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Some feel America is now trading personal liberty for increased security in the current fight against terrorism. Opinions about the wisdom of this choice vary along the political spectrum. -more-

Thursday was a bittersweet day for the St. Mary’s High cross country team, as the Panthers got one outstanding individual performance but saw their team hopes fall away at the Bay Shore Athletic League championship. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

Friday, Nov. 8 -more-

Berkeley progressives weren’t the only ones cheering on election night. -more-

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o the Editor: -more-

After a several block car chase, police tracked down one of two armed robbers who put a gun to three UC Berkeley students early Thursday. -more-

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ACRAMENTO — Four former members of the Symbionese Liberation Army accused of killing a woman during a 1975 bank robbery pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Thursday. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

Julia Wildwood, the 56-year-old grandmother who left Berkeley in late September to walk to Washington D.C., is now in Flagstaff, Arizona. -more-

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NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Two collegiate powerhouses, Yale and Stanford, have decided to take some of the stress out of the admissions process by ending their binding early decision programs. -more-

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TAHOE CITY — Raindrops and snowflakes were falling on Lake Tahoe Thursday, but drought has left the lake at its lowest level in eight years — falling below the spillways that feed the Truckee River. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — As the stock of drug maker Titan Pharmaceuticals crashed to all-time lows, at least one savvy shareholder made a killing: its chief executive officer. -more-

An international student group started a campaign that urges shoppers to avoid Gap clothing stores this holiday season by placing ads Thursday in newspapers at several leading universities. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Just because Gap Inc.’s sales rose for the first time in 2 1/2 years doesn’t mean the long-slumping retailer finally has turned the corner, company executives and industry analysts said Thursday. -more-

SAN JOSE — A group that provides inexpensive and clean lighting to the poor around the world was among five innovators honored for applying technology to benefit humanity. -more-

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DURHAM, N.C. — The stone gargoyles perched atop the doors to Duke University’s new Gothic dormitory were meant to surprise and honor two wealthy donors. -more-

DURHAM, N.C. — The stone gargoyles perched atop the doors to Duke University’s new Gothic dormitory were meant to surprise and honor two wealthy donors. -more-

SACRAMENTO — School districts that grant charters to independent public schools don’t watch the schools to ensure they’re financially sound and meeting academic goals, a state audit released Thursday found. -more-

San Luis Obispo County is oak-studded hills, lush wineries and dramatic coastlines. But when the state ordered the region to zone for more than 18,000 homes in the next few years, it got anything but a bucolic response. -more-

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Stanley Ward, also known as “Farmer Stanley”, came to Tilden’s Little Farm three years ago. -more-

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Thursday, Nov. 7 -more-

“Jazz is an idea that is more powerful than the details of its history – a concept bigger than any single one of its partisans could ever hope to define.” -more-

What a difference a year makes. -more-

It was a little past midnight Wednesday morning. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — The Asian Art Museum will postpone the opening of the new renovated museum, located at the San Francisco Civic Center, a spokeswoman announced Wednesday. -more-

Panthers third in BSAL -more-

Just when you thought it was over, Berkeley’s election season, it appears, will continue. -more-

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SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco Giants announced Wednesday that they will not retain Dusty Baker as manager, only weeks after he led the team and the city to Major League Baseball's World Series Championship. -more-

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Eight Berkeley residents remain stranded in local hotels and a property owner says he faces financial peril after a suspicious fire damaged three south Berkeley buildings last week. -more-

SAN PABLO — She’s short, strong-willed and has a taste for KFC chicken dinners and Twinkies. Meet 113-year-old Mary Christian of San Pablo — the newest oldest American. -more-

OAKLAND — Voters approved adding 100 police officers to Oakland’s streets, but refused to raise taxes to pay for them. Supporters say that means they want the department to increase efficiency, but some opponents argue voters didn’t understand the ballot. -more-

Voters in Castro Valley have rejected a proposal to become an incorporated city and Fremont voters passed a $51 million fire station bond measure, according to complete unofficial election returns. -more-

S.F. sues major contractor -more-

LOS ANGELES — A grainy, security camera videotape has upstaged Winona Ryder’s movie work. -more-

SAN JOSE — Cisco Systems Inc.’s fiscal first-quarter earnings beat Wall Street expectations Wednesday despite the weak economy and soft demand for networking gear. -more-

LOS ANGELES — The federal government is investigating whether Tenet Healthcare Corp. hospitals overbilled Medicare millions of dollars for costly procedures, the company said Wednesday. -more-

Palm handhelds were something of a revelation when first launched in April 1996 — small, nifty computers that did a great job of organizing personal data and ran for weeks on a single set of batteries. -more-

SACRAMENTO — A California state budget process that broke down last summer, triggering a record impasse between Republicans and Democrats, may become still more difficult next year with Republican election gains in the state Assembly. -more-

Progressive Tom Bates who returned to Berkeley politics last May, fresh off a six-year political hiatus, declared victory Tuesday night in his race to unseat Mayor Shirley Dean. -more-

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Wednesday, Nov. 6 -more-

NEW YORK — Randy Johnson won yet another Cy Young Award and then he teed off. -more-

Berkeley’s two most-watched ballot measures appeared well on their way to defeat late Tuesday night. -more-

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NEW YORK — Pallbearers wearing white unlaced Adidas carried the body of slain Run-DMC star Jam Master Jay from a funeral service Tuesday at which he was remembered as “the embodiment of hip-hop.” -more-

ANAHEIM — The World Series champion Anaheim Angels aren’t about to let anyone monkey around with their mascot, especially when it comes to a movie. -more-

In a recent union vote, local teachers overwhelmingly approved Berkeley High School’s controversial shift from a seven- to a six-period day, averting the financial cost and logistical nightmare of a mid-year switch back to the seven-period schedule. -more-

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Berkeley’s progressive political faction appeared on course to win at least three of four City Council races and the mayor’s race late Tuesday night, solidifying its control over local politics. -more-

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With 85 percent of city precincts reporting late Tuesday night, it appeared Board of Education members Shirley Issel and Terry Doran would win re-election and parent activist Nancy Riddle would take the third school board seat up for grabs this year. -more-

LOS ANGELES — Once considered a future presidential contender, Gray Davis was content to win re-election Tuesday as governor of the nation’s most populous state. -more-

A Berkeley plumbing contractor who hit hard times recently is now finding himself surrounded by friends. Greg Ticehurst, a Berkeley resident of 14 years, was involved in a motorcycle accident that left him paralyzed in late September. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Two young sisters who had disappeared during a custody battle were dropped off at the doorstep of a San Francisco Bay area television station. -more-

OAKLAND – The Oakland Police Department says homicide detectives began investigating the city's 96th slaying of the year Tuesday night. -more-

WASHINGTON —The Supreme Court struggled Tuesday over the constitutionality of a California sentencing law that put a man who shoplifted children’s videocassettes in prison until 2046 and gave another man a life sentence for taking three golf clubs. -more-

SAN CARLOS — The federal Food and Drug Administration has approved a new non-surgical method of female sterilization developed by a San Carlos company. -more-

LOS ANGELES — California Democrats hoping for their first sweep of statewide offices in more than a century found only the Republican nominee for state controller standing in their way Tuesday night. -more-

REDWOOD CITY – A 55-year-old Redwood City woman was sentenced Monday to 35 days in the San Mateo County Jail for making bomb threats to her son's former parochial school last year. -more-

SAN JOSE — After years of dreams and hype, Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates will launch digital tablets that can handle text like a paper notepad but run all the programs of a notebook PC. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — With its “What Can Brown Do For You?” ad campaign, United Parcel Service Inc. uses its familiar brown-garbed workers and brown trucks to remind people of the company’s role in their lives and work. -more-

SAN JOSE — Calpine Corp. on Tuesday said third-quarter net income plunged 50 percent as higher fuel and project development costs and falling prices hammered the company’s bottom line. -more-

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County Measures -more-

Berkeley politicians have done their best to stir up interest in an election that will determine the city’s next mayor and the height of new buildings. But despite a virtual Shirley Dean–Tom Bates road show that has included 27 debates and has both candidates admitting the race is too close to call, Berkeley voter turnout is expected to hit all-time lows. -more-

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Tuesday, Nov. 5 -more-

Steve Murphy is a man without a position – because he plays everywhere. -more-

The Coalition of University Employees (CUE), which represents 18,000 secretaries, library assistants and other clerical workers at the University of California, rejected a comprehensive UC contract offer last week. The rejection will probably lead to state intervention in a 1 1/2-year-old contract dispute over wages and workplace safety that has sparked strikes on five of UC’s nine campuses since late August. -more-

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An Alameda County Superior Court judge has rejected a request by 32 pro-Palestinian student activists facing possible expulsion to intervene in UC Berkeley student conduct hearings. -more-

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OAKLAND — Oakland Raiders place-kicker Sebastian Janikowski pleaded innocent in Alameda County Superior Court Monday to two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of alcohol. -more-

Arnold Schwarzenegger may be big at the box office, but pollsters say even he doesn’t have enough star power to attract voters to the polls for an election that includes a lackluster governor’s race, secession in Los Angeles and homelessness in San Francisco. -more-

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WASHINGTON — U.S. forces killed a top associate of Osama bin Laden in Yemen in a missile strike, expanding the war on terror with America's first overt attack on suspected al-Qaida operatives outside of Afghanistan, a U.S. official said Monday. -more-

SAN JOSE — Three planes were evacuated, at least 56 flights were delayed and hundreds of people were cleared out of Mineta San Jose International Airport after a suspicious bag slipped past screeners last weekend. -more-

Less church for Marin residents -more-

Days before voters in Alameda County will be asked to give the Board of Supervisors control over the county's next chief probation officer, the current officeholder announced her retirement. -more-

SAN JOSE — The Santa Cruz couple who ran a medical marijuana farm raided by federal agents in September argued Monday that their pot plants, as well as confiscated videos and photo albums, should be returned to them. -more-

LOS ANGELES — Jewish Defense League leader Irv Rubin, jailed on charges of plotting to bomb a mosque and the office of an Arab-American congressman, was brain dead Monday after what federal authorities called a suicide attempt. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Taking their cue from the skittish stock market, venture capitalists continue to scale back their fund-raising efforts for future investments, according to industry figures released Monday. -more-

SAN JOSE — Semiconductor equipment maker Applied Materials Inc. said Monday it will cut 1,750 jobs, or 11 percent of its work force, as it struggles with the continuing high-tech slump. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Teamsters pledged Monday to shut down two Rolling Stones concerts this weekend at Pacific Bell Park if the promoter, Clear Channel Communications, does not agree to use union workers. -more-

LOS ANGELES — The chain-reaction crashes that piled up nearly 200 cars on the Long Beach Freeway likely could have been avoided if drivers had simply slowed down when they hit foggy conditions, California Highway Patrol officials said Monday. -more-

The Coast Guard radio call came in at about 6 p.m. Saturday. An unidentified boat with its lights off was heading for the Port of Oakland. -more-

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Monday, Nov. 4 -more-

The Cal women’s soccer team faces two must-win situations after losing, 2-1, to top-ranked Stanford on Saturday at Edwards Stadium. -more-

Tomorrow, months of mudslinging and campaign promises will come to a head, with Berkeley voters deciding a tight mayoral race and four City Council contests. But what does it all mean? -more-

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OAKLAND – Jose Cortez seized his second chance to win the Battle of the Bay – and Jerry Rice didn’t get much of a chance at all. -more-

Voters in cities across Alameda County will elect a county supervisor on Election Day, as well as a Bay Area Rapid Transit District director, mayors, and city council members. -more-

Strong words against a war with Iraq -more-

Scoreboard -more-

After nine weeks of living in local hotels, the 69 residents of fire-damaged UA Homes finally moved home last week. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

No. 8 Washington State 44, -more-

CAIRO, Egypt – Iraqi President Saddam Hussein said in a rare interview that he believed the American and British determination to make war on Iraq could collapse under the weight of anti-war sentiment in the two countries. -more-

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SAN FRANCISCO – Public pot gardens in San Francisco may be more than just California dreaming. -more-

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S.F. Opera fined for accident -more-

L.A. wants $1.4 billion from feds for health care -more-

LOS ANGELES – With less than 48 hours until election day, Gov. Gray Davis and challenger Bill Simon raced to seal key votes Sunday and urged residents to get to the polls. -more-

SACRAMENTO – They’re the indecisive and waiters, middle of the roaders, inattentive, the late deciders. Just hours shy of polls opening, they’re still holding their noses and up for grabs — the greatest bumper crop of disaffected voters in California memory. -more-

SAN JOSE – Microsoft Corp.’s rivals vowed to continue to push for a stronger antidote to the software giant’s domination of the software market after a court ruling largely upheld the federal government’s remedies. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO – The growing popularity of CD burning and illegal song-swapping over the Internet has caused online music sales to tumble this year, according to a survey to be released Monday. -more-

PASADENA – The California Institute of Technology has the lowest percentage of black freshmen among the nation’s top 25 universities, according to a survey by the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. -more-

PLEASANTON – The California Highway Patrol arrested a person on suspicion of drunken driving Sunday morning after a car collided with a truck on Interstate Highway 680 and killed one person. -more-

Rather than fearing death, Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) winks at it, seeing it simply as part of the natural cycle of life. Throughout Latin America and other places where the tradition is honored, the first two days of November are a time to remember deceased friends and relatives with altars, visits to their graves and offerings of music and food. -more-

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After the electric streetcar was introduced in 1891, and then consolidated and expanded in 1903, the streets along the routes, and within walking distance of a streetcar stop, were subdivided for homes. Martin Luther King, Jr. Way (formerly Grove Street) was the location of the earliest electric street car, and today is lined with 2 to 3 story houses called “Classic Boxes.” -more-

NEW YORK — As one of the forefathers of rap, with a history of social activism, Run-DMC’s Jam Master Jay was an unlikely target for the kind of violence that killed rappers Tupac Shakur or the Notorious B.I.G. -more-

The Berkeley Yellowjackets had a 7-0 record heading into Friday night’s showdown with Pinole Valley High, built mostly on overwhelming wins over underwhelming opponents. Berkeley had surrendered just 55 points all season and had the second-rated defense in the Bay Area. The question was, were the Jackets ready to take down a quality opponent and beat the Spartans for the first time in seven years? -more-

Berkeley candidates for public office will raise and borrow nearly $500,000 this year, according to campaign finance records. -more-

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NEW YORK — In this shooting gallery within an art gallery, a pellet gun and a bull’s-eye over a human target evoke images of the recent sniper shootings. -more-

Berkeley loses playoff berth -more-

A group of south Berkeley neighbors wants to meet the first African American to officiate a professional football game. But they’re not asking for his autograph. They want to tell him to fix up his run-down property on the corner of Sacramento and Julia streets. -more-

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The famed radio host, author, and critic Garrison Keillor, known for his feel-good anecdotes and humorous food-for-thought, has recently delivered “Good Poems” to bookstands. The collection is just that – an all-embracing compilation of straightforward, graceful poems, some of which he will be reading next Tuesday at the First Congregational Church in Berkeley. -more-

Tuesday voters will choose between two seasoned politicians vying for mayor. Both incumbent Mayor Shirley Dean and former state Assemblymember Tom Bates are Democrats and claim many of the same goals: the creation of housing for all income levels built along transit corridors; standing up to UC Berkeley to make it pay costs the city incurs on the university’s behalf; creating a sustainable city, including support for solar power and reduction of the use of fossil fuels. Both candidates want to address the gap in health and education between flatlanders and hills residents. -more-

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SAN FRANCISCO — Celebrated Vietnamese actor Don Duong has played an army commander, a refugee and a pedicab driver from post-war Saigon. Now he’s been cast as an outlaw by the nation’s communist leaders, forbidden to leave Vietnam and banned from acting for five years. -more-

JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon met Friday with former premier Benjamin Netanyahu, a sometimes ally and sometimes rival, and offered him the job of foreign minister in the fragile minority government. -more-

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Judge blocks ordinances -more-

OAKLAND — A 17-year-old boy charged with shooting an Oakland police officer in the head last month delayed entering a plea Friday in Alameda County Superior Court. -more-

The East Bay Regional Park District will hold a dedication ceremony for the Waterbird Regional Preserve near Martinez on Saturday. -more-

RICHMOND — The Richmond police are requesting the public's assistance with their investigation of an attempted double homicide that occurred Thursday. -more-

OCEANO — The body of a stuntman who had been missing since parachuting into the Pacific Ocean during filming of a Bruce Willis movie was recovered Friday, officials said. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — West Coast longshoremen and shipping companies reach an important — albeit tentative — agreement Friday on the use of technology, the major sticking point in their bitter contract talks. -more-

NEW YORK — Wall Street shook off a trio of disappointing economic reports and forged ahead with its fall rally Friday, posting a fourth consecutive weekly win for the first time in more than two months. -more-

LOS ANGELES — Edison International, parent of utility Southern California Edison, swung to a profit in the third quarter on higher revenues, the company said Friday. -more-

Vermont’s law granting marriage benefits to gay couples and Wisconsin’s ban on concealed weapons are just two of the volatile issues whose fate could be determined by the outcome of close races for control of many of the nation’s legislatures. -more-

FRESNO – The board of the insolvent West Fresno School District could secure a county loan to pay teachers and staff their back pay, but only if the board puts the county school superintendent in control of the district temporarily. -more-

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A stolen handgun has been found near the scene of the Sept. 21 shooting that helped police zero in on sniper suspects John Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo. -more-

NEW YORK — Her book club is on hold, but the publishing industry has not forgotten Oprah Winfrey. The talk show host is receiving an honorary award from the Association of American Publishers. -more-

ROCKLIN — Bill Simon swept through Northern California Friday, rallying support in GOP strongholds and invoking memories of California’s favorite Republican at a factory for Jelly Bellys, Ronald Reagan’s favorite sweet. -more-

Tabby owner tracked down -more-

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SOUTH LAKE TAHOE — Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., blames environmental ally the Sierra Club for Congress’ failure to pass legislation last month to thin national forests to reduce wildfire threats in the West. -more-

LOS ANGELES — Police Chief William Bratton said Friday he has opened an internal investigation into the possible mishandling of tips about dangerous practices by faith healers. -more-

SACRAMENTO — Power outages and traffic accidents brought in the rainy season Thursday, as northern and central Californians stumbled their way through their first storm of the fall. -more-

UNITED NATIONS — The United States pushed for a quick U.N. vote Wednesday on a revised Iraq resolution which threatens Saddam Hussein with “serious consequences,” while trying to ease concerns about setting off a new war. -more-

WASHINGTON — Republicans narrowly seized control of the Senate on Wednesday, ousting Democrats in Georgia and Missouri and giving President Bush’s legislative agenda a major boost in the next Congress. -more-

SAN PABLO — More than 400 nurses turned out Monday to strike at Doctors Medical Centers in San Pablo and Pinole, leaving patients under the care of temporary healthcare workers. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco lost its bid Saturday to host the 2012 Summer Olympics. Instead, New York City, the emotional favorite, will be the American candidate to sponsor the games. -more-

Shirley Dean -more-