News

The East Bay Lesbian/Gay Democratic Club made its endorsements Saturday for the March 5 primaries, which includes casting their approval for the upcoming Governor, Lieutenent Governor, Attorney General and Secretary of State races as well as assembly seats in district 14 and 16. -more-

Most coaches would be thrilled with a 21-point win over a solid opponent. But when you’ve got the tradition of excellence of the Berkeley High girls’ program, it simply isn’t enough. -more-

Monday, Jan. 14

United Nations and American diplomacy have scored a major success by persuading the major Afghan factions to accept a provisional coalition central government, and by inducing neighboring states to accept it. But these initial achievements may soon be lost if there is not a swift and energetic initiative to give the new central government substance. A test will be whether the United States gives priority to the need to coordinate an aid program for the restoration of Afghanistan, or continues to search for a wider war. -more-

Approximately a dozen mental health patients and their advocates picketed a major symposium on mental health and public policy held at the UC Berkeley campus on Saturday, citing a familiar slogan of the disabled community – “nothing about us without us.” -more-

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Joe Shipp scored 14 points, and A.J. Diggs hit the clinching shot with just under 25 seconds left as Cal defeated Oregon State 61-53 Saturday night. -more-

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A local currency called “bread” is slowly rising even though some worry that it allows for small-scale tax evasion. -more-

Cal turned in an uncharacteristically bad defensive performance in Oregon State’s 80-52 win at Haas Pavilion on Saturday night. -more-

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By Paul Glader -more-

SAN FRANCISCO – Marjorie Knoller and Robert Noel, the couple accused in last year’s fatal dog mauling of Diane Whipple, will ask a judge Monday to grant them separate trials. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO – Many of the state’s regions have switched to public transportation powered by alternative fuels, but the San Francisco Bay area has opted to keep the noisier, dirtier diesel-burning buses. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO – The battle of the bike coasts into a courtroom Monday as the organizer of the California AIDS Ride and two charities try to settle their differences over a new bike-a-thon planned for this summer. -more-

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Gray Davis won a round of applause in his State of the State speech last week with a flag-waving promise to support the peacekeepers called to duty after last fall’s terrorist attacks. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO – After years of ignoring people caught damaging the environment in Northern California, federal prosecutors are cracking down on tree poachers, salmon snatchers, illegal trail cutters, oil dumpers and other polluters. -more-

SAN JOSE – After years of people advocating it, California will finally number its highway exits. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO – U.S. poultry growers have a chicken-and-egg dilemma. -more-

LOS ANGELES – The ghostly Hispanic legend of “La Llorona,” Spanish for The Weeping Woman, will be used by California milk producers in an advertising campaign. -more-

Houseboat owners who live at the Berkeley Marina are pushing their landlord – the city – to give them a lease. -more-

Six St. Mary’s players scored in double figures as the Panthers romped to a 94-42 win over Piedmont on Friday night. -more-

Saturday, Jan. 12

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American playwright Naomi Wallace is the winner of several prestigious literary awards, as well as a 1999 MacArthur “genius” grant. Despite these accolades, however, the 41-year-old writer still has difficulty finding theaters in the United States willing to produce her dark and dense poetical, political plays. -more-

Berkeley nonprofits, which rely heavily on end-of-the-year donations, were fearful that a combination of the Sept. 11 attacks and the economic recession would create the dreaded “perfect storm” scenario. -more-

Despite being outshot 12-3 and playing most of the game in their own half, the St. Mary’s girls’ soccer team nearly managed a tie on Friday against Berean Christian, holding out until the 72nd minute of the game. -more-

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Thirteen years ago, homeless writer and artist Ace Backwords printed a street art calendar to hand out to friends at Christmastime. Today, the Telegraph Street Calendar is a creative tradition, featuring the work of Berkeley’s homeless artists. -more-

It is one of a parent’s toughest challenges: sibling rivalry. Josette and Ba Luvmour, “holistic educators” who will be running a free seminar at the Berkeley Public Library’s Claremont branch this morning, have some suggestions to help. -more-

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There are two complexes of romantic “Storybook” cottages on University Avenue designed by Carl Fox and constructed by the Fox Bros. Construction Company. The cottage pictured here is located at 1672 University Ave., and is the cottage which is visible from the street. -more-

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The seismic upgrades of the Hearst Memorial Mining Building made a symbolic step forward Friday as UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert M. Berdahl assisted in the removal of provisional foundation support, allowing the building to rest fully on its new base isolators for the first time. -more-

SACRAMENTO — If Gov. Gray Davis has his way, California will become the largest state to borrow from future tobacco settlement revenues to fill gaps in its budget. -more-

WASHINGTON — Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said Friday that there are scattered hopeful signs the recession could be ending, but he warned the American economy still faces “significant risks.” -more-

LOS ANGELES — The first movie scheduled to air on new Spanish-language television network TeleFutura was chosen to send a clear signal about the increasing importance of Hispanic broadcasting — “Back to the Future.” -more-

LOS ANGELES — Gov. Gray Davis unveiled a major initiative Friday to help stem the flow of film and television production out of the state, a practice that drains millions of dollars from the California economy each year. -more-

SAN JOSE — More than one-third of Silicon Valley residents say they are in worse financial shape than they were a year ago, but most people still believe their situation will stabilize or improve in 2002, according to a new survey. -more-

LOS ANGELES — California’s jobless rate showed a slight improvement in December from a month earlier, as the number of unemployed people declined by 21,000, officials said Friday. -more-

About 40 Service Employees International Union workers protested Thursday outside the government offices at 1947 Center St. challenging the property manager’s replacement of three union janitorial workers with nonunion workers, who earn less money and are not covered by medical benefits. -more-

The Berkeley High boys’ soccer team continued its romp through the first round of ACCAL play on Thursday with an easy 5-0 win over Pinole Valley. The victory made the ’Jackets 6-0 in league play, having vanquished their main rival for the league title, Richmond, earlier in the week. But to hear Berkeley’s coach talk, one would think his team was in bad shape. -more-

Friday, Jan. 11

Franz Schurmann -more-

“My body had become a stranger to me,” writes Helene Byrne, a dance and fitness professional who, after giving birth to her first child, wanted to get back into her original shape as fast as possible. -more-

Two former Berkeley residents were on Attorney General John Ashcroft’s list of people to be questioned in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, according to information released by the Berkeley Police Department. -more-

EUGENE, Ore. – Frederick Jones scored 22 points and Anthony Lever had 12 as Oregon came from behind to defeat California 76-72 on Thursday. -more-

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It’s high noon and a crush of students has just descended upon the Hummingbird Café. -more-

Superintendent Michele Lawrence and members of the Berkeley Board of Education backed away from a controversial change in board procedures Wednesday night, which would have had community organizations speak at the end, not the beginning, of board meetings. -more-

California, which trailed the Oregon Ducks by only one point with 3:34 to play on Thursday night, is still looking for its first Pac-10 win of the season when they let down late in the game, leading to a 65-53 loss at Haas Pavilion. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Actor Benjamin Bratt took his whole family out to the movies Wednesday for the local premiere of “Pinero,” which tells the story of hard-living Puerto Rican poet-playwright Miguel Pinero. -more-

The Westbrae community will miss Alberta Godfrey. She died this past week. -more-

LOS ANGELES — Ogres, wizards, hobbits, can-can stars and a schizophrenic genius did well in movie nominations from the Producers Guild of America. -more-

Lipton to close Santa Cruz plant -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — The Bush administration urged a federal appeals court Thursday to overturn a court order halting proposed oil and natural gas exploration off California’s central coast. -more-

STOCKTON — Most 76-year-old men are taking life easy. Not Edward Christopher. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — State Attorney General Bill Lockyer sued PG&E Corp. Thursday, alleging the company siphoned $4.6 billion from its utility Pacific Gas and Electric and then illegally drove the subsidiary into bankruptcy. -more-

SAN DIEGO — The new wedding ring was a surprise that Jennifer Germosen planned to present to her Marine husband when he returned from overseas next month. She never got the chance. -more-

CORCORAN — Ten corrections officers went to the hospital after being attacked by inmates in two separate fights at a maximum-security drug rehabilitation center in a prison here, officials said. -more-

Lose weight; quit smoking; exercise regularly; test the smoke detector. What have you resolved to do in 2002? If you’re like most Americans, along with ringing in the New Year, you’ve made a host of resolutions intended to improve your lifestyle and well-being. -more-

Don’t cut forsythia branches for indoor flowers yet. Forsythia and other trees and shrubs are not ready for spring — indoors or outdoors. Woody plants can sense when winter is over and can’t yet be fooled into unfolding their blossoms. -more-

HELPER, Utah — Workmen’s Market butcher Dean Nielsen turned off his meat slicer to consider how the 2002 Winter Olympics might affect his small mining town 120 miles southeast of Salt Lake City. -more-

LAS VEGAS — The Clark County Marriage License Bureau has said “I do” to a new computer system that will speed up the licensing process and provide colorful and more professional marriage certificates. -more-

RENO, Nev. — Nevada officials reacted angrily to Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham’s recommendation that the nation’s nuclear waste be stored at Yucca Mountain, vowing to continue the fight by emphasizing the vulnerability of waste shipments to terrorist attacks. -more-

OLYMPIA, Wash. — A conviction in tribal court does not protect a Tulalip Indian from state poaching charges, the Washington Supreme Court ruled Thursday in an unanimous decision. -more-

SACRAMENTO — A fatal chain-reaction crash north of Sacramento International Airport closed Interstate 5 for a time early Thursday afternoon, snarling traffic on the state’s main north-south artery. -more-

SACRAMENTO — Household and Beneficial finance companies have agreed to pay about $12 million to settle California regulators’ allegations that they deliberately overcharged tens of thousands of California customers. -more-

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gray Davis proposed a $100 billion budget Thursday that cuts $2.7 billion from programs while borrowing from future tobacco settlement money and shifting funds to get the state through tough financial times. -more-

LOS ANGELES — The Sept. 11 attacks will obliterate an estimated 1.6 million jobs in major U.S. cities this year, a new study says. -more-

Building Opportunities for Self Sufficiency Executive Director boona cheema shows her excitement as she talks about plans to build a “village” where homeless families can rely on a safe, secure and supportive environment while gaining the skills to overcome the trauma of living on the streets. -more-

The Cal men’s basketball team’s season so far has come down to the equivalent of a real estate maxim: location, location, location. The Bears are a perfect 10-0 at home, with their latest triumph a shocking 68-54 win over archrival Stanford. But Cal has yet to get a win outside of Haas Pavilion, falling to both the Cardinal and South Florida by 20 points. -more-

Thursday, Jan. 10

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Berkeley High School’s four co-principals, hoping to maintain accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, presented a series of draft reform proposals Tuesday night during a meeting of the high school’s Parent Teacher Student Association. -more-

The St. Mary’s High boys’ soccer team dug its way into a deep hole on Wednesday against Albany, giving up two second-half goals to the underdog Cougars. But through constant pressure and a bit of luck, the Panthers managed to avoid the upset by scoring three goals in the last 20 minutes of the match to win, 3-2, in their BSAL opener. -more-

Editor: -more-

Running for re-election with a $12-billion-plus budget hole is not an enviable position for an incumbent gearing up for a tough campaign. -more-

This season is clearly a time of rebuilding for the Cal women’s basketball team. They have lost eight of their last nine games and are 0-4 in Pac-10 play. But eventually, the young players (seven freshmen, four sophomores) need to grow up and contribute to some wins. -more-

The Daily Planet received a copy of this poem, written by a student to Berkeley High School teacher Joseph Blaine French on the death of his wife Tatia Malika Oden French. -more-

Cynthia D. reached the end of the line 10 and a half years ago. She can tell you the exact day: July 5, 1991. -more-

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Board president violated by-laws -more-

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SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — A man who allegedly threatened to kill former co-workers after he was fired from a nuclear power plant was in custody Wednesday after authorities found a weapons cache that included a rocket launcher, tear gas and hand grenades. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Shares of ImClone Systems Inc. fell sharply Wednesday after remarks by its chief executive failed to ease concerns about the biotechnology company’s disclosure of troubles with an experimental cancer drug. -more-

BILLINGS, Mont. — Ranchers hungry for meatier returns on their cattle are weighing their production options — and more of them are holding the antibiotics. -more-

Two high-ranking officials from Japanese political organizations conferred with Councilmember Dona Spring Monday to discuss possible strategies for their country’s fledgling anti-war movement. -more-

Wednesday, Jan. 9

SAN FRANCISCO – After the names and the utterances of prime ministers and secretaries of war are forgotten, after the madmen in the desert have been hunted and killed, after the capable youth of today’s soldiers has been undermined by the blessing of a long life, history will, I think, remember this time – our lifetime – as a religious moment, both dangerous and capable of great grace. -more-

An alleged attack on a sophomore at Berkeley High School last month has renewed concerns about safety and security on campus. -more-

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A dream for Berkeley is getting rid of all the telephone poles in town. But the city needs just a little help from homeowners. -more-

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A shudder went through the redwood-loving world Tuesday with news that the towering trees may be susceptible to the disease that has been laying waste to California oaks. -more-

A man was held up by a gun-wielding robber as he was going to work Monday morning, according to Lt. Cynthia Harris of the Berkeley Police Department. -more-

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gray Davis said Tuesday his budget proposal won’t include a tax increase to close a $12.4 billion budget shortfall, but will combine cutbacks, borrowing and deferring spending until brighter economic times. -more-

SANTA ANA— The judge overseeing the battle for the estate of ex-Playmate Anna Nicole Smith’s oil tycoon husband urged both sides Tuesday to settle the case out of court, indicating neither will approve of his ruling. -more-

SACRAMENTO — The insurance industry’s attempts to limit its liability for future acts of terror were rejected Tuesday by California’s insurance regulator, though they have been approved by 41 other states since Sept. 11. -more-

LOS ANGELES — Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan’s inaugural television advertisement in his campaign for the GOP gubernatorial nomination paints his background in glowing terms. -more-

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gray Davis formally called a special session of the Legislature Tuesday to deal with an expected $12.4 billion budget shortfall this year and next. -more-

LOS ANGELES — A well-equipped Cadillac these days means adding armor to the accessories. -more-

SACRAMENTO — Singers and performers in California’s $41 billion recording industry could break their long-term contracts under a bill introduced by state Sen. Kevin Murray, D-Culver City. -more-

LOS ANGELES — City Council President Alex Padilla has agreed to repay more than $76,000 to the city for exceeding spending and contribution limits in the 1999 election, officials said. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Former Netscape Communications CEO James Barksdale and his three venture capital partners are going their separate ways after investing most of a $180 million fund created in 1999 during the dot-com boom. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Angry shareholders have filed at least four lawsuits this week against ImClone Systems Inc., which allegedly had more trouble with its experimental cancer drug than it previously acknowledged. -more-

RENO, Nev. — A wildlife group wants a small population of sage grouse found along the Nevada-California line in the eastern Sierra to be listed as an endangered species. -more-

HELENA, Mont. — The U.S. Forest Service has made no decision yet whether it will appeal a judge’s ruling that halted a plan to log thousands of acres of burned timber in a national forest in Montana, the agency said Tuesday. -more-

LOS ANGELES — An asteroid large enough to wipe out France hurtled past the Earth at a distance of about a half-million miles just days after scientists spotted it. -more-

Berkeley seventh-graders scored significantly lower than their counterparts in other school districts on a statewide fitness test conducted in spring 2001 and released by the California Department of Education last month. -more-

Tuesday, Jan. 8

The Daily Planet received a copy of this letter addressed to the mayor and City Council: -more-

Last week the city clerk made census packages available for citizens who want to roll up their sleeves, dust off their calculators and sharpen their pencils to take another shot at redrawing the city’s eight council districts. -more-

Editor: -more-

The Office of Physical and Environmental Planning at UC Berkeley has released the Final Environmental Impact Report regarding a proposed amendment to the 1990 Long Range Development Plan (LRDP). -more-

Editor: -more-

The Berkeley Unified School District’s revised annual expenditure plan for Facilities Maintenance is available for public viewing in the Superintendent’s office at 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way any time after Dec. 26, 2001. The plan is mandated by Measure BB, the Berkeley Schools Facilities Safety and Maintenance Act, passed by voters in 2000. -more-

SACRAMENTO — California must re-evaluate a decades-old forest fire prevention program in which the state paid for controlled burns on private land, a judge ruled Monday. -more-

Study projects local economy rebound -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Three years after rewriting the books on computer design and simplicity with the iMac, Apple Computer Inc. on Monday unveiled updated models with a flat-screen display, faster processor and a new look. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Wells Fargo & Co. is poised to introduce a discount service for wiring money to Mexico, representing the latest move in the banking giant’s courtship of the steadily growing Hispanic population in the United States. -more-

By Brian Bergstein -more-

SACRAMENTO — California legislators returned to their antique wooden desks in the Capitol on Monday, kicking off a new year of budget shortfalls and promising to keep the state solvent. -more-

LOS ANGELES — Settlement talks were under way Monday on the eve of trial for 15 Greenpeace activists and two free-lance journalists charged in connection with trying to stop a missile-defense test at Vandenberg Air Force Base, both sides said. -more-

STOCKTON — The bodies of three young children left alone in a Stockton home were discovered after the the single-story house went up in flames. -more-

LOS ANGELES — An investment adviser must repay nearly $19 million he took from 400 investors and spent on himself, including paying for his honeymoon and his wife’s cosmetic surgery. -more-

PASADENA — PBS said Monday it is launching a weekly news program with veteran journalist Bill Moyers that will round out its Friday night public affairs lineup. -more-

SALT LAKE CITY — Workers for some major Salt Lake City employers will be at the office as early as 4 a.m. next month in hopes of avoiding downtown traffic snarls during the Winter Olympics. -more-

SALT LAKE CITY — Workers for some major Salt Lake City employers will be at the office as early as 4 a.m. next month in hopes of avoiding downtown traffic snarls during the Winter Olympics. -more-

SALT LAKE CITY — Yas Tokita, owner of Mountain West Travel, “bet the bank” on turning a profit by snapping up tickets and hotel reservations for the Winter Olympics. -more-

BOISE, Idaho — An Idaho company landed a $3 million contract for what might be the most sought after seats at the Winter Games in Salt Lake City — the portable potties. -more-

A Letter to the Readers: -more-