Opinion

OAKLAND — In a case that could lead to more drilling near a marine sanctuary or could leave up to 1 billion barrels of oil untapped, a federal judge has stepped into a dispute between California and federal officials over offshore oil exploration. -more-

ATLANTA — A survey of what people know about AIDS found that four out of 10 mistakenly believe it is possible to get the disease by sharing a drinking glass or being coughed or sneezed on by an infected person. -more-

OAKLAND — The launch of electronic toll collection on the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge is being called a “relative success” by Caltrans officials this morning. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — A self-described “old hippie” and music producer has filed suit against Bertelsmann BMG’s e-commerce unit, alleging it is helping to finance Napster Inc.’s online music-sharing service. -more-

LOS ANGELES — Fears of chromium 6 contamination of drinking water has sparked consumer interest in bottled water and home filtration systems, but health officials assure tap water is still safe to drink. -more-

SACRAMENTO – Several thousand supporters of Texas Gov. George Bush rallied Saturday at the state Capitol, demanding a halt to the recount of Florida ballots and denouncing Vice President Al Gore. -more-