Guilty pleas expected to be entered by a Berkeley landlord and four relatives facing criminal charges for sex, immigration and tax offenses were put off Monday after the judge hearing the case refused a request by government and defense lawyers to seal the plea agreement and close the courtroom to the public. -more-

Tuesday, Oct. 31

Editor: A recent letter by John Cecil contained erroneous statements about about Berkeley public school ballot Measures AA and BB. It is important to correct those errors so that Berkeley voters can understand what is at stake. -more-

Students hear from several party delegates -more-

The release of a Final Environmental Impact Report has done little to deter what promises to be a long battle pitting the Congregation of Beth El against neighbors and environmentalists. -more-

When Tom Gorham was 37, he lived in a house in Half Moon Bay so close to the ocean he could hear the waves. -more-

If you turned in a form to register to vote at the Department of Motor Vehicles in Oakland and you didn’t receive a sample ballot, you may not be registered. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Aspiring homeowners who borrow from the federal government could save $1,650 in upfront mortgage fees under an initiative announced Monday by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — For the second time, a federal appeals court Monday upheld the legality of a test that California teachers are required to pass, despite claims it is racially discriminatory. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Musicbank, a start-up promising to give consumers online access to their personal CD collections, said Monday it signed a licensing agreement with Sony Music. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — The black population in San Francisco has declined, and with it, the political power of the community to address issues such as affordable housing, poverty, education and crime. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Republican Tom Campbell remains far behind incumbent Dianne Feinstein in the race for U.S. Senate, according to a poll by the San Francisco Examiner and KTVU-TV. -more-

LOS ANGELES — Industrial runoff water with dangerously high levels of chromium 6 was discharged for two decades into storm drains that flowed to the Los Angeles River, it was reported Monday. -more-

SACRAMENTO — The California Highway Patrol was slightly more likely to arrest Latinos and blacks than whites, according to a CHP report that looked at 2.1 million traffic stops over nine months. -more-

LOS ANGELES — Police Chief Bernard C. Parks on Monday blamed a realistic-looking prop gun for the police shooting of an actor at a Halloween party. -more-

FRESNO — A federal judge Monday agreed to unseal court papers that spell out why prosecutors sought the death penalty in the case of Yosemite murderer Cary Stayner. -more-

SAN DIEGO — A Superior Court judge has thrown out a lawsuit against the state over the abandoned development of a radioactive waste dump near Needles. -more-

SANTA BARBARA — A Boy Scout executive was stripped of his Eagle Scout status and fired by the Boy Scouts of America National Council 10 days after he publicly admitted he was a homosexual, his attorney said. -more-

REDWOOD SHORES — You know the drill: Message. Reply. Delete, delete, forward, reply, delete. -more-

MALIBU — Southern California’s brown pelicans are returning to swoop and dive along the coast as the population bounces back from declines caused by El Nino. -more-

LOS ANGELES — As prosecutors rested their case, a judge dismissed two perjury counts against one of the officers charged in the LAPD corruption trial. -more-

OAKLAND — Audie Bock stunned California’s political establishment last year when she won a special legislative election to become the highest-ranking Green Party officeholder in the country. -more-

Parents at Berkeley High School are frustrated with the progress the school is making in addressing harsh criticism that African-American and Latino students are not receiving the same education of Asian and Caucasian students. -more-

Monday, Oct. 30

As someone who came from Southeast Asia, I am no stranger to astrology. And I’m inclined to consult the occult when it comes to picking important leaders – the president of the United States, for instance. Pick one with lousy karma, and the whole country might go to pot. -more-

Five is the magic number for the Cal (9-11, 4-9 Pac-10) women’s volleyball team. That’s the number of matches the Golden Bears need to win to guarantee a .500 season and to give the team a shot at NCAA Tournament play. -more-

Measure Y is among the most debated ballot measures in the city. Its aim is to protect seniors and the disabled from being dislodged when owners move into units which belong to them. Tenant activists say the measure is necessary to protect vulnerable people from being tossed into the streets, while property owners argue that the measure makes these individuals even more vulnerable – landlords will choose to rent to nondisabled students and dot-commers rather than the elderly and disabled. -more-

Pac-10 roundup -more-

Michael Barklay is recovering from major back surgery and, leaning on a walker, he took careful steps towards the steaming warm water pool at Berkeley High School. -more-

LOS ANGELES – Jemeel Powell turned a couple of keen observations into big plays for California. -more-

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – President Clinton sang along with the gospel choirs at two black Baptist churches Sunday and implored congregants to ponder what he called the stark choices of the presidential campaign and to “make sure nobody takes a pass on Nov. 7.” -more-

Panthers headed for showdown with Piedmont -more-

HUNTINGTON BEACH – Back when wetlands were less respectfully known as swamps, marshes and bogs, Bolsa Chica was tied to the ocean’s undulations. -more-

LOS ANGELES - After trailing only 1-0 at the half, the No. 5 California women’s soccer team lost to No. 3 UCLA, 4-1, Sunday at rainy Drake Stadium. The Golden Bears are now 15-2-1 and 5-2 heading into the final two games of the regular season this week. The Bruins improved to 14-2-1 and 5-1-1 in league play. -more-

Viva Mexico shut down after woman is poisoned -more-

San Francisco’s Petopia.com fires more than 60 percent of staff -more-

Bush at home, Democrats do TV talk shows, churches -more-

Pot advocates blowing smoke over measure -more-

SAN FRANCISCO – The man charged with drunken driving after downing up to a dozen cups of kava tea was effectively acquitted after his case ended in a mistrial Friday. -more-

LOS ANGELES – An ocean pollution trial a decade in the making has ended with Montrose Chemical Corp. and two other companies agreeing to pay an undisclosed amount to compensate Californians for damages linked to a giant DDT deposit in the ocean off Los Angeles. -more-

Everyone at the Piedmont Lodge near the UC-Berkeley campus seems to have horror stories to tell about the conditions there. -more-

Saturday, Oct. 28

It’s not quite opening time for the merry-go-round at Tilden Park this sunny Saturday morning, but already toddlers and parents are arriving in eager hordes. -more-

University must pay fair share -more-

LOS ANGELES – California sophomore midfielder Brittany Kirk scored the game-winning goal with 1:15 remaining in the second overtime period to lift the No. 5 Golden Bears to a 2-1 victory over No. 12 USC Friday at McAlister Field. The Bears improved to 15-1-1, 5-1 in Pac-10 play, while the Trojans dropped to 11-4-2 and 3-2-1 in league play. The win also avenged the Bears 2-1 double overtime loss to the Trojans last season in Berkeley. -more-

Frances Beal has devoted her life to fighting racism. Long before race, class, and gender became popular topics in literary academic theory, Beal identified these concepts as the theoretical basis for oppression, in her 1969 pamphlet “The Black Women’s Manifesto.” From protesting Jim Crow laws in the 1950s to her current work with the Black Radical Congress, which she helped to found, she has been at the forefront of the struggle for social justice. -more-

Practice makes perfect. -more-

The Committee to Support Our Parks wants to make sure measures S and W pass on Nov. 7 and they’re not taking any chances. So far the committee has spent more money than any of the other campaigns for the various tax and bond measures on the ballot. -more-

Pinole Valley deals ’Jackets their first ACCAL loss -more-

SAN FRANCISCO – A California judge who ordered the recall of 1.7 million Ford Motor Co. cars and trucks said Friday he would stand by the decision. -more-

Arizona’s big hitters too much for Cal -more-

Korean immigrant helped introduce books of leading English poets and Buddhist writers to Korean readers -more-

Cal water polo upsets No. 3 Long Beach St. -more-

There has never been a flu epidemic like it. In one year - 1918 – half a million Americans died from a contagion often identified as the deadliest epidemic of the 20th century, a flu so severe that the fear of it happening again causes public health authorities to go on global alert. -more-

Man convicted of manslaughter had 16 priors -more-

Aryan Nation will take to the streets of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho despite impending loss of their rural compound -more-

Ewing interfered with fair housing rights for neighbor -more-

LOS ANGELES – The California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the nation’s second-largest health benefits provider, will lose $96 million this year on its self-insured health plans, according to a newspaper report. -more-

VENTURA – Fisherman Aaron Plunkett can talk about his whale of a catch that didn’t get away: The Lake Casitas angler snagged fossilized bones of a 25 million-year-old toothed baleen whale, a first-of-its-kind find in California. -more-

CHICO – Manslaughter charges could be filed against some members of a fraternity where an 18-year-old student died, the Butte County district attorney has announced. -more-

PEBBLE BEACH – This is some of the world’s most prized real estate – looming Monterey pine and cypress trees, top-caliber golf courses and achingly lovely mansions, all giving way to a pristine, rocky shoreline. -more-

Open-records advocates praise Judicial Council’s decision; -more-

OAKLAND – The man accused of shooting and killing three meat inspectors on a visit to his linguisa factory in June has pleaded innocent to murder charges. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO – Pacific Bell could face more than $2 million in fines levied by state regulators who appear likely to punish the company for tricking customers into signing up for unwanted telephone service options. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO – U.S. Senate contenders Dianne Feinstein and Tom Campbell clashed sharply Friday on drugs, economics and immigration, as raucous Green Party protesters rushed the television station where they debated and demanded their candidate be allowed to participate. -more-

SACRAMENTO – Californians continue to drift away from the two major political parties, with 14 percent of voters now registered as independents, figures released Friday show. -more-

Eatery closed after one diner dies, dozens of others sick -more-

When Harvey Smith went away on vacation, he had no idea that when he came back to his quiet north Berkeley neighborhood, he would find that a modest cottage a half block from his house had disappeared. -more-

Friday, Oct. 27

The Berkeley High girls’ volleyball team gave up just four points in three games against the Pinole Valley Spartans. They haven’t lost a match in league play. So they must be playing very well, right? Wrong, according to their coach. -more-

Elect knowledgeable bus rider to AC board -more-

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Attorneys for Skates by the Bay have sued the city, saying the amended Living Wage Ordinance that covers Marina properties unfairly discriminates against them and will cause them and their employees irreparable harm. -more-

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RICHMOND — An explosion and fire rocked a plastics recycling center Thursday morning, killing one worker, injuring several others and forcing 12 nearby schools to cancel classes. -more-

SAN JOSE— Bill Peacock, the leading opponent of Democrat Mike Honda in the March primary, is crossing party lines to endorse Republican Jim Cunneen in the hotly contested 15th Congressional District race. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Volunteers spread out across the city Thursday night to tally how many homeless people call San Francisco home. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Board of Education has voted to drop tough graduation requirements for the high school class of 2001 after learning that 30 percent of the city’s seniors failed to meet the requirements. -more-

Legally troubled Napster, Inc. set its sites on Apple computer users, making its popular music swapping software available for Macintosh operating systems. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — A poisonous puffer fish, considered a dining delicacy in Japan, may hold the key to sequencing the human genome. -more-

The Associated Press -more-

SACRAMENTO — School districts that have been complaining for 20 years that the state has shortchanged them for special education will get $520 million for past costs and $100 million more a year, Gov. Gray Davis announced Thursday. -more-

By James and Morris Carey -more-

Stairs leading directly from a living room or central hallway look more attractive and inviting when carpeted. And, a carpeted stairway will quiet your home by softening footsteps and absorbing sound waves. Carpeted stairs are safer, too, lessening your chances of slipping. -more-

SACRAMENTO — A Web site offering to sell 21,000 votes for president to the highest bidder has changed its domain name and switched its registrar to a company based in Germany. -more-

LOS ANGELES — It’s a dirty-air puzzle that befuddles scientists: When other pollutants punch out for the week, smog-causing ozone starts working overtime in some parts of the state. -more-

SACRAMENTO — With California up for grabs, George W. Bush doubled his advertising effort and announced a campaign swing with one-time rival John McCain, while Gov. Gray Davis packed his bags for a week of barnstorming for Al Gore and other Democrats. -more-

LOS ANGELES — The Internet has revolutionized the way Americans talk, study, work, play and spend money. -more-

AUBURN — It’s no coincidence that Court Commissioner Colleen Nichols holds her weekly drug court inside the Placer County Jail. -more-

SAN DIEGO — Border Patrol agents reported hearing shots fired when 10 uniformed men bearing rifles came onto U.S. soil in a canyon east of San Diego. -more-

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The City Council soundly rejected the mayor’s civic center parking plan at Tuesday’s meeting in favor of a more comprehensive plan that includes education, housing and a strong emphasis on alternative modes of transportation. -more-

Thursday, Oct. 26

Measure R is -more-

Berkeley passes last major test in league play; Encinal up next -more-

More than 200 people turned out in the Wednesday morning downpour in front of the Martin Luther King Jr. Way studios of KPFA chanting, as they did during the summer of 1999, “Who’s station? Our station!” -more-

Alameda deals Berkeley second loss of season -more-

The U.S. Attorney released new specific charges Wednesday against Berkeley’s largest landlord and four members of his family charged with fraudulently bringing foreign workers to the country for cheap labor and sex. -more-

Despite much protest among its members late Tuesday night, the City Council narrowly passed a design concept for the Aquatic Park Sound Barrier, which was described by one Councilmember as a “rusty steel wall with flowers on it.” -more-

Thousands of hospital workers are striking today, affecting services at eight hospitals in Alameda, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano and Lake counties. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Of the 337 car and pedestrian collisions this year where the driver was likely at fault, only one in 10 drivers received a citation, the San Francisco Examiner reported Monday. -more-

Three Berkeley residents and two Berkeley organizations will be honored tonight at the Berkeley Community Fund’s Seventh annual Awards Dinner. -more-

SACRAMENTO — The nation’s drug czar has weighed in against a proposal on California’s Nov. 7 ballot that would require treatment instead of incarceration for nonviolent drug users. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — A state court upheld assault and alcohol convictions against a former Pelican Bay State Prison guard on Wednesday. -more-

SANTA CRUZ — The city council of this fervently-liberal seaside city voted unanimously Tuesday to pass the nation’s highest living wage – $11 dollars an hour, or $12 without benefits. -more-

SANTA MONICA — The celebrity-filled Malibu shore is known for more than swaying palms, sun-roasted sands and bronzed surfers: The lapping waves also contain some of Southern California’s filthiest ocean water. -more-

SACRAMENTO — Booming state budget reserves will force a $1.1 billion, quarter-cent cut in California’s sales tax next year, saving the typical family of four $120, Gov. Gray Davis said Wednesday. -more-

SAN DIEGO — A growing number of people diagnosed with AIDS in San Diego have used intravenous drugs or had sex with people who injected drugs, according to the county’s health department. -more-

CBS Inc. agreed to settle a class-action sex discrimination lawsuit involving some 200 women technicians for $8 million, attorneys said Wednesday. -more-

LOS ANGELES — A panel of scientists urged state officials to toughen standards for chromium 6 in water, stating there is compelling evidence that it causes cancer. -more-

LOS ANGELES — Voters in California favor Vice President Al Gore over Texas Gov. George Bush by 7 percentage points in the race for president, according to a statewide poll published Wednesday by the Los Angeles Times. -more-

What does a renter do when the toilet doesn’t work, the roof leaks and the landlord refuses to return the security deposit? -more-

Wednesday, Oct. 25

Good food is better than supplements -more-

In an unexpected development in a criminal investigation that began last fall with the death of an Indian immigrant, prosecutors say Berkeley’s wealthiest landlord and four family members will plead guilty next week to federal charges arising from their alleged importation of teenage girls from India for sex and cheap labor. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — An Internet startup backed by six major airlines launched a cheap-seat service Tuesday that promises to undercut the prices of other online discounters who helped put the concept on the map. -more-

CHP officials reported today that a Berkeley woman was killed Monday afternoon when her car collided head-on with another vehicle on U.S. Highway 101 in southern Mendocino County. -more-

PETALUMA — Trey Atkin was an active, gregarious 11-year-old, just the kind of boy you’d expect to spend a buddy’s birthday party leading the charge through the nearby bushes. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — A 20-year former FBI agent settled her sex discrimination claims against the government Tuesday in a case setting new precedent. -more-

SACRAMENTO — Richard and Millie Hoagland had a “very sick truck,” a smoke-belching big rig they knew would not pass a smog inspection. -more-

LOS ANGELES — These are real Star-bucks. -more-

A 440-square-mile sweep of jagged mountains and desert in Southern California became the country’s latest national monument under a law President Clinton signed Tuesday to protect the land from encroaching development. -more-

SACRAMENTO — A Sacramento man charged with a 1994 rape might be the first person in the nation arrested using a DNA warrant, prosecutors say. -more-

SACRAMENTO — A California ballot measure that would put thousands of drug offenders into treatment rather than behind bars wouldn’t solve the state’s prison crowding problem, Corrections Director Cal Terhune said Tuesday. -more-

FRESNO — To the golden trout of the Sierra Nevada: This Bud’s for you. -more-

A lawsuit filed by civil rights groups against the state got under way today, charging that California schools are plagued by filthy facilities, outdated textbooks and uncredentialed teachers. -more-

Actor slain at Halloween party -more-

Stanford’s Leber scores two goals -more-

Findings from half-million-dollar study give go-ahead for next year -more-

Want to find out which Hollywood stars donated to Vice President Al Gore’s Presidential campaign? How about the home prices of the donors to Texas Governor George Bush’s campaign? Or the crime rates in the neighborhoods of donors to either candidate? -more-

OAKLAND — With warm outpourings of affection, a host of local and state leaders came to Clay Street in Oakland Wednesday to dedicate the twin-towered federal building to former U.S. Rep. Ron Dellums. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Outgoing flights were delayed at several Northern California and Nevada airports Monday because of a software malfunction in processing data from radar. -more-