The Week
News
Church is a classic worth saving
Something for Everyone
Berkeley is home to many aspiring musicians and provides opportunity for the amateur performer to get onstage nearly every night of the week. Here’s what the Daily Planet found in a typical week of talent-spotting. -more-
A-Rod says he’d take pay cut to help baseball
State defends payroll problems
State education consultants said the Berkeley Unified School District’s transition to a new data processing system has been “very smooth,” despite a pair of high-profile payroll problems in late July. Errors are unavoidable in a transition, they said. -more-
BART gets $20 million for seismic safety
Gov. Gray Davis announced approval of more than $20 million by the California Transportation Commission to upgrade service on BART. -more-
State budget impasse heading for record
SACRAMENTO — California’s budget impasse is on course to break records as it heads into the ninth week and the Legislature prepares for the final marathon week of its 2002 session. -more-
California housing market stays hot
LOS ANGELES — Low interest rates, strong demand and tight supply kept California’s real estate market red hot in July, with home prices soaring 16.5 percent over the same period last year. -more-
Former Milpitas exec gets prison for securities fraud
SAN FRANCISCO — A former business executive was sentenced to 30 months in prison Friday for insider trading. -more-
School district computers served pornography
Computer hackers used the Berkeley Unified School District’s network to transmit pornographic images last year, according state and district officials. -more-
Death by the Absurd
Here’s a conundrum for you. When watching local theater productions, do you look past the rough parts that plague most plays and give the company a break? Or do you hope for a higher level of performance that can be found in other small theater productions? -more-
Bears hope goal explosion continues all season
In a preview of what should be an explosive offense, the Cal women’s soccer team got goals from four different players to win 4-0 against USF in an exhibition game on Thursday. -more-
Chancellor can’t satisfy UC clericals
UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Berdahl said the state’s fiscal crisis will prevent the university from boosting its wage offer to clerical workers, who are set to strike Monday, -more-
Berkeley-SFO train fee set
OAKLAND – BART officials adopted a fare schedule Thursday in preparation of January’s opening of the five-station extension to the San Francisco International Airport. -more-
Eastshore state WHAT?
What’s in a name? A heck of a lot, according to members of Citizens for an Eastshore State Park, who have worked since 1985 for the preservation of a stretch of coast from the Bay Bridge to Richmond. -more-
Man dead after shooting
The Oakland Police Department says that homicide detectives are investigating the shooting death of a man on Wednesday night in the city's 71st killing of the year. -more-
Feds look at Bay Bridge project civil rights complaints
The Federal Highway Administration will investigate allegations by two Bay Area construction firms that Caltrans violated federal regulations by not meeting goals for minority-owned business participation during the bidding process of the Bay Bridge's east span replacement project. -more-
Regulators to use ratepayer money to pay PG&E debts
SAN FRANCISCO — Creditors of Pacific Gas and Electric Co. have teamed with California power regulators to promote a plan to settle PG&E’s debts that could require millions of customers to keep paying among the nation’s highest electricity rates for an unknown number of years. -more-
2nd attempt made to raise smoking age
SACRAMENTO — For the second time this year, the Assembly advanced legislation Wednesday that would make California the only state to ban smoking by anyone under age 21. -more-
Inattention at the wheel much more than cell phones
SACRAMENTO — Gone are the good old days of distracted driving, when motorists merely juggled coffee, shaved, read a map, drove with a pet dog in the lap and lit cigarettes for the miles still ahead. -more-
Paint it
If you’re like most folks, your home is the single biggest investment that you will make in a lifetime. Therefore, it makes good sense to do everything that you can to take good care of it. -more-
Conn. woman fighting to save her Nut Museum
OLD SAYBROOK, Conn. — Elizabeth Tashjian has spent most of her 89 years trying to prove that nuts are at the very core of human existence. -more-
A’s win ninth straight game
CLEVELAND – Sitting on the dugout steps before the game, Oakland manager Art Howe glanced at the threatening clouds above Jacobs Field and worried about a postponement. -more-
Players, owners: There is time to reach a deal
Strike at UC
Clerical walkout will coincide
with start of classes Monday
-more-
Singer/songwriter Scott Kannberg returns home
Having opened for alt. country rockers Wilco this summer in towns such as St. Louis, Chicago, and Nashville, guitarist Scott “Spiral Stairs” Kannberg has returned home to Berkeley. -more-
Legans may leave Bears
Shantay Legans, Cal’s starting point guard for the past three seasons, may not return to the Golden Bear program for his senior year, his mother said this week. -more-
Recycling center wins lease fight with university
A popular recycling center has won a four-year lease extension from UC Berkeley, ending a lengthy struggle that involved hundreds of teachers, a host of local politicians and thousands of dollars in legal fees. -more-
Cal Football Notebook
RBs to split carries: Head coach Jeff Tedford said senior Joe Igber will the starter at tailback, but sophomore Terrell Williams will get a share of the carries. Igber missed the last four games of 2001 with a broken collarbone, and Williams was impressive as his replacement, racking up three 100-yard rushing games in Igber’s absence. -more-
Telegraph merchants: Philips Lighting Company left us out
Company wins a state award
for program in question
-more-
Councilmemeber urges support for old City Hall repairs
To the Editor: -more-
Crews contain Alameda fire
SAN LEANDRO – The Alameda County Fire Department reports that about 175 firefighters from numerous agencies have contained a six-alarm grassfire in Anthony Chabot Regional Park Tuesday night. -more-
Oakland drug hotline available in other languages
The Oakland Police Department is now able to receive confidential information about suspected illegal drug activity from tipsters who speak languages other than English. -more-
Rocket blasts off on flight intended to revolutionize launch business
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A powerful, new version of the rocket that carried John Glenn into orbit blasted off Wednesday on a flight intended to revolutionize — and revitalize — the nation’s launch business. -more-
Briefs
Former Enron executive pleads guilty
to money laundering, wire fraud
-more-
Bush due in California to campaign for Simon
LOS ANGELES — When President Bush arrives in California on Friday, political observers will be watching closely to see how enthusiastically he promotes the candidacy of GOP gubernatorial hopeful Bill Simon. -more-
Prostitutes corner shops on San Pablo
The world’s oldest profession has San Pablo Avenue merchants flagging down police officers. Again. -more-
Be careful to classify a hate crime
To the Editor: -more-
Ex-Aggies coach is now Bears’ elder statesman
Last fall, Bob Foster was sitting at home, retired after 36 years of coaching college football. But when new Cal head coach Jeff Tedford came calling, Foster jumped at the chance to get back on the field. -more-
Landlords question renter safety program
When UC Berkeley student Brad Evans died last year because the smoke detector in his Oakland apartment failed to detect a fire – the second fire-related student death during that school year – Berkeley officials decided to take action. -more-
Berkeley High’s Sean Young gives Cal oral commitment
Go for it on fourth down
A new study by UC Berkeley economist David Romer urges football coaches to strive for a first down or touchdown on fourth down rather than punt or kick a field goal. But don’t expect Cal football coach Jeff Tedford to embrace this more aggressive strategy. -more-
Berkeley lab wins $15.5 million grant
A small, independent Berkeley lab has made it to the big time. -more-
Where city housing dollars go
To the Editor: -more-
High-speed chase suspect arrested
The Oakland Police Department reports that a male suspect who dragged an officer behind his car and then led police on a high speed chase has been arrested after crashing his car in Tracy Tuesday morning. -more-
Bay Area Briefs
Fake bomb prompted morning evacuation in Burlingame -more-
San Jose officials vow to move forward on fire-damaged complex
SAN JOSE — City officials and developers of the fire-ravaged Santana Row development promised Tuesday that their $500 million project, conceived at the height of the dot-com boom, will rise as planned and help lead Silicon Valley out of the dot-com bust. -more-
National average on ACT college test dips
Scores dipped for the high school class of 2002 on the ACT college entrance exam, breaking a five-year streak during which results remained unchanged, the test maker said Wednesday. -more-
Glut of imports prompts California king salmon prices to plummet
HALF MOON BAY — California fishermen are bringing home a huge haul of king salmon this season — but it’s been a mixed blessing. -more-
Missing $159 million spacecraft orbiting sun, NASA says
LOS ANGELES — NASA has found a missing $159 million spacecraft, thanks to a half-dozen telescope images that confirm the silent probe is in orbit around the sun but possibly broken in pieces. -more-
New ground zero viewing wall to be etched with names of victims
NEW YORK — The names of the World Trade Center victims will be etched into portions of a viewing wall that will encircle ground zero during its redevelopment, officials said Tuesday. -more-
CNN, CBS both paid for al-Qaida video
NEW YORK— CNN and CBS both paid for videotapes that depict al-Qaida poison gas experiments, but insisted Tuesday — without naming their sources — that the money didn’t go to Osama bin Laden’s terrorist organization. -more-
Regional district balks at plan to put state in charge of Calif. water
LOS ANGELES — A proposal to place authority for California water projects under a governor-controlled board is drawing criticism from the state’s largest water district because it could complicate efforts to meet a deadline to reduce consumption of Colorado River water. -more-
The Students are Back
Few surprises await them -more-
Oakland wins 6th straight game, moves closer to 1st place
A's on the way -more-
Hate graffiti reported at Jewish eatery
Berkeley counts record number
of hate crimes since Sept. 11
-more-
Williams sits out with hip injury; iffy on future
SAN FRANCISCO — A hip injury forced Jay Williams to sit out practice for a second straight day Monday, leaving him contemplating whether to withdraw from the U.S. national team. -more-
Teachers file suit against district
Union says the administration wrongly laid off teachers -more-
Brazil boat takes lead in world sailing championships
LOS ANGELES — Skipper Torben Grael and crew member Marcelo Ferreira from Brazil won the second race in the Star Class world championships Monday to take the overall lead. -more-
Longtime debate over houseboats settled
The 13 houseboat residents at the city-owned marina are hoping a compromise struck with the Waterfront Commission will end years of monthly fees that they say were as unpredictable as the bay winds. -more-
Homeless man robs woman
A woman was choked and robbed early Sunday evening on the 500 block of Gilman Street by a homeless man she had hired to help her move, police said. -more-
Bay Area school officials eye cigarette tax
SAN FRANCISCO — Bay Area officials are looking closely, yet skeptically, at a Los Angeles County program that provides free preschool using proceeds from state cigarette taxes. -more-
Fire engulfs construction site of huge San Jose development
SAN JOSE — A six-alarm fire gutted a six-acre section of Santana Row, an expansive $500 million retail, commercial and residential development designed to become an upscale destination for people from all over Silicon Valley. -more-
Oakland ‘sideshow’ bill approved by state Assembly
The proposed legislation
would curb speed shows
and reckless driving
-more-
Environmentalists challenge Chevron refinery permit
SAN FRANCISCO – A lawyer for an environmental advocacy group said today that she expects a judge to uphold their legal challenge to a Richmond refinery pollution permit as he did a similar one against a Martinez facility. -more-
Yosemite killing jury set to hear closing arguments
SAN JOSE — Testimony concluded Monday in the first phase of Yosemite killer Cary Stayner’s triple-murder trial, setting the stage for closing arguments and jury deliberations. -more-
Renewable energy requirement passes key committee
SACRAMENTO — A measure that would require utilities to have 20 percent of their electricity produced from renewable sources passed a key legislative committee Monday. -more-
Briefs
PGP Corp. acquires encryption product lines from Network Associates -more-
Nuclear waste may be an inviting terror target
LUSBY, Md.— On the shore of one of the country’s most bountiful waterways, the Chesapeake Bay, two reactors have produced electricity for nearly a quarter century — and accumulated 950 tons of radioactive waste. -more-
Indiana University ranked top ‘party school’ in nation
BLOOMINGTON, Ind.— Indiana University was crowned the nation’s No. 1 “party school” Monday in an annual Princeton Review survey that school leaders and medical experts derided as irresponsible and unscientific. -more-
Counterfeit checks get Orange County man out of jail
SANTA ANA — A reputed gang member jailed on an attempted murder charge was bailed out when someone posted $500,000 in counterfeit cashier’s checks, sheriff’s officials said Monday. -more-
CalPERS board adopts conflict rules
SACRAMENTO — The nation’s largest pension fund adopted procedures Monday designed to root out conflicts of interest among its money managers and investment bankers. -more-
The sweet success of beekeeping
Khaled Almaghafi came to the United States from Yemen in 1986 and studied business administration at UC Davis. He now uses his business acumen to run an international honey exporting firm from his south Berkeley home near the Ashby BART station. -more-
Long powers A’s in sweep of Sox
OAKLAND – Terrence Long kept to his usual routine, and for one day it worked. -more-
Study shows Bay Area traffic levels down
SAN FRANCISCO — Commuters in the San Francisco Bay area are spending less time sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic, according to a state Department of Transportation study. -more-
More on the Middle East
To the Editor: -more-
Beem him up! Another surprise winner at PGA
CHASKA, Minn. – Playing as if he had nothing to lose, Rich Beem buried Tiger Woods and captured a PGA Championship even though he thought he had no business winning. -more-
Mud hurled at Eastshore Park discussions
Daily Planet Staff -more-
Leaving control freaks behind
To the Editor: -more-
Port negotiators want Bush to stay out
LOS ANGELES — A group of California legislators urged the Bush administration Friday to stay out of stalled negotiations between shippers and West Coast dockworkers. -more-
Opinion
Editorials
Ad campaign urges Californians to buy local food
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gray Davis unveiled a new statewide advertising campaign Thursday to encourage consumers to purchase California-grown produce to help boost the state’s largest industry. -more-
SF-bound flight grounded after traveler sparks flame
SALT LAKE CITY — An American Airlines flight bound for San Francisco from Chicago was diverted to Salt Lake City after a passenger tried to recharge a battery with a cigarette lighter. -more-
Democrats say college students need state budget
SACRAMENTO – Thousands of college students throughout California began classes this week without the financial help they had been promised by the state, and one South Bay legislator has seized on the issue. -more-