph shows grassy hillsides and scattered native oaks. The highest spot is Grizzly Peak, which was made level for communication towers. The Eucalyptus trees have not yet been planted. -more-
To the Editor: -more-
Continuing this season’s focus on women, the Berkeley Opera presented Vivian Fine’s 1978 chamber opera “The Women in the Garden” last weekend. -more-
Locals hoping to end SoCal dominance of big event -more-
Judge considers lifting
gag order off federal jury
-more-
The picture postcard became extremely popular during the first two decades of the 20th century and this era is often referred to as the “golden age of postcards.” Most postcards were published by companies that specialized in the printing of postcards and would usually depicted popular views of a town or important buildings. But during this period people also created their own postcards from a photograph of their home. -more-
Both theaters to show
special features to mark the events
-more-
Dynasty Basketball helps
get players into the community
-more-
Soon, Berkeley’s political culture will be immortalized. -more-
To the Editor: -more-
There is a moment in the new documentary “The Cockettes” when co-director Bill Weber edited a montage sequence of several former members of the legendary drag theatrical troupe remembering when their first show took place. Some are certain it was on Halloween. Others are absolutely sure it was on New Year’s Eve. The jovial moment of memory discrepancy laughs at a central question posed to the craft of historical documentary: if all the participants were too stoned to remember, do details matter? -more-
YOKOHAMA, Japan – Africans again opened a World Cup with a monumental upset. -more-
Program for underprivileged
kids may now be in jeopardy
-more-
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Most of them were born a decade or two after Elvis Presley died. But the kids watching Disney’s new “Lilo & Stitch” at a screening in Memphis got a chuckle when the small blue space alien Stitch did an Elvis impersonation in a white jumpsuit. -more-
Olivier moving on
to Hercules High
-more-
For Don Donahue, leaving the “Warehouse” at 2750 Adeline Street, a south Berkeley artist’s cooperative, would be a challenge. If an eviction dispute is not resolved, Donahue faces the task of moving an immense collection of art and more than 26 years worth of underground comic books. -more-
Today the county Board of Supervisors takes on the Isla Vista party scene. The board will consider giving law enforcement more powers to break up social gatherings and cite party-goers for unruly behavior. Isla Vista’s rowdiness could stand to be taken down a few notches. Officers documented 2,900 alcohol-related crimes in I.V. in 2001. -more-
xYou may expect that a new book called “Chez Panisse Fruit” by Alice Waters, the world-famous chef and owner of Berkeley's own Chez Panisse restaurant, is all about fruit. Well, you'd be half-right. Waters will be the first to tell you that it's really about “how to think about food put in the context of fruit.” -more-
BRIDGEPORT– A member of the San Jose State University men’s basketball team was found dead at the bottom of a waterfall near Mammoth Lakes, the victim of an apparent accidental death according to investigators. -more-
Victim was apparently,
‘in the wrong place at the
wrong time’ police said
-more-
NEW YORK – The two surviving members of The Who decided Friday to resume their scheduled three-month U.S. tour despite the sudden death of bassist John Entwistle, their bandmate of nearly four decades. -more-
YOKOHAMA, Japan – What a time and place for the first World Cup meeting between Brazil and Germany — in the final, for the trophy, with all the world watching. -more-
Berkeley’s city government is about to get a breath of fresh air with the appointment of three students to the energy, labor, and human welfare commissions. Councilmember Chris Worthington, who selected the students, said plenty of seats are still available for qualified applicants. Worthington’s District 7 is teeming with a resource outside the jurisdiction of other councilmembers’—the UC Berkeley campus, a veritable hive of young men and women looking to make a difference in their immediate and global community. Worthington said that though some of his recent appointees lack experience, their enthusiasm and intelligence qualify them for the job. -more-
Nutrition activist Joy Moore made it official this week: She will not run for the Board of Education. -more-
LOS ANGELES – Two University of California students deported from Israel after trying to provide humanitarian aid to armed Palestinians during a church standoff in Bethlehem said they were only trying to protect them from injury or arrest. -more-
Convicted murderer chooses big house over home -more-
For 22 years Jack Ball held class at Martin Luther King Middle School in Berkeley from a bicycle seat. His students rave about how the physical education teacher would take them on bicycle rides to such exciting destinations as Tilden Park, the Berkeley Marina, Point Isabella or Emeryville Market. -more-
AC Transit revamps its
fares
-more-
LOS ANGELES – A new study shows that the production of theatrical films continues to leave the country at an alarming pace. -more-
On Tuesday, the City Council approved a $552,000 facelift for Berkeley’s Live Oak Park and Recreation Center. -more-
NEW IBERIA, La. — Four people were slightly injured Friday when an Amtrak train heading to Los Angeles ran into a truck that was stuck on railroad tracks in rural Iberia Parish. -more-
SACRAMENTO — A federal judge ruled on Friday to stop the implementation of a law that would have required the nation’s biggest bankers to include credit card “warnings” in monthly customer statements. -more-
Do we have any Mars rocks on Earth? Perhaps. No spacecraft has brought back rock samples from Mars like the ones astronauts brought back from the Moon. But some Mars rocks might have made their way to Earth on their own. Scientists have found about a dozen rocks on Earth that might be meteorites from Mars. These are pieces of the planet that were chipped off by a collision with a space rock long ago. The rocks match samples of Martian soil analyzed by the Viking landers. Some scientists think that one such meteorite, found in Antarctica, might even contain fossils of tiny organisms called bacteria — but, as often happens, other scientists disagree. -more-
SAN JOSE — Twice within the last two years, Apple Computer Inc. executives sold company stock worth millions of dollars just weeks before Apple warned of disappointing financial results. Each earnings warning sent shares tumbling. -more-
Parents, lock up the children. Retailers, check those IDs. Perhaps the most politically incorrect video game ever created is for sale this minute, threatening the very foundations of our Republic. -more-
SPRINGVILLE, Utah — Nature’s Way Products is recalling four lots of an herbal allergy-relief dietary supplement, saying Friday that excessive amounts of lead were found in the product. -more-
SACRAMENTO — A former technology aide to Gov. Gray Davis has admitted that he brought up the subject of campaign contributions with a salesman for a Silicon Valley company seeking a state contract. -more-
Baby Boomers aren’t getting any younger, and neither are their parents. -more-
xSAN FRANCISCO — GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon’s investment firm drew an above-average commission for overseeing the assets of his family’s nonprofit foundation, a newspaper reported Friday. -more-
Functional rooms like kitchens and baths typically are fitted with wall-hung cupboards and storage areas. -more-
UNITED NATIONS — In a big boost to the global fight against climate change, the 15 nations in the European Union formally ratified the Kyoto Protocol on Friday and urged the United States to end its opposition to the treaty. -more-
Most people envision waterlilies daubed on large canvases when they think of the artist Monet’s flowers. Nasturtiums are another possibility, for Monet planted them in abundance. They spilled out of beds into paths, frothing like ocean water on a beach to soften his garden’s edges. -more-
NEW DELHI, India — India’s defense minister insisted Friday the border with Pakistan was stable, even as Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz warned that a war between the South Asian rivals would be “somewhere between terrible and catastrophic.” -more-
Pet stains not only are unsightly, but also often result in less-than-pleasant odors. A simple and effective way to get a pet stain out is to use a solution of 2 tablespoons of Spic-n-Span in 1 gallon of warm water — working the solution into the area with a cloth or sponge. Next, rinse the area with 1-half cup of white vinegar in 1 gallon of warm water. This will help to neutralize the detergent and prevent it from attracting dirt. Finally, blot the area with a dry towel to remove any excess dampness. Hard-hit areas might require professional steam-cleaning, replacement of the pad below, or even a bleaching of the concrete or wood substrate to kill the odor-causing bacteria. -more-
LONG BEACH – Police struggled Friday to find the motive for a deadly shooting rampage in a neighborhood market by a gunman who was found to have the skeletal remains of two people in his home. -more-
Emmie Vida, an active leader in the Berkeley Jewish community died Monday of natural causes at the age of 93. Vida, who along with her husband Rabbi George Vida and their two children fled Czechoslovakia during the Nazi occupation of World War II, dedicated much of her life to helping and sharing history with others. -more-
Asked state energy traders to buy unnecessary power at above-market rates -more-
SACRAMENTO — A federal judge Friday temporarily blocked the implementation of a law that would require the nation’s biggest bankers to include credit card payment “warnings” in monthly customer statements. -more-
Adults want to see patriotic themes, heroism of -more-
FRONTERA — A parole board refused Friday to grant freedom to former Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten after an emotional hearing focusing on the cruelty of the cult killings that landed her in prison 33 years ago. -more-
XSAN FRANCISCO – A U.S. Army lieutenant whose jaw is wired shut from a bullet wound he received in Afghanistan said screeners at San Francisco International Airport denied him permission to pass through security with wire clippers used to snap open his jaw in an emergency. -more-
LOS ANGELES — Electricity companies have issued a warning about the upcoming movie “Like Mike” because the plot involves a pair of sneakers a boy retrieves from a power line. -more-
SAN BERNARDINO – A wildfire raced out of control over 1,500 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest just north of the city Friday, destroying a wing of a 1930s-era hotel, authorities said. No injuries were reported. -more-
LOS ANGELES — The state plans to hack $61 million from anti-smoking efforts and the first parts to go will be regional centers set up to work with cities, schools and other groups — a move advocates say can only hurt the children of California. -more-
Contaminated runoff threatens water quality -more-
SACRAMENTO — A Republican senator is hoping the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that school vouchers are constitutional will jump-start a movement to get vouchers passed in California. -more-
xSACRAMENTO – A former technology aide to Gov. Gray Davis has admitted that he brought up the subject of campaign contributions with a salesman for a Silicon Valley company seeking a state contract. -more-
SACRAMENTO — An Assembly committee killed a bill Friday that would have required food processors to disclose levels of artery-clogging trans fatty acids in processed foods. -more-
OAKLAND – An Oakland man appeared in federal court Friday on charges he mailed an envelope containing white powder and a threatening letter to U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft during last year’s anthrax scare. -more-
The assaults were racially -more-
LOS ANGELES — A seventh-grade teacher who suffocated a rabbit triggered a Superior Court lawsuit by a group seeking to force the Los Angeles Unified School District to change its policy on animal experimentation. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal appeals court on Friday ordered a trial to determine if the California Highway Patrol discriminates against minorities when it comes to promoting officers. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — The glossy passenger train that slid into this city’s Caltrain depot to the fanfare of a brass band Friday can’t hustle as quickly as the bullet trains of Japan and Europe. -more-
SAN DIEGO – She was once a KGB operative, a Russian emigre who seduced an FBI agent into passing a secret document to the Soviet Union. -more-
SAN FRANCISCO — A federal appeals court recently reinstated a defamation suit by Suzuki Motor Corp. against the publisher of Consumer Reports. -more-
Under investgation for misconduct -more-
STARKVILLE, Miss. — Across the country, a barely detectable Southern flavor spices local TV weather forecasts, up to a third of which are delivered by former students of Mississippi State University. -more-
National museum honors women who helped tame the Wild West -more-
NEW YORK — The walls of Jonathan Safran Foer’s apartment are covered with everything from a framed piece of blank paper from Susan Sontag to random sketches made by his friends. There is even an enormous canvas of a huge hand that the author himself painted. -more-
CLE ELUM, Wash. – Five Yakima residents have been arrested for investigation of identity theft after a customer tried to open a bank account here using false identification. -more-
NEW YORK — The masterpieces of the Museum of Modern Art are now in Queens. -more-
Approximately 275 antiwar demonstrators converged at Martin Luther King Jr. park yesterday evening to kick off a nationwide protest of all aggression and violence against civilians. The coalition, “Not in our Name,” stands against war, Israeli occupation of the West Bank, increased aggression between India and Pakistan and the U.S. extending military to aid to be used against all people. -more-
LOS ANGELES – A 7-year-old boy whose body was found in a mansion pool days after he disappeared drowned accidentally, the coroner’s office said Wednesday. -more-
LOS ANGELES – African-Americans get more television turf than other minorities but pay a price: Black characters tend to be segregated in sitcoms and by network, a study released Tuesday found. -more-
LOS ANGELES – Police searched some of the most expensive real estate in the city Monday for a 7-year-old boy who vanished during a weekend birthday party in Westwood. -more-
PALO ALTO – While unhealthy school meals are prompting legislators around the country to consider laws making them better, some California school districts are hoping to achieve that goal by going organic. -more-
On June 29, 1776, the Virginia state constitution was adopted, and Patrick Henry made governor. -more-
WASHINGTON — Investigators working for Chandra Levy’s parents discovered a human leg bone and twisted wire Thursday near the site where her remains were found in a Washington park. -more-
NEW YORK — Monica Lewinsky was excused from jury duty Thursday after she tearfully said she could not serve. -more-
SPARKS, Nev. – The Environmental Protection Agency wants to hire more American Indians and consider changes in grant programs to improve understanding of cultural issues and better address tribal concerns, agency leaders say. -more-
NEW YORK – One of two men arrested with box cutters a day after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks pleaded guilty Thursday to credit card fraud charges. -more-
EBENSBURG, Pa. – A judge fined 20 members of an Amish sect Thursday for refusing to put bright orange reflective triangles on their horse-drawn buggies, saying public safety overrides any religious objections. -more-
Three of four were members of Oregon State climbing club -more-
HONOLULU — Tia Carrere, born and raised in Honolulu, says her latest role is particularly special to her — even if she’s nowhere to be seen on screen. -more-
Day-long rescue was aided by presence of doctor, firemen -more-
BALTIMORE — “The Wire” is only nominally about Baltimore detectives’ protracted investigation of a drug gang in the city’s west side housing projects — it’s also a conduit for David Simon’s exploration of the futility of the drug war and the pervasiveness of corporate culture. -more-
JACKSON, Miss. — China’s Wu Haiyan says performing with the best dancers in the world was as great an honor as the gold medal she received in USA International Ballet Competition. -more-
CAMDEN, N.J.— When Colombian singer Shakira takes the amphitheater stage in this teen-pop concert, girls in the crowd wave their hands in the air and squeal. Then they whip out their cell phones and call a friend. -more-