A federal appeals court in San Francisco has upheld a lower court ruling that allowed the merger of Alta Bates and Summit medical centers. 

Summit Medical Center in Oakland was acquired last year by Sutter Health, the parent company of Alta Bates Medical Center in Berkeley. The merger was completed immediately in December after U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney denied an injunction sought by state Attorney General Bill Lockyer. 

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Chesney’s ruling Tuesday, saying she had used the proper legal standard and had not made “clearly erroneous” factual findings. 

The court said it defers to judges’ decisions on injunctions unless they are clearly mistaken on the facts or the law that governs the case. The 3-0 ruling was issued by Judges Alex Kozinski, Pamela Rymer and Raymond Fisher. 

Lockyer spokeswoman Sandra Michioku told the Daily Planet that the office was “reviewing our options.” She declined to discuss what those options might be or to offer any further comment on Tuesday’s ruling. 

If no further appeals are filed, the case will return to Chesney for a final ruling on the legality of the merger. 

“We’re extremely pleased that this decision has been reached,” Irwin Hansen, president and CEO of the merged hospitals, said in a statement. “We can now devote all our resources and energy into doing what we do best, providing care to our patients.” 

The new entity is governed by a local 23-member board of directors. Medical, surgical, critical care, birthing, and 24-hour emergency services continue to be provided in Berkeley and Oakland, hospital officials noted in their statement. 

Sacramento-based Sutter Health, which owns Alta Bates and 25 other hospitals in California, contended the East Bay hospitals could thrive only by combining and eliminating duplicate costs.  

The two hospitals reported $19.1 million in total losses in the last fiscal year. Summit also reported a $100 million debt and said it could not survive on its own. 

But Lockyer’s office said Chesney disregarded evidence that the combined hospitals would dominate the market in the area accessible to Oakland and Berkeley residents and gain the power to raise health care prices. 

Chesney “missed the real-world result of primary importance to a patient with medical needs, a busy physician making rounds, or a family member visiting a loved one, that it is almost always quicker and easier – substantially so – for someone in the inner East Bay to go to a hospital inside the market than to one outside the market,” Deputy Attorney General John Donhoff said in papers filed with the appeals court.

I want to thank you for your excellent coverage of the Berkeley Arts Festival and to respond to Polly Armstrong’s May 1 Perspective piece. I, too, question the attack on the manager’s report. It is the report that should be scrutinized not the kind of paper it is printed on.  

Unlike our councilmember, I think poking fun at ourselves and a little gossip are good sport and should be encouraged. We provide you with a rich source for amusing your readers, I would like to see Ms. Scherr refine her skills in that department. 

As for the “petty backbiting” Councilmember Armstrong deplores, is there any better example of how annoying it can be than a Berkeley City Council meeting? Don’t they listen to themselves?

The big new traveling exhibition now at UC’s Berkeley Art Museum, “China: Fifty Years inside the People’s Republic,” is in the first place a sweeping range of documentation, and is co-sponsored by the School of Journalism, where the dean is Orville Schell, a China specialist. But it is displayed in an art museum and the photographs are mostly grouped by the individual photographers, so we are invited to consider them as works of art, as visual expressions that go beyond normal reportage. 

Not all do, but there is some remarkable work here, especially by relatively young Chinese-American photographers in search of their ancestral roots. Reagan Louie, born in Sacramento in 1951 and named for a minor movie actor his immigrant father admired, studied art at Yale and first went to China in 1980, then returned repeatedly. He is represented here by five large-format color photographs taken in 1987, each carefully composed. 

Louie works slowly but he has a knack for catching exactly the right instantaneous expression. His “Cadre and portrait of Lenin, Yaboli” depicts the local Communist Party official sitting in front of his desk, impassively looking into the camera. Back in the corner of this dimly lit room an assistant watches, smoking a cigarette. On the back wall, perpendicular to our line of vision, is a large painting, a copy of an icon of Soviet history, which depicts Lenin the night before the revolutionary seizure of St. Petersburg in 1917, writing his statement for the Congress of Soviets the next day. Louie’s photograph is a profoundly insightful characterization of the bureaucratic inertia and foreign ideology that has afflicted China in our time. 

Working rapidly with a miniature camera, Mark Leong, born in Sunnyvale in 1966, a Harvard graduate, achieves remarkable intimacy in interpreting his ancestral village. Working in the same way, Richard Yee has a quick eye for recording the people of Yunnan Province (a mountainous region bordering Burma, Laos, and Vietnam). 

Among foreign photojournalists David Butow (formerly working in Los Angeles) has a good sense of composition and a shrewd eye for selecting a telling scene to characterize both old and new China. The Czech Antonin Kratochvil was very successful in suggesting the atmosphere of life in town and countryside in Guangdong Province in 1978. 

But the renowned photojournalist Sebastião Salgado is a bit disappointing in his record of contemporary Shanghai; his general views are mostly routine though he has a couple of good street photographs. His two best and most interpretive photographs are strangely relegated to an appendix in the basement of the Museum (off to your left if you enter from Durant Avenue). 

The Chinese photographers are generally competent but less interesting, and trouble comes when they try to be clever. Zhang Hai-er creates parodies of trendy western photography. 

There is also some art photography in this exhibition. The late Eliot Porter, better known for his Sierra Club books, is represented by seven beautifully atmospheric and timeless landscapes taken in color in 1980-81; they are welcome, if irrelevant to documentation. Lois Connor, on the other hand, attempted to make photographs in the manner of Chinese scroll paintings and one is reminded of Dr. Johnson’s remark about a dog walking on its hind legs: it is not done well but we are surprised to find it done at all. Her other landscapes are good work, but not special. Robert Glenn Ketchum is better at interpreting the cityscape of China, old and new. 

The issue of documentation is awkwardly handled here. The exhibition opens with an excellent photograph of the leaders of the Communist Party in 1937, taken by Owen Lattimore, the renowned American Sinologist who was later one of Senator McCarthy’s principal targets and therefore moved his career to England. But it is blown up to poster size and strangely cropped, not treated as the work of art it is, and Mao and Zhou Enlai are wrongly identified on the label. Then there are four 1938 photographs by the great Robert Capa shown without the captions they would have had in a magazine at the time (is this a refugee train? A Nazi flag to indicate neutrality?). Some of the recent photographs also require more information, not just an artist’s generalizing statements, to serve their purpose as documentation. 

This is a packaged exhibition organized by the Aperture Foundation, a celebrated photography publisher, and the corresponding book ($35 in paperback, $50 hardcover) includes an excellent essay by Rae Yang, born in 1950 to a successful Beijing family; it records her attitude as a Red Guard from 1966 to 1976, her subsequent awakenings, her coming to America in 1982, and her many return visits since 1992. She remarks on a few of these photographs, but basically Aperture takes an arty attitude toward photographs: they should speak for themselves. The labels are deliberately too small to read at comfortable viewing distance. 

The basic documentary function of this exhibition is thus poorly served and made worse by the Museum’s decision to put half of it in the stairwell and basement corridor and to send fourteen photographs to exile in Northgate Hall (including a couple of very good ones). They are impossible to study there because they face windows and you see mostly the reflection of the courtyard and your own shadow. 

For perspective we should go back to the great Cartier-Bresson’s book “From One China to Another,” the product of his 10 months in China during the Communists’ final conquest of 1948-9. It is a masterpiece of photojournalism, with good explanatory captions, and considered as works of art the range of his photographs is fully the equal of what is in this exhibition.

ACTORS ENSEMBLE OF BERKELEY 

“Rough Crossing” by Tom Stoppard, April 7 through May 6. The writers of a Broadway musical are simultaneously trying to finish and rehearse a play while crossing the Atlantic on an ocean liner. 

$10. Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; May 4, 8 p.m. Live Oak Theatre, 1301 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 528-5620. 

AURORA THEATRE 

“The Homecoming” by Harold Pinter, April 6 through May 7. A dark comedy about a philosophy professor who brings his wife home to meet his all-male family. 

$25 to $28. Wednesday through Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. (510) 843-4822. 

BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE 

“Let My Enemy Live Long!” by Tanya Shaffer, April 19 through May 12. The story of an ill-advised boat ride up West Africa's Niger River to Timbuktu. 

$19 to $48.50. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 8 p.m.; Wednesday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; April 19, 8 p.m.; 2025 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 845-4700 or (888) 4BRTTIX. 

You could say that the Berkeley High softball team got a “victry” against Amador Valley on Tuesday afternoon. That is, the ’Jackets may well have scored a victory, if they hadn’t been missing an “o.” 

The much-maligned Yellowjacket offense managed to scatter some baserunners, but couldn’t manufacture them into runs, and the Dons broke the 0-0 deadlock with a four-run surge in the eighth inning. With the defeat, Berkeley dropped to 1-8 on the league season. 

“It was our first time in league going extra innings. The whole game was close,” Berkeley High coach Elena Bermeo said. “Two costly errors ended up being the difference – we had solid defense through the seventh inning.” 

Lillia Bermeo started the game for Berkeley, and pitched seven innings of shutout ball before allowing four runs – only two earned – in the top half of the eighth. Amador Valley’s first batter of the inning reached on an error to start the rally, and a double, a triple and another error broke the score wide open. Though Jessica Kline got BHS started in the bottom of the inning with a double, she would ultimately be stranded on second.  

The BHS starter finished the game with eight strikeouts – six more than her Amador Valley counterpart. Bermeo’s battery-mate, Alice Brugger, had an outstanding game behind the plate, throwing out an Amador baserunner at second and picking another off first. 

“Everyone came in concentrated on the game,” Brugger said. “We wanted to win, and we knew we could. I think it was mental. We could have picked it up a little more.” 

“We had a lot of girls on base, but somehow we couldn’t get them in,” Elena Bermeo added. “It was definitely a better effort than last time (against the Dons) because we actually got on base. I don’t mind the loss, as much, because we did hold them.” 

Tuesday’s game marked the first date in Berkeley’s second round of East Bay Athletic League play. The Yellowjackets continue the league season this Thursday against Monte Vista – the one EBAL team they have already defeated this season. According to the BHS coach, the matchup with the Mustangs is a golden opportunity for her squad to gain some confidence going into the final stretch of the 2000 campaign. 

“Hopefully, (the Amador Valley game) is behind us,” she said. “We talked about it after the game, and I told them we can still pull out .500 if we can win these games.” 

Today’s first pitch is slated for 3:45 p.m. at the Mustangs’ home field.

Wednesday, May 3 

New Music at Berkeley (Berkeley Arts Festival) 

Noon 

Hertz Hall, UC Berkeley campus 

This free concert will feature music from the graduate composition seminar of Cindy Cox. 

Cinco de Mayo and Birthday Party Celebration 

1:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Ave. 

510-644-6107 

Carefree, Carfree Tour to MusicSources (Berkeley Arts Festival) 

1:30 p.m. 

Meet at Festival Gallery, 2216 Shattuck Ave. 

A tour/demonstration by founder Laurette Goldberg of the early music resource center.  

Lecture/demonstration by German composer Georg Graewe (Berkeley Arts Festival) 

2 p.m. 

UC Center for New Music & Audio Technologies (CNMAT), 1750 Arch St. Free. 

Buses No. 8, 65  

Youth Arts Festival (Berkeley Arts Festival) 

3 p.m. 

Berkeley Art Center, 1275 Walnut St. 

Youth Jamboree! Led by Greg Gomez, two school bands run the gamut from cool chamber music to hot jazz. Free. 

“MAS 2000 Climbing School” 

6 p.m. 

REI Berkeley, 1338 San Pablo Ave. 

Mountain Adventure Seminars offers an introductory rock climbing school with instruction on equipment, fundamental climbing techniques, basic anchoring and safety procedures. Registration required. Cost is $110. Wednesday’s in-store session will be followed by an outdoors session on Saturday morning. 

209-753-6556 

Quartet+1: 5 Berkeley artists in various media (Berkeley Arts Festival) 

6-7:30 p.m. 

Festival Gallery, 2216 Shattuck Ave. 

This is a reception for the artists participating in an exhibit at the festival’s headquarters. The artists work in a variety of ideas and medium. The artists – Carol Brighton, Corrine Innis, Mary Laird, Sylvia Sussman, and Audrey Wallace Taylor – cover a lot of territory in range of expression and representation. The scenes range from paintings of seascapes by Sussman and Wallace Taylor, to the mysterious rooms of the stupas of Tibet in Laird’s pastels. Brighton’s images of imaginary maps and mandalas in handmade paper and Innis’ expressive faces expand the range of media and image making in the show. 

Transportation Demand Management Study public workshop 

7 p.m. 

Trinity United Methodist Church, 2362 Bancroft Way 

This is Workshop #2 for the Transportation Demand Management Study being done by the City of Berkeley and the University of California. The study area includes Downtown Berkeley, the Southside, and the University. The meeting is accessible by AC Transit lines F, 7, 40, 51, 52, and 64, and UC Perimeter Shuttle. Parking on-site and in nearby garages (including Sather Gate). 

510-705-8136 

BUSD school board meeting 

7:30 p.m. 

Board/council chambers, Old City Hall, 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way 

Poetry Flash (Berkeley Arts Festival) 

7:30 p.m. 

Cody’s Books, 2454 Telegraph Ave. 

The featured poets this week will Norman Fischer and D. Nurkse. 

510-845-7852; 510-525-5476 

“Canterbury Tales: Saints and Sinners” 

8 p.m. 

St. Clement’s Episcopal Church, 2837 Claremont Blvd. 

This performance of Geoffrey Chaucer’s work will feature cellist Joan Jeanrenaud. Included are the tales of the Second Nun, the Canon’s Yeoman, and the Manciple. The Second Nun draws us into the story of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music, whose faith is tested to the extreme by idolatrous authorities. Tickets are $20 general; $15 seniors; $10 students. 

877-4CHAUCE; 510-601-TWEB 

Senior Recital 

8 p.m. 

Hertz Hall, UC Berkeley campus 

This free concert will feature performances by 2000 graduating class audition winners. 

Thursday, May 4 

Jazzschool BART Plaza Concert (Berkeley Arts Festival) 

Noon 

The Advanced Jazz Workshop, under the direction of Mike Zilber, will perform. Sponsored by  

Downtown Berkeley Association, Amoeba Music, BART, Berkeley Daily Planet. 

Harris Seminar 

Noon 

119 Moses Hall, UC Berkeley campus 

Rod Gould, city manager of San Rafael and the Stone &Youngberg California Local Executive-in-Residence, will speak on “Semi-RationalExuberance: The Outlook of a City Manager Facing the New Century.” 

UC Students Poetry Reading (Berkeley Arts Festival) 

12:10-12:50 p.m. 

Morrison Room, Doe Library, UC Campus. Free. 

Buses No. 7, 51, 64  

Free computer class for seniors 

1-4 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center, 2939 Ellis St. 

This free course offers basic instruction in keyboarding, Microsoft Word, Windows 95, Excel and Internet access. Space is limited; the class is offered Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Call ahead for a reservation. 

510-644-6109 

Movie: “Notting Hill” 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Ave. 

510-644-6107 

Draft Southside Plan: Public Safety 

7 p.m. 

Trinity United Methodist Church, 2362 Bancroft Way 

This will be a discussion on the public safety element of the Southside Plan. 

Youth Arts Festival (Berkeley Arts Festival) 

7 p.m. 

Berkeley Art Center, 1275 Walnut St. 

Poetry with Rita Davies & Katie Johnson Oxford Elementary School students read their original poems. Free. 

“Best Bay Area Day Hikes” 

7 p.m. 

REI Berkeley, 1338 San Pablo Ave. 

Author Ann Marie Brown gives a slide presentation from her book “101 Great Hikes of the San Francisco Bay Area.” 

510-527-4140 

Residential Street Sweeping Meeting 

7:30-9:30 p.m. 

St. John’s Church, 2727 College Ave. 

The city is considering changes in its residential street-sweeping program. The public will have a chance to give input to the changes at the meetings. 

510-665-3440 

Friday, May 5 

Historical Institutionalism Seminar 

Noon 

119 Moses Hall, UC Berkeley campus 

Paul Pierson from Harvard University will be the featured speaker. 

U.K. Seminar 

Noon 

201 Moses Hall, UC Berkeley campus 

Robert Peirce, counsellor, Political and Public Affairs for the British Embassy, in Washington, D.C., will discuss “Modern Britain: An Examination of Devolution and the Revitalization of Britain’s External Relationships – Europe, U.S. and the Commonwealth.” 

Opera: Queen of Spades, Part One 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Ave. 

510-644-6107 

Carefree Carfree Tour to KALA Art Institute (Berkeley Arts Festival) 

1:30 p.m. 

Meet at Festival Gallery, 2216 Shattuck Ave. 

Mr. Zhao, Lu Yue (China, 1998; Bay Area Premiere – Berkeley Arts Festival) 

7:30 & 9:30 p.m. 

Pacific Film Archive, 2575 Bancroft Way 

Buses No. 7, 51, 64  

The Sounds of Berkeley: A Vibrating Experience (Berkeley Arts Festival) 

8 p.m. 

Festival Gallery, 2216 Shattuck Ave. 

Helen Holt, Sherry Burke, Debra Dooling-Sherman, Dress, Aidan McIntyre, Art Peterson, Waldir Sachs, Robert Sherman, Steven Strauss, John Zalabak. $5, FOF (Friends of Festival) free. 

Trinity Chamber Concerts 

8 p.m. 

Trinity Chapel, 2320 Dana St. 

UC Berkeley’s Collegium Musicum, conducted by Anthony Martin, and the University Chamber Chorus, conducted by Marika Kuzma, will perform Venetian music from St. Mark’s for violins, recorders and voices. Tickets $10 general; $8 seniors and students. 

510-549-3864 

Cal Performances: Merce Cunningham Dance Company 

8 p.m. 

Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley campus 

This program will feature Cunningham’s “Summerspace” and the West Coast Premiere of Cunningham’s “Interscape,” set to music by John Cage. Tickets $20 to $40. 

510-642-9988 

Marcus Shelby Orchestra, big band, Ellington-inspired jazz (Berkeley Arts Festival) 

8:30 p.m. 

La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Ave. $10, FOF $8. 

Bus No. 43 

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To publicize an upcoming event, please submit information to the Daily Planet via fax (841-5695), e-mail (calendar@berkeleydailyplanet.com) or traditional mail (2076 University Avenue, 94704). Calendar items should be submitted at least four days in advance. Please include a daytime telephone number in case we need to clarify any information.

Plans by the historic Claremont Hotel to add 90 additional guest rooms have ignited a reaction from neighborhood groups concerned about increased traffic. 

“The Berkeley neighbors and Claremont-Elmwood Neighborhood Association are going to come out strong about any projects that will impact the traffic patterns in this area,” said Elizabeth Kibbey, a Claremont resident. 

Doris Willingham, president of the Claremont-Elmwood Neighborhood Association, said she has received e-mails from “total strangers who are greatly upset” by the plans. 

She said timeshare residences at the hotel and a parking garage, discussed during a recent meeting held in the hotel, would result in additional density and traffic in the area around the Claremont, an area which already is congested. 

“The basic problem we have is that the hotel is in Oakland and the impact is being felt in Berkeley,” said Willingham. 

The hotel’s plans are “very preliminary,” said Vice President and General Manager Ted Axe, who invited community leaders to the hotel last week to discuss those plans. 

He said the 279-room Claremont Resort and Spa has not yet filed for a permit, or initiated an environmental impact report, or received full permission for the expansion from the hotel’s owner, KSL Recreation Corporation. 

“Before we move forward,” he said, “it’s important we get feedback from the community.” 

He added that such a dialogue would allow neighborhood concerns to be incorporated into the design. 

Axe said the hotel expansion of 90 rooms would be tucked into the hillside in front of the terrace bar, “but we want to preserve any views of neighbors as well as guests.” 

He said the hotel also is considering a future addition of 75 units that could be time share residences. The hotel plans to build a garage, but he said the size is as yet undetermined. 

“It could substantially improve the parking conditions in the whole area,” he said. 

Joan Collignon, legislative aide to Berkeley City Councilmember Polly Armstrong, said the impact is felt more in Berkeley because the section of Tunnel Road between Domingo and the hotel is in Berkeley, as well as the part of Claremont between Tunnel Road and Stonewall Road. 

Jane Brunner, North Oakland’s city councilmember, said the impact will be felt by both cities. During Brunner’s monthly town meeting Saturday morning at Peralta Elementary School on Alcatraz Avenue, Axe will be present to answer questions, and Berkeley residents may attend. 

She said issues of the hotel’s design plan and the parking arrangements must be considered. 

“I have to see a study,” Brunner said. “How many cars? What times of day? Are we talking 35 cars over an eight-hour period or 150 cars? We need some concrete information, and we’ll take a very close study.” 

Brunner anticipates the traffic will come up Ashby, down Tunnel and up Claremont, and if most of the traffic is headed in the same direction it could be a significant problem. 

At the planning department of the City of Oakland, Major Planner Claudia Cappio said the hotel has talked to her department. The hotel, she said, discussed utilizing the space that holds the existing parking lot near the health club off of Claremont Avenue, and the hotel would build a structure and do a level of parking using the structure’s roof for a new tennis court. 

Cappio said the area where the tennis courts are now located would become another area – the future 75 units – for expansion of up to three buildings. 

“These would be called time share units designed for people who stay a little bit longer, “she said. “But if they’re unoccupied by those people they would be used by hotel guests.” 

She cautioned that the hotel’s plan is conceptual now, that feasibility is what they’re seeking at the present time. 

“A neighborhood response is very important to them,” Cappio said.

I was disheartened to read Monday’s opinion article, “Affordable Housing Projects Threatening to Metastasize.” Mr. Walter Wood’s misrepresentation of affordable housing development is based on uninformed assumptions. 

Rather than a “detriment to local neighbors and businesses,” affordable housing developments are a far greater use of space, opportunity and resources than the underutilized spaces they replace. In fact, 20 years of decreasing funding has limited developments to those that best serve their communities. 

Today’s affordable housing developments are required to integrate into neighborhood architecture. The “high-density projects” that Mr. Wood opposes are only permitted in high-density neighborhoods. High-density development houses more people near more jobs. This makes sense, especially in Berkeley where dense subdivision and infrastructure already exist. 

Affordable housing developments house the elderly, the poor, the disabled and the battered. But they also prevent the relocation of working families to the urban fringe, where greenfields are consumed and commutes are hours long. Affordable housing developments reinvigorate communities with mixed-use buildings, adequate facilities for residents who want to live there, landlords who will not evict residents to raise rents, and the pride derived from local cooperation in creating the project. 

Perhaps with greater cooperation and attempting to resolve housing problems, rather than wage war against the solutions, Mr. Wood and others could be a part of that community identity. Incorporating affordable housing into a shared vision is our only hope to maintain local vitality and cure the true ills of our social welfare: homelessness and the lack of affordable housing.  

ASHKENAZ 

Gator Beat, May 3, 9 p.m. $8. 

Wadi Gad, DJ Ashanti Hi-Fi, May 4, 9:30 p.m. $8. 

MoodSwing Orchestra, May 5, 9:30 p.m. $11. 

Tango No. 9, May 7, 8 p.m. $8. 

1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. (510) 525-5099 or www.ashkenaz.com 

BLAKES 

Pseudopod, A Sleeping Bee, May 5. $6. 

For age 18 and older. Music at 9:30 p.m. 2367 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley. (510) 848-0886. 

FREIGHT AND SALVAGE 

Jennifer and Hazel Wrigley, May 3. $14.50 to $15.50. 

Kevin Burke, May 4. $15.50 to $16.50. 

Jennifer Berezan, May 5. $14.50 to $15.50. 

Music at 8 p.m. 1111 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 548-1761 or (510) 762-BASS. 

LA PEÑA CULTURAL CENTER 

Greg Winter in Concert, May 4, 8 p.m. $8. 

The Marcus Shelby Orchestra, May 5, 8 p.m. $10. 

“Hip Hop,” May 6, 9 p.m. $10.  

3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 849-2568 or www.lapena.org 

924 GILMAN ST. 

Code 13, Abstain, United Super Villains, Godstomper, Vulgar Pigeons, May 5. 

$5. Music at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 924 Gilman St., Berkeley. (510) 525-9926. 

THE STARRY PLOUGH PUB 

The Peter Kowald Quartet, May 3. $5 to $10. 

Blood Roses, Forever Goldrush, Belleville, May 4. $5. 

Soultree, Susan Z, May 5. $6. 

For age 21 and over. Wednesday, 8 p.m.; Thursday, 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9:45 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 3101 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 841-2082.

Alameda-Contra Costa Athletic League golf powerhouse Alameda already had the league’s lone North Coast Section team berth secured going into Monday’s ACCAL championship tournament at the Chuck Corica Golf Complex. But with three at-large individual berths up for grabs, the afternoon was hardly meaningless for the second-place St. Mary’s boys golf team. 

Panther sophomores Brian Haller and Ian Saulsbury made the most of their opportunities to advance, shooting 73 and 79, respectively, over the 18-hole course to place second and seventh. Because both scores made the top three among non-Alameda golfers, the duo was granted the ticket to NCS. The trip will be the second for Haller – who qualified as a freshman – and the first for Saulsbury. 

“They both played well all year, so I wasn’t surprised at all,” said St. Mary’s coach Phil Doran, who led the Panthers to a 13-3 record in the ACCAL this season. “They both had very good years as freshmen, and expected a lot of big things from themselves this year. They didn’t disappoint.” 

The Panther pair’s advancement highlighted a solid day of team competition for St. Mary’s, which combined to shoot 402 – good enough for second place behind Alameda. The score was slightly inflated by the absence of No. 1 golfer Chris Weidinger, who injured his shoulder last week, though Chris Yaris shot an 81 in Weidinger’s place to earn all-league recognition.  

With the 2000 season over for all but Haller and Saulsbury, Doran hopes to concentrate on improving those two scores in practice. While the coach expects his qualifiers to be plenty competitive at NCS this year, he is quick to point out that both are sophomores, and will have two more years to make progress in the postseason. 

“I just want them to do their best, whatever that is,” Doran said.

Rick Young has been doing some long-term parking – without the benefit of an automobile. 

The second-year law student at Boalt Hall stationed himself in the Underhill parking lot on Sunday at noon, and says he won’t budge until UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Berdahl agrees to negotiate in good faith. 

“I don’t have a special vision. For this block I want to see more housing and less parking than the current university plan,” said Young, who faxed a five-point letter to the Chancellor calling for “discussions in good faith” on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and emphasizing Southside housing over parking. “It’s amazing how many people agree the university plan is not good. Nearly every student I’ve talked to thinks the current university plan is not good.” 

University spokesperson Marie Felde acknowledged that the chancellor did indeed 

receive Young’s letter, and will respond to it. 

“The chancellor’s office will respond to it. They always try to be prompt,” said Felde. “Everyone has the right and is encouraged to present their views on the Environmental Impact Report process. The comment period is open until June 9.” 

Now a 400-plus space sunken lot, the Underhill block – bordered by College Avenue, Channing Way, Bowdtich Street and Haste Street – used to house a multi-level parking structure topped by a gargantuan Astroturf playfield. Following the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989, the upper levels of the structure were demolished, leaving the resultant parking pit. Under the current plan, the university is aiming to rebuild the multi-tiered structure, increasing the lot’s capacity from around 400 to over 1,000 (or up to 1,450 with attendant parking). 

Berdahl was quoted in the April 17 edition of the Daily Planet as stating the university has lost roughly 1,000 parking spaces over the past decade “mostly due to the loss of Underhill.” 

Young, who has been compiling statistics over the past year for Students for a Livable Southside, claims that the university actually lost only 64 spots between 1988 and 1999 (a reduction from 7,450 to 7,386). 

“Parking statistics, I’ve found are A. Incredibly difficult to get and; B. When you do get the information, as a law student I’ve gotten good at understanding Legalese and gobbledygook, and whoever was writing some of these parking reports was obviously a master,” said Young, a graduate of Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. “It seems it almost has to be intentional obfuscation.” 

While Young has been committed to the study of Southside housing and parking for some time, the idea of staging a sit-in is something relatively new. 

“The idea came up as kind of a joke,” said Young, a member of both the environmental group Kyoto Now! and the newly formed People Against Lots of Parking and For Plenty of Housing on Underhill Block (the fun-to-say acronym PALPFPHUB). “But I got more serious late Saturday night, I decided to do it.” 

Young claims to be receiving overwhelming support from the Boalt Hall community, passers-by and local representatives. Councilmember Kriss Worthington donated a cell phone to the effort, and the pastor of a local Lutheran church also offered to help with supplies (Young is re-stocked by “three or four” close friends, and, to answer the big question, he relieves himself in the Underhill’s many outhouses). 

Young says he has even had a positive experience dealing with the UCPD. 

“I’ve been talking to the UC Berkeley police, and, with a few exceptions, they’ve been very processional,” said Young, who, with finals upcoming on Monday says he’ll “cross that bridge when he comes to it.” “The police have told me that I cannot sleep in the lot, so as you can imagine, I’m pretty tired.” 

While Young’s main focus is on emphasizing housing over parking, the Underhill plan has met opposition from several Berkeley groups. Longtime bicycle activist Jason Meggs claims that the proposal will add more cars to an already overflowing Southside, creating additional danger for pedestrians and bike riders. 

“I really support what he’s doing, and I may be joining him,” said Meggs of Young. “If this issue is not resolved by next semester, you may see a big campout here.”

Sometimes the “field” part of track and field can be overlooked in favor of the more glamorous sprint and hurdles events. But without star thrower Kamaiya Warren, who virtually guarantees the Panthers two first-place finishes in every dual meet, St. Mary’s High’s ultra-successful girls track team would not be the same high-scoring threat to the NCS title it figures to be later this month.  

Warren put in yet another fantastic performance over the weekend, this time against elevated competition, taking second in the shotput and first in the discus at Saturday’s James Logan Top-8 Invitational. Her 40-4 and 137-1 throws in the respective events earned Warren accolades as Female Field Event Athlete of the Meet. 

The Logan effort came on the heels of a third-place finish in both events at May 22’s Vallejo Invitational. Warren’s personal best throw of 42-2.75 ranks among the top 10 in the state, while her discus mark ranks seventh.

The Berkeley Unified School District should examine an alternative option for the East Campus playing fields project. 

That’s the recommendation district staff will make to the school board during tonight’s meeting. 

The newest option emerged in March, when a group of residents who support constructing a regulation-size baseball field at the site began looking for ways to achieve that goal without forcing the Berkeley Farmers’ Market to make a permanent move. 

In January 1999, the city and school district began the environmental review process on the project at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Derby Street, where the BUSD’s East Campus – renamed Berkeley Alternative High School – is located. 

Two options came out of that process. One called for the closure of Derby and the construction of a regulation-size baseball field, which could double as a soccer field. The other option would leave the street open, and only a softball field would be built. That ground also could be used for soccer. 

Supporters of the Berkeley High athletic program pushed for the first option because the baseball team currently uses the inadequate facilities at San Pablo Park. But many neighbors and customers of the Tuesday farmers’ market advocated the second option. Neighbors said the first option would create traffic and parking problems on their streets, and market customers said there was no viable place to move the market. 

The option being presented to the board tonight seeks to provide a compromise: close Derby but create space for the Berkeley Farmers’ Market to remain at the site. The school board is being asked to front $65,000 for the study of that third option. The city has made most of the environmental review costs so far, states the report being presented to the board. 

Funding for the actual project remains an outstanding issue. The BUSD, which is facing tight finances in its upcoming budget, likely will seek a bond or parcel tax in November to pay for the East Campus project, as well as other work around the district. 

The school board meeting is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be held in Board/Council Chambers in Old City Hall at 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. 

The meeting is scheduled to be broadcast on 89.3-FM, KPFB, and Cable Channel 25, B-TV. 

Before tonight’s meeting, a group of parents is scheduled to rally outside Old City Hall calling on the district to raise teachers’ salaries.

Representatives from the city, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Shorebird Nature Center broke ground Saturday on an energy-efficient, straw-bale, 860-square-foot building. 

The new structure will combine innovative environmentally friendly straw bale construction, recycled materials, and solar energy for classrooms and a visitor center for the nature center, located at the Berkeley Marina. 

The Berkeley Marina Experience Program staff is raising money to build the environmentally sensitive building out of straw bales and recycled and salvaged materials. The primary building material for this project will be rice straw bales, a waste byproduct of the agricultural industry. 

The bottom bales will be enclosed in a water-resistant sheath. Steel rods will be pounded through the bales to reinforce the walls and stucco will be sprayed over the entire structure, inside and out. 

The Shorebird Nature Center’s new building will be a showcase for waste reducing practices and recycled content materials, officials say. Straw bale buildings are durable, project coordinators noted in a recent news release. Houses in Nebraska are still standing 90 years after construction. They say the building will be fire resistant and will provide exceptional insulation, saving heating and cooling costs throughout the year. Recycled or salvaged material will be used for foundations, framing, roofing, doors, and cabinetry. 

A team of professionals will work together on the building design and construction. Current Nature Center staff will develop plans for the interior design and public use of the building. 

Staff from the Lab’s Environmental Energy Technologies Division reviewed the building’s design so that it will use energy efficiently, and maximize daylighting. The Lab has also purchased the building’s temperature and humidity data logger that will be embedded in the straw bales. This instrumentation, which measures the integrity and dryness of the straw bales, will give staff and visitors data to perform anaylses of periodic, relative temperature and humidity within the walls and interior building space. 

Finally, the Lab has contributed recycled materials and participated in beach clean-ups of glass, from which the composite window sills and interior countertops will be made.

A major earthquake along the Hayward Fault could force the closure of UC Berkeley for a year, resulting in the loss of 8,900 jobs, $680 million in personal income and $861 million in sales during that period. 

Those are some of the findings reported in a new study commissioned by the university and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, released to the media on Monday. 

“This report makes clear that the efforts we have underway to protect life safety on our campus are exceptional, but that there is more to be done,” Chancellor Robert M. Berdahl said in a statement. “The future of the university and the well- being of the local and state economy require that UC Berkeley not only survive a sizeable earthquake, but that we are prepared to emerge from one ready to resume teaching and research without major delay.” 

The $750,000 study – the Disaster Resistant University Initiative – was designed to help research universities that may face a natural disaster to find ways to protect their research, facilities and human life. The research team was led by UC Berkeley professors Mary Comerio, John Quigley and Vitelmo Bertero. 

The worst-case scenario at UC Berkeley, closure of the university for a year, could happen if a very rare 7.25 quake occurred along the Hayward Fault. The most significant financial impacts would be felt in Alameda, Contra Costa and San Francisco counties. Even a less significant earthquake would still create a major impact on the region’s economy, the report states. 

The study also points out that the damage estimates are based on the conditions of campus structures today. Currently, six major building retrofits are in progress, and four more are scheduled for completion between 2001 and 2006. The Hayward Fault passes next to or under several UC Berkeley structures. The university has launched a $1 billion retrofitting effort, dubbed SAFER (Seismic Action for Facilities Enhancement and Renewal) Plan in an attempt to make the campus more resilient and resistant. 

UC Berkeley officials note that their campus is not alone in either its vulnerability to a natural disaster or in its need for preparation and planning. Tulane University, the University of Miami, California State University-Northridge and the University of North Dakota are among those universities hit by natural disasters during the last decade. 

The Disaster Resistant University Initiative aims to develop disaster recovery and business resumption plans first for UC Berkeley, which is serving as the nation’s model, and then for other universities facing the threat of natural disasters including earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and tornadoes. 

To produce the report, the researchers assessed financial, physical and operational damage likely to result from earthquakes of three different magnitudes.  

For example, they found that the campus, home to more than 40,000 students, faculty and staff in more than 100 academic departments and research units, has the highest number of science and engineering graduate students of all institutions surveyed by the National Science Foundation.  

Since many of these students remain in Northern California, including the Silicon Valley, after graduation, “the next Silicon Valley” could be lost to another state or region if the campus does not prepare for a major quake, the report warned. 

After much sound and fury, the Alameda County Education Board saw through the tactics of the “Committee to Minimize Toxic Waste” and gave the Lawrence Hall of Science a clean bill of health. The Superintendent of Public Schools announced on the county web page that she will send her son to the Hall during the summer. 

At last week’s hearing, the County Board heard from nationally known experts who are trained in the field of environmental science. These experts have based their careers and reputations on correctly evaluating health risks. They are responsible for protecting many people’s lives. I rely on their judgements when I do experiments. These experts categorically state the Lawrence Hall of Science is safe. 

As any skilled lawyer knows that you can always find opposing “experts,” the “Committee” found its own sages. The committee introduced these “sages” as distinguished scientists who worked at Berkeley Lab, Los Alamos and Livermore and from that experience they are therefore experts in radiation. It did not matter to the committee that they were not radiation scientists. It did not matter that only one of four was a practicing scientist. 

The first person, who was introduced as a Berkeley Lab scientist, proudly implied that he led several projects. He ranted about conspiracies and cover-ups and how he knew that the radiation measurements were incorrect. He did not mention that he was a minor mechanical engineer at Berkeley Lab with little project management leadership. I worked with this “expert” for about 10 years. He made minimal contributions to these projects. Never once did I observe any knowledge, expertise or discussion on radiation matters. From working with him, I would find it more useful to consult a podiatrist about an impending brain surgery than him about radiation. 

The committee presented another so-called expert to the Board. This scientist mentioned that he left his previous jobs because of concerns for his health and toxic dangers that threatened his health. He mentioned enough conspiracies and cover-ups to make several Hollywood movies. The scientist said he quit his lucrative job and now makes about $500 a month because he could not face the danger. Later, I overheard a conversation between this distinguished scientist and a reporter. When the reporter asked him how he felt about he Alameda County Board’s decision, he confessed ignorance to what had just happened. This is astounding! He was listening to a public hearing and could not figure out what happened. This expert could not even understand simple spoken English. Maybe that is why he switched jobs. 

In fact listening to these experts, I find the argument that Al Gore invented the Internet more plausible than the statement that these people are experts on radiation. 

Let me mention another thing about the Committee. For several years, I have been interested in hearing their views. I want to hear their side. I often have called them on the phone and asked them in person for a chance to attend one of their meetings. This esteemed and vocal committee has never once let me attend one of their gatherings. What are they hiding? Why do they not hold public meetings? What is their secret? 

The committee is very concerned about the possibility of radiation getting into Strawberry Creek. When I mentioned to them that raw sewage from the neighboring homes is polluting the creek, they were unconcerned. They simple did not care. What is the real agenda of the committee? Why are they not interested in the real toxic dangers to Berkeley? 

The Committee is excellent in sprouting rumors, innuendoes, misstatements and wasting governments’ time and money. They have already wasted more than $100,000 of taxpayers’ money on these insignificant risks. They regularly occupy huge blocks of local government meeting time preventing our elected officials from doing their real jobs. Because of the excessive amount of time that they demanded from the Alameda County Board, the Board did not fully hear from the parents of a charter school that was being terminated. I am sure the parents of the children who saw their school being closed would have liked to say more. The Committee’s action prevented it. 

I have several questions that I do not know. What are the Committee’s real concerns? Why do they not tell the truth at public hearings? Why do they constantly mislead the public in their literature? Why do local governments spend so much time with the Committee? When will local governments realize that working with this Committee is an utter waste of time? 

Nuclear physicist Howard Matis, Ph.D., is a staff scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Nuclear Science Division; vice president for Nuclear Physics, Contemporary Physics Education Project; and member, Home Page Committee, Division of Nuclear Physics. He notes that this opinion does not necessarily reflect the opinion of any of the organizations to which he belongs.

Berkeley’s Shotgun Players opened an intriguing and often mystifying production of English feminist playwright Caryl Churchill’s dark, dense, difficult, and at times gruesome play “The Skriker” Saturday at Julia Morgan Theater. 

“The Skriker” is a very bizarre play, and it’s not easy to say exactly what it is about. Many people leaving the theater after Sunday’s performance seemed uncertain as to what they had just seen. 

“The Skriker” is set in the context of an ancient and mythic world of “dark fairies,” spirits who are hundreds of years old, and who interact surreptitiously and malevolently in the lives of present-day humans. 

These dark fairies take over the lives of humans in order to nourish themselves, so in a general sense, “The Skriker” is a vampire story. 

Playwright Churchill describes the central character of her play, the Skriker (Gillian Chadsey), as a “shape shifter and death portent, ancient and damaged.” 

Director Patrick Dooley, choreographer Andrea Weber and the rest of Shotgun’s talented production team have created a fluid, symbolic, and often non-linear staging, where traditional theater scenes alternate with shorter impressionistic tableaus. 

Churchill, who is not known as a realistic playwright, is most famous for her play “Cloud Nine,” a cross-gender send-up of English colonial politics and its relationship to present-day dysfunctional London family politics. 

“The Skriker” runs about 100 minutes with no intermission. Employing a cast of more than 15 actors, many of them playing multiple roles, it follows a series of 30 or 40 loosely structured scenes in which the dark fairy and her cohorts invest and haunt the lives of two young working class English women, Josie (Jennifer Taggart) and Lily (Beth Donohue). 

The Skriker causes Lily to vomit coins. Josie has recently given birth, and something bad seems to have happened. Lily also is about to give birth. Since dark fairies steal human babies to nurse their spirits, these children are at risk. 

In fact, a malevolent theme of childbirth and infancy runs through the play. In part, “The Skriker” seems to be about the violent, painful and tragic karmic implications of a child being born – an event that is usually romanticized as beautiful. 

Churchill also appears to be interested in negative and destructive female forces of nature, in pointed contrast to forces of female spirituality which are seen traditionally as positive. 

As a character, the Skriker takes many forms. She is a fairy, then a blonde American with a Texas accent, then an old woman, or a child playing hopscotch, or a smooth operating romantic lesbian hustler.  

At one point she is the hostess at a dinner party in hell, or wherever it is that platters of food are served up containing a baby’s head and other human organs. 

Near the end of the play, the Skriker’s assault on the two human women takes the form of a malignant love story. On one level, the play can be seen as a long seduction of Lily and Josie by the Skriker. 

The acting in this production is very good. Chadsey’s Skriker is multi-faceted and quite impressive. Beth Donohue is fascinating as an alternately trusting and frightened, and not too bright Lily. Jennifer Taggart’s tough, angry Josie is a wake-up call. 

Lighting designer Alex Lopez has created a variety of distinct spaces on the stage with the use of minimal lighting instruments. Sound designer Jake Rodriguez’s appropriately jarring musical tracks effectively punctuate scene transitions. 

Take fair warning: This complex, esoteric and flat-out weird story is a difficult and demanding evening of theater, and not for everyone. You will very likely leave the theater feeling there were parts of the play you didn’t understand. 

After opening weekend at Julia Morgan, the show now moves to San Francisco for five weeks. 

“The Skriker,” presented by Shotgun Players, now runs Friday-Sunday at the Warehouse Performance Space, 1850 Cesar Chavez, San Francisco. 

For reservations and information, call 510-655-0813, or check out Shotgun’s web site (www.shotgunplayers.com).

Tuesday, May 2  

The American Tapestry  

7:30 p.m.  

Fine Arts Cinema, 2451 Shattuck Ave.  

Directed by Gregory Nava, El Norte Productions, with original score by composer John Adams, this film traces the lives through the generations of immigrant families, from Poland, China, Africa, Ireland and Mexico. $8. 

Bus No. 65 

First Stage Children’s Theater  

7:30 p.m. 

Julia Morgan Theater, 2646 College Ave. $4. 

Bus No. 51  

Wednesday, May 3  

New Music at UC Berkeley  

Noon 

Hertz Hall, UC Berkeley Campus 

Work by graduate student composers.  

Buses No. 7, 51, 64 

Carefree, Carfree Tour to MusicSources  

1:30 p.m. 

Meet at Festival Gallery, 2216 Shattuck Ave. 

A tour/demonstration by founder Laurette Goldberg of the early music resource center.  

Lecture/demonstration by German composer Georg Graewe 

2 p.m. 

UC Center for New Music & Audio Technologies (CNMAT), 1750 Arch St. Free. 

Buses No. 8, 65  

Youth Arts Festival  

3 p.m. 

Berkeley Art Center, 1275 Walnut St. 

Youth Jamboree! Led by Greg Gomez, two school bands run the gamut from cool chamber music to hot jazz. Free. 

Poetry Flash at Cody’s 

7:30 p.m. 

2454 Telegraph Ave. 

D. Nurske, Norman Fischer. 

Bus No. 40  

Thursday, May 4  

Jazzschool BART Plaza Concert 

Noon 

The Advanced Jazz Workshop, under the direction of Mike Zilber, will perform. Sponsored by  

Downtown Berkeley Association, Amoeba Music, BART, Berkeley Daily Planet. 

UC Students Poetry Reading 

12:10-12:50 p.m. 

Morrison Room, Doe Library, UC Campus. Free. 

Buses No. 7, 51, 64  

Youth Arts Festival  

7 p.m. 

Berkeley Art Center, 1275 Walnut St. 

Poetry with Rita Davies & Katie Johnson Oxford Elementary School students read their original poems. Free. 

Friday, May 5  

Carefree Carfree Tour to KALA Art Institute 

1:30 p.m. 

Meet at Festival Gallery, 2216 Shattuck Ave. 

Mr. Zhao, Lu Yue (China, 1998; Bay Area Premiere)  

7:30 & 9:30 p.m. 

Pacific Film Archive, 2575 Bancroft Way 

Buses No. 7, 51, 64  

The Sounds of Berkeley: A Vibrating Experience 

8 p.m. 

Festival Gallery, 2216 Shattuck Ave. 

Helen Holt, Sherry Burke, Debra Dooling-Sherman, Dress, Aidan McIntyre, Art Peterson, Waldir Sachs, Robert Sherman, Steven Strauss, John Zalabak. $5, FOF (Friends of Festival) free. 

Marcus Shelby Orchestra, big band, Ellington-inspired jazz 

8:30 p.m. 

La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Ave. $10, FOF $8. 

Bus No. 43  

Saturday, May 6  

Cinco de Mayo Celebration, a family sing-along 

11:30 a.m. 

Habitot Children’s Museum, 2230 Shattuck Ave. Children $6, Adults $3, FOF $5 & $2. 

Downtown Music Circus 

1-5 p.m. 

Hundreds of musicians of every tradition will gather on Shattuck Avenue between University Avenue and Haste Street, playing from streetside, stores, balconies, cafés, and a piano situated on the divider at Center St. You, too, can bring an instrument and join in the fun. Sponsored by the Downtown Berkeley Association and Amoeba Music. 

For Fun, Ning Ying (China/Hong Kong, 1995) 

7 p.m. 

On the Beat, Ning Ying (China, 1995) 

9 p.m. 

Pacific Film Archive, 2575 Bancroft Way 

Bus No. 7, 51, 64 

Berkeley Community Chorus and Orchestra 

8 p.m. 

St. Joseph the Worker Church, 1640 Addison St. 

Bach, B Minor Mass. Free. 

Bus No. 51 

Liam Ensemble: Traditional Persian Music 

8 p.m. 

Julia Morgan Theater, 2646 College Ave. $25. 

Bus No. 51  

Celebration of Spring: A Benefit for the Crowden School 

8 p.m. 

St. John’s Church, 2727 College Ave. 

Turtle Island String Quartet. Tickets: 658-2799. 

Bus No. 51 

Sunday, May 7  

Jazz on Fourth Street 

11 a.m.-4 p.m. 

A benefit for the Berkeley High Jazz Ensemble with Mingus Amongus, Charanga Tumbao y Cuerdos, Kemp Generation, Berkeley High Jazz Ensemble. 

Bus No. 51 

Carefree Carfree Tour to Bernard Maybeck’s First Church of Christ-Scientist 

11:30 a.m. 

Meet at Festival Gallery, 2216 Shattuck Ave. 

Crowden School Community Music Day 

1-5 p.m. 

Crowden School, 1475 Rose St. 

A family affair with an instrument “petting zoo” for children of all ages. Performances by the Kairos Youth Choir, the Arethusa Woodwind Ensemble, and the Rose Street Players Musical Theater. Free. 

510-559-6910 

Bus No. 67 

Kimi Kodani Hill Lecture on Berkeley’s Ethnic Diversity 

1 p.m. 

1931 Center St. 

Sponsored by the Berkeley Historical Society. Free. 

510-848-0181  

Youth Arts Festival 

2 p.m. 

Berkeley Art Center, 1275 Walnut St. 

Washington School Student Concert and Dances from Sri Lanka. Free. 

Jazzschool Concert: Brazilian Rhythms 

4:30 p.m. 

La Note, 2375 Shattuck Ave. $12, FOF $10. 

Bus No. 43, 7, 51 

China: Fifty Years Inside the People’s Republic 

4:30-6:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Art Museum Theater 

Slide Show and Panel Discussion: Other Views, with photographers Jeffrey Aaronson and Xing Danwen, moderated by Robert Templer. 

Himalayan Fair Concert 

7 p.m. 

King Middle School, 1781 Rose St. 

510-848-6767, ext. 609 

Buses No. 15, 67 

News from Native California Magazine presents ShadowLight Productions 

7:30 p.m. 

Festival Gallery, 2216 Shattuck Ave. 

Tales from Native California, a lecture/demonstration of California Indian stories. Free. 

Poetry Flash at Cody’s 

7:30 p.m. 

2454 Telegraph Ave. 

Performance poet Sandy Diamond, Quraysh Ali Lansana. 

Buses No. 40, 64 

Works in the Works 2000 

7:30 p.m. 

Eighth St. Studio, 2525 Eighth St. $8, FOF $7. 

Bus No. 65

The Berkeley High girls sprint relay team’s weekend trip to Philadelphia for the prestigious Penn Relays was plenty educational. But even in the heart of American Revolutionary history, with the city’s abundance of historical landmarks, it was the actual track meet that proved to be most enlightening. 

Thus far unchallenged in California, the BHS girls 4x100 and 4x400 teams expected the competition at Penn to be fierce. But with some 40,000 screaming fans in attendance, the meet would be somewhat of a rude awakening, even for the road-reputed ’Jackets.  

“It was a learning experience – definitely the best meet I’ve ever been to, as far as competition,” BHS coach Darrell Hampton said about the nationally recognized meet. “(Our girls) got a chance to see what the East Coast has to offer. I can’t see them being intimidated by a state meet anymore.” 

Doomed by dropped batons in both relay races, the BHS girls went from first to eighth place in both events – to the disappointment of Hampton, who expected to compete for the top spot with clean handoffs. Aisha Margain, Raqueta Margain, T’carra Penick and Katrina Keith posted a 3:50.23 time in the 4x400, while Aisha Margain, Penick, Keith and Simone Brooks combined for a 47.42 in the 4x100. Both races were won by Jamaican teams, with St. Jago taking the 400 crown with a 3:42.37, and Vere Tech pacing the 100 event at 45.44. 

Among the distractions affecting the BHS squads was the “Whoop-whoop Bird,” a traditional Penn Relays crowd chant used to mockingly alert a runner that she is being passed. The chant, which features thousands of people yelling “Whoop-whoop” in unison, was just one of the many intimidating aspects, according to the BHS coach.  

“There were 42,000 in the stands – the intimacy of the stadium just grabs you,” Hampton said. “We really gave the events away. We were the top U.S. team, easy, and we were running with the Jamaicans.” 

Because both relay times were slowed by handoffs to Keith, Hampton expects to change her position from third to first for future races, so she will not be required to receive a handoff. This weekend, both relay teams are slated to participate either in the East Bay Athletic League Championships, hosted by Foothill, or at the Sacramento Meet of Champions – a more prestigious, non-league event. Whichever the squad chooses, Hampton contends that the weekend will be important in fine-tuning the races for the state trials, later this month.  

“As soon as we got off the plane, we started thinking about (this weekend),” Hampton said. “I know we’re going to have to work through some things before the state trials, We’ll just get through as fast as possible.” 

The Track Panthers 

While the ’Jackets were enjoying the City of Brotherly Love, the St. Mary’s boys’ and girls’ track teams were pulling double-duty – traveling to Lafayette’s Acalanes Invitational on Friday before competing in the Top-8 Invitational, hosted by James Logan High, on Saturday.  

Kamaiya Warren and Bridget Duffy anchored a brilliant performance by the Panthers’ girls squad at Logan, with Warren winning the discus and taking second in the shotput, and Duffy taking the 800m crown. Warren, whose throws rank among the state’s best in both events, was named Female Field Event Athlete of the Meet. 

Rounding out the girls’ highlights were Danielle Stokes’ second-place finish in the 100m hurdles (14.58) and Tiffany Johnson’s third-place marks in the 100m and 200m sprints. Johnson also combined with Parras Vega, Shamika Savage and Kristen Broady to post an impressive 3:59.83 time in the 4x400 – good enough for second place, behind host James Logan. 

“We feel very good about the way this team’s running,” St. Mary’s head coach Jay Lawson said after the meet. “With the training we’ve done recently, the kids are running better than we’d anticipated.” 

The Panther boys echoed their female counterparts on Saturday, placing several athletes among the top finishers. Basketball crossover Ebon Glenn, who jumped a personal-best 6-feet, 10-inches in the high jump to win Friday’s Acalanes meet, had no trouble repeating as meet champion at Logan, clearing 6-feet, 8-inches. Fellow jumper Solomon Welch also had an impressive outing, winning the triple jump at 46-11, and taking third in the long jump at 22-4.5. Trestin George, also a star running back for the Panthers’ football team, edged his teammate in the long jump, leaping 22-9.5 to grab second. 

The Panthers’ only other first-place finishes came in the sprint events, with Chris Dunbar pacing the 400m field at 49.65, and the St. Mary’s 4x100 team recording a season-best 42.14 to win that event. In the hurdles, state qualifier Halihl Guy ran a 38.63 to place second in the 300m hurdles. 

“We’re doing pretty well. We knew we’d be a little tired after Mt. SAC, Arcadia and Vallejo,” Lawson said. “Now the focus is trying to look sharp, win our league. The goal for this team is to win the NCS championship for both boys’ and girls’.” 

Lawson plans to bring a large proportion of his team to the Sacramento Meet of Champions this weekend, hoping the elevated level of competition will begin to condition the Panthers for the rigorous postseason. On Thursday, St. Mary’s closes out the 2000 league season with a tri-meet vs. El Cerrito and Richmond, starting at 3:30 p.m. 

\\\Tuesday, May 2\\ 

California Senior Legislature, North County run-off elections 

8 a.m.-5 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Ave. 

The California Senior Legislature, created in 1981, consists of persons aged 60 and over who advocate for inclusion of their concerns in the state Legislature’s proposals. Every two years, 120 Senior Senators and Assembly members are elected by their peers. People can vote in the election if they live in Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland or Piedmont. They must be registered to vote in California and 60 years of age or older. 

510-549-2970 

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Harris Seminar 

Noon 

119 Moses Hall 

Gus di Zerega, Visiting Scholar in the Institute for Governmental Studies, will speak on “Democracy as a Self-Organizing System.” 

“Liberal Politics as Play: An Experiment in Postmodern Political Philosophy” 

12:10-1:15 p.m. 

Center for the Study of Law and Society, 2240 Piedmont Ave., Seminar Room (near I-House) 

Professor Lief Carter, the featured speaker, is the McHugh Family Distinguished Professor at The Colorado College. He holds a J.D. from Harvard and a Ph.D. in political science from UC Berkeley, where Sandy Muir was his major professor. 

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Free computer class for seniors 

1-4 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center, 2939 Ellis St. 

This free course offers basic instruction in keyboarding, Microsoft Word, Windows 95, Excel and Internet access. Space is limited; the class is offered Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Call ahead for a reservation. 

510-644-6109 

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Berkeley Farmers’ Market 

2-7 p.m. 

Derby Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Milvia Street 

510-548-3333 

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Berkeley Camera Club 

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda 

Share your slides and prints with other photographers. Critiques by qualified judges. Monthly field trips. 

510-531-8664 

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“Wilderness Medicine: No Single Formula” 

7:30 p.m. 

Any Mountain Berkeley, 2777 Shattuck Ave. 

Buck Tilton will present a comprehensive slide show and presentation about the world of wilderness medicine. He will describe the application of recognized medical principles in challenging environments and cover specific cases that require additional training beyond normal first-aid knowledge. Tilton is Director of Curriculum and Development for the Wilderness Medicine Institute of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and author of 21 books and over 800 magazine articles. 

510-665-3939 

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\\\Wednesday, May 3\\ 

New Music at Berkeley 

Noon 

Hertz Hall, UC Berkeley campus 

This free concert will feature music from the graduate composition seminar of Cindy Cox. 

=== 

Cinco de Mayo and Birthday Party Celebration 

1:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Ave. 

510-644-6107 

=== 

“MAS 2000 Climbing School” 

6 p.m. 

REI Berkeley, 1338 San Pablo Ave. 

Mountain Adventure Seminars offers an introductory rock climbing school with instruction on equipment, fundamental climbing techniques, basic anchoring and safety procedures. Registration required. Cost is $110. Wednesday’s in-store session will be followed by an outdoors session on Saturday morning. 

209-753-6556 

=== 

Transportation Demand Management Study public workshop 

7 p.m. 

Trinity United Methodist Church, 2362 Bancroft Way 

This is Workshop #2 for the Transportation Demand Management Study being done by the City of Berkeley and the University of California. The study area includes Downtown Berkeley, the Southside, and the University. The meeting is accessible by AC Transit lines F, 7, 40, 51, 52, and 64, and UC Perimeter Shuttle. Parking on-site and in nearby garages (including Sather Gate). 

510-705-8136 

=== 

Northern California Unique Backpacking Destinations 

7:30 p.m. 

In this slide show presentation, Ari Derfel of Outdoors Unlimited will spotlight Northern California backpacking destinations including the Lost Coast, the Redwood National Park, Big Sur, Henry Coe State Park and the Tahoe National Forest (Grouse Ridge). He will discuss ideal planning times as well as share highlights on travel distance, trails, flora and fauna and provide information for more resources. 

510-665-3939 

=== 

BUSD school board meeting 

7:30 p.m. 

Board/council chambers, Old City Hall, 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way 

=== 

Poetry Flash 

7:30 p.m. 

Cody’s Books, 2454 Telegraph Ave. 

The featured poets this week will Norman Fischer and D. Nurkse. 

510-845-7852; 510-525-5476 

=== 

“Canterbury Tales: Saints and Sinners” 

8 p.m. 

St. Clement’s Episcopal Church, 2837 Claremont Blvd. 

This performance of Geoffrey Chaucer’s work will feature cellist Joan Jeanrenaud. Included are the tales of the Second Nun, the Canon’s Yeoman, and the Manciple. The Second Nun draws us into the story of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music, whose faith is tested to the extreme by idolatrous authorities. Tickets are $20 general; $15 seniors; $10 students. 

877-4CHAUCE; 510-601-TWEB 

=== 

Senior Recital 

8 p.m. 

Hertz Hall, UC Berkeley campus 

This free concert will feature performances by 2000 graduating class audition winners. 

=== 

\\\Thursday, May 4\\ 

Harris Seminar 

Noon 

119 Moses Hall, UC Berkeley campus 

Rod Gould, city manager of San Rafael and the Stone &Youngberg California Local Executive-in-Residence, will speak on “Semi-RationalExuberance: The Outlook of a City Manager Facing the New Century.” 

=== 

Free computer class for seniors 

1-4 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center, 2939 Ellis St. 

This free course offers basic instruction in keyboarding, Microsoft Word, Windows 95, Excel and Internet access. Space is limited; the class is offered Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Call ahead for a reservation. 

510-644-6109 

=== 

Movie: “Notting Hill” 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Ave. 

510-644-6107 

=== 

Draft Southside Plan: Public Safety 

7 p.m. 

Trinity United Methodist Church, 2362 Bancroft Way 

This will be a discussion on the public safety element of the Southside Plan. 

=== 

“Best Bay Area Day Hikes” 

7 p.m. 

REI Berkeley, 1338 San Pablo Ave. 

Author Ann Marie Brown gives a slide presentation from her book “101 Great Hikes of the San Francisco Bay Area.” 

510-527-4140 

=== 

Residential Street Sweeping Meeting 

7:30-9:30 p.m. 

St. John’s Church, 2727 College Ave. 

The city is considering changes in its residential street-sweeping program. The public will have a chance to give input to the changes at the meetings. 

510-665-3440

He’s the pet at Fire Station No. 5 and the firefighters love him, but he’s a lot more than a cheery pal who rides the truck with his buddies. Dylan is a disaster search dog, trained to find people trapped under rubble. 

The 5-year-old German Shepherd is one of 50 such dogs in the country certified at his level, said his trainer Darren Bobrosky, an apparatus operator at the station. 

Dylan’s prepared to find living victims of earthquakes, landslides, or bomb blasts whose only hope my be the finely tuned nose and digging skill of dogs like Dylan. 

“He would lead me. I stand back and observe,” said Bobrosky. “He pinpoints, barks and digs. All of his training leads to finding a victim popping out of a hole and playing tug-of-war with him.” 

Calm and friendly, the 70-pound shepherd is smaller than other males of his breed, who typically log in at about 95 pounds. His smaller size makes it easier for him to get into tight spaces and jump around and less likely that his activity will cause a secondary collapse, said his trainer. 

“He is what you would want in a rescue dog. He is calm an well-behaved, friendly and full of energy, with lots and lots of drive when he needs it,” said Bobrosky. 

Dylan plays tug-of-war all the time with Bobrosky, who removes the pull toy soon enough to make it interesting for the next time. Then Dylan gets his “that’s a good dog” compliment and a stroke on his neck. 

For Dylan’s disaster training, Bobrosky takes him to concrete and wood recycling plants and to sites and they work with other trainers and disaster dogs in the region. 

“We always keep our eyes open for demolition contractors and we work after hours in the rubble,” he said. 

The rescue dog “hits on any human scent” but through countless repetitions of trial and error, said Bobrosky, he looks for the “hidden scent.” 

His trainer said 20 people could be standing in an area, even though trainers try to clear it as much as possible, but Dylan knows the visible people are not his targets. 

Certified by FEMA and the California Office of Emergency Services Dylan has reached a high level of functioning now, said Bobrosky. 

Fire Chief Reginald Garcia considers Dylan to be a prime asset of the department because he’s ready to go in the event of an earthquake. 

Bobrosky keeps a pickup truck loaded with gear and food for 10 days to ride anywhere in the United States for that time period to rescue people with his dog. 

Dylan’s disaster training began simply with Bobrosky showing him a toy and then running and hiding from him. Now Dylan anticipates that someone is hiding from him. 

When Bobrosky got Dylan, the dog was 2-and-a-half years old and he was partially trained by Annie St. John in Petaluma. Bobrosky has worked with him for the same amount of time. 

In his view an older dog is a better bet for training. It’s a big investment of time because it takes two years to prepare a dog for full certification, he said. 

If a trainer is going to spend that much time, he or she wants to be sure the dog has strong hips and elbows and the right temperament which is hard to tell until the dog is one year old, he said. 

Bobrosky, who has been with the Berkeley Fire Department for 15 years, trains other dogs as well. He and wife have four Rottweilers in addition to Dylan, who lives with them when he’s not bunking at Station 5. 

The couple does obedience training and they enter their dogs in shows. Bobrosky said he had a champion Rottweiler who qualified for the Westminster Kennel Club show but the dog died of cancer at the age of 3. 

He and his wife take their dogs, who act as emotional therapists, to visit shut-ins and nursing home residents, and the dogs visit patients at John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek. 

Bobrosky said Dylan lets loose and is “more wild” at home with his Rottweiler pals to play with, and he loves retrieving balls. 

The rescue dog has about five years of rescue fitness remaining in his career, and with good luck he won’t be pressed into service. 

More than five years ago I was approached by the first director of a proposed “Berkeley Free Folk Festival” and asked to recommend potential workshop spaces for the event, which I was happy to do. I explained the necessity of using fully accessible locations, since the event was to be partially funded by public money, to a self-appointed director whose initial response was, “People in wheelchairs don’t play the guitar.” 

Her response was typical. Most people think that if you can shoehorn a wheelchair into a space, whether by means of a rickety ramp or by hauling the chair up a flight of stairs manually, that you’ve covered your Americans With Disabilities Act bases and can slap a little wheelchair stick figure on the poster and be done with it. Most people think all disabled people use wheelchairs. Most people think if someone who does use a wheelchair attends an event, then that event must an accessible event because, after all, someone in a wheelchair was there. 

I opened my newspaper this week and found to my disappointment that several of the Arts Festival events are being held in theater spaces which I know to be completely inaccessible. The Arts Festival receives public money and, of course, would like to receive more. The Berkeley Free Folk Festival was held for the last four years in an inaccessible venue, and when last year that venue’s governing board refused to host this year’s festival because of accessibility issues, the director moved the event— to another inaccessible venue. 

I’ve tried contacting members of the City Council, the City Manager, the Commission on Disabilities, the Arts Commission, the festival directors. I’ve done copious research on alternative, fully accessible locations, which become more numerous every year thanks to the hard-working people who make continuous efforts to bring existing venues into compliance. It would cost nothing to relocate events to places which the whole of the Berkeley community could attend together safely, as is required by both California and federal law.  

But somehow, despite Berkeley’s professed philosophy of inclusion and anti-discrimination, the systematic discrimination against the disabled continues. Those who raise the moral issue on the basis of justice, or the practical issue of hoping the city would have an interest in avoiding lawsuits, are dismissed or discredited as cranks, or worse, as anti-arts. Somehow in this strange and wonderful city with so many Ph.D.’s and so much higher consciousness, the equal rights of taxpayers with disabilities are considered too superficial to matter. Somehow in Berkeley, perhaps due to a political myopia which is its own serious disability, you can’t get there from here. 

Carol Denney is a Berkeley resident.

For 83 percent of the Berkeley High boys golf team, the 2000 season ended with Monday’s eight-place finish at the East Bay Athletic League championship tournament at Oakridge Golf Course.  

But for the other 17 percent, namely Ivan Holmes, there is at least one match remaining – May 15’s North Coast Section tournament at Bridges Golf Course, the home links of Berkeley’s league rival, California High. Holmes shot a 75 to lead all Yellowjackets on Monday, and was named to the prestigious all-league team, after averaging 3.2 strokes above par for the season. With an overachieving performance at NCS, Holmes could qualify for the NorCal regional tourney, to be held May 22. 

“(NorCals) is what he’s pointing toward,” BHS coach Matt Bremer said about his No. 1 golfer’s postseason goals. “He’ll have to shoot a real low number to get there, but he can do it. The Bridges (golf course) suits his game, but he’s got to play the course smart.” 

Berkeley High finished with a combined 452 over the hilly 18-hole course, coming in 21 strokes over seventh-place Granada – a team it defeated on April 11 – and 24 strokes away from sixth-place Livermore. Though the BHS squad expected to compete with the Matadors for seventh, Bremer was content with the team’s final effort, given the difficulty of the course. Curran Kennedy carded the Yellowjackets’ second-best score, coming in at 86, while Adam Breckler and Walker Koppelman-Brown carded 87 and 91, respectively. Freshman Matt Wickett failed to finish, after struggling on the front nine, and Ronald Quintero’s 113 thus rounded out the BHS scoring. 

“I was proud of the guys, it was a good team effort,” Bremer said. “I think spring break (last week) made a difference – late in the week we had a bad tournament. Things seemed like they never gelled after spring break. We peaked right before that.” 

Despite the higher-than-expected mark at EBALs, Bremer feels that the strides the team has made in 2000 will carry over into next year – when the coach expects an onslaught of freshman talent. And with another year of experience under their belts and a pending league change, the ’Jackets expect to be considerably more competitive next season. 

“A couple freshmen are coming in next year – they might even move into the No. 1 or 2,” the coach said. “Our whole team is improving. Everybody is getting more serious.”

A 63-year-old man was attacked and beaten on the street around 8 p.m. Sunday in the 1300 block of Channing Way. 

In what was probably attempted robbery, three males about 18 years old approached the victim who started running across the street. Berkeley Police Capt. Bobby Miller said the three followed him and knocked him down and pummeled and kicked him. Miller said he as severely beaten and kicked and police officer at the scene “a pool of blood on the street near the gutter.” 

The three youths fled when the passing driver of a van witnessed the beating and tried the chase the suspects, but they evaded him by running through backyards. Another witness heard the noise and looked out the window and called police. 

The victim, who was unable to recall what happened to him right after the beating, was taken to a hospital.

It was a most unusual day indeed. 

In front of a small crowd of arts supporters, Mayor Shirley Dean and Councilmember Kriss Worthington – not exactly known as the best of friends – joined with other community leaders in a moderately rousing rendition of “It’s a Most Unusual Day” at the kickoff event for the Berkeley Arts Festival. 

“I do believe that this is what makes this a very special place,” the mayor said in brief remarks Monday before the ensemble sang. “Our commitment to the arts really sets this community apart.” 

The third annual festival will feature 14 days of various artistic events, from musicians performing on downtown streets to a multi-genre program for toddlers. 

“This is a great way to spotlight what a city full of talent this place is,” said Festival Director Bonnie Hughes. “We have so many different genres of art, and they’re often isolated from each other. This gives people a chance to meet each other, find out what other artists are doing, and perhaps even find ways to collaborate together on projects.” Last year’s festival ran for a month, but organizers decide to cut back the event to two weeks this year – May 1-14 – to make it a little less exhausting on the participants and coordinators. 

A unique feature of the 2000 festival will be the “Carefree Carfree Tours.” These tours will be an opportunity for visitors to explore the worlds of art and AC Transit. Visits are planned to such venues as the Berkeley Art Center, the Maybeck-designed First Church of Christ-Scientist, MusicSources, the Judah L. Magnes Museum and the KALA Art Institute. 

Hughes noted that other festival highlights will include the Downtown Music Circus on Saturday, the BART Plaza jazz concerts on Thursday and May 11, the “Tiny Feet and Baby Shoes” program for toddlers on May 13, and the festival finale “Satirathon” on May 14. That event will feature a wide range of humorists and satirists in a “free speech fiesta.” 

A complete list of Berkeley Arts Festival can be found online (www.berkeleyartsfestival.com), and daily updates are available by calling 510-841-1982. A list of this week’s events appears in today’s edition of the Daily Planet

Resident stops burglar 

A resident foiled a “hot prowl” burglar around 1 a.m. Saturday in an apartment building in the 2200 block of Cedar Street. 

The resident had opened his bedroom window about 15 minutes before the burglar appeared. Before he went to sleep he heard the window open wider and saw someone stick his arm through the window and try to enter. The resident jumped up and yelled, said Police Capt. Bobby Miller. The prowler left immediately. He was wearing a dark blue jacket. 

Knife wielding alleged 

An Oakland man allegedly brandished a folding knife in a movie theater in the 2200 block of Shattuck Avenue on Friday night. 

The incident happened around 6:30 p.m. According to Berkeley Police Capt. Bobby Miller, the man was arguing with a security guard, and then pulled out the knife with a red handle and waved it at the guard. Another person called the police and the suspect and a friend tried to walk out of the theater and onto the street. Police officers stopped them and ordered the man wielding the knife to give it up several times before he complied, said Miller, who described the men as “very drunk and very belligerent.” 

Police arrested 31-year-old Damont Richardson, who allegedly wielded the knife, and Byron Smith, 35, also of Oakland. 

Thief steals purse 

A thief who got out of the passenger side of the car about 5:30 p.m. Friday in the 1500 block of Posen Avenue, snatched the purse of an 82-year-old woman who was in her driveway. 

The woman was waiting for a friend to drive her when the suspect’s car approached and parked about three houses away from her. She walked up her driveway to close a gate and did not notice the suspect walking toward her in the shadow of the trees, said Police Capt. Bobby Miller. Then she felt the strap of her purse being yanked off her shoulder, and she turned around and he ran to his car without seeing the thief clearly. She thought he was about 5 feet, 8 inches tall and wore dark clothing. She lost a small amount of cash, and her driver license and credit cards. 

Items stolen from store 

A burglar smashed the plate glass window in the front of Paper Heaven at 2018 Shattuck Ave. about 4:30 a.m. Sunday. 

The burglar reached inside and took five T-shirts and a foam display pole. A witness heard the glass breaking and then saw a white male about 6 feet tall in his 30s wearing a burgundy-colored overcoat walking south on Shattuck carrying a long pole and T-shirts under his arm. 

Man arrested for assault 

A 33-year-old man was arrested for allegedly attacking his mother’s friend at his mother’s home on King Street early Sunday morning. 

Police Capt. Bobby Miller describes the suspect, Mark Braddy, as being “very drunk” and entering a bedroom where his mother and her friend were asleep. The suspect had no explanation for why he hit the victim with his fists and a blunt object. The victim said the son was holding a statue and he believes the son hit him with it. The victim had cuts and abrasions and his friend took him to see a doctor. 

– Daily Planet Staff

Residents, merchants and shoppers and people commuting via College Avenue are due for big changes next month as the street’s repaving project enters an expected three-month construction period. 

The long-awaited and dreaded repaving of the 1.1 miles from Dwight Way to the Oakland border will take place in segments of two to four blocks at a time. One side of the street always will remain open for southbound traffic. 

Low-impact work will be completed first, within a month or less. That includes selected removal and replacement of sidewalks, curbs and gutters, wheelchair ramps and bus pads. Traffic and parking will be maintained at this time. 

For the high-impact excavation work, no parking will be allowed on either side of College Avenue near the construction zone. Northbound traffic will detour. 

Phase One, a two-week period, is scheduled for the east side of College from Dwight Way to Russell Avenue, excluding the Dwight Way intersection. There are eight phases planned, with paving of the entire mile to take place in four days. 

Glen Carloss, project engineer for the city, said the AC Transit No. 51 bus line on College Avenue will be reconfigured. A test run for a detour is scheduled for this week. 

The result will be the replacement of the pock-marked asphalt on the heavily traveled thoroughfare that is lined with residences and the upscale Elmwood shops and restaurants. 

The $2.14 million rehabilitation project will be funded entirely by the Federal Highway Administration. Construction bids are to be submitted to the city May 9 and the work is anticipated to begin at the end of May. 

Carloss said crews will excavate 12 inches to the existing subgrade with grinders, and he admitted the work will be noisy. But he believes the new pavement will be worth the limited disruption. 

He said the current deteriorated paving dates to 1947 when it was reconstructed, and that was overlaid in the 1960s. The other projects on the street are more recent. 

College Avenue was “trenched” by the East Bay Municipal Utility District in 1998, he said, when the utility upgraded its system to install a 16-inch water main. In 1994 street lighting was improved there, also by digging up the street to install underground wires. 

“A lot of merchants think the project could have been coordinated between East Bay and the city,” said Councilmember Kriss Worthington, whose district includes the west side of College Avenue. 

One Elmwood store owner, Virginia Carter, a pharmacist at the Elmwood Pharmacy at the corner of Russell Street and College, agreed. “It just seems that it should all be coordinated to do it at the same time.” 

The city applied for the federal grant to repave College Avenue in November, 1998, after the utility dug trenches there for its 16-inch pipe. 

The permanent traffic barrier on Russell Street near the parking lot behind College Avenue stores will modified during the construction period to permit vehicles, especially in the event of emergency, to access College from Benvenue Avenue. 

John Huffman, owner of Videots, a video store at 2988 College Ave., and president of the Elmwood Merchants Association, said the merchants have been meeting almost monthly with the city since October. 

He said neighbors have attended meetings as well and the communication lines are open. “There is nothing we can do but mitigate.” 

Stepping up to the plate, the city is providing a grant of $10,000 for pamphlets and advertisements to let customers know that the Elmwood is still in business during construction. 

Huffman said many of the 85 businesses that comprise the Elmwood shopping district lost about 20 to 30 percent of their business during the EBMUD construction. One of them closed: Burnaford’s, a produce store. 

Claudia Moudry, owner of Your Basic Bird, a combination aviary and pet store, said the biggest concern of merchants is that “the Elmwood doesn’t become an area that is not available because of construction.” 

She was pleased that the city plans to repave the Elmwood section between Russell and Webster at the end of the project and swiftly. 

The streets that are peripheral to College Avenue should be kept open, she said, suggesting that fines for traffic violations be doubled and 15-mile speed zones be applied. 

Strict enforcement of traffic control signage, speed limits and weight limitations on streets is on the police department agenda. People are encouraged to walk, carpool or bike in the area. 

After the repaving is completed, the city’s five-year moratorium prevents any work on newly paved streets except for life safety, emergency or property damage, said Virginia Vafa from the Public Works Department. 

The project is scheduled to coincide with the end of the school year, when fewer commuters will be taking College Avenue to and from the Cal campus. The city estimates southbound traffic during construction to be 10,000 vehicles daily and the estimated 7,000 vehicles northbound will detour to three alternative routes. They include heavy use of Telegraph and Claremont avenues. 

A left turn signal at the intersection of Ashby and Claremont is to be installed for easing northbound traffic on Claremont making left turns to westbound Ashby Avenue. 

Reh-Lin Chen, acting traffic engineer, said members of the Transportation Commission want a traffic calming solution, possibly a circle, for the busy three-way intersection of Claremont Boulevard, Garber Street and Belrose Avenue. 

During construction, Chen said his department recommends pedestrian safety improvements at that intersection and two other intersections of Claremont, at Russell Street and Avalon Avenue. They include striping and pedestrian warning signs.

Residents and merchants in the neighborhood near 1719 University Avenue (the former Kelley Moore Paint store) are seeking a cure for the latest in an unprecedented wave of high-density housing projects. 

Already the most densely populated city in the East Bay, Berkeley is threatened by growing numbers of subsidized projects. The latest battle is over the Affordable Housing Associates proposed “Flamingo Homes,” which many believe would result in severe detriment to local neighbors and businesses. Aside from the obvious concerns about the effects of such a project on neighborhood density, parking, traffic, crime, and quality of life, there are other unanswered questions about the developer’s business practices. Although the executive director of Affordable Housing Associates writes in his application for Housing Trust Funds “we have tried to closely incorporate the wishes and concerns of the neighbors” many neighbors do not agree. This same executive director said to the Housing Advisory Commission “we have the support of the merchants on University Avenue” – less than candid. Although the neighboring American Automobile Association business was assured initially that they will continue to be able to lease affordable parking from the proposed site, now they are told there will not be parking for nearby businesses. Although neighbors were assured at one meeting that the project would be two stories high with one story residential, now they are being told it may be three or even more stories, the exact plans seem to change from moment to moment. 

Neighbors concerned about parking are reassured by various platitudes from the developer that people with special needs will not need much parking, never mind omission of any plans for larger parking stalls for wheelchair accommodating vans and paratransit vehicles which will need space to load, unload, turn around, and enter traffic on busy University Avenue. The list of problems with the proposed project goes on, but the reader must get the idea. 

If you are concerned that developments like this are getting too large, too dense, too detrimental, too numerous, and that the developers cannot be trusted to keep their promises, please get involved. After taking appropriate anti-emetic medications, attend the meeting of the City Council Tuesday, May 9, to voice opposition to the AHA “Flamingo Homes.” Sign petitions, write to the City Clerk describing your concerns and ask that a copy of your letter go the Mayor, the Council, the City Manager, the Zoning Adjustments Board, the Zoning Department, the Planning Commission, the Housing Advisory Commission, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Let them hear from the residents of Berkeley. 

Walter Wood is a Berkeley Way resident.

THEATER 

ACTORS ENSEMBLE OF BERKELEY 

“Rough Crossing” by Tom Stoppard, April 7 through May 6. The writers of a Broadway musical are simultaneously trying to finish and rehearse a play while crossing the Atlantic on an ocean liner. 

$10. Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; May 4, 8 p.m. Live Oak Theatre, 1301 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 528-5620. 

AURORA THEATRE 

“The Homecoming” by Harold Pinter, April 6 through May 7. A dark comedy about a philosophy professor who brings his wife home to meet his all-male family. 

$25 to $28. Wednesday through Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. (510) 843-4822. 

BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE 

“Let My Enemy Live Long!” by Tanya Shaffer, April 19 through May 12. The story of an ill-advised boat ride up West Africa's Niger River to Timbuktu. 

$19 to $48.50. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 8 p.m.; Wednesday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; April 19, 8 p.m.; 2025 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 845-4700 or (888) 4BRTTIX. 

MUSIC VENUES 

ASHKENAZ 

Brassworks, May 2, 8 p.m. An evening of swing music and waltzes. $8. 

Gator Beat, May 3, 9 p.m. $8. 

Wadi Gad, DJ Ashanti Hi-Fi, May 4, 9:30 p.m. $8. 

MoodSwing Orchestra, May 5, 9:30 p.m. $11. 

Kotoja, May 6, 9:30 p.m. $11. 

Tango No. 9, May 7, 8 p.m. $8. 

1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. (510) 525-5099 or www.ashkenaz.com 

BLAKES 

Pseudopod, A Sleeping Bee, May 5. $6. 

Five Point Plan, Molasses, May 6. $5. 

Black Bay, Terra Cotta Troup, May 7. $3. 

Tracy Nelson with Robert Cray's Band, May 8. $10. 

For age 18 and older. Music at 9:30 p.m. 2367 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley. (510) 848-0886. 

FREIGHT AND SALVAGE 

Casey Neill, May 1. $13.50 to $14.50. 

Jacqui McShee's Pentangle, May 2. $15.50 to $16.50. 

Jennifer and Hazel Wrigley, May 3. $14.50 to $15.50. 

Kevin Burke, May 4. $15.50 to $16.50. 

Jennifer Berezan, May 5. $14.50 to $15.50. 

Si Kahn, May 6. $15.50 to $16.50. 

Karen Savoca with Pete Heitzman, May 7. $13.50 to $14.50. 

Music at 8 p.m. 1111 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 548-1761 or (510) 762-BASS. 

LA PEÑA CULTURAL CENTER 

Greg Winter in Concert, May 4, 8 p.m. $8. 

The Marcus Shelby Orchestra, May 5, 8 p.m. $10. 

“Hip Hop,” May 6, 9 p.m. $10.  

3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 849-2568 or www.lapena.org 

924 GILMAN ST. 

Code 13, Abstain, United Super Villains, Godstomper, Vulgar Pigeons, May 5. 

Hellbillies, Strychnine, The Enemies, The Trots, Fracas, May 6. 

$5. Music at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 924 Gilman St., Berkeley. (510) 525-9926. 

THE STARRY PLOUGH PUB 

The Peter Kowald Quartet, May 3. $5 to $10. 

Blood Roses, Forever Goldrush, Belleville, May 4. $5. 

Soultree, Susan Z, May 5. $6. 

Persephone's Bees, The Chantigs, Jim Gree and the Pandemonium, May 6. $6. 

For age 21 and over. Wednesday, 8 p.m.; Thursday, 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9:45 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 3101 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 841-2082. 

MUSEUMS 

UC BERKELEY ART 

MUSEUM 

“Anne Chu/MATRIX 184 Untitled,” April 16 through June 18. 

“China: Fifty Years Inside the People's Republic,” through June 18. The work of 25 Chinese and Western photographers explores half a century of social and political upheaval in this unusual exhibit. 

“Autour de Rodin: Auguste Rodin and His Contemporaries,” through August. An exhibit of 11 bronze maquettes on loan from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation in Los Angeles. 

$6 general; $4 seniors and students ages 12 to 18; free children age 12 and under; free Thursday, 1 1 a.m. to noon and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. 2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. (510) 642-0808. 

HALL OF HEALTH  

2230 Shattuck Ave. (lower level), Berkeley 

A hands-on community health education museum and science center sponsored by Children's Hospital Oakland and Alta Bates Medical Center. 

Free. For children ages 3 to 12 and their parents. 

(510) 549-1564 

LAWRENCE HALL 

OF SCIENCE 

“Dinosaurs 2000,” through June 4. An exhibit featuring 16 lifelike robotic creatures, fossils, activities to compare yourself to a dinosaur, and daily live demonstrations. 

“The News About Dinosaurs,” through June 4. Learn more about the “Dinosaurs 2000” exhibit with live demonstrations exploring recent paleontological discoveries and how scientists know what they do about prehistoric creatures. Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. 

$6 general; $4 seniors, students and children ages 7 to 18; $2 children ages 3 to 6; free children under age 3. Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Centennial Drive, University of California, Berkeley. (510) 642-5132 or www.lhs.berkeley.edu 

PHOEBE HEARST MUSEUM 

Kroeber Hall, UC Berkeley 

“Modern Treasures from Ancient Iran,” through Oct. 29. This exhibit explores nomadic and town life in ancient and modern Iran as illustrated in bronze and pottery vessels, and textiles. 

“Pana O’ahu: Sacred Stones – Sacred Places,” through July 16. An exhibit of photographs by Jan Becket and Joseph Singer. 

Wednesday through Sunday 10 am -4:30 pm; Thursday until 9 pm (Sept-May) 

(510) 643-7648 

HABITOT CHILDREN’S MUSEUM 

Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 

A museum especially for children age 7 and younger. Highlights include “WaterWorks,” an area with some unusual water toys, an Infant Tree for babies, a garden especially for toddlers, a child-scale grocery store and cafe, and a costume shop and stage for junior thespians. The museum also features a toy lending library. 

Admission is $4 for adults; $6 child age 7 and under; $3 for each additional child.  

Hours: Monday and Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Tuesday and Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (510) 647-1111 

JUDAH L. MAGNES 

MUSEUM 

2911 Russell St., Berkeley 

“Chagall: Master Prints and Posters, Selections from the Magnes Museum Collection.” Accompanying the exhibition is “Exploring Chagall and His Use of the Elements of Art,” a child-friendly Interactive Educational Room with five work-stations and a central activities space. 

Free. Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

(510) 549-6950. 

To publicize an upcoming event, please submit information to the Daily Planet via fax (841-5695), e-mail (calendar@berkeleydailyplanet.com) or traditional mail (2076 University Avenue, 94704). Calendar items should be submitted at least one week before the opening of a new exhibit or performance. Please include a daytime telephone number in case we need to clarify any information.

The Berkeley High girls lacrosse team secured third place and a berth in the league tournament on Saturday afternoon, playing a strong game in all aspects to defeat Acalanes, 10-8 in Lafayette.  

The victorious effort came on the heels of a disappointing loss to league rival Davis last Wednesday, in which the Yellowjackets struggled with ball movement and passing. The squad came out on Saturday determined to redeem themselves for the defeat, and with the possibility of being knocked out of the playoff hunt with another loss, there was plenty of motivation. 

“I think the Davis game pushed us over the edge, with the combination of the (hot) weather and the great performance by the Davis players,” said BHS coach Lia Farley, who hoped the loss would be a wake-up call for the Acalanes game. “The Acalanes team was very tenacious, but we led throughout the game. I think people rallied (on Saturday).” 

Berkeley High attacker Alana Perley put forth an explosive effort, netting four goals in four attempts to lead all scorers. Jamie Lee also posted a hat trick of her own, while Dani Ganes compiled two goals and three assists to fuel the offensive outburst. Elena Krieger chimed in with one goal. 

“(Perley’s surge) was definitely something we’ve been waiting for,” Farley said after the game. “It’s been on her plate, and she was able to produce.” 

In the shadow of Berkeley’s offensive effort was a strong defensive game that, according to the coach, was much better than the final tally suggests. Kristen Braasch and Joanna Hoch, Berkeley’s platooning goalkeepers, held their own in net throughout the game, with Braasch allowing just two goals in the entire first half of play. Though Hoch struggled at the outset of the second half, allowing quick scores to Acalanes, her game leveled out, and she was able to preserve the BHS victory. 

“Kristen had a really awesome game, and I had a pretty bad start, but by the end, I was stopping them,” Hoch said. “I think we came into this game knowing we needed to play our best.” 

“The goalkeeping was much improved,” agreed Farley, who also felt the midfield play was significantly better against Acalanes. “(The midfielders) were double-teaming, picking up grounders, and the defensive had an incredible game.” 

With league playoffs beginning in two weeks, the ’Jackets plan to use the next 10 days of practice to address the weaker aspects of their game. Though the league season is over, Berkeley will participate in one more regular-season game, when it hosts Robert Louis Stevenson in a non-league battle this Saturday.  

As the league’s third seed, Berkeley High will meet No. 2 seed Monte Vista – a team that swept the ’Jackets in the 2000 series – in the first round of the postseason. Despite the two losses in the regular season, the Yellowjackets have little doubt they can contend with the Mustangs on their best day, especially considering the fact that they’ve defeated Monte Vista in the first round of league playoffs the last two years.  

“Our past two games (against the Mustangs) haven’t been very good. They’re really quick, and really aggressive,” Farley said. “But we definitely feel like we have a chance against them.” 

“I think, on a good day, we can take anybody,” Hoch added. “We’ll try to play our best, and that should be enough.” 

Classes weren’t in session, but the halls were buzzing all day Saturday at the City of Franklin Microsociety Magnet School. 

The campus at San Pablo Avenue and Virginia Street was one of 55 sites in the Berkeley area that benefited this weekend from the annual Christmas in April volunteer day. More than 2,000 volunteers around the area put charitable thoughts into action, painting walls, building benches, planting flowers, helping the needy. And along the way, most of them discovered – or discovered – that volunteering can be, well, fun. 

“It’s a really good way to get to know people outside of work,” said Lynn Benton, who works in the fermentation and media department at Bayer Corp., which sponsored the City of Franklin project. “It makes it easier to network back at work, but it’s also good to get involved in the community.” 

Organizers estimate that this year’s volunteers in the four communities – Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville and North Oakland – provided more than $650,000 in repair work. Nationally, around 231,000 volunteers contributed the equivalent of an estimated $78 million in repairs in 720 communities. 

Since 1991, volunteers with the Albany-Berkeley-Emeryville branch of Christmas in April have rehabilitated 256 homes, most of which belonged to low-income seniors or disabled residents. The program targeted about 40 homes this year and was joined by the North Oakland branch. 

But volunteers also have participated in repair projects at 54 community facilities, including schools and community centers. 

On Saturday, in addition to the City of Franklin site, volunteers worked at more than a dozen such facilities, including Rosa Parks Elementary School, Berkeley Youth Alternatives, East Bay Community Law Center and the Over 60 Health Care Center. 

City of Franklin may not have been the only Berkeley school chosen for the renovation and repair effort, but it was certainly the one most in need of help. The school’s facility was built in 1952 and was expanded 12 years later. Franklin School was closed in 1983, but the district was forced to reopen it in 1990 to serve as the temporary home for Cragmont Elementary School – that school’s site in the Berkeley Hills had been damaged in the Loma Prieta quake in October 1989. 

Unlike other school sites in the Berkeley Unified School District, major improvements have not been made at Franklin. Instead, the campus was the temporary home for other schools whose facilities were being rebuilt. Columbus (now Rosa Parks) Elementary was housed there for a period of time, as was Cragmont. Thousand Oaks Elementary currently shares the building with City of Franklin, but TO will move this summer into its new, rebuilt facility. 

And with the BUSD facing financial difficulties, many maintenance programs have been cut back to the bare bones. 

That left City of Franklin, which opened just last fall, as an ideal candidate for some volunteer support. 

“I just believe that it takes a whole community – you know the saying, that it takes a village to raise a child – and I’m glad to see that the community is willing to come in and support us this way,” said City of Franklin Principal Barbara Penny-James. 

Bayer had more than 120 volunteers at the school Saturday, with participants from a few other local companies also joining in. This was the ninth consecutive year that Bayer has participated, and the number of volunteers has grown each time, noted Laura Rohde, communications manager. 

Anyone who doubted that volunteer work can be fun only needed to follow around a trio of paper-towel installers in the afternoon – Richard Furuzawa, April Loui and Henry Wu. As the threesome wandered from room to room, installing new dispensers, they provided entertainment for each other, for this reporter and for the painters they encountered, who, more often than not, just kind of chuckled and went back to work. 

Thanks to Christmas in April, the school got those new paper-towel dispensers; repainted restrooms, picnic tables and exterior walls along the multipurpose building; new benches and a storage shed; new flowers and plants; and a pledge to return next year to help again. 

Prior to Saturday’s workday, many volunteers had visited the homes or community facilities earlier this month to begin prep work. 

And on Sunday, local synagogues completed three repair projects as part of the “Sukkot in April” workday.

It was with considerable disappointment that I read Daily Planet reporter Judith Scherr’s gossip column in Tuesday’s paper (April 25). I and many others had hoped that the Daily Planet was going to be a real paper with serious, objective reporting about the myriad activities going on in Berkeley. You had such a promising beginning with mature reports, which really served to inform. Lately it has seemed that the paper has developed a point of view which is that things are rotten in Berkeley and everyone is trying to get away with something. A report on an interesting and exciting UC-sponsored panel of thoughtful, intelligent people who get things done in Berkeley, discussing their hopes and concerns for Berkeley’s future, was reported in a denigrating and derogatory way. An attempt on the part of the city staff to inform Berkeley residents about many interesting things going on in Berkeley, through an annual report mailed to every address in town, was dismissed as costing $30,000 to create and mail city-wide, and as having a few typographical errors. (I noticed that the distasteful gossip column had many such errors itself.) What about the content of the report and how about interviewing some of the “non-regulars” about what they thought of the report? 

My surveys show that few Berkeley residents feel they know enough about what’s happening in their town and I would like to know how they felt about the Annual Report, wouldn’t you? Over and over I hear from constituents and friends that they won’t get involved in Berkeley because of the mean-spirited and hostile environment they meet in public meetings and committees. I think this is a shame, because we have so many talented people who are sitting on the sidelines. Another paper with a sneering, dismissive attitude only adds to the problem. 

I am well aware that it isn’t a newspaper’s job to act as a cheerleader for the city. I think, however, it is a paper’s job to cover all kinds of real stories, not just internecine battles, and reach out to a varied group of people to get reactions and information, not just a standard group of folks with predictable negative responses. At the risk of sounding like a cheerleader myself, I think Berkeley is a great city that’s getting better all the time. I know firsthand that there are a lot of hardworking people making these improvements. Inevitably there will be tension and division as we move ahead, but a paper which wants to serve its community will focus on real issues, not petty backbiting, and I would certainly hope a real paper would not print scurrilous gossip as amusing filler. There are real people affected by these hateful, anonymous charges and there is no need to provide a wider venue for their pain. 

The Planet, as it begins its second year, can continue to become a mouthpiece for the well-known chronically angry and disenchanted few, following up on their conspiracies and complaints. Or it can try to take the more difficult route of reflecting a varied population which understands that it takes a lot of work to create a vibrant city and that most people are trying to pull together to get things done ... even though they may disagree along the way. 

Councilmember Polly Armstrong represents District 8.

With running back Joe Igber on the bench, Saturday’s final spring football scrimmage didn’t figure to be an exhibition in ground gains for the Bears. But the Cal offense proved that Igber isn’t the only dangerous Joe in the backfield, as sophomore Joseph Echema picked up an astounding 119 yards on 13 attempts. 

Echema, competing with the Blue side at the intrasquad scrimmage at Oakmont Polo Fields in Santa Rosa, also scored a touchdown to give his side a 43-21 victory over the opposing Gold team, which was made up of Cal’s second-string offense and first-string defense.  

“Our running game looked good today,” said Cal head coach Tom Holmoe, who has seen Echema blossom throughout spring workouts after getting only 10 carries as a freshman in 1999. “It was obvious that the offensive line was opening a few holes and Echema looked real good. He’s a slasher, and he’s big and fast. We have superior depth at the tailback position.” 

Echema’s afternoon included 45- and 25-yard breakaways that were especially impressive against the notably solid Cal first-team defensive line, which features such athletes as Andre Carter, Jacob Waasdorp and Daniel Nwangwu. Chris Hanks, another sophomore, complemented Echema’s impressive outing with 67 yards of his own, on 12 carries. 

Though quarterback Kyle Boller threw just 11 passes, his 88 total yards and two touchdowns were enough to encourage the Cal coaching staff. Tight end Brian Surgener and wideout Sean Currin each found themselves on the 

receiving end of mid-length TD passes from Boller. 

“I think we finished up the spring very strongly,” Holmoe said after the game. “Our team is in great shape, physically. We’re healthy and strong.” 

Igber was kept out of the game due to a knee sprain suffered during Cal’s last scrimmage, two weeks ago. According to the coaches, the injury is minor, and the running back will be rehabilitated well before the start of fall practice.  

Fall camp begins Aug. 17 at CSU Stanislaus in the Central Valley.

Berkeley residents and city departments have vowed to cut carbon dioxide emissions by more than 2 million pounds as part of an Earth Day pledge to help the environment. 

But city leaders want residents to do even more. 

“There is no reason not to stop,” said Councilmember Linda Maio. “We will continue asking people to take additional steps, over and above what we are doing now, to protect the climate.” 

The city, led by the Berkeley Energy Commission and the Community Environmental Advisory Commission, called on residents to pledge to take actions that will reduce negative effects on the environment. Those actions include carpooling or reducing car travel by at least 15 percent, installing low-flow showerheads, using compact fluorescent light bulbs in at least four fixtures, and promising that the next car they purchase will be 30 percent more fuel-efficient than their current vehicle. 

When the first tally was made, for Earth Day on April 22, pledges came to 1.6 million pounds of carbon dioxide. By late last week, that figured had passed the 2 million pound mark. So far, 357 households have made pledges. The most popular action was the pledge to make the next vehicle more fuel-efficient. 

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, about 6.6 tons of greenhouse gases are released every year, per person – that’s almost 15,000 pounds for each of us. Emissions increased about 3.4 percent between 1990 and 1997, the EPA says. About 82 percent of these emissions come from burning fossil fuels to generate electricity and power cars. 

Neal De Snoo, the city’s energy officer, previously told the Daily Planet that city departments have made their own pledges to reduce total emissions by 15 percent. The city’s action plan focuses on four areas: reduced transportation fuels, reduced energy use in city-owned buildings, reduced levels of solid waste materials that generate methane as they decompose, and increased planting of trees. 

The city has expanded its fleet of electric vehicles, and has installed a recharging station downtown that can be used by city-owned and private vehicles. The recently adopted Bike Boulevard Plan is another beneficial step, De Snoo said. 

Energy-efficient bulbs can reduce the amount of electricity used in homes and business, he said, noting that about 30 major businesses have pledged to reduce energy use in this category. 

Methane emissions are worse for the environment than carbon dioxide emissions are, De Snoo said. The decomposition process in landfills is a significant contributor. As a carbon-based material decomposes, it produces methane if there is no oxygen present. That’s why composting is encouraged: The process incorporates oxygen into the mixture of food, dirt and green waste, and the end product can be used in a garden. 

Pledges are still being accepted online (www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/housing/energy/pledge.html) or by mail. Call 510-665-3486 for a pledge card, which can then be mailed back to the city. 

Berkeley High rugger Joanna Hoch scored all three tries for the BHS/Piedmont contingent in Saturday’s match at Fielding Field in Berkeley, but the more experienced Oakridge squad had the offensive consistency to prevail, 25-15.  

The losing effort went down as one of the best all season for the BHS/Piedmont squad, which is currently in its first-ever year of competition. According to the BHS players, the passing and defense have improved exponentially over the past weeks, and the narrow loss to Oakridge – a team with four years of experience – was something of a moral victory. 

“I think this was our best game. The coach came up to us after the game and said it was one of the most well-matched (all season),” Hoch said. “They’ve been in existence for four years, and we were at their level. Our team’s improvement is really obvious.” 

The squad travels north to Roseville this weekend to participate in a tournament featuring Granite Bay and Elsie Allen. BHS/Piedmont is guaranteed at least three games, and could win its way into a fourth.

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If it were up to the Zoning Adjustment Board, Kragen Auto Parts would shut its doors forever at California Street and University Avenue. 

With Board members Nancy Carleton and David Freeman absent, the ZAB voted 5-2 Thursday evening to revoke the use permit of the business, which has been at war with its neighbors for at least five years. 

Board members Rose Marie Pietras and James Peterson opposed the revocation. 

Kragen attorney Bill Segesta says the company has no intention of shutting down the 12-year-old store without a fight. It will challenge the Zoning Board’s decision at the City Council level. 

Kragen’s neighbors have lodged numerous complaints with city officials about spare parts left about, people working on cars outside the establishment and resultant oil and other contaminants caked on the street. They went to mediation with the business, and in 1998, the ZAB attached formal conditions to Kragen’s use permit. 

In its vote, the board majority agreed with the zoning officer’s conclusions that Kragen violated the conditions imposed on it. 

The staff findings asserted that Kragen: 

• Failed to pick up litter and sweep around the establishment. 

• Did not perform adequate professional surface cleaning of oil and other contaminants around the establishment. 

• Allowed its customers to work on their vehicles outside the establishment. 

Two ZAB members argued on the side of the business, however. Pietras said she noticed “remarkable improvement” when she went by the business recently. 

And Peterson agreed, saying the business has been responsive to the city’s demands. Moreover he argued that Kragen provided employment to “minorities and poor whites.” 

“I am not prepared to vote to revoke the permit to put these people out of work,” he said. 

But most of the board members said the business had a pattern of complying when the city turned up the heat, then becoming lax later on. 

“There’s a certain cyclical aspect to this,” ZAB member Gene Poshman said. “We’ve got neighbors who have to live with this thing.”

KPFA activists are celebrating a legal victory: A judge ruled this week that they can move forward with the lawsuit filed in July by Oakland attorney Dan Siegel. 

Plaintiffs are 22 members of Local Advisory Groups from four of the five community-sponsored Pacifica radio stations. The suit contends that Pacifica Foundation, which holds the licenses to KPFA and the four other stations, illegally changed the rules when it voted to bar the stations’ local advisory committee from selecting members of the national governing board. The national board failed to give proper public notice before it changed the rules, the lawsuit says. 

In an attempt to get the lawsuit thrown out, Pacifica attorneys filed a motion to dismiss, saying that the plaintiffs had no standing in court to file the suit. 

The ruling, written Monday by Alameda County Superior Court Judge James Richman and received by attorneys Thursday, said the plaintiffs can sue the foundation. 

“For the plaintiffs, it’s a real relief,” said Hunter Pyle, an attorney with Siegel and Yee, speaking for Siegel, who is out of the country. “The lawsuit can move ahead.” 

Pyle said the decision is significant. 

“During this time (of fighting the motion to dismiss) discovery has been on hold,” he said. 

Now attorneys can compel Board Chair Mary Frances Berry and former executive director Lynn Chadwick to respond to questions, in preparation for a trial. 

“They will have to answer hard questions,” Pyle said, declining to detail exactly what the defendants will be asked. 

Pyle said he expects the depositions – formal questioning with a court reporter and attorneys present – will take place some time in June.

Saturday, April 29 

Christmas in April 

All Day 

Volunteers from local organizations, businesses and institutions will spend the day refurbishing homes and community centers throughout Berkeley, Emeryville, Albany and North Oakland. 

510-644-8979 

Earth Week 2000 

9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. 

UC Berkeley campus 

This weeklong event features a series of activities and workshops each day. Call organizers to get a detailed list of each day’s program, or visit the group’s web site. The group’s office is in 303 Eshleman Hall. 

510-643-9703; www.earthweek2000.org 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market 

10 a.m.-3 p.m. 

Center Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Milvia Street 

510-548-3333 

The Summit Road - Selby Path Loop 

10 a.m.-noon 

Tour begins at the intersection of Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Summit Road. 

Paul Grunland will lead this tour exploring Berkeley’s highest residential street, which serves as an interface between the Berkeley urban setting and Tilden Park. This walk will offer (on a clear day) commanding views of Tilden Park (and its golf course) and the San Francisco Bay region. This is part of the Spring Walking Tours sponsored by the Berkeley Historical Society. The price is $5 per tour or $20 per season ticket for Berkeley Historical Society members. The price is $10 per tour for non-members. Limit of 30 people on this tour. 

510-848-0181 

West Coast Live 

10 a.m. 

Freight and Salvage, 1111 Addison St. 

Join the studio audience as Sedge Thompson hosts musical guests, authors and others for his live radio broadcast. This week’s guests will be authors Edna O’Brien and Diane Johnson, folk trio Rebecca Riots and actor Tanya Shaffer. Cost is $12. 

415-664-9500 

Adios! Plum City Players 

10:30 a.m. 

La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Ave. 

After more than 20 years of performing, writing, and recording songs, stories, and music games for children and families, The Plum City Players are bidding farewell to generations of audiences with a final show. Founded by Annie Hershey, Bonnie Lockhart, and Nancy Schimmel, The Plum City Players have woven storytelling, original songs, and multi-cultural music games into a unique entertainment for children and families. Tickets are $4 adults, $3 children. 

UC Berkeley Pow-wow 

11 a.m.-11:30 p.m. 

North Field (behind Hearst Gym near Bancroft Way), UC Berkeley campus 

The 16th annual pow-wow will feature open gourd dancing at 11 a.m., the grand entry at noon and 6:30 p.m. and a series of events and activities throughout the day. Sponsors for the event include the Native American Advisory Council, the Native American Recruitment and Retention Center, the Inter-Tribal Student Council, the American Indian Science and Engineering Association, the Cal Alumni Association, the Berkeley Pledge and ASUC. 

510-643-6592; 510-642-6613 

Asthma and Allergy Community Health Festival 

11 a.m.-3 p.m. 

Lake Merritt Lakeside Garden Center, Oakland 

The Alameda Alliance for Health is sponsoring this event, where people can learn how to manage asthma through interactive games, educational workshops and seminars. Music, entertainment and activities for kids of all ages will be offered, and the festival is free. 

510-895-9355 

Berkeley Bay Festival 

11 a.m.-4 p.m. 

Berkeley Marina 

The Berkeley Bay Festival has been an (almost) annual event at the Berkeley Marina since 1937. In the past 22 years that environmental education programs have been taught at the Berkeley Marina, the Festival has had an environmental education and boating theme. Exhibitors from recreational and educational organizations will be staffing booths offering games and activities, selling merchandise, and making presentations. 

“Calling a truce to the War on Drugs” 

11 a.m.-5 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Ave. 

Speakers at this city forum include Alexander Cockburn, speaking on the “CIA, the U.S. Government and the Drug Trade;” Chris Conrad, co-author of “Shattered Lives;” Superior Court Judge James P. Gray of Orange County; and Robert MacCoun, professor at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley. 

510-594-4088 

Sense of Smell event 

Noon-3 p.m. 

Lawrence Hall of Science, Centennial Drive, above UC Berkeley campus 

Explore the hows and whys behind your sense of smell with hands-on and “noses-on” fun. 

510-642-5132; www.lhs.berkeley.edu 

Open Mike Reading 

2-4 p.m. 

Arts Magnet Poetry Garden, Milvia and Lincoln streets 

Young or older, everyone is welcome to read or listen to a poem written by you or a favorite author. The Poetry Garden is dedicated in memory of poet Allen Ginsberg, whose cottage was located across the street. 

510-644-3971 

World Trade for the People: Seattle, D.C., and Beyond 

2 p.m. lunch; 3 p.m. forum 

La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Ave. 

Forum and report back from Washington D.C. with Global Exchange Forum Speakers: Horace Small, Medea Benjamin and others. Tickets are $15-$25. 

415-789-8497 

“Celebrate the Children of Resistance” 

7:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Community Theater, 1900 Allston Way 

This is a benefit for the Rosenberg Fund for Children and the Middle East Children’s Alliance featuring performances by Danny Glover, Ed Asner, Janice Mirikitani, Ani DiFranco with Utah Phillips, Holly Near, the Oakland Youth Chorus, and others. Tickets are $10 to $23. 

510-548-0542 

Authors event 

7:30 p.m. 

Boadecia’s Books, 398 Colusa Ave., Kensington 

Jaqueline Girdner will read from “Murder, My Deer: A Kate Jasper Mystery.” Joining her will be Lynne Murray, who will read from “Large Target: A Josephine Fuller Mystery.” This event is free. 

510-559-9184; www.boadeciasbooks.com 

Stoney Burke 20th Anniversary Film & Video Festival 

8 p.m. 

Berkeley Arts Festival headquarters, 2216 Shattuck Ave. 

Maverick street performer and UC iconoclast Stoney Burke will celebrate 20 years of free speech satire, as a prelude to the upcoming Berkeley Arts Festival. Tonight’s event will feature the award-winning PBS short “Stoney Does Houston.” The evening also will include live performances. Tickets are $5-$8, and the event is free for “Friends of the Festival” members. 

510-665-9496; www.berkeleyartsfestival.com 

Cal Performances: The John Scofield Band 

8 p.m. 

Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley campus 

The innovative jazz guitarist and band members headline the Pacific Coast Collegiate Jazz Festival. Tickets are $16 to $26. 

510-642-9988 

Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony 

8 p.m. 

Hertz Hall, UC Berkeley campus 

Under the direction of David Milnes, the University Symphony Orchestra, the University Chorus and the University Alumni Chorus will perform Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, the “Resurrection Symphony.” New works by Berkeley composers also will be performed. 

“Canterbury Tales: Saints and Sinners” 

8 p.m. 

St. Clement’s Episcopal Church, 2837 Claremont Blvd. 

This performance of Geoffrey Chaucer’s work will feature cellist Joan Jeanrenaud. Included are the tales of the Second Nun, the Canon’s Yeoman, and the Manciple. The Second Nun draws us into the story of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music, whose faith is tested to the extreme by idolatrous authorities. Tickets are $20 general; $15 seniors; $10 students. 

877-4CHAUCE; 510-601-TWEB 

Sunday, April 30 

Jack London Book and Paper Collectors Fair 

10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. 

Radisson Hotel Berkeley Marina, 200 Marina Blvd. 

This antiquarian book show features over 50 dealers with fine books, ephemera and paper collectibles. Admission is $6. 

510-444-2159 

Earth Week 2000 

Noon-6 p.m. 

UC Berkeley campus 

This weeklong event features a series of activities and workshops each day. Call organizers to get a detailed list of each day’s program, or visit the group’s web site. The group’s office is in 303 Eshleman Hall. 

510-643-9703; www.earthweek2000.org 

People’s Park 31st Anniversary Festival 

1-6 p.m. 

People’s Park 

Celebrate the park’s anniversary with a variety of bands, special guests and activities. Scheduled bands include “Chemistry Set,” “Nameless & Faceless,” “Funky Nixons,” “Tahazgha” and “All Nations Drummers. Special guests include Utah Phillips, the X-Plicit Players, the May Day Folks, Julia Vinograd, Carol Denney, Halle Hammer and more poets and speakers. Other activities will include skateboarding demos, animal petting zoo, facepainting, puppets, and a May Pole. 

510-845-7194 

Rhyme and Reason Open Mike Series 

2:30 p.m. 

UC Berkeley Art Museum, 2621 Durant Ave. 

This free event will feature poet Max Schwartz. The public and students are invited. Signups for the open mike begin at 2 p.m. 

510-234-0727 

Cal Performances: Beaux Arts Trio 

3 p.m. 

Hertz Hall, UC Berkeley campus 

This is a program of works by Beethoven and Ravel. Tickets are $32. 

510-642-9988 

Monday, May 1 

Berkeley Arts Festival kickoff 

11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. 

Festival Gallery, 2216 Shattuck Ave. 

Scheduled participants include Mayor Shirley Dean, The City Council and Friends Singers, the Crowden School’s Apollo Quartet, and pianists Sarah Cahill and Jerry Kuderna. This event is free. 

510-665-9496; www.berkeleyartsfestival.com 

Political Junkies 

Noon 

119 Moses Hall, UC Berkeley campus 

Jon Bernstein will lead this gathering. 

“Census 2000” 

12:15 p.m. 

H’s Lordships, 199 Seawall Drive 

Ray Barton will be the featured speaker for this week’s meeting of the North Oakland-Emeryville Rotary Club. 

Free Copwatch Class 

6 p.m. 

Copwatch office, 2022 Blake St. 

Learn about police accountability, your rights when dealing with the police and how to stop police brutality. Sponsored by Berkeley Copwatch. 

510-548-0425 

Bringing Back Steelhead 

7 p.m. 

Albany Community Center, 1249 Marin Ave. 

Jeff Miller, founder of Alameda Creek Alliance, talks about challenges and successes in restoring runs of threatened steelhead in the East Bay’s largest creek. 

510-848-9358; f5creeks@aol.com 

Rent Stabilization Board 

7 p.m. 

City Council Chambers, 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way 

The meeting is broadcast on KPFB 89.3 and televised on BTV Ch-25. The board will discuss a request from the City Council to provide increased protection to certain elderly and/or disabled tenants from owner/family move-in evictions. 

Landmarks Preservation Commission 

7:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Ave. 

The commission will decide whether to continue a public hearing on a structural alteration permit for Civic Center Park and consider a recommendation for denial of a structural alteration permit for the “Kress Building” at 2136 Shattuck Ave. The commission also will discuss the Underhill Environmental Impact Report. 

Write Your Own Story 

7:30-9:15 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center, 1414 Walnut St. 

Published poet and journalist Reuben Halpern will lead this workshop on writing your own stories, including poetry, short stories, diary or prose. This Monday evening series continues through May 22. 

510-848-0237, ext. 128

Berkeley’s own “Ranger Danger” has left the building. 

After 34 years as a naturalist at Tilden Park, “Ranger” Tim Gordon has opted to hang up the uniform he so often utilized to shock and delight groups of children by leaping fully clothed into a lake or whisking a live snake out of his shirt to punctuate a joke. 

“There’s just something about working with kids out of doors,” says Gordon, who led literally thousands of “junior rangers” and “nature rovers” through the wilds of Tilden Park over the years. “I don’t care how grumpy you are, when it’s raining and they’re laughing, the love they have in them is contagious.” 

To the myriad kids he worked with, Gordon’s Tilden Park became a magical place. Landmarks were assigned nicknames and mythological stories. A gargantuan Bay Tree became “the Grey Mother,” and its surrounding grove “the Green Sisters.” There was the “Gully Goblin,” and, of course, “the Rock With a Name Like a Sneeze.” 

“It was a big boulder of blue glaucophane schist, and I always thought that sounded like a sneeze,” explains Gordon. “It’s a rock only found near earthquake faults and I used to play a game with the kids. If all the rovers got on the boulder – and it was big enough to hold 25, 26 kids – and said the name all at once, I told them a small, localized earthquake would knock me on my back. I’d grab a tree, shake it, fall on the ground, and the kids would go nuts! They’d say, ‘Do it again!’ But I’d say I could only do it once a day. Otherwise I’d be doing it forever!” 

It was a roundabout path that led Gordon to become the epicenter of a localized, kid-pleasing quake. He was first bitten by the nature bug 50-odd years ago as a student at Salinas High, where one of the best summer jobs a young man could get was as a firefighter for the Department of Forestry. 

Gordon studied geology at UC Berkeley between 1953 and ’57 before emulating Jack Kerouac and hitting the open road. 

“At that time, it was a rite of passage for a young man to go out on the road and do manual labor, pick fruits or work on the railroads,” recalls Gordon. “Those were good times.” 

Gordon returned to Cal and finished up in ’63, just in time to catch the germination of the Free Speech Movement and watch his classmates “being washed down the stairs in San Francisco” during the now-infamous protest of the House Un-American Activities Committee. 

After college, Gordon eventually landed a job working with emotionally disturbed children at the East Bay Activity Center in Oakland. In what the Cliffs Notes version of Gordon’s life would chalk up as foreshadowing, the future ranger occasionally took the kids on field trips to Tilden Park, where he noticed “they became a lot easier to deal with.” When a fellow worker at the Activity Center failed to land a naturalist’s job at Tilden, he encouraged Gordon to apply for the post. 

So he did. 

“Oh, I had no intention of staying. I figured it’d be a couple of years then back out on the road,” recalls Gordon. “But I just got hooked. I really loved the work.” 

While Gordon may be best known for his work with children (in fact, this reporter vividly recalls twilight nature hikes and spelunking through a large drainage tunnel as a 7-year-old nature rover), he will also be remembered for his efforts as an environmental and union activist, endeavors that often went hand-in-hand. 

“When I first started working for the park district, it was a lot like working for the forest service,” explains Gordon, a former union president. “The idea was that land was sort of an inexhaustible resource and could just be used for people’s needs and pleasures. In a place like this, if you have a philosophy like that, the land’s not going to last very long. 

“It took a while for me to figure out that one way to take a stand to protect resources was through the union,” continues the ranger. “During our collective bargaining agreements it wouldn’t just be the bread and butter issues, there’d be issues about protecting resources.” 

The three prongs of Gordon’s professional life met earlier this month, as several hundred people (some of whom he hadn’t seen since “the beginning, really”) came to wish him well at his retirement party. Just some of the attendees included professors and activists Gordon had worked with to improve the ecology of Tilden Park, fellow workers who picketed with him through a hailstorm on April 1, 1975 (Day One of a two-month strike), and grown-up nature rovers, some with kids in tow. 

The man who had amused children by taking the monikers “Ranger Danger, Ranger Mud” and “Ranger Trudge” was presented the Environmental Spirit Award by 1998 U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass and UC professor emeritus of Zoology Robert Stebbins. His old union, the AFSCME Local 2428 gave him a big wooden spoon, in case he ever felt the need to “stir things up.” He was even awarded a sundial-wristwatch, which he immediately dubbed “a luddite Rolex.” 

In this, the first month of his retirement, Gordon has been fielding plenty of suggestions as to how to spend his time. He’s thinking about re-establishing the farming garden at LeConte School which he and his wife built 15 years ago. He’ll have more time to ride his bike (Gordon rode his bicycle to and from work – a 10 mile round trip – for years after a sore knee kept him from running it). And, of course, he has much more time to slip out to Oakland A’s games nowadays. 

“If there’s a 28-inning game, now I don’t have to worry about going to work the next day,” says Gordon. 

But marathon baseball games notwithstanding, Gordon never regretted showing up on the job. 

“The most important thing I did in my job was reach as many people as I could,” insists Gordon. “It’s not just because of me, but people come back (to Tilden Park) and bring their kids, and bring their kids’ kids. That’s the best protection the park has. I take a lot of satisfaction in that.”

For several years, the self styled “watchdog group” the Committee to Minimize Toxic Waste (CMTW) has been proselytizing the City of Berkeley with its view of the dangers of radiation in general and tritium in particular. This cult of true believers teaches that any level of exposure to radiation is dangerous and gives the impression that the Department of Energy (DOE) is the source of all radiation. Faced with the truth that there are many natural sources of radiation, they fall back on an alternative teaching that manmade radiation is much worse than natural radiation, even if they are identical. 

Since the CMTW teaches that tritium is the “baddest” of all radioactive substances and that the DOE has endangered the good citizens of Berkeley by locating a scientific laboratory that uses tritium in the hills above the City, I naturally thought that they would be interested in other sources of tritium that exist in the City and might pose a danger to the public. When I presented my findings that there are over 10,000 curies of tritium packaged in small glass tubes spread throughout the City inside EXIT signs, I was denounced as being politically incorrect. 

When I showed the leaders of the CMTW photographs of tritium-filled EXIT signs in many public and private buildings, as well as several schools, then the CMTW formulated a new teaching which states that although manmade tritium is generally “bad”, if it is used in an EXIT sign, it becomes “good” tritium. In addition, the CMTW and their supporters have opposed efforts to have the City simply inventory the number of tritium-filled EXIT signs in City! 

Finally, the CMTW teaches that various natural disasters could release the tritium stored at Berkeley Lab, which could endanger the public health. To answer this question, Berkeley Lab commissioned a scientific study which concluded that there is no significant health risk. When I pointed out that these same natural disasters would also break or melt the glass tubes in EXIT signs releasing the tritium to expose the citizens living in the flatlands, the CMTW chose to ignore this potential danger. 

Let me summarize the two situations. On the one hand, about 10,000 curies of tritium is stored at Berkeley Lab in a special building with many safety controls and under the scrutiny of outside regulators. All air leaving the building is filtered and constantly monitored for tritium. In addition, several safety studies have examining the associated health risks. Furthermore, the DOE, the USEPA and the State of California Department of Health Services regularly review the tritium usage at Berkeley Lab and have certified that the risk to the public is well below health standards. 

On the other hand, there is also about 10,000 curies of tritium dispersed throughout the City, in schools, restaurants, movie theaters, Post Offices, bookstores, coffee shops, banks, gymnasiums, meeting rooms, and hotels. 

Does the City keep track of the tritium, within its environs? 

Does the City know how many signs have been broken or stolen? 

Does the City know how the tritium is disposed of after the signs have reached their expiration date? 

Has the City reviewed the public health risks associated with these large quantities of tritium dispersed throughout the City? 

Is the CMTW concerned about the potential health risks associated with this tritium? 

The answer all of the above questions is no! 

I believe that James Kemper said it best: “It is easier to believe than to think; It is astounding how much more believing is done than thinking?” 

Gordon Wozniak, Ph.D., is senior scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, vice chair of the Nuclear Chemistry and Technology Division, American Chemical Society, and vice chair of the City of Berkeley’s Community Environmental Advisory Commission.

The Berkeley High swimming and diving team closed out the 2000 home season with a moral victory of sorts on Friday afternoon, setting a number of personal records in individual and relay events in a 53-111 (boys) and 47-114 (girls) losses to the much larger San Ramon Valley contingent. 

“Most of our kids who don’t usually stand out had good meets today,” BHS coach Keith Brooks said after the final scores had been tallied. “We didn’t have a sense that we could beat San Ramon – half their team is still bigger than our team – but we had a whole lot of personal bests today.” 

Among the highlights for the Yellowjackets on Friday were the exploits of the relay team of Andrei Afanasiev, Jonah Bilovsky, Evan Conyers and Raymond Chetty, who combined to finish the 200m freestyle relay in a season-best 1:39 to get by the Wolves.  

On the girls’ side, Sallie Oto turned heads with a first-place finish in the 100-meter freestyle, breaking the minute mark with a time of 59.6. Lindsay Rodgers and Frances Stohlman added wins in their respective events, while Audrey Peterson took first place in diving to key a BHS sweep in that event. 

“We’re not measuring ourselves by how well San Ramon swims, we’re measuring ourselves by our own performance,” Brooks said. “The improvement showed today. (We had) third- and fourth-place kids swimming their lifetime bests today.” 

With just one more road meet until the end of the 2000 regular season, the Yellowjackets are beginning to look toward May 6’s East Bay Athletic League championship meet. Though the small Berkeley High squad does not figure to be especially competitive as a team, Brooks expects several Yellowjackets to compete for berths in the North Coast Section postseason meet. 

Among those with NCS potential are Joel Fatherree, a 500m specialist, and Chetty, who competes in multiple individual events and relays. Oto and Rogers are both candidates to advance to the postseason for the girls, as well as their relay teammate, Andrea Fagans. Brooks also hopes to be competitive in some of the relay events – especially the boys’ and girls’ 400m medleys, in which they have already put up qualifying times. 

“We’re going to see how many kids we can get qualified for North Coast,” the BHS coach said. “I’m faced with the challenge of figuring out who’s in what relays. We’ll put together the best teams we can to qualify.” 

The ’Jackets bring the regular season to an end next Friday, when they travel to San Ramon to take on California High. According to the Berkeley High coach, the meet against the Grizzlies will be important in establishing momentum for the EBAL meet. 

“We’ll start aiming past Cal High next week,” Brooks said. “We’ll use Cal High to figure out what little technical things we can focus on. Out in the valley with all those guys again, it’ll be a challenge, no doubt.” 

Friday’s events kick off at 3:30

The Berkeley High swimming and diving team closed out the 2000 home season with a moral victory of sorts on Friday afternoon, setting a number of personal records in individual and relay events in a 53-111 (boys) and 47-114 (girls) losses to the much larger San Ramon Valley contingent. 

“Most of our kids who don’t usually stand out had good meets today,” BHS coach Keith Brooks said after the final scores had been tallied. “We didn’t have a sense that we could beat San Ramon – half their team is still bigger than our team – but we had a whole lot of personal bests today.” 

Among the highlights for the Yellowjackets on Friday were the exploits of the relay team of Andrei Afanasiev, Jonah Bilovsky, Evan Conyers and Raymond Chetty, who combined to finish the 200m freestyle relay in a season-best 1:39 to get by the Wolves.  

On the girls’ side, Sallie Oto turned heads with a first-place finish in the 100-meter freestyle, breaking the minute mark with a time of 59.6. Lindsay Rodgers and Frances Stohlman added wins in their respective events, while Audrey Peterson took first place in diving to key a BHS sweep in that event. 

“We’re not measuring ourselves by how well San Ramon swims, we’re measuring ourselves by our own performance,” Brooks said. “The improvement showed today. (We had) third- and fourth-place kids swimming their lifetime bests today.” 

With just one more road meet until the end of the 2000 regular season, the Yellowjackets are beginning to look toward May 6’s East Bay Athletic League championship meet. Though the small Berkeley High squad does not figure to be especially competitive as a team, Brooks expects several Yellowjackets to compete for berths in the North Coast Section postseason meet. 

Among those with NCS potential are Joel Fatherree, a 500m specialist, and Chetty, who competes in multiple individual events and relays. Oto and Rogers are both candidates to advance to the postseason for the girls, as well as their relay teammate, Andrea Fagans. Brooks also hopes to be competitive in some of the relay events – especially the boys’ and girls’ 400m medleys, in which they have already put up qualifying times. 

“We’re going to see how many kids we can get qualified for North Coast,” the BHS coach said. “I’m faced with the challenge of figuring out who’s in what relays. We’ll put together the best teams we can to qualify.” 

The ’Jackets bring the regular season to an end next Friday, when they travel to San Ramon to take on California High. According to the Berkeley High coach, the meet against the Grizzlies will be important in establishing momentum for the EBAL meet. 

“We’ll start aiming past Cal High next week,” Brooks said. “We’ll use Cal High to figure out what little technical things we can focus on. Out in the valley with all those guys again, it’ll be a challenge, no doubt.” 

Friday’s events kick off at 3:30

A new estimate by the Berkeley Unified School District says the April 12 arson fire at the high school caused between $1.5 million and $2 million in damage – and that cost doesn’t include the money being spent on relocation efforts linked to the fire. 

Still, BUSD and Berkeley High officials are attempting to put the best face forward on the entire ordeal, highlighting the way teachers, parents, students and staff have worked together to reopen the campus. 

“I’m so proud of how well school and district staff stepped up to the plate to get the school back up and running,” Chris Lim, associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction, noted in a Friday news release. “We have been fortunate to have such great support to get our school ready.” 

The original fire forced the cancellation of that day’s remaining classes, but when embers rekindled the next morning, administrators decided cancel the rest of the week. Spring break was just around the corner, giving the school and district time to begin recovering. 

Portable buildings have been placed on the campus to house classrooms and offices displaced by the fire in the B Building. That building also housed the Health Center, the school’s communication/alarm systems and the library. A temporary phone system is expected to be in place by the beginning of next week. 

In their press release, district officials note that safety and security concerns remain a top priority. Additional security officers are patrolling the campus, and a “full-scale evacuation drill is being planned,” according to Fire Department Assistant Chief David Orth. 

Students are required to carry their school ID and their school programs, and all staff members must carry their school ID or an official form of identification. 

The Berkeley Fire Department has established a special arson tip telephone number at 510-644-8721, where callers can leave messages regarding the B Building fire or any of the other arson fires that have occurred on the campus this year, including an April 6 arson fire in the English Department’s bookroom.

The extent to which the oft-mentioned concept of “momentum” actually matters to most playoff-bound teams is debatable, but for an emotional team like Berkeley High, the concept is not so abstract.  

All year, the Yellowjackets girls lacrosse team has tended to follow wins with more impressive play, and follow losses with the same tentativeness that caused the loss. And with league playoffs beginning next week, the ’Jackets will be eyeing today’s regular season finale against Acalanes as a chance to enter the postseason with every possible advantage – tangible or intangible. 

“People were definitely upset about (Wednesday’s loss to Davis),” said BHS coach Lia Farley, whose squad currently occupies third place in league. “We had a long talk after the game (about Acalanes), and hopefully words will translate into actions.” 

This morning’s 11a.m. game pits Berkeley against an Acalanes team that matches up fairly well, despite having lost the two teams’ only other meeting of 2000. The ’Jackets will be looking to shore up a midfield that struggled in the 12-6 loss to Davis, in order to exploit the team’s real strengths: attack and defense. 

“The defense played well (on Wednesday), but there was a lot of potential for turnovers in the midfield, and people weren’t hurrying toward ground balls,” Farley said. “In the second half, we started rallying a bit, but the midfield was still having problems, not giving the effort they needed to win.” 

“I think (the defeat) will motivate a lot of people,” added BHS attacker Jamie Lee. 

With a victory today, the ’Jackets would lock up a spot in the league playoffs, which invite the top four teams. In the event of a loss, Berkeley High might still finish in the top four, but would have to await the results of other league games to know for sure. 

“We need to approach (today) with a lot of intensity, we were talking after the (Davis) game about how we didn’t want it,” Lee said. “It’s up to each person to decide if they want to win.” 

Berkeley inched closer this week toward building a signature sound barrier – a “living wall” – to shelter Aquatic Park from the rumble of Interstate 80. 

The Alameda County Congestion Management Agency, made up of representatives from each of the Alameda County cities and transportation agencies, voted unanimously Thursday to seriously consider spending funds for the pyramid-shaped wall that would be filled with soil into which flowers and shrubs would be planted. 

Having rejected the Department of Transportation’s standard concrete-block wall when the freeway-building agency widened the interstate that cuts through Berkeley several years ago, the city opted to build the living wall. 

Several months ago, however, Caltrans set off alarm bells when it announced that its engineers estimated the cost for the living wall at twice the $3.5 million the agency set aside for the project. 

The city responded by having its committee of volunteer engineers and architects evaluate the project. The committee said Caltrans engineers were wrong when they said that the wall needed piles driven 50 feet into the earth to make the wall earthquake safe – doubling the cost of the project. 

The piles would actually make the wall less safe, the committee said, noting that such a wall, in any case, would not threaten life or limb if disturbed by a major quake. 

The Congestion Management Agency holds the purse strings to the project. Thursday, agency members voted unanimously to adopt a resolution that was put before it by a 7-0 vote of the Berkeley City Council in a special Wednesday afternoon meeting. Vice Mayor Maudelle Shirek and Councilmember Polly Armstrong were absent from the meeting. 

Key to the CMA decision was the agreement to select an independent engineer to study the project. “Caltrans, Berkeley and the CMA will mutually agree upon selection of the consulting engineer,” the resolution said. 

The resolution also allows time beyond the original June cut-off date for the decision to be made. The timeline is as follows: 

• The CMA and Caltrans will develop a conceptual design for a living wall by June 15. 

• The design consultant will develop a cost estimate for the project by July 15. 

• Berkeley will make modifications to the conceptual design recommended by the design consultant by Aug. 15. 

• Based on input from Berkeley officials, the consultant will finalize the design and cost estimates by Sept. 15. 

• If no agreement is reached by Oct. 1, the CMA Board will make a decision on the type of noise barrier to be constructed and have Caltrans build that barrier. 

A firefighter who magically knows about accidents before they happen is something Berkeley High could have sorely used a few weeks back, and also happens to be the pretense of a film directed by one of the school’s six new Hall of Fame honorees. 

In a twist of fate perhaps even a bit too much for Hollywood, director Gregory Hoblit’s film “Frequency” opened nationwide on Friday, the same day he and five others were honored by their Alma Mater. 

“I did not exactly graduate at the top of my class. Or the middle. In fact, I was toward the bottom, and lucky to graduate at all. But I did,” said Hoblit to the amusement of the students at the morning assembly. “I have a vivid memory of coming home with some particularly bad grades in 1961. My father did little other than suggest we take a drive. We got in the car and perused through some rather nice neighborhoods. Then we came to some not so nice neighborhoods and perused them. Dad pulled up the car and simply said, ‘your choice.’ It took several years for that reality check to come to me.” 

Hoblit joined longtime BHS English teacher Jacqueline White, famed jazz critic Philip Elwood, the husband-and-wife nature photography team of Stephen and Sylvia Sharnoff and navy pilot Capt. Kenneth Cameron in Friday’s 11th annual induction ceremonies. 

White was a recent hire when Hoblit and the Sharnoffs graduated in ’62. The Berkeley native taught 25 years at BHS, from 1961 to 1986. The former chair of the English department recalled a few words her own teachers had told her: “‘You’re irreverent toward tradition’, ‘your tone is impertinent’ and, I think my favorite is ‘Jacqueline, you are incorrigible.’” 

Elwood – whose grandson is a Berkeley High student and was in attendance – has been recognized as “the Dean of West Coast Jazz Critics.” The 1943 graduate has been a San Francisco Examiner music critic since 1965, and his 44 years hosting a jazz archives show on KPFA stand as the longest continuous stint on the same show in radio history. Elwood recalled coming of age in Berkeley during World War II (in which he served as a Navy ensign). 

“When I came here in 1940, Germany had invaded Poland and World War II started. We thought that was a long way away, and had nothing to do with our lives as 10th-graders here in Berkeley,” said Elwood. “The war disrupted the whole fabric of the community. Most boys were into the draft at age 17. We also saw the loss of all our Japanese students, who were sent away to concentration camps. I’d like to point out that the student body here was appalled at the act. They were our friends and classmates, they’d gone through Berkeley schools and loved Berkeley and Berkeley High as much as anyone else.” 

The Sharnoffs’ induction to the Hall of Fame came as a bittersweet honor, as Sylvia died in 1998 after battling cancer. The couple’s upcoming book, “Lichens of North America” is slated to be published in 2001, and the pair’s photographs have graced the pages of National Geographic. 

“The French painter Matisse once said, ‘There are flowers everywhere for those who want to see them,’” said Stephen Sharnoff, who met his future wife at Berkeley High. “Sylvia was one who did see them ... Find an interest to pursue, you might find a whole new world. And you don’t need to go it alone. The combination of work and love is completely fantastic.” 

The award also came late for Cameron, a career Navy pilot who flew 40 missions over North Korea and was shot down while serving in Vietnam, where he died as a Prisoner of War in 1970. Cameron’s son, Kenneth Jr., accepted the honor on his behalf. 

“I’ve taken a journey through a part of my life that was always missing,” said Cameron. “I was too young to know how my father grew up, what he was like and how he went to school. In the last few days, I’ve met some of my father’s friends, and they’ve brought my father back to life for me. The memories of the stories they’ve told about my father will live forever.” 

Volunteers got help from Washington Elementary School students on Friday in the creation of new garden beds at the campus. The original garden was built on the eastern side of the school, but ever-growing trees are limiting the amount of sun that can reach those beds. So, a group of community members decided to pitch in and create new beds on the west side of campus. Anyone who wants to volunteer can visit the school, at the corner of Bancroft and Martin Luther King Jr. ways, today between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. And if you’re looking for anything else to do this weekend, turn to page 2 for our Out & About calendar. It’s a busy weekend, with lots to do around town. 

A woman walking with two small children was robbed about 9:45 p.m. Thursday on Rose Street near Acton Street. 

Police Capt. Bobby Miller said two teen-age boys rode up alongside her on their bicycles. As they rode past her, one of the bikers tried to snatch her purse off her shoulders. Initially she held on to it, Miller said. Then the biker returned and threatened her to give it up. This time she released the purse. It contained her identification and credit cards. Two witnesses immediately reported the strong-arm robbery to police.

Two of Berkeley’s biggest employers opened their doors to employee’s children Thursday to celebrate “Take Your Daughter To Work Day.” 

At Alta Bates Medical Center, the events were for girls only; over at the University of California the event was billed as “Take Your Child to Work Day.” 

At any rate, a lot of kids substituted a normal school day for a different kind of learning experience, observing Mom and Dad at work. 

Alta Bates hosted 40 girls ranging in age from under 10 years old to teen-agers who listened to speakers and toured hospital departments before joining their parents. The emphasis was on maintaining good health and encouraging the youngsters to consider medical careers. 

At UC Berkeley the day was unstructured, but it included an ice cream social during the noon hour at Memorial Glade, activities at the Lawrence Hall of Science and tours of the computer labs at University Hall and the campus. 

Chancellor Robert M. Berdahl encouraged the event which had been more informal in past years. The day “could nourish our children, their aspirations and dreams as they experience some of what a university has to offer,” he said in a press release. 

The daughters day has been a regular event at the hospital for about three years, and it was celebrated informally before that, said Alta Bates spokesperson Carolyn Kemp. 

She believes the concept originated with Gloria Steinem’s Ms. Magazine to remind girls that they could aim high on the career ladder, and one of the first steps is observing a parent at work.Kemp noted that when the girls, who were sitting at tables after breakfast in the hospital auditorium, were asked what careers they might pursue, their lofty goals were inspiring. 

Some careers mentioned included doctor, lawyer, policewoman, actress, singer, nurse or teacher, and one girl wanted to be a model, cook, artist and fashion designer. 

Linde Spuhler, a speech therapist who talked to them about her profession, asked them what they thought it would take to become a speech therapist like herself. 

The answers were thoughtful: “well-educated,” “likes to work with people,” “has patience with people.” 

Camille Thompson, 15, whose mother works in the hospital’s corporate development department, has her sights set on being a police officer in Oakland. 

But in one of the hospital’s operating rooms, where the girls heard two operating room nurses explain the technology in the room and some of the procedures, Camille said she might change her mind. 

“It’s definitely an option, being a doctor or nurse or working with babies, because I really like children.” 

Robyn Gee, 14, whose father is a physical therapist at the hospital, said she was interested in the emergency room discussion earlier that morning. She said she didn’t mind the prospect of the years of schooling needed. 

Two 9-year-old girls, Laura and Madeleine, wanted to be nurses like their mothers. Their secondary career choices were teacher and singer. 

The girls were wearing the multi-colored scrubs or operating room shirts the hospital gave them and they learned that it takes a surgical team member five minutes to wash his or her hands. 

Julie Patterson, R.N. turned the light on the X-ray of the hip and lower leg of a 65-year-old woman. The picture showed the pin in her hip and another fracture below the knee. 

The presentation repelled some of the girls, but it provided a cautionary tale about the value of calcium and Vitamin D. 

While the daughters of Alta Bates employees could join their parents if the work setting was not restricted, the sons and daughters of UC Berkeley employees in the University Relations Department had plenty of office space. 

Six-and-one-half-year-old Michael Rosjidi, helped his mother Shirley sharpen pencils, and he wrote a brief report about his experiences for his first grade teacher. 

The Oakland student wrote that he missed his teacher and several other sentences that he says he likes to write. One important declaration: “I went to Berkeley to do work.” 

His mother who works with student work payrolls said her son had visited before, and that his behavior on this official day was “pretty good.” 

Cameron Rico, 10, was enjoying spring vacation from the Concord schools and he was helping his Dad, Luis who works with support groups, and he was reading a Harry Potter book. 

Later, said Luis, his son would switch places with his 5-year-old sister Kayla, who was working with their mother Linda. The family planned to meet for lunch. 

The children would get a free ride into the Campanile and on the agenda was a father-son walk by the baseball diamonds to see the players practice. 

“It’s important for them to visualize where we are and what we do,” said the father. “And they get a perspective of what college is like.”

After blowing leads in the first two games against Monte Vista at Donahue Gym on Thursday, the Berkeley High boys volleyball team finally settled down, overcoming the Mustangs in the next three consecutive games to escape with a 14-16, 15-17, 15-5, 15-6, 15-5 win. 

The come-from-behind effort was typical of Berkeley’s streaky play this season, and echoed the first meeting of 2000 between the two schools – another five-game ’Jacket victory. The winning performance avenged Tuesday’s home loss to league-leading San Ramon, and according to BHS coach Justin Caraway, the effort might have been good enough to give the Wolves a better run for their money, had it occurred two days earlier. 

“(Five games was) certainly more than we expected to play,” Caraway said after the match. “We weren’t worried. I think we’re playing pretty well right now. (Today’s effort) would have made us a little closer to San Ramon.” 

The Yellowjackets began all five games against Monte Vista with plenty of confidence, staking themselves to comfortable leads before failing to finish. According to Caraway, his squad sometimes takes leads for granted until they have been wiped away. However, the coach was encouraged by the Yellowjackets’ refusal to give up after falling behind by two games. 

“We didn’t execute at the end (of games), and just weren’t as aggressive as we needed to be,” he said. “Monte Vista played probably eight really good points. Other than that, we outplayed them for the entire match.” 

“We knew we could win this game,” added Berkeley outside hitter D.Q. Li, who finished with 14 kills and 15 digs on the evening. “I think once we got down two games, we got more relaxed. I think we played great – we were sick of losing, and we weren’t gonna lose.” 

Mason Chin netted 20 kills to lead a versatile BHS attack, while Lief Bursell anchored the defense with six blocks. The ’Jackets also received a solid all-around effort from Jacob Kardon, who finished with eight kills and an impressive seven service aces. As a team, Berkeley compiled a higher-than-usual 13 blocks for point or sideout. 

“I thought we matched up well,” Caraway said. “I wasn’t as worried when I saw us siding out pretty well. As long as they aren’t scoring points, we aren’t worried.” 

The BHS victory broke an East Bay Athletic League tie with the Mustangs,who dropped to 3-6 on the year with the defeat. At 4-5 in the EBAL with three regular-season games remaining, Berkeley High looks to close out the season above .500. The team gets back to action next Thursday, hosting Granada High in a 5 p.m. showdown at Donahue Gym – the last BHS home game of 2000. 

“We’re feeling pretty confident, we just need to stay on top of our game (against Granada),” Li said after Thursday’s game. “The best team can lose to the worst team, so we have to focus.” 

“(Today’s) effort would have killed Granada,” Caraway added. “It was a good win for us. We still need to win the rest of our matches, but this takes a little pressure off us.” 

Berkeley schools take down signs in ‘phony’ move 

Why did the signs on all those Berkeley school fences suddenly come down? The signs had been there since the Berkeley citizens voted a few years back on a school bond measure giving the schools $158 million. The signs said, “Thank you Berkeley for fixing our schools.” 

Now the school administrators are thinking about going for another school bond measure for more money. So I guess those signs had to come down. How phony. 

Ruth Brazil 

Berkeley 

‘Driving while black or brown’ stats complex 

Police Review Commissioner Mel Bartynn stated that statistics show people of color are stopped by police officers because of their skin color (Daily Planet, April 26). But making sense of field stop statistics is vastly more complex than just viewing the raw numbers. First, you can’t compare the demographics of vehicle stop occupants to those of the entire city of Berkeley. Instead, you have to compare the stop data only to the demographics of drivers on the road in Berkeley at the time of the stop – who can say what that would be? Second, you would have to subtract those stops where the race of the person was part of a suspect description radio broadcast, which would naturally justify the stop being based on race. Lastly, you’d have to determine how many of the stops were made under circumstances where the race of the person could not have been known by the officer before the stop was made. Now, even if you could collect and analyze all this data, it eventually comes down to the same crux – hire the best people as officers, train them in the proper policies and procedures, supervise them effectively, and then support them for doing a tough job. 

Gary Allen 

Berkeley 

What is the Lab doing about tritium concerns? 

I am concerned about recent reports of possible tritium leakage at the Lawrence Hall of Science, including a decision by some local schools to no longer take field trips there. 

I looked-up tritium in a dictionary. It said it is “a radioactive isotope of hydrogen having an atomic weight of 3 and a half-life of about 12.5 years: it decays by beta-particle emission and is used in thermonuclear bombs, as a radioactive tracer, etc.” Sounds like some nasty stuff! If it’s leaking, I’m sure we all want to know about it. 

My daughter is a student. She also works with young children at a day care center. Do I need to worry that my child or the children she cares for may get cancer from exposure to tritium if they visit the Lawrence Hall of Science? 

Other than public relations efforts designed to make us think tritium is no big deal, what are the Lawrence Laboratory people doing about this? 

Steve Wagner 

Oakland

A firefighter who magically knows about accidents before they happen is something Berkeley High could have sorely used a few weeks back, and also happens to be the pretense of a film directed by one of the school’s six new Hall of Fame honorees. 

In a twist of fate perhaps even a bit too much for Hollywood, director Gregory Hoblit’s film “Frequency” opened nationwide on Friday, the same day he and five others were honored by their Alma Mater. 

“I did not exactly graduate at the top of my class. Or the middle. In fact, I was toward the bottom, and lucky to graduate at all. But I did,” said Hoblit to the amusement of the students at the morning assembly. “I have a vivid memory of coming home with some particularly bad grades in 1961. My father did little other than suggest we take a drive. We got in the car and perused through some rather nice neighborhoods. Then we came to some not so nice neighborhoods and perused them. Dad pulled up the car and simply said, ‘your choice.’ It took several years for that reality check to come to me.” 

Hoblit joined longtime BHS English teacher Jacqueline White, famed jazz critic Philip Elwood, the husband-and-wife nature photography team of Stephen and Sylvia Sharnoff and navy pilot Capt. Kenneth Cameron in Friday’s 11th annual induction ceremonies. 

White was a recent hire when Hoblit and the Sharnoffs graduated in ’62. The Berkeley native taught 25 years at BHS, from 1961 to 1986. The former chair of the English department recalled a few words her own teachers had told her: “‘You’re irreverent toward tradition’, ‘your tone is impertinent’ and, I think my favorite is ‘Jacqueline, you are incorrigible.’” 

Elwood – whose grandson is a Berkeley High student and was in attendance – has been recognized as “the Dean of West Coast Jazz Critics.” The 1943 graduate has been a San Francisco Examiner music critic since 1965, and his 44 years hosting a jazz archives show on KPFA stand as the longest continuous stint on the same show in radio history. Elwood recalled coming of age in Berkeley during World War II (in which he served as a Navy ensign). 

“When I came here in 1940, Germany had invaded Poland and World War II started. We thought that was a long way away, and had nothing to do with our lives as 10th-graders here in Berkeley,” said Elwood. “The war disrupted the whole fabric of the community. Most boys were into the draft at age 17. We also saw the loss of all our Japanese students, who were sent away to concentration camps. I’d like to point out that the student body here was appalled at the act. They were our friends and classmates, they’d gone through Berkeley schools and loved Berkeley and Berkeley High as much as anyone else.” 

The Sharnoffs’ induction to the Hall of Fame came as a bittersweet honor, as Sylvia died in 1998 after battling cancer. The couple’s upcoming book, “Lichens of North America” is slated to be published in 2001, and the pair’s photographs have graced the pages of National Geographic. 

“The French painter Matisse once said, ‘There are flowers everywhere for those who want to see them,’” said Stephen Sharnoff, who met his future wife at Berkeley High. “Sylvia was one who did see them ... Find an interest to pursue, you might find a whole new world. And you don’t need to go it alone. The combination of work and love is completely fantastic.” 

The award also came late for Cameron, a career Navy pilot who flew 40 missions over North Korea and was shot down while serving in Vietnam, where he died as a Prisoner of War in 1970. Cameron’s son, Kenneth Jr., accepted the honor on his behalf. 

“I’ve taken a journey through a part of my life that was always missing,” said Cameron. “I was too young to know how my father grew up, what he was like and how he went to school. In the last few days, I’ve met some of my father’s friends, and they’ve brought my father back to life for me. The memories of the stories they’ve told about my father will live forever.” 

Friday, April 28 

BHS Hall of Fame induction 

9:30 a.m. 

Berkeley Community Theater 

Six graduates of Berkeley High will be inducted into the school’s hall of fame. This year’s honorees will be Jacqueline White, Philip Elwood, Sylvia and Stephen Sharnoff, Gregory Hoblit and Kenneth Cameron. The BHS Hall of Fame was established in 1990 to recognize and honor graduates who have distinguished themselves in their chosen field or fields of endeavor and who serve as excellent role models for current students. 

Meet California Senior Legislature North County candidate Sue Schock 

11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Ave. 

The California Senior Legislature, created in 1981, consists of persons aged 60 and over who advocate for inclusion of their concerns in the state Legislature’s proposals. Every two years, 120 Senior Senators and Assembly members are elected by their peers. There will be a run-off election for North County candidates on May 2. People can vote in the election if they live in Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland or Piedmont. They must be registered to vote in California and 60 years of age or older. 

510-549-2970 

“Trash Bridges, A Science Discovery Theatre Show” 

Noon and 1:30 p.m. 

Lawrence Hall of Science, Centennial Drive above UC Berkeley campus 

This is part of a series of family events being held through April 28. “Celebrate Spring” events are included with admission to the science center. 

510-642-5132; www.lhs.berkeley.edu 

Traditional Taiwanese Dancers, on tour from Taiwan 

1 p.m. 

“The Joys of Yiddish” 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Ave. 

510-644-6107 

Earth Week 2000 

1-4 p.m. 

UC Berkeley campus 

This weeklong event features a series of activities and workshops each day. Call organizers to get a detailed list of each day’s program, or visit the group’s web site. The group’s office is in 303 Eshleman Hall. 

510-643-9703; 

www.earthweek2000.org 

Stoney Burke 20th Anniversary Film & Video Festival 

8 p.m. 

Berkeley Arts Festival headquarters, 2216 Shattuck Ave. 

Maverick street performer and UC iconoclast Stoney Burke will celebrate 20 years of free speech satire, as a prelude to the upcoming Berkeley Arts Festival. Tonight’s event will feature the full-length Swedish documentary “An American in America.” Saturday will feature the award-winning PBS short “Stoney Does Houston.” Both evenings will include live performances. Tickets are $5-$8, and the event is free for “Friends of the Festival” members. 

510-665-9496; www.berkeleyartsfestival.com 

Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony 

8 p.m. 

Hertz Hall, UC Berkeley campus 

Under the direction of David Milnes, the University Symphony Orchestra, the University Chorus and the University Alumni Chorus will perform Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, the “Resurrection Symphony.” New works by Berkeley composers also will be performed. 

“The Beethoven Enneagram” 

8 p.m. 

Unitarian Universalist Church, 1 Lawson Road, Kensington 

“The Beethoven Enneagram: The 9 Enneagram Personality Types as Heard in the Beethoven Piano Sonatas” is written by Elizabeth Wagele and will be performed by Elizabeth Wagele and Jacqueline Divenyi, guest pianist. Tickets are $10 and $7, and are available at the door. 

510-524-3664 

Saturday, April 29 

Earth Week 2000 

9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. 

UC Berkeley campus 

This weeklong event features a series of activities and workshops each day. Call organizers to get a detailed list of each day’s program, or visit the group’s web site. The group’s office is in 303 Eshleman Hall. 

510-643-9703; 

www.earthweek2000.org 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market 

10 a.m.-3 p.m. 

Center Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Milvia Street 

510-548-3333 

The Summit Road - Selby Path Loop 

10 a.m.-noon 

Tour begins at the intersection of Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Summit Road. 

Paul Grunland will lead this tour exploring Berkeley’s highest residential street, which serves as an interface between the Berkeley urban setting and Tilden Park. This is part of the Spring Walking Tours sponsored by the Berkeley Historical Society. The price is $5 per tour or $20 per season ticket for Berkeley Historical Society members. The price is $10 per tour for non-members. Limit of 30 people on this tour. 

510-848-0181 

West Coast Live 

10 a.m. 

Freight and Salvage, 1111 Addison St. 

Join the studio audience as Sedge Thompson hosts musical guests, authors and others for his live radio broadcast. This week’s guests will be authors Edna O’Brien and Diane Johnson, folk trio Rebecca Riots and actor Tanya Shaffer. Cost is $12. 

415-664-9500 

Adios! Plum City Players 

10:30 a.m. 

La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Ave. 

After more than 20 years of performing, writing, and recording songs, stories, and music games for children and families, The Plum City Players are bidding farewell to generations of audiences with a final show. Founded by Annie Hershey, Bonnie Lockhart, and Nancy Schimmel, The Plum City Players have woven storytelling, original songs, and multi-cultural music games into a unique entertainment for children and families. Tickets are $4 adults, $3 children. 

UC Berkeley Pow-wow 

11 a.m.-11:30 p.m. 

North Field (behind Hearst Gym near Bancroft Way), UC Berkeley campus 

The 16th annual pow-wow will feature open gourd dancing at 11 a.m., the grand entry at noon and 6:30 p.m. and a series of events and activities throughout the day. Sponsors for the event include the Native American Advisory Council, the Native American Recruitment and Retention Center, the Inter-Tribal Student Council, the American Indian Science and Engineering Association, the Cal Alumni Association, the Berkeley Pledge and ASUC. 

510-643-6592; 510-642-6613 

Asthma and Allergy Community Health Festival 

11 a.m.-3 p.m. 

Lake Merritt Lakeside Garden Center, Oakland 

The Alameda Alliance for Health is sponsoring this event, where people can learn how to manage asthma through interactive games, educational workshops and seminars. Music, entertainment and activities for kids of all ages will be offered, and the festival is free. 

510-895-9355 

Berkeley Bay Festival 

11 a.m.-4 p.m. 

Berkeley Marina 

The Berkeley Bay Festival has been an (almost) annual event at the Berkeley Marina since 1937. In the past 22 years that environmental education programs have been taught at the Berkeley Marina, the Festival has had an environmental education and boating theme. Exhibitors from recreational and educational organizations will be staffing booths offering games and activities, selling merchandise, and making presentations. 

“Calling a truce to the War on Drugs” 

11 a.m.-5 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Ave. 

Speakers at this city forum include Alexander Cockburn, speaking on the “CIA, the U.S. Government and the Drug Trade;” Chris Conrad, co-author of “Shattered Lives;” Superior Court Judge James P. Gray of Orange County; and Robert MacCoun, professor at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley. 

510-594-4088

Most of the students, merchant representatives and neighborhood activists, speaking at Wednesday night’s Planning Commission public hearing on the Underhill Draft Environmental Impact Report condemned the planning process by which the Underhill Projects and Southside Plan are roaring down parallel tracks. 

“Unfortunately, there is a separateness in the two planning efforts,” said Doris Willingham, speaking for the Claremont-Elmwood Neighborhood Association. 

Lesley Emmington Jones from the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association called on the university to join a round-table dialogue on the two projects at once. 

Speakers also asked university representatives to hold a second public hearing on the Underhill DEIR – the first was held Monday – and to extend the time forits consideration. The three-inch, two-volume report – copies of which are available at the campus Capital Projects Office – was released April 7, and comments must be received by Capital Projects by June 9. 

The complex document “requires careful reading, so we can understand the ecological implications for our neighborhood,” said Kathy Berger, executive director of the Telegraph Area Association. 

The regents are scheduled to vote on the final document at their September meeting. 

In response, UC Berkeley Capital Projects Director Tom Lollini agreed to take part in a community dialogue that would include both projects. He did not, however, agree to an additional university-sponsored public hearing or to extend the timeline for comments on the Underhill DEIR. 

The university’s Underhill Projects include: 

• Replacing the parking structure on the block bordered by College Avenue, Channing Way, Bowditch Street and Haste Street, deemed seismically unsafe and demolished in 1993. The university plans to replace the original 946-car garage with a 1,000-car structure, capable of housing some 1,400 cars when attendant parking is used. Today’s capacity on that surface lot is 425 cars, when parked by attendants. 

• Building dining facilities, offices and child care on the same lot as the parking structure. The existing dining facilities at Units 1 and 2 would be demolished because they are deemed seismically unsafe. 

• Building a sports field atop the garage to replace the one that was demolished. 

• Building new housing that would include a 210-bed apartment complex at Channing Way and Bowditch Street; an apartment complex at College and Durant avenues that would house 120 people; and in-fill residence halls at Units 1 and 2 to provide 540 new beds. 

• Demolition of the Fox Cottage, located at 2612 Channing Way, a structure listed on the State Historic Resources Inventory. 

The Southside Plan is a joint city-university project, designed to map out a plan for future development of the south-of-campus area. 

Speakers called on the university to revisit the Underhill Projects. Building parking rather than housing makes little environmental sense, they said. 

“Build housing so students can walk to school,” said Councilmember Kriss Worthington. 

Echoing the call to prioritize houses over parking, Michael Yarne, from Students for a Livable Southside, noted that buses in the area of the project “are already at a standstill.” 

Bicycle activist and Southside resident Jason Meggs pointed out that the Underhill parking garage was planned for the very intersection where two of the city’s bicycle boulevards would intersect - Bowditch Street and Channing Way. 

“There’s too much parking, and in the wrong place,” Meggs said. 

Other criticisms of the DEIR included: 

• Inadequate consideration of the impact of the 1,400-car facility and specifics about when it would be attendant-parked. 

• Inadequate consideration of alternatives sites for housing, offices, parking and for the demolition of the historically significant Fox Cottage. 

• Lack of an analysis of how building more car-free housing might reduce the number of parking spaces needed. 

• Lack of analysis of air quality impacts due to increased traffic.  

Send comments on the Underhill project to Senior Planner Jennifer Lawrence, Capital Projects, 300 A & E Building #1382, Berkeley CA 94720-1382. 

Berkeley High sprinters Aisha Margain, Raqueta Margain, T’carra Penick, Katrina Keith and Simone Brooks have repeatedly demonstrated superhuman feats on the track this season, but even Berkeley’s fabulous five aren’t fast enough to be two places at once. 

Competing at the ultra-prestigious Penn Relays in Philadelphia, the girls’ inability to clone themselves cost the Yellowjackets a league win on Thursday afternoon, as San Ramon took advantage of the depleted BHS sprint corps to win the dual meet, 78-49 at the BHS home track. The Wolves also added a 77-46 victory over Berkeley’s boys, to complete the sweep. 

“I didn’t expect we’d win the meet overall,” said Yellowjackets assistant coach Humphrey Garrett, who assumed the head coaching role on Thursday, with coach Darrell Hampton accompanying the sprinters in Pennsylvania. “Overall, everybody put forth a diligent effort to replace the girls that weren’t there.” 

Despite the absence of the record-breaking girls relay teams, the Yellowjackets’ afternoon was not devoid of strong performances. Berkeley’s Tatiana Newman helped the girls’ cause with a first-place finish in the long jump, while high jumper Laura Winnacker elevated 5-feet, 2-inches to win her primary event. Winnacker also stepped up in the shotput, taking second with a throw of 25-feet, 9-inches.  

“I’m feeling good, it’s starting to come together,” said Winnacker, who placed eighth in the state high jump competition last year. “I’m easing off weights a little bit, with the whole state goal in mind. The goal is to win (state) this year.” 

With Brooks out of town, the ’Jackets were also forced to look elsewhere for competitive hurdlers. Picking up the slack was Veronica Lewis, who competed in four events, taking home first place in the 300m hurdles. The sophomore’s time of 50-flat marked a personal record.  

“I really did enjoy the fact that nobody complained, they just stepped up and did things they don’t usually do,” Garrett said. “Veronica Lewis stepped up for us in four events today, she did everything she could do. 

“I think she’s turning into a smaller version of Aisha.” 

The Berkeley High boys’ performance was once again highlighted by hurdler Daveed Diggs, who won the 110m hurdles with a wind-aided time of 14.02, and paced the 300m hurdles event with a 19.42 mark. Sprinter Maurice Lee added another five points for the Yellowjackets with a win in the 100m dash (11.08). 

In the preliminary heats at the Penn Relays, the Berkeley High 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams both qualified for this weekend’s championships. Though poor weather and alternate rules inflated the girls’ times slightly, Hampton expects his squads to get used to the conditions in time to make some noise this weekend.  

“(Darrell) was satisfied that they’re in the finals,” Garrett said. “But they were running in conditions they’re not used to. We know they can go faster.” 

Competition at the Penn Relays continues today, and is slated to run through the weekend. 

A working group on Southside housing, zoning and land use went to the Planning Commission Wednesday night with a brash new plan for development in the south-of-campus area. 

The group called for housing above shops along Telegraph Avenue to reach five stories, with the caveat that some buildings would not, in fact, reach that height. 

“The street should not become a canyon, fully-lined with buildings that high,” the committee report noted. 

They sketched out an “overlay” zone – a zone that crosses various residential/ mixed-use zones – where new residential development close to campus would be “car-free.” Developers would not be forced to build parking into their projects, in that area. The Underhill parking 

lot, where the university has proposed a 1,000- to 1,400-car garage, falls in the car-free zone. 

“Students would rather live near campus than have cars,” said Kate Gordon, a member of Students for a Livable Southside and a member of the working group. 

New construction would emphasize the inclusion of “affordable” units for those earning 60 percent of the Bay Area’s median income. Historic sites would be protected. 

The plan calls on the university to make land available to nonprofit groups that want to develop housing. Offices would be better situated on Bancroft Way than on Bowditch, they said. 

The Planning Department staff will refine the group’s ideas and report back to the commission at a date yet to be determined. 

While there was much enthusiasm among those in the audience and on the commission for the group’s ideas, there was also hesitation. Speaking for the Claremont-Elmwood Neighborhood Association, Doris Willingham said the plan would leave people with nowhere to park when they attended events at the university. 

“We don’t like the waiver of the parking requirement,” she said. 

And Commissioner Mary Ann McCamant said the area was already too dense to think about adding more housing. 

On the other extreme, Southside resident Jason Meggs, who spoke as a representative of the Bicycle Civil Liberties Organization, argued that the plan “does not go far enough in terms of density.” 

Commission Chair Rob Wrenn underscored that this plan is not set in stone. It’s a jumping off place and will be refined once the staff brings it back in a more formal presentation. “This is not a no-growth plan and not a developer’s plan,” he said. 

Speaking for the LeConte Neighborhood Association, Patty Dacey said she and her neighbors are exhausted from their battles with the university. 

“This is a plan we can work with,” she said. “It meets our concerns, but it needs some tweaking.” 

The commission voted 6-1-1 to send the plan to staff for refinement. McCamant voted no and Susan Wengraf abstained. Joe Howerton was absent. 

The next meeting on the Draft Southside Plan is at 7 p.m., May 4 at Trinity United Methodist Church, 2362 Bancroft Way. It is a discussion of the working group on public safety. 

A woman was assaulted and the puppy she was holding was stolen Wednesday evening as she waited for her husband and the new owner of the dog to return from a cash machine. 

The victim said two men came to her home on the 2600 block of California Street with the intention of buying one of her Rottweiler puppies, but the woman told them the one she was holding was already sold. 

One of the two suspects snatched the puppy from her arms, said Berkeley Police Capt. Bobby Miller, and struck her in the face with a closed fist and then they fled from her home with the Rottweiler puppy. 

The suspects are described as African-American males, one of them about 24 years old, 6 feet tall, 180 pounds, wearing a red Fubu shirt with the number 05 in white lettering. The other bears the same description except he was wearing blue jeans, a jean jacket, a white shirt and a gray hat with ear flaps.

A resident was burglarized by a “hot prowler” around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. She said she was late in getting up to go to work, opened her living room window in her first floor apartment on the 2000 block of Delaware Street. 

She turned on her television and went into the bathroom to take a shower and heard something fall, but didn’t worry, said Capt. Bobby Miller of the Berkeley Police Department. 

When she returned to the living room she found that a blanket that had been on the couch was gone and also a large container or tower almost full with 300 cassette disks was missing. There are no leads.

A resident was burglarized by a “hot prowler” around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. She said she was late in getting up to go to work, opened her living room window in her first floor apartment on the 2000 block of Delaware Street. 

She turned on her television and went into the bathroom to take a shower and heard something fall, but didn’t worry, said Capt. Bobby Miller of the Berkeley Police Department. 

When she returned to the living room she found that a blanket that had been on the couch was gone and also a large container or tower almost full with 300 cassette disks was missing. There are no leads.

THEATER 

ACTORS ENSEMBLE OF BERKELEY 

“Rough Crossing” by Tom Stoppard, April 7 through May 6. The writers of a Broadway musical are simultaneously trying to finish and rehearse a play while crossing the Atlantic on an ocean liner. 

$10. Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; May 4, 8 p.m. Live Oak Theatre, 1301 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 528-5620. 

AURORA THEATRE 

“The Homecoming” by Harold Pinter, April 6 through May 7. A dark comedy about a philosophy professor who brings his wife home to meet his all-male family. 

$25 to $28. Wednesday through Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. (510) 843-4822. 

BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE 

“Let My Enemy Live Long!” by Tanya Shaffer, April 19 through May 12. The story of an ill-advised boat ride up West Africa's Niger River to Timbuktu. 

$19 to $48.50. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 8 p.m.; Wednesday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; April 19, 8 p.m.; NO PERFORMANCES APRIL 25 AND APRIL 26. 2025 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 845-4700 or (888) 4BRTTIX. 

SHOTGUN PLAYERS 

“The Skriker” by Caryl Churchill, April 29 and April 30. In this ecological play faeries are damaged due to polluted rivers and woods, and are forgotten. 

$15 general; $10 seniors and students. Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 7 p.m. Julia Morgan Center for the Art s, 2640 College Ave., Berkeley. (510) 655-0813. 

Subterranean Shakespeare 

“Measure for Measure,” by William Shakespeare. Run has been extended through April 30. Performances are Thursdays through Saturdays, at 8 p.m. each night, and Sundays at 7 p.m. $10 general; $6 students. La Val’s Subterranean, 1834 Euclid Ave., Berkeley. (510) 234-6046. 

MUSIC VENUES 

ASHKENAZ 

Nameless and Faceless Hiphop on the Moon, Prophets of Rage, Loki and DJs Poizen, Riddm, Inspector DBL Negative, April 27, 9:30 p.m. A benefit for Bay Area Arts Collective. $8. 

Steve Lucky and the Rhumba Bums, April 28, 9:30 p.m. $11. 

California Cajun Orchestra, April 29, 9:30 p.m. $11. 

Funkanauts, Dubwise, Boswick Turstile Jr., Magic Mike, April 30, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. A family affair to celebrate the first birthday of the daughter of the leader of the band Funkanauts. From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. there will be children's performers, activities and a birthday cake. From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. there will be music and dancing to Funkanauts and the reggae band Dubwise. $5 general; $1 children. 

1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. (510) 525-5099 or www.ashkenaz.com 

BLAKES 

Ripe, April 27. $4. 

Blue Marmalade, Pucker Up, April 28. $5. 

Free Association, West Coast Rhythm Section, April 29. $5. 

Jimbo Trout and The Fishpeople, Spikedrivers, April 30. $3. 

For age 18 and older. Music at 9:30 p.m. 2367 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley. (510) 848-0886. 

FREIGHT AND SALVAGE 

The Crooked Jades, April 27. $13.50 to $14.50. 

SoVoSo, April 28. $15.50 to $16.50. 

Rebecca Riots, April 29. $13.50 to $14.50. 

Mary Schmary, April 30. $13.50 TO $14.50. 

Music at 8 p.m. 1111 Addison St., Berkeley. (510) 548-1761 or (510) 762-BASS. 

924 GILMAN ST. 

Crosstops, East Bay Drifters, Tantrums, The Thumbs, Smokejumpers, April 28. 

Babyland, Black Cat Music, Blackie, Pale Horse, April 29. 

Blitzkreig, Forgotten, Intrepid A.A.F., Society Dog, April 30, 5 p.m. 

$5. Music at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 924 Gilman St., Berkeley. (510) 525-9926. 

THE STARRY PLOUGH PUB 

Species Being, Vacuum Tree Head, April 27. 

Amy Denio, The Gazillions, Zmrzrilna, April 28. 

Deke Dickerson and The Eccofonics, April 29. 

For age 21 and over. Wednesday, 8 p.m.; Thursday, 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9:45 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 3101 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 841-2082. 

MUSEUMS 

UC BERKELEY ART 

MUSEUM 

“Anne Chu/MATRIX 184 Untitled,” April 16 through June 18. The exhibition features a selection of Chu's T'ang dynasty funerary figures sculpted following her travels to Xian and Guangdong. The wooden figures range in height from 28 inches to over six feet.  

“China: Fifty Years Inside the People's Republic,” through June 18. The work of 25 Chinese and Western photographers explores half a century of social and political upheaval in this unusual exhibit. The 200 photographs, both black-and-white and color, cover the many regions, cultures and people that make up China as well as the mix of traditional life and the modern one. 

“Autour de Rodin: Auguste Rodin and His Contemporaries,” through August. An exhibit of 11 bronze maquettes on loan from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation in Los Angeles. The bronzes range in style from the artist's classically inspired “Torso of a Woman” to the anguish of “The Martyr.” Some of the maquettes were cast during Rodin’s lifetime, others have been cast fairly recently under the aegis of the Musee Rodin which alone is authorized to cast his sculptures posthumously. 

$6 general; $4 seniors and students ages 12 to 18; free children age 12 and under; free Thursday, 1 1 a.m. to noon and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. 2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. (510) 642-0808. 

HALL OF HEALTH  

2230 Shattuck Ave. (lower level), Berkeley 

A hands-on community health education museum and science center sponsored by Children's Hospital Oakland and Alta Bates Medical Center. 

“Draw Your Own Insides,” ongoing. Human-shaped chalkboards and models with removable organs allow visitors to explore the inside of their bodies. 

“Your Cellular Self and Cancer Prevention,” ongoing. An exhibit on understanding how cells become cancerous and how to detect and prevent cancer. 

Free. For children ages 3 to 12 and their parents. 

(510) 549-1564 

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERNICE LAYNE BROWN GALLERY 

“Bridging the Bay: Bridging the Campus,” through April 30. The exhibit has been created from the libraries of the eight University of California campuses. The exhibit includes books, documents, architectural drawings, blueprints, artifacts, maps and photographs that record the building of the San Francisco Bay area’s bridges. It also includes documents detailing Bay area bridge projects that were seriously considered but never built. Free. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Doe Memorial Library, University of California, Berkeley. (510) 643-9999. 

LAWRENCE HALL 

OF SCIENCE 

“Dinosaurs 2000,” through June 4. An exhibit featuring 16 lifelike robotic creatures, fossils, activities to compare yourself to a dinosaur, and daily live demonstrations. 

“The News About Dinosaurs,” through June 4. Learn more about the “Dinosaurs 2000” exhibit with live demonstrations exploring recent paleontological discoveries and how scientists know what they do about prehistoric creatures. Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. 

$6 general; $4 seniors, students and children ages 7 to 18; $2 children ages 3 to 6; free children under age 3. Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Centennial Drive, University of California, Berkeley. (510) 642-5132 or www.lhs.berkeley.edu 

PHOEBE HEARST MUSEUM 

Kroeber Hall, UC Berkeley 

“Modern Treasures from Ancient Iran,” through Oct. 29. This exhibit explores nomadic and town life in ancient and modern Iran as illustrated in bronze and pottery vessels, and textiles. 

“Pana O’ahu: Sacred Stones – Sacred Places,” through July 16. An exhibit of photographs by Jan Becket and Joseph Singer. 

“Phoebe Hearst Museum-Approaching a Century of Anthropology,” a sampling of the vast collections of the museum, its mission, history, and current research, with selections from ancient Egypt, ancient Peru, California Indians, Asia (India), and Africa. 

“Ishi and the Invention of Yahi Culture,” Ishi, the last Yahi Indian of California, spent the final years of his life, 1911 to 1916, living at the museum, working with anthropologists to record his culture, demonstrating technological skills, and retelling Yahi myths, tales, and songs. 

Wednesday through Sunday 10 am -4:30 pm; Thursday until 9 pm. 

(510) 643-7648 

HABITOT CHILDREN’S MUSEUM 

Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 

A museum especially for children age 7 and younger. Highlights include “WaterWorks,” an area with some unusual water toys, an Infant Tree for babies, a garden especially for toddlers, a child-scale grocery store and cafe, and a costume shop and stage for junior thespians. The museum also features a toy lending library. 

Admission is $4 for adults; $6 child age 7 and under; $3 for each additional child.  

Hours: Monday and Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Tuesday and Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

(510) 647-1111 

JUDAH L. MAGNES 

MUSEUM 

2911 Russell St., Berkeley 

“Chagall: Master Prints and Posters, Selections from the Magnes Museum Collection.” Accompanying the exhibition is “Exploring Chagall and His Use of the Elements of Art,” a child-friendly Interactive Educational Room with five work-stations and a central activities space. 

Free. Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

(510) 549-6950. 

GALLERIES  

A.C.C.I. GALLERY 

“Recycled Art,” April 1 through April 30. A group exhibit featuring jewelry, sculpture and functional art all from refuse. 

Free. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. 1652 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley. (510) 843-2527. 

GRADUATE THEOLOGICAL UNION 

“On Common Ground.” through June 23. This exhibit is a portrait of faith-based communities in Los Angeles. 

“Finding the Sacred Mountain,” through June 20. An exhibit of sumi-e and watercolors by Robert Kostka. 

Free. Monday through Thursday, 8:30 am. to 10 p.m.; Friday, 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 7 p.m. Flora Lamson Hewlett Library, 2400 Ridge Rd., Berkeley. (510) 649-2541. 

KALA ART INSTITUTE 

“High Touch/High Tech: Crossing The Divide,” through May 6. An exhibit of juried and invited artists. 

Free. Tuesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Workshop Media Center Gallery, 1060 Heinz Ave., Berkeley. (510) 549-2977. 

NEW PIECES GALLERY 

“Irish Stones and More,” April 1 through April 27. An exhibit of quilts by Denise Snell. 

“Down from the Attic,” April 1 through April 27. An exhibit of dolls by Gretchen Jennings. 

Free. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. 1597 Solano Ave., Berkeley. (510) 527-6779. 

A PIECE OF ART 

Solo show of oil paintings by landscape artist Peter Heelan of Oakland, through April 26. His works include landscapes of California and Ireland. Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and by appointment. Closed Monday and Tuesday. 701 University Ave., in the parking lot across from Spenger’s. (510) 204-9653. 

TRAYWICK GALLERY 

“minimalPOP,” April 15 through May 14. A group exhibit of a variety of media. 

Free. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. 1316 10th St., Berkeley. (510) 527-1214. 

To publicize an upcoming event, please submit information to the Daily Planet via fax (841-5695), e-mail (calendar@berkeleydailyplanet.com) or traditional mail (2076 University Avenue, 94704). Calendar items should be submitted at least one week before the opening of a new exhibit or performance. Please include a daytime telephone number in case we need to clarify any information.

Some like it hot, and some like it cold. And after Berkeley High’s 12-6 loss to league rival Davis in the scorching heat on Wednesday afternoon, it was painfully obvious which team had what preference. 

Having edged Davis by a goal in the two schools’ previous meeting at Berkeley High, the Yellowjackets knew their opponents would be pumped for the rematch. And after Davis mounted a quick offensive surge in the first half, it became clear that it was the team better conditioned for the heat. 

“We got shocked from the heat,” BHS coach Lia Farley said. “(We) were a little rusty, skill-wise, and even more so, fitness-wise. It was a lot hotter than it’s been. People on our team don’t usually beg for substitutes.” 

The Berkeley High defense, despite missing several key players due to illness, had a stronger evening than the inflated final score suggested. According to Farley, the defensive breakdown was more a result of sluggish play by the midfield, which suffered on the transition game and was out-hustled for the majority of loose balls. 

“There was a lot of potential for turnovers in the midfield, and people weren’t hurrying toward ground balls,” the BHS coach said. “In the second half, we started rallying a bit, but the midfield was still having problems, not giving the effort they needed to (in order) to win.” 

“We weren’t having very good transitions,” agreed Berkeley High attacker Jamie Lee, the team’s leading scorer. “We’d defend, create a turnover, and then couldn’t work it to the offense.” 

Lee tallied two of the Yellowjackets’ six goals, while Naomi Coffman led the way with a hat trick. Dani Ganes, the final weapon on Berkeley’s three-pronged offensive attack, also pitched in a score. According to Lee, the six-goal deficit was due to Davis’ more enthusiastic approach to the game, and not a huge jump in skill from the first 2000 meeting.  

“We beat them last time, so they really wanted to win,” she said. “They weren’t necessarily improved, they just really wanted to win. They ran hard to every ground ball. 

“A lot of (our) people let the weather affect their game.” 

The league loss puts added pressure on the ’Jackets to win their final game of the 2000 season, this Saturday at Acalanes. Currently residing in fourth place, Berkeley is likely to qualify for the postseason if it can get by Acalanes, but may risk losing its berth with a defeat. With a possible playoff spot at stake, Farley expects her squad to approach the showdown with a guttier attitude than it showed vs. Davis.  

“People were pretty upset about (the loss),” the coach said. “We had a long talk after the game (about Saturday), and hopefully words will translate into actions.” 

“We need to approach (Acalanes) with a lot of intensity. It’s up to each person to decide if they want to win,” Lee added. “I think (the Davis defeat) will motivate a lot of people.” 

If Berkeley High makes the playoffs, it would likely be looking at a first-round matchup with either Monte Vista or St. Ignatius – both of which swept the ’Jackets over two games in the 2000 regular season. Both schools have developed strong rivalries with Berkeley over the past few season, and according to the BHS coach and players, will make for challenging first-round opponents.  

“We’d prefer to play Monte Vista,” Farley opinionated. “The past three years, we’ve lost to them in the regular season, and beat them in the playoffs. It’s a bit of a tradition.” 

Not everyone on the BHS side wants to see a rematch with the Mustangs, however, especially with the team’s tendency to play its best against St. Ignatius. 

“I’d rather play SI,” Lee said. “They’re a better fundamental team, a cleaner team – it’s just easier to play against them. We seem to play well when we play against them.”

While the State of California enjoys a budget surplus because of strong income tax collection, local governments and local schools see a rising gap between the cost of services and the unrestricted revenues available from the taxes they rely on - sales tax (cities) and property tax (cities, counties, and schools). 

For cities, the trend in untaxed Internet sales could mean a future of more reliance on property taxes. For schools and for cities, voter passage of Propositions 13 and 218 limited funds available. It also shifted the tax burden by effectively decreasing the percentage of tax paid on business property and increasing the share paid by new homeowners. The current controversy over taxing the Internet offers a unique opportunity to re-think the way California funds local government and local schools. 

Existing law requires that Internet sales be taxed according to the sales tax regulations of the purchaser’s locality. (Remember the multi-state sales tax tables in your old Sears Roebuck catalogue?) However, states find the law difficult to enforce, in the case of catalogue sales as well as Internet sales, so there is currently a very high level of noncompliance - especially with the Internet. 

A Federal Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce, established by Congress in 1998, brought together eight business representatives, eight state and local government representatives, and three federal government appointees, to address the issue of internet taxation. While local governments were inclined to ask for a national sales tax, the business representatives wanted to exclude the Internet from existing taxation. As a result, the commission was unable to approve, by the two-thirds vote required, any recommendation. 

Recently, the majority did issue a report, which was immediately denounced by The Local Government Finance Officers, National League of Cities, National Conference of State Legislatures, and others, as being favorable to special interests and unfavorable to taxpayers and to state and local governments. 

While Congress and the presidential candidates continue to debate this issue, California State Senator John Vasconcellos has introduced legislation to address the Internet taxation problem. SB1933, as originally proposed, would have required that the State Board of Equalization meet with other states to develop a way to develop a multi-state sales and use tax collection system. 

As amended, it establish a Commission on Tax Policy in the New Economy, for the purpose of conducting a year long study and series of public hearings, to address changes in tax policy. The bill specifically states the intent of removing inconsistencies and inefficiencies; addressing equity and fairness concerns; improving administration, and considering base-broadening measures. 

While the State of California should not give up on the idea of enforcing the existing sales tax laws, it may be time to consider replacing local governments’ reliance on sales tax, and schools’ reliance on property tax, with a system of increased state income tax revenues. 

The sales tax is already a regressive tax. That is, poor people pay a much higher percentage of their income when they pay sales tax. Online shopping makes the tax even more regressive: shoppers with access to computers and credit cards are avoiding taxes that those who shop in stores continue to pay. 

While property taxes are not as regressive as sales tax, they are notable, in California, for inconsistencies in impact, as a result of Proposition 13. Because residential property is re-sold more frequently than commercial property, more taxes are paid by homeowners than by businesses. The highest taxes are paid by first-time homebuyers. 

In addition, the State has shifted more of the property tax revenues away from localities and towards its own coffers. According to the California Budget Project’s Budget Watch, part of the State’s budget surplus is due to property tax shifts in 1992 and 1993, which transferred $3.9 billion of property tax revenues from counties, cities, and special districts to schools, but also reduced the state’s required contribution to K-14 education. Only $1.7 billion of this loss was offset by the half percent sales tax increase, and the state profited by $2.2 billion from this transaction. 

Local communities find that tax dollars returned to the community by the State and the Federal government come back with strings attached. A school may have insufficient dollars for teacher salaries, but money to pay for programs it lacks the staff to implement. A city may spend valuable resources chasing state and federal dollars, and fail to deal with basic financial or physical infrastructure issues. 

The threat to local revenues posed by e-commerce brings with it a rare opportunity. It is time to take a good, hard look at our convoluted and inequitable system of paying for schools and local services. We can do better. Senator Vasconcellos’ bill is a first step in the right direction. 

Ann-Marie Hogan was elected City Auditor of the City of Berkeley in December of 1995.

HAYWARD – After hearing from both sides of the issue, the Alameda County Board of Education decided late Tuesday night not to rescind its call for a moratorium against school field trips to Lawrence Hall of Science. 

Instead, the board passed a substitute resolution noting the “differences of opinions” over the risk of tritium exposure at the Hall, and advising educators, students and parents to “independently assess” the risk and make “individual decisions” about visiting LHS. 

Tuesday’s action was a follow-up to an April 11 board vote in support of a parent/teacher advisory about tritium emissions from the National Tritium Labeling Facility, located on 

the grounds of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory just below the Lawrence Hall of Science. 

That vote generated publicity and controversy not just because tritium is a hot-button issue for many people, but also because no one from the Lab or LHS was notified that item was going to be discussed. So, the board only heard one side of the story. 

Neither side of the issue walked away entirely satisfied Tuesday night, but the members of the Committee to Minimize Toxic Waste – which had representatives on hand for the vote two weeks ago – seemed moderately satisfied by the vote. 

“There’s disappointment, but we feel that it’s still a form of a warning,” said Gene Bernardi, co-chair of the committee. 

Lawrence Hall of Science representatives said the approved resolution didn’t go far enough in the other direction: reassuring educators and parents that it was safe to visit the Hall. 

“If you look at the resolution, we’re still a part of it, and I’m dismayed that the board did not rescind it as requested,” said Barbara Ando, the Hall’s associate director for public programs. During the Hall’s presentation, Ando had argued that LHS had been dragged into the middle of a long-standing dispute between community activists and the Lab. 

The night’s theme could have been “Will the trustworthy scientists please stand up?” Each side paraded a list of experts to back up its arguments. The Lab-Hall-Environmental Protection Agency speakers reiterated that all three agencies have conducted tests showing that the tritium air emissions pose no risk to LHS visitors or Hall employees. Speakers brought forward by the Committee to Minimize Toxic Waste said the pro-Lab scientists used flawed methodologies and presented evidence that lacked credibility. One went so far as to call the scientists liars. 

In their presentation, LBNL representatives used a hypothetical person – a “maximum exposed individual,” who spent 24 hours a day, seven days a week at the LHS site – to support their argument. They said such an individual in 1998 would have received a total of 0.3 millirem of tritium radiation, and about 0.1 millirem in 1999. The maximum limit under EPA guidelines is 10 millirem in a year. 

So, a person who makes a three-hour visit to the Lawrence Hall of Science would be exposed to just 0.000034 millirem, the Lab representatives said. That’s the equivalent of sleeping six or seven hours in a bedroom where a smoke detector sits just a few feet away. 

But scientists brought in by the Committee to Minimize Toxic Waste offered a series of criticisms against the data presented by the Lab, Hall and EPA. In particular, they challenged the assertion of how many millirem the average person is exposed to by visiting the Hall. The Committee contends that if the “correct parameters” were used in the computer model, it would show that the average dose over a year for that hypothetical person would be 50.5 millirem. The Committee also argued that the danger of the tritiated water vapor – what’s actually released at the end of the tritium labeling process – is 25,000 times more damaging than tritium gas. 

The facility at the Lab uses tritium to “label” a molecule, which can then be used by researchers. The tritium serves as a “homing device” for those scientists, the Lab says in one of the informational items distributed at the board meeting. 

After both sides presented their cases, County Schools Superintendent Sheila Jordan encouraged the board to adopt a resolution rescinding the April 11 decision, which had never actually been distributed but had been discussed already in schools throughout the region. But the majority of the board was unwilling to take that action, and a substitute motion was introduced and then adopted, after some modifications. 

Jordan made it clear that she agreed with the assertion that the Hall is a safe place to visit, even pointing out that her son will attend a two-week educational camp this summer at LHS. 

“The real risk is that teachers, students and families will unnecessarily miss out on the great educational experience the Lawrence Hall of Science provides,” she said. 

Of the seven board members, five voted for the substitute resolution, one voted against it and one abstained. 

“I was completely satisfied with the explanations and information provided by the Lab and the EPA,” said board member Ernest Avellar, the only person who voted against the substitute. “I realize that the substitute was done to keep that group (the Committee) happy, but I wanted to rescind the original resolution.” 

But Carmen Carillo, who introduced the original resolution two weeks ago, said the board “acted correctly the first time.” 

“In my view, the original resolution was fairly mild,” she said. “It called for a moratorium, but we don’t have any jurisdiction for enforcing that. But I think the Lab got so upset because they don’t want any unwanted publicity. I believe that the more discussion we have on issues like this, the better off we are as a society.”

The site of the Hinks parking garage on Kittredge Street west of the library is targeted as the site of a new $50 million development with more than 150 rental apartments to be built next year. 

John DeClercq, senior vice president of Transaction Companies, Ltd, whose offices at 2065 Kittredge St. are across from the proposed development, said he expects to apply to the city for a use permit within a month. 

Transaction owns the block of property north of the proposed development, which includes the Shattuck Ten theaters and Mel's Diner. 

The apartment complex would be accompanied by parking to replace the 375 spaces that will be lost when the Hinks parking garage is demolished. The existing public garage, built in the 1950s, cannot support any additional weight above it. 

DeClercq said the complex would have four floors of apartments to be built over two and one-half floors of parking. 

He said in addition to the 375 replacement public parking spaces, the city code requires one parking space for every two apartments if there are no variances. 

One and one-half levels of parking are planned to be subterranean, he said. The other is half a level below that. DeClercq anticipates two entrances: Kittredge and Bancroft Way. 

Although Transaction has chosen an architect, Cox and Associates, the design and the exact number of apartments have not yet been determined. DeClercq expects the number to be between 150 and 200 units and it is likely they will be one- and two-bedroom apartments. 

The starting date is planned for January 2001, and the project would take from 12 to 18 months to complete. 

Parking will be a challenge during construction, and addressing that issue DeClercq said, "We will take care of people." He said Transaction is working with the city's transportation and planning departments to mitigate the loss of Hinks Garage during the interim. 

Bill Lambert, director of the city's Economic Development Department, said the proposed development "sounds absolutely wonderful." He said the proposed housing would add customers to the retail base and boost sales tax, as well as adding to the property tax rolls. 

The St. Mary’s boys golf team completed the 18-hole course know as the 2000 regular season on Wednesday, shooting a 217 at Tilden Park Golf Course to defeat Pinole Valley, and improve to 14-4 on the year. 

Scheduled in the middle of St. Mary’s spring break, Wednesday’s match was not a particular priority for the Panthers, who competed without most of their top golfers. Still, the squad’s depth and consistency kept the score relatively low – much lower than Pinole Valley, which shot a 245 on the hilly course. Pat Rau and Kyle Davies led a tight pack of Panther golfers, both shooting 42. St. Mary’s rounded out the scoring with two 44s and a 45, giving Pinole little opportunity to pick up ground.  

“I didn’t exactly have my A-team out there (because) it was non-league,” St. Mary’s coach Phil Doran said after the match. “They did just what I expected them to do.” 

At 11-3 in league, the Panthers have already captured second place, and will enter Monday’s league playoffs competing chiefly for individual berths at North Coast Section. Undefeated Alameda, which took first place in the Alameda-Contra Costa Athletic League with a 14-0 regular season, is expected to be the league’s only full team to be invited to NCS playoffs. 

“Alameda’s already won league, so what we play for is three positions to go to NCS,” said Doran, who believes his team has the skill and depth to beat Alameda with its best effort. “We believe in our heart we can beat them. I think we’re evenly matched – we’re not that far away from Alameda.” 

The Panthers, who sent two golfers to North Coast playoffs last year, hope to have at least three athletes representing them this season. Brian Haller, the only returning NCS entrant from 1999, is expected once again to earn a berth, with No. 1 golfer Chris Weidinger and No. 2 Ian Salisbury also in the running. 

“Hopefully we’ll get two or three (to NCS),” the St. Mary’s coach said.

The recent outcry over Alameda County school children visiting the Lawrence Hall of Science and being exposed to tritium emissions from DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory should FINALLY awaken the university community to this local radiation health hazard. Cal students must understand that the debate over radiation up at the children’s museum is but the tip of the iceberg. Concerns over tritium exposure reach down into the Central Campus and its radiation labs, raising additional questions about radiation exposure and Cal students. 

Nearly three decades ago, I walked onto the campus and became a Cal Bear. Overwhelmed by the beauty of the campus setting and the grandeur of the architecture, I was completely unaware of the more than 2,500 labs on the Central Campus, or the tonnage of hazardous and radioactive waste generated each year at the university site. It took me years to discover that I had been exposed to radiation daily from the DOE laboratories located on the Central Campus. 

Radiation came to the Berkeley Central Campus sometime in the early 1930s. The radiation work of Professor E.O. Lawrence and others made UCB an important research center. This led to the Manhattan Project, and ultimately, to the creation of the atom bomb. After World War II, the campus’ radiation facilities expanded their operations. Today, these DOE research laboratories and their emission stacks stretch across the Central Campus and up the Lawrence Hall of Science. 

Most students have a difficult time finding part-time work within a school schedule I was fortunate, I thought, to be able to work on campus with the university’s custodial services. My first assignment was three months at Etcheverry Hall, at Hearst and Euclid, dumping trash cans from offices, labs and classrooms. No one warned me of the vault in the basement, or that the large doors that I worked around were housing a nuclear reactor and radiation lab. (Many years later, the Berkeley community forced its removal.) 

In the next several years, my job designation was custodial fill-in, and consequently, I worked in or around a number of radiation labs funded by DOE, both on the hill and on the Central Campus. One of my work assignments took me to the DOE Donner Lab, near the Campanile. It’s difficult to ascertain past emissions at this or other DOE/LBNL labs because of the lack of documentation. However, a recent environmental site report identifies over a dozen source points of radiation coming from Donner, primarily uncontrolled lab fume hoods. 

Eventually, I worked around DOE’s Melvin Calvin labs at Bancroft and Piedmont. Environmental reports from the mid-’70s document releases of hundreds of curies of tritium annually in that area of the Central Campus. To my own grief, I used to eat the plumbs from the trees around that lab during the summers, as did many students. Since that time, I have learned much more about radiation exposure, and the shocking fact that tritium when organically bound in plants is 25,000 times more harmful to human tissue than tritium gas. Some in the radiation industry would like to ignore the dangers of low-level radiation, but the fact remains: there is no safe dose. 

In the last half century, the potential for UCB student exposure to lab radiation has grown exponentially. This growth is now being aided by the biotech radiation industry. Such commercial influences on both the university and DOE-LBNL will mean increased use of radioactive materials and a greater possibility of radiation exposure for the students, faculty and employees of UCB. Moreover, today’s tritium emissions on the Central Campus and Upper Campus will still be radioactive a century from now when the class of 2100 enters UCB. It’s time to address this growing crisis of UCB student exposure to radiation. 

Finally, this ex-Bear reminds the Berkeley lab and university that science should exist primarily for the betterment of humanity and not the other way around. I would suggest that the health notice being posted by the Alameda County Board of Education on the door of the Lawrence Hall of Science should be placed on Sather Gate as well. Everyone, including students, has a right to know. 

L.A. Wood is a Berkeley resident active in environmental issues.

Judging from the seven or eight times people broke in with enthusiastic applause and the standing ovation the two-term mayor got when her State of the City address was delivered, the crowd that filled almost every seat in the City Council Chambers Tuesday night loved Mayor Shirley Dean’s speech. 

“I liked what she said about helping the school district,” Barbara Wittstock said, referring to Dean’s call for the city to help the district with maintenance and policing efforts. “There’s been a separation between the two entities.” 

School Board Director Shirley Issel agreed. 

“I welcome the help of the city to assist the schools,” she said. 

While Dean focused on what the city could do for the schools, she promised not “to do a Jerry Brown” by making recommendations regarding curriculum. 

The mayor underscored the need for job training for Berkeley youth and promised to work with the schools to create a “Saturday academy” for pre-apprenticeship training in the building trades. 

And Dean made a plea for citizens to volunteer in the schools. 

“If you are an employer, give your employees time off to be a school volunteer,” she said. Then appealing to the employees, she quipped, “Tell your employer that the mayor said it was OK (to volunteer).” 

The mayor also called on every employer to hire at least one youth during the summer. 

Turning her attention to the local economy, Dean touted the reduction in ground-floor retail vacancies downtown under her watch. Vacancies have dropped from 25 percent in December 1994, when she took office, to today’s 3 percent, she said. 

“Berkeley must shed the perception that it is anti-business,” Dean said, noting that the city lacks a department store downtown. “If you live in Berkeley and want to buy an ordinary item like a sheet, you find yourself driving to Walnut Creek.” 

The mayor also took a swipe at the federal policies which exempt Internet business from paying local sales taxes. “These policies are projected to have a devastating impact on small business throughout the nation.” 

Housing development was also a critical part of Dean’s message. 

“Since I became mayor, the total number of new housing units has more than doubled, with 535 new units and more in the pipeline. Two hundred and fifty-seven of these units are affordable to low- and very low-income people,” she said. Low income is considered $43,000 for a family of three and very low income is considered $29,550 for a family of three. 

Efforts must be made to increase affordable housing, Dean said. People who hold Section 8 certificates - housing vouchers for which low-income people pay 30 percent of their income as rent - often cannot find housing, because landlords can find market rate renters who will pay more. 

“I will pursue income tax credits for owners in areas of high rent levels like the Bay Area, who provide housing for Section 8 certificate holders,” Dean said. 

There is a need to retrofit apartment buildings so that they will withstand a major earthquake, Dean said. “Given regulations by the Rent Board, apartment owners buy earthquake insurance on their buildings rather than retrofit them, simply because it costs less.” Dean was referring to restrictions on passing through retrofitting costs to renters. 

She laid out a three-pronged plan to get the apartments retrofitted: 

• Allow passing through a portion of retrofitting costs to renters whose rents are low – those whose rents have not been allowed to rise to market rate, because they have not vacated their apartments. 

• Set up a low-interest or revolving loan fund through state or federal agencies. 

• Allow new apartment-house owners relief from a portion of the transfer tax to pay for the retrofitting. This may mean increasing transfer taxes for apartment-house and commercial-building owners. 

Building more student housing is an additional concern. Subsidized housing needs to be available for students who need it, Dean said. 

She further called on the university to join with the city to build student-faculty housing on vacant land at Haste Street and Telegraph Avenue. 

The mayor made a special point of including the South Berkeley business district in her speech. 

“Let us turn away from divisive politics and roll up our sleeves to give a hand to areas like South Berkeley,” she said. 

She pointed to the Black Repertory Theater, saying that despite the problems it has had, it “can be an anchor development in South Berkeley that will attract restaurants and retail that will reflect the African-American heritage.” 

Last year, City Auditor Anne-Marie Hogan wrote a scathing report detailing management problems at the theater, whose building belongs to the city. 

Dean called for more parking, particularly at the City Center Garage and near Fourth Street. 

As for traffic problems, the mayor pointed to stepped-up enforcement and the additional enforcement that will come when three new traffic officers come on board. 

“I’d even like to see the police stop people and present them with tickets for dinner or lowers or some small nicety when they notice that people ware extra courteous and polite.” 

Dean said that a citywide fast pass needs to be explored, as well as all kinds of public transportation. 

Among her personal successes, Dean listed: 

• Her work with the community to get new sports fields at Fourth and Harrison streets. The groundbreaking was Monday. 

• The revitalization of the arts and theater district, with the city’s help, including loans to the Berkeley Repertory Theatre for construction of its new theater and to the Freight and Salvage for its new venue. 

• Working with the county, the university, Alta Bates Medical Center and the city, the Mayor’s Task Force on the Uninsured set up a clinic staffed by volunteer doctors and nurses. 

But the mayor, part of a moderate four-member faction, said she often was unable to get a majority for many of her projects. 

For example, Dean is a strong supporter of a ferry network, proposed by state Sen. Don Perata, D-Oakland. 

“The City Council (majority) does not support ferries, but I believe that the public can and will reverse that position,” she said. 

She called on the audience for its support. 

“I want you to be a part of my team, not only in terms of support for my ideas, but in terms of new ideas...(and) assistance in getting proposals implemented.”

As one might suspect, members of the liberal-progressive council faction took issue with some of the statements Mayor Shirley Dean made in her State of the City address. 

“She’s trying to take credit for 

accomplishments that belong to the whole council,” said Councilmember Dona Spring. “She talked about schools. The whole council is trying to work cooperatively with the schools.” 

Spring took issue with Dean’s proposal for the city to help the schools maintain their property. 

“It’s impractical. We don’t have the money to do that,” she said. “We can’t even take care of our parks.” 

Spring disagreed with Dean’s proposal to pass apartment-retrofitting costs through to tenants. 

“Property owners are reaping profits from vacancy decontrol,” she said. “The profits should go into (retrofitting).” 

The Black Repertory Theater should not be held up as a possible anchor for the South Berkeley business community, Spring said, pointing to management problems at the Black Rep as well as criticisms of the theater for not including the community on its board of directors. 

The councilmember countered Dean’s assertion that Berkeley is perceived as anti-business. 

“That’s a convenient stereotype,” Spring said. “We’ve bent over backwards for the Bayer Corporation and Urban Ore and we’ve given money to downtown year after year.” 

Councilmember Kriss Worthington, also a member of the liberal-progressive faction, took issue with Dean’s attack on council opposition to the ferry network. He underscored that the council majority opposed the network, which would take funds from other transportation projects, but not ferries in general. 

Spring noted that there were things in the mayor’s talk that she appreciated. 

“I liked her inspirational message,” she said, “trying to get people to strive for the highest goal and her talk about teamwork. It was very positive.”

The Green Party of California will hold its Statewide General Assembly this weekend on the UC Berkeley campus. 

Registration begins Saturday at 8 a.m. with breakfast at 126 Barrows Hall and on Sunday beginning at 8 a.m. at 145 Dwinelle till 5 p.m. Sunday presentations will be made by Medea Benjamin, candidate for the U.S. Senate, and Rebecca Kaplan, candidate for Oakland’s at-large City Council seat. The state platform, consensus items and proposals will be discussed and voted upon. 

Observers and students are welcome, organizers note. More information is available at www.greens.org/cal/alameda

Armed robbers target nighttime pedestrian 

A man was robbed after leaving the Cal campus around 10 p.m. Monday. 

As the man was walking home, he heard footsteps behind him, becoming faster as he walked along. He was overtaken by two men, one of whom stood on his left side, pointed a dark pistol in the victim’s face and said, “Give me all your money” and repeated the demand. 

The victim had two $5 bills in his jeans pocket and took it out and gave it to the man with the gun who handed it over to his accomplice. Scared, the victim ran away and the suspects fled in the opposite direction. Police Capt. Bobby Miller said both of the suspects were Hispanic males. The one with the gun was about 18 years old, 6 feet tall, weighing about 160 pounds. He was wearing light blue jeans and tennis shoes. The accomplice was about the same age and height, but weighing about 190 pounds. He was wearing a navy blue sleeveless vest and baggy blue jeans. 

University Avenue motel robbed at gunpoint 

A masked gunman robbed the Ramada Inn at 920 University Ave. around 11:15 p.m. Sunday. 

Wearing a black knit cap with holes cut out for eyes, nose and mouth, the suspect walked right up to the desk clerk, who was working alone. He held up a silver semi-automatic hand gun and in the same motion cocked the gun, and said, “Give me all the money,” according to Police Capt. Bobby Miller. 

The desk clerk complied, taking the money from the cash register and laying it on the counter. Then the suspect wanted the money under the cash drawer and he wanted the clerk to open another cash register below the counter. As the robber proceeded around a pillar to the rear of the counter the desk clerk fled down a hallway leading to the stairway to the second floor. 

Miller said the clerk feared the suspect was in pursuit but managed to scramble up the stairs and down a hallway. He hid upstairs until he no longer heard the suspect and then went downstairs and he and the manager called the police. 

The suspect is described as an African-American male in his 20s, about 6 feet tall, weighing about 200 pounds. He was wearing a dark jacket and blue sweat pants. 

Miller said the suspect stole more than $100. 

Stolen vehicle reported 

A 1984 Toyota Extra Cab pickup truck was stolen last weekend from the 2800 block of Seventh Street. The victim said he left the truck in front of his workplace for the weekend and when he returned at 3 p.m. Sunday it was gone. 

– Daily Planet Staff

Two burglars were thwarted around 6 a.m. Sunday when they attempted to break into a second-floor bedroom window in a multi-unit apartment building in the 1300 block of Burnett Street. 

In what is known as a “hot prowl” in police terms, the two would-be burglars awakened the victim who was sleeping in his bedroom as they tried to slide the window open, said Capt. Bobby Miller. The victim went to the window, looked out and saw one of the suspects – an African-American male, 5 feet, 8 inches tall, about 18 years old, wearing a black nylon jacket and blue jeans – who was crouching. The other suspect, an African-American female, wore a blue nylon jacket and blue jeans, said Miller. The victim yelled and the two suspects ran away and remain unidentified. 

In another “hot prowl” which occurred at 2 a.m. Friday, a burglar awakened a man who was sleeping in a bedroom in his house on the 2000 block of Garber Street. 

Miller said the suspect smashed the glass in a laundry room door to gain entry. The suspect rifled through drawers and cabinets on the second floor where the victim and his wife were sleeping. When he hear something fall, the victim thought it was caused by his cat and got up to investigate. He saw lights on in the closet in another bedroom and lights on in a third bedroom. The prowler was still in the house as the victim walked into the bedrooms and he heard what seemed to be someone running down the stairs. The victim never saw the prowler, said Miller. 

The prowler sought small electronic items and cash and left a small pile of items in the hallway. Miller said it appeared the prowler became frightened and left behind the things he intended to steal.

In two separate incidents Thursday, two men were victims of armed robbery in Aquatic Park: one at Bay Street and Potter around 3 a.m. and the other at 11 p.m. on Bolivar Drive north of Bay Street. 

In each case the victim was robbed by a man with a gun. The two victims were in their own automobiles and the gunman arrived in another car. Although the first victim did not see the suspect, the second victim described the gunman as an African-American male, about 6 feet, 2 inches tall, weighing about 230 pounds. He was wearing a three-quarter-length black jacket and dark pants. Police Capt. Bobby Miller said there is a possibility that the same suspect is responsible for both armed robberies. The victims lost wallets and cash.

Dog bites dog 

A 7-year-old female basset hound being walked by its owner was attacked by another dog Tuesday afternoon. The dog ran from his home on the 700 block of Vincente Avenue onto the sidewalk to attack the basset hound. 

The attacker, a 1-year-old large white German shepherd Labrador mixed breed, grabbed the basset hound by the neck. The victim yelled for the German shepherd’s owner and tried to pull her dog to freedom, said Miller, but the German shepherd didn’t release his hold on the basset hound. Miller said the victim started kicking the German shepherd and then another person came out to the sidewalk and pulled the attacker away from the basset hound. 

The German shepherd’s owner maintains his dog is a rescue dog and said he would keep him on his property in the future. The basset hound was taken to Albany Animal Hospital for treatment of lacerations on her left ear. The case has been reported to the animal shelter. 

Stolen vehicles reported 

Two autos were reported stolen on Wednesday. One of them, a 1997 green Honda Accord, was stolen from the 1800 block of Parker St. It was stripped and left in front of a place of business in Oakland. The vehicle was inoperable and was towed to an insurance agency. 

The other was a 1994 silver Volkswagen Jetta that was stolen from the top floor of the Sather Gate garage on Durant Street. The victim returned to the garage to find it missing with a half tank of gasoline. 

– Daily Planet Staff