A group of the city’s disabled people are organizing to protest Councilmember Linda Maio’s decision to remove Commissioner Karen Craig from the Commission on Disability earlier this month. 

Maio’s office has received half a dozen electronic messages, one fax and several phone calls requesting the councilmember reconsider her decision. Members of the disabled community are also planning other initiatives. 

After serving on the commission for four years, Craig, one of Berkeley’s most vocal advocates on disability issues, received a letter Aug. 6, informing her that she had been replaced. In the letter that she sent shortly before going on vacation, Maio blamed Craig for creating dissension by opposing some of Easy Does It policies. EDI is the company that the city contracts with to provide disabled people with emergency services.  

“Regarding EDI, I see some fundamental main differences between us,” Maio wrote. “I want to stop browbeating EDI and instead help them be successful.” Maio also criticized Craig for her aggressive attitude. 

“We do our cause and ourselves a great disservice when we are caustic, doctrinaire, inflexible, and accusatory,” she wrote. “People don’t come away with the message of the cause, they come away with a wound or at best a bad taste.” 

Craig’s supporters, however feel that her removal is unjust. In their letters they praise her accomplishments, including recent progress made with EDI, and suggest that the decision is the result of a political deal. 

“This action is both highly unfair and totally unwarranted, and smacks of political cronyism,” Blane Beckwith wrote in an e-mail to Maio. “I am appalled at the type of “machine politics” you and Councilmember Dona Spring are apparently engaged in plotting in Karen (Craig)’s ouster.” Beckwith, like others, believes that Spring, who openly advocated Craig’s removal, feels threatened by Craig’s leadership in the disabled community. 

The letter campaign is only one of the several initiatives Craig’s supporters plan to take. Miya Rodolfo Sioson, chair of the commission, anticipates Craig’s replacement will be one of the items on the agenda at the next meeting. She also said she and others are planning to start a petition drive and to demonstrate at the first City Council meeting in September. 

Maio’s office received only two calls in support of Craig’s removal, and one e-mail congratulating the new appointee, Robert Allamand, according to Maio aide Calvin Fong. 

But according to Councilmember Dona Spring, others like her, are pleased with Craig’s replacement. 

“I was not the only person to advocate Craig’s removal,” she said. “There were several others but they don’t want to come out. They are people who don’t like conflict and who would rather stay out of this.” 

Craig, meanwhile, does not plan to take any specific action on the matter. Even removed from the commission, she said, she will keep working on disability issues. But people’s support cheers her up, she added. 

“As I’m going around in the city I was getting some support from people I had never seen before,” she said. “That is more important to me than anything else.” 

Maio continues to be out of town and Fong declined to defend her position in her absence.

Friday, Aug. 24

Annual Community Luncheon  

of the League of Women Voters 

11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

199 Seawall Dr. 

Senator Jackie Speier, 8th District, will be speaking. The League sponsors their Annual Community Luncheon to bring together business, university and community leaders with political officials and League members to discuss issues of mutual interest. $50. 843-8824, lwvbae@pacbell.net 

Yiddish Conversation Group 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

644-6107 www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/hhs/commsvc/seniors.htm 

Even Stronger Women 

1:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Free weekly cultural discussion class. This week: Poetry. 549-1879 

Basic Electrical Theory and National Electrical Code 

7 - 10 p.m. 

Building Education Center 

812 Page St.  

Instructed by “Code Check” author/retired city of Oakland building inspector Redwood Kardon. $35. 525-7610 

Free Legal Workshop 

6 - 8 p.m. 

Women’s Cancer Resource Center 

3023 Shattuck Ave. 

Learn about the Family Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disability Act, and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, and how the laws protect you from termination during an experience with cancer or other serious medical conditions. 601-4040 x302  

Saturday, Aug. 25

Copwatch: Know Your Rights Training 

11 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Copwatch Office 

2022 Blake St. 

Learn what your rights are when dealing with the police. Learn how to monitor the police safely.  

548-0425 

Astrojax Playday 

1 - 4 p.m. 

Lawrence Hall of Science 

UC Berkeley 

Astrojax is part yo-yo, part juggling balls and a lasso. The inventor, theoretical physicist Larry Show, will give a demonstration and instruction. Museum admission $3 - $7. 642-5132 

Cerrito Creek Work Party 

10 a.m. 

Meet at Creekside Park (south end of Belmont Street), El Cerrito 

Join Friends of Five Creeks in removing brush to make a new trail along Cerrito Creek. Bring work gloves and clippers if you have them.  

848-9358, f5creeks@aol.com, www.fivecreeks.org. 

Travel Careers Class 

8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. 

Vista Community College 

2020 Milvia St. 

Vista’s annual one-day class for the public on careers in the travel industry. A full-day seminar. $5.50 981-2931 www.vistacollege.edu 

Sunday, Aug. 26

Healing 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Sylvie Gretchen on “Healing Mind.” Free. 843-6812 

West Berkeley Market 

11 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

University Ave., between 3rd and 4th Streets  

Family-oriented weekly market. Crafts, music, produce, and specialty foods. 654-6346 

3rd Annual Berkeley World Music Festival 

noon - 6 p.m. 

Durant Ave., between Telegraph and Bowditch 

Carnival and block party festival with World Music bands, performers and dancers. 649-9500 www.taasite.org 

Monday, Aug. 27

East Bay Heritage Quilters 

7:30 p.m. 

First Unitarian Church 

1 Lawson Road-Moeser Lane @ Arlington, Kensington 

Lecture: On the Road to Quiltmaking, a Personal Journey  

Non-members $3. 834-3706 

Tuesday, Aug. 28

Berkeley High  

Freshman Orientation 

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Berkeley Community Theater 

Corner of Allston Way and Martin Luther King, Jr. Way 

Incoming ninth graders take a tour of campus, get student I.D. cards and lockers, and learn about extracurricular activities available at Berkeley High. Students with last names beginning with A-L attend from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Students with last names beginning with M-Z attend from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. 

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 525-3565 

Free Early Music Group 

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Small group sings madrigals and other voice harmony every Tuesday morning. 655-8863 

— compiled by Guy Poole 

Poetry Through Time II 

7 p.m. - 8 p.m. 

Judah L. Magnes Museum 

2911 Russell St. 

Bay Area poets Opal Palmer Adisa, Phyllis Koestenbaum, Reuven Goldfarb, and Martha Evans will read. A brief open reading will conclude the program. 549-6950 www.magnesmuseum.org 

Community Health Commission 

6:45 - 9:30 p.m. 

South Berkeley Senior Center 

2939 Ellis St. 

Environmental Imapct Report (EIR) for Alta Bates Expansion. 644-6109 

Editor: 

I was there when Becky O’Malley planted her feet solidly on the floor at the Planning Commission meeting and said, “I’m so glad they are building the Gaia Building. I’m glad is sticks out like a sore thumb. Because everybody is going to hate it. I’m glad they are building it because the people of Berkeley will never allow another tall build be built here – ever,” in approximately those words. 

But density works. Density is people. Do we want to provide for people, or keep them out of town? 

I like the Gaia Building enough that I voted with my feet and moved in the first day it was open. The following morning from the roof deck the sunrise was the first I ever saw with the bay waters in view, shimmering in bright turquoise and teal. The Golden Gate Bridge was a radiant vermilion red, salmon – pink to slate gray fog drifted around the base of luminous San Francisco buildings reflecting the sun.  

Berkeley’s two story houses, trees and the long walk up to the hills always seemed to get in the way of such fabulous sunrises. 

I’ve called for rooftop accessibility, terracing, trellises and garden like this and higher density near transit for the whole 27 years I’ve lived in Berkeley. And since I never lived in such a building and had to endure taunts of “hypocrite” for not living in the kind of building I said I liked (never mind that none existed yet), it made my conscience feel righteously correct to actually try out the first such building. 

So for me, the Gaia Building is a real breakthrough, a genuine historic step into the future. The terracing, trellises and future rooftop garden are the first to bring life up to rooftop level in the city’s history, to bring a serious addressing of environmental problems smack dab into the public view, and not only that, but with design that is friendly as well as big and transit – oriented. Too bad Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association sat this one out, or rather more accurately, fought vehemently against the only future historic architecture to happen here in a generation or more. 

It is already fun being there – or rather – here. As to Michael Katz’ rant in a recent letter to the editor that the building is “Stalinist” I can only say is ugly, as well as beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. I look at the Gaia Building and far from nightmares of oppressive architecture and government I remember my adolescent summers in Bermuda and a large and graceful old hotel across the Bay I used to look at with real pleasure. The Gaia Building has those. 

Its function is rather significant, serving me for one and giving 150 other people the chance to live here, 20 percent of us in lower cost subsidized apartments. 

What some want to keep out of downtown is, in reality, us. They would prefer to maintain the city’s enormous imbalance of commercial space over housing, but fortunately, that balance shifted slightly with the construction of the Gaia Building. All but seven of its apartments are now rented and only six cars are owned by residents at this point. Not totally car free, but well on the way. 

The place is a bit noisy, I’m afraid but that’s because of the big crude beast of the city, the automobile. The Oxford Street parking lot at night is an immense light reflector for the overhead lights and not too much fun to look at with the black oil spots where the cars park by day. There is considerable glare at night from light flooded onto several of the University buildings driving the stars right out of sight. The Gaia Building itself is lit up in a way I don’t approve. 

Better to simply let the building glow in the light of the city. But that’s a quibble compared to the services the building provides. 

Richard Register 

Berkeley 

Have you ever wanted to taste the cultural spices of Boriqua, sip Arabic coffee, invite Yemaya for a stroll, but couldn’t fit a world cruise into your schedule?  

From noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, you can have it all, at the musical block party near Durant and Telegraph avenues. 

The Third annual Berkeley World Music Festival, sponsored by the Telegraph Area Association, features a main stage, at Durant and Bowditch Street. Hosted by radio deejay Avotcja, it will feature: Grupo Ilu Fun Fun (Afro–Cuban), Petit La Croix (Afro–Haitian), Samba Ngo (Congolese), O–Maya (Afro–Latin hip–hop), and Fito Reinoso y Su Ritmo y Armonia (Afro–Cuba).  

A few blocks away, at a stage at Durant and Telegraph the public will experience Mexican, Polynesian, and Indian dance. 

Funny thing about this trip we’ll be taking around the world Sunday afternoon – all of these ensembles call the Bay Area home.  

One group that stands out is O-Maya.  

Just this month folks at Ashkenaz were grooving to its jazzy sounds.  

It’s a hip 10–member dance band that incorporates son, samba, salsa, merengue, reggae into a fresh blend of “forget everything except a good time.”  

Just two years old, the band features: Destani Wolf (vocalist), Rico Pabon (vocalist/MC), Jorge Martinez (vocalist/guitar), Hector Perez (bongo and percussion), David Flores (drums), Steve Hogan (bass), Bill Artola (keyboards, accordion, and sampler), Quincy Griffin (saxophone and flute), Rene Flores (conga). 

They’ll be on the main stage at 4 p.m. Sunday.  

Quincy tells me that the name of the group – O–Maya (www.o–maya.com) – can mean different things depending on who’s translating.  

In Hindi, O–Maya means “the illusion of life,” but illusion in Mexican culture can have a double meaning of aspiration or hope.  

The ‘O’ represents the circle that keeps the members together like a family, which is what the two founding members Quincy and Bill Artola were trying to accomplish two years ago.  

The two men wanted a band that fused the styles of music together that they loved, music that would speak to people of their generation – which they did, that and more. 

“We don’t know who our audience is,” Quincy said. “Some shows are packed with folks in their 20s, and others have old folks and little kids dancing around.  

“I think our main goal is to appeal to crowds that we feel like we have something in common with.  

The diversity of ethnicities and ages (of people who come to our shows) is great and it’s a reflection of who we are: African American, Mexican, Nicaraguan, Puerto Rican, and white.  

It’s true, an O–Maya concert feels like a big houseparty – easy vibe, sometimes one feels like she’s in Bahia – with the djun djun drums and bells, then the next moment the brass horns, reeds, and swinging piano take one somewhere else so take along the dancing shoes Sunday for a fun time. 

Sambo Ngo, born in the Congo, has a long and illustrious career playing with jazz musicians such as Herbie Hancock, and percussionist Bill Summers.  

Ngo came to the states about twenty years ago to form his own band, which features him on guitar and vocals performing music of his homeland in a variety of styles which include acoustic accompaniment on his guitar, or the kisanji – what many call the mbira.  

I hadn’t realized that the “thumb piano” was an instrument indigenous to the Congo, and as it made its rounds to other parts of Africa the name changed to kilamba (Ghana) and imbera (South Africa.)  

Ngo has a unique approach to Congolese music, which many people only know through the songs of veteran singers such as Papa Wemba and Sam Mangwana.  

Ngo says that he has taken the path of least resistance and sings in the style he learned as a boy, writing lyrics that talk about his people and their history.  

Just like O–Maya, Samba Ngo melodies are uplifting because as the bandleader explained: “The music is supposed to do something for you. If the environment is so difficult, music can heal, make one happy, keep one going.”  

With Ngo’s music we can slip out of our cerebral context and become the “thing that we are doing.” This is the way African people have been able to survive, Ngo says. “People don’t know the music from Africa and when they come Sunday, they are going to see what I mean, because they only know soukous, etc.; they know only a few styles. (Congolese) music has a variety of styles, the music I play is music everybody can feel from children to adults.” 

Culture is a wonderful way to share what we know about ourselves with others and there will plenty of opportunities to fill our plates this weekend. For information call 649–9500, or www.taasite.org.

Albatross Pub Sept. 1: David Widelock Jazz Trio; Sept. 5: Whiskey Brothers; Sept. 6: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 11: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Duo; Sept. 13: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 19: Whiskey Brothers; Sept. 20: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 22: Larry Stefl Jazz Quartet; Sept. 27: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Free. All shows begin at 9 p.m. 1822 San Pablo Ave.843-2473 albatrosspub@mindspring.com 

Anna’s Aug. Aug. 24: Anna sings jazz standards; 10 p.m. Bluesman Hideo Date; Aug. 25: Robin Gregory; 10 p.m. The Distones Jazz Sextet; Aug. 26: Choro Time; Aug. 27: The Renegade Sidemen; Aug. 28: The Interface Ensemble; Aug. 29: Bob Schoen Jazz Quartet; Aug. 30: Christy Dana Quartet; Aug. 31: Anna sings jazz standards; 10 p.m. Bluesman Hideo Date; Free. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted. 1801 University Ave. 849-2662  

Ashkenaz Aug. 24: 9:30 p.m. Caribbean All Stars $11; Aug. 25: 9 p.m. California Brazil Camp Benefit, $10; Aug. 26: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. Middle Eastern Dance Workshops with Ma Shuga Mira Murijan and Nanna Candeleria. $45. 8 p.m. Harmonia, $10; Aug. 28: 9 p.m. Gerard Landry and the Lariats, $8; Aug. 29: 8 p.m. Earl White Oldtime Band, Bluegrass Intentions, plus clogging lessons. $10, Kids under 12 Free; Aug. 30: 9 p.m. Samite, Forward Kwenda, $10; Aug. 31: 9:30 p.m. Wawa and the Oneness Kingdom, The Calypsonians, $10; 1317 San Pablo Ave. 525-5054 www.ashkenaz.com  

Café Eclectica Sept. 8: 8 p.m. SF Improv, Free. 1309 Solano Ave. 326-6124 www.sfimprov.com 

Café de la Paz Poetry Nitro, performance showcase with open mike. Sept. 10: Lucy Lang Day; Sept. 17: Marc Hofstadter (book party); Sept. 24: Jim Watson-Gove; All shows free, 7 - 10 p.m. 

Cal Performances Sept. 6: 8 p.m. King Sunny Ade & His African Beats, $20 - $32; Sept. 16: 7 p.m. Tania Libertad, $18 - $30; Sept. 30: 7 p.m. Kronos Quartet, David Barron, $30; Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley Campus, Bancroft Way at Telegraph, 642-0212, tickets@calperfs.berkeley.edu 

Eli’s Mile High Club Aug. 25: Carlos Zialcita; Every Friday, 10 p.m. - 2 a.m., Funky Fridays Conscious Dance Party with KPFA DJs Splif Skankin and Funky Man. $10; Sept. 3: Big West Coast Harmonica Bash, benefit for Red Archibald. $10 donation; Doors open at 8 p.m. 3629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland. 655-6661 

Freight & Salvage Sept. 1: Ancient Future, $16.50; Sept. 7: Tom Russell w/ Andrew Hardin, $16.50; Sept. 8: The House Jacks, $17.50; Sept. 9: Erika Luckett, $16.50; Sept. 11: Don Walser, Slaid Cleaves, $16.50; Sept. 12: Andy Irvine, $17.50; Sept. 13: Piper Heisig birthday revue and fund raiser w/ Kate Brislin, Sylvia Herold, Tony Marcus, Carlos Reyes, and Radim Zenkl, $16.50; Sept. 14: Ray Wylie Hubbard, $16.50; Sept. 15: Vocolot, $17.50; All shows start at 8 p.m. 1111 Addison St. 548-1761 www.freightandsalvage.com 

Jupiter Aug. 24: 5 Point Plan; Aug. 25: Mitch Marcus Quintet; Aug. 28: Big Lou and Polka Casserole; Aug. 29: Secession; Aug. 30: Beatdown with DJ’s Delon, Yamu and Add1; Aug. 31: Realistic CD Release Party; Sept. 4: Beth Waters Band; Sept. 5: Presidents Breakfast; Sept. 6 Beatdown w/ DJs Delon, Yamu, and Add1; Sept. 7: Crater; Sept. 10: Ben Graves Trio; Sept. 11: Len Patterson Trio; Sept. 12: Bitches Brew; Sept. 13: Beatdown w/ DJs Delon, Yamu, and Add1; Sept. 14: Carlos Washington & Giant People Ensemble; Sept. 15: Kooken & Hoomen; Sept. 18: The Goodbye Flowers; Sept. 19: New Monsoon; Sept. 20: Beatdown w/ DJs Delon, Yamu, and Add1; Sept. 21: Netwerk: Electric; Sept. 22: New Garde Philosophers; All music starts at 8:00 p.m. 2181 Shattuck Ave. 843-7625 www.jupiterbeer.com  

La Peña Cultural Center Aug. 24: 8:30 p.m. Professor Terry’s Circus Band Extraordinary, $16; Aug. 25: 9:30 p.m., Edgardo Cambon’s Candela, $10, 8:15 p.m. Salsa dance class w/ Diego Vásquez, $13; Sept. 11, 12: 8 p.m. Irakere, $22; In the Cafe, 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 www.lapena.org 

Indigo Event Center Aug. 25: 4:20 p.m. Musicians for Medical Marijuana Benefit concert. Sound Tribe Sector 9, Lost at Last, The Mermen, Ten Ton Chicken, Scott Huckabay, Strawberry Alarmclock, Buzzy Linhart, plus special guests, $25. 1988 Broadway at 19th, Oakland. 869-5391 www.m4mm.org  

TUVA Space Aug. 25: 8 p.m. Vanessa Lowe and the Lowliflies, Ira Marlowe, Hoarhound. 3192 Adeline St. 655-9755 

Alice Arts Sept. 8: 7:30 p.m. Benefit concert for freedom of U.S. political prisoners featuring Fred Ho (solo) and The Eddie Gale Unit. $12; 1428 Alice, Oakland, 539-0050 www.thejerichomovement.com/teardownthewalls 

Theater 

“Frank Olivier’s Twisted Cabaret” Aug. 24 & 25, 8 p.m. Frank Olivier is joined by Uncle Paul Nathan and The Twisted Cabaret Band. All tickets $16. Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. 845-8542 www.juliamorgan.org 

“Loot” Through Aug. 25, Thursdays - Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m. Special Performance Aug. 20, 8 p.m. General Admission: $15, Students / Seniors: $10. La Val’s 1834 Euclid Avenue 655-0813 

“Soul Harmony” Aug. 25: 5 - 7 p.m. A spirited one-woman show of history, culture, and entertainment. Written by Joy Holland, directed by Ava Coaxum. Presented at the Black Repertory Theater. 3201 Adeline St. $10 donation. 652-3399 

“Song of the Lakitan Bird” Sept. 2: 2 p.m. Kulintang Dance Theatre communicates the beauty and refinement of the Southern Philippine culture. $10 Adults, $5 Children. Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, 2640 College Ave. 845-8542 www.juliamorgan.org 

Lerner and Loewe’s “My Fair Lady” Aug. 31, Sept. 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9. All shows 8 p.m. Adapted from George Bernard Shaw’s and Gabrial Pascal’s “Pygmalion.” Directed by James Schlader, choreographed by Harriet Schlader, under the musical direction of Mark Hanson. $15 - $27. 3300 Joaquin Miller Rd., Oakland. 531-9597 www.woodminster.com 

“Hecho En Califas Chicano-Latino Teatro Festival” Sept. 6 - 9, 14 - 15; 8 p.m. Original members of El Teatro de La Esperanza. Chicano Theater began out of the need to express the realities of the fields and barrios of Aztlán in the Chicano-Latino community. $10 - $20 La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck, 849-2568, www.lapena.org  

“Winesburg, Ohio: Tales of the Grotesque” Sept. 6 through Sept. 16, Wed. - Sat. 8:30 p.m., Sun. 5 p.m. The Shotgun Players and Word For Word team up for a production of Sherwood Anderson’s deceptively simple tale of neglected souls who fade into the shadows around us. $22, Wednesdays are “Pay What You Can.” Julia Morgan Theatre, 2640 College Ave. 655-0813 www.shotgunplayers.org 

“36 Views” Sept. 12 through Oct. 28: Tues. 8 p.m., Wed. 7 p.m., Thu. 8 p.m. w/ 2 p.m. matinee every other Thu., Fri. 8 p.m., Sat. 8 p.m. w/ 2 p.m. matinee every other Sat., Sun. 2 p.m., 8 p.m. Written by Naomi Lizuka, Directed by Mark Wing-Davey. $10 - $54. Berkeley Repertory’s Roda Theatre, 2015 Addison St. 647-2949 www.berkeleyrep.org 

“Murder Dressed in Satin” by Victor Lawhorn, ongoing. A mystery-comedy dinner show at The Madison about a murder at the home of Satin Moray, a club owner and self-proclaimed socialite with a scarlet past. Dinner is included in the price of the theater ticket. $47.50 Lake Merritt Hotel, 1800 Madison St., Oakland. 239-2252 www.acteva.com/go/havefun 

Dance 

Cal Performances Sept. 8: 8 p.m. & Sept. 9: 3 p.m. - Dance, the Spirit of Cambodia, $20 - $32; Sept. 19 - 20: 8 p.m. American Ballet, “Bruch Violin Concerto,” “Jabula,” “Gong,” and “Black Tuesday.”; Sept. 21: 8 p.m., Sept. 22: 2 p.m. & 8 p.m., Sept. 23: 3 p.m. American Ballet, the full-length 19th Century “Giselle” $36 - $64; Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley Campus, Bancroft Way at Telegraph, 642-0212, tickets@calperfs.berkeley.edu 

Films 

Pacific Film Archive Aug. 24: 7 p.m. The Heart, 9:20 p.m. The Outcast; Aug. 25: 7 p.m. Moonfleet, 8:45 p.m. The Blue Gardenia; Aug. 26: 3 p.m. Duck Soup, 5:30 p.m. The Wanderers, 7:25 p.m. Dora-Heita; Aug. 28: 7:30 p.m. Doodling; Aug. 29: (free screenings) 7:30 p.m. The Horror of Party Beach, 9:15 p.m. The Crater Lake Monster; Aug. 31: 7 p.m. The Makioka Sisters, 9:35 p.m. A Woman’s Testament; Gen. Adm.. $7, The New PFA Theatre 2575 Bancroft Way 642-1412 

The Pyramid Alehouse Outdoor Cinema Aug. 25: The Shining; Sept. 1: Breakfast Club; Sept. 2: Pretty in Pink; Sept. 8: Dr. No (come as your favorite Bond character); Sept. 15: Harold and Maude; Sept. 22: Airplane; The Outdoor Cinema features cult classics projected on a large screen in the open-air brewery parking lot. $5 donation. Movies start at 7 p.m. 901 Gilman St. 206-682-8322 x237 www.pyramidbrew.com 

Exhibits 

“A Fine Line” Through Aug. 24, Tuesday - Friday, noon - 5 p.m. or by appointment. An exhibition works by Kala Fellowship winners for the years 2000 and 2001. Kala Art Institute 1060 Heinz Avenue 549-2977 

“Geographies of My Heart” Collage paintings by Jennifer Colby through Aug. 24; Flora Lamson Hewlett Library 2400 Ridge Road 649-2541 

“BACA National Juried Exhibition: Works on Paper” Through Aug. 31: Wed. - Sun. Noon - 5 p.m. Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St. 644-6893 

“Debbie Moore’s Autobiographical Paintings” Through Sep. 30 at Good Vibrations. Portraits of the artist’s sensual explorations spanning 25 years and reflecting changing ways of intimacy and body play. 2504 San Pablo Avenue 848-1985 

“The Decade of Change: 1900 - 1910” chronicles the transformation of the city of Berkeley in this 10 year period. Thursday through Saturday, 1 – 4 p.m. Through September. Berkeley History Center, Veterans Memorial Building, 1931 Center St. Wheelchair accessible. 848-0181. Free.  

“Census 2000: Asian Pacific Islander Americans” Sept. 5 through Oct. 13, reception Sept. 6, 6 - 8 p.m.; Wed. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Asian Pacific Islander American artists in roughly the demographic proportions indicated by the recent census. Free. Pro Arts, 461 Ninth St., Oakland 763-9470  

“Musee des Hommages” Masterworks by Guy Colwell Faithful copies of several artists from the pasts, including Titian’s “The Venus of Urbino,” Cezanne’s “Still Life,” Picasso’s “Woman at a Mirror,” and Boticelli’s “Primavera” Ongoing. Call ahead for hours. Atelier 9 2028 Ninth St. (at Addison) 841-4210 or visit www.atelier9.com 

“Ten Years Here” Exhibit celebrating the 10 year anniversary of Turn of the Century Fine Arts. Through Sept. 14, Sat & Sun 1-5 p.m. 2510 San Pablo Avenue 849-0950 

“The Political Art of: Diego Marcial Rios” Through Sept. 20, Addison Street Window Gallery, 2018 Addison St. hdrios@msn.com 

Women’s Cancer Resource Gallery “Catastrophe, Crisis, and Other Family Traditions” The photography of Jessamyn Lovell. Aug. 25 through Sept. 26; “TheArthur Wright and Gerald Parker” Reception Sept. 8, Aug. 25 through Sept. 26; Tues. - Thurs. 1 - 7 p.m., Sat. 12 - 4 p.m. 3023 Shattuck Ave. 548-9286 x307 www.wcrc.org 

“Squared Triangle” Through Oct. 5: noon - 6 p.m. A minimal art exhibit featuring three Bay Area artists working in different mediums while achieving the same elegant simplicity. The Crucible, 1036 Ashby Ave. 843-5511 www.thecrucible.com 

“Inside Editions” Sept. 6 - Oct. 12: Nine printmakers exhibit their work. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tue. - Fri. Free. Kala Art Insitute, 1060 Heinz Ave. 549-2977 kala@kala.org 

Readings 

Black Oak Books Aug. 27: Catherine Brady, Jean Herlund, Frances Payne Adler, and Marianne Villanueva and others to celebrate CALYX Book’s 25th Anniversary, “Cracking the Earth”; Aug. 28: Kent Nerburn reads from “Road Angels: Searching for Home on America’s Coast of Dreams”; Aug. 29: Sylvia Brownrigg reads from her new novel, “Pages For You”; All shows at 7:30 p.m. free of charge. 1491 Shattuck Avenue 486-0698 

Boadecia’s Books Aug. 24: Andrea Gabbard discusses “Girl in the Curl: A Century of Women’s Surfing”; Aug. 25: Ann Bannon reads from her lesbian pulp classic “Beebo Brinker.” All events start at 7:30 p.m. and are free. 398 Colusa Avenue 559-9184 www.bookpride.com 

Cody’s Books - Poetry Flash Aug. 29: The New Now Millennium Anthology Reading with Editor H. D. Moe; All are a $2 donation. Readings at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2454 Telegraph Ave. 845-0837 

The Humanist Fellowship Hall Aug. 27: 7:30 p.m. “The Ghosts Have Cameras” by H. D. Moe. A reading performance. Free. 390 27th St. 528-8713 

Lunch Poems Series Kick-Off Sept. 6: 12:10 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. UC Berkeley campus figures from a wide variety of fields read and discuss their favorite poems. Free. In the Morrison Library in the Doe Library at UC Berkeley. 642-0137 www.berkeley.edu/calendar/events/poems/ 

Spasso Aug. 27: Kira Allen; Sept. 3: Theme: dignity of labor; Sept. 10: Sharron Jones-Reid, Fruit of the Spirit Poets, Acoustic Musicians, Comedians, Rappers, Performance Artists, Writers All Welcome is located at 6021 College Ave. Free admission. 

South Branch Berkeley Public Library Sept. 1: 3 - 5 p.m. Bay Area Poets Coalition holds an open reading. 1901 Russell St., 527-9905 poetalk@aol.com 

Watershed Environmental Poetry Festival Sept. 8: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. An environmental poetry festival with a day of poetry, music and environmental activism featuring Gary Snyder, Maxine Hong Kingston, Robert Haas, Francisco X. Alarcon, and Earll Kingston as John Wesley Powell. Strawberry Creek Walk at 10 a.m. Oxford and Center. Festival at Civic Center Park, Martin Luther King Jr. Way at Center Street. Free. 526-9105 www.poetryflash.org 

Tours 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Fridays 9:30 - 11:45 a.m. or by appointment. Call ahead to make reservations. Free. University of California, Berkeley. 486-4387 

Golden Gate Live Steamers Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Lomas Cantadas Drive at the south end of Tilden Regional Park Small locomotives, meticulously scaled to size. Trains run Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rides: Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., weather permitting. 486-0623  

Museums 

Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm” An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels, look into a mirrored fish pond, don farm animal costumes, ride on a John Deere tractor and more. “Recycling Center” Lets the kids crank the conveyor belt to sort cans, plastic bottles and newspaper bundles into dumpster bins. $4 adults; $6 children age 7 and under; $3 for each additional child age 7 and under. 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. (closed Sundays, Memorial Day through Labor Day) Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 647-1111 or www.habitot.org  

UC Berkeley Museum of Paleontology Lobby, Valley Life Sciences Building, UC Berkeley “Tyrannosaurus Rex,” ongoing. A 20 by 40-foot replica of the fearsome dinosaur made from casts of bones of the most complete T. Rex skeleton yet excavated. When unearthed in Montana, the bones were all lying in place with only a small piece of the tailbone missing. “Pteranodon” A suspended skeleton of a flying reptile with a wingspan of 22-23 feet. The Pteranodon lived at the same time as the dinosaurs. Free. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 642-1821 

UC Berkeley Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology will close its exhibition galleries for renovation. It will reopen in early 2002. On View until Oct. 1 : “Ishi and the Invention of Yahi Culture.” “Sites Along the Nile: Rescuing Ancient Egypt.” “The Art of Research: Nelson Graburn and the Aesthetics of Inuit Sculpture.” “Tzintzuntzan, Mexico: Photographs by George Foster.” $2 general; $1 seniors; $.50 children age 17 and under; free on Thursdays. Wednesday, Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way and College Ave. 643-7648 or www.qal.berkeley.edu/~hearst/ 

Lawrence Hall of Science “Science in Toyland,” through Sept. 9. Exhibit uses toys to demonstrate scientific principles and to help develop children's thinking processes. Susan Cerny’s collection of over 200 tops from around the world. “Space Weather,” through Sept. 2. Learn about solar cycles, space weather, the cause of the Aurorae and recent discoveries made by leading astronomers. This interactive exhibit lets visitors access near real-time data from the Sun and space, view interactive videos and find out about a variety of solar activities. “Within the Human Brain,” ongoing. Visitors test their cranial nerves, play skeeball, master mazes, match musical tones and construct stories inside a simulated “rat cage” of learning experiments. “Saturday Night Stargazing,” First and third Saturdays each month. 8 - 10 p.m., LHS plaza. Space Weather Exhibit now - Sept. 2; now - Sept. 9 Science in Toyland; Saturdays 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. $7 for adults; $5 for children 5-18; $3 for children 3-4. 642-5132 

Holt Planetarium Programs are recommended for age 8 and up; children under age 6 will not be admitted. $2 in addition to regular museum admission. “Constellations Tonight” Ongoing. Using a simple star map, learn to identify the most prominent constellations for the season in the planetarium sky. “How Big Is the Universe?” Aug. 1 through Aug. 24. Learn how to determine the distance of celestial objects, one of the purposes of the Hubble Space Telescope. Daily, 2:15 p.m. $7 general; $5 seniors, students, disabled, and youths age 7 to 18; $3 children age 3 to 5; free children age 2 and younger. Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Centennial Drive, 642-5132 or www.lhs.berkeley.edu Daily, 3:30 p.m. $7 general; $5 seniors, students, disabled, and youths age 7 to 18; $3 children age 3 to 5 ; free children age 2 and younger. Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Centennial Drive, UC Berkeley 642-5132 or www.lhs.berkeley.edu  

Oakland Museum of California, Every Worker is an Organizer: Farm Labor and the Resurgence of the United Farm Workers, through Aug. 26; Made in Oakland: The Furniture of Garry Knox Bennett, through Sept. 2; After the Storm: Bob Walker and the Art of Environmental Photography, through Sept. 16; Half Past Autumn: The Art of Gordon Parks, through Sept. 23; Rustler Ranch Mastodon Project, through June 30, 2002; Wednesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday, noon - 5 p.m., Closed Monday and Tuesday. $6 general; $4 youths (6-17), seniors and students with ID. Free for Museum members and children 5 and under. Free admission the second Sunday of the month. 10th & Oak Streets, Oakland. 238-2200 www.museum.org 

The UC Berkeley Art Museum is closed for renovations until the fall. 

Send arts events two weeks in advance to Calendar@berkeleydailyplanet.net, 2076 University, Berkeley 94704 or fax to 841-5694. 

A new head coach. A new offensive coordinator. A new quarterback. The Berkeley High football team has a lot of obstacles to overcome if the Yellowjackets are to score many points in the upcoming season. 

But the outlook is better than it was a month ago, when incumbent starting signal-caller Mohammed Nitoto decided to transfer to McClymonds. Berkeley was left without a single quarterback on the roster who had taken a varsity snap. Luckily, an old face has returned to run the offense: senior Raymond Pinkston, a transfer from Detroit who spent his freshman year at Berkeley. Pinkston played quarterback on the junior varsity that year, and was a starter at his high school in Detroit last year, so he brings instant experience to the position. 

Now all Pinkston has to do is learn the multiple-set offense of new offensive coordinator Clarence Johnson. Johnson, formerly the head coach at Mt. Tamalpais High, is encouraged by the progress made so far. 

“I’ve been very suprised at how good the learning curve has been to this point,” Johnson said Thursday. “We’ve installed 42 plays, which is almost the whole playbook.” 

But if Thursday’s practice-ending scrimmage against the first-string defense was any indication, there is still a lot of work to be done before the season opener on Sept. 7 at Foothill High. While there were some spectacular individual efforts, such as wideout Lee Franklin’s cutback run on a reverse that totally fooled the defense, the offensive line provided lackluster protection for Pinkston, who was constantly scrambling away from pass-rushers. 

With weapons like Pinkston, Franklin and tailback Germaine Baird, Johnson has some weapons to use. In addition, three starters return on the offensive line. 

Johnson said he expects to lean heavily on the passing game in the early going, as the ground game has more intricacies to learn. 

“We have some great athletes at quarterback and receiver, and we’ve got some complicated blocking schemes, so we’ll probably do more passing right at the beginning,” he said. “But the line will come along.” 

Both Johnson and head coach Matt Bissell said the team is helped greatly by the large number of players on the squad, which means almost no one has to play both ways. That means Johnson can have his offensive players for the entire practice every day, teaching them his system with free reign. 

“The best thing is that we have more kids than I’m used to, so we’re able to platoon. That has helped the learning curve speed up,” Johnson said. 

Bissell has been encouraged by what he has seen of Johnson’s offense, which will incorporate several successful local schools’ systems. He considers Johnson is a good communicator who has brought the offense along nicely. 

“I can tell you that as a head coach, you don’t get to do that much actual coaching. You do a lot more overseeing, dealing with eligibility and that kind of thing,” Bissell said. “I know that Charles really wanted to get back to coaching the kids closely.”

New Superintendent of Schools Michele Lawrence has scheduled a special budget meeting for Monday to review persistent problems with the district’s budget for the school year beginning Aug. 29. 

Lawrence said Thursday that she hopes to give the school board, union representatives, advisory board chairs and the general public an outline of some short-term and longterm solutions to the problems, although the meeting is purely informational and the school board will not be called upon to take any action. 

“We hope to give the community and our employees an overview of the (district’s) financial status and administrative systems,” Lawrence said. 

Staff at the Alameda County Office of Education have been reviewing the budget submitted by the district earlier this summer - as they do with the budget of each of the county’s 18 school districts.  

They discovered a number of inconsistencies and omissions in the district’s budget calculations that, taken together, might have resulted in the district’s total revenues being overstated by as much as $2.5 million.  

The county officials sent one part of the budget back to the district for a complete revision after they discovered some $17 million in federal revenues and categorical programs completely unaccounted for. 

Lawrence said the budget miscalculations could have an impact on school programs this year, although the precise impact is something to be determined in future school board meetings. 

Lawrence said the district has a pressing need to get everyone on the same page as far as the district’s finances are concerned, and to improve communications going forward.  

Only once the district’s administrative systems are running smoothly will staff be able to avoid future problems with the budget, she said. 

Board of Education Director John Selawsky said in an interview that he was not surprised by any of the problems identified by the county office.  

He voted against certifying the budget earlier this summer because of serious concerns about the quality of budget information in the district. 

One major contributor to the district’s budget problems is an ongoing effort to transfer from an outdated and dysfunctional data processing system to a new system.  

Another factor, school district sources say, could be a high rate of employee turnover in the district’s business office. 

Selawsky said he is encouraged by Lawrence’s apparent resolve to get the budgeting situation under control as soon as possible.  

Having confusion about the budget tends to paralyze the board, Selawsky said, because budget numbers drive so many of the decisions about school programs. 

“We need to put this behind us so that we can deal with the real issues,” he said. 

The budget study session is scheduled for 6 p.m., Monday on the second floor of the district’s administrative offices, 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. The meeting is open to the public.

Editor: 

This season’s crop of land–use controversies reminds me of shopping with my friends at discount outlets like Ross Dress for Less. We get some great bargains, sometimes, but we make some awful mistakes too. It’s one thing to squeeze into a dress that’s a bit too small, but too small shoes will almost never work out. For would–be builders, there’s a terrible temptation to acquire rights to a “bargain” site, and then to try to cram way too much into a too–tight space.  

The Beth El project is an obvious example. The congregation got a good deal on a piece of property with significant problems: the creek, the historic status, the neighbors. . . After a huge amount of public wrangling that exhausted all parties, the announced solution has Beth El promising to put their project on a diet so that it will fit elegantly into the site by September. I hope they can do it. 

The project that threatens to be the worst example of a dubious bargain is the Oxford lot. Such a deal! A pie–shaped slice of downtown, city – owned, currently used only for parking. Realtor Mickey Tenenbaum, an old friend, told me he estimates the value to be about $6 million on the open market. BUT...everyone in Berkeley wants a piece of it, and if they all get what they want, it will be a mess.  

I counted eight different uses in Mickey’s latest letter to the Planet. To cram them all onto the modest site, he and performance artist George Coates propose expanding the already–crowded concept approved by the Planning Commission to seven stories. The one–size –fits–all arts megaplex seemed to be one of the best ideas of the 1970s, but performer friends tell me it hasn’t worked out all that well at the Yerba Buena Center.  

Common complaints are cramped design and heavy cost burden on performing organizations to compensate for overly optimistic initial business plans.  

The Tenenbaum/Coates proposal would never fit the kind of arts organizations most in need of space in Berkeley, those which attract substantial audiences and pay artists living wages. Their proposed 450–seat theater is exactly the wrong size: too big for equity–exempt experimental cutting edge productions, and too small for larger professional groups. The Berkeley Symphony (a union orchestra) desperately needs a space which would allow two 1,000– seat performances of each concert. For groups such as the Festival Opera, Zellerbach is too big to fill, too pricey to rent and too hard to schedule.  

Just from a spatial perspective, the arts megaplex proposal seems ill –conceived, as letter writers to the Planet have pointed out. One of the best things about downtown Berkeley is the view of the hills from Shattuck over the tops of the buildings. It would be a real shame to sacrifice even more of that just because the city happens to own a piece of land that seems like a bargain to would–be developers.  

Before Berkeley rushes into any more expensive projects which claim to benefit the arts, we need a thorough professional needs assessment. This should have happened before the Berkeley Rep got such a big chunk of public money. We already have a lot of existing small performance spaces in Berkeley which serve the community well. I am happy to be able to walk to the charming Berkeley Opera in the Julia Morgan Theater, and it’s even on the 51 bus line, the only really functioning transit option in town. Why move it to a downtown already too crowded at night with suburban theatergoers and their SUVs? And then what happens to the Julia Morgan? 

If there’s a documented need for a new building, there are still many under – utilized sites close to transit, for example near the Ashby Bart Station. With better planning, we can get better projects which serve the whole arts community, instead of apparent bargains which turn out to be expensive mistakes.  

Becky O’Malley 

Berkeley

NEW YORK — It sounds as surreal as an old Bob Dylan song: Pancho Villa playing center field for a 1930s team called the Boston Fords, taking on such rivals as the Pittsburgh Plymouths and the St. Louis Cadillacs. 

The history books and the record books will lead you nowhere. Villa never bothered with the big leagues and the Fords and their fellow franchises were only legends, roaming the mythic ballparks of a young Jack Kerouac. 

The New York Public Library announced it has acquired the literary and personal archives of Kerouac, who died in 1969. The archives, available to scholars within the next few years, contain thousands of items, including diaries, letters, stories, notebooks and manuscripts for “On the Road” and other novels. 

Most unusual is a labyrinthine fantasy baseball game Kerouac created as a kid growing up in Lowell, Mass., and referred to in his private papers and the novel “Dr. Sax.” Kerouac fans have long wanted to know more about the author’s so-called “Summer League.” 

“This should give you an idea of the breadth, and the richness, of his imaginary life,” said Isaac Gewirtz, curator of the library’s Berg Collection of English and American Literature, which includes manuscripts by Walt Whitman, T.S. Eliot and many others. 

If “On the Road” wasn’t the Great American Novel, then Kerouac can make a fair claim to the Great American Fantasy Baseball League.  

Using blue, orange and plain-colored paper, index cards and the backs of business cards, Kerouac invented a six-team league more complicated than Strat-O-Matic and other popular games. 

He recruited historic figures such as Villa and Lou Gehrig, and imaginary heroes such as Homer Landry, Charley Custer and Luis Tercerero. Kerouac hired himself as manager of the Plymouths. 

There are few specific instructions, but the game apparently called for marbles, toothpicks and white-rubber erasers to be thrown against a target some 40 feet away.  

So detailed was Kerouac’s league that he played each game in virtual real time, not just batter by batter, but pitch by pitch, down to a foul tip off home plate. 

He also published the newsletter “Jack Lewis’s Baseball Chatter,” and produced a broadsheet called the “The Daily Ball,” in which he compiled standings and league leaders and offered summaries of the day’s games. 

“Writers create vast kingdoms for themselves to control and to let their imagination run loose,” said Ann Douglas, a professor of American studies at Columbia University who has written often about the Beats. 

“Think of William Faulkner and his Yoknapatawpha County. Think of Thomas De Quincey and his brother making up whole worlds of imaginary inhabitants who were at war with each other. Writers like to be gods of worlds where great dramas are played out.” 

The son of French Canadians, Kerouac was born in Lowell in 1922. He played baseball and football as a child and was a star athlete in high school.  

In the 1940s, he helped found the “Beat” movement with Allen Ginsberg and William Burroughs, whom he met in New York City. 

The Berg collection includes a tombstone-shaped Valentine Kerouac gave his mother in 1933 and a journal from 1939 in which the self-pitying teen announces: “My name is John L. Kerouac, regardless of how little that may matter to the casual reader.” 

His fantasy league dates back at least to the mid-1930s. Kerouac not only kept records of each player’s performance, but compiled scorecards and box scores and even individual salaries and team fiscal data. 

“Only the Pontiacs, Nashes and cellar-dwelling La Salles are in financial condition to buy any minor league players to improve their clubs at this time,” Kerouac reports midway through one season. 

Douglas said that Kerouac didn’t speak English fluently until his teens and considers his fantasy league a classic immigrant experience, using baseball to access American culture. 

Kerouac kept the games going long after he had mastered the language. In one entry, written during his 30s, Kerouac refers in pencil to a season that was to be continued in the next notebook. 

Alas, in a parenthetical aside recorded later in blue ink, he relates that the sequel is no more. It was lost on a trip to Mexico City, with the Cincinnati Blacks in first and Villa leading the league in stolen bases.

City Carshare and the city of Berkeley have decided to launch a scaled-down car sharing program in November rather than waiting for UC Berkeley to approve additional funding for the project. 

The car sharing program, which allows members to use a car when necessary without the hassles of ownership, was originally to begin with 10 cars but organizers reduced that number to five because UC Berkeley is still studying the possibility of subsidizing the program. 

Similar programs have been successful in San Francisco, Portland, Ore. And Seattle, Wash. Palo Alto recently began a car sharing program and Oakland is scheduled to launch a fleet of 10 cars in November. 

City Carshare organizers originally asked Berkeley for $115,000 to start the program. But because university students, professors and staff are expected to be heavy users of the service, the city agreed to fund $54,500 and suggested City Carshare go to the university for the additional funding, according to City Carshare Executive Director  

Elizabeth Sullivan. 

The city approved the $54,500 in June when it adopted its two-year budget. 

According to City Carshare Deputy Director Kate White, the additional funding would allow the program to start with 10 brand new, green and gray Volkswagen Beetles instead of five.  

Some city officials are concerned the university will take advantage of the city by not putting up half of the funding.  

“The entire community should demand that the university fund its fair share of the car-sharing program,” said Councilmember Kriss Worthington. “That and providing free public transportation passes for all of their employees would be the absolute minimum such a large employer could do to be responsible.” 

Worthington said he remains hopeful the UC Transportation Department will decide to help subsidize the program. 

UC transportation planner Kira Stoll said the university received the funding request after the annual budget had been approved. She said they are currently conducting a feasibility study to see if the additional funding is available.  

“We think the car sharing program is an excellent component to a complete alternative transportation program,” Stoll said, “and we hope to have an answer back to the City Carshare people in September.” 

Mayor Shirley Dean said she is encouraging the university to provide the extra dollars. “This will be an excellent program for students and others associated with the university,” she said. “I think It makes an enormous amount of sense for the city and the university.” 

Persons over 25 years old interested in joining City Carshare can put down a $300 refundable deposit, and for an administrative fee of $10 per month, they will be able to use one of the new cars at a rate of $2.50 per hour and 45 cents per mile. The cars will be kept at garages near the UC Berkeley campus and will available 24 hours a day. 

According to Matthew Nicholes, a Berkeley resident who is on the City Carshare Board of Directors, the company’s insurance carrier requires all drivers to be age 25 or older. Nicholes said the nonprofit is researching the possibility of lowering the age requirement. 

Members can reserve cars online or by telephone and then show up at the designated garage with a “smart key” that operates the vehicle and keeps track of time used and distances traveled. 

According to White, two cars will be available at the new Gaia Building where developer Patrick Kennedy has donated parking spaces and another three cars are expected to be available at the city parking lot on Berkeley Way near Shattuck Avenue.  

White said the program would ideally attract car owners who drive less than 10,000 miles a year, although she said many of the initial members in San Francisco joined because they couldn’t afford a car. “Carshare can also be a form of preventive car ownership,” she said. 

The program in San Francisco started in February with 12 new Volkswagen Beetles that were stored in four garages in different parts of town. White said the program has been so popular there are now 25 cars and 700 members. 

White said the immediate goal of the program is to reduce the demand on parking in urban areas. Long-term goals include energy conservation and the creation of more housing at less cost. Most urban areas have ordinances requiring a set number of parking spaces be developed for each residential unit.  

If the car-sharing program is successful, the mandatory number of parking spaces could be reduced thereby freeing up space for residential development. 

Nicholes said he expects to program to do well in Berkeley. He said the city is densely populated and that on average Berkeley households have fewer cars than elsewhere in the Bay Area. 

“All these conditions and the level of environmental consciousness in Berkeley make me believe the program is going to do really well here.” 

For more information about City Carshare call (415) 995-8588 or visit its Web site at www.sfcarshare.org

KPFA-area listeners are planning a response to the suspension without pay of news magazine “Democracy Now!” host Amy Goodman and her staff at WBAI in New York by holding a rally at the Berkeley station Tuesday morning. 

KPFA and WBAI are both listener-sponsored radio stations, whose licenses are held by the Pacifica Foundation. The three other Pacifica stations are in Houston, Texas, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. 

Goodman has alleged that the WBAI station manager physically assaulted her by pushing her and grabbing a camera, according to Tracy Rosenberg, administrative director of Media Alliance in San Francisco, who is helping to organize the Tuesday rally. 

Claiming her workplace is dangerous and hostile, Goodman filed a grievance with her union, the American Federation of Radio and Television Artists. The union directed Goodman to continue to work at the station, however, she declined to do so. 

“The ability of WBAI to maintain a safe working environment has not been demonstrated,” Rosenberg said. Instead, of producing her show at the station, Goodman has been hosting it from a nearby community television station. WBAI management has opted not to run these shows, but to air reruns. KPFA is the only Pacifica station airing the newly-produced programs. 

The allegations of physical harassment comes on the heels of the firing and banning from the station of a number of WBAI staff, whom Goodman has supported.  

Tension between Pacifica radio staff and its management erupted at KPFA in Berkeley in spring of 1999 and has spread across the country to other stations. At the heart of the conflict is activists’ demands for the Pacifica Board’s full financial disclosure, democratization of the board and the end to a policy directed toward moderating the stations’ political content in order to broaden their appeal. 

For its part, the KPFA staff union issued a declaration of solidarity with Goodman on Thursday, which said, in part: 

“We the Communication Workers of America, local 9415 KPFA Union staff, deplore the continued drumbeat of harassment and intimidation against the staff of Democracy Now! which now includes threatened and actual violence. We urge Pacifica Executive Director Bessie Wash to take immediate action to stop these attacks, create a safe working environment, reinstate the staff of Democracy Now! and immediately reinstitute distribution of the program nationally.” 

The rally, organized by Media Alliance, will be held Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. in front of the station at 1929 Martin Luther King Jr., Way. 

Calls for comment from Pacifica management in Washington, D.C., and to Pacifica spokesperson Michael Powell of Westhill Media Strategies were not returned.

‘Cash for Trash’ wins own award in state contest 

The city’s “Cash for Trash” contests, which gave money to Berkeley residents for routing recyclables out of their trash bins, took third place in the state's Keep California Beautiful contest. 

The state’s first lady, Sharon Davis, was to present the award to Berkeley representatives from the Public Works Department during a ceremony to take place Thursday in Sacramento.  

The contest began on Feb. 14, and five days later, Susan and Roy Bogas were declared the contest's first winners of the year, and were made $500 richer.  

The contest ended in July 12.  

By the time it was over, 18 Berkeley households had received cash prizes ranging from $40 to $2,700.  

The environment, too, was richer for the effort, because city officials say that the overall tonnage of recycled materials in the city rose almost 10 percent over the same period last year. 

Leadership training  

program open to residents  

Alameda County is sponsoring a leadership academy this fall that will give county residents the opportunity to learn first hand about local politics while developing leadership and communication skills, a spokeswoman has announced. 

Alameda County Administrator spokeswoman Patricia Swanson says the Alameda County Leadership Academy is a free, interactive forum entailing meetings with elected officials, panel presentations, small group discussions, building tours and mock public policy exercises focused on the county, its budget, programs and the challenges as it enters its 149th year. 

The program will consist of six nightly sessions, the first on Oct. 11 and the last on Jan. 16.  

It is free and open to anyone who works, lives or owns a business in Alameda County, however, space is limited so only 45 people will be allowed to participate, Swanson says.  

For more information about the Alameda County Leadership Academy, or to obtain an application, visit the Alameda County Web site at www.co.alameda.ca.us or call the county administrator's office at 272-6984. The application deadline is Sept. 18.  

County recognized  

for child support efforts 

The National Child Support Enforcement Association awarded its Outstanding Child Support Program Award to the Family Support Division of the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office at the NCSEA annual conference in New York City last week. 

According to NCSEA, the award is given each year to the child support program that best exemplifies child support enforcement through an outstanding performance record.  

Other finalists for the award were mostly state agencies. Maureen Lenahan, Program Administrator of the Family Support Division, said that it is rare for a local child support program to receive the award. 

The Alameda County child support program achieved high performance ratings in five federal performance areas: paternity establishment, establishment of orders, collections on current support due, collection on child support cases due and cost-to-collection ration. 

The county uses a child support computer program that targets delinquent cases for immediate action whenever positive information is received from state and federal sources. 

Police reported they had a suspect in custody in an armed robbery case Thursday evening. The suspect, who had allegedly tried to rob the Walgreen’s Drug Store at San Pablo and Ashby avenues at about 5:30 p.m., fled police who chased him into the surrounding neighborhood, before he was caught. Few details were available Thursday evening.

LOS ANGELES — The South Coast Air Quality Management District can continue its ban on diesel vehicles in public fleets after a federal judge upheld the air quality agency’s policy on Thursday. 

A lawsuit filed by the Engine Manufacturers Association and the Western States Petroleum Association claimed the agency’s rules violated the federal Clean Air Act, but U.S. District Court Judge Florence-Marie Cooper ruled against the associations. 

The Clean Air Act prohibits state or local governments from imposing standards relating to controlling emissions from new motor vehicles. 

“The judge basically determined this is a rule that did not impose any requirements on engine manufacturers,” said Barbara Baird, attorney for the AQMD. 

Under the agency’s current rules, public entities with fleets of 15 or more vehicles must purchase alternative-fuel vehicles when expanding or making replacements to their fleets. 

The rules are aimed at cutting diesel exhaust, a major source of toxic air pollution and oxides of nitrogen that lead to asthma-inducing smog. Even the cleanest diesel systems produce more oxides of nitrogen than natural gas. 

The regulation would cover government agencies from the city to federal level, school districts and universities and transit districts in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. 

Vehicles that carry people or cargo in and out of the region’s airports, including taxis and shuttles, are also included in the plan. But it exempts police cars and other emergency vehicles. 

SAN JOSE — American Indians want to be part of the solution to the nation’s energy woes, and are eager to work with energy companies to build power plants and extract fuels on tribal lands. 

But with the federal budget surplus dwindling, they’re worried that lawmakers will ignore their efforts to gain access to some $2 billion in federal tax incentives and loans for major power projects. 

Tribes also are concerned that efforts to update tribal land use regulations could be overshadowed in the haste to develop a national energy policy, leaders said at a national Indian energy conference this week. 

“The procedures, policies and laws with regards to Indian land are 19th century structures; they are impediments,” said A. David Lester, executive director of the Denver-based Council of Energy Resource Tribes, a nonprofit tribal organization. 

While California’s ongoing energy crunch has boosted interest in building on tribal lands, Indians have worked with governments and businesses for decades to bring reliable energy service to residents and to spur economic development, Lester said. 

Power plants and renewable energy farms are being built or are in the permitting process in Arizona, California, Montana, Nevada and Oregon. Power companies say plants can be built quicker on tribal lands where people don’t have the “not in my backyard” attitude of more populated areas. 

Natural gas pipelines and transmission lines often run through reservation land, lowering the cost of both supplying fuel and sending out electricity. These frequently windswept or sunbaked areas are ideal for renewable energy projects as well. 

“They’re sitting on an incredible resource that’s never been quantified,” said Soren Bo Christensen, assistant manager for sales and marketing for Vestas American Wind Technology Inc. “This is the chance to harvest some of their own resources.” 

Tribes have worked with Congress to develop legislation that could resolve how much tribes can charge for power transmitted over their land, how to ensure the tribes have access to the power, and how to set fair prices for fuel. 

Karen Atkinson, senior counsel to Senate Indian Affairs Committee Chairman Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, said the Senate could review the “Tribal Energy Self-sufficiency Act” as early as September. 

The bill already has been reviewed in the House, though no action was taken. Atkinson said the bill highlights tribal power issues in the hope that lawmakers will insert key aspects into the nation’s overall energy policy. 

Congress should take the tribes seriously, given their energy resources, Lester said. 

“We want to participate in the marketplace ... but Indian tribes aren’t interested in conquest. We’re interested in developing our economy,” Lester said. 

On the Net: 

http://www.cert.org 

http://www.indian.senate.gov

CERES— By the time Rep. Gary Condit’s televised interview with ABC-TV reporter Connie Chung had ended, so, it seemed, had much of his support in his rural Central Valley congressional district. 

“He interviewed the way I expected he would, but I’m disappointed,” said Karen Johnson, a 43-year-old Modesto business owner and former supporter. “He continues to be evasive in his answers, and my perception is that his bigger interest is in protecting his own interests.” 

Condit and his advisers had hoped to save his 29-year political career by sending a letter to his constituents and then following with a series of television and print interviews. 

They hoped to explain Condit’s months-long silence after the disappearance of Chandra Levy, a 24-year-old Modesto resident and former Washington intern. While a police source said Condit admitted having an affair with Levy, Condit evaded questions Thursday night about whether the relationship was sexual. 

If he hoped to help himself, said Bryan Justin Marks, 25, of Ceres, student body president at Modesto Junior College, Condit failed. 

Condit was “extremely evasive,” Marks said. “His body language suggests he has something to hide.” 

“He’s not someone who I would want to represent this district,” said Destiny Alvarez, a 22-year-old Modesto Junior College student. 

Throughout the day Thursday, as Condit’s letter hit district mailboxes and then word of his interview performance spread, the number of vocal supporters shrank while doubters grew. 

Public relations consultants and political professionals also thought Condit blew a critical opportunity. 

“The public is going to view this as entirely self-serving,” said Eve Epstein, a New York-based communications expert who helps government and corporate leaders refine their images. 

Condit, said Harlan Brock, a 49-year-old father of three in Ceres, is still hiding something. 

“I think he has more involvement than he says he has,” said Brock, who said he supported Condit before but not any more. “If you’re innocent, why do you wait so long to prove it?” 

The Chung interview, said University of California, Berkeley, political scientist Bruce Cain, was “horrible” for Condit. He couldn’t even own up to things that are kind of common knowledge,” such as the affair with Levy.  

Active Condit supporters, primarily those involved in Central Valley Democratic politics, said they thought Condit helped his cause Thursday. 

“I thought he cleared up some misinformation; I thought he was honest,” said Sandra Lucas, chairwoman of the Stanislaus County Democratic Central Committee. “On the whole, I thought it was very good.” 

Modesto Mayor Carmen Sabatino, who was unimpressed by Condit’s letter, said Condit did better on television. 

“I think he has mended some fences,” Sabatino said. “I think he has quieted down some curiosity.” 

Condit’s claims of cooperation with authorities and reminders of what he has done for constituents may not be enough, said Joel Aberbach, a UCLA political scientist. 

“If I were one of his constituents I’d be pretty distressed to find out that he isn’t the person that he said he was for so long, and no letter can overcome that,” Aberbach said. 

First elected to the Central Valley congressional district in 1989, Condit has long attracted solid majorities, drawing votes from Democrats as well as Republicans who appreciate his centrist positions. His post-disappearance conduct has provided an opening to opponents, but few serious candidates have emerged. 

That may be the only way for the Democrats, who need only six more seats to take control of the House of Representatives, to preserve what’s left of Condit’s seat, for either him or a successor, said Tony Quinn, a Republican former redistricting consultant and co-editor of the California Target Book, a political guide. 

“He’s trying to get some political credibility back without admitting more than he has to,” Quinn said. “My view is it’s not going to matter because he’s not going to have a district to run from.” 

In 1998, at the height of the controversy surrounding President Clinton’s relationship with intern Monica Lewinsky, Condit criticized Clinton for not being open enough.  

Now, however, Condit is being compared to Clinton and found wanting. 

“Gary Condit is no Bill Clinton,” Epstein said. “He’s no comeback kid.” 

——— 

Associated Press reporter Kiley Russell contributed to this report. 

SAN DIEGO — A Northern California couple say they will pay a British surrogate mother who is suing them for breach of contract. 

Helen Beasley will receive a scheduled payment of approximately $9,000 from Martha Berman and Charles Wheeler of Berkeley, the couple’s attorney, Gerald McMahon, said during a court hearing Thursday. 

With the latest payment, Beasley will have received $10,000 of the $19,000 the couple offered her to bear a child.  

The dispute landed in San Diego Superior Court this summer when the couple asked the 26-year-old legal secretary to abort one of the twins she is carrying, and she refused. 

“They can’t be allowed to turn their backs on the babies just because it suits them,” said Beasley, who is six months pregnant.  

“These people need to be brought to justice and pay for what they’ve done.”

When painting, the color choice or combination of colors (“color palette”) has a significant effect on both the appearance and value of a home. This is true of both interior- and exterior-painting projects. At the exterior, the color configuration can make a narrow house appear wider or a short, stubby house look taller. On the interior, a light color can make a room appear larger, while a dark color has the opposite effect. 

Beyond color, a little paint and a lot of imagination can go a long way in adding to a home. Decorative painting techniques such as rag rolling, graining, marbling, and sponge painting can do wonders to add both depth and interest to a space. 

If your talent does not exceed Rorschach drawings or you failed kindergarten art, you might want to try a simpler, yet equally decorative technique – stencil painting. 

Unlike the other techniques noted, painting with stencils requires little skill. You don’t need to worry about “coloring out of the lines,” and a stencil can be used over and over to create a theme, pattern or border. 

What’s more, your creativity needn’t be limited to your home’s interior. Mailboxes, fences, fountains, flowerpots and trellises can be embellished with flowers, trailing ivy, birds, and butterflies or with whatever your imagination dictates. 

Stencil painting is fun, easy, inexpensive and doesn’t take much time. Start by deciding what you want to decorate and the subject or design that you want to use. Let’s say you want to add a rose and some trailing ivy to a mailbox. Find a drawing of a rose and some ivy in a crafts book, art book or magazine. The size of the original art can be increased or decreased using a copy machine. Once you have the desired size, lay a sheet of clear acetate over the art, tape it into place and trace the design onto the acetate using a medium- to fine-point indelible marker. 

Remove the acetate, tape it onto a sheet of cardboard and carefully cut the stencil with a utility knife. Don’t rush it – the quality of your finished product has everything to do with how well your stencil is cut. 

Plan stencils with one cutout sheet per color. For example, if your subject is a red rose, you will need one stencil for the red-rose petals and one stencil for the green stem and leaves. This will prevent colors that are close to one another or that overlap from “bleeding,” and will ensure better results. Add registration marks (a small cross) to the corners of each stencil so that the various sheets can be aligned to complete the design. 

Poke a small hole at the center of each of the registration marks and use a pencil point to transfer these points to the surface being painted. Align subsequent registration marks with these points. 

Before painting with a stencil, make sure that the object to be painted is clean and has a base color that will be enhanced by the stencil colors. A light color is usually a safe bet. Unfinished surfaces should be sanded, primed and painted with one to two coats of finish. 

Once the finish coat has dried (and before beginning stencil painting), use a pencil to lay out your stencil design and/or repeating pattern on the object to be painted. Tape the first color stencil to the object using blue painters’ tape. It isn’t so sticky, and can be removed without taking paint with it. 

With the stencil securely in place, dip a stencil brush into the first color, remove the excess paint onto a piece of paper and pounce the brush straight up and down onto the stencil. In contrast to a traditional paintbrush, a stencil brush is round and contains short, dense bristles. 

After you complete the first color, carefully remove the first stencil and dry the paint using a hand-held hair dryer. Tape the second stencil into place – aligning with the registration marks – and repeat the process using the appropriate color. Repeat the process for each of the stencils. 

Cleaning the stencils and brushes frequently will prevent paint from smearing and render the best results. 

James and Morris Carey are feature writers for The Associated Press

Liens from contested home improvement projects are unnerving to many homeowners. They risk legal fees, poor credit ratings, and lose their ability to sell their home if the lien is not resolved. 

According to attorney Hans Huessy, there are steps homeowners can take to reduce the chances of contractors filing liens.  

Or, once a lien is filed, there are remedies to defend themselves. Huessy is chief counsel for the Home Service Store, a national home improvement service provider. 

Huessy says homeowners should require contractors and subcontractors to provide lien waivers as part of a written project contract. The contract should require a lien waiver be issued before payment for services. If payments are made to a general contractor in stages for work performed by subcontractors, the homeowner should ask for lien waivers from the various subcontractors as their part of the project is completed. 

Reputable contractors will have waiver forms readily available. If not, local or state consumer advocate organizations may have sample waivers. 

Homeowner diligence shouldn’t stop once lien waivers are signed. Huessy says homeowners should keep accurate records of what has been paid to contractors and who has worked on the job site and when.  

Such astute record keeping can help the homeowner ensure that he/she obtains lien waivers from all necessary parties. 

Unethical contractors sometimes file liens for false amounts, hoping to intimidate the homeowner into paying the disputed amount rather than spending the time and money to fight the lien. 

In most jurisdictions, liens expire after a set period of time so a homeowner may sit tight if the lien is not affecting their use of the property. 

If the lien disrupts use of their property, homeowners can counter a lien by posting the amount claimed with the court.  

This removes the lien from land records and frees up the homeowner’s property. This puts the ball back in the contractor’s court.  

The contractor has a limited amount of time to enforce the lien, often at great legal expense. If he fails to do so within the time period, the court returns the homeowner’s money. 

Huessy also advises homeowners to keep a watchful eye on change orders, the mid-job changes in materials that can drive budgets up. Those amounts should be itemized and figured into payments to contractors. 

In some cases homeowners may also request general contractors to post a performance bond. The bond is like an insurance policy to ensure contractors honor their contract, including obligations to pay all subcontractors and suppliers on time. 

The best defense against liens, says Huessy, is to avoid disputes early on. The best way is to clearly state expectations in a written contract before the project starts.  

On large projects, especially if subcontractors are involved, the contract should require the contractor to give the homeowner lien waivers signed by all subcontractors as they complete their work and before paying for the services. 

(The Home Service Store manages home maintenance, repair and improvement tasks in more than 130 markets nationwide and can be found at www.TrustHSS.com.)

BOSTON — Scientists are questioning the most surprising discovery from last winter’s deciphering of the human genetic code – the assertion that people have only about 30,000 genes, or roughly twice as many as the fruit fly. 

A new analysis suggests that number is too low, and the real total could be considerably bigger. However, researchers who came up with the original figure are sticking with it, at least for now. 

Scientists have long argued over how many genes it takes to build a human. Educated guesses have ranged up to 150,000. 

The issue seemed settled last February, when two competing scientific teams published the first detailed look at virtually the entire library of genetic information contained in every human cell. 

Both groups laid out the 3 billion bits of data that make up the code. Both used computers to distinguish the information that is genes from the look-alike filler. And both came up with roughly the same estimate: between 30,000 and 40,000 genes, with the best bet under 35,000. 

Some speculated that the relatively small number of human genes was good news, because it means less work to understand how they all work and perhaps translate that information into cures and treatments for various diseases. 

To many scientists, the fact that the two groups independently arrived at the same number made it believable. 

However, a team lead by Dr. Michael Cooke of the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation in San Diego compared the two groups’ findings and found out that they had identified two quite different sets of genes, with only roughly a 50 percent overlap between them. 

The two groups agreed on the existence of about 17,000 genes. But about 25,000 more were found only by one group or the other. 

“It’s a jaw-dropper,” said Cooke, whose findings are published in Friday’s issue of the journal Cell. 

Just how many genes it takes to construct a human is unclear from the latest analysis. While Cooke believes 30,000 is too low, he estimates the total is probably not more than 60,000. 

For now, nobody knows how many genes were missed by both teams or how many of those identified by just one group truly are genes. 

One catalog of genes was compiled by Celera Genomics of Rockville, Md., the other by an international consortium headed by the National Human Genome Research Institute. 

Officials of both Celera and the consortium contend that most of the 25,000 genes found by just one group or the other will turn out to be phonies, so the final answer may still be somewhere around 30,000. 

“It’s way too simplistic to say you can add up the non-overlapping sets and get a bigger number,” said Celera President Craig Venter.  

“They’re probably bogus.” 

Dr. Francis Collins, head of the genome institute, agreed the total is unlikely to grow hugely. “It would not stun me if there turned out to be 50,000,” he said. “It would stun me greatly if there were 100,000.” 

Dr. Gerald Rubin, a fruit fly expert at the University of California at Berkeley, said some scientists suspected all along that the total number would turn out to be higher than 30,000. His guess: Humans will have 54,000 genes, or four times more than the 13,600 in the fruit fly Drosophila. 

Scientists are running a betting pool on what the total will be, and so far 165 have entered. (The cost of a bet rose from $1 to $5 after the release of February’s data.) Right now, their average guess is 61,710 genes. The winner will be chosen in 2003, by which time it is hoped the answer will be clear. 

Collins’ bet, made two years ago, was 48,011. “I’ll hold on,” he said. “I’m not completely retracting that.” 

On the Net: 

Cell: http://www.cell.com 

Betting pool: http://www.ensembl.org/Genesweep

BEIJING — China’s government admitted the growing scale of its AIDS epidemic with rare candor Thursday, saying HIV cases nationwide had surged and confirming that hundreds of people in a single village were infected by a blood-buying operation. 

Yin Dakui, a vice minister of health, chided local officials and the public for not recognizing the dangers of AIDS. His ministry said the virus was spreading especially quickly among drug users and in China’s flourishing sex trade. 

China faces “a very serious epidemic of HIV-AIDS,” Yin said at an unusual government news conference on the issue. 

“In some particular regions, some leaders and also the general public there have not fully realized the hidden dangers of a full-scale epidemic of HIV-AIDS.” 

The unusually detailed public comments by a senior official on AIDS added to recent steps suggesting the government is getting serious about combatting the disease after years of denying it was a problem.  

This month, the government announced a campaign aimed at training health workers and educating the public. 

For the first time, Yin released official details on the outbreak in the central village of Wenlou, saying 43 percent of the residents who sold blood have tested positive for HIV.  

Wenlou is one of at least 10 villages in Henan province that saw infections from the unsanitary blood industry in the 1990s. 

Collectors bought blood from villagers, pooled it and extracted plasma – the liquid part of the blood sought for medical uses. Then, instead of being thrown out as is usually done in donations, the rest of the blood was injected back into the sellers, apparently to limit their blood loss. 

But because the blood was pooled, a single seller with the AIDS virus could contaminate the supply and infect many others. 

“People saw this as a way to improve their lives, raise their living standards,” Yin said of the blood-selling. 

Yin said that local officials had failed to enforce proper health standards. 

Experts estimate more than 600,000 Chinese – in a population of 1.26 billion – were infected by HIV by the end of 2000, and the health ministry has said those figures are likely accurate. 

Of those, 30,000 to 50,000 are thought to have been infected by blood, mostly by selling blood and plasma, Yin said. He said some experts put the number as high as 100,000. 

According to the figures released Thursday, confirmed HIV infections nationwide totaled 26,058 by the end of June. The ministry said 3,541 new infections were reported in the first half of 2001, a 67 percent surge over the 2,115 cases reported in the first six months last year. 

A survey in April of 1,645 Wenlou villagers found that 318 – or 19 percent – were HIV-positive, Yin told reporters after the news conference. Among villagers who sold blood, even a larger proportion were infected – 244 out of 568, or 43 percent. 

The government had been reluctant to release details, though it announced this month that it was setting up a clinic in Wenlou to treat people with AIDS.  

A retired physician who publicized the epidemic in Wenlou was blocked in May from visiting the United States to accept an award for her work. 

Yin angrily denied that the government had tried to suppress news of the Henan crisis, saying rather it was residents who didn’t want it publicized. 

He said local people had told him during a recent visit that they feared publicity would damage their economy. He said villagers already find it hard to sell produce or find jobs outside the area. 

Yin said villagers told him: “You’re actually representing only the interests of those HIV-AIDS patients or people with HIV infections. You simply ignore the interests of the 3,000 people in Wenlou, most of whom are healthy.” 

“I have used a lot of time trying to persuade them and change their way of thinking,” he said. 

Reporting of HIV in China is haphazard.  

Often the only people tested are prostitutes and drug users under arrest. Nevertheless, the reported 67 percent rate of increase was sharply higher than the 30 percent rate recorded last year. 

Intravenous drug abuse is the main source of infection, according to Yin’s ministry. Surveys show that 5 percent of drug users test positive for the virus, up from 0.04 percent in 1995. In the worst-hit areas, the rates are much higher. 

Surveys show that 37 percent of intravenous drug users share needles and syringes, the ministry said. 

“We have not effectively stemmed the epidemic of AIDS through drug use, and we should further strengthen the management of blood” Yin said. 

Sexual transmissions of HIV also are increasing.  

Among prostitutes tested, 1.32 percent were found to have the virus last year, up from none in 1995, the ministry said.  

Only 9.1 percent regularly make clients use condoms — a measure Chinese public health officials encourage to slow the spread of the virus. 

But Yin ruled out legalizing prostitution as a way to stem infections. 

“It is totally impossible for China to legalize illegal prostitution, and we should not do that,” he said.

WASHINGTON — The number of laid-off workers drawing unemployment benefits has hit a nine-year peak, the government reported Thursday, providing stark evidence of the toll the yearlong economic slowdown was taking on the nation’s labor markets. 

The Labor Department said the number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits rose to 3.18 million in the week ending Aug. 11, the highest level since September 1992, when the country was struggling to emerge from the last recession. 

In addition to those already drawing benefits, the government said the number of newly laid-off workers filing applications for benefits rose by 8,000 last week to 393,000, the highest level since mid-July. 

Private economists said the increase in new claims and the growing number of people receiving benefits were indications of growing strains because of the weak economy. 

“The labor market hasn’t seen the worst of this slowdown,” said Richard Berner, chief U.S. economist at Morgan Stanley. “There are more layoffs to come.” 

The official government figures follow a string of new layoff announcements in recent weeks ranging from Ford, the nation’s No. 2 automaker, to Lucent, the telecommunication equipment giant, and Steelcase, the No. 2 office furniture manufacturer. 

The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.5 percent in July, but economists warned it was likely to rise to 4.6 percent this month and top 5 percent by the end of the year as more companies cut workers in the face of sluggish sales. 

“There has been more deterioration in labor markets. We are not out of the woods yet in terms of whether we will have a recession or not,” said Michael Niemira, chief economist at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi in New York. 

The concern is that rising layoff notices could cause a sharp cutback in spending by worried consumers. So far, consumer spending, which accounts for two-thirds of total economic activity, has offset a steep slide in business capital spending and kept the country out of a full-blown recession. 

The Federal Reserve cut interest rates for a seventh time on Tuesday in an easing cycle that began Jan. 3. However, the rate cut was only a quarter-point, disappointing those on Wall Street who had been hoping for a half-point reduction. 

And at their June 27 meeting, when the Fed also cut rates by a quarter-point, a number of Fed officials expressed the view that the central bank “might well be near the end of its easing cycle,” according to minutes of those discussions released Thursday. 

Both Berner and Niemira said they had not ruled out the possibility that the country will dip into a recession this year.  

Berner said he believed second quarter economic growth, first reported at an extremely weak 0.7 percent, will be placed in negative territory when the government issues its revisions of the gross domestic product next week and he predicted the third quarter to be negative as well. The classic definition of a recession is two consecutive negative quarters of GDP. 

However, other economists insisted there are signs that growth is beginning to pick up. Even if the Fed does not cut rates again at its Oct. 2 meeting, it has already lowered rates enough to guarantee the economy will regain its footing, they said. 

These analysts noted another report Thursday showing 30-year fixed rate mortgages declined to 6.91 percent this week, the second straight week the rate has been below 7 percent. 

Analysts said low interest rates were keeping home sales and auto sales at strong levels despite the economic slowdown, which began last summer. 

The 3.18 million unemployed workers drawing benefits for the week ending Aug. 11 represented a 4.3 percent increase from the previous week, when those receiving benefits totaled 3.05 million. Analysts said this indicated not only a rising number of layoffs but the fact that it was taking longer for the unemployed to find a new job.

SAN JOSE — Airports, schools and hotels might want to look closer at the wireless Internet networks they increasingly have been installing as a convenience for the must-stay-connected crowd. 

A new program called AirSnort, released on the Internet this week, enables enterprising hackers to easily grab passwords and other sensitive data as they are being transmitted through the air – unless certain precautions have been taken. 

“There’s going to be some major events that will occur, some takedowns, things like that,” said Les Owens, a Vienna, Va.-based expert on wireless security. “I would be cautious (on a wireless network in a public place), a lot more cautious than I would be at home.” 

Because wireless networks broadcast signals over the public airwaves like radios and cell phones, security experts have known for a long time that they are vulnerable to snoops. 

But not until AirSnort – and a less-complete tool called WEPCrack that was released earlier – were the means to carry out such an attack made publicly available. 

The programs exploit flaws in a commonly used encryption scheme for securing traffic on a certain kind of wireless network – the one based on a popular standard known as Wi-Fi, or 802.11b. Computers linked with a competing standard, known as Bluetooth, are not susceptible to AirSnort or WEPCrack, but Bluetooth also is considered more vulnerable to spies than hard-wired networks. 

AirSnort’s programmers believe too many wireless network users have shrugged off or couldn’t understand recent research describing flaws in the popular Wi-Fi encryption system – which is known as Wired-Equivalent Privacy, or WEP. 

The AirSnort designers said they wanted to make it clear that businesses should be careful about letting important data get out on wireless networks, and that many networks need security upgrades. 

“It is my firm belief that a false sense of security is worse than no security at all,” said AirSnort co-programmer Jeremy Bruestle, who runs a small computer security firm called Cypher42 in St. Cloud, Minn. “In order to stay ahead of the hackers, people need to make informed decisions.” 

Critics have told Bruestle, 23, and co-author Blake Hegerle, 20, that giving hackers a tool to crack wireless networks doesn’t do much to advance the cause of security. 

“But the truth is the security flaw exists regardless of AirSnort, and it is not a difficult flaw to exploit,” Bruestle said. 

A similar program was developed this summer by researchers at AT&T Labs, who chose not to release their code “for a combination of moral and legal reasons,” said a member of the AT&T team, Adam Stubblefield. 

There are ways to make wireless networks more secure, such as installing virtual private networks, or VPNs. Those methods increase the systems’ cost and complexity, but could become more popular now. 

“If I had to guess, I’d say we’ll see a lot of better-protected networks in the very near future,” Stubblefield said. 

Owens said companies that make wireless Internet equipment must work together on developing more advanced security standards, but it is unlikely to happen until consumers begin insisting on them. 

He compares the situation to the rampant cell phone cloning by criminals a decade ago, before the industry came up with better protections and the government cracked down on the practice. 

“This has the potential to be similar in that you may see the same kind of things,” Owens said, pointing out that many companies expect to begin using wireless data networks for voice transmissions. “It’s a repeat of history.” 

The Coalition of University Employees Local 3 rallied in front of California Hall on the UC Berkeley campus Wednesday to protest what union representatives called unfair negotiating practices. 

The union, which represents approximately 23,000 clerical workers in the University of California system, including 2,800 who work for UC Berkeley, is in negotiations for a new contract. Among CUE’s top demands are a 15 percent cost of living increase and the removal from the contract of a no-strike clause. 

About 35 people sang along to traditional Woodie Gutherie union songs and listened to speeches by union representatives and Councilmember Kriss Worthington. 

“If UC says they can’t pay a decent wage, then they should at least pay a half-decent wage,” Worthington told CUE supporters. 

CUE’s current union contract will expire on Sept. 30. Negotiations began in January.  

Union representatives charged that UC negotiators abruptly canceled a bargaining meeting scheduled for last Friday as a hardball negotiating tactic to get the union to withdraw its proposal to remove the no-strike clause in the current contract. 

But Sharon Hayden, chief negotiator with the University of California Office of Labor Relations, said she canceled the meeting because the proposal to remove the strike clause was sprung just days before the meeting and the Office of Labor Relations needed time to re-examine the entire contract. 

The two sides are scheduled to resume negotiations next week on the UC Santa Cruz campus. 

CUE argues that the university has enough funds to pay increased wages. 

“It’s all theater,” said UC Berkeley CUE President Michael-David Sasson. “They are saying the system doesn’t have enough to raise our salaries, which were 21 percent below market rate in 1999, according to a UC study, but they are funding a five-year, $100 million citrus research project.”  

Debra Harrington, manager of labor relations for UC Berkeley, said the university’s hands are tied. The citrus project was specifically chosen to be funded in the state budget, she said. And although the university requested pay raises for clerical workers, they were denied by the state, she added. 

Sasson said he was highly skeptical of the university’s explanation for refusing the pay increases, but said the current stumbling block in the negotiations wasn’t salary, but the strike clause. 

“The basis of the labor movement is that people have the right to defend themselves against mistreatment,” he said. “And striking is the traditional way for unions to do that.” 

Sasson said that CUE union members should have the right to go on strike if there’s agreement among members that an individual employee or group of employees is being treated unfairly. 

But university negotiator Hayden argued that the no-strike clause is critical. Without it, employees could decide to support political causes at random and use it as an excuse not to show up for work. 

“The union wants the employees to be able to choose to support political causes on a whimsical basis,” Hayden said. “The effect is that the employee comes to work or not depending on how they feel.” 

Sasson contended, however, that the union would strike only as a last resort.  

The current contract took 27 months to negotiate, Sasson said. CUE’s Web site says the university finally ratified the contract in December, within a few months of union preparations for a statewide strike. 

Thursday, Aug. 23

Berkeley High Freshman 4 

Parents’ Forum 

7:00 p.m. 

Berkeley Community Theater 

Corner of Allston Way and Martin Luther King, Jr. Way 

Experienced BHS parents will talk about what to expect at Berkeley High, how to lend a hand, and what to do if something seems to be going wrong. 

Salsa Dance Classes 

7:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St. 

Classes every Thursday with live percussionists, light refreshments, DJ playing Latin music. $10 or $15 for two. 237-9874 

New “Classroom Matters”  

Open House 

6 - 9 p.m. 

2512 9th St., Suite #3 

A Berkeley based educational center that provides tutors, mentors and support services, will hold an open house at their new location.  

540-8646 www.classroommatters.com  

Lecture-Program on the  

Armenian Opera “Arshak II” 

7:30 p.m. 

North Branch Berkeley Public Library 

1170 The Alameda 

Dr. Clifford Cranna will present a lecture-program on the world premiere of the Armenian opera Arshak II, the tale of Armenia’s fourth century warrior king. 649-3913 www.infopeople.org/bpl/ 

Kensington 55+ Activity  

Center 

9 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Arlington Community Church 

52 Arlington Ave. 

Conversation, Apple II computer instruction, massage therapy, German conversation group, meditation and relaxation techniques, watercolor art class, tea and coffee. Special 11 a.m. program: Holistic Health, Jan Stecher leads in Rosen Movement. 526-9146  

Friday, Aug. 24

Annual Community  

Luncheon  

of the League of Women  

Voters 

11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

199 Seawall Dr. 

Senator Jackie Speier, 8th District, will be speaking. The League sponsors their Annual Community Luncheon to bring together business, university and community leaders with political officials and League members to discuss issues of mutual interest. $50. 843-8824, lwvbae@pacbell.net 

Yiddish Conversation Group 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

644-6107 www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/hhs/commsvc/seniors.htm 

Even Stronger Women 

1:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Free weekly cultural discussion class. This week: Poetry. 549-1879 

Basic Electrical Theory and National Electrical Code 

7 - 10 p.m. 

Building Education Center 

812 Page St.  

Instructed by “Code Check” author/retired city of Oakland building inspector Redwood Kardon. $35. 525-7610 

Free Legal Workshop 

6 - 8 p.m. 

Women’s Cancer Resource Center 

3023 Shattuck Ave. 

Learn about the Family Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disability Act, and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, and how the laws protect you. 601-4040 x302  

Saturday, Aug. 25

Copwatch: Know Your Rights Training 

11 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Copwatch Office 

2022 Blake St. 

Learn what your rights are when dealing with the police. 548-0425 

Astrojax Playday 

1 - 4 p.m. 

Lawrence Hall of Science 

UC Berkeley 

Astrojax is part yo-yo, part juggling balls and a lasso. The inventor will give a demonstration and instruction. Museum admission  

$3 - $7. 642-5132 

Cerrito Creek Work Party 

10 a.m. 

Meet at Creekside Park El Cerrito 

Join Friends of Five Creeks in removing brush to make a new trail along Cerrito Creek. Bring work gloves and clippers if you have them. 

Sunday, Aug. 26

Healing 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Sylvie Gretchen on “Healing Mind.” Free. 843-6812 

West Berkeley Market 

11 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

University Ave., between 3rd and 4th streets  

Family-oriented weekly market. Crafts, music, produce, and specialty foods. 654-6346 

— compiled by Guy Poole 

3rd Annual Berkeley World Music Festival 

noon - 6 p.m. 

Durant Ave., between Telegraph and Bowditch 

Carnival and block party festival with World Music bands, performers and dancers. 649-9500 www.taasite.org 

Editor: 

I vehemently protest the removal of Ms. Karen Craig from the Commission on Disability. This action is both highly unfair and totally unwarranted, and smacks of political cronyism. I am appalled at the type of “machine politics” both Councilmember Linda Maio and Councilmember Dona Spring engaged in to plot Karen’s ouster. 

Karen Craig is one of the strongest, and most caring advocates for the disability community this city has ever seen. We disabled here in Berkeley have benefitted greatly from her strong voice and actions, and can ill afford to lose her. Ms. Maio's actions will weaken the strong and effective Commission on Disability and adversely affect the community it represents. 

It is no secret that Ms. Spring and Karen Craig have an adversarial relationship. Ms. Spring apparently feels, although mistakenly, her voice and opinions are the only ones that have credence. Karen Craig has rightfully countered Ms. Spring on these issues. Ms. Spring feels her self-appointed “authority” as “the voice” of the disability community on council is somehow threatened by Karen’s strength and advocacy. By dismissing Karen Craig from the COD, Ms. Maio is allowing herself to be used by Ms. Spring to do something she cannot do alone, eliminate a person she perceives as a threat. 

Councilmember Spring’s machinations against Karen is no surprise to me, or many others in the disability community. What is a surprise is Ms. Maio's willingness, perhaps even eagerness in allowing herself to be manipulated in such a way. I strongly suggest Ms. Maio reconsider her misguided and damaging actions, and reinstate Karen Craig to the Commission on Disability. 

Blane N. Beckwith 

Berkeley  

Albatross Pub Sept. 1: David Widelock Jazz Trio; Sept. 5: Whiskey Brothers; Sept. 6: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 11: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Duo; Sept. 13: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 19: Whiskey Brothers; Sept. 20: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 22: Larry Stefl Jazz Quartet; Sept. 27: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Free. All shows begin at 9 p.m. 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473 albatrosspub@mindspring.com 

Anna’s Aug. 23: Jason Martineau; Aug. 24: Anna sings jazz standards; 10 p.m. Bluesman Hideo Date; Aug. 25: Robin Gregory; 10 p.m. The Distones Jazz Sextet; Aug. 26: Choro Time; Aug. 27: The Renegade Sidemen; Aug. 28: The Interface Ensemble; Aug. 29: Bob Schoen Jazz Quartet; Aug. 30: Christy Dana Quartet; Aug. 31: Anna sings jazz standards; 10 p.m. Bluesman Hideo Date; Free. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted. 1801 University Ave. 849-2662  

Ashkenaz Aug. 23: 10 p.m. - 2 a.m. Dead DJ Night with Digital Dave. $5; Aug. 24: 9:30 p.m. Caribbean All Stars $11; Aug. 25: 9 p.m. California Brazil Camp Benefit, $10; Aug. 26: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. Middle Eastern Dance Workshops with Ma Shuga Mira Murijan and Nanna Candeleria. $45. 8 p.m. Harmonia, $10; Aug. 28: 9 p.m. Gerard Landry and the Lariats, $8; Aug. 29: 8 p.m. Earl White Oldtime Band, Bluegrass Intentions, plus clogging lessons. $10, Kids under 12 Free; Aug. 30: 9 p.m. Samite, Forward Kwenda, $10; 1317 San Pablo Ave. 525-5054 www.ashkenaz.com  

Café Eclectica Sept. 8: 8 p.m. SF Improv, Free. 1309 Solano Ave. 326-6124 www.sfimprov.com 

Café de la Paz Poetry Nitro, performance showcase with open mike. Sept. 10: Lucy Lang Day; Sept. 17: Marc Hofstadter (book party); Sept. 24: Jim Watson-Gove; All shows free, 7 - 10 p.m. 

Cal Performances Sept. 6: 8 p.m. King Sunny Ade & His African Beats, $20 - $32; Sept. 16: 7 p.m. Tania Libertad, $18 - $30; Sept. 30: 7 p.m. Kronos Quartet, David Barron, $30; Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley Campus, Bancroft Way at Telegraph, 642-0212, tickets@calperfs.berkeley.edu 

Eli’s Mile High Club Aug. 25: Carlos Zialcita; Every Friday, 10 p.m. - 2 a.m., Funky Fridays Conscious Dance Party with KPFA DJs Splif Skankin and Funky Man. $10; Sept. 3: Big West Coast Harmonica Bash, benefit for Red Archibald. $10 donation; Doors open at 8 p.m. 3629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland. 655-6661 

Freight & Salvage Aug. 24: The Great Night of Rumi, $16.50; Sept. 1: Ancient Future, $16.50; Sept. 7: Tom Russell w/ Andrew Hardin, $16.50; Sept. 8: The House Jacks, $17.50; Sept. 9: Erika Luckett, $16.50; Sept. 11: Don Walser, Slaid Cleaves, $16.50; Sept. 12: Andy Irvine, $17.50; Sept. 13: Piper Heisig birthday revue and fund raiser w/ Kate Brislin, Sylvia Herold, Tony Marcus, Carlos Reyes, and Radim Zenkl, $16.50; Sept. 14: Ray Wylie Hubbard, $16.50; Sept. 15: Vocolot, $17.50; All shows start at 8 p.m. 1111 Addison St. 548-1761 www.freightandsalvage.com 

Jupiter Aug. 23: Beatdown w/ DJs Delon, Yamu, and Add1; Aug. 24: 5 Point Plan; Aug. 25: Mitch Marcus Quintet; Aug. 28: Big Lou and Polka Casserole; Aug. 29: Secession; Aug. 30: Beatdown with DJ’s Delon, Yamu and Add1; Aug. 31: Realistic CD Release Party; Sept. 4: Beth Waters Band; Sept. 5: Presidents Breakfast; Sept. 6 Beatdown w/ DJs Delon, Yamu, and Add1; Sept. 7: Crater; Sept. 10: Ben Graves Trio; Sept. 11: Len Patterson Trio; Sept. 12: Bitches Brew; Sept. 13: Beatdown w/ DJs Delon, Yamu, and Add1; Sept. 14: Carlos Washington & Giant People Ensemble; Sept. 15: Kooken & Hoomen; Sept. 18: The Goodbye Flowers; Sept. 19: New Monsoon; Sept. 20: Beatdown w/ DJs Delon, Yamu, and Add1; Sept. 21: Netwerk: Electric; Sept. 22: New Garde Philosophers; All music starts at 8:00 p.m. 2181 Shattuck Ave. 843-7625 www.jupiterbeer.com  

La Peña Cultural Center Aug. 24: 8:30 p.m. Professor Terry’s Circus Band Extraordinary, $16; Aug. 25: 9:30 p.m., Edgardo Cambon’s Candela, $10, 8:15 p.m. Salsa dance class w/ Diego Vásquez, $13; Sept. 11, 12: 8 p.m. Irakere, $22; In the Cafe, 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 www.lapena.org 

Indigo Event Center Aug. 25: 4:20 p.m. Musicians for Medical Marijuana Benefit concert. Sound Tribe Sector 9, Lost at Last, The Mermen, Ten Ton Chicken, Scott Huckabay, Strawberry Alarmclock, Buzzy Linhart, plus special guests, $25. 1988 Broadway at 19th, Oakland. 869-5391 www.m4mm.org  

Third Annual Berkeley World Music Festival Aug. 26: Noon - 6 p.m. Block party and carnival, Grupo Ilu Fun Fun, Petit La Croix, Samba Ngo, O-Maya, Fito Reinoso y Su Ritmo y Armonia. Durant Ave. between Telegraph Ave. and Bowditch. 

TUVA Space Aug. 25: 8 p.m. Vanessa Lowe and the Lowliflies, Ira Marlowe, Hoarhound. 3192 Adeline St. 655-9755 

Alice Arts Sept. 8: 7:30 p.m. Benefit concert for freedom of U.S. political prisoners featuring Fred Ho (solo) and The Eddie Gale Unit. $12; 1428 Alice, Oakland, 539-0050 www.thejerichomovement.com/teardownthewalls 

Theater 

“Reefer Madness” Aug. 23: 9 p.m. A new one-act theatre piece adapted from a 1936 government-funded film opens a critical eye to the control of our society. Performed by The Elemental Theatre Group La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Avenue. Wednesdays are “pay what you can,” Thursdays $5 - $10. 655-4150 

“Frank Olivier’s Twisted Cabaret” Aug. 24 & 25, 8 p.m. Frank Olivier is joined by Uncle Paul Nathan and The Twisted Cabaret Band. All tickets $16. Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. 845-8542 www.juliamorgan.org 

“Loot” Through Aug. 25, Thursdays - Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m. Special Performance Aug. 20, 8 p.m. General Admission: $15, Students / Seniors: $10. La Val’s 1834 Euclid Avenue 655-0813 

“Soul Harmony” Aug. 25: 5 - 7 p.m. A spirited one-woman show of history, culture, and entertainment. Written by Joy Holland, directed by Ava Coaxum. Presented at the Black Repertory Theater. 3201 Adeline St. $10 donation. 652-3399 

“Song of the Lakitan Bird” Sept. 2: 2 p.m. Kulintang Dance Theatre communicates the beauty and refinement of the Southern Philippine culture. $10 Adults, $5 Children. Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, 2640 College Ave. 845-8542 www.juliamorgan.org 

Lerner and Loewe’s “My Fair Lady” Aug. 31, Sept. 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9. All shows 8 p.m. Adapted from George Bernard Shaw’s and Gabrial Pascal’s “Pygmalion.” Directed by James Schlader, choreographed by Harriet Schlader, under the musical direction of Mark Hanson. $15 - $27. 3300 Joaquin Miller Rd., Oakland. 531-9597 www.woodminster.com 

“Hecho En Califas Chicano-Latino Teatro Festival” Sept. 6 - 9, 14 - 15; 8 p.m. Original members of El Teatro de La Esperanza. Chicano Theater began out of the need to express the realities of the fields and barrios of Aztlán in the Chicano-Latino community. $10 - $20 La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck, 849-2568, www.lapena.org  

“Winesburg, Ohio: Tales of the Grotesque” Sept. 6 through Sept. 16, Wed. - Sat. 8:30 p.m., Sun. 5 p.m. The Shotgun Players and Word For Word team up for a production of Sherwood Anderson’s deceptively simple tale of neglected souls who fade into the shadows around us. $22, Wednesdays are “Pay What You Can.” Julia Morgan Theatre, 2640 College Ave. 655-0813 www.shotgunplayers.org 

“36 Views” Sept. 12 through Oct. 28: Tues. 8 p.m., Wed. 7 p.m., Thu. 8 p.m. w/ 2 p.m. matinee every other Thu., Fri. 8 p.m., Sat. 8 p.m. w/ 2 p.m. matinee every other Sat., Sun. 2 p.m., 8 p.m. Written by Naomi Lizuka, Directed by Mark Wing-Davey. $10 - $54. Berkeley Repertory’s Roda Theatre, 2015 Addison St. 647-2949 www.berkeleyrep.org 

“Murder Dressed in Satin” by Victor Lawhorn, ongoing. A mystery-comedy dinner show at The Madison about a murder at the home of Satin Moray, a club owner and self-proclaimed socialite with a scarlet past. Dinner is included in the price of the theater ticket. $47.50 Lake Merritt Hotel, 1800 Madison St., Oakland. 239-2252 www.acteva.com/go/havefun 

Dance 

Cal Performances Sept. 8: 8 p.m. & Sept. 9: 3 p.m. - Dance, the Spirit of Cambodia, $20 - $32; Sept. 19 - 20: 8 p.m. American Ballet, “Bruch Violin Concerto,” “Jabula,” “Gong,” and “Black Tuesday.”; Sept. 21: 8 p.m., Sept. 22: 2 p.m. & 8 p.m., Sept. 23: 3 p.m. American Ballet, the full-length 19th Century “Giselle” $36 - $64; Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley Campus, Bancroft Way at Telegraph, 642-0212, tickets@calperfs.berkeley.edu 

Films 

Pacific Film Archive Aug. 23: 7:30 p.m. Contempt; Aug. 24: 7 p.m. The Heart, 9:20 p.m. The Outcast; Aug. 25: 7 p.m. Moonfleet, 8:45 p.m. The Blue Gardenia; Aug. 26: 3 p.m. Duck Soup, 5:30 p.m. The Wanderers, 7:25 p.m. Dora-Heita; Aug. 28: 7:30 p.m. Doodling; Aug. 29: (free screenings) 7:30 p.m. The Horror of Party Beach, 9:15 p.m. The Crater Lake Monster; Aug. 31: 7 p.m. The Makioka Sisters, 9:35 p.m. A Woman’s Testament; Gen. Adm.. $7, The New PFA Theatre 2575 Bancroft Way 642-1412 

The Pyramid Alehouse Outdoor Cinema Aug. 25: The Shining; Sept. 1: Breakfast Club; Sept. 2: Pretty in Pink; Sept. 8: Dr. No (come as your favorite Bond character); Sept. 15: Harold and Maude; Sept. 22: Airplane; The Outdoor Cinema features cult classics projected on a large screen in the open-air brewery parking lot. $5 donation. Movies start at 7 p.m. 901 Gilman St. 206-682-8322 x237 www.pyramidbrew.com 

Exhibits 

“A Fine Line” Through Aug. 24, Tuesday - Friday, noon - 5 p.m. or by appointment. An exhibition works by Kala Fellowship winners for the years 2000 and 2001. Kala Art Institute 1060 Heinz Avenue 549-2977 

“Geographies of My Heart” Collage paintings by Jennifer Colby through Aug. 24; Flora Lamson Hewlett Library 2400 Ridge Road 649-2541 

“BACA National Juried Exhibition: Works on Paper” Through Aug. 31: Wed. - Sun. Noon - 5 p.m. Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St. 644-6893 

“Debbie Moore’s Autobiographical Paintings” Through Sep. 30 at Good Vibrations. Portraits of the artist’s sensual explorations spanning 25 years and reflecting changing ways of intimacy and body play. 2504 San Pablo Avenue 848-1985 

“The Decade of Change: 1900 - 1910” chronicles the transformation of the city of Berkeley in this 10 year period. Thursday through Saturday, 1 – 4 p.m. Through September. Berkeley History Center, Veterans Memorial Building, 1931 Center St. Wheelchair accessible. 848-0181. Free.  

“Census 2000: Asian Pacific Islander Americans” Sept. 5 through Oct. 13, reception Sept. 6, 6 - 8 p.m.; Wed. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Asian Pacific Islander American artists in roughly the demographic proportions indicated by the recent census. Free. Pro Arts, 461 Ninth St., Oakland 763-9470  

“Musee des Hommages” Masterworks by Guy Colwell Faithful copies of several artists from the pasts, including Titian’s “The Venus of Urbino,” Cezanne’s “Still Life,” Picasso’s “Woman at a Mirror,” and Boticelli’s “Primavera” Ongoing. Call ahead for hours. Atelier 9 2028 Ninth St. (at Addison) 841-4210 or visit www.atelier9.com 

“Ten Years Here” Exhibit celebrating the 10 year anniversary of Turn of the Century Fine Arts. Through Sept. 14, Sat & Sun 1-5 p.m. 2510 San Pablo Avenue 849-0950 

“The Political Art of: Diego Marcial Rios” Through Sept. 20, Addison Street Window Gallery, 2018 Addison St. hdrios@msn.com 

Women’s Cancer Resource Gallery “Catastrophe, Crisis, and Other Family Traditions” The photography of Jessamyn Lovell. Aug. 25 through Sept. 26; “TheArthur Wright and Gerald Parker” Reception Sept. 8, Aug. 25 through Sept. 26; Tues. - Thurs. 1 - 7 p.m., Sat. 12 - 4 p.m. 3023 Shattuck Ave. 548-9286 x307 www.wcrc.org 

“Squared Triangle” Through Oct. 5: noon - 6 p.m. Reception for the artists, Aug. 18: 4 - 7 p.m. A minimal art exhibit featuring three Bay Area artists working in different mediums while achieving the same elegant simplicity. The Crucible, 1036 Ashby Ave. 843-5511 www.thecrucible.com 

“Inside Editions” Sept. 6 - Oct. 12: Nine printmakers exhibit their work. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tue. - Fri. Free. Kala Art Insitute, 1060 Heinz Ave. 549-2977 kala@kala.org 

Readings 

Black Oak Books Aug. 23: Phil Cousineau’s “Once and Future Myths: The Power of Ancient Stories in Modern Times”; Aug. 27: Catherine Brady, Jean Herlund, Frances Payne Adler, and Marianne Villanueva and others to celebrate CALYX Book’s 25th Anniversary, “Cracking the Earth”; Aug. 28: Kent Nerburn reads from “Road Angels: Searching for Home on America’s Coast of Dreams”; Aug. 29: Sylvia Brownrigg reads from her new novel, “Pages For You”; All shows at 7:30 p.m. free of charge. 1491 Shattuck Avenue 486-0698 

Boadecia’s Books Aug. 24: Andrea Gabbard discusses “Girl in the Curl: A Century of Women’s Surfing”; Aug. 25: Ann Bannon reads from her lesbian pulp classic “Beebo Brinker.” All events start at 7:30 p.m. and are free. 398 Colusa Avenue 559-9184 www.bookpride.com 

Cody’s Books - Poetry Flash Aug. 29: The New Now Millennium Anthology Reading with Editor H. D. Moe; All are a $2 donation. Readings at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2454 Telegraph Ave. 845-0837 

The Humanist Fellowship Hall Aug. 27: 7:30 p.m. “The Ghosts Have Cameras” by H. D. Moe. A reading performance. Free. 390 27th St. 528-8713 

Lunch Poems Series Kick-Off Sept. 6: 12:10 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. UC Berkeley campus figures from a wide variety of fields read and discuss their favorite poems. Free. In the Morrison Library in the Doe Library at UC Berkeley. 642-0137 www.berkeley.edu/calendar/events/poems/ 

Spasso Aug. 27: Kira Allen; Sept. 3: Theme: dignity of labor; Sept. 10: Sharron Jones-Reid, Fruit of the Spirit Poets, Acoustic Musicians, Comedians, Rappers, Performance Artists, Writers All Welcome is located at 6021 College Ave. Free admission. 

South Branch Berkeley Public Library Sept. 1: 3 - 5 p.m. Bay Area Poets Coalition holds an open reading. 1901 Russell St., 527-9905 poetalk@aol.com 

Watershed Environmental Poetry Festival Sept. 8: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. An environmental poetry festival with a day of poetry, music and environmental activism featuring Gary Snyder, Maxine Hong Kingston, Robert Haas, Francisco X. Alarcon, and Earll Kingston as John Wesley Powell. Strawberry Creek Walk at 10 a.m. Oxford and Center. Festival at Civic Center Park, Martin Luther King Jr. Way at Center Street. Free. 526-9105 www.poetryflash.org 

Tours 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Fridays 9:30 - 11:45 a.m. or by appointment. Call ahead to make reservations. Free. University of California, Berkeley. 486-4387 

Golden Gate Live Steamers Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Lomas Cantadas Drive at the south end of Tilden Regional Park Small locomotives, meticulously scaled to size. Trains run Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rides: Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., weather permitting. 486-0623  

Museums 

Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm” An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels, look into a mirrored fish pond, don farm animal costumes, ride on a John Deere tractor and more. “Recycling Center” Lets the kids crank the conveyor belt to sort cans, plastic bottles and newspaper bundles into dumpster bins. $4 adults; $6 children age 7 and under; $3 for each additional child age 7 and under. 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. (closed Sundays, Memorial Day through Labor Day) Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 647-1111 or www.habitot.org  

UC Berkeley Museum of Paleontology Lobby, Valley Life Sciences Building, UC Berkeley “Tyrannosaurus Rex,” ongoing. A 20 by 40-foot replica of the fearsome dinosaur made from casts of bones of the most complete T. Rex skeleton yet excavated. When unearthed in Montana, the bones were all lying in place with only a small piece of the tailbone missing. “Pteranodon” A suspended skeleton of a flying reptile with a wingspan of 22-23 feet. The Pteranodon lived at the same time as the dinosaurs. Free. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 642-1821 

UC Berkeley Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology will close its exhibition galleries for renovation. It will reopen in early 2002. On View until Oct. 1 : “Ishi and the Invention of Yahi Culture.” “Sites Along the Nile: Rescuing Ancient Egypt.” “The Art of Research: Nelson Graburn and the Aesthetics of Inuit Sculpture.” “Tzintzuntzan, Mexico: Photographs by George Foster.” $2 general; $1 seniors; $.50 children age 17 and under; free on Thursdays. Wednesday, Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way and College Ave. 643-7648 or www.qal.berkeley.edu/~hearst/ 

Lawrence Hall of Science “Science in Toyland,” through Sept. 9. Exhibit uses toys to demonstrate scientific principles and to help develop children's thinking processes. Susan Cerny’s collection of over 200 tops from around the world. “Space Weather,” through Sept. 2. Learn about solar cycles, space weather, the cause of the Aurorae and recent discoveries made by leading astronomers. This interactive exhibit lets visitors access near real-time data from the Sun and space, view interactive videos and find out about a variety of solar activities. “Within the Human Brain,” ongoing. Visitors test their cranial nerves, play skeeball, master mazes, match musical tones and construct stories inside a simulated “rat cage” of learning experiments. “Saturday Night Stargazing,” First and third Saturdays each month. 8 - 10 p.m., LHS plaza. Space Weather Exhibit now - Sept. 2; now - Sept. 9 Science in Toyland; Saturdays 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. $7 for adults; $5 for children 5-18; $3 for children 3-4. 642-5132 

Holt Planetarium Programs are recommended for age 8 and up; children under age 6 will not be admitted. $2 in addition to regular museum admission. “Constellations Tonight” Ongoing. Using a simple star map, learn to identify the most prominent constellations for the season in the planetarium sky. “How Big Is the Universe?” Aug. 1 through Aug. 24. Learn how to determine the distance of celestial objects, one of the purposes of the Hubble Space Telescope. Daily, 2:15 p.m. $7 general; $5 seniors, students, disabled, and youths age 7 to 18; $3 children age 3 to 5; free children age 2 and younger. Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Centennial Drive, 642-5132 or www.lhs.berkeley.edu Daily, 3:30 p.m. $7 general; $5 seniors, students, disabled, and youths age 7 to 18; $3 children age 3 to 5 ; free children age 2 and younger. Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Centennial Drive, UC Berkeley 642-5132 or www.lhs.berkeley.edu  

Oakland Museum of California, Every Worker is an Organizer: Farm Labor and the Resurgence of the United Farm Workers, through Aug. 26; Made in Oakland: The Furniture of Garry Knox Bennett, through Sept. 2; After the Storm: Bob Walker and the Art of Environmental Photography, through Sept. 16; Half Past Autumn: The Art of Gordon Parks, through Sept. 23; Rustler Ranch Mastodon Project, through June 30, 2002; Wednesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday, noon - 5 p.m., Closed Monday and Tuesday. $6 general; $4 youths (6-17), seniors and students with ID. Free for Museum members and children 5 and under. Free admission the second Sunday of the month. 10th & Oak Streets, Oakland. 238-2200 www.museum.org 

The UC Berkeley Art Museum is closed for renovations until the fall. 

Send arts events two weeks in advance to Calendar@berkeleydailyplanet.net, 2076 University, Berkeley 94704 or fax to 841-5694. 

Five offensive starters sit out in Turlock; Echema ruled ineligible 

TURLOCK – With time growing short to their first game, the Cal football coaches kept it light for the team’s final scrimmage on Wednesday, with half of the day non-contact and most of the starters on the bench for the majority of the second half. 

Several key players were held out of the scrimmage all together, including offensive tackle Langston Walker. Walker, who missed most of last season with a broken left ankle, hasn’t practiced all week since spraining the same ankle last week. But the senior is expected to be ready for the opener against Illinois on Sept. 1, as are fellow linemen Mark Wilson and Scott Tercero, who were also held out of Wednesday’s practice. 

Another position with several players hurt is wide receiver. Projected starters Derek Swafford and Geoff McArthur have both been hampered by nagging injuries and didn’t take part in Wednesday’s scrimmage. Added to the infirmary list this week were Chase Lyman, who had an appendectomy on Monday, and Chad Heydorff, who pulled a hamstring during the scrimmage. 

“I’m a little nervous,” head coach Tom Holmoe said of the wideout position. “Just the fact that we have a couple of players, such as Geoff McArthur and Swafford, who could quite possibly be the two starters, have been kind of in and out. Part of it is that we want to make sure that they are healthy to go, but they’ve both looked excellent in camp. They’re kind of nursing small injuries.” 

With contact limited during the first half, tailback Joe Igber ran eight times. But the junior didn’t do much during the contact portion of practice, and for good reason. Keeping Igber healthy is of paramount importance to the Bears, as he is now the only tailback who has played a college game left on the depth chart. With backup Joe Echema having been ruled academically ineligible by the NCAA last week for failing to finish enough credits last year and redshirt freshman Michael Sparks suffering a shoulder injury earlier this week, the only tailbacks left behind Igber are true freshmen Terrell Williams and Will Scott, who were teammates last year at Hoover High (San Diego). But Holmoe isn’t concerned that Igber isn’t getting much contact in practice. 

“Joe’s timing is good,” Holmoe said. “He isn’t going to get that much better with 10 more reps. There is no sense getting him tackled more than he needs to be. In the Pac-10, the same thing is going on with Ken Simonton (Oregon State), Maurice Morris (Oregon) and DeShaun Foster (UCLA).” 

Once the team went to live action, quarterback Kyle Boller completed 2-of-4 passes for 31 yards, including a 21-yarder to Charon Arnold. Freshman Williams was the leading ground gainer with eight yards on three carries.  

During the special teams portion of the scrimmage, Cal’s three field goal kickers - Jeremy Hershey, Mark Jensen and Tyler Fredrickson - were a perfect 8-for-8. Jensen, the Bears’ returning starter, was the most active, as he was good on efforts from 27, 33, 38 and 45 yards. 

Defensively, cornerback James Bethea had a big afternoon with five tackles and one pass broken up. Tackle Daniel Nwangwu also had three tackles, including a sack, and end Tom Canada had a sack among his two tackles. Safety Dewey Hale had the day’s only turnover with an interception of a Holtfreter pass.  

“We had an objective in the practice. We did some very controlled stuff,” Holmoe said. “There was some hot and cold, but this was more of a practice than a scrimmage.”  

NOTES: Saturday’s practice, originally scheduled for Witter Field on campus, has been moved to Encinal High School in Alameda. The team will resume practice on Witter Tuesday afternoon. Witter has undergone some re-sodding and re-seeding while the team was away in Turlock, and the extra few days should help the new grass take root.

A new state law requiring school districts to notify parents in writing of pesticide use at school sites probably won’t have a dramatic impact in Berkeley, where the school district has had a policy severely limiting pesticide use for more than 10 years. 

Even school contractors are prohibited from using pesticides like the common Roundup weed killer, according to Gene LeFevre, director of maintenance for the school district. 

“That’s why a lot of our properties look so bad,” LeFevre said. 

Still, some officials welcomed the law Wednesday. They cited incidents which have called into question the district’s compliance with the pesticide policy over the years, and said the new law gives those concerned about their children’s exposure to hazardous chemicals one more way to hold the school district accountable. 

The law, AB2260, goes into effect this school year. It requires districts to notify parents of any pesticides they plan to use at the beginning of the year and then, at the parents’ request, to give 72-hour notification before all pesticide applications. 

Studies have shown that children and elderly individuals are the most susceptible to the possible adverse effects of poisons found in pesticides. According to the Healthy Schools Campaign, a California group that advocates against the use of pesticides at schools, many schools still use pesticides that are acutely toxic and, in some cases, known to cause cancer. 

Berkeley school board Director John Selawsky said the district hasn’t always implemented its pesticide policy “as well as (he) would like.” A few years ago rat poison was left in an area at John Muir School where students could have come in contact with it, Selawsky recalled. 

“You’ve got to be really careful where you put the stuff,” Selawsky said. “Kids will find a way to get into areas where they’re not supposed to be.” 

Nabil Al-Hadithy, manager of the city’s Toxic Management Division, said the Berkeley school district doesn’t have a good record of compliance with existing laws regulating the use and disposal of hazardous materials.  

Since the late ’80s, California state law has required schools to file complete “chemical inventories” with municipal officials each year, Al-Hadithy said. Until last month, when a chemical inventory for Berkeley High School was filed with the Toxic Management Division, the district had ignored the law for years, Al-Hadithy said.  

Chemical inventories are still outstanding for all the other school sites in Berkeley, Al-Hadithy added. In an agreement brokered by the Alameda County District Attorney earlier this year, the district agreed to turn over all the missing documentation by Oct. 1. 

Pesticide policy or no pesticide policy, chemical inventories are an important way of tracking whether a school district is using the chemicals, Al-Hadithy said. In 1998, when the district failed to provide chemical inventories, Al-Hadithy led an impromptu inspection of its maintenance yard at 1707 Russell St. He found a 55 gallon drum of Copper Napthenate, a pesticide used to protect wood from termite attack. The chemical looked as though it was being used by the district’s maintenance staff, Al-Hadithy said. 

The new notification requirements will go even further to ensure that all pesticide use is recorded and reported to the public, Al-Hadithy said. 

“We did the 1998 inspection (of the maintenance yard) for BUSD in an effort to jump start their environmental compliance,” Al-Hadithy said. “We’re really eager to assist them.” 

Editor: 

In response to the concern expressed by Terry Cochrell in his letter to Councilmember Linda Maio and the Daily Planet on July 16 regarding refuse and recycling services provided to apartment buildings: We appreciate his concern and this opportunity to remind everyone in Berkeley about how to obtain recycling and refuse collection services.  

Individual tenants living in apartment buildings with nine or fewer units, as well as occupants of private residences, can contact the Ecology Center to have new or replacement recycling bins delivered to their door by calling 527-5555. Tenants living in apartment buildings with 10 or more units can contact the city’s Solid Waste Management Division at 981-6350 to ask that the owner of their building be contacted about recycling services and replacement bins. The City charges no additional fees for providing the recycling carts and service to apartment buildings. Last year the Division mailed letters regarding recycling to the owners of all 650 apartment buildings in Berkeley, and received only 20 replies. Many apartment owners live outside Berkeley, may own many buildings, and might never respond to correspondence requesting assistance with recycling on their properties. However, we will continue to reach out to owners of larger apartment buildings to encourage their participation.  

Apartment owners are required, however, by the Berkeley Municipal Code to provide refuse collection services and pay for adequately-sized garbage collection bins. The cost of refuse service is directly related to the size of the refuse bin and the collection frequency. The City encourages recycling by offering significant rate saving to those who produce less garbage. Unfortunately, this can have the unwanted effect of encouraging some property owners to under subscribe to garbage service just to save money. When the Division learns, either by complaint or by reports from the refuse collectors, that a business or apartment has subscribed to an inadequate level of service (bins too small, or collection too infrequent), staff initiates a process by which the property owner will be forced to subscribe to an adequate level of service as required by Berkeley Municipal Code. Please call the Solid Waste Management Division Customer Service at 981-6350 so that a field inspection can be scheduled. 

Rene Cardinaux, A.I.A. 

Director of Public Work

The University of California women’s swim program, besides being represented by former Cal standout Haley Cope and junior breaststroker Staciana Stitts, will have another Golden Bear involved with the United States’ Goodwill Games team, as head coach Teri McKeever has been selected as one of USA’s assistant coaches.  

McKeever was the 1999 Pac-10 Coach of the Year and has led Cal to a 78-35 dual meet record and five consecutive Top 10 national finishes. She joins head coach Dick Shoulberg (Germantown Academy) and assistant John Pontz (Arizona State) as members of the women’s coaching staff for the 2001 Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia.  

At the past week’s Phillips 66 National Championships at the Clovis West High School pool, McKeever’s Cal Aquatics team placed sixth in the team standings. Cope, who just completed her collegiate eligibility this past spring for the Bears, won the national title in 100-meter backstroke with a time of 1:01.89.  

Other Cal swimmers competing at the Phillips 66 National Championships included sophomore Danielle Becks, who placed ninth in the 100 free (56.76) and 10th in the 200 free (2:02.46) and senior Alice Henriques, who was 10th in the 200 back (2:16.89) and 14th in the 100 back (1:04.57). Also, a 400-meter freestyle relay team of Cal junior Michelle Harper, Becks, Henriques and Cope placed fifth at the national championships with a time of 3:51.85.

Last May, when the 48 rose bushes she planted in her back yard were blooming, Berkeley resident Anne Fitzmaurice decided it was time to become part of the farmers’ market. She would wake up at dawn every Saturday, prepare about 20 bouquets, head to the market, and sell them.  

“I loved being at the market,” said Fitzmaurice, who is in her 60s. “It’s fun to give people the pleasure to have flowers for not too much money.” 

The excitement however was not enough to keep Fitzmaurice at the market. Today, she works at home, delivering flower arrangements only upon request. The workload is lighter and the income can be greater.  

Decisions such as Fitzmaurice’s explain why, out of the 35 to 50 vendors who sell their products at the Berkeley Farmers’ market twice a week, only two are local growers. Most of the farmers come from other parts of California, such as the Santa Cruz area, Santa Rosa or the central valley. 

“There have never been many (local growers),” said Penny Leff, the farmers’ market manager. “We would love to see more urban agriculture at the market.” 

To encourage the participation of local gardeners, Leff said the farmers’ market administration charges them half price for the booth fee. For instance, Berkeley Youth Alternatives and Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency, the two non-profit organization that currently sell products at the market, only pay about $15 to have a booth for the day. While BOSS sells nursery plants, BYA sells fruit and vegetables from its two gardens in west Berkeley. The organizations use the gardens as part of a training program for homeless people and at-risk youth respectively. 

But partly because of the local lack of land, and partly because those who grow organic food in Berkeley are not interested in selling their products, the discount on the booth fee hasn’t really attracted Berkeley-based participants. 

“Most of the gardens that are growing vegetables are only (big) enough for the people that are growing them,” she said. “There isn’t really enough land for real vegetable-business operations in town right now.” And many local growers, she added, just enjoy eating and giving away their products. 

The Karl Linn community garden on Peralta at Hopkins is one of the many places in Berkeley, where people just grow food for the joy of it. Created 15 years ago, the garden includes a common herb garden and 15 individual plots. In addition to sharing the herbs, plot-holders meet for community events, pot-locks, and distribution of harvest. The purpose of the garden, said the garden’s coordinator Eleanor Walden, is to have community members connect with each other.  

“It’s reclaiming our community through our community garden,” said Walden. “I’d like to see more neighborhoods cooperate with backyard areas so that individual families would make it more communal and have flowers, fruit and vegetables that they could share.” 

Leff has a similar wish. And to her, being part of the farmers’ market is indeed a way to build a stronger sense of community. The mission of the market, she said, is to establish a connection between rural farmers and city people. Despite the lack of land, she said independent gardeners could find ways to participate. 

“We would love to see a cooperative, a group of gardeners who want to come together,” she said. “We would love to talk to anyone who would want to arrange something like that.” 

*** 

For more information on community gardens and the farmers’ market visit the Web site: http://www.ecologycenter.org/index.html

Editor: 

Regarding your article about Ennors in Berkeley (Berkeley Observed, 8/18), one point you did not mention, for many years the location was a Breuners Store. I can remember eating many times at the True Blue Cafeteria and the Ennor family visiting my father’s store. Lee’s Men’s store was at 2010 Shattuck. 

I have really enjoyed reading your paper each morning at the Royal Grounds in Montclair. I grew up on the Berkeley Daily Gazette. Thank-you for your reporting. 

Michael Levy 

Oakland 

Corey Goodman, a leading neuroscientist at the University of California, Berkeley, announced Tuesday he is leaving academia for the private sector. 

Goodman, 50, will take a two-year sabbatical from the university to serve as chief executive of biotech start-up Renovis Inc. of South San Francisco.  

The company, launched last year with $16.4 million in venture funding, hopes to develop drugs aimed at brain diseases. Goodman starts Sept. 1. 

His exit comes on the heels of several other academic defections to private industry. 

Richard Scheller left Stanford University earlier this year to become chief scientific officer at South San Francisco based-Genentech. 

Last year, Peter Kim left the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the pharmaceutical firm Merck & Co., of Whitehouse Station, N.J., where he serves as executive vice president of research and development.

Bon temps corrected 

Editor: 

The article about the recent Acadian fest in Berkeley (A bit of bayou in Berkeley 8/20) was interesting and I appreciated it very much but a correction is in order. 

The French-speaking people of Canada's Maritime Provinces and in southern Louisiana are Acadian, not Arcadian, which I believe is somewhere in Greece. 

The original Acadians are still alive and flourishing, despite widespread racism by the Anglo majority against them, in New Brunswick (where they are around 40 percent of the population) and bordering areas. 

France had two colonies in Canada, Québec and Acadia. Because the Acadians were on the Atlantic coast, the British conducted a massive and cruel genocidal repression against them in 1755 because of their religion and language, as pointed out in the article. Thousands died and English-language historians since then have remained relatively silent about the British atrocities committed there.  

While Acadians in Louisiana are sadly doomed to assimilation, the Acadians in New Brunswick will survive because they share a common boundary, culture and history with a strong Québec. 

Armand Boulay 

Berkeley 

We sent half the refund to the Alameda County Community Food Bank and the second half to the Children’s Hospital Foundation.  

Marian Wolfe  

Berkeley  

I'm against the rebate and the Republicans behind it. It should be donated to social service causes. The East Bay Community Law Center asked me to donate mine, but I've pledged it to National Substitute Teacher Alliance, and have asked others to do same. 

Edith Monk Hallberg 

Berkeley 

One-third of $600 is going toward a Montana trip. Two-thirds are divided: one Planet ad, Aids Marathon, Berkeley Outreach recreation Center, Green Action (other good causes) and one compost bin. 

Bill and  

MaryLee Trampleasure 

Berkeley 

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — President Bush said Tuesday he will give his family’s $600 tax rebate to charity, as he fiercely defended his tax cut against Democratic charges that it has already imperiled Medicare and Social Security.  

–The Associated Press  

SAN JOSE — Prosecutors and defense attorneys for the Russian computer programmer charged with circumventing electronic book copyright protections are negotiating a possible plea bargain and have agreed to delay an arraignment scheduled for Thursday. 

In a case that has generated worldwide protests, Dmitry Sklyarov, 26, is charged in a criminal complaint with violating the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act, though he has not yet been formally indicted. 

Sklyarov is due in court Thursday, but both sides will ask a federal judge to postpone the arraignment by a week, lead defense attorney Joseph Burton said Wednesday. 

“We’re talking about whether or not there are any potential ways to dispose of the case,” said Burton, a former federal prosecutor. “We’ve been talking to them for a while.” 

Sklyarov, who could face five years in prison, is one of the first people to face criminal prosecution rather than a civil lawsuit under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.  

Critics of the law have assailed Sklyarov’s case as an example of how the law stymies free speech and legitimate computer research. 

San Jose-based Adobe Systems Inc. complained to the FBI that Sklyarov had written a program for his employer, ElcomSoft Co. Ltd. of Moscow, that allowed electronic book users to disable certain copyright restrictions on Adobe’s eBook Reader software. Sklyarov’s program, for example, let users transfer e-books from a personal computer to a handheld device. 

Sklyarov’s supporters point out that his program was legal in Russia, and say his work merely lets users enjoy “fair use” privileges traditionally allowed under U.S. copyright law. Adobe dropped its support of the case on July 23. 

Sklyarov was preparing to return home to Moscow after speaking at a computer security convention when he was arrested July 16 in Las Vegas. He is free on $50,000 bail but must remain in Northern California. Sklyarov is staying with a Russian-American computer programmer in Cupertino. 

——— 

On the Net: 

Sklyarov supporters: http://freesklyarov.org 

Adobe Systems: http://www.adobe.com 

Prosecutors: http://www.usaondca.com 

The 86-year-old Claremont Hotel came one step closer to achieving landmark status last month when the Oakland Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board voted unanimously to send the proposal on to the Planning Commission. 

The neighborhood proponents of landmarking and hotel management are on the same page about landmarking the hotel but still differ about whether to landmark the entire 22-acre property. 

“There was a lot of public support for the landmarking,” said Berkeley-Oakland Neighbors of the Claremont member Wendy Markel, referring to the July 9 LPAB meeting. “It was almost like a love fest, although I don’t think the management is too keen on having the grounds landmarked.” 

The BONC group began the landmarking process last October, just months after learning of the hotel’s plan to develop 86 guest units, 75 time-share villas and a three-story garage.  

The 279-room, Tudor Revival Claremont is in Oakland just the other side of the Berkeley border at the mouth of Claremont Canyon. The KSL Resort Corp., a billion dollar luxury resort chain, purchased the hotel three years ago for $88 million and has since added an exclusive resort spa inside the hotel. Last August, KSL announced it was considering building the guest units, villas and parking garage. 

Ted Axe, the vice president and general manager of the hotel, said the development plans were only conceptual and there are no current plans to develop the property. “Those plans may never materialize but they are something we might like to do at the appropriate time,” he said. 

The LPAB approved the entire property for landmarking including the tennis courts, a grove of eucalyptus trees and “the grounds as a whole,” according to a July 9 report from the planning staff.  

Axe said hotel management supports landmarking the building but has reservations about the grounds. “We are excited about the landmarking process and we are excited about designating the Claremont Resort,” he said, “but we do not look at the grounds of the hotel as being of historical significance.” 

Axe said any future improvement plans to the property could be significantly hindered by the landmark designation. “We don’t want to have to worry about a parking lot or an isolated tree getting in the way of an improvement project that doesn’t affect the main building.” 

Markel said landmarking the entire site would ensure that any improvements would be in keeping with the historical elements of the property, which she said extend beyond the hotel.  

“When the landmark includes the entire site, alterations to the landscape, features that have been identified as character-defining elements, would be reviewed for preservation of historic and architectural integrity,” she said.  

According to the July 9 planning report, the hotel and grounds meet the historical and architectural criteria for landmarking. The hotel was completed in 1915 and has retained a high degree of the original design’s integrity.  

Well-known East Bay architect Charles W. Dickey designed the building. Dickey also designed the Temescal and Golden Gate branches of the Oakland Public Library, University High School (that became the former Merritt College on Martin Luther King Jr. Way) and the Rotunda Building in downtown Oakland. 

Oakland planner Patricia McGowan said the next step in the landmarking process will be the LPAB’s Sept. 17 formal approval of the recommendation. Next the Planning Commission will consider the proposal and hold a public hearing before voting to send the designation on to the Oakland City Council. 

If the Planning Commission approves the recommendation, the City Council will vote on the final approval of the hotel as a city landmark. At that time, the council could landmark the entire property or just portions, for example landmarking the building but not the grounds. 

The Landmarks Preservation Board will meet to formalize the already-approved recommendation to landmark the hotel and grounds at 4 p.m. Sept. 17 in the Hearing Room at City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza.

Wednesday, Aug. 22 

Magic Mike 

Noon - 2 p.m. 

Lawrence Hall of Science 

UC Berkeley 

Part of the Lawrence Hall of Science Wednesday FUN-days. Bay Area favorite Magic Mike with theatrical illusions and electric comedy. Museum admission $3 - $7. 642-5132 

Lecture on Parkinson’s Disease 

11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 

Ashby Campus 

Conference Room 3 

2450 Ashby Ave. 

Learn about the latest treatments for Parkinson’s disease. Free and open to the public. 869-6737 

Thursday, Aug. 23 

Salsa Dance Classes 

7:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St. 

Classes every Thursday with live percussionists, light refreshments, DJ playing Latin music. $10 or $15 for two. 237-9874 

New “Classroom Matters”  

Open House 

6 - 9 p.m. 

2512 9th St., Suite #3 

A Berkeley based educational center that provides tutors, mentors and support services, will hold an open house at their new location.  

540-8646 www.classroommatters.com  

Lecture-Program on the  

Armenian Opera “Arshak II” 

7:30 p.m. 

North Branch Berkeley Public Library 

1170 The Alameda 

Dr. Clifford Cranna will present a lecture-program on the world premiere of the Armenian opera Arshak II, the tale of Armenia’s fourth century warrior king. 649-3913 www.infopeople.org/bpl/ 

Kensington 55+ Activity Center 

9 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Social Hall of Arlington Community Church 

52 Arlington Ave. 

Conversation, Apple II computer instruction, massage therapy, German conversation group, watercolor art class, tea and coffee. Special 11 a.m. program: Holistic Health, Jan Stecher leads in Rosen Movement. 526-9146  

Friday, Aug. 24 

Annual Community Luncheon  

of the League of Women Voters 

11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

199 Seawall Dr. 

Senator Jackie Speier, 8th District, will be speaking. The League sponsors their Annual Community Luncheon to bring together business, university and community leaders with political officials and League members to discuss issues of mutual interest. $50. 843-8824, lwvbae@pacbell.net 

Yiddish Conversation Group 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

644-6107 www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/hhs/commsvc/seniors.htm 

Even Stronger Women 

1:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Free weekly cultural discussion class. This week: Poetry. 549-1879 

Basic Electrical Theory and National Electrical Code 

7 - 10 p.m. 

Building Education Center 

812 Page St.  

Instructed by “Code Check” author/retired city of Oakland building inspector Redwood Kardon. $35. 525-7610 

Free Legal Workshop 

6 - 8 p.m. 

Women’s Cancer Resource Center 

3023 Shattuck Ave. 

Learn about the Family Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disability Act, and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, and how the laws protect you from termination during an experience with cancer or other serious medical conditions. 601-4040 x302  

Saturday, Aug. 25 

Copwatch: Know Your Rights Training 

11 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Copwatch Office 

2022 Blake St. 

Learn what your rights are when dealing with the police. Learn how to monitor the police safely.  

548-0425 

Astrojax Playday 

1 - 4 p.m. 

Lawrence Hall of Science 

UC Berkeley 

Astrojax is part yo-yo, part juggling balls and a lasso. The inventor, theoretical physicist Larry Show, will give a demonstration and instruction. Museum admission $3 - $7. 642-5132 

Cerrito Creek Work Party 

10 a.m. 

Meet at Creekside Park El Cerrito 

Join Friends of Five Creeks in removing brush to make a new trail along Cerrito Creek. Bring work gloves and clippers if you have them. 848-9358, f5creeks@aol.com, www.fivecreeks.org. 

Travel Careers Class 

8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. 

Vista Community College 

2020 Milvia St. 

Vista’s annual one-day class for the public on careers in the travel industry. A full-day seminar. $5.50 981-2931 www.vistacollege.edu 

Sunday, Aug. 26 

Healing 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Sylvie Gretchen on “Healing Mind.” Free. 

843-6812 

West Berkeley Market 

11 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

University Ave., between 3rd and 4th Streets  

Family-oriented weekly market. Crafts, music, produce, and specialty foods. 654-6346 

3rd annual Berkeley World Music Festival 

noon - 6 p.m. 

Durant Ave., between Telegraph and Bowditch 

Carnival and block party festival with World Music bands, performers and dancers. 649-9500 www.taasite.org 

— compiled by Guy Poole 

Albatross Pub Sept. 1: David Widelock Jazz Trio; Sept. 5: Whiskey Brothers; Sept. 6: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 11: Mad & Eddie Duran Jazz Duo; Sept. 13: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 19: Whiskey Brothers; Sept. 20: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Sept. 22: Larry Stefl Jazz Quartet; Sept. 27: Kenji “El Lebrijano” Flamenco Guitar; Free. All shows begin at 9 p.m. 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473 albatrosspub@mindspring.com 

Anna’s Aug. 22: Bob Schoen Jazz Quartet; Aug. 23: Jason Martineau; Aug. 24: Anna sings jazz standards; 10 p.m. Bluesman Hideo Date; Aug. 25: Robin Gregory; 10 p.m. The Distones Jazz Sextet; Aug. 26: Choro Time; Aug. 27: The Renegade Sidemen; Aug. 28: The Interface Ensemble; Aug. 29: Bob Schoen Jazz Quartet; Aug. 30: Christy Dana Quartet; Aug. 31: Anna sings jazz standards; 10 p.m. Bluesman Hideo Date; Free. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless noted. 1801 University Ave. 849-2662  

Ashkenaz Aug. 22: 9 p.m. Badenya Les Freres Coulibaly, $10; Aug. 23: 10 p.m. - 2 a.m. Dead DJ Night with Digital Dave. $5; Aug. 24: 9:30 p.m. Caribbean All Stars $11; Aug. 25: 9 p.m. California Brazil Camp Benefit, $10; Aug. 26: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. Middle Eastern Dance Workshops with Ma Shuga Mira Murijan and Nanna Candeleria. $45. 8 p.m. Harmonia, $10; Aug. 28: 9 p.m. Gerard Landry and the Lariats, $8; Aug. 29: 8 p.m. Earl White Oldtime Band, Bluegrass Intentions, plus clogging lessons. $10, Kids under 12 Free; Aug. 30: 9 p.m. Samite, Forward Kwenda, $10; Aug. 31: 9:30 p.m. Wawa and the Oneness Kingdom, The Calypsonians, $10; 1317 San Pablo Ave. 525-5054 www.ashkenaz.com  

Eli’s Mile High Club Doors open at 8 p.m. Aug. 25: Carlos Zialcita; Every Friday, 10 p.m. - 2 a.m., Funky Fridays Conscious Dance Party with KPFA DJs Splif Skankin and Funky Man. $10; Sept. 3: Big West Coast Harmonica Bash, benefit for Red Archibald. $10 donation; 3629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland. 655-6661 

Freight & Salvage Aug. 24: The Great Night of Rumi, $16.50; Sept. 1: Ancient Future, $16.50; Sept. 7: Tom Russell w/ Andrew Hardin, $16.50; Sept. 8: The House Jacks, $17.50; Sept. 9: Erika Luckett, $16.50; Sept. 11: Don Walser, Slaid Cleaves, $16.50; Sept. 12: Andy Irvine, $17.50; Sept. 13: Piper Heisig birthday revue and fund raiser w/ Kate Brislin, Sylvia Herold, Tony Marcus, Carlos Reyes, and Radim Zenkl, $16.50; Sept. 14: Ray Wylie Hubbard, $16.50; Sept. 15: Vocolot, $17.50; All shows start at 8 p.m. 548-1761 www.freightandsalvage.com 

Jupiter Aug. 22: Stolen Bibles; Aug. 23: Beatdown w/ DJs Delon, Yamu, and Add1; Aug. 24: 5 Point Plan; Aug. 25: Mitch Marcus Quintet; Aug. 28: Big Lou and Polka Casserole; Aug. 29: Secession; Aug. 30: Beatdown with DJ’s Delon, Yamu and Add1; Aug. 31: Realistic CD Release Party; All music starts at 8:00 p.m. 843-7625 www.jupiterbeer.com  

La Peña Cultural Center Aug. 24: 8:30 p.m. Professor Terry’s Circus Band Extraordinary, $16; Aug. 25: 9:30 p.m., Edgardo Cambon’s Candela, $10, 8:15 p.m. Salsa dance class w/ Diego Vásquez, $13; In the Cafe, 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 

Indigo Event Center Aug. 25: 4:20 p.m. Musicians for Medical Marijuana Benefit concert. Sound Tribe Sector 9, Lost at Last, The Mermen, Ten Ton Chicken, Scott Huckabay, Strawberry Alarmclock, Buzzy Linhart, plus special guests, $25. 1988 Broadway at 19th, Oakland. 869-5391 www.m4mm.org  

Third Annual Berkeley World Music Festival Aug. 26: Noon - 6 p.m. Block party and carnival, Grupo Ilu Fun Fun, Petit La Croix, Samba Ngo, O-Maya, Fito Reinoso y Su Ritmo y Armonia. Durant Ave. between Telegraph Ave. and Bowditch. 

TUVA Space Aug. 25: 8 p.m. Vanessa Lowe and the Lowliflies, Ira Marlowe, Hoarhound. 3192 Adeline St. 655-9755 

“Frank Olivier’s Twisted Cabaret” Aug. 24 & 25, 8 p.m. Frank Olivier is joined by Uncle Paul Nathan and The Twisted Cabaret Band. All tickets $16. Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. 845-8542 www.juliamorgan.org 

“Loot” Through Aug. 25, Thursdays - Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m. Special Performance Aug. 20, 8 p.m. General Admission: $15, Students / Seniors: $10. La Val’s 1834 Euclid Avenue 655-0813 

“Soul Harmony” Aug. 25: 5 - 7 p.m. A spirited one-woman show of history, culture, and entertainment. Written by Joy Holland, directed by Ava Coaxum. Presented at the Black Repertory Theater. 3201 Adeline St. $10 donation. 652-3399 

Lerner and Loewe’s “My Fair Lady” Aug. 31, Sept. 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9. All shows 8 p.m. Adapted from George Bernard Shaw’s and Gabrial Pascal’s “Pygmalion.” Directed by James Schlader, choreographed by Harriet Schlader, under the musical direction of Mark Hanson. $15 - $27.  

“Murder Dressed in Satin” by Victor Lawhorn, ongoing. A mystery-comedy dinner show at The Madison about a murder at the home of Satin Moray, a club owner and self-proclaimed socialite with a scarlet past. Dinner is included in the price of the theater ticket. $47.50 Lake Merritt Hotel, 1800 Madison St., Oakland. 239-2252 www.acteva.com/go/havefun 

“Reefer Madness” Aug. 22, 23: 9 p.m. A new one-act theatre piece adapted from a 1936 government-funded film opens a critical eye to the control of our society. Performed by The Elemental Theatre Group La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Avenue. Wednesdays are “pay what you can,” Thursdays $5 - $10. 655-4150 

Pacific Film Archive Aug. 22: 7:30 p.m. The Werewolf of Washington; Aug. 23: 7:30 p.m. Contempt; Aug. 24: 7 p.m. The Heart, 9:20 p.m. The Outcast; Aug. 25: 7 p.m. Moonfleet, 8:45 p.m. The Blue Gardenia; Aug. 26: 3 p.m. Duck Soup, 5:30 p.m. The Wanderers, 7:25 p.m. Dora-Heita; Aug. 28: 7:30 p.m. Doodling; Aug. 29: (free screenings) 7:30 p.m. The Horror of Party Beach, 9:15 p.m. The Crater Lake Monster; Aug. 31: 7 p.m. The Makioka Sisters, 9:35 p.m. A Woman’s Testament; Gen. Adm.. $7, The New PFA Theatre 2575 Bancroft Way 642-1412 

The Pyramid Alehouse Outdoor Cinema Aug. 25: The Shining; Sept. 1: Breakfast Club; Sept. 2: Pretty in Pink; Sept. 8: Dr. No (come as your favorite Bond character); Sept. 15: Harold and Maude; Sept. 22: Airplane; The Outdoor Cinema features cult classics projected on a large screen in the open-air brewery parking lot. $5 donation. Movies start at 7 p.m. 901 Gilman St. 206-682-8322 x237 www.pyramidbrew.com 

“Sistahs: Ethnographic Ceramics” Through Aug. 22, Reception July 29 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Women’s Cancer Resource Center Gallery 3023 Shattuck Avenue 548-9286 ext. 307 

“A Fine Line” Through Aug. 24, Tuesday - Friday, noon - 5 p.m. or by appointment. An exhibition works by Kala Fellowship winners for the years 2000 and 2001. Kala Art Institute 1060 Heinz Avenue 549-2977 

“BACA National Juried Exhibition: Works on Paper” Through Aug. 31: Wed. - Sun. Noon - 5 p.m. Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St. 644-6893 

“Debbie Moore’s Autobiographical Paintings” Through Sep. 30 at Good Vibrations. Portraits of the artist’s sensual explorations spanning 25 years and reflecting changing ways of intimacy and body play. 2504 San Pablo Avenue 848-1985 

“The Decade of Change: 1900 - 1910” chronicles the transformation of the city of Berkeley in this 10 year period. Thursday through Saturday, 1 – 4 p.m. Through September. Berkeley History Center, Veterans Memorial Building, 1931 Center St. Wheelchair accessible. 848-0181. Free.  

“Geographies of My Heart” Collage paintings by Jennifer Colby through Aug. 24; Flora Lamson Hewlett Library 2400 Ridge Road 649-2541 

“MFA Survey Exhibition 2001” Third annual exhibition of works of recent graduates from Bay Area master of Fine Art programs. This year featuring artists working in three-dimentional media. Through Aug. 18 Tuesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Traywick Gallery 1316 Tenth Street 527-1214 

“Musee des Hommages” Masterworks by Guy Colwell Faithful copies of several artists from the pasts, including Titian’s “The Venus of Urbino,” Cezanne’s “Still Life,” Picasso’s “Woman at a Mirror,” and Boticelli’s “Primavera” Ongoing. Call ahead for hours. Atelier 9 2028 Ninth St. (at Addison) 841-4210 or visit www.atelier9.com 

“The Political Art of: Diego Marcial Rios” Through Sept. 20, Addison Street Window Gallery, 2018 Addison St. hdrios@msn.com 

“Ten Years Here” Exhibit celebrating the 10 year anniversary of Turn of the Century Fine Arts. Through Sept. 14, Sat & Sun 1-5 p.m. 2510 San Pablo Avenue 849-0950 

“Catastrophe, Crisis, and Other Family Traditions” Aug. 25 through Sept. 26; Tues. - Thurs. 1 - 7 p.m., Sat. 12 - 4 p.m. The photography of Jessamyn Lovell. Women’s Cancer Resource Gallery, 3023 Shattuck Ave. 548-9286 x307 

“Squared Triangle” Through Oct. 5. noon - 6 p.m. Reception for the artists, Aug. 18: 4 - 7 p.m. A minimal art exhibit featuring three Bay Area artists working in different mediums while achieving the same elegant simplicity. The Crucible, 1036 Ashby Ave. 843-5511 www.thecrucible.com 

Black Oak Books Aug. 22: Ruth Daigon’s “Payday at the Triangle”; Aug. 23: Phil Cousineau’s “Once and Future Myths: The Power of Ancient Stories in Modern Times”; Aug. 27: Catherine Brady, Jean Herlund, Frances Payne Adler, and Marianne Villanueva and others to celebrate CALYX Book’s 25th Anniversary, “Cracking the Earth”; Aug. 28: Kent Nerburn reads from “Road Angels: Searching for Home on America’s Coast of Dreams”; Aug. 29: Sylvia Brownrigg reads from her new novel, “Pages For You”; All shows at 7:30 p.m. free of charge. 1491 Shattuck Avenue 486-0698 

Boadecia’s Books Aug. 24: Andrea Gabbard discusses “Girl in the Curl: A Century of Women’s Surfing”; Aug. 25: Ann Bannon reads from her lesbian pulp classic “Beebo Brinker.” All events start at 7:30 p.m. and are free. 398 Colusa Avenue 559-9184 www.bookpride.com 

Cody’s Books - Poetry Flash Aug. 22: Trane Devore and Shauna Hannibal; Aug. 29: The New Now Millennium Anthology Reading with Editor H. D. Moe; All are a $2 donation. Readings at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2454 Telegraph Ave. 845-0837 

The Humanist Fellowship Hall Aug. 27: 7:30 p.m. “The Ghosts Have Cameras” by H. D. Moe. A reading performance. Free. 390 27th St. 528-8713 

Spasso Aug. 27: Kira Allen; Sept. 3: Theme: dignity of labor; Sept. 10: Sharron Jones-Reid, Fruit of the Spirit Poets, Acoustic Musicians, Comedians, Rappers, Performance Artists, Writers All Welcome is located at 6021 College Ave. Free admission. 

South Branch Berkeley Public Library Sept. 1: 3 - 5 p.m. Bay Area Poets Coalition holds an open reading. 1901 Russell St., 527-9905 poetalk@aol.com 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Fridays 9:30 - 11:45 a.m. or by appointment. Call ahead to make reservations. Free. University of California, Berkeley. 486-4387 

Golden Gate Live Steamers Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Lomas Cantadas Drive at the south end of Tilden Regional Park Small locomotives, meticulously scaled to size. Trains run Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rides: Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., weather permitting. 486-0623  

Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm” An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels, look into a mirrored fish pond, don farm animal costumes, ride on a John Deere tractor and more. “Recycling Center” Lets the kids crank the conveyor belt to sort cans, plastic bottles and newspaper bundles into dumpster bins. $4 adults; $6 children age 7 and under; $3 for each additional child age 7 and under. 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. (closed Sundays, Memorial Day through Labor Day) Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 647-1111 or www.habitot.org  

UC Berkeley Museum of Paleontology Lobby, Valley Life Sciences Building, UC Berkeley “Tyrannosaurus Rex,” ongoing. A 20 by 40-foot replica of the fearsome dinosaur made from casts of bones of the most complete T. Rex skeleton yet excavated. When unearthed in Montana, the bones were all lying in place with only a small piece of the tailbone missing. “Pteranodon” A suspended skeleton of a flying reptile with a wingspan of 22-23 feet. The Pteranodon lived at the same time as the dinosaurs. Free. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 642-1821 

UC Berkeley Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology will close its exhibition galleries for renovation. It will reopen in early 2002. On View until Oct. 1 : “Ishi and the Invention of Yahi Culture.” “Sites Along the Nile: Rescuing Ancient Egypt.” “The Art of Research: Nelson Graburn and the Aesthetics of Inuit Sculpture.” “Tzintzuntzan, Mexico: Photographs by George Foster.” $2 general; $1 seniors; $.50 children age 17 and under; free on Thursdays. Wednesday, Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way and College Ave. 643-7648 or www.qal.berkeley.edu/~hearst/ 

Lawrence Hall of Science “Science in Toyland,” through Sept. 9. Exhibit uses toys to demonstrate scientific principles and to help develop children's thinking processes. Susan Cerny’s collection of over 200 tops from around the world. “Space Weather,” through Sept. 2. Learn about solar cycles, space weather, the cause of the Aurorae and recent discoveries made by leading astronomers.“Within the Human Brain,” ongoing.l Saturdays 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. $7 for adults; $5 for children 5-18; $3 for children 3-4. 642-5132 

Holt Planetarium Programs are recommended for age 8 and up; children under age 6 will not be admitted. $2 in addition to regular museum admission. “Constellations Tonight” Ongoing. Using a simple star map, learn to identify the most prominent constellations for the season in the planetarium sky. “How Big Is the Universe?” Aug. 1 through Aug. 24. Learn how to determine the distance of celestial objects, one of the purposes of the Hubble Space Telescope. Daily, 2:15 p.m. $7 general; $5 seniors, students, disabled, and youths age 7 to 18; $3 children age 3 to 5; free children age 2 and younger. Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Centennial Drive, 642-5132 or www.lhs.berkeley.edu Daily, 3:30 p.m. $7 general; $5 seniors, students, disabled, and youths age 7 to 18; $3 children age 3 to 5 ; free children age 2 and younger. Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Centennial Drive, UC Berkeley 642-5132 or www.lhs.berkeley.edu  

Oakland Museum of California, Every Worker is an Organizer: Farm Labor and the Resurgence of the United Farm Workers, through Aug. 26; Made in Oakland: The Furniture of Garry Knox Bennett, through Sept. 2; After the Storm: Bob Walker and the Art of Environmental Photography, through Sept. 16; Half Past Autumn: The Art of Gordon Parks, through Sept. 23; Rustler Ranch Mastodon Project, through June 30, 2002; Wednesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday, noon - 5 p.m., Closed Monday and Tuesday. $6 general; $4 youths (6-17), seniors and students with ID. Free for Museum members and children 5 and under. Free admission the second Sunday of the month. 10th & Oak Streets, Oakland. 238-2200 www.museum.org 

The UC Berkeley Art Museum is closed for renovations until the fall. 

Send arts events two weeks in advance to Calendar@berkeleydailyplanet.net, 2076 University, Berkeley 94704 or fax to 841-5694. 

When the 900 students of Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School return to campus next week, they’ll find the main building wrapped with a chain link fence and looking forlorn. 

Contractors have been hard at work this summer preparing the building for a major renovation. When all is said and done the outside of the building will have changed little, aside from the shine of a new coat of paint and the glint of brand new windows. But the guts of the building – floors, ceilings, walls – will be ripped out and replaced.  

Bathrooms dating to the 1920s will be completely redone. Elevators will be added for disabled access and new wiring will finally bring Internet access to every classroom. 

Some classrooms will be added. All will be enlarged. 

It’s part – around $23 million to be specific – of the extensive rebuilding planned for the next nine years under last year’s $116 million AA school bond measure. And, as with most of the work planned under the measure, the King project’s primary focus is addressing “life safety” issues on the site. 

In a seismic retrofitting, the building’s foundation will be replaced piece by piece. Hazardous materials like asbestos and lead paint will be completely removed. An all-new heating system will be installed, and a new fire alarm will be added. 

But these details may be more of interest to future King students than to present King students, since the project will take two full school years to complete. Of more interest to the present students – and their parents – is the sprawling complex of 35 portable classrooms that has grown up behind the main King building in the last months.  

For the next two years, this complex is King Middle School. All classes except science classes, which will continue to be held in the school’s separate science building, will meet in these portables.  

Contractors have labored since July to get all the portables in place in time for the first day of school on Aug. 29. They’re still installing some wiring, and waiting for the generator that will power the school through the first few months of the year. Street cleaners will come in early next week to tidy up the pavement where construction equipment has left a layer of dust and dirt.  

But, as of this week, most of the work is done. 

“It’s just about there,” said Joe Salow, project superintendent for West Coast Contractors, as he surveyed the neat rows of portables Tuesday. “It’s been a lot of work in a short amount of time.” 

King principal Neil Smith is said to be working on printing and circulating a map of the portables, so students will be able to find their teachers next week. Access to the portables will be easiest from Grant Street, to the east of the campus, or through the park to the north of the main school building, Salow said. 

Lew Jones, manager of facility planning for the school district, said the King students will still have use of the Media Center (library) and the softball field behind the school. The only major facility they’ll have to do without is the school’s large auditorium, used for assemblies and performances. Jones said workers are busy repairing bleachers in the gymnasium this week so that building could serve as a temporary meeting space in the years ahead. 

The large blacktop that formerly served as a play space for King students has been covered by the portables, but a new blacktop space has already been installed to the east of the portables. It includes a number of new basketball hoops.  

Work on a permanent amphitheater, which will provide outdoor performance space for the school, is well underway and should be completed before the end of the year. 

Jones said the portable complex will not have all the space King students are used to in the regular classroom building. But, of all the district’s schools, King can best afford to give up a little space, Jones added. 

“It’s always been the only site we have that’s close to state standards (for size),” Jones said. 

King has 17. 8 acres for its 900 students, compared to Willard Middle School’s 7.2 acres for about 740 students.

As the United Nations World Conference Against Racism approaches, a group of Bay Area activists is getting ready to travel to the city that will host it: Durban, South Africa. 

The Berkeley-based Women of Color Resource Center, a non-profit organization working on social justice issues, brought together a delegation of 25 activists and community organizers, who will attend the U.N. conference Aug. 28 to Sept. 7. The delegation includes women of all ages and ethnicities involved in fighting against racism.  

“They are grassroots community organizers and scholar-activists working on a range of issues affecting women of color,” said Jung Hee Choi, the WCRC publications and communications coordinator and one of the delegates. To the delegates, who work on issues as varied as the crisis in the prison system, the defense of workers’ rights, or the protection of indigenous cultural rights, the conference is an excellent opportunity to interact with other organizations around the world working on similar issues. 

“It is another opportunity for us to gain a lot more experience and knowledge about how people are struggling against racism, how people are facing racism in different ways,” said Choi, who also works as an organizer for Asian and Pacific Islanders for Community Empowerment. 

Such interaction, said Vanessa Agard-Jones who will also travel with the delegation, has the advantage of helping activists globalize their fight against racism. 

“The important thing is that we join together and that activists and organizers as a collective voice be clear that racism is not dead,” she said. “There are important strategic things that can be done to address the power imbalance in the world.” 

To optimize their participation in the event, the delegation has been preparing for weeks. There has been a number of retreats to allow delegates to get to know each other. Members of the delegation have also attended presentations on different issues on the conference agenda. 

In Durban, delegates will be active in both the Non-Governmental Organization Forum, which will rally thousands of anti-racist activists, and in the government-level development of the conference’s final texts. The texts will include a declaration and a plan of action. 

At the forum, Choi said, the delegation will hold two workshops. One of them will include some of the people who participated in writing a book called “Time to Rise,” recently published by the WCRC. The panelists will present some of the issues discussed in the publication, such as the impact of militarism on women, or the link between state welfare policy and the racial divide. The second workshop will bring together members of women’s organization around the world. 

Through these workshops and its participation in shaping the final texts, the WCRC seeks to underscore that racism is not an isolated issue. 

“Part of our continuing analysis is how racism, gender and economic issues come together and affect women, and how race is experienced in gendered ways,” said Choi. “One of our goals is to find ways to insert that in different parts of the conference.” Choi said, for instance, that WCRC representatives will try to make sure that the final documents include strong language about the gender component of racism.  

This may not be an easy task. The preparation of the preliminary documents for the conference has indeed been controversial. Earlier this month, the Bush administration went as far as threatening to boycott the conference unless Arab countries dropped their demands to condemn Israel’s Zionist movement in those documents. Although South African authorities announced such criticism towards Israel would not be on the agenda, it is still unclear whether the United States will participate.  

But to the WCRC delegates, the government participation is not critical. 

“Given the number of treaties that the United States has not fulfilled, I’m not all that interested nor concerned whether the United States is part of the conference or not,” said Agard-Jones. 

Politicians, however, do not necessarily agree. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Berkeley, strongly criticized the Bush administration’s position. 

“Reported threats by the United States to boycott the conference are destructive to both the World Conference process, and to the image of the United States as a nation committed to struggle against racial discrimination,” she said in a prepared statement. “It would be unconscionable for the United States to be on the sidelines at a point in history when the world community comes together to confront an issue that is so central to the identity and experience of our country.” Lee will fly to Durban to attend the conference.  

SACRAMENTO — Children heading back to California public schools this fall will be bringing home something new in their backpacks – a list of all the pesticides likely to be used at the schools during the new school year. 

A new state law that takes effect with the 2001-2002 school year that is just beginning requires schools to give parents written notification of all the pesticides they plan to use. 

“Toxics and pesticides don’t mix. I know parents will use this information to learn about how to protect their kids from the dangers of pesticides,” says Assemblyman Kevin Shelley, D-San Francisco, author of the 2000 law. 

Shelley and groups that backed the law are holding news conferences Wednesday in Sacramento, Bakersfield, Fresno, Long Beach, Oakland, Riverside, San Diego, San Jose and Santa Barbara to talk about the new law. They are releasing a kit to help parents, students and school staff understand it. 

The California Public Interest Research Group did two studies of pesticides used in schools and found that most regularly used highly toxic chemicals but no law required them to keep records or notify parents. 

“It was really hard to figure out where they were using them,” said CalPIRG attorney and toxics program director Teri Olle. Some places the chemicals were used were in kitchens and classrooms to kill bugs and on playgrounds and lawns to combat weeds. 

The new law requires school districts to notify parents annually what pesticides they intend to use during the following year. Parents must be told they can register to be notified 72 hours before all pesticide applications. 

Districts must also post notices at entrances to school areas treated with pesticides 24 hours before and 72 hours after application. They must keep records of pesticide use for four years. 

In addition, the law requires the state Department of Pesticide Regulation to train interested school personnel in less-toxic pest control methods known as integrated pest management. The department is also supposed to distribute a manual to schools and maintain an Internet site with IPM information. The department is still working on some of that information. 

IPM methods can include using mulch and native grasses to control weeds or using traps and improved cleanliness and storage to discourage cockroaches or rats. 

Olle of CalPIRG said the real goal of the law is to persuade school districts to use fewer toxic chemicals around children. One way is to encourage parents to seek the 72-hour notice for every spraying. 

“Our hope is really if schools have to send home notices to 200 parents every time they spray a pesticide, maybe they will say, ’We should do this some other way,”’ she said. 

On the Net: 

Read the law, AB2260 of 2000, at http://www.sen.ca.gov 

Read about the Healthy Schools program and the kit at 

http://www.calhealthyschools.org 

Look at the DPR’s site: http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/schoolipm

SACRAMENTO — You get them, even politicians get them – those annoying telemarketing calls selling anything from long distance to siding, right when you sit down to dinner. 

California consumers could put their names on a new state list to never again get those calls under a bill approved Tuesday by an Assembly committee. 

The “do not call” bill by Sen. Liz Figueroa, D-Fremont, is a revived version of one she has attempted to pass several times. Her most recent attempt stalled in a Senate committee last spring. 

It is one of two bills moving through the Legislature in its final weeks aimed at putting curbs on the telemarketers everyone hates more than traffic. The other bill, pending on the Senate floor, is aimed at “dead air” calls you get when telemarketers use automatic mass-dialing machines to save money. It would prohibit use of such machines unless a live person or recorded message is immediately ready when you answer. 

The committee spent nearly three hours Tuesday on Figueroa’s bill, as a long line of groups representing real estate and insurance agents, telephone and cable companies, newspapers and telemarketers sought changes and exemptions. 

It finally was approved by a 7-3 vote, although several lawmakers who voted for it said it still needs work. Figueroa agreed to continue changing it. 

The committee chairman, Assemblyman Lou Correa, D-Anaheim, said he would block the bill from final passage this year if he doesn’t like the changes made. 

The bill would require the state Department of Consumer Affairs to maintain a list of telephone numbers, without names and addresses, of Californians who do not want to receive unsolicited telephone calls. Both regular and cellular numbers would be on the list. 

Companies that make telephone solicitations would have to buy that list and could not call anyone on it. The cost of the list is one of the items still undetermined. Companies that call someone on the list could be subject to a civil complaint brought by the consumer that could cost $500 for the first offense and $1,000 for subsequent offenses. 

Businesses with an “established” relationship, such as a previous purchase, could call people on the list, but their affiliated companies could not. 

About two dozen other states have similar laws. New York’s list has 1.8 million households. 

The bill will help consumers, who are constantly plagued with “intrusive telephone calls,” said Lenny Goldberg of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. 

Several committee members mentioned their own experiences. 

Assemblyman Paul Koretz, D-West Hollywood, said he screens his calls at home with an answering machine because he usually gets five telemarketing calls a night. 

“It drives me crazy and I’m glad to see this bill,” he said. 

However, representatives of several groups claimed they were not the real problem and asked for exemptions from the bill. 

Real estate agents said they don’t make enough calls to come under the bill, while cable television and long-distance telephone companies said the bill could hamper competition with giant phone companies that have most Californians as customers already. 

The California Newspaper Publishers Association also sought an exemption, saying 43 percent of new subscriptions come through telephone solicitations. 

Newspapers could not, under the bill, call people who buy some of the 2.5 million papers sold daily in newsracks, even though “these are our customers,” said James Ewert of CNPA. The Direct Marketing Association, representing the telemarketing industry, suggested changing the bill to instead encourage consumers to sign up for DMA’s Telephone Preference Service list. That national list has 274,000 Californians who don’t want unsolicited phone calls. 

“The DMA list just isn’t working,” said Figueroa. She said not all telemarketers are DMA members. She was home sick last week and received three calls from a business she had previously asked not to call her. 

The Assembly Business and Professions Committee sent the bill to the Appropriations Committee, the last stop before the Assembly floor

SACRAMENTO — Labor leaders and an attorneys’ group Tuesday launched another attempt to raise benefits for workers who suffer on-the-job injuries. 

The California Applicants’ Attorneys Association and the California Labor Federation unveiled legislation that would phase in benefit increases for permanently and temporarily disabled workers over a five-year period. 

Maximum weekly benefits for permanently disabled workers would climb from $140 to $230. 

The bill also would increase maximum benefits for temporarily injured workers from $490 to $651 a week and provide annual cost-of-living adjustments after that. 

Supporters said the bill, which includes some cost-saving provisions, would cost employers $1.8 billion to $2.4 billion a year when fully implemented. 

But they said employers have saved more than $4 billion a year from workers compensation reforms enacted in 1992. 

“The current workers’ compensation system has become a form of corporate welfare,” said William Herreras, president of the Applicants’ Attorneys Association, whose members represent injured workers. “It shields businesses from the true cost of on-the-job injuries.” 

Gov. Gray Davis vetoed benefit increases the last two years, saying they would have been too costly for employers. 

Davis spokesman Roger Salazar said the governor’s office was still reviewing the latest proposal, which was to be amended into a bill by Senate President Pro Tem John Burton, D-San Francisco. 

A coalition of business groups, the Workers’ Compensation Action Network, accused the bill’s supporters of making no effort to work out a deal. 

“We agree that benefits for injured workers should be increased in California, and public and private employer groups propose responsible measures to curb abuses and streamline the workers’ compensation system – measures that would help pay for higher benefits for injured workers without further weakening California’s economy,” the coalition said. 

The measure is scheduled to be heard next Monday by the Senate Insurance Committee. 

———— 

On the Net: 

Read the bill, SB71, at www.assembly.com 

RALEIGH, N.C. — Sen. Jesse Helms, the former newspaper editor and TV commentator who has been one of the most fiercely conservative voices on Capitol Hill for three decades, has decided not to run for re-election next year, sources said Tuesday. 

The five-term Republican will announce the plans Wednesday night on Raleigh TV station WRAL, where he made his reputation during the 1960s with his editorials condemning communists and civil rights marchers, said two sources who spoke with staffers in Helms’ office. The sources spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. 

Helms, 79, was first elected to the Senate in 1972. In recent years, he has suffered a variety of health problems, including prostate cancer, and since knee surgery in 1998 has used a motorized scooter to get around Congress. Two GOP sources said Helms’ staff members have begun telling senior Republicans, including advisers to President Bush, that Helms would not seek another term. 

Eddie Woodhouse, a Helms aide in Raleigh, refused to say what the televised remarks would involve. WRAL general manager Bill Peterson confirmed Helms asked for airtime but said he did not know any details. 

Helms’ wife, Dorothy, brushed aside reports that her husband was retiring. “They are just speculating,” she said. 

His departure could complicate GOP hopes of reclaiming the narrowly divided Senate. Democrats seized control by one vote earlier this year when Sen. James Jeffords of Vermont left the GOP to become an independent. Another senior Republican, 98-year-old Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, has said he will not seek re-election next year. 

Helms’ retirement could open the way for failed presidential candidate Elizabeth Dole to seek the GOP nomination for the seat. She was born and raised in North Carolina, though she spends most of her time in Washington. 

The GOP is defending 20 Senate seats in 2002, including Thurmond’s. Democrats are defending 14, none of them open. Helms has been active in North Carolina politics since he worked to elect segregationist Willis Smith to the Senate in 1950. He was a conservative Democrat before switching parties in 1970, and was elected to the Senate two years later in the GOP sweep led by Richard Nixon. 

During his 29 years in the Senate, Helms has opposed abortion and advocated school prayer. His propensity for going his own way earned him the nickname “Senator No.” 

A staunch opponent of communist regimes and critic of foreign aid, he has exerted a major influence in foreign affairs, serving as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 1995 until this year. 

He frustrated President Clinton by holding up the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and was a primary author of a law restricting the ability of American companies to do business with Cuba. He also was a leading force in withholding U.S. dues to the United Nations. 

Although he has mellowed in recent years, Helms considers himself a family values stalwart and has often condemned what he called gay lifestyles. He is generally considered unsympathetic to civil rights and the use of tax dollars to subsidize what he considers indecent art. 

He can also be charming, with a genteel Southern manner. He ended up on good terms with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright toward the end of the Clinton administration, though he often disagreed vehemently with her on the issues. 

He even endeared himself to Bono, lead singer of the Irish rock band U2, who invited the bemused grandfather to one of his concerts. 

At home, Helms was embraced by Republicans and conservative Democrats in rural North Carolina who became known as “Jessecrats.” Still, in a state whose voters are mostly Democrats, he never won a landslide; his biggest win, in 1978, came with 55 percent of the vote. 

Poor health hasn’t dulled Helms’ appetite for a good fight, even with a Republican president. This summer, Helms stalled the appointments of some Treasury Department officials in an attempt to push Bush to help out the troubled textile industry. 

“He hasn’t changed over the years in the sense that he was committed to what he believed in and has an underlying philosophy to what he believed in,” former state GOP chairman Jack Hawke said Tuesday. 

——— 

AP White House correspondent Ron Fournier contributed to this report. 

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve, still trying to keep the U.S. economy out of a recession, cut a key interest rate Tuesday for the seventh time this year, lowering the federal funds rate by a quarter-point to 3.50 percent. 

The reduction pushed the funds rate to its lowest level in more than seven years. 

Bank of America and Bank One cut their prime lending rate, the benchmark for consumer and business loans, to 6.5 percent, also the lowest level in seven years. Other banks were expected to follow suit. 

On Wall Street, stock prices dropped after the announcement, investors having anticipated the Fed’s action. Within 20 minutes of the announcement, the Dow Jones industrial average had lost a 45-point gain and another 20 points. The Nasdaq index was down 7 points. 

With the latest reduction, the Fed has cut rates by 3 percentage points since the beginning of this year, including five straight half-point rate reductions, which represented the Fed’s fastest credit easing in nearly two decades. 

The effort is aimed at jump-starting the U.S. economy, which has been lackluster for a year and slipped close to recession territory in the spring. 

In explaining its latest rate move, the Fed said in a statement: “Household demand has been sustained, but business profits and capital spending continue to weaken and growth abroad is slowing, weighing on the U.S. economy.” 

The quarter-point move had been expected. Some analysts had said the central bank might opt for a larger half-point move in an effort to deliver a surprise to Wall Street investors, who had already factored in a quarter-point cut. 

Signaling possible future moves, the Fed said the balance of risks going forward remains “weighted mainly toward conditions that may generate economic weakness in the foreseeable future.” 

Many analysts believe the Fed will cut rates again at its next meeting on Oct. 2. 

The Bush administration is counting on lower interest rates plus the impact of nearly $40 billion in tax rebate money this year to boost consumer demand and provide greater strength in the second half of the year. 

Economists point to encouraging signs that an upturn may be imminent, including a report Monday that the Index of Leading Economic Indicators rose by 0.3 percent in July, the fourth consecutive monthly gain. 

The economy barely grew in the spring, managing only a 0.7 percent rate of increase in the gross domestic product, the poorest performance in eight years. Even that rate is likely to be lowered when the government revises the figure later this month. 

Top forecasters surveyed by Blue Chip Economic Indicators said they were looking for a slight rebound to growth rates of 1.7 percent in the July-September quarter and 2.8 percent in the final three months of this year. 

In addition to the change in the federal funds rate, the Fed also lowered its largely symbolic discount rate by a quarter point. 

On the Net: 

Fed: http://www.federalreserve.gov

LOS ANGELES — Businesses were offered a powerful incentive Tuesday to allow workers to telecommute – pollution credits that can be used to reduce taxes or sold to other companies for cash. 

U.S. Commerce Secretary Norman Mineta told more than 100 business and government representatives that the pilot program is designed to reduce traffic and auto emissions by encouraging workers to “e-commute.” 

But just as important, it includes strong economic rewards for doing so. 

“E-commuting is a tool that can help make your employees more productive workers,” Mineta said during an appearance in downtown Los Angeles. “It could be the best thing you do for your bottom line this year.” 

Los Angeles is one of five cities chosen for the pilot project. The cities, which include Houston, Denver, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., were chosen because of their poor air quality. 

The program is being administered by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. It rewards companies that allow employees to work from home, which presumably reduces the number of cars on the road as well as their emissions. 

Air quality credits will be issued based on an Internet-based survey that companies submit for each employee. The credits can be used to offset fines for pollution caused by such activities as operating a power plant or refinery. 

The program also establishes an exchange where companies that have no use for the credits can sell them. 

The city of Anaheim is interested in the program for its 5,000 workers in part so its municipal utility can use the credits to offset emissions from future power plants. 

“We have an ongoing rideshare program and would see this as very complementary to that,” said John Lower, traffic and transportation manager for the city of Anaheim. “As part of our rideshare annual survey, we’re going to ask our employees if their typical work would be conducive to working at home. I could do some of my work, at least half a day or one day every couple of weeks at home.” 

The state requires power plants to offset 100 percent of the expected emissions, either by installing special equipment or acquiring air quality credits. Often companies sell excess credits to others who need them. The e-commuting program is the first time credits generated from mobile sources are being allowed to offset emissions from stationary sources, according to the National Environmental Policy Institute, a nonprofit organization helping coordinate the program. 

It will be months before local officials determine if there is sufficient interest in the program and design a system to award and exchange the credits. 

The program stems from federal legislation passed in 1999, when allowing employees the option to work at home was an important retention tool in a booming economy. 

Tuesday, officials said companies should be even more interested in telecommuting, given the challenges of the current economic downturn. 

“For a company working on the margins, any productivity gains are an advantage,” Mineta said. 

On the Net: 

http://www.ecommute-nepi.org 

NEW YORK — Stock prices tumbled yet again Tuesday, carrying the Dow Jones industrials down 145 points after the Federal Reserve made its seventh interest rate cut of 2001 but failed to predict that a business recovery will occur soon. 

The Nasdaq composite and Standard & Poor’s 500 indexes, which were already trading at levels last seen in April, also fell sharply in a selloff that came late in the session. Analysts said the widely anticipated Fed cut wasn’t enough to offset the frustration of investors fed up with poor earnings and the lack of good economic news. 

“The Fed indicated the economy was weaker than most stock market participants had thought it was, which means a postponement in any earnings recovery,” said David Lindsay, a fixed-income portfolio manager at Fleet Asset Management. “This upset some investors, who had expected an easier turnaround.” 

In its midafternoon announcement, the Fed cut rates a quarter-percentage point and noted consumer demand still exists, but that business spending continues to deteriorate. The central bank expressed concerns about conditions here and overseas “that may generate economic weakness in the foreseeable future.” The statement also left the door open to additional future cuts when the Fed next meets in October. 

The agency’s worried tone was enough to reverse a moderate stock advance that had begun in the morning as investors bet on a more upbeat Fed assessment or a bigger-than-expected rate cut. 

The Dow closed lower with losses particularly concentrated in financial and retail stocks. American Express dropped $1.55 to $36.60, while Wal-Mart lost $1.65 to $49.94. 

Technology stocks also fell as investors lost confidence that business spending would pick up anytime soon. Cisco Systems fell 89 cents, or 5 percent, to $16.01, while Microsoft dropped $1.92, or 3 percent, to $60.78. 

Analysts said investors are further disheartened that the Fed’s six earlier cuts this year have so far failed to stimulate growth and the overall business climate remains anemic. 

Moreover, second-quarter corporate results were dismal and early indications are that the third quarter isn’t going to be better, making it hard for many on Wall Street to envision when a turnaround will occur. 

“There wasn’t anything in the Fed’s statement to make people buy stocks, so we’ve got more of what we’ve had the last three weeks,” said Bill Barker, investment consultant at Dain Rauscher. 

Also Tuesday, Goldman Sachs chief market strategist Abby Joseph Cohen lowered her 2001 estimates for the S&P 500. In a research note, Cohen said she now expects the S&P 500 to be 1,500 by year’s end, a reduction from her previous estimate of 1,550. For the Dow, she’s still predicting 12,500 by the end of the year. 

Her projections, though, are still quite bullish. The Dow would have to rise nearly 23 percent and the S&P nearly 30 percent to meet Cohen’s goals. 

Declining issues led advancers 3 to 2 on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated volume came to 1.24 billion shares, compared with 1.07 billion shares Monday. 

The Russell 2000 index slipped 6.63 to 472.24. 

Overseas, Japan’s Nikkei stock average rose 0.2 percent. In Europe, Germany’s DAX index rose 0.1 percent, Britain’s FT-SE 100 advanced nearly 1.4 percent, and France’s CAC-40 gained 0.9 percent. 

——— 

On the Net: 

New York Stock Exchange: http://www.nyse.com 

Nasdaq Stock Market: http://www.nasdaq.com 

JERUSALEM — Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Tuesday proposed truce talks in Germany, and Israel’s Foreign Minister Shimon Peres appeared likely to accept. Israel said the talks would focus on a plan for a gradual cease-fire to end 11 months of violence. 

Even as the details were under negotiation, a bomb rattled downtown Jerusalem near police headquarters but caused no casualties. 

Police said an explosion went off underneath a parked car, and a second bomb was found inside the vehicle. No one claimed responsibility, though Islamic militants have carried out dozens of bombings in the Mideast fighting. 

Arafat and Peres have met often for negotiations in the past few years, but amid the current violence and mistrust, producing a breakthrough is seen as extremely difficult. Several peace initiatives have failed, most recently a U.S.-brokered cease-fire declared in June. 

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer served as the broker in Tuesday’s talks, holding an afternoon meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in Jerusalem, between morning and evening sessions with Arafat in the nearby West Bank town of Ramallah. 

In a joint news conference with Fisher, Arafat suggested Berlin as a venue for cease-fire talks with Peres. Fischer seemed taken by surprise, but said he welcomed the proposal. 

“If this should happen in Berlin ... the door will be always open, but I think there are some other places not so far away in regional distances. But this is a good idea,” Fischer said. 

Peres, who was visiting Budapest, Hungary, said he intended to meet Arafat soon, but suggested that a date for a meeting has not yet been set. Israel radio, without citing sources, said Peres and Arafat would meet early next week in Berlin. 

“In principle, there is readiness to have such a meeting,” said Dore Gold, an adviser to Sharon. He would not give an exact date. 

The United States welcomed the meeting. “Whatever methodology that works for the two sides we will support,” deputy State Department spokesman Philip Reeker said Tuesday. Government spokesman Zalman Shoval confirmed that Israel wanted to pursue a gradual cease-fire with the initial focus on Palestinian areas that have been largely calm. If those regions remain quiet, the Israeli military would be prepared to ease or lift the closures that have restricted Palestinian movements for months, he said. 

“If there are areas where the Palestinian people are not involved in terror, we don’t think they should be closed,” he said. 

However, the Israeli forces would remain on high alert in areas where militants are believed to be planning attacks. The Gaza Strip has been the scene of frequent clashes, while Israel says multiple Palestinian bomb attacks have been launched from Jenin and Nablus in the West Bank. 

After his second meeting with Fischer, Arafat said the key to progress is implementing the recommendations of an international commission headed by former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell, which call for a cease-fire, a cooling-off period, confidence-building measures and peace talks. Arafat also insisted on sending international observers. The bomb Tuesday went off underneath a parked car in downtown Jerusalem. Police then set off a series of controlled explosions to neutralize what they said was a large bomb inside the car. No one was hurt. 

Police said either the first bomb was meant to set off the second one, or the bomb inside the vehicle was supposed to explode as police investigated the original blast. They said the car’s license plates were duplicated. The owner of the original car, an Arab from east Jerusalem, was detained, along with two other Arabs. 

In clashes Monday night and early Tuesday, 11 Palestinians were injured by Israeli army fire in the West Bank and Gaza. One of the wounded was in critical condition. 

In other violence Tuesday, two Palestinian police officers were seriously wounded in an exchange of fire with Israeli forces near Ramallah, Palestinians said. The Israeli military said soldiers returned Palestinian fire on an army outpost. 

The Palestinians, meanwhile, are seeking a full lifting of the Israeli blockades that have prevented tens of thousands of Palestinians from reaching work in Israel and have crippled the Palestinian economy. 

The Palestinians are also seeking greater European involvement in peace efforts, and have been critical of the reduced U.S. activity in the region under President Bush. 

At the United Nations, meanwhile, the United States made clear Monday it would not support Palestinian efforts for a Security Council resolution on the Middle East crisis. 

The draft, backed by Arab and Muslim states, calls for an immediate cessation of violence and the creation of a “monitoring mechanism,” which Israel opposes. 

Without backing from the United States — a veto-wielding permanent member of the council — it was unlikely that a draft resolution would go to a vote. 

SKOPJE, Macedonia — With his miniature spy planes at 16,000 feet and guided by remote control, U.S. Army Capt. Daniel Dittenber’s pilots camped on the ground aren’t exactly in any danger. 

That’s just the way the Bush administration likes it. Putting hardware instead of humans into harm’s way is especially appealing to Washington as the United States joins NATO’s newest foray into the Balkans, a mission to disarm from ethnic Albanian rebels in Macedonia. 

NATO’s ruling council was expected to approve that mission Wednesday and clear the way for the full deployment of 3,500 troops after the alliance’s supreme commander in Europe recommended it Tuesday during a session in Brussels, Belgium. 

The mission comes at a time when the Bush administration is trying to get American troops out of the Balkans, never mind sending more in. So U.S. troops will play a behind-the-scenes role. 

Only several hundred Americans will participate, focusing on limited logistical duties. Dittenber, a 26-year-old officer from Turner, Mich., says the photographs his unit’s reconnaissance aircraft will take should play an important part in the risky mission. “We keep an eye out for them. We make it possible for them to see the bad guy around the corner,” he said. 

Unlike the NATO-led mission in Kosovo – where the U.S. military charged in on the first wave and settled in so firmly that its massive base, Camp Bondsteel, has been nicknamed the Balkan Battlestar Galactica – Americans are taking a back seat this time. 

Roughly 9,000 Americans remain on patrol in Europe’s most volatile region – 500 in Macedonia, 5,000 in Kosovo and 3,500 in Bosnia-Herzegovina – with no end in sight. 

The Bush administration has made no secret of its desire to disengage from the Balkans, although it has promised not to make any dramatic troop reductions without consulting with its European allies. 

It will be the Europeans who will pick up rebel weapons at collection sites scattered across rugged mountain territory where firefights have raged since the insurgents took up arms six months ago, saying they were fighting for more rights for Macedonia’s minority ethnic Albanians. After a peace deal signed last week expanded those rights, the rebels say they’re prepared to hand in their weapons. 

NATO has said it will deploy the full force only when it is confident that the cease-fire is viable and lasting. Gen. Joseph Ralston, speaking to the North Atlantic Council on Tuesday, said waiting would be riskier than deploying now. 

Although violence in the country has dramatically subsided, an explosion early Tuesday rocked an Orthodox Christian monastery in the town of Lesok outside Tetovo, Macedonia’s second-largest city. 

A church at the monastery complex, Sveti Atanasi, crumpled behind its twin-towered facade. Blue-toned frescoes of saints lay in heaps of rubble, exposed to the elements for the first time in decades. 

Macedonia’s culture minister, Ganka Samoilova-Cvetanovska, blamed the rebels, who began launching assaults on the village last month. The rebels denied responsibility. 

“Attacks on places of worship are totally unacceptable and undermine the efforts of all those who are striving to restore peace and stability,” NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson said in a statement Tuesday. In Washington, U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Philip Reeker called the attack a “disgraceful act.” 

Fearing further instability, the Macedonian government postponed a census of the country’s population until next year. The census, required under the peace accord, is one of the most delicate tasks Macedonia faces, in part because ethnic Albanians say they account for at least a third of the country’s population. The government says that number is too high. 

Still, President Boris Trajkovski expressed new confidence that ethnic Albanians and Macedonians would be able to start fresh, dismissing any suggestion that NATO troops would help the rebels hold the territory they’ve already seized by essentially solidifying the front lines. 

“The U.S. has a moral obligation to the region,” he told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday. “We’ve been here as partners for the last 10 years.” 

U.S. forces have used Macedonia as a support base for their operations in the Balkans, particularly those in neighboring Kosovo. 

That means the Macedonia mission will be business as usual for Dittenber and the other men and women of Alpha Company, 15th Military Intelligence Battalion of the 504 Military Intelligence Brigade out of Fort Hood, Texas. 

They are already flying the Hunter unmanned aerial vehicle from Skopje’s airport in support of NATO’s mission in Kosovo, where ethnic Albanian militants are widely believed to be smuggling weapons and supplies over the border to their brothers in arms in Macedonia. 

The soldiers can provide real-time video of what’s happening on the ground — data critical to commanders in the field. The information comes from a tiny plane that stands just 5 feet tall. 

Chief Warrant Officer Kevin Williams, 37, of Houston, jokes that the Hunter’s pictures of the Balkans remind him of home. 

“It looks just like a picture of Texas,” he said. 

Tuesday, Aug. 21

Intelligent Conversation  

7 - 9 p.m.  

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

A discussion group open to all, regardless of age, religion, viewpoint, etc. This time the discussion will center on fears and phobias: getting and overcoming them. Informally led by Robert Berend, who founded similar groups in L.A., Menlo Park, and Prague. Bring light snacks/drinks to share. Free. 527-5332 

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 525-3565 

Free Early Music Group 

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Small group sings madrigals and other voice harmony every Tuesday morning. 655-8863 

Berkeley Fibromyalgia  

Support Group 

12 - 2 p.m. every 3rd Tuesday 

Alta Bates Medical Center  

Maffly Auditorium - Herrick Campus 

2001 Dwight Way 

Rap session. 601-0550 www.arthritis.org 

Slide Show: Birds  

in the Garden 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

A discussion follows. 644-6107 www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/hhs/commsvc/seniors.htm 

Storytelling workshop  

for Senior Adults 

10 a.m. - noon 

First Congregational Church of Oakland 

Corner of 27th and Harrison streets 

Learn to tell traditional and personal stories to elementary-age children. Free. 444-4755 www.stagebridge.org 

Wednesday, Aug. 22

Magic Mike 

Noon - 2 p.m. 

Lawrence Hall of Science 

UC Berkeley 

Part of the Lawrence Hall of Science Wednesday FUN-days. Bay Area favorite Magic Mike with theatrical illusions and electric comedy. Museum admission $3 - $7.642-5132 

Lecture on Parkinson’s  

Disease 

11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 

Ashby Campus 

Conference Room 3 

2450 Ashby Ave. 

Learn about the latest treatments for Parkinson’s disease. Free and open to the public. 869-6737 

Thursday, Aug. 23 

Salsa Dance Classes 

7:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St. 

Classes every Thursday with live percussionists, light refreshments, DJ playing Latin music. $10 or $15 for two. 237-9874 

New “Classroom Matters” Open House 

6 - 9 p.m. 

2512 9th St., Suite #3 

A Berkeley based educational center that provides tutors, mentors and support services, will hold an open house at their new location.  

540-8646 www.classroommatters.com  

Lecture-Program on the Armenian Opera “Arshak II” 

7:30 p.m. 

North Branch Berkeley Public Library 

1170 The Alameda 

Dr. Clifford Cranna will present a lecture-program on the world premiere of the Armenian opera Arshak II, the tale of Armenia’s fourth century warrior king. 649-3913 www.infopeople.org/bpl/ 

Kensington 55+ Activity  

Center 

9 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Social Hall of Arlington Community Church 

52 Arlington Ave. 

Conversation, Apple II computer instruction, massage therapy, German conversation group, meditation and relaxation techniques, watercolor art class, tea and coffee. Special 11 a.m. program: Holistic Health, Jan Stecher leads in Rosen Movement. 526-9146  

Friday, Aug. 24

Yiddish Conversation Group 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

644-6107 www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/hhs/commsvc/seniors.htm 

Even Stronger Women 

1:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Free weekly cultural discussion class. This week: Poetry.  

549-1879 

Basic Electrical Theory and National Electrical Code 

7 - 10 p.m. 

Building Education Center 

812 Page St.  

Instructed by “Code Check” author/retired city of Oakland building inspector Redwood Kardon. $35. 525-7610 

Free Legal Workshop 

6 - 8 p.m. 

Women’s Cancer Resource Center 

3023 Shattuck Ave. 

Learn about the Family Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disability Act, and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, and how the laws protect you from termination during an experience with cancer or other serious medical conditions. 601-4040 x302  

Saturday, Aug. 25

Copwatch: Know Your Rights Training 

11 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Copwatch Office 

2022 Blake St. 

Learn what your rights are when dealing with the police. 548-0425 

Astrojax Playday 

1 - 4 p.m. 

Lawrence Hall of Science 

UC Berkeley 

Astrojax is part yo-yo, part juggling balls and a lasso. Museum admission $3 - $7. 642-5132 

— compiled by Guy Poole 

Cerrito Creek Work Party 

10 a.m. 

Meet at Creekside Park (south end of Belmont Street), El Cerrito 

Join Friends of Five Creeks in removing brush to make a new trail along Cerrito Creek. Bring work gloves and clippers if you have them.  

848-9358, f5creeks@aol.com, www.fivecreeks.org. 

Travel Careers Class 

8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. 

Vista Community College 

2020 Milvia St. 

Vista’s annual one-day class for the public on careers in the travel industry. A full-day seminar. $5.50 981-2931 www.vistacollege.edu 

Sunday, Aug. 26

Healing 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Sylvie Gretchen on “Healing Mind.” Free. 

843-6812 

West Berkeley Market 

11 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

University Ave., between 3rd and 4th Streets  

Family-oriented weekly market. Crafts, music, produce, and specialty foods. 654-6346 

3rd Annual Berkeley World Music Festival 

noon - 6 p.m. 

Durant Ave., between Telegraph and Bowditch 

Carnival and block party festival with World Music bands, performers and dancers. 649-9500 www.taasite.org 

Editor: 

Oops. Hank Resnik writes that the newly unveiled Gaia building is the most attractive building in downtown Berkeley. Michael Katz disagrees, calling it a “monstrous Stalinist-style monument to civic corruption.” and suggests it be re-veiled as well as reviled. 

If anyone is interested in de-escalating this brouhaha, here’s a suggestion how we can all come together over Gaia. Let’s follow the example of San Jose and its Winchester Mystery House and all take civic pride in making this building our number one tourist attraction. 

“Only in Berkeley. Absolutely free. Come and be amazed at THE WORLD’S TALLEST SEVEN-STORY BUILDING.” And who knows. Maybe some tourist can solve the mystery of the missing floors. I’m just trying to be helpful. Have a good day. 

Victor Herbert 

Berkeley 

Ashkenaz Aug. 21: 9 p.m. Slavonkian Traveling Band. 8 p.m. dance lesson w/ Joyce Clyde. $10; Aug. 22: 9 p.m. Badenya Les Freres Coulibaly, $10; Aug. 23: 10 p.m. - 2 a.m. Dead DJ Night with Digital Dave. $5; Aug. 24: 9:30 p.m. Caribbean All Stars $11; Aug. 25: 9 p.m. California Brazil Camp Benefit, $10; Aug. 26: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. Middle Eastern Dance Workshops with Ma Shuga Mira Murijan and Nanna Candeleria. $45. 8 p.m. Harmonia, $10; Aug. 28: 9 p.m. Gerard Landry and the Lariats, $8; Aug. 29: 8 p.m. Earl White Oldtime Band, Bluegrass Intentions, plus clogging lessons. $10, Kids under 12 Free; Aug. 30: 9 p.m. Samite, Forward Kwenda, $10; Aug. 31: 9:30 p.m. Wawa and the Oneness Kingdom, The Calypsonians, $10; 1317 San Pablo Ave. 525-5054 www.ashkenaz.com  

Eli’s Mile High Club Doors open at 8 p.m. Aug. 25: Carlos Zialcita; Every Friday, 10 p.m. - 2 a.m., Funky Fridays Conscious Dance Party with KPFA DJs Splif Skankin and Funky Man. $10; 3629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland. 655-6661 

Freight & Salvage Aug. 24: The Great Night of Rumi, $16.50; Sept. 1: Ancient Future, $16.50; Sept. 7: Tom Russell w/ Andrew Hardin, $16.50; Sept. 8: The House Jacks, $17.50; Sept. 9: Erika Luckett, $16.50; Sept. 11: Don Walser, Slaid Cleaves, $16.50; Sept. 12: Andy Irvine, $17.50; Sept. 13: Piper Heisig birthday revue and fund raiser w/ Kate Brislin, Sylvia Herold, Tony Marcus, Carlos Reyes, and Radim Zenkl, $16.50; Sept. 14: Ray Wylie Hubbard, $16.50; Sept. 15: Vocolot, $17.50; All shows start at 8 p.m. 548-1761 www.freightandsalvage.com 

Jupiter Aug. 21: Groove.org; Aug. 22: Stolen Bibles; Aug. 23: Beatdown w/ DJs Delon, Yamu, and Add1; Aug. 24: 5 Point Plan; Aug. 25: Mitch Marcus Quintet; Aug. 28: Big Lou and Polka Casserole; Aug. 29: Secession; Aug. 30: Beatdown with DJ’s Delon, Yamu and Add1; Aug. 31: Realistic CD Release Party; All music starts at 8:00 p.m. 843-7625 www.jupiterbeer.com  

La Peña Cultural Center Aug. 24: 8:30 p.m. Professor Terry’s Circus Band Extraordinary, $16; Aug. 25: 9:30 p.m., Edgardo Cambon’s Candela, $10, 8:15 p.m. Salsa dance class w/ Diego Vásquez, $13; In the Cafe, 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 

Indigo Event Center Aug. 25: 4:20 p.m. Musicians for Medical Marijuana Benefit concert. Sound Tribe Sector 9, Lost at Last, The Mermen, Ten Ton Chicken, Scott Huckabay, Strawberry Alarmclock, Buzzy Linhart, plus special guests, $25. 1988 Broadway at 19th, Oakland. 869-5391 www.m4mm.org  

Third annual Berkeley World Music Festival Aug. 26: Noon - 6 p.m. Block party and carnival, Grupo Ilu Fun Fun, Petit La Croix, Samba Ngo, O-Maya, Fito Reinoso y Su Ritmo y Armonia. Durant Ave. between Telegraph Ave. and Bowditch. 

TUVA Space Aug. 25: 8 p.m. Vanessa Lowe and the Lowliflies, Ira Marlowe, Hoarhound. 3192 Adeline St. 655-9755 

“Frank Olivier’s Twisted Cabaret” Aug. 24 & 25, 8 p.m. Frank Olivier is joined by Uncle Paul Nathan and The Twisted Cabaret Band. All tickets $16. Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. 845-8542 www.juliamorgan.org 

“Loot” Through Aug. 25, Thursdays - Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m. Special Performance Aug. 20, 8 p.m. General Admission: $15, Students / Seniors: $10. La Val’s 1834 Euclid Avenue 655-0813 

“Murder Dressed in Satin” by Victor Lawhorn, ongoing. A mystery-comedy dinner show at The Madison about a murder at the home of Satin Moray, a club owner and self-proclaimed socialite with a scarlet past. Dinner is included in the price of the theater ticket. $47.50 Lake Merritt Hotel, 1800 Madison St., Oakland. 239-2252 www.acteva.com/go/havefun 

“Reefer Madness” Aug. 22, 23: 9 p.m. A new one-act theatre piece adapted from a 1936 government-funded film opens a critical eye to the control of our society. Performed by The Elemental Theatre Group La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Avenue. Wednesdays: “pay what you can,” Thursdays $5 - $10. 655-4150 

“Soul Harmony” Aug. 25: 5 - 7 p.m. A spirited one-woman show of history, culture, and entertainment. Written by Joy Holland, directed by Ava Coaxum. Presented at the Black Repertory Theater. 3201 Adeline St. $10 donation. 652-3399 

Pacific Film Archive Aug. 21: 7:30 p.m. The Direct Cinema Tradition; Aug. 22: 7:30 p.m. The Werewolf of Washington; Aug. 23: 7:30 p.m. Contempt; Aug. 24: 7 p.m. The Heart, 9:20 p.m. The Outcast; Aug. 25: 7 p.m. Moonfleet, 8:45 p.m. The Blue Gardenia; Aug. 26: 3 p.m. Duck Soup, 5:30 p.m. The Wanderers, 7:25 p.m. Dora-Heita; Aug. 28: 7:30 p.m. Doodling; Gen. Adm.. $7, The New PFA Theatre 2575 Bancroft Way 642-1412 

The Pyramid Alehouse Outdoor Cinema Aug. 25: The Shining; Sept. 1: Breakfast Club; Sept. 2: Pretty in Pink; Sept. 8: Dr. No (come as your favorite Bond character); Sept. 15: Harold and Maude; Sept. 22: Airplane; The Outdoor Cinema features cult classics projected on a large screen in the open-air brewery parking lot. $5 donation. Movies start at 7 p.m. 901 Gilman St. 206-682-8322 x237 www.pyramidbrew.com 

Exhibits 

“BACA National Juried Exhibition: Works on Paper” Through Aug. 31: Wed. - Sun. Noon - 5 p.m. Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St. 644-6893 

“Debbie Moore’s Autobiographical Paintings” Through Sep. 30 at Good Vibrations. Portraits of the artist’s sensual explorations spanning 25 years and reflecting changing ways of intimacy and body play. 2504 San Pablo Avenue 848-1985 

“The Decade of Change: 1900 - 1910” chronicles the transformation of the city of Berkeley in this 10 year period. Thursday through Saturday, 1 – 4 p.m. Through September. Berkeley History Center, Veterans Memorial Building, 1931 Center St. Wheelchair accessible. 848-0181. Free.  

“A Fine Line” Through Aug. 24, Tuesday - Friday, noon - 5 p.m. or by appointment. An exhibition works by Kala Fellowship winners for the years 2000 and 2001. Kala Art Institute 1060 Heinz Avenue 549-2977 

“Geographies of My Heart” Collage paintings by Jennifer Colby through Aug. 24; Flora Lamson Hewlett Library 2400 Ridge Road 649-2541 

“MFA Survey Exhibition 2001” Third annual exhibition of works of recent graduates from Bay Area master of Fine Art programs. This year featuring artists working in three-dimentional media. Through Aug. 18 Tuesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Traywick Gallery 1316 Tenth Street 527-1214 

“Musee des Hommages” Masterworks by Guy Colwell Faithful copies of several artists from the pasts, including Titian’s “The Venus of Urbino,” Cezanne’s “Still Life,” Picasso’s “Woman at a Mirror,” and Boticelli’s “Primavera” Ongoing. Call ahead for hours. Atelier 9 2028 Ninth St. (at Addison) 841-4210 or visit www.atelier9.com 

“New Visions: Introductions 2001” Through Aug. 18: Wed. - Sat.: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Juried by Artist- Curator Rene Yanez and Robbin Henderson, Executive Director of the Berkeley Art Center, the exhibition features works from some of California’s up-and-coming artists. Pro Arts 461 Ninth St., Oakland 763-9425 

“The Political Art of: Diego Marcial Rios” Through Sept. 20, Addison Street Window Gallery, 2018 Addison St. hdrios@msn.com 

“Sistahs: Ethnographic Ceramics” Through Aug. 22, Reception July 29 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Women’s Cancer Resource Center Gallery 3023 Shattuck Avenue 548-9286 ext. 307 

“Squared Triangle” Through Oct. 5. noon - 6 p.m. Reception for the artists, Aug. 18: 4 - 7 p.m. A minimal art exhibit featuring three Bay Area artists working in different mediums while achieving the same elegant simplicity. The Crucible, 1036 Ashby Ave. 843-5511 www.thecrucible.com 

“Ten Years Here” Exhibit celebrating the 10 year anniversary of Turn of the Century Fine Arts. Through Sept. 14, Sat & Sun 1-5 p.m. Reception Aug. 4 2:00 - 7:00 p.m. 2510 San Pablo Avenue 849-0950 

Readings 

Boadecia’s Books Aug. 24: Andrea Gabbard discusses “Girl in the Curl: A Century of Women’s Surfing”; Aug. 25: Ann Bannon reads from her lesbian pulp classic “Beebo Brinker.” All events start at 7:30 p.m. and are free. 398 Colusa Avenue 559-9184 www.bookpride.com 

Black Oak Books Aug. 21: June Jordan’s memoir “Soldier: A Poet’s Childhood”; Aug. 22: Ruth Daigon’s “Payday at the Triangle”; Aug. 23: Phil Cousineau’s “Once and Future Myths: The Power of Ancient Stories in Modern Times”; Aug. 27: Catherine Brady, Jean Herlund, Frances Payne Adler, and Marianne Villanueva and others to celebrate CALYX Book’s 25th Anniversary, “Cracking the Earth”; Aug. 28: Kent Nerburn reads from “Road Angels: Searching for Home on America’s Coast of Dreams”; Aug. 29: Sylvia Brownrigg reads from her new novel, “Pages For You”; All shows at 7:30 p.m. free of charge. 1491 Shattuck Avenue 486-0698 

Café de la Paz Poetry Nitro performance showcase with open mike. Aug. 20: Avotcja; 6:30 p.m. signup, 7 - 9 p.m. reading. 1600 Shattuck Ave. 843-0662 

Cody’s Books - Poetry Flash Aug. 22: Trane Devore and Shauna Hannibal; Aug. 29: The New Now Millennium Anthology Reading with Editor H. D. Moe; All are a $2 donation. Readings at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2454 Telegraph Ave. 845-0837 

Coffee Mill Poetry Series Aug. 21: Featured Readers: Victoria Joyce and Theresa Bamberger; Both 7-9 p.m. Free. 3363 Grand Ave., Oakland for info. 465-3935 or 526-5985, or Email: ksdgk@earthlink.net 

Spasso Aug. 27: Kira Allen; Sept. 3: Theme: dignity of labor; Sept. 10: Sharron Jones-Reid, Fruit of the Spirit Poets, Acoustic Musicians, Comedians, Rappers, Performance Artists, Writers All Welcome is located at 6021 College Ave. Free admission. 

South Branch Berkeley Public Library Sept. 1: 3 - 5 p.m. Bay Area Poets Coalition holds an open reading. 1901 Russell St., 527-9905 poetalk@aol.com 

Tours 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Fridays 9:30 - 11:45 a.m. or by appointment. Call ahead to make reservations. Free. University of California, Berkeley. 486-4387 

Golden Gate Live Steamers Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Lomas Cantadas Drive at the south end of Tilden Regional Park Small locomotives, meticulously scaled to size. Trains run Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rides: Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., weather permitting. 486-0623  

Museums 

Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm” An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels, look into a mirrored fish pond, don farm animal costumes, ride on a John Deere tractor and more. “Recycling Center” Lets the kids crank the conveyor belt to sort cans, plastic bottles and newspaper bundles into dumpster bins. $4 adults; $6 children age 7 and under; $3 for each additional child age 7 and under. 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. (closed Sundays, Memorial Day through Labor Day) Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 647-1111 or www.habitot.org  

UC Berkeley Museum of Paleontology Lobby, Valley Life Sciences Building, UC Berkeley “Tyrannosaurus Rex,” ongoing. A 20 by 40-foot replica of the fearsome dinosaur made from casts of bones of the most complete T. Rex skeleton yet excavated. When unearthed in Montana, the bones were all lying in place with only a small piece of the tailbone missing. “Pteranodon” A suspended skeleton of a flying reptile with a wingspan of 22-23 feet. The Pteranodon lived at the same time as the dinosaurs. Free. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 642-1821 

UC Berkeley Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology will close its exhibition galleries for renovation. It will reopen in early 2002. On View until Oct. 1 : “Ishi and the Invention of Yahi Culture.” “Sites Along the Nile: Rescuing Ancient Egypt.” “The Art of Research: Nelson Graburn and the Aesthetics of Inuit Sculpture.” “Tzintzuntzan, Mexico: Photographs by George Foster.” $2 general; $1 seniors; $.50 children age 17 and under; free on Thursdays. Wednesday, Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way and College Ave. 643-7648 or www.qal.berkeley.edu/~hearst/ 

Lawrence Hall of Science “Science in Toyland,” through Sept. 9. Exhibit uses toys to demonstrate scientific principles and to help develop children's thinking processes. Susan Cerny’s collection of over 200 tops from around the world. “Space Weather,” through Sept. 2. Learn about solar cycles, space weather, the cause of the Aurorae and recent discoveries made by leading astronomers. This interactive exhibit lets visitors access near real-time data from the Sun and space, view interactive videos and find out about a variety of solar activities. “Within the Human Brain,” ongoing. Visitors test their cranial nerves, play skeeball, master mazes, match musical tones and construct stories inside a simulated “rat cage” of learning experiments. “Saturday Night Stargazing,” First and third Saturdays each month. 8 - 10 p.m., LHS plaza. Space Weather Exhibit now - Sept. 2; now - Sept. 9 Science in Toyland; Saturdays 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. $7 for adults; $5 for children 5-18; $3 for children 3-4. 642-5132 

Holt Planetarium Programs are recommended for age 8 and up; children under age 6 will not be admitted. $2 in addition to regular museum admission. “Constellations Tonight” Ongoing. Using a simple star map, learn to identify the most prominent constellations for the season in the planetarium sky. “How Big Is the Universe?” Aug. 1 through Aug. 24. Learn how to determine the distance of celestial objects, one of the purposes of the Hubble Space Telescope. Daily, 2:15 p.m. $7 general; $5 seniors, students, disabled, and youths age 7 to 18; $3 children age 3 to 5; free children age 2 and younger. Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Centennial Drive, 642-5132 or www.lhs.berkeley.edu Daily, 3:30 p.m. $7 general; $5 seniors, students, disabled, and youths age 7 to 18; $3 children age 3 to 5 ; free children age 2 and younger. Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Centennial Drive, UC Berkeley 642-5132 or www.lhs.berkeley.edu  

Oakland Museum of California, A Legacy of Early California Paintings: The Shumate Collection, through Aug. 19; Every Worker is an Organizer: Farm Labor and the Resurgence of the United Farm Workers, through Aug. 26; Made in Oakland: The Furniture of Garry Knox Bennett, through Sept. 2; After the Storm: Bob Walker and the Art of Environmental Photography, through Sept. 16; Half Past Autumn: The Art of Gordon Parks, through Sept. 23; Rustler Ranch Mastodon Project, through June 30, 2002; Wednesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday, noon - 5 p.m., Closed Monday and Tuesday. $6 general; $4 youths (6-17), seniors and students with ID. Free for Museum members and children 5 and under. Free admission the second Sunday of the month. 10th & Oak Streets, Oakland. 238-2200 www.museum.org 

The UC Berkeley Art Museum is closed for renovations until the fall. 

Send arts events two weeks in advance to Calendar@berkeleydailyplanet.net, 2076 University, Berkeley 94704 or fax to 841-5694. 

Vista Community College is only two short blocks from the UC Berkeley campus but in the minds of many Vista students it might as well be in another dimension. 

“When I graduated from Vista in 1998, the other students were applying to state colleges or just taking their junior college degree and calling it a day,” said Kathleen Jones-West who is now only 30 weeks from receiving her master’s degree from UC Berkeley’s School of Social Welfare. 

Jones-West has also won a prestigious award for initiating the innovative and unique Starting Point mentoring program, which this year helped four students bridge a perceived, but vast, cultural chasm that exists in the two blocks that separate the junior college’s main building at 2020 Milvia St. from the university. 

In 1994 Jones-West thought if she brushed up on her computer skills she might be able to get a better office job. So she signed up for a beginning computer class at Vista Community College, part of the Peralta Community College District. 

“I went back to Vista to take one class,” said Jones-West. “All I wanted to do was learn how to use a computer a little bit better, I had no idea I was still capable of learning.” 

Jones-West received an A in her computer class and was so encouraged, she decided to take all the computer courses Vista had to offer. She also discovered she had a flare for math and was soon tutoring other students.  

Despite her academic successes, Jones-West was not the typical student. She was in her 30s, the mother of two and had not been in a classroom for 20 years. Her husband suddenly became ill and was no longer able to work and the family was forced to go on welfare. Jones-West said the experience was degrading. 

“When I went back to school, I was looking for ways to get out of the welfare system,” she said. “Low wages can’t do that, but education can and I vowed I would do something when I had the opportunity.” 

Jones-West kept her promise and when she was about to graduate in 1998 from Vista with an Associate Degree in computer information systems, she decided she wanted to go to UC Berkeley. But she discovered there was little support for that idea among some Vista staff. “I was told by a drop-in counselor that I probably wouldn’t qualify, I wouldn’t like it if I was accepted and I wouldn’t fit in,” she said. 

But Jones-West did make it. And she said she became convinced that if she could make it, anybody could. “(UC) Berkeley is not only looking for 4.0 grade point averages,” she said. “They want well-rounded people.” 

Shortly after she began taking classes she conceived of the Starting Point mentoring program. With the support of Social Welfare Professor Bart Grossman, the proposed program was approved by the SSW administration and now has been in operation for two years and has trained approximately 100 UC students as mentors. In 2000 the university awarded Jones-West the Community Service Award and there are plans to expand the program to other community colleges in the Bay Area. 

“Education is the most wonderful opportunity I’ve ever had and I wanted to help extend the same opportunity to other people and that’s how Starting Point began,” Jones-West said. 

Vista graduate Adam Ebrahim, who will be starting at UC Berkeley next week as a political science major, said the mentoring program helped demystify the UC campus. 

“I met with my mentor once a week and sometimes he would just show me around campus,” Ebrahim said. “He showed me where my major department was, where the library was and where my counselor’s office was.” 

Ebrahim said having a better logistical understanding of the campus helped him gain confidence.  

Jones-West said one of the main goals of the program is to help Vista Students realize that the UC Berkeley campus is not exclusive. 

“Mentors invite students to sit in classes, financial aid workshops and to football games,” she said. “We want the students to know that the campus is full of regular people just like them.” 

Ebrahim, who has signed up to be a Starting Point mentor, agreed that with the exception of the Starting Point program, Vista was not providing a lot of obvious support for students interested in attending UC Berkeley. But he said it was there if you looked for it. 

Calls to Vista officials for comment were not returned – it was the first day of classes for students there. 

“Once students make it their responsibility and take the initiative to search out resources they’ll find all the help they need,” Ebrahim said. 

Editor: 

In your August ‘5 piece on Amy Goodman and the Pacifica board, you state that what activists are opposing is “what they see as the push to ‘dumb down’ Pacifica programming in order to attract a wider audience.” Actually, what we activists oppose is a consistent policy that the board has been implementing to remove significant left political opinions from Pacifica. Goodman’s Democracy Now! is just one of numerous examples. It is the Pacifica board that claims that it is trying to reach a wider audience. In Houston, e.g., where the board has been successful, they reach a different audience by playing music instead of public affairs.  

What is important to understand is that, small as the Pacifica audience was, nothing on radio or TV with a larger audience was truly critical of U.S. foreign and domestic policies. 

Richard Wiebe 

Berkeley 

East Bay Pride, an Oakland-based organization advocating for gay, lesbian and transgender rights, was not alone expressing outrage at an Aug. 14 Oakland Tribune editorial calling Councilmember Kriss Worthington despicable and a coward and calling the gay council member a single-issue politician. 

The Oakland Tribune news staff got together to condemn the piece. “We were embarrassed by that thing,” said Sean Holstege, The Tribune’s transportation writer and union representative. “We as a group think that this was reckless. This whole Kriss Worthington thing (shows that the paper’s management is) out of touch with its readers.” 

The editorial was even more insulting to the newsroom staff because the reporters, currently working without a contract, are in labor negotiations on related issues, Holstege said.  

Part of what staff wants is an agreement to promote diversity in the newsroom. They also want domestic partner benefits. 

Holstege described the diversity demand as a “mom and apple pie” issue, but accused managers of stalling on the question, alleging they did not want to put teeth into a clause in the contract by allowing grievances to be filed over it.  

They’ve been stuck on this question, unable to get to the issue of domestic partners, he said.  

The issue of the editorial, deemed anti-gay by many, and the bid for better working conditions – including a salary increase great enough so that people can afford to live in the area – is related, Holstege said. “We live here. We work here. We are the community.” 

Tribune Editor Mario Dianda said that once he learned that the reporters were unhappy about the editorial, he sat down with them. “We had a little staff meeting and acknowledged that we may have been too harsh,” he said.  

He went on to say, however, that the paper would not take positions based on popular views held by the community or of its newsroom staff. “Editorials are sometimes not supposed to please everybody,” he said. “They’re not a barometer.” 

Rather, they reflect leadership, he said, noting, on the other hand, that the paper’s endorsement of Al Gore was probably reflective of the community. 

Dianda said the newsroom staff had not linked up the bargaining issues with the Aug. 14 editorial in their discussions with him and hesitated to go into issues being negotiated at the table. 

He did say, however that “We try to reflect diversity in the newsroom staff.” He said the paper was moving toward its goal, but had not reached it in terms of diversity. The paper’s supportive of the principal. “It’s the way it’s worded in the proposal” that is objectionable. 

Responding to the reporters’ stand against the editorial, Worthington said: “I think it’s commendable that they think about the integrity of the public they work for. It sends an added message to the broader community that they are not in agreement with the extremism that was perceived as an attack on me and on the gay community.” 

Holstege added that there have been fliers circulated in the community calling for a boycott of The Oakland Tribune, but the reporters do not support that action. 

Editor: 

So the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Task Force thinks making people easier to see is going to prevent drivers from hitting them? I suppose more lights and reflectors can’t hurt, but as one who has been both driver and pedestrian in Berkeley for a long time, and used a wheelchair for years in crosswalks and bike lanes, I don’t think the problem is that drivers can’t see their victims. The problem is we’ve thrown in the towel on requiring motorists to behave themselves. We’re trying to manage traffic on the honor system, and it isn’t working. 

At this point, the driver who runs a red light is in far less danger of getting a ticket than the one who stops for it is of getting rear-ended by an SUV. And the gentle soul who slows for a child in the crosswalk may well see him get squashed by a fellow motorist swerving to pass at 40 miles an hour. 

Lights and reflectors certainly are a good idea, at least after dark, but if we want safer streets, what, exactly, is the argument against aggressive enforcement of traffic laws? I’m thinking of the laws against speeding and running red lights, and (remember this one?) requiring drivers to yield to people in crosswalks. Speaking from personal experience (years ago, when I was young and stupid, and bad driving was against the law), a flashing light in your rear-view mirror can result in lasting behavior changes. And though getting a ticket is no fun, it’s a lot better than accidentally killing someone. 

I don’t think having to slow down and let an occasional pedestrian escape would make driving in Berkeley any more frustrating than it already is, or even waste much time. What those fleets of cars are rushing to is the next light, and if they don’t stop for that one, they’ll have to stop for the one after it. 

Enforcing traffic laws would change what it’s like to get around this town. Whether the goal is getting people to come shop here, or getting them out of their cars, improving the experience of the undefended street-user, and her or his odds of survival, would help. Decorations won’t do the trick. 

Ann Sieck 

Berkele

Don Arreola Burl’s ingenuity created Playground Rats, a competitive summer sports program that’s part of the Berkeley-Albany YMCA offerings.  

The six-week sport medley, primarily of baseball and basketball, was happily conceived several years ago. Burl’s idea was to replicate what he’d enjoyed as a kid, taking high energy out to the playground and playing all day long, with the least amount of interruption or direct supervision from the adults as possible. Playground Rats has been so successful that parents hang out on the side lines while their kids, reluctant to go home for dinner, finish “just one more” game. 

The program is at Hillside School off Cedar Street and Euclid, fairy tale like in the morning fog with towering redwoods and the smell of what could be the Sierra. Kids start playing informally as they arrive and then the organized games of the morning begin, with teams competing in a series of baseball and basketball “house” games. Stats are kept on each child and posted. A new child might be chagrined to see his batting average is low but, Burl reports, the same kid rejoices seeing his stats improve as the weeks progress. Playground Rats is billed as a program for kids who love to compete, however Don Burl and Carol Wiegel, his work partner at Hillside, have kept the emphasis away from the ‘cut throat’ toward the exhilaration of competing. The athletes learn to be team leaders and followers, they learn rules and strategies, and they fully enjoy themselves in an extremely challenging, yet safe, environment.  

Playground Rats has gone through a variety of combinations and permutations since its conception. One year girls had a special two week period of sports with Don while the boys cooked after shopping in north Berkeley with Carol. But now the boys and girls enjoy the full six weeks together and all the counselors-in-training are Rats alumni. 

Parents and kids alike idolize Don Burl. He is a tall, unassuming man in his early forties with an even temperament. He exudes a steadiness that is magnetic and he, unequivocally, loves sports. Not much rattles Don or his vision; one would assume he was always full of confidence. But he attributes his success to his grandmother, Louise Nelson, his wife, Michele Arreola Burl, his former boss at the “Y,” Catherine Jamison and to his sixth grade teacher, Steven Phelps. 

Born in San Francisco, Donald Burl is the oldest of four children. He was raised primarily by his grandparents, and it was his grandmother who got him interested in sports. She taught him to ride a bike in Golden Gate Park by jumping on the bike, (she was in her early 80s), riding straight into a sprinkler system and falling off, then telling him to jump on. She was a Giant’s fan and listened to the games on the radio. She bought him his first bat and glove and told him to “go out there and play”. 

In the late ’60s, there was a Coca Cola promotion that involved collecting and redeeming bottle caps, with baseball players’ faces on them, for sports equipment. Burl’s grandmother rigged up magnets on a string and she and Donald went around town fishing bottle caps out of Coke machine pockets. When they went to redeem them, they took them to Columbia Park Boy’s Club. They were impressed to see boys there involved in a sports bonanza with a gym, a playfield, a game room and leagues. When his grandmother discovered for $1 Donald could go also, all day every day of the year, and back again after dinner, she enrolled him on the spot. His experience with the Boys’ Club was the prototype for Playground Rats. 

For middle school, Burl chose to go to Sacred Heart School in the Filmore because they had competitive sports. His sixth grade teacher, Steve Phelps, taught him that he could do things he hadn’t done before. Though he wanted to play in the outfield, like his favorite Giant, Willie Mays, Don was a chunky kid with no speed. During baseball season, Phelps strapped catcher’s leg protectors to Don’s legs, as he told him, “You can do this, this is not hard.” Don became an adept catcher. Phelps also taught him to hold a basketball and to shoot. He was a good jumper, already 6 feet tall. He held the center, ‘five-spot’ position, throughout his years in basketball.  

Phelps loaded all the kids into his car and made sure they got to all the games and had the equipment they needed. He kept track of his athletes as they grew up, giving them continued support and encouragement. Burl played basketball through his high school years at Sacred Heart on Van Ness. At one point, in the early ’70s, a Black Student Union tried to organize the black athletes – all the athletes were black in a predominately white school – to protest inequalities by giving up sports to make a point. Don realized he couldn’t do that, he wanted desperately to keep playing. He was willing to make a point but not by keeping himself from competing. 

The big mistake in those years, Burl says, was going to a two-year instead of a four- year college. He played ball for two years at City College, but when it was time to transition to San Francisco State, it was more than he was able to do. He dropped out of school and began full-time work in a variety of jobs. 

Eventually he went back to school and in 1984 Catherine Jamison hired him at the Berkeley-Albany YMCA. Jamison gave him ample responsibility and the support needed to develop basketball leagues, including one for girls, at the Albany Y. When he proposed the Playground Rat idea 11 years ago, she gave him the go ahead. It is a very different program from the typical child care programs of the Y and it took awhile for everyone to understand that the adults teach the games, and modifications of games, and the kids play them. There is no overbearing pressure from any adult during the games. The kids come as close as they can to having a sand lot “neighborhood” experience on this urban asphalt. 

Throughout the school year, Burl works for the Berkeley Unified School District running sports programs at John Muir and Washington schools and at Berkwood Hedge, a private school. Recently Burl has been an integral part of the Little Giants program promoting baseball with youth throughout the Bay Area. 

He and his wife Michele Arreola, formerly a Program director at the Y, have two young children, Jonah and Anjuli, and Don’s sons from a first marriage, Shaun and Ryan, are part of their family mix. Shaun plays basketball for Berkeley High and Ryan is a football natural.  

Despite the fact that work days are long, 10 to 12 hours, Don Burl looks forward to each summer when he can bring to Berkeley’s youth the gift of unending games.  

Editor: 

Kriss Worthington’s bizarre rant against Alameda Newspaper Group and The Tribune which published an editorial about him this week prove several things, one of which is that he’s not fit for public office. 

Mr. Worthington recoiling in horror at the words in the Tribune prove not only does the truth sting, but also that he was caught behaving badly and is now doing what some one with out a leg to stand on does; shouts discrimination at the top of their lungs. 

We, in the era following the advent “political correctness,” tend to cave at accusations of discrimination regardless how absurd they are or who’s making them. Worthington knows this and uses this to his advantage when ever possible, drawing attention to himself and his “cause”, all the while attempting to deflect what ever faux pas he’s committed this time. 

The Tribune, like any decent news source, covered the Boy Scout flap created by Worthington. They were not discriminatory, inflammatory and did not bash any social group. What they did was state the facts and outline the poor actions taken by Worthington who once again succeeded in making Berkeley look like a city full of ill-mannered, weirdo radicals to a visiting group of foreigners. 

Bravo, Kriss! This is of course, the image that we want. It’s in questionable taste to even bring up the roll of sexuality to a group of children, never mind that these were foreign children with no official policy regarding gays. Worthington would surely argue that the presents of the Japanese troupe would necessitate the attendance of their U.S. counterparts that he finds fault with. 

To this one could say, “there’s always going to be someone who doesn’t like you, and I doubt it’s due to sexual preference in most cases.” 

So now, he wants not only a personal apology for an opinion piece (sorry Kriss, an editorial in an opinion, and there for cannot be wrong. Hence, no apologies are necessary), But also makes a long list of demands ranging from an apology to the gay community as a whole, to having a say in what voice the paper will take in future stories on this topic.  

Basically, he wants editorial control of a newspaper! Sorry, it doesn’t work that way. Gatekeeping is frowned upon at legitimate newspapers in this country. 

And finally, Mr. Worthington, if you do not wish to have editorials written about you that use such discriptives as “despicable,” then refraining from acts that can be defined as such would be a good solution. 

Katherine Thomas 

Richmond 

Far from collapsing in exhaustion, 17 Berkeley High students ended their 600-mile cycling trip to San Diego County’s Santana High School Monday with a burst of spontaneous dancing. 

After riding the last five miles from a camp site on the edge of town Monday morning, the Berkeley students arrived to find more than 100 parents and students from the Santee community cheering them on and offering high fives. 

The formal “protocol” of the welcoming ceremony in Santee had to be temporarily abandoned as the pumped-up Berkeley High kids launched into a spontaneous, open-air dance party with Santana High students they had only just met. 

“The dancing just got my spirits up,” said Maria Herrera, a Berkeley High graduate headed for UC Berkeley next year. “I kept on telling them that they were treating us like we were family. And they said that’s the kind of community they are.” 

Interviewed by phone  

Monday, Herrera was ready for a dose of hospitality and warmth, after a 14-day cycling journey where she often struggled to keep up. She fell off her bike twice, hurting her back so badly on one of the falls that she needed a day of riding in the “support” van to recover. 

“Every day for me was tough,” Herrera said. “I have the most bruises out of anybody.” 

The Berkeley students undertook the trip to show their sympathy for the Santee community, where a school shooting at Santana High left two students dead and 13 wounded in March. 

Catherine Jamison, who helped lead the trip as a consultant for the Berkeley Boosters Association, said the students went through many highs and lows, both emotional and physical, over the course of their journey. 

“One of the most challenging things was figuring out how to live together out of the back of a trailer,” Jamison said.  

The students camped out in state parks most nights on their way down, using equipment provided by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. They took five minute showers each night – if they were lucky – and turned in by a little after 9 p.m. The next day of cycling would last from dawn to 5 or 6 p.m., as the students traveled anywhere from 30 to 80 miles a day. 

“I came back after just four days, and I’m used to camping,” said Berkeley Boosters Association Executive Director Ove Wittstock. “But I was glad to have my own shower at night.” 

As high school students from economically disadvantaged families, the Berkeley riders have faced their share of challenges in life. But none were cyclers. Most had never camped out before. Some had never traveled outside of the Bay Area before. 

Taking turns on a cell phone during the 10-hour drive back up to Berkeley Monday, the Berkeley students made no effort to suppress their glee at having overcome such a formidable challenge. Some said they had been transformed by the experience.  

Aramon Bartholomew will be a junior at Berkeley High next year. He said the trip to Santee gave him the courage and confidence to set some tough goals for himself in the years ahead. At the top of the list: a 4.0 grade point average and admittance to the Air Force Academy. 

“Now, I can do anything,” Bartholomew said. “It’s time for me to find another goal and finish it.” 

Berkeley High student Evelyn Del Cid – the only girl who biked every single mile of the trip to Santana High – said completing the trip was full of symbolic meaning for her as well. 

“I’ve always feared the future, I guess,” Del Cid said. The way she sees it, Del Cid explained, the bushes, the trees, and the hills that she battled past on the way to San Diego “were all obstacles that I’m eventually going to face in the future. 

“And I did it this time, so why can’t I do it again?” she said. 

Herrera agreed that the trip has given her a level of confidence and energy unlike anything she’s ever experienced before. But the true heroes, she said she told her audience in Santee Monday, were the members of the Santee community. 

“In the beginning we just wanted to get through the trip,” Herrera said. “But as the days progressed, it was more about (the people of Santee). They could see it in our eyes – that we cared.” 

Editor,  

A news article (August ‘6) said that Air Force Lt. Gen. Ronald Kadish, head of the controversial anti-missile system, will order another simple test of the interceptor because he is “not totally comfortable” the technology will work consistently. Indeed, in the so-called “successful” July ‘4 test, the missile only found its target because the target was carrying a homing device to guide the anti-missile toward it. This fact was omitted from the news story, yet it emphasizes, even more than the General’s own words, what a waste of time, talent, technology, and money Bush’s junior Star Wars program really is. This administration is risking another international massive missile buildup just so they can feed more than $ 2 billion of our tax dollars to defense contractors.  

Bruce Joffe  

Oakland

Berkeley environmentalist Jami Caseber will receive one of the five 2001 Clean Air Champion Awards from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District at its board meeting on Sept. 5. 

Caseber founded Citizens Opposing a Polluting Environment in 1988. The group inspired the city to create the Community Environmental Advisory Commission, which Caseber currently chairs. 

Caseber was nominated for the award by Mayor Shirley Dean. Dean, who has known Caseber for over 10 years, made the nomination because of his efforts to develop an ordinance to reduce Berkeley air pollution from wood burning stoves and fireplaces. 

“I nominated him because he is so passionate about cleaning the air we breathe and is always on the phone or in a meeting or doing something to work for that goal.” 

In 1999, the CEAC took up the call to place limits on wood-burning fireplaces and Caseber led the research of the topic.  

“It’s an environmental justice issue,” he said Monday. “If somebody doesn’t do something to keep the air clean, urban areas will be unlivable.” 

Casebar pointed to the adverse effects of large particulates spewed by diesel trucks and those put into the air by wood-burning stoves and fireplaces. 

The CEAC is supporting an ordinance that would educate people on the dangers of wood smoke and limit the installation of fireplaces in new construction. The ordinance will be before the Housing Advisory Commission Sept. 6.  

CEAC Commissioner LA Wood has worked with Caseber for four months and is happy that his colleague will be receiving the award. 

“I think it’s great that they singled Jami out for this award,” Wood said. “I know he is very passionate about the wood smoke issue and he will just take this as an opportunity to make people aware.” Caseber believes that everyone has the right to breathe clean air and for the past 13 years has devoted a huge part of his life to making sure everyone does have the opportunity to breathe clean air. “Our lungs are not for burning,” he quipped, then added more seriously: “I hope the award will give me a platform as a public advocate.” 

The BAAQMD meeting will be held at 9:30 a.m., Sept. 5 in the 7th Floor Board Room of 939 Ellis St. in San Francisco. 

Staff writer Judith Scherr contributed to this story.

OAKLAND — Seniors, the disabled and caregivers in Alameda County can now turn to the Internet to find information about health care services in an attempt to make in-home care easier. 

The Network of Care project is designed to empower the 300,000 members of the county’s elderly and disabled population, by helping them navigate through the often-confusing, fragmented health care programs that are available to them, says Assemblywoman Dion Aroner, D-Berkeley. 

“Network of care will help people find the resources they need without having to waste a lot of time searching,” said Aroner, chairwoman of the Assembly’s Human Services Committee. 

“It will also provide invaluable assistance to service providers, who must serve their clients with a fragmented system,” she added. 

The Web site, located at www.alameda.networkofcare.org, is a community-based cyber-directory, which allows people who need care – as well as their caregivers and health care providers – to find the right services at appropriate times, and to educate themselves about issues that relate to their well-being 

The Web site, which is being test-piloted in the counties of Alameda and Sacramento, also allows seniors to find assistive devices and inform themselves on current and developing policy issues, and helps them to manage their affairs, interactions and important records. 

Some 800 service providers in Alameda County are listed on the site, and their contact information can be obtained online using the site’s easy-to-search databases. 

The program is being paid for, in part, through a Long-Term Care Innovation Grant, signed by Gov. Gray Davis last year. 

Eventually, the Web site will be available in 14 languages and will comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

SAN JOSE — Agilent Technologies Inc., a maker of test and measurement equipment, reported a third-quarter loss that was narrower than Wall Street had expected but said Monday it is slashing 4,000 jobs because business is expected to stay sluggish for quite some time. 

Officials also warned that fourth-quarter revenue and earnings will fall short of analysts’ expectations. Investors responded by sending shares down 9 percent in after-hours trading. 

The job cuts amount to 9 percent of Agilent’s worldwide work force of 43,000. The move follows the company’s decision in April to cut all employees’ pay by 10 percent in hopes of avoiding layoffs. 

Since then, demand for Agilent’s products for the communications and semiconductor industries has remained weak, with a recovery expected to be “slow and gradual,” chief executive Ned Barnholt said. 

“This decision is one we don’t make lightly,” Barnholt said. “This is by far the worst industry downturn I’ve seen in my 34 years with the company.” 

Palo Alto-based Agilent was spun off from Hewlett-Packard Co. in 1999. 

Agilent said the job cuts – which will be imposed by the middle of next year – will save the company about $500 million a year. The company will take a $200 million restructuring charge to account for its layoffs. 

In the quarter that ended July 31, Agilent reported a net loss of $219 million, or 48 cents per share, compared with a profit of $155 million, or 34 cents per share, a year ago. Revenue fell 23 percent, to $1.8 billion from $2.4 billion. 

Excluding one-time charges, Agilent said its operating loss was $109 million, or 24 cents a share. The average estimate from analysts was for a loss of 35 cents a share, according to Thomson Financial/First Call. 

Agilent said it was plagued by a combination of excess capacity and weak demand in the industries it serves. About half of the job cuts will come in manufacturing, Agilent executives said in a conference call. 

The company registered $1.3 billion in orders in the quarter, but about $240 million worth of orders were canceled. Even so, Barnholt said Agilent still generated positive cash flow and will be nearly debt-free by the end of this month. 

Barnholt also said revenue in the current quarter should be between $1.3 billion and $1.5 billion, with the company’s loss widening to between 50 cents and 70 per share, excluding charges. Analysts had been forecasting a loss of 17 cents per share, on revenue of almost $1.8 billion. 

Barnholt said the company appeared to be “bouncing along the bottom.” The mandatory 10 percent pay cut for Agilent’s remaining employees will end on Oct. 31. 

“We do believe the turnaround is going to come,” Barnholt added. “It’s just hard to tell when it’s going to happen.” 

Agilent shares fell 36 cents to $26.09 on the New York Stock Exchange before the earnings report. In extended trading, the stock fell $2.34, nearly 9 percent, to $23.75. 

In the first nine months of the year, Agilent earned $31 million, or 7 cents per share, on revenue of $6.7 billion. In the comparable period last year, the company earned $452 million, of $1 per share, on $6.3 billion in sales. 

——— 

On the Net: 

http://www.agilent.com 

NEW YORK — A key gauge of future U.S. economic activity crept higher for the fourth straight month in July, suggesting that some improvement may lie ahead for the economy. 

The New York-based Conference board said Monday that its Index of Leading Economic Indicators rose 0.3 percent to 109.9, the same amount it rose in June. 

Analysts had expected a 0.1 percent increase. 

“The signal from the ... index, in terms of its depth and breadth, is that economic conditions, sluggish through the entire first half of the year, could begin to make way for a better economy this fall,” Conference Board economist Kenneth Goldstein said. 

The index is closely watched because it indicates where the overall U.S. economy is headed in the next three to six months. It stood at 100 in 1996, its base year. The U.S. economy has been besieged over the past year by anemic corporate earnings, plunging stock prices, massive layoffs and a downward spiral in the manufacturing sector. 

In an effort to prevent the economy from slipping into a recession, the Federal Reserve slashed interest rates six times this year and was widely expected to make an additional quarter percentage point cut when it meets Tuesday. 

The central bank’s aggressive rate-cutting campaign and an improvement in consumer expectations were among the factors that helped push the index higher last month, analysts said. 

“That means the easing of monetary policy has saturated the economy with cash, which can be used as fuel for an economic rebound,” said Sung Won Sohn, chief economist at Wells Fargo & Co. in Minneapolis. 

Sohn also said he anticipates that the recent federal income tax rate cut and refunds will provide another boost to the economy. 

Consumer spending, which accounts for two-thirds of all economic activity, has managed to hold up well during the economic slowdown and is one of the forces that has prevented the economy from tipping into recession, economists say. 

The markets closed higher following the release of the report.  

The Conference Board said five of the 10 components that make up the leading indicators index improved last month: money supply, average weekly initial claims for unemployment insurance, interest rate spread, average weekly manufacturing hours and index of consumer expectations. 

The negative contributors to the index were stock prices, building permits and vendor performance. Other indicators held steady. 

The group’s index of coincident indicators, which measures current economic activity, edged up 0.1 percent in July to 116.3. The index of lagging indicators, which reflect changes that have already occurred, decreased 0.7 percent to 104.7. 

The Conference Board is a nonprofit research and business group with more than 2,700 corporate and other members around the world. 

On the Net: http://www.conferenceboard.org 

A judge signed an agreement Monday forcing five major oil companies to clean up sites they own that have been contaminated with the gasoline additive MTBE, as part of a settlement with a San Francisco Bay area environmental group. 

Superior Court Judge Stuart Pollack’s signature made the settlement formal. 

“I think this is a very imaginative solution that has been proposed,” Pollack said. “In my view this is a very sensible approach that has been taken.” 

The group, Communities for a Better Environment, claimed the companies knew the chemical could leak into groundwater. CBE said the settlement will help protect the state’s groundwater by making the laws that require oil companies to clean up MTBE enforceable. 

The group sued Shell, Chevron, Texaco, Equilon Enterprises, Unocal, Arco, Tosco, Exxon and Mobil in 1998. The first  

five have settled, and are covered by  

Pollack’s order. 

“What Chevron has agreed to do is what it does as a matter of policy, which is to comply with governmental orders concerning the investigation and clean up of releases from service stations where it’s responsible,” said Robert Goodman, an attorney representing Chevron. 

Arco, Tosco, Exxon and Mobil are still in litigation. Exxon and Mobil have merged since the suit was filed. 

CBE said the companies violated the state’s Unfair Competition Act by using MTBE in such a way that it contaminated groundwater. The group sued under that act in 1998 because the chemical is not on a list for the state’s Safe Drinking Water & Toxic Enforcement Act, which would have allowed the state to force the companies to clean up their sites. 

“For the first time, this order puts teeth into the laws that are designed to clean up MTBE contamination,” said Richard Drury, CBE’s legal director. “As a result of today’s order, for the first time, there will be penalties, there will be consequences if a company fails to clean up the contamination that it caused.” 

Although Judge Pollack was pleased with the agreement, he expressed concerns about a dispute over the payment of CBE’s attorneys’ fees, saying it would be “very, very unfortunate” if litigation continued based on those fees. The settlement says CBE claims it has the right to recover such fees from settling and nonsettling defendants, but the defendants disagree. 

If a solution isn’t reached, the issue would come back before the judge. 

“The first thing CBE has to establish in this case before it can get any attorneys’ fees is that it was successful, and I think if you talk to these defendants most of them will not take the position that CBE has succeeded in any meaningful extent in this case,” said Lawrence Cox, attorney for Arco. 

Unocal is the only company that has agreed to pay the fees. 

Equilon is already involved in cleaning up MTBE, said Cameron Smyth, a spokesman for the company. 

“The stipulated judgment that we’ve agreed to simply allows us to continue to do the remediation we’ve done in the past and are currently doing,” he said. 

Officials at the other oil companies affected could not immediately be reached for comment. 

MTBE, or methyl tertiary butyl ether, is added to gasoline to reduce air pollution. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced plans last year to ban the oxygenate after it was found to taint groundwater supplies in several states. Oil companies have until the end of 2002 to phase out MTBE. 

The settlement affects about 700 sites, and another 700 sites are still being contested. The estimated cost of the cleanup is between $150,000 to $275,000 a site, not including the cost of replacing the contaminated water. California is believed to have more than 10,000 contaminated sites, Larson said. 

According to a 1999 report by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, about 6,700 of those sites are within a half-mile of a drinking water well. 

Cleaning up MTBE also is difficult because it dissolves in water. In many cases, contaminated water and soil have to be removed, Larson said. 

——— 

On the Net: 

http://www.cbecal.org/ 

Judging from the sounds of fiddles, accordions and washboards, Civic Center Park was temporarily transported to the prairies and bayous of southern Louisiana Saturday afternoon during the Ecology Center’s 12th annual Cajun Festival. 

Cajun fans, and the regular shoppers that the North Berkeley Farmer’s Market, sat on the grass sipping organic beer, snacking on seafood gumbo and crawfish etoufee while listening to the traditional Cajun music, which has its roots in French, Celtic, Native American and African American traditions. 

Others crowded onto a wooden dance floor in front of the bandstand and stomped out variations of the two-step to the lively and inviting music performed by Motor Dude Zydeco and the Creole Belles. 

Joe Shelton, fresh off the dance floor, said he tries to come to the festival every year.  

“I come for the music,” he said. “The dancing is fun because you can do pretty much what you want to so long as you stay within the beat.” 

For those who wanted some tips on the two-step, Cajun dance instructor Pattie Whitehurst played Zydeco CDs to

Monday, Aug. 20

Ad Astrea Reading Series and Open Mic Night 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Spasso Coffee House 

6021 College Ave. 

Featured readers followed by open mic. Open to the public and free. 

428-1818 www.hitx.com 

Tuesday, Aug. 21

Intelligent Conversation  

7 - 9 p.m.  

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

A discussion group open to all, regardless of age, religion, viewpoint, etc. This time the discussion will center on fears and phobias: getting and overcoming them. Informally led by Robert Berend, who founded similar groups in L.A., Menlo Park, and Prague. Bring light snacks/drinks to share. Free. 527-5332 

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 525-3565 

Free Early Music Group 

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Small group sings madrigals and other voice harmony every Tuesday morning. 655-8863 

Berkeley Fibromyalgia  

Support Group 

12 - 2 p.m. every 3rd Tuesday 

Alta Bates Medical Center  

Maffly Auditorium - Herrick Campus, 2001 Dwight Way 

Rap session. 601-0550 www.arthritis.org 

Slide Show: Birds in the Garden 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

A discussion follows. 644-6107 www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/hhs/commsvc/seniors.htm 

Wednesday, Aug. 22

Magic Mike 

Noon - 2 p.m. 

Lawrence Hall of Science 

UC Berkeley 

Part of the Lawrence Hall of Science Wednesday FUN-days. Bay Area favorite Magic Mike with theatrical illusions and electric comedy. Museum admission $3 - $7. 

642-5132 

Lecture on Parkinson’s Disease 

11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 

Ashby Campus 

Conference Room 3 

2450 Ashby Ave. 

Learn about the latest treatments for Parkinson’s disease. Free and open to the public. 869-6737 

Thursday, Aug. 23

Salsa Dance Classes 

7:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

1414 Walnut St. 

Classes every Thursday with live percussionists, light refreshments, DJ playing Latin music. $10 or $15 for two. 237-9874 

New “Classroom Matters” Open House 

6 - 9 p.m. 

2512 9th St., Suite #3 

A Berkeley based educational center that provides tutors, mentors and support services, will hold an open house at their new location.  

540-8646 www.classroommatters.com  

Lecture-Program on the Armenian Opera “Arshak II” 

7:30 p.m. 

North Branch Berkeley Public Library 

1170 The Alameda 

Dr. Clifford Cranna will present a lecture-program on the world premiere of the Armenian opera Arshak II, the tale of Armenia’s fourth century warrior king. 649-3913 www.infopeople.org/bpl/ 

Kensington 55+ Activity Center 

9 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Social Hall of Arlington Community Church 

52 Arlington Ave. 

Conversation, Apple II computer instruction, massage therapy, German conversation group, meditation and relaxation techniques, watercolor art class, tea and coffee. Special 11 a.m. program: Holistic Health, Jan Stecher leads in Rosen Movement. 526-9146  

Friday, Aug. 24

Yiddish Conversation Group 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

644-6107 www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/hhs/commsvc/seniors.htm 

Even Stronger Women 

1:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Free weekly cultural discussion class. This week: Poetry. 549-1879 

Basic Electrical Theory and National Electrical Code 

7 - 10 p.m. 

Building Education Center 

812 Page St.  

Instructed by “Code Check” author/retired city of Oakland building inspector Redwood Kardon. $35. 525-7610 

Saturday, Aug. 25

The Pyramid Outdoor Cinema 

7 p.m. 

Pyramid Alehouse 

901 Gilman St. 

The Outdoor Cinema features cult classics projected on a large screen in the open-air brewery parking lot. This week, The Shining. Movies show every Saturday through Sept. 22. $5 donation. 206-682-8322 x237 www.pyramidbrew.com 

Copwatch: Know Your Rights Training 

11 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Copwatch Office 

2022 Blake St. 

Learn what your rights are when dealing with the police. Learn how to monitor the police safely.  

548-0425 

Astrojax Playday 

1 - 4 p.m. 

Lawrence Hall of Science 

UC Berkeley 

Astrojax is part yo-yo, part juggling balls and a lasso. The inventor, theoretical physicist Larry Show, will give a demonstration and instruction. Museum admission $3 - $7. 642-5132 

Cerrito Creek Work Party 

10 a.m. 

Meet at Creekside Park (south end of Belmont Street), El Cerrito 

Join Friends of Five Creeks in removing brush to make a new trail along Cerrito Creek. Bring work gloves and clippers if you have them.  

848-9358, f5creeks@aol.com, www.fivecreeks.org. 

Travel Careers Class 

8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. 

Vista Community College 

2020 Milvia St. 

Vista’s annual one-day class for the public on careers in the travel industry. A full-day seminar. $5.50 981-2931 www.vistacollege.edu 

Sunday, Aug. 26

Healing 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Sylvie Gretchen on “Healing Mind.” Free. 

843-6812 

West Berkeley Market 

11 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

University Ave., between 3rd and 4th Streets  

Family-oriented weekly market. Crafts, music, produce, and specialty foods. 654-6346 

3rd Annual Berkeley World Music Festival 

noon - 6 p.m. 

Durant Ave., between Telegraph and Bowditch 

Carnival and block party festival with World Music bands, performers and dancers. 649-9500 www.taasite.org

The Daily Planet received this letter addressed to councilmember Maudelle Shirek: 

Dear Councilmember Shirek: 

I am writing to you about a life and death matter that applies directly to all residential tenants in Berkeley. The problem is Berkeley’s flawed smoke detector law as it pertains to property owners and their tenants. Recent legislation passed by the Berkeley City Council does little to address this problem. 

The smoke detector law is well intentioned, but incomplete. The law requires landlords to provide their tenants with functioning smoke detectors. So far, so good. Unfortunately, smoke detector batteries last anywhere from six months to two years, depending on several variables. When the battery discharges, the detector begins to emit an annoying chirp, signaling the need to replace the battery with a fresh one. Sometimes the detector itself needs to be replaced. Some tenants will replace the battery themselves, some ask the landlord to replace the battery, and some remove the battery and replace the detector on the wall or ceiling, where the smoke detector now becomes a piece of useless decorative plastic. Carbon monoxide detectors present the same problem. Tenants are often too busy to concern themselves with a smoke detector, thus inviting tragedy to strike. Multiple tenant apartment buildings containing common areas, locked attics, locked basements, and locked storage areas make the issue of individual tenant responsibility moot. Besides, the tenants do not own the building. 

The city ordinance which applies to smoke and carbon monoxide detectors needs to be modified so landlords will be required to replace the batteries at periodic intervals, perhaps once a year, and with alkaline batteries (the best). The landlord must also be required to test and replace the entire detector unit if it is not functioning properly. 

Thank you for your attention in this matter. 

Robert Hagedorn 

Berkeley 

Ashkenaz Aug. 21: 9 p.m. Slavonkian Traveling Band. 8 p.m. dance lesson w/ Joyce Clyde. $10; Aug. 22: 9 p.m. Badenya Les Freres Coulibaly, $10; Aug. 23: 10 p.m. - 2 a.m. Dead DJ Night with Digital Dave. $5; Aug. 24: 9:30 p.m. Caribbean All Stars $11; Aug. 25: 9 p.m. California Brazil Camp Benefit, $10; Aug. 26: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. Middle Eastern Dance Workshops with Ma Shuga Mira Murijan and Nanna Candeleria. $45. 8 p.m. Harmonia, $10; Aug. 28: 9 p.m. Gerard Landry and the Lariats, $8; Aug. 29: 8 p.m. Earl White Oldtime Band, Bluegrass Intentions, plus clogging lessons. $10, Kids under 12 Free; Aug. 30: 9 p.m. Samite, Forward Kwenda, $10; Aug. 31: 9:30 p.m. Wawa and the Oneness Kingdom, The Calypsonians, $10; 1317 San Pablo Ave. 525-5054 www.ashkenaz.com  

Eli’s Mile High Club Doors open at 8 p.m. Aug. 25: Carlos Zialcita; Every Friday, 10 p.m. - 2 a.m., Funky Fridays Conscious Dance Party with KPFA DJs Splif Skankin and Funky Man. $10; 3629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland. 655-6661 

JupiterAug. 21: Groove.org; Aug. 22: Stolen Bibles; Aug. 23: Beatdown w/ DJs Delon, Yamu, and Add1; Aug. 24: 5 Point Plan; Aug. 25: Mitch Marcus Quintet; Aug. 28: Big Lou and Polka Casserole; Aug. 29: Secession; Aug. 30: Beatdown with DJ’s Delon, Yamu and Add1; Aug. 31: Realistic CD Release Party; All music starts at 8:00 p.m. 843-7625 www.jupiterbeer.com  

La Peña Cultural Center Aug. 24: 8:30 p.m. Professor Terry’s Circus Band Extraordinary, $16; Aug. 25: 9:30 p.m., Edgardo Cambon’s Candela, $10, 8:15 p.m. Salsa dance class w/ Diego Vásquez, $13; In the Cafe, 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 

Indigo Event Center Aug. 25: 4:20 p.m. Musicians for Medical Marijuana Benefit concert. Sound Tribe Sector 9, Lost at Last, The Mermen, Ten Ton Chicken, Scott Huckabay, Strawberry Alarmclock, Buzzy Linhart, plus special guests, $25. 1988 Broadway at 19th, Oakland. 869-5391 www.m4mm.org  

Third Annual Berkeley World Music Festival Aug. 26: Noon - 6 p.m. Block party and carnival, Grupo Ilu Fun Fun, Petit La Croix, Samba Ngo, O-Maya, Fito Reinoso y Su Ritmo y Armonia. Durant Ave. between Telegraph Ave. and Bowditch. 

TUVA Space Aug. 25: 8 p.m. Vanessa Lowe and the Lowliflies, Ira Marlowe, Hoarhound. 3192 Adeline St. 655-9755 

“Frank Olivier’s Twisted Cabaret” Aug. 24 & 25, 8 p.m. Frank Olivier is joined by Uncle Paul Nathan and The Twisted Cabaret Band. All tickets $16. Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. 845-8542 www.juliamorgan.org 

“Loot” Through Aug. 25, Thursdays - Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m. Special Performance Aug. 20, 8 p.m. General Admission: $15, Students / Seniors: $10. La Val’s 1834 Euclid Avenue 655-0813 

“Murder Dressed in Satin” by Victor Lawhorn, ongoing. A mystery-comedy dinner show at The Madison about a murder at the home of Satin Moray, a club owner and self-proclaimed socialite with a scarlet past. Dinner is included in the price of the theater ticket. $47.50 Lake Merritt Hotel, 1800 Madison St., Oakland. 239-2252 www.acteva.com/go/havefun 

“Reefer Madness” Aug. 22, 23: 9 p.m. A new one-act theatre piece adapted from a 1936 government-funded film opens a critical eye to the control of our society. Performed by The Elemental Theatre Group La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Avenue. Wednesdays are “pay what you can,” Thursdays $5 - $10. 655-4150 

“Soul Harmony” Aug. 25: 5 - 7 p.m. A spirited one-woman show of history, culture, and entertainment. Written by Joy Holland, directed by Ava Coaxum. Presented at the Black Repertory Theater. 3201 Adeline St. $10 donation. 652-3399 

Pacific Film Archive Aug. 21: 7:30 p.m. The Direct Cinema Tradition; Aug. 22: 7:30 p.m. The Werewolf of Washington; Aug. 23: 7:30 p.m. Contempt; Aug. 24: 7 p.m. The Heart, 9:20 p.m. The Outcast; Aug. 25: 7 p.m. Moonfleet, 8:45 p.m. The Blue Gardenia; Aug. 26: 3 p.m. Duck Soup, 5:30 p.m. The Wanderers, 7:25 p.m. Dora-Heita; Aug. 28: 7:30 p.m. Doodling; Aug. 29: (free screenings) 7:30 p.m. The Horror of Party Beach, 9:15 p.m. The Crater Lake Monster; Aug. 31: 7 p.m. The Makioka Sisters, 9:35 p.m. A Woman’s Testament; Gen. Adm.. $7, The New PFA Theatre 2575 Bancroft Way 642-1412 

“BACA National Juried Exhibition: Works on Paper” Through Aug. 31: Wed. - Sun. Noon - 5 p.m. Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St. 644-6893 

“Debbie Moore’s Autobiographical Paintings” Through Sep. 30 at Good Vibrations. Portraits of the artist’s sensual explorations spanning 25 years and reflecting changing ways of intimacy and body play. 2504 San Pablo Avenue 848-1985 

“The Decade of Change: 1900 - 1910” chronicles the transformation of the city of Berkeley in this 10 year period. Thursday through Saturday, 1 – 4 p.m. Through September. Berkeley History Center, Veterans Memorial Building, 1931 Center St. Wheelchair accessible. 848-0181. Free.  

“A Fine Line” Through Aug. 24, Tuesday - Friday, noon - 5 p.m. or by appointment. An exhibition works by Kala Fellowship winners for the years 2000 and 2001. Kala Art Institute 1060 Heinz Avenue 549-2977 

“Geographies of My Heart” Collage paintings by Jennifer Colby through Aug. 24; Flora Lamson Hewlett Library 2400 Ridge Road 649-2541 

“MFA Survey Exhibition 2001” Third annual exhibition of works of recent graduates from Bay Area master of Fine Art programs. This year featuring artists working in three-dimentional media. Through Aug. 18 Tuesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Traywick Gallery 1316 Tenth Street 527-1214 

“Musee des Hommages” Masterworks by Guy Colwell Faithful copies of several artists from the pasts, including Titian’s “The Venus of Urbino,” Cezanne’s “Still Life,” Picasso’s “Woman at a Mirror,” and Boticelli’s “Primavera” Ongoing. Call ahead for hours. Atelier 9 2028 Ninth St. (at Addison) 841-4210 or visit www.atelier9.com 

“New Visions: Introductions 2001” Through Aug. 18: Wed. - Sat.: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Juried by Artist- Curator Rene Yanez and Robbin Henderson, Executive Director of the Berkeley Art Center, the exhibition features works from some of California’s up-and-coming artists. Pro Arts 461 Ninth St., Oakland 763-9425 

“Sistahs: Ethnographic Ceramics” Through Aug. 22, Reception July 29 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Women’s Cancer Resource Center Gallery 3023 Shattuck Avenue 548-9286 ext. 307 

“Squared Triangle” Through Oct. 5. noon - 6 p.m. Reception for the artists, Aug. 18: 4 - 7 p.m. A minimal art exhibit featuring three Bay Area artists working in different mediums while achieving the same elegant simplicity. The Crucible, 1036 Ashby Ave. 843-5511 www.thecrucible.com

Members of the disabled community discussed ways to improve KPFA’s coverage of disability issues at a special meeting organized by the public radio station on Saturday afternoon. 

The meeting, which took place at the North Berkeley Senior Center, was the 10th of a series of gatherings designed to help KPFA’s first elected Local Advisory Board assess the needs of the community it serves. Unlike previous meetings, Saturday’s event was specifically designed to get input from the disabled community on the station’s programming. For Berkeley’s disabled people, this was the first opportunity in years to express their wish to hear specific issues that affect them on the radio. 

“Our stories, our struggles are not reported on mainstream media,” said Gerlinde Busch, one of the organizers, who is also blind. “These stories, like the inaccessibility of the built environment, are the stories of our daily life.” 

Like Busch, most of the approximately 50 people who attended – there were KPFA staff members with and without disabilities, Berkeley activists and disabled listeners from San Francisco – felt that KPFA gives little space in its programming to the challenges they face everyday. Unemployment, the need for affordable housing and health care, for instance, are critical issues they would like to be systematically covered. 

But more than anything, the attendees said they wanted KPFA to reflect the diversity of their community. 

“We are different, we are a diverse community and our issues are influenced by what else we are, if we are woman or man, our race and other things we are,” said Busch, during a short presentation on disabled issues. “There are many issues covering our own life experience.” 

One of the disabled community’s main concerns, some said, is to have the media include all kinds of disabilities in its coverage. While some disabilities are visible, others are not, they said. For those who suffer from emotional or mental disabilities, for instance, the struggle for their rights can be particularly hard. 

“All the listed issues around disability are great, but a lot of times there are other issues that are silent when it comes to people with psychiatric disabilities,” said Carol Patterson from the Independent Living resource center in San Francisco. “For a lot of us, the issue is having services available that we can access. People get turned away because their issues are not serious enough.”  

People with psychiatric disabilities, she added, must be suicidal or show they have a severe disability to be taken into consideration. 

Social exclusion was another issue raised at the meeting.  

To Bienestar Davis, a former teacher and social worker who recently lost her vision, there are still many prejudices against disabled people. Most of the time, she said, visually impaired people get jobs working with other blind individuals. Therefore, they do not manage to fully integrate into mainstream society. 

“Because we happen to be blind doesn’t mean that we have to work only with the blind,” she said. “The more we expose the whole society [to] who we are and what we do, the more we will be able to break down those barriers.” 

After receiving comments from the public, KPFA staff members submitted proposed solutions to the audience, who gathered in small discussion groups. 

Among other things, the station plans to initiate a weekly program that addresses disability and to insure that disability issues will be integrated into other general programs. KPFA also offered to train its staff members on disability awareness and to secure at least one candidate with disabilities for the next Local Advisory Board election in October. 

KPFA Community Needs Assessment Committee will hold another meeting next Saturday in Richmond. So far, the radio station has heard from communities in Petaluma, Sacramento and San Jose, among others. It has also sent letters asking for feedback on its programming to 23,000 listeners. At this time, the committee has received about 1,600 responses. The information gathered will create a report to be used for programming changes. There is currently no scheduled time frame for those changes.

Editor: 

Marion Syrek’s letter of 8/10 barely deserves to be dignified by a response. However, her misunderstanding is so profound it must be corrected. 

As is often the case, extremists and ideologues employ generalized and inflated rhetoric to make their uninformed case. Syrek suggests that all “stockholders, landlords and moneylenders” are “parasites” and will eventually be “driven out of the temple.” Using Biblical imagery she attempts to imbue her beliefs with higher authority and credibility. The trick fails. Anyone participating in the marketplace understands her erroneous and superficial assertions. 

First, when stockholders receive dividends they have earned it. Their labor, converted to money, converted to stocks is put to work to support/invest in companies. The dollars raised by the companies via stock sales is used for research, development and expansion (innovation and job creation). Often times stock investors, who risk their money, (which is the symbol of their labor) will lose money. When an investment goes well and dividends are paid they are compensated for the use (and risk) of their money. 

Money is the most abstract form of capital. Classically speaking, capital is anything that produces value. So, be it a tractor plowing fields or money invested to create a better tractor that plows fields more quickly, it is all capital at work. It is labor at varying degrees of abstraction. 

“Moneylenders” are no different. They earn and/or consolidate capital (money) organize and systemize its distribution and make it available, often to those with a good idea, vision or inspiration. In some cases these funds build homes, bridges or even laboratories where stock financed companies do research seeking a cure for AIDS or a thousand other diseases. Once again, capital in motion creates jobs and innovation. 

Landlords too earn what they are paid. Landlords often work(ed) at some trade, earn money and buy a building. That is, trade labor (symbolized by money) for a structure. The new the landlord might rebuild, improve, and expand that structure. Once it is rented the landlord pays taxes (into the public coffers) on the property and profit. The landlord also pays to insure, repair, manage and maintain the structure. It is not a passive process. It involves earning capital, investing it (risking it), working and creating a usable item/object or service which is provided in exchange for pay (rent). 

Like most knee-jerk leftisms Syrek prefers simplified and vilified interpretations of our profoundly complex and fluid system. She forgets that the market economy has doubled the average human life span and increased food production 50 fold in this century alone. This system has inspired the technology that allows us to circle the planet in a couple of days, visit grandma across the continent in mere hours and to instantly speak with someone on the opposite side of the Earth. The market economy encourages and facilitates our inquiry into the very nature and foundation of life as reflected in the mapping of the genome and other profound sciences. 

Syrek should consider housing (without hot water), communications (a phone in every fourth home), quality of food (no fresh vegetable in winter), water (often not potable) and medicine (hard to find) in Moscow in ‘980. Consider also the stagnation of Soviet science in the areas of transportation, computer technology and bio-genetic research. A non-market economy guarantees one thing, stagnation. 

Who are the “wealthy” Syrek refers to? The actor I know who has just received his “big break” after years of effort and on his way to Los Angeles to make big money? Or the long time poor painter who now garners $30,000 per painting after years of refinement and discipline? Is it the Vietnamese immigrant who arrives in the U.S. with no money and now employs a half dozen people in a gardening business, owns his own home and several apartment units? Perhaps it is the Russian immigrant I know who does hard physical labor, builds capital, develops credit, borrows money, buys houses, rebuilds them and sells them for a profit? Or maybe it is the person I know who invented Handi Wipes and made a fortune. Perhaps it is my cousin and her husband who are nurses and earn over $’70,000 per year. They have just returned from a 4 month trip to Asia and Europe. 

Simple stated market economy allows people to pursue and realize dreams. This is good for individuals and society. The creation and inspiration of the individual elevates and improves society. 

The view Syrek represents is less a political or economic one and more the sour grapes psychology of those who prefer complaint to creativity. I pity those who spend their time whining rather than inventing. The greatest thing an individual can do is transcend his/her circumstances and limitations. Such growth only occurs in the challenging and rewarding environment of a free market economy. The alternative is collective mediocrity under the parental control of lumbering bureaucratic states. 

I prefer the challenge. 

John Koenigshofer 

Berkeley 

When Jonah Most told his mother that he was looking for something to do this summer, she suggested that he get a special project going – something like creating a solar-powered skateboard. 

So Most, 12, hooked up with Daniel Holtmann-Rice, 15, and Tom Burchill, 20, and got to work in June. The trio knew each other through skateboarding and building ramps in their quiet north Berkeley neighborhood. Burchill is a Volkswagen enthusiast who likes to rebuild engines and has a shed full of auto parts. In short, he’s a gearhead. Most characterized Holtmann-Rice as “the computer genius.” 

Now, two months later, they are putting together a three-person, six-foot-long skateboard that will be powered completely by the sun. 

“I never worked with electric motors before. I never worked with alternative transportation, especially a four-wheeled machine. So when [Most’s] mom popped the challenge, I was extremely excited,” Burchill said.  

The group hopes to have the skateboard – fashioned after the Maherajah-style board popular in the 70s – running in time for the Solano Stroll early next month and perfected in time for the “How Berkeley Can You Be?” parade in October. After that, Most said they may consider offering rides to people or create something more involved and interactive for the Earth Day festival. 

“We haven’t really decided what that will be. We’re open to suggestions,” Most said. “We want it to be a hands-on thing.” 

The skateboard is not yet tested or even completely constructed, but the group is confident it will work. By cannibalizing an axle and gear drive assembly from a push lawn mower and combining it with two 12-volt batteries, computer and motors from a recently donated electric wheelchair – the skateboard has enough juice to make it go.  

But the group wanted to make sure it would use renewable energy, so they are going to hook the batteries up to a backpack fitted with a two-foot by three-foot solar panel. The panel will trickle-charge the battery on sunny days. Although the wheelchair motors have the technology to turn, they want to use its energy for straight-away power and incorporate a skateboard’s natural foot-turning method. 

To accomplish that, they constructed a sandal on the top of the board that will turn a gear system below the board connected to four nine-and-a-half-inch wheels.  

They still haven’t figured out how exactly that will work and are experimenting with a fan belt from a tractor and grip tape from a skateboard.  

The wheelchair has motors powerful enough to travel about 10 mph while carrying a 300-pound person, but by reducing the gear ratio with smaller wheels, Holtmann-Rice said it will have enough torque to carry 350 pounds about seven mph. 

The group makes regular trips to the hardware store and spends quite a bit of time asking for grants and donations. Most said they have garnered the attention of city councilmembers Linda Maio and Miriam Hawley as well as Access Innovations of Hayward — the company that donated the wheelchair.  

City Councilmember Kriss Worthington is helping the trio get a solar panel — the most expensive component of their invention — donated.  

The sum total of their efforts adds up to about 20 to 25 hours a week.  

“It’s pretty much like a part-time job,” Burchill said.  

It’s fairly good practice though, since eventually Burchill said he would like to work as a solar systems installer. Next, they plan on reconstructing the donated wheelchair and donating to someone who needs it.  

“We want to give it back because it was given to us so easily,” he said.  

With less than a month before the Solano Stroll, the group is focusing on the task at hand.  

“It will be working by Sept. 9, we’re not so sure about the solar panel, but it’ll be moving,” Most said.  

And Most said it will definitely be ready to carry them the length of the Berkeley parade. 

“It’ll be regenerating itself throughout the parade,” he said. “Especially if it’s a nice day.” 

For more information on the project or to make donations, e-mail Most at solarboard@hotmail.com

Editor: 

The decision announced today by Mr. Bush on stem cell research is exactly the kind of “compromise” one should have expected: Neither fish nor fowl, it won’t satisfy the wishes of either party about this problem but will result in extra-windfall profits for some medical entrepreneurs at the expense of needy patients. 

The limited number of already existing stem cell lines is mostly in private hands under patents; any research findings that may be useful to combat various illnesses will be dispensed according to the rule of supply and demand to those willing and able to pay high prices for their treatment, whatever the market will bear. Mr. Bush has now sweetened the pot by throwing tax moneys at those entrepreneurs (as if they were oil companies?). For a long time the pharmaceutical industry has spent much more money on advertising than on research because it benefited from the results of medical research done through grants given by the Government to researchers at universities and in Government laboratories. The results of their efforts were then often turned over for exploitation to private business companies. This administration is just running true to form... 

Dr. Max Alfert 

Professor of Biology, U.C. Berkeley 

The Daily Planet received this letter addressed to President Bush: 

Dear Mr. President: 

You have been criticized lately for some things you have done. This note is to praise, and to thank you for some things you have done exactly right! 

Such as the income tax rebate. My check arrived last week, and after a brief consultation with my conscience I donated it to the Planned Parenthood Association. As you may know, their mission is to provide women with information about and the opportunity to control the size of their families. 

Planned Parenthood is indeed a faith-based organization, which works for and believes in the day when all children are wanted and all families are a reasonable size. When that goal is reached, we will all be much closer to a world free of hunger and malnutrition, and the suffering which these conditions bring. 

Thus you are, of course, right in believing that people spend their money more wisely than do governments. 

Thank you again! 

Kate S. Elman 

Emeryville 

EMERYVILLE — Ten years ago, this sliver of a town was a blighted urban joke of the Bay Area, a smokestack hamlet that became an apparition of tattered warehouses and dead industrial buildings. Below ground was worse. 

The dirt held a devil’s cauldron of solvents, heavy metals and 55-gallon barrels of chemicals buried before World War II. 

“Arsenic, pesticides, petroleums. It had the works,” says Ignacio Dayrit, a City Hall redevelopment specialist. 

But today, experts call Emeryville a leader and national model in remaking industrial wastelands. 

Wherever you go in Emeryville, thanks to a prime location and the Bay Area’s 1990s high tech explosion, there are new lofts and apartments, hotels and entertainment centers on cleaned-up land. 

This success and others like it, including the California Speedway built over an extinct Kaiser Steel site in Fontana, are proving enviable. As suburban growth becomes constrained and people flock to central cities, municipalities and land developers view thousands of blighted acres as growth’s new frontier. Some estimate the state has 90,000 vacant sites behind barbed wire and chain link fences. 

Though states like Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New Jersey are considered trailblazers in brownfields development, California has more sites than any other state, says Stephanie Shakofsky, director of the California Center for Land Recycling. 

At the state Capitol, legislators are awakening to possibilities for these so called “brownfields.” 

Now beneath the Capitol dome, cities, environmentalists, lawyers, state agencies, developers and insurance companies are jostling over who will clean them up and to whose standards. 

One proposal symbolizes the struggle. A bill that would give cities new power to investigate vacant sites for possible contamination and force cleanups is being heard Tuesday by the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee, which killed it last year and a competing bill this year. 

Author Sen. Martha Escutia, a Democrat who represents vacant industrial areas east of Los Angeles, wants to build central-city housing on the cleaned up sites. 

Escutia says California cities are up against thousands of land owners who prefer not to know what’s beneath their property. Many, fearing huge cleanup costs and liability, have simply fenced off their land. They neither sell nor develop. 

But other powerful interests have their own ideas. Environmentalists say Escutia’s approach is not strict enough and business says it’s too strict. 

Meanwhile, as debate continues in Sacramento, Emeryville is beginning its biggest brownfields project yet. Near the city’s IKEA furniture and home store, a developer is planning the Emeryville Town Center. The Main Street mix of condominiums, stores and entertainment occupies land that once housed a lime and sulfur plant, paint pigment manufacturer, trucking company and insecticide plant. 

Robert Doty, an attorney who guided Emeryville through the cleanup, calls this simple real estate economics.  

“Projects that were once thought of as ‘Oh God, don’t go there,’” he says, “are now being developed with some very nice features.” 

UC Berkeley has announced that it will extend its period for public comment on a draft document that details potential environmental impacts of proposed campus construction. 

The public now has until Aug. 30 to comment of the draft environmental impact report. 

The campus is proposing to replace Stanley Hall and Davis Hall with seismically adept structures to house the university's health science laboratories as well as the research facilities of the bioengineering and information technology departments. 

According the draft EIR, construction noise and the loss of tennis courts and a skateboarding area on Hearst Avenue are the significant, unavoidable impacts that will result if the university goes ahead with its bintentions. 

The university's proposal would convert the tennis court into parking spaces, something that some members of the community were concerned about during a public hearing held earlier this year. 

The university is considering relocating the courts, although it is not part of the current proposal. 

Community members were also concerned about parking availability and traffic congestion during construction. According to the EIR, while truck traffic will have an impact, trips could be scheduled to minimize the disturbance. 

The draft EIR also found that the project would raise the total number of developed acres on campus above that envisioned in the university's Long Range Development Plan, which addresses construction on campus from 1990 to 2005. In order to comply with the plan, the university would have to amend it. 

In addition to the creation of two new buildings, the proposed project calls for the seismic retrofit of three other buildings, and an extension to Soda Hall, the computer sciences building.

California governor wants to help power company avoid bankruptcy; some senators are unconvinced 

SAN FRANCISCO – Fresh from a summer break, lawmakers return to Sacramento on Monday to the unfinished business of how to prevent Southern California Edison from following the state’s largest utility into bankruptcy. 

Should Edison go down that road, ratepayers could face higher rates ordered by a bankruptcy judge to help pay the utility’s $3.3 billion debt, warned a group of utility, consumer advocacy and state representatives Sunday. 

Wall Street investors could doubt the state’s commitment to solving its energy problems and not buy enough bonds for California to recoup the billions it has spent buying electricity, they said. The state’s economy could flounder. 

The group, which included the general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and a representative of utility employees, urged lawmakers to pass one of many plans before the Legislature that would give Edison just under $3 billion to climb out of debt. 

“The alternative to getting Edison restored to stability is bankruptcy, and that’s ultimately bad for California,” said Hilary McLean, a spokeswoman for Gov. Gray Davis. Bankruptcy, McLean said, would leave many of the utility’s financial decisions up to the court, and lessen the state’s influence. 

Not all lawmakers think bankruptcy is the worst outcome. 

Sen. Debra Bowen, D-Marina del Rey and head of the Senate Energy Committee, has said it’s not clear there’s anything the state can gain by negotiating with one utility while the other is in bankruptcy. 

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. filed for federal bankruptcy protection April 6 and has continued paying county taxes, past-due bills to independent energy producers and still keeps the lights on with help from the state. 

However, legal experts predict the case — which involves more than 50,000 creditors and billions of dollars — could take years to resolve. Though U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali has said he won’t touch electric rates, raising them is an option at his disposal to ensure the utility has enough money to pay back its debts. 

Just how Edison should be saved, and whether it’s necessary, have been subjects of debate since the start of the year, when the financially troubled utility’s credit rating plummeted and it lost its ability to buy electricity for its own customers. 

The state has spent more than $9.6 billion buying electricity for Edison customers, as well as those of PG&E and San Diego Gas and Electric Co. since January. 

To get that money back, it needs to float some $12.5 billion in bonds. To do that, it needs to convince Wall Street investors that enough money is flowing into the state from ratepayers to keep the state funded. 

The upcoming week should tell much about how the state plans to meet its energy needs and solve existing funding and supply predicaments: 

— State power regulators meet Thursday in San Francisco, and are scheduled to decide whether SDG&E customers will see higher electric rates to help the utility cover its energy-buying losses. 

The Public Utilities Commission also will decide whether electricity customers in California can continue to choose who delivers their electricity the same way they pick a long distance phone service. 

And, it will decide whether to allow the water department to receive rate increases without public review — a dramatic loss of PUC authority which for perhaps the first time has brought together consumer advocates, utilities and the state’s major industry and trade groups in opposition to an energy-related issue. 

— The state’s Public Power Authority — charged with building power plants if private investment doesn’t build enough to comfortably meet California’s energy needs — meets for the first time Friday. 

It is yet unclear whether the agency also eventually will take over the Department of Water Resources’ power-buying duties, or work with the manager of the state’s power grid to schedule sufficient amounts of electricity to keep rolling blackouts from returning to the Golden State.

LOS ANGELES – The agency that buys and sells electricity on behalf of the California government will pull traders from a power grid control room. 

Six buyers from the state Department of Water Resources will be removed from the Folsom control room of the California Independent System Operator by Sept. 1, said Pete Garris, who oversees state power purchases. 

The water department is the largest buyer of electricity in the West. 

Cal-ISO, which runs California’s power transmission system, is supposed to be independent of any party involved in the state’s electricity market. 

But there is an increasing chorus of concern about its impartiality, especially since Gov. Gray Davis was allowed to appoint the agency’s board members under emergency measures approved amid blackouts earlier this year. 

Davis appointees also head the water department, which has been buying billions of dollars worth of electricity for debt-ridden private utilities during the power crunch. The state spent more than $909 million on power in July alone. 

The Cal-ISO control room holds secret bid information and other sensitive market data. State officials have said the access is crucial to ensuring a decent power supply. But power industry executives and lawmakers say the setup has given the state an unfair advantage over private firms.

TRENTON, N.J. – When the European Union blocked Honeywell Inc.’s merger with General Electric last month, throwing Honeywell in limbo, its board of directors knew they needed a new leader fast to reassure skittish shareholders and stabilize the company. 

They didn’t look far. 

The board had already been courting retired chief executive Lawrence Bossidy. Within hours of the EU’s announcement, CEO Michael Bonsignore was out and Bossidy was back at the helm of the Morris Township automotive and aircraft equipment maker. 

With so many other companies laying off workers amid a slumping economy, falling sales, missed earnings targets and plunging stock prices, a number of major corporations have tried Honeywell’s strategy, bringing back a respected leader from retirement. 

“I think we started really seeing it about a year ago,” said John Brandt, editorial director of Chief Executive magazine. “I call them re-CEOs.” 

Companies that have reappointed a retired chief executive, at least temporarily, amid a leadership crisis include such household names as Xerox, Campbell Soup and computer makers Apple and Gateway. 

In Cupertino, Apple Computer co-founder Steve Jobs left the company in 1985 but returned as an adviser in 1996. The following summer, the board removed CEO Gil Amelio after several years of losses and named the charismatic Jobs interim CEO. 

In January 2000, after slashing costs, introducing popular new computers such as the iMac, returning Apple to profitability and sending its stock shares soaring, Jobs reassured Mac enthusiasts by dropping the “interim” from his title. 

Sometimes the executive’s chair is barely cold when company directors call. 

At San Diego-based Gateway Inc., founder and chief executive Ted Waitt left in January 2000. A sales slump and layoffs led the personal computer maker’s board this January to announce Waitt was returning as CEO; the news sent Gateway’s shares up nearly 15 percent. 

Others include telecommunications giant Lucent Technologies, chemical maker Hercules Inc., financial-software company Intuit and the nation’s largest for-profit hospital chain, HCA. Contact lens maker Bausch & Lomb last month rehired its previous CEO as chairman, and fiber-optics maker Corning Inc. did the same thing in June. 

“I think there’s generally acclaim from the shareholders when they bring back these legendary CEOs,” Brandt said. “They tend to be someone who had a run of anywhere from 5 to 10 to 20 years and really established a role of dominance and leadership.” 

One reason for the trend is that corporate boards often must give the outgoing CEO a golden parachute worth tens of millions of dollars, said Yale Tauber, senior executive compensation consultant at William M. Mercer consultants. 

If no internal candidate is ready to take over, the board likely would have to pay millions more to lure a CEO away from another company — to make up for unvested stock options and other perks the executive would lose by changing jobs. 

“So who better but to take the CEO whom I know and like, at least for the time being?” Tauber said. 

That person might already be drawing a pension, and thus less likely to demand big bucks. 

“I do expect more (of this) because we have much more shareholder activity, much more media coverage and boards are much more sensitive to their responsibilities,” Tauber said. 

Honeywell’s board saw plenty of appeal in Bossidy, who delivered 31 straight quarters of earnings growth and increased productivity while CEO of Morristown-based AlliedSignal from 1991 through April 2000. Bossidy engineered the December 1999 merger of that company with Minneapolis-based Honeywell, then stepped aside a few months later. 

While GE appeals the European Union’s ruling, Bossidy must review Honeywell’s options, continue integrating all the Honeywell and AlliedSignal businesses and boost falling operating margins. 

At Lucent Technologies in Murray Hill, Henry Schacht, the first CEO of the AT&T spinoff, remained at the helm until October 1997. He was a consultant to the once high-flying maker of telecommunications equipment until February 1999. 

Under successor Richard McGinn, Lucent stumbled repeatedly, misreading industry trends, missing earnings targets and even restating previously reported earnings. Schacht was brought back in October 2000. He’s since cut tens of thousands of jobs and started a restructuring and cost-cutting plan that even eliminates free coffee for employees. 

Sometimes, a CEO’s reincarnation is brief, with a carefully chosen successor soon in place. 

At Campbell Soup Co. in Camden, CEO Dale F. Morrison resigned suddenly in March 2000, after a year of disappointing earnings and a difficult restructuring. Directors at the world’s biggest soup maker promptly brought back David W. Johnson, the CEO who tripled the company’s market value from 1990 through 1997. 

Johnson beefed up marketing and instituted a “back to basics” plan focusing on soup rather than other food products. He retired again in January, when the board installed veteran food company executive Douglas R. Conant. 

Occasionally the CEO reincarnation is a personal mission. 

“Often the CEO will come back because he’s or she’s been with the company a long time, built it all up and as a matter of pride doesn’t want to see it destroyed,” Tauber said.

TRENTON, N.J. – When the European Union blocked Honeywell Inc.’s merger with General Electric last month, throwing Honeywell in limbo, its board of directors knew they needed a new leader fast to reassure skittish shareholders and stabilize the company. 

They didn’t look far. 

The board had already been courting retired chief executive Lawrence Bossidy. Within hours of the EU’s announcement, CEO Michael Bonsignore was out and Bossidy was back at the helm of the Morris Township automotive and aircraft equipment maker. 

With so many other companies laying off workers amid a slumping economy, falling sales, missed earnings targets and plunging stock prices, a number of major corporations have tried Honeywell’s strategy, bringing back a respected leader from retirement. 

“I think we started really seeing it about a year ago,” said John Brandt, editorial director of Chief Executive magazine. “I call them re-CEOs.” 

Companies that have reappointed a retired chief executive, at least temporarily, amid a leadership crisis include such household names as Xerox, Campbell Soup and computer makers Apple and Gateway. 

In Cupertino, Apple Computer co-founder Steve Jobs left the company in 1985 but returned as an adviser in 1996. The following summer, the board removed CEO Gil Amelio after several years of losses and named the charismatic Jobs interim CEO. 

In January 2000, after slashing costs, introducing popular new computers such as the iMac, returning Apple to profitability and sending its stock shares soaring, Jobs reassured Mac enthusiasts by dropping the “interim” from his title. 

Sometimes the executive’s chair is barely cold when company directors call. 

At San Diego-based Gateway Inc., founder and chief executive Ted Waitt left in January 2000. A sales slump and layoffs led the personal computer maker’s board this January to announce Waitt was returning as CEO; the news sent Gateway’s shares up nearly 15 percent. 

Others include telecommunications giant Lucent Technologies, chemical maker Hercules Inc., financial-software company Intuit and the nation’s largest for-profit hospital chain, HCA. Contact lens maker Bausch & Lomb last month rehired its previous CEO as chairman, and fiber-optics maker Corning Inc. did the same thing in June. 

“I think there’s generally acclaim from the shareholders when they bring back these legendary CEOs,” Brandt said. “They tend to be someone who had a run of anywhere from 5 to 10 to 20 years and really established a role of dominance and leadership.” 

One reason for the trend is that corporate boards often must give the outgoing CEO a golden parachute worth tens of millions of dollars, said Yale Tauber, senior executive compensation consultant at William M. Mercer consultants. 

If no internal candidate is ready to take over, the board likely would have to pay millions more to lure a CEO away from another company — to make up for unvested stock options and other perks the executive would lose by changing jobs. 

“So who better but to take the CEO whom I know and like, at least for the time being?” Tauber said. 

That person might already be drawing a pension, and thus less likely to demand big bucks. 

“I do expect more (of this) because we have much more shareholder activity, much more media coverage and boards are much more sensitive to their responsibilities,” Tauber said. 

Honeywell’s board saw plenty of appeal in Bossidy, who delivered 31 straight quarters of earnings growth and increased productivity while CEO of Morristown-based AlliedSignal from 1991 through April 2000. Bossidy engineered the December 1999 merger of that company with Minneapolis-based Honeywell, then stepped aside a few months later. 

While GE appeals the European Union’s ruling, Bossidy must review Honeywell’s options, continue integrating all the Honeywell and AlliedSignal businesses and boost falling operating margins. 

At Lucent Technologies in Murray Hill, Henry Schacht, the first CEO of the AT&T spinoff, remained at the helm until October 1997. He was a consultant to the once high-flying maker of telecommunications equipment until February 1999. 

Under successor Richard McGinn, Lucent stumbled repeatedly, misreading industry trends, missing earnings targets and even restating previously reported earnings. Schacht was brought back in October 2000. He’s since cut tens of thousands of jobs and started a restructuring and cost-cutting plan that even eliminates free coffee for employees. 

Sometimes, a CEO’s reincarnation is brief, with a carefully chosen successor soon in place. 

At Campbell Soup Co. in Camden, CEO Dale F. Morrison resigned suddenly in March 2000, after a year of disappointing earnings and a difficult restructuring. Directors at the world’s biggest soup maker promptly brought back David W. Johnson, the CEO who tripled the company’s market value from 1990 through 1997. 

Johnson beefed up marketing and instituted a “back to basics” plan focusing on soup rather than other food products. He retired again in January, when the board installed veteran food company executive Douglas R. Conant. 

Occasionally the CEO reincarnation is a personal mission. 

“Often the CEO will come back because he’s or she’s been with the company a long time, built it all up and as a matter of pride doesn’t want to see it destroyed,” Tauber said.

SAN FRANCISCO – While Ford Motor Co. maintains that alleged defects in its ignition system in 20 million cars don’t cause stalling or endanger passengers, a series of lawsuits nationwide blame stalling in various models for crashes in which at least 11 people died and 31 were injured. 

Also, internal Ford memos indicate the company was concerned that the ignition design could make engines stall — resulting in “rapid catastrophic failure” — at high temperatures. 

Most of the records examined by The Associated Press were produced by Ford as part of a California class-action suit. The lawsuit accuses the company of using a stall-prone ignition system in some models between 1983 to 1995, in part to save $2 per car in manufacturing costs. 

The judge overseeing the lawsuit has said Ford knew its design was defective and concealed the problem from federal regulators. 

Ford maintains there is no defect or safety issue, and says that cars can stall for any number of reasons. However, it is negotiating a settlement to the class-action suit that plaintiffs lawyers say could cost the company between $750 million and $1 billion. 

Alameda County Judge Michael Ballachey could rule as early as Monday on the proposal that would involve, among other things, reimbursing Ford owners nationwide who paid for ignition repairs. 

In the first detailed analysis of deaths and injuries blamed on stalling in Fords with the ignition devices, the AP examined 802 lawsuits filed in courthouses across the nation. Most were settled out of court with no acknowledgment of liability. 

The AP excluded all accidents that did not clearly involve stalling engines, as well as cases that involved other factors, such as reckless driving. Remaining were 23 accidents from Connecticut to California, among them four fatal crashes that left 11 dead. 

Some consumer advocates see shades here of the Ford Pinto debacle of the 1970s, in which 27 people died from exploding gas tanks in rear-end collisions. Ford recalled the Pinto after wrongful death lawsuits brought intense media scrutiny. 

“What is quite clear in both instances, with the Pinto and ignition switches, you had a horrendous safety defect that was costing lives, and in both instances Ford knew about it and did nothing,” said Clarence Ditlow, who heads the Center For Auto Safety in Washington, D.C. 

Ford representatives would not comment in detail about the internal memos and the lawsuits alleging stalling caused deaths and injuries. The Dearborn, Mich., automaker maintains its ignition modules are safe, citing repeated government investigations that resulted in no recalls. 

“There’s never been any proof of failure of this component,” Ford attorney Richard Warmer said, a position Ford has held since the first stalling complaints surfaced in the 1980s. 

“We stand behind our products,” company spokeswoman Kathleen Vokes added in response to this story. She declined to comment in more detail, citing a gag order in the class-action case. 

No court other than Ballachey’s has found the devices defective. Ford’s settlements customarily prohibit injured parties from disclosing the amounts paid or releasing evidence. 

The proposed settlement in the class-action involves compensation for repairs and has no legal impact on the settled individual lawsuits involving deaths and injuries blamed on stalling Ford vehicles. 

The lawsuits the AP reviewed describe Ford engines stalling in fast-food driveways, on railroad tracks and on highways — all without warning. Some stalled as soon as new owners left the dealers’ lots. Several of the suits describe repeated vehicle repairs, some to the point of replacing the engine. 

When an engine stalls, power steering and brakes become less responsive, and vehicles unexpectedly lose speed. Some drivers were able to safely pull over. Others were rear-ended, blindsided or lost all control. 

On April 15, 1990, when Asali Johnson of San Jose was 19, she and seven friends crowded into a 1990 Mercury Sable on a trip to Reno. The car stalled in the Sierra Nevada foothills and lost control, flying several hundred feet down a wooded embankment. 

Three of her friends died and four others were injured. Johnson, now a quadriplegic, settled with Ford for $12,500. 

Johnson said there are days when she can speak of the accident, and others when her memories are too traumatic. 

“Blood has a smell to it. Sometimes you can talk about it and sometimes you cannot,” Johnson said. “It’s sort of obvious to me that Ford doesn’t care about its customers.” 

The ignition device, known as a thick film ignition switch, or TFI module, regulates electric current to the spark plugs. In 29 models made between 1983 and 1995, the module was mounted on the distributor, near the engine block. 

According to internal company records, Ford moved the modules there to increase fuel efficiency and save manufacturing costs. In a Sept. 11, 1981 “program alert” Ford sent to engineers and managers, the company said the move would save $1.50 to $2 per vehicle. 

Another company document indicates the automaker had evidence that placing the module on the distributor could cause sudden engine failure. 

On May 4, 1988, Ford sent a “component maximum temperature chart” to its engineers that listed the optimum temperature exposure of the TFI module at 220 degrees, and warned of dire consequences at temperatures exceeding 257 degrees. 

“The peak temperatures listed are the absolute maximums at which the devices should operate,” the memo reads, adding, “Excursions beyond peak can result in rapid catastrophic failure.” 

Ford’s own testing showed engines exceeded the 257-degree peak, according to numerous company documents. Ford projected the repair cost at $146 per module, but still it denies any defect. 

“We don’t think there’s anything that needs to be replaced. Our ignition system is as good as anybody’s,” Ford attorney Warren Platt said in a recent interview. 

The company maintains that any problems with the modules were resolved when it recalled about 1 million of the devices in some 1984 and 1985 vehicles whose engines tended to run hotter than other models. Ford cited “unexpected warranty claims” as the reason for that voluntary recall. 

Jeff Fazio, the lawyer suing Ford in the California class action, declined to comment because of the gag order. “These parts are defective and they know it,” Fazio has said in earlier interviews. 

Judge Ballachey said Ford was living in an “Alice in Wonderland” dream for calling its vehicles safe, and said the company deceived federal regulators by concealing evidence that the ignition modules were prone to fail at high temperatures. 

Four investigations by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found no safety problems related to the ignition switches. However, a key NHTSA official involved in these probes now says Ford withheld documents regulators should have seen before deciding against a wider or involuntary recall. 

“It is likely we would not have closed the case,” said Michael B. Brownlee, the former director of the NHTSA’s defects investigative arm. 

Nelda Rohling said a faulty ignition module cost her father his life in 1993. 

Rohling was in the back seat of her family’s 1989 Ford Tempo as they ran errands near Lubbock, Texas, when the engine suddenly died. 

“We started to cross the highway at a stop sign and the car dies,” said Rohling, who recalled that the vehicle had a history of stalling. “Dad’s jiggling, jiggling to get the car on. We were looking at this car coming down on us.” 

The impact killed Martin Allen, and severely injured Rohling and her mother, Margaret Allen. Ford settled their lawsuit for an undisclosed sum without admitting liability. 

Some individual lawsuits are still headed for trial. 

Six Tulare County, Calif., people and an unborn child were killed when their 1991 Tempo allegedly stalled and swerved into an irrigation canal in 1998. That car also had a history of stalling, according to their survivors’ attorney, Benjamin Schonbrun of Venice, Calif. 

“We believe a jury will find that a TFI module stalling was the cause of this accident,” Schonbrun said. 

One Ford owner says he walked away from a vehicle that he called a “death trap” after too many close calls. 

Gilbert Shaw of Blue Anchor, N.J., said his 1987 Ford Aerostar repeatedly stalled but the dealer could not find the problem. Tired of the headaches and near-death experiences, Shaw said he quit making payments to Ford and the company repossessed the minivan. 

“We had almost been killed three different times in three different states,” Shaw said.

The Crucible’s barren Ashby street facade belies the fires burning inside the brick warehouse.  

Yet a planned mural depicting orange flames and metal machinery, and a towering neon sign, will soon offer a glimpse of the fire arts – welding, metal casting and jewelry design, among others – that are practiced there. 

The mural, designed by local artist M.S. Hove, is expected to get under way this month and will further establish the Crucible’s presence in the community, said Crucible founder Michael Sturtz. 

Sturtz, a sculptor and teacher, launched the Crucible in 1999 in a quest to bring the art and industry of metal work together in one place. 

Beginning with a $1,700 grant from Levi Strauss and Co., the facility has grown from 6,000 to 17,000 feet in less than three years. A team of artists and craftspeople now offer  

hundreds of classes a year and complete  

commissioned metal works for clients throughout the Bay Area. The city has given the Crucible a grant of $42,000 for its vocational education efforts. 

“This place is very much connected to the real world,” said Sturtz. “This place is very accessible. We’re promoting creativity on a bunch of levels. Not everyone is going to become a metal sculptor.” 

A recent peak inside the Crucible revealed a lively hive of artists, students and craftspeople working in a variety of metal media. Jewelry students manipulated tiny pieces of copper and silver, while a group of women welded a car sculpture destined for the Burning Man festival, near Gerlach, Nevada. 

Another group of students crafted wax molds that will eventually be cast in iron. Aryana Gauder, a young artist, worked intently on her giant wax cockroach, every tiny hair and tentacle lovingly carved. 

“Michael (Sturtz), on the first night, was saying these things are going to be around a lot longer than we are, so I thought – cockroaches,” Gauder said, explaining the inspiration for her sculpture of the famously indestructible insect.  

Jim Wilson carved a dog-shaped urn to hold the ashes of his late golden retriever, Otis. 

“Right now he’s sitting in a box on the mantle, and I decided he deserved something better than a box,” said Wilson. 

The molds will serve as foundations for ceramic casts, which in turn will be filled with molten iron. To melt the iron, the class will fire up the cupola, a giant metal furnace.  

Lighting the cupola is a day-long event that Crucible staff say should not be missed. Forced air and a steady diet of iron and coke, or coal waste, feeds the furnace, which emits a volcanic flame from the top opening and a river of molten iron from a hole at the bottom. Students and staff stand by to catch the flowing metal and pour it into their molds. 

“If you like fire, it’s one of the most intense experiences you can have,” said teacher Nick Diphillipo, grinning widely. “You’re very involved with it. You’re not a spectator; you’re dancing with it.” 

The allure of playing with fire and the earth’s other elements has drawn a diverse group of people to the Crucible. 

“We attract a lot of people who are in the midst of changing their lives in some way,” said Sturtz. 

David Sands, a career electrical engineer, became a Crucible student and volunteer after he quit his job with a Santa Clara start-up that hadn’t paid him in six months. 

Searching for his dream job, he began creating metal elements for interior and exterior designs, including the new San Francisco restaurant Maurice. 

“Hopefully it will make me rich and famous, or just rich. Or just famous,” Sands said about his new career. 

He volunteers his electrical engineering skills at the Crucible, and in return finds inspiration for his own work. 

“All of the people I’ve met here are quality. They’re craftspeople, they’re not just artists. Every time I come here I see someone doing something amazing that makes me say, ‘Oh my god, I want to learn how to do that,’” said Sands. 

In addition to teaching, Crucible artists also take on manufacturing and sculpture jobs. They were responsible for the bronze plaque commemorating Barry Bonds’ 500th home run, which was recently installed at Pacific Bell Park. The Bonds plaque, which is detailed down to the ball player’s famous earring, was a challenge, admitted sculptor Alex Smith. One of the legs cracked, and attempts to fix it left the illusion that Bonds was wearing a garter belt. Smith amputated the leg and added a new one, leaving no sign of the metallic lingerie. 

Lucky Thomas, who interns with shop manager and artist Mark Metz in return for class time, has been inspired by his experiences. 

“It’s one of a kind. It’s a resource that we don’t have around here. This could be a startup for other people to look at.” 

Saturday, Aug. 18

Berkeley Farmers’ Market 

10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

Center Street @ Martin Luther King Jr. Way 

12th Annual Cajun & More Festival. Live music by: Motor Dude Zydeco, Johnny Harper’s Carnival, Creole Belles, Sauce Picuante. Food, crafts fair, micro-breweries, and free Cajun dance lessons with Pattie Whitehurst. Free event open to the public. 548-3333 www.ecologycenter.org 

The Pyramid Outdoor Cinema 

7 p.m. 

Pyramid Alehouse 

901 Gilman St. 

The Outdoor Cinema features cult classics projected on a large screen in the open-air brewery parking lot. This week, Grease. Movies show every Saturday through Sept. 22. $5 donation. 206-682-8322 x237 www.pyramidbrew.com 

KPFA Meeting for the Disabled Community 

1 - 4 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

A community meeting with KPFA’s Listener Advisory Board to voice concerns regarding the station’s coverage of disability issues. 707-795-2890 

Sunday, Aug. 19

Hands-On Bicycle  

Repair Clinics  

11 a.m. - Noon  

Recreational Equipment, Inc.  

1338 San Pablo Ave.  

Learn how to fix a flat from one of REI’s bike technicians. All you need to bring is your bike. Tools are provided. Free 527-4140 

Tibetan Culture 

6 p.m. 

Tibetan Nyingma Institute 

1815 Highland Place 

Stephanie Hoffman on “Preserving the Tibetan Literary Heritage.” Free. 843-6812 

West Berkeley Market 

11 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

University Ave., between 3rd and 4th Streets  

Family-oriented weekly market. Crafts, music, produce, and specialty foods. This Sunday is International Family Day. 654-6346 www.westberkeley.com 

Opus Q Auditions 

4 - 6 p.m. 

The University Lutheran Chapel 

2425 College Ave. 

Opus Q - The East Bay Men’s Chorale is preparing for its first full season. Gay men and their allies are invited to audition for the world’s newest GALA ensemble. 664-0260 www.opus-q.com 

The Bungalow - Tradition and Transformation 

10 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Building Education Center 

812 Page St.  

Instructed by architect/contractor Barry Wagner. $35. 525-7610 

Monday, Aug. 20

Ad Astrea Reading Series and Open Mic Night 

7 - 9 p.m. 

Spasso Coffee House 

6021 College Ave. 

Featured readers followed by open mic. Open to the public and free. 

428-1818 www.hitx.com 

Tuesday, Aug. 21

Intelligent Conversation  

7 - 9 p.m.  

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center 

A discussion group open to all, regardless of age, religion, viewpoint, etc. This time the discussion will center on fears and phobias: getting and overcoming them. Informally led by Robert Berend, who founded similar groups in L.A., Menlo Park, and Prague. Bring light snacks/drinks to share. Free. 527-5332 

Berkeley Camera Club  

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church  

941 The Alameda  

Share your slides and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 525-3565 

Free Early Music Group 

10 - 11:30 a.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Small group sings madrigals and other voice harmony every Tuesday morning. 655-8863 

Berkeley Fibromyalgia Support Group 

12 - 2 p.m. every 3rd Tuesday 

Alta Bates Medical Center  

Maffly Auditorium - Herrick Campus 

2001 Dwight Way 

Rap session. 601-0550 www.arthritis.org 

Slide Show: Birds in the Garden 

1 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

A discussion follows. 644-6107 www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/hhs/commsvc/seniors.htm 

Wednesday, Aug. 22

Magic Mike 

Noon - 2 p.m. 

Lawrence Hall of Science 

UC Berkeley 

Part of the Lawrence Hall of Science Wednesday FUN-days. Bay Area favorite Magic Mike with theatrical illusions and electric comedy. Museum admission $3 - $7. 642-5132 

Lecture on Parkinson’s Disease 

11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 

Ashby Campus 

Conference Room 3 

2450 Ashby Ave. 

Learn about the latest treatments for Parkinson’s disease. Free and open to the public. 869-6737 

Thursday, Aug. 23

Salsa Dance Classes 

7:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Richmond Jewish  

Community Center 

1414 Walnut St. 

Classes every Thursday with live percussionists, light refreshments, DJ playing Latin music. $10 or $15 for two. 237-9874 

— compiled by Guy Poole 

New “Classroom Matters” Open House 

6 - 9 p.m. 

2512 9th St., Suite #3 

A Berkeley based educational center that provides tutors, mentors and support services, will hold an open house at their new location.  

540-8646 www.classroommatters.com  

Lecture-Program on the Armenian Opera “Arshak II” 

7:30 p.m. 

North Branch Berkeley Public Library 

1170 The Alameda 

Dr. Clifford Cranna will present a lecture-program on the world premiere of the Armenian opera Arshak II, the tale of Armenia’s fourth century warrior king. 649-3913 www.infopeople.org/bpl/ 

Kensington 55+ Activity Center 

9 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Social Hall of Arlington Community Church 

52 Arlington Ave. 

Conversation, Apple II computer instruction, massage therapy, German conversation group, meditation and relaxation techniques, watercolor art class, tea and coffee. Special 11 a.m. program: Holistic Health, Jan Stecher leads in Rosen Movement. 526-9146  

Craig’s removal unjust 

The Commission on Disability lost its most active member and strongest advocate on Aug. 6 when City Councilmember Linda Maio removed Karen Craig from her position on that commission. As chair of the COD and a member of the disability community, I am upset not only by the loss of a valuable Commissioner, but also by the manner in which she was dismissed. Karen’s removal is also related to unjust accusations made by Maio and Councilmember Dona Spring about the Commission as a whole. 

Karen’s work on the COD has been tireless. Through her leadership of the Outreach Subcommittee, the downtown Starbucks and numerous local banks have installed access modifications including accessible counters and automatic door openers. She has continuously fought to improve the accessibility of AC Transit buses and to remove obstacles from sidewalks and stores. She recently succeeded in getting disability advocates and organizers of the Berkeley Free Folk Festival together to discuss access improvements at the event. Karen helped create the City’s safety light program for pedestrians and bicyclists, and “parking warning” flyers for cars blocking sidewalks and curbcuts. She has been the COD’s liaison to the Library, I-80 Overpass and Warm Pool committees, Public Works and Police Review Commissions, and Transportation Commission Traffic Calming Subcommittee. Finally, she was a core organizer of the historic Measure E campaign. 

Despite four and a half years of dedicated service, Karen has been abruptly dismissed, ostensibly over one issue – her outspoken criticism of Easy Does It, the current contractor for the City’s Emergency Services Program for the Severely Disabled. Maio never expressed to Karen concern regarding her behavior before this summer. It appears her dismissal has little to do with Maio’s sudden attention to this matter, but is instead primarily a political favor to Spring, who has tried to discredit Karen as well as the entire Commission. 

According to an Aug. 6 letter Maio wrote to Karen, Spring convinced Maio that “contention” supposedly created by the COD’s objection to a particular EDI policy “has caused capable people to leave EDI”. The Commission believes that this policy – -of using Measure E funds to buy equipment for individual clients – is inappropriate and may violate the ordinance. The COD cannot be held responsible for staff resignations because it opposes a policy. 

At the Dec. 9, 2000 City Council meeting, Spring fumed that the COD “has always been very critical of EDI” and that she did not “expect that (the Commission is) going to approve any money for EDI.” The August 10 Daily Planet article quotes Spring as criticizing Karen for wanting to “micromanage” EDI and for creating “an unresolvable conflict”. 

It is unjust to accuse Karen and the Commission of trying to interfere with EDI operations. The COD’s recommendations regarding EDI are valid, and many of them are echoed in two city-sponsored evaluations of the agency. Commissioners do not criticize to promote conflict, but to improve service. The fact that our opinions differ from those of Spring or EDI should be taken at face value and not misinterpreted as an effort to impede or do harm. 

Although contact between the Commission and EDI was previously very tense, a working relationship has developed in recent months. The COD approves of EDI’s recent attempts to dispatch in-house, pre-schedule calls and experiment with case management. Karen, Commissioner Marissa Shaw and I have met with EDI staff twice since April to discuss different ways of addressing service problems. While we did not resolve the difficult issues, we did explore common ground. The Commission also supported EDI’s funding request in January and did not oppose the funding it solicited last month. 

Despite Spring’s accusations, recent interactions between the COD and EDI demonstrate that our differences are not unresolvable. Discrediting the Commission and dismissing Karen from it may bolster Spring’s political influence, but it does nothing to improve relations in the disability community. Karen, the Commission and the community deserve better than such realpolitik. 

Kenny Mostern’s committed to writing poems about every day issues. 

“There are tons of slam poems about instant attraction, tons of erotic poems about this or that kind of sex,” the veteran slam poet says, “but you’d be hard pressed to find many about staying in a relationship for 12 or 15 or 20 years.” 

This is not to say that Mostern, who has been doing slam poetry since 1996, shuns erotica. In one of his own signature pieces, “Feminists Are Sexy!” he combines flamboyant sexual celebration with modern identity politics.  

A New York native, Mostern got his doctorate in ethnic studies at UC Berkeley in 1995, and then went off to teach English at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where he became “the cool young leftie professor,” published a book about African-American autobiographies, and immersed himself in an intense study of literary theory. He discovered slam poetry “accidentally” in 1996, when he attended the southeast regional poetry slam finals. He “fell in love with it “ and also saw it as “a great excuse to organize Knoxville’s first and only multiracial arts event” – a highly successful and well-attended poetry slam.  

Mostern was 29 years old at the time and though he had been writing fiction since his childhood, he had never been a performer. “Slam really fit a lot of my political and personal needs at that moment in time,” he says. Slam also briefly made Mostern into a more prominent figure in Knoxville; he was profiled in the cover story of the weekly entertainment paper.  

Mostern was drawn back to Berkeley, however, both because “the Bay Area pushes me and challenges me,” and because his wife Ruth was still here, finishing her doctorate in Chinese history. On leave from the University of Tennessee in the spring last year, he won enough local slams to qualify as a finalist for the 2000 Berkeley/San Francisco nationals team. Last January, he left his professorship in Knoxville and rejoined his wife – his sweetheart of 16 years – once and for all. Mostern, 33, is concerned that the local slam scene is overly youth-centered and he points out that “Slam’s roots are not in a youth movement. Marc Smith, who started slam in Chicago, was in his late 30s or early 40s. I would like to see younger poets think in terms of long-term agendas, and what it means to build communities that are going to last and grow. There’s this notion that people who think in more institutional or intellectual terms are no longer cutting edge, that when you get older you don’t learn or cross boundaries as much.” 

Mostern sees slam as “a means to a variety of other things. I’m interested in new kinds of venues that will maintain the emotional impact of slam, and the intense emphasis on dynamic performance that slam provides.  

He organized a prototype event in June, “Poetry of the Political Imagination,” which took place at the Stork Club in Oakland, and drew 75 paying customers on a Monday evening, and featured nine of the Bay Area’s premier slam poets. One of Mostern’s main themes is work. “I have a tremendous commitment to poems about work, poems about labor. We spend huge amounts of time doing boring-ass shit because we need to get paid and eat. It’s incredibly boring, but that’s the whole point that, to me, is connected with doing political poems about big structures, like the economy. Now, I’m also committed to the centrality of race and gender in all political discussion, but more important to me than the immediate emotional impact of separate events is, how can we understand the big structures that affect race and gender and class?” He chuckles. “Obviously, I’m the only person around who’d write a poem about the language of the NAFTA treaty.” 

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all currencies are created equal, that they are endowed by their federal reserve bank with certain unalienable Rights, that among them are liquidity, frictionlessness, and the pursuit of the highest profit margin. 

Mostern seems bemused by his own strong academic credentials. “I’m from a working class background and neither of my parents went to college. I’m an unusual person to have a Ph.D. But I’m not antagonistic to theory; I’m interested in what Marx and Freud have to do with my work.” When suggested that his poetry might be described as primarily “sociological,” he grinned and said, “I’m completely comfortable with that word. Many artists tend to believe that they are either absolutely original and channeling only themselves, or that they are channeling the gods somehow. But I’m very aware that I am doing neither of those things. I am channeling my society.” Kenny Mostern has three poetry chapbooks and a CD for sale, which are available at Diesel Books at 5833 College Ave. He can be reached at KennyM@poetryslam.com 

Marc Polonsky is the author of The Poetry Reader’s Toolkit and can be reached at marcwordsmith@sfo.com

924 Gilman St. Music at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Aug. 18: Dr. Know, The Sick, Society of Friends, Manchurian Candidates, Shut the F*ck Up; $5. 924 Gilman St. 525-9926. 

Ashkenaz Aug. 18: 9:30 p.m. Zydeco Flames. 8 p.m. dance lesson w/ Cheryl McBride. $11. Aug. 19: 8 p.m. Open Stage w/ Koko De La Isla, Ernesto Hernandaz, Jeff Hawkins. $8; Aug. 21: 9 p.m. Slavonkian Traveling Band. 8 p.m. dance lesson w/ Joyce Clyde. $10; Aug. 22: 9 p.m. Badenya Les Freres Coulibaly, $10; Aug. 23: 10 p.m. - 2 a.m. Dead DJ Night with Digital Dave. $5; Aug. 24: 9:30 p.m. Caribbean All Stars $11; Aug. 25: 9 p.m. California Brazil Camp Benefit, $10; Aug. 26: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. Middle Eastern Dance Workshops with Ma Shuga Mira Murijan and Nanna Candeleria. $45. 8 p.m. Harmonia, $10; Aug. 28: 9 p.m. Gerard Landry and the Lariats, $8; Aug. 29: 8 p.m. Earl White Oldtime Band, Bluegrass Intentions, plus clogging lessons. $10, Kids under 12 Free; Aug. 30: 9 p.m. Samite, Forward Kwenda, $10; Aug. 31: 9:30 p.m. Wawa and the Oneness Kingdom, The Calypsonians, $10; 1317 San Pablo Ave. 525-5054 www.ashkenaz.com  

Eli’s Mile High Club Doors open at 8 p.m. Aug. 18: Craig Horton /CD Release; Aug. 25: Carlos Zialcita; Every Friday, 10 p.m. - 2 a.m., Funky Fridays Conscious Dance Party with KPFA DJs Splif Skankin and Funky Man. $10; 3629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland. 655-6661 

Freight & Salvage Coffee House Aug. 18: Mighty Prince Singers, Talk of Da Town, $17.50; Aug. 19: John Fahey Tribute Concert, $19.50; All shows 8 p.m. 1111 Addison St. 548-1761 www.freightandsalvage.org 

Jupiter Aug. 18: Blue & Tan; Aug. 21: Groove.org; Aug. 22: Stolen Bibles; Aug. 23: Beatdown w/ DJs Delon, Yamu, and Add1; Aug. 24: 5 Point Plan; Aug. 25: Mitch Marcus Quintet; Aug. 28: Big Lou and Polka Casserole; Aug. 29: Secession; Aug. 30: Beatdown with DJ’s Delon, Yamu and Add1; Aug. 31: Realistic CD Release Party; All music starts at 8:00 p.m. 843-7625 www.jupiterbeer.com  

La Note/Jazzschool Aug. 19: 4:30 p.m. Hazel Carter, 5:30 p.m. Bryan Girard & Friends, 6:30 p.m. T3 (Kirk Tamura Trio); Free. 2377 Shattuck Ave. 845-5373  

La Peña Cultural Center Aug. 18: 8:30 p.m. Mission (roots hip hop), $8; Aug. 19: 3:30 p.m. Domingo de Rumba; Aug. 24: 8:30 p.m. Professor Terry’s Circus Band Extraordinary, $16; Aug. 25: 9:30 p.m., Edgardo Cambon’s Candela, $10, 8:15 p.m. Salsa dance class w/ Diego Vásquez, $13; In the Cafe, 3105 Shattuck Ave. 849-2568 

ACME Observatory Aug. 19: 8 p.m. Solo performance by Jason Kahn, Brown Bunny Ensemble. $9.99 suggested donation. TUVA Space, 3192 Adeline @ MLK Jr. Way. 649-8744 http://sfSound.org/acme.html 

Indigo Event Center Aug. 25: 4:20 p.m. Musicians for Medical Marijuana Benefit concert. Sound Tribe Sector 9, Lost at Last, The Mermen, Ten Ton Chicken, Scott Huckabay, Strawberry Alarmclock, Buzzy Linhart, plus special guests, $25. 1988 Broadway at 19th, Oakland. 869-5391 www.m4mm.org  

Third annual Berkeley World Music Festival Aug. 26: Noon - 6 p.m. Block party and carnival, Grupo Ilu Fun Fun, Petit La Croix, Samba Ngo, O-Maya, Fito Reinoso y Su Ritmo y Armonia. Durant Ave. between Telegraph Ave. and Bowditch. 

TUVA Space Aug. 25: 8 p.m. Vanessa Lowe and the Lowliflies, Ira Marlowe, Hoarhound. 3192 Adeline St. 655-9755 

“Frank Olivier’s Twisted Cabaret” Aug. 24 & 25, 8 p.m. Frank Olivier is joined by Uncle Paul Nathan and The Twisted Cabaret Band. All tickets $16. Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave. 845-8542 www.juliamorgan.org 

“Loot” Through Aug. 25, Thursdays - Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m. Special Performance Aug. 20, 8 p.m. General Admission: $15, Students / Seniors: $10. La Val’s 1834 Euclid Avenue 655-0813 

“Murder Dressed in Satin” by Victor Lawhorn, ongoing. A mystery-comedy dinner show at The Madison about a murder at the home of Satin Moray, a club owner and self-proclaimed socialite with a scarlet past. Dinner is included in the price of the theater ticket. $47.50 Lake Merritt Hotel, 1800 Madison St., Oakland. 239-2252 www.acteva.com/go/havefun 

“Reefer Madness” Aug. 22, 23: 9 p.m. A new one-act theatre piece adapted from a 1936 government-funded film opens a critical eye to the control of our society. La Pena Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Avenue. Wednesdays are “pay what you can,” Thursdays $5 - $10. 655-4150 

“Soul Harmony” Aug. 25: 5 - 7 p.m. A spirited one-woman show of history, culture, and entertainment. Written by Joy Holland, directed by Ava Coaxum. Presented at the Black Repertory Theater. 3201 Adeline St. $10 donation. 652-3399 

Pacific Film Archive Aug. 18: 7 p.m. Ministry of Fear, 8:45 p.m. House by the River; Aug. 19: 3 p.m. National Velvet, 5:30 p.m. I Am Two, 7:15 I Am a Cat; Aug. 21: 7:30 p.m. The Direct Cinema Tradition; Aug. 22: 7:30 p.m. The Werewolf of Washington; Aug. 23: 7:30 p.m. Contempt; Aug. 24: 7 p.m. The Heart, 9:20 p.m. The Outcast; Aug. 25: 7 p.m. Moonfleet, 8:45 p.m. The Blue Gardenia; Aug. 26: 3 p.m. Duck Soup, 5:30 p.m. The Wanderers, 7:25 p.m. Dora-Heita; Aug. 28: 7:30 p.m. Doodling; Aug. 29: (free screenings) 7:30 p.m. The Horror of Party Beach, 9:15 p.m. The Crater Lake Monster; Aug. 31: 7 p.m. The Makioka Sisters, 9:35 p.m. A Woman’s Testament; Gen. Adm.. $7, The New PFA Theatre 2575 Bancroft Way 642-1412 

“BACA National Juried Exhibition: Works on Paper” Through Aug. 31: Wed. - Sun. Noon - 5 p.m. Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St. 644-6893 

“Debbie Moore’s Autobiographical Paintings” Through Sep. 30 at Good Vibrations. Portraits of the artist’s sensual explorations spanning 25 years and reflecting changing ways of intimacy and body play. 2504 San Pablo Avenue 848-1985 

“The Decade of Change: 1900 - 1910” chronicles the transformation of the city of Berkeley in this 10 year period. Thursday through Saturday, 1 – 4 p.m. Through September. Berkeley History Center, Veterans Memorial Building, 1931 Center St. Wheelchair accessible. 848-0181. Free.  

“A Fine Line” Through Aug. 24, Tuesday - Friday, noon - 5 p.m. or by appointment. An exhibition works by Kala Fellowship winners for the years 2000 and 2001. Kala Art Institute 1060 Heinz Avenue 549-2977 

“Geographies of My Heart” Collage paintings by Jennifer Colby through Aug. 24; Flora Lamson Hewlett Library 2400 Ridge Road 649-2541 

“MFA Survey Exhibition 2001” Third annual exhibition of works of recent graduates from Bay Area master of Fine Art programs. This year featuring artists working in three-dimentional media. Through Aug. 18 Tuesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Traywick Gallery 1316 Tenth Street 527-1214 

“Musee des Hommages” Masterworks by Guy Colwell Faithful copies of several artists from the pasts, including Titian’s “The Venus of Urbino,” Cezanne’s “Still Life,” Picasso’s “Woman at a Mirror,” and Boticelli’s “Primavera” Ongoing. Call ahead for hours. Atelier 9 2028 Ninth St. (at Addison) 841-4210 or visit www.atelier9.com 

“New Visions: Introductions 2001” Through Aug. 18: Wed. - Sat.: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Juried by Artist- Curator Rene Yanez and Robbin Henderson, Executive Director of the Berkeley Art Center, the exhibition features works from some of California’s up-and-coming artists. Pro Arts 461 Ninth St., Oakland 763-9425 

“The Political Art of: Diego Marcial Rios” Through Sept. 20, Addison Street Window Gallery, 2018 Addison St. hdrios@msn.com 

“Sistahs: Ethnographic Ceramics” Through Aug. 22, Reception July 29 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Women’s Cancer Resource Center Gallery 3023 Shattuck Avenue 548-9286 ext. 307 

“Squared Triangle” Through Oct. 5. noon - 6 p.m. Reception for the artists, Aug. 18: 4 - 7 p.m. A minimal art exhibit featuring three Bay Area artists working in different mediums while achieving the same elegant simplicity. The Crucible, 1036 Ashby Ave. 843-5511 www.thecrucible.com 

“Ten Years Here” Exhibit celebrating the 10 year anniversary of Turn of the Century Fine Arts. Through Sept. 14, Sat & Sun 1-5 p.m. Reception Aug. 4 2:00 - 7:00 p.m. 2510 San Pablo Avenue 849-0950 

Readings 

Boadecia’s Books Aug. 18: “Hell on Heels” tour with Daphne Gottlieb and Thea Hillman; Aug. 24: Andrea Gabbard discusses “Girl in the Curl: A Century of Women’s Surfing”; Aug. 25: Ann Bannon reads from her lesbian pulp classic “Beebo Brinker.” All events start at 7:30 p.m. and are free. 398 Colusa Avenue 559-9184 www.bookpride.com 

Black Oak Books Aug. 19: “Wildest Alaska: Journeys of Great Peril in Lituya Bay” by Philip L. Fradkin; Aug. 21: June Jordan’s memoir “Soldier: A Poet’s Childhood”; Aug. 22: Ruth Daigon’s “Payday at the Triangle”; Aug. 23: Phil Cousineau’s “Once and Future Myths: The Power of Ancient Stories in Modern Times”; Aug. 27: Catherine Brady, Jean Herlund, Frances Payne Adler, and Marianne Villanueva and others to celebrate CALYX Book’s 25th Anniversary, “Cracking the Earth”; Aug. 28: Kent Nerburn reads from “Road Angels: Searching for Home on America’s Coast of Dreams”; Aug. 29: Sylvia Brownrigg reads from her new novel, “Pages For You”; All shows at 7:30 p.m. free of charge. 1491 Shattuck Avenue 486-0698 

Café de la Paz Poetry Nitro performance showcase with open mike. Aug. 20: Avotcja; 6:30 p.m. signup, 7 - 9 p.m. reading. 1600 Shattuck Ave. 843-0662 

Cody’s Books - Poetry Flash Aug. 22: Trane Devore and Shauna Hannibal; Aug. 29: The New Now Millennium Anthology Reading with Editor H. D. Moe; All are a $2 donation. Readings at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 2454 Telegraph Ave. 845-0837 

Coffee Mill Poetry Series Aug. 21: Featured Readers: Victoria Joyce and Theresa Bamberger; Both 7-9 p.m. Free. 3363 Grand Ave., Oakland for info. 465-3935 or 526-5985, or Email: ksdgk@earthlink.net 

“Coffee Break Readings and Refreshments” Aug. 18, 4 to 5:15 p.m. Oakland Public Library-Rockridge Branch. Open-mic poems, monologues and dramatic scenes, presented by Opera Piccola. For ages 10 and up. 5366 College Ave. Free. 238-3134 ww.oaklandlibrary.org 

Spasso 7-9 p.m. Aug. 20 Arthur Weil, Reflections of the Moment, Poetry is for Sissies; Aug. 27 Kira Allen; Sept. 3 Theme: dignity of labor; Sept. 10 Sharron Jones-Reid, Fruit of the Spirit Poets, Acoustic Musicians, Comedians, Rappers, Performance Artists, Writers All Welcome is located at 6021 College Ave. Free admission. 

Tours 

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Fridays 9:30 - 11:45 a.m. or by appointment. Call ahead to make reservations. Free. University of California, Berkeley. 486-4387 

Golden Gate Live Steamers Grizzly Peak Boulevard and Lomas Cantadas Drive at the south end of Tilden Regional Park Small locomotives, meticulously scaled to size. Trains run Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rides: Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., weather permitting. 486-0623  

Museums 

Habitot Children’s Museum “Back to the Farm” An interactive exhibit gives children the chance to wiggle through tunnels, look into a mirrored fish pond, don farm animal costumes, ride on a John Deere tractor and more. “Recycling Center” Lets the kids crank the conveyor belt to sort cans, plastic bottles and newspaper bundles into dumpster bins. $4 adults; $6 children age 7 and under; $3 for each additional child age 7 and under. 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. (closed Sundays, Memorial Day through Labor Day) Kittredge Street and Shattuck Avenue 647-1111 or www.habitot.org  

UC Berkeley Museum of Paleontology Lobby, Valley Life Sciences Building, UC Berkeley “Tyrannosaurus Rex,” ongoing. A 20 by 40-foot replica of the fearsome dinosaur made from casts of bones of the most complete T. Rex skeleton yet excavated. When unearthed in Montana, the bones were all lying in place with only a small piece of the tailbone missing. “Pteranodon” A suspended skeleton of a flying reptile with a wingspan of 22-23 feet. The Pteranodon lived at the same time as the dinosaurs. Free. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 642-1821 

UC Berkeley Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology will close its exhibition galleries for renovation. It will reopen in early 2002. On View until Oct. 1 : “Ishi and the Invention of Yahi Culture.” “Sites Along the Nile: Rescuing Ancient Egypt.” “The Art of Research: Nelson Graburn and the Aesthetics of Inuit Sculpture.” “Tzintzuntzan, Mexico: Photographs by George Foster.” $2 general; $1 seniors; $.50 children age 17 and under; free on Thursdays. Wednesday, Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way and College Ave. 643-7648 or www.qal.berkeley.edu/~hearst/ 

Lawrence Hall of Science “Science in Toyland,” through Sept. 9. Exhibit uses toys to demonstrate scientific principles and to help develop children's thinking processes. Susan Cerny’s collection of over 200 tops from around the world. “Space Weather,” through Sept. 2. Learn about solar cycles, space weather, the cause of the Aurorae and recent discoveries made by leading astronomers. This interactive exhibit lets visitors access near real-time data from the Sun and space, view interactive videos and find out about a variety of solar activities. “Within the Human Brain,” ongoing. Visitors test their cranial nerves, play skeeball, master mazes, match musical tones and construct stories inside a simulated “rat cage” of learning experiments. “Saturday Night Stargazing,” First and third Saturdays each month. 8 - 10 p.m., LHS plaza. Space Weather Exhibit now - Sept. 2; now - Sept. 9 Science in Toyland; Saturdays 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. $7 for adults; $5 for children 5-18; $3 for children 3-4. 642-5132 

Holt Planetarium Programs are recommended for age 8 and up; children under age 6 will not be admitted. $2 in addition to regular museum admission. “Constellations Tonight” Ongoing. Using a simple star map, learn to identify the most prominent constellations for the season in the planetarium sky. “How Big Is the Universe?” Aug. 1 through Aug. 24. Learn how to determine the distance of celestial objects, one of the purposes of the Hubble Space Telescope. Daily, 2:15 p.m. $7 general; $5 seniors, students, disabled, and youths age 7 to 18; $3 children age 3 to 5; free children age 2 and younger. Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Centennial Drive, 642-5132 or www.lhs.berkeley.edu Daily, 3:30 p.m. $7 general; $5 seniors, students, disabled, and youths age 7 to 18; $3 children age 3 to 5 ; free children age 2 and younger. Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Centennial Drive, UC Berkeley 642-5132 or www.lhs.berkeley.edu  

Oakland Museum of California, A Legacy of Early California Paintings: The Shumate Collection, through Aug. 19; Every Worker is an Organizer: Farm Labor and the Resurgence of the United Farm Workers, through Aug. 26; Made in Oakland: The Furniture of Garry Knox Bennett, through Sept. 2; After the Storm: Bob Walker and the Art of Environmental Photography, through Sept. 16; Half Past Autumn: The Art of Gordon Parks, through Sept. 23; Rustler Ranch Mastodon Project, through June 30, 2002; Wednesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday, noon - 5 p.m., Closed Monday and Tuesday. $6 general; $4 youths (6-17), seniors and students with ID. Free for Museum members and children 5 and under. Free admission the second Sunday of the month. 10th & Oak Streets, Oakland. 238-2200 www.museum.org 

The UC Berkeley Art Museum is closed for renovations until the fall. 

Send arts events two weeks in advance to Calendar@berkeleydailyplanet.net, 2076 University, Berkeley 94704 or fax to 841-5694. 

The youth from the Cal Adventures rock climbing camp celebrated five days of hard work Friday by picnicking with their families and camp advisors in the shadows of Pinnacle Rock at Remillard Park, at Keeler Avenue and Poppy Lane in the north Berkeley hills. 

After a week spent learning rock-climbing techniques and a morning spent climbing up and repelling down the 30-foot Pinnacle, the 10 to 13 year olds were happy to feast with their instructors, parents and fellow students; but most were even more enthusiastic about getting back on the rock after lunch. 

“I love climbing because it’s a great challenge,” said 13-year-old Nora Somogy. “Making it to the top feels really good, especially after you’ve worked so hard to get there.” 

The camp has been running in weekly sessions since June 18 and has taught 8 to 15 year olds techniques in climbing, bouldering (climbing small rocks more quickly without ropes), repelling and belaying (supporting a climber from the ground with a rope to prevent injuries). 

Nick Buchanon, head guide for Youth Rock, has been working with the campers all summer.  

“I like this camp because it’s a great way to introduce kids to a sport that requires a professional introduction to,” he said. “It also gives them a new appreciation for their city, this is a side of Berkeley a lot of people never get to see.” 

Each session begins with a Monday introductory class at the climbing wall at UC Berkeley, and is followed by visits to three other rock sites during the week. 

The $135 camp lasts three hours each day for a week, with sessions in the morning and the afternoon.  

Each session has space for 12 students, and all sessions, except for this week, have been full. No space is available for next week’s camp. 

For many students the camp is the first exposure to rock climbing, and it seems to leave a good impression on many of the young minds. 

“My cousin recommended it to me,” said 10-year-old Nicole Tomita. “I came last year too. I love the climbing part, but everything about the camp is really great.” 

Although rock climbing has been classified as an inherently dangerous sport, the camp supervisors did a great job watching over their young students and only one person (a clumsy reporter) suffered even a minor injury. However, one student did have some good advice for any prospective rock climbers: 

“Don’t get rope burn,” said Somogy, “because it hurts!”

Despite a nationwide controversy surrounding the safety of arsenic-treated wooden play structures,the Berkeley Unified School District has not taken any steps to reassure concerned parents. 

According to a national study released by two environmental groups last May, exposure to equipment made of wood and treated with a preservative made of chromium, copper and arsenic (CCA) can lead to serious diseases, including cancer, heart problems, and diabetes. 

After the report was released, the city and at least one independent school  

took measures to make sure that the children using their playgrounds were not exposed to such hazards. The district was not as quick to react. No test has been done yet to determine whether its wooden play structures contain arsenic, and the  

issue does not seem to have been  

thoroughly discussed. 

Board of Education Director John Selawsky said that at the board’s meeting on July 5, members were told that the district’s wooden playground equipment was not treated with CCA. 

“We were informed that apparently there was no arsenic in the structures,” he said. Selawsky, however also said he had not seen any document corroborating that. 

Other school board members were not available for comment Friday. 

Gene Le Sevre, the BUSD director of plant operations, said that an October 2000 report on the district’s playground safety had not visually identified the presence of arsenic. He also acknowledged that neither the structures nor the soil had been tested in a laboratory to determine whether they were contaminated with arsenic. 

But the district, he said, will soon address the issue. The October 2000 playground safety audit, Le Sevre said, is part of a plan to refurbish play structures. The district hired a consultant to identify unsafe conditions and make recommendations based on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission guidelines for public playgrounds.  

Although it did not include laboratory tests, the audit led to the allocation of money that could be partly used for that purpose, according to Le Sevre. “We identified the problems, we got the money approved, now we have to develop a plan to implement the corrections and that’s going to happen next month,” he said. 

The budget approved for the implementation of this safety plan is $400, 000. A breakdown of the budget is not available yet, Le Sevre said. 

Superintendent Michele Barraza Lawrence could not confirm, Friday, whether part of that district money will be used for testing the structures for arsenic. 

Only half a dozen of the district’s more than 60 playgrounds are made of wood, but a number of people involved in environmental issues have expressed their determination to see all risks of exposure disappear. 

“The city sealed all the wooden structures and took samples of the soil,” said Nabil Al-Hadithy, the manager of the city’s Toxics Management Division. “I very much doubt that the BUSD has done that. It would be nice if they had at least sealed the wood in compliance with the (California Department of Health Services codes).“ 

The Community Environmental Advisory Commission, on the other hand, will soon bring to the City Council a recommendation that asks it to address, among other things, the problem of Berkeley’s non city-owned playgrounds. That includes private and public schools. 

The Daily Planet received this letter addressed to Councilmember Linda Maio: 

I’m writing to you to express my outrage regarding the dismissal of Karen Craig from the Commission On Disability. Karen is and has been one of best advocates for people with disabilities in the City of Berkeley for a long time now.  

Her numerous accomplishments are almost of legendary status.  

She has shown time and time again that she is willing to go that extra distance to accomplish our goals related to making this City as accessible and disability aware as any city in the world.  

She is a tireless worker who does way more than her share of the load required of Commission members. It would be impossible to replace someone of her status and devotion. I would strongly urge you to reconsider your action. 

It’s painfully obvious that this decision didn’t come directly from you, but originated from Councilmember Dona Spring. Ms. Spring does not represent, or ever will represent all the people with disabilities in the City of Berkeley.  

It’s extremely distressing to see that other councilmembers constantly look to Ms. Spring as the voice of the disabled citizens of Berkeley.  

Frankly, I rarely agree with her political views when it comes to disability issues, and I know I’m not alone in that regard. The City Council should look to its appointed Commission on Disability.  

That’s where and why Ms. Spring sees Karen as a threat as she (Ms. Craig) is seen as a Disability leader. I honestly thought you were above this type of political maneuvering but obviously I’m either wrong or you really were unaware of the motivating factors behind Ms. Spring’s request to have Karen removed from the Commission.  

It is well known that Councilmember Spring and Karen Craig don’t see eye to eye on many issues but this is no reason to have her dismissed in this unjust manner. 

By Ms. Spring and yourself unfairly using the “Easy Does It issue” as the reason negates all of Ms. Craig’s other accomplishments. I also believe that Karen was making good headway with Easy Does It in recent months. I believe you have been sorely misled by Scott Luebking who does not represent anyone but himself.  

I would be more than happy to discuss this issue with you further. I once again would like to strongly urge you to reconsider your decision and have Ms. Craig reinstated. 

Philip Martin Chavez 

Berkeley 

Some die on the streets, some in crack houses, some with a bullet to their heads. Their deaths might get a quick mention on the back pages of a newspaper. The stories of their lives, however – even at their funerals – are overshadowed with the dark clouds that surrounds what bluesman Masallah calls the “dubious circumstances” of their deaths. 

Still. These were flesh and blood people who were loved and may have contributed to their communities during much of their lives. 

“A person is a person – he’s still a human being,” said Tyrone Bailey, whose idea it was to hold a memorial at San Pablo Park on Friday. “We need to look at them, see what they’ve done positively. 

“It’s time to put aside the shame.” 

Bailey, better known as Mr. “T”, owns a limousine service and said he has brought many people to funerals over the years and seen in certain situations that “people are not really able to say their good-byes.” 

This then was that opportunity. 

Stanley Cotton was among those remembered with the lighting of a candle on Friday. “He’d police the street along Martin Luther King from Stuart to Adeline Street,” Bailey said. He would allow no one into the area selling drugs. “He kept the neighborhood safe.” 

And Jimmy Carter was first a merchant seaman, then he worked in anesthesiology. “Look at all the people he saved before he fell down on his knees,” Bailey said. 

Then there was Greg Lomac. Without his brother Bobby knowing it, he helped support him financially so that he could pursue his dream of becoming a musician, Masallah said. 

The group of some 30 people that gathered at San Pablo Park in southwest Berkeley knows what it’s like to be down. Most of them are clients at the Drop In Center on Adeline Street, which co-sponsored the event with Bailey. Many of them are homeless, substance abusers, and down and out. They came to pay tribute to friends and family who had died over the last year. 

“These are our loved ones. They passed on,” said Elder Timothy Fortt of the Ephesian Church of God in Christ, calling on the living to make better lives for themselves, to “leave a (proud) memorial.”  

Elder Fortt spoke to the gathering about getting beyond their problems – drugs, alcohol, criminal activities. 

He wasn’t looking down on those struggling with various problems. He had been among them – homeless, in and out of the penitentiary, a dope fiend, a thief. 

“There is a way out,” said the robust man, dressed in black ministerial clothes. “I cried out to God with a needle in my arm, sitting in a shooting gallery.” 

And then made his way back. 

There’s not just one path out, it happens differently for different people, he said. But it does happen. “We can have an up day.” 

And they did, eating barbecue, listening to Masallah’s blues and telling stories of those they will remember for a long time. 

Editor: 

I admit I am not seeped in the intricacies of Berkeley politics. But the firing of a dedicated and caring member of the Commission on Disabilities, Karen Craig shocked and saddened me.  

I know the Easy Does It issue was difficult and divisive. I think lots of folks were mad. I was. Some people were obviously mad at Karen, so much so that an entire body of work that made life easier, safer and generally better for disabled,seniors and others was completely ignored. 

I was involved in the recent meeting between all the folks involved with the Berkeley Free Folk Festival. In a room full of divided and frustrated people,she facilitated a fair and constructive meeting. I think everyone learned something.  

I don’t know if this regrettable action is a done deal. I hope not. The firing happened immediately before the long vacation of the City Council. How courageous. 

When the City Council starts in September, I hope there will be a reconsideration.  

Peni Hall 

Berkeley

Switching speaking personas between streetwise youth, motivational speaker and drill sergeant, Jessy Gonzalez captivated the attention of 28 high school students on the last day of a summer computer course. 

“When people say ‘hard work,’ we don’t want you to take one step back, we want you to step forward and I mean two steps forward,” he said to the students. 

Gonzalez, a technical trainer with Street Tech, a nonprofit computer training and job placement agency, was one of a variety of speakers who addressed the students during the intensive two-week course organized by the nonprofit Berkeley Foundation for Opportunities in Information Technology. The course is free and takes place in a computer lab and classrooms donated by the UC Berkeley. 

BFOIT was founded in 1998 and was formed to address the lack of racial, ethnic and gender diversity in the information technology departments in California colleges. 

“Our goal is to get the kids on a University Campus to demystify it, increase their self-confidence and give them some technology skills,” said BFOIT Executive Director Jesse Reynolds. 

Reynolds said the students are recruited from high schools all over the Bay Area and that some of them took the bus or BART from as far away as Danville each morning of the course.  

On Friday, the last day of the course, the students presented the web sites they had made on an overhead projector. The subject matter on the web sites included things that most teenagers are interested in, Berkeley High School senior Jasmine Jackson created a page with photos of her favorite movie stars, Derrick Estrada put together a visual homage to his favorite players on the Los Angeles Lakers and Mark Edmunds proudly presented family photos and another section with photos of “tight cars.” 

Jackson, who said she planned to take computer classes at Berkeley High School in the fall, said she enjoyed the summer course. “I had to think in a different way,” she said. “On some of the projects we worked on, like the flow charts we created, I had to step back and ask myself, ‘how do I make this work?’” 

Constance Conner, a computer and information science instructor at City College of San Francisco, told the students that is was important for women to pursue a degree in information technology. “In 1998 women made up only 18 percent of graduates with a degree in computer science,” she said. “If you remember anything, remember that the four-year degree is like gold.” 

Conner, who was the last scheduled guest speaker, said she was pleased to see the gender make up of the summer course, which was over 50 percent girls. 

The web sites were the culmination of two weeks of intensive study beginning at 9 a.m. and going until 4:30 p.m. On most days, the students spent their lunch hour listening to talks from prominent people in education and the information technology field. 

The speakers included Vice President Wendy Jeansonne, of Oracle Corporation’s Product Internationalization division, Dan Garcia a computer science lecturer from UC Berkeley and Barbara Simons, visiting Stanford computer science professor. 

BFOIT is sponsored by a variety of tech companies including Sun Microsystems, Microsoft and Oracle. 

Reynolds said the students often became frustrated during the two weeks because of the amount of information they were expected to absorb. “They get frustrated but they’ll be surprised in a couple of weeks at how much they learned,” he said. “With just two weeks we have little choice but to challenge them.” 

Reynolds added that only two students did not complete the course. 

Reynolds said that BFOIT assists the students as much as possible after they finish the course by making connections with other courses, educational advice or whatever assistance they need to further their careers. 

“We’re sort of like a pipe line,” he said. “We plug the leaky pipe when we find where it is students wander off their career path.” 

For more information about Berkeley Foundation for Opportunities in Information Technology call 666-2930 or visit their Web site at www.bfoit.org. 

A Berkeley Observed article published a few weeks ago sparked the interest of a reader. Richard Dinkelspiel, who celebrated his 88th birthday this year, looked at the photograph of Center Street and exclaimed, “Ennors Restaurant was right there! Mom and Dad always had dinner there when they visited Berkeley from Suisun where the Ennors had their first restaurant.” 

Harvey W. and Marie Edith Ennor came to Berkeley in 1918 from Suisun City in Solano County, and established a sandwich and soda shop in the building next door.  

The restaurant was so popular, that five years later they built a grand, two-story, plus full basement, brick-sided, steel-framed building at 2128 Center St. in 1923 designed by James Plachek.  

When the new Ennors opened on Nov. 17, 1923, the Courier reported, “... many requests that the Ennors enlarge their scope and meet the growing demands of the growing city (have) received response....the puddings and sauces concocted by Mrs. Ennor; the ices, bakery and candies manufactured by Mr. Ennor gained and kept the best customers in Berkeley.” 

The Courier article continued, “Sanitation, cleanliness and comfort for the help will bring out real service; even dish-washing is done by sterilizing steam...behind it all will be Mr. Ennor, to give personal attention to many things...” 

Ennors was not only a restaurant, candy store and bakery, but also had a grocery and butcher shop.  

On the second floor there was a banquet hall for 300 guests, with a dance floor of seven-inch thick maple.  

Perhaps because of the stock market crash in 1929, the Ennors sold the building in 1930 and took jobs running the catering department in the Durant Hotel. However, by 1934 they were proprietors of the True Blue Cafe at 2081 Allston Way.  

The Ennor Building now houses Act I & II movie theaters.  

For over 30 years the second story brick facade of the building was hiding behind a huge metal sign with a bold 1970s super-graphic design proclaiming: “Act I & II.” A few years ago the sign was removed and the original second story brick facade was restored.  

Susan Cerny writes Berkeley Observed in conjunction with the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association. Richard Dinkelspiel is her father.

SAN FRANCISCO — The San Jose Police Department has relegated its disabled officers to “unsatisfactory jobs” in which they have “little or no possibility for promotion,” violating the Americans with Disabilities Act, an appeals court ruled Friday. 

The three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in its unanimous ruling, reversed a lower court decision, which dismissed a suit filed by six current and former officers who said they were banished to degrading jobs and denied promotions because of their disabilities. 

The officers suffered neck and back injuries while on duty, said Frank Jelinch, lawyer for four of the officers.  

Only one remains on the force; all are seeking unspecified damages. 

“They were really treated as second-class citizens and called names. They had to live in that environment. It took exceptional courage to come forward and complain,” Jelinch said.  

“They say, ‘Now you’ve been injured so you’re not of the same value to us as you were before.”’ 

Under an agreement between the department and the police union, 30 positions have been designated “modified duty” and are the only jobs available to disabled officers. 

Some officers claimed they made coffee, ran errands or worked in office space that also functioned as a supply room. Able-bodied officers harassed them, pushed them around and called them names like “lame,” “faker” or “whiner.” 

The disabled officers said they worked the worst shifts and were given the least desirable days off. They also were denied promotional opportunities, according to the suit. 

“Our position is that we have accommodated every officer who cannot work patrol ... in meaningful positions,” said Clifford Greenberg, the department’s lawyer. “We take great issue with the court’s saying it’s undesirable.” 

Greenberg said it’s likely he will go to trial rather than ask the court for a rehearing. 

The appeals court said, under the ADA, disabled officers should be allowed to consider and accept any positions for which they’re qualified. And officers should be considered qualified as long as they “can perform the essential functions” of the job. 

”(The ADA) requires every type of employer find ways to bring the disabled into its ranks, even when doing so imposes some costs and burdens,” Judge Stephen Reinhardt wrote for the court. “The City of San Jose’s police department must participate in this process, as long as they can do so in a manner that will not compromise public safety.” 

SACRAMENTO — Lawmakers, corporations and special interest groups have poured more than $800,000 into a drive to change California’s term limit laws to let some lawmakers stay longer in office. 

Legislatures in 11 out of 19 states with term limits tried this year to change or eliminate them. But California will be the first to ask voters to peel back the bounds they set for elected officials 11 years ago. 

If it works here, experts say, it could work in other states where doubts have arisen about the effectiveness of limiting politicians’ tenures. 

“Everyone’s going to be watching California, just as they did a decade ago,” said Patrick Basham, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C. 

The California initiative’s supporters had collected 1 million signatures Friday, mostly using paid signature gatherers, organizer Howard Owens said. To qualify for the ballot, the group needs to collect signatures of at least 670,816 registered voters by Oct. 1, but the group wanted to gather more than 1 million to in case some aren’t valid. 

If the signatures are accepted, voters in this state will decide March 5 whether to modify the term limits law approved by 52 percent of voters in 1990. 

Already, it’s clear California’s term limits fight will resemble the 1990 battle. 

It will be expensive. The anti-limits group had raised $812,000 and spent more than $1 million in the first six months of this year, campaign finance reports show. 

Top contributors included Ameriquest Capital Corp., an Orange, Calif.-based subprime lender; the top trial lawyers political action committee; and the Modesto-based E&J Gallo Winery, a major contributor to Democratic Gov. Gray Davis. 

While hesitant to openly lend their names to an anti-limits movement, many legislators are backing it. State Sen. Don Perata and former Assemblyman Bruce Young, both Democrats, are leading it, while Democratic Sen. Betty Karnette, term limited in 2004, donated $20,000. 

Plus, the group received a $150,000 loan from a group called “Former Leaders for an Effective Government,” which has received donations from an array of state lawmakers. It will produce strange coalitions. The largest supporters of the initiative include liberal-leaning unions and conservative corporations: The Northern California Carpenters’ PAC has chipped in the same amount as the Chevron Corp. 

“There are other groups who ... are going to fight tooth and nail to stop this turning back of the clock,” Basham said. 

Washington-based U.S. Term Limits has poured millions of dollars into passing and protecting term limits laws nationwide. 

“Voters overwhelmingly support term limits,” said Stacie Rumenap, the group’s deputy director. “It is clear that this effort is being financed at the idea of politicians and special interests who hate term limits.” 

Owens disagrees, saying there are “a lot of people that are uncomfortable with having to kick out our best legislators when they are just really getting their feet on the ground and learning what the process is all about.” 

He and others point to the statewide electricity crisis that has rookie lawmakers grappling with complex issues to keep the lights on in California. Term limits supporters, however, say the deregulation law that caused the crisis was written by the last pre-limits Legislature in 1996. 

California lawmakers can now serve up to three two-year Assembly terms and up to two four-year terms in the Senate, although those limits can be stretched if someone is first elected to fill a midterm vacancy. 

The initiative would let a senator seek one more term and Assembly member two more if enough voters in their districts signed petitions backing the extension. 

The signatures would have to equal at least 20 percent of the votes cast for that office in the previous general election, a total initiative supporters say will be hard to reach. Opponents, however, say well-connected legislators will have no problem paying signature collectors to reach that number. 

In some states, term limits have had mixed reviews. 

Many states have seen limits lead to more minorities and women being elected, said Jenny Drage, a policy specialist for the National Conference of State Legislatures. 

Still, Drage said, legislatures are losing skilled leadership, which can hurt over the long run. 

Meanwhile, the initiative’s backers also have been criticized for the wording of their proposed ballot measure, whose preamble reads like a pro-term limits statement. 

That’s “a sneaky attempt to be a pro-term limits initiative,” Rumenap said. 

Owens, however, said voters will understand “we are not trying to do away with term limits. We are trying to get some exceptions to it.” 

——— 

On the Net: 

U.S. Term Limits at www.termlimits.org, The National Conference of State Legislatures website contains information about term limit legislation at http://www.ncsl.org, and the CATO Institute at http://www.cato.org/ 

Dear Tom and Ray: 

My son took his 2000 Jeep Wrangler in to the car dealership for its 10,000-mile checkup. When he went to pick it up, he drove it across the lot, and it died. He restarted it, and it died again. The mechanic took it back in, and it had no oil in it. It turned out that he had drained out the old oil but hadn't put any new oil in. Not good. The dealership says it might have to replace the engine. But I’m told that a car gets “tuned” to its own engine, and that with a new engine, the Jeep’s value will drop $10,000. I fail to understand the logic. Can you explain? — Bill 

TOM: No, we can’t. This sounds like complete bull feathers to us, Bill. 

RAY: If you get a new engine after 10,000 miles, you’ve basically been given 10,000 free miles. So what's the problem? 

TOM: And if your son sells the car with 60,000 miles on it, he can advertise it as having only 50,000 miles on the engine. That’s a plus that should net him at least an extra 50 bucks in the transaction. 

RAY: If you’re worried about this becoming a collectors’ item or some such thing, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. This is not a ’56 T-bird or a ’63 Corvette. Heck, it's not even a 2000 Toyota RAV4. 

TOM: And in all my years of working on cars,  

I’ve never seen an engine tune itself to a particular car. It’s not like a heart transplant, where you have to take immunosuppressants to keep the body from rejecting the organ. The engine will take, trust me. And you should take it. Trust me on that, too. It’s a good deal, and the dealership has done the stand-up thing by replacing the engine for you.  

•••  

Got a question about cars? Write to Click and Clack by e-mail at the Car Talk section of cars.com on the World Wide Web.

Hopes for a tech turnaround suffered another blow this past week when Ciena Inc. and Dell Computer Corp. became the latest sector bellwethers to report weak results and pessimistic forecasts. 

The wave of bad news, which came as the Nasdaq composite index hit lows not seen since April, only exacerbated Wall Street’s already sour mood after months of stock hemorrhaging. Even next week’s expected interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve is unlikely to cheer investors fed-up by a market that can’t seem to advance. 

“We’re grappling with the fact that 2001 is a write-off. Now we’re setting our sights on 2002, but the longer the recovery gets put off, the more nervous Wall Street becomes,” said John Forelli, portfolio manager for the John Hancock Core Value Fund. “In the meantime, investors are beginning to fear that consumers might pull back and that the next step for the economy is down.” 

Specifically, Ciena warned Thursday that it would miss earnings and revenue forecasts for its fourth quarter and fiscal 2002 because of a slowdown in spending in telecommunications carriers. The optical network equipment maker’s warning came after it beat third quarter expectations, despite a nearly 80 percent drop in profits. The same day, Dell Computer met second quarter expectations, but said its third-quarter results would likely fall short of Wall Street’s estimates because of soft demand and falling prices. 

But analysts hesitated to blame Ciena or Dell for the market’s weakness, even though both stocks ended the week lower. They contend the problem is the lack of indications that earnings are going to improve, rather than worries about individual companies’ performance.  

Investors have also been disheartened by the number and magnitude of similar announcements coming from outside the technology sector, all reminders of how widespread the economic malaise is. This week alone, a handful of retailers – including Gap, Tiffany and Wal-Mart – reduced their forecasts for future quarters. 

“This is what the dissolution of hope looks like and the trading pattern we’ve been seeing is beautifully emblematic of it,” said Chris Wolfe, equity market strategist for J.P. Morgan Private Bank. “The market goes up and people think maybe we’re too high and things get crushed. Then people get hopeful again, and it starts over.” 

The Fed is expected to lower interest rates by a quarter percentage point at its meeting next week – its seventh rate cut this year – but analysts are doubtful such a move will do much for stocks. 

Although a bigger-than-expected cut might temporarily boost stocks, such a move could also intensify fears that the Fed knows something investors don’t, and the economy is in worse shape than thought. 

Lisa Singhania is a business analyst for The Associated Press

DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. plans to slash between 4,000 and 5,000 white-collar jobs in North America by the end of the year, a high-ranking Ford executive told The Associated Press on Friday. 

The employees will be offered “very good” early retirement packages, said the company official, speaking on condition of anonymity. The cuts account for about 10 percent of the automaker’s salaried work force in North America. “We’ve become much more efficient and the jobs are not needed anymore,” the executive told the AP. “It’s an incredibly competitive market and the economy has slowed.” 

Ford, the world’s second largest automaker, was to make the announcement Friday. 

The source said he expects all the people who are leaving to be gone by December. Further details were unavailable. 

Once thought to be in a position to overtake General Motors Corp. as the world’s leading automaker, Ford’s momentum slipped into reverse last August with the recall of 6.5 million Firestone tires, many of which were installed as original equipment on its popular Ford Explorers. 

Adding to Ford’s woes were disappointing showings in two influential industry studies. Ford assembly plants were shown to be last among the U.S. automakers in quality in the J.D. Power initial quality study, and while still first among domestic car companies in productivity, the Harbour Report found Ford’s lead diminishing. 

In the second quarter that ended June 30, Ford lost $752 million in large part due to the costs of replacing 13 million Firestone tires and restructuring charges involving Mazda Motor Corp., of which Ford owns a one-third interest. 

The automaker was expected to take a charge of about $1 billion against its third-quarter earnings to cover the initial cost of the job cuts, The Detroit News reported. 

Ford management also has begun reviewing the possible delay of some planned vehicle models, which would lower the company’s design and engineering costs, The New York Times reported. 

Shares of Ford were up 92 cents, or more than 4 percent, to close at $23.47 in trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday. 

The yearlong economic slowdown has been hard on automakers and other companies struggling with slumping demand. To cope, they have scaled back production and capital investment and laid off workers. In July, the unemployment rate held steady at 4.5 percent as businesses cut fewer workers than the month before. 

In January, DaimlerChrysler AG announced an aggressive restructuring program at its U.S.-based Chrysler division that would result in the loss of 26,000 jobs over the next three years, about 20 percent of the company’s North American work force. 

——— 

On the Net: 

http://www.ford.com 

JERUSALEM — Israeli tanks rolled into a Palestinian area in the southern Gaza Strip early Saturday and exchanged fire with militants, leaving one dead and 10 injured, Palestinian officials said. 

Shortly after midnight Friday, Israeli tanks and bulldozers moved about 150 yards into Palestinian territory on the outskirts of the town of Khan Yunis, Palestinian security sources said on condition of anonymity. 

Palestinian gunmen fired on the Israeli forces as they moved in, the security sources said. Doctors at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis said one Palestinian was killed and 10 were injured. 

The Israeli military had no immediate comment, but Israeli forces have ventured into Palestinian areas in Gaza on numerous occasions during the current conflict, often to tear down houses and buildings being used for cover by the militants. 

The Israeli incursions have drawn international condemnation, and in the past, the Israeli forces have retreated, usually after only a few hours. 

The Israeli action came after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon made a military tour of the Gaza Strip on Friday to visit Israeli soldiers in the volatile region. 

Sharon toured Gush Katif, a collection of Jewish settlements in the southern Gaza Strip, his office said. The settlements have come under frequent attack by Palestinian gunmen and from militants firing mortars. 

Also, Israeli forces and Palestinians clashed Friday in Rafah, a town along Gaza’s southern border with Egypt, not far from the spot Sharon visited. 

Eight Palestinians were wounded, four of them seriously, according to doctors at the Rafah hospital. The Israeli army said its troops came under fire from Palestinians and shot back. 

It was not clear where Sharon was when the shooting broke out. The southern end of the Gush Katif settlements are less than a mile from Rafah. 

Also Friday, Israeli police stopped a car entering Israel from the West Bank, overpowered two Palestinians inside and found a powerful bomb that weighed 22 pounds, police said. 

After the car was stopped, police evacuated the Israeli Arab town of Baka al-Gharbiyah. A bomb-disposal robot then fired four bullets at the bomb, exploding it on the main street of the town. There were no injuries. 

Police said the two men arrested belong to the militant group Islamic Jihad, which has claimed responsibility for many bombings. 

A pair of Palestinian suicide bombings during the past week appeared to diminish support for Sharon, who won a landslide victory in February with the promise that he would end the Palestinian uprising. 

A Gallup poll published in the Maariv newspaper said only 21 percent of Israelis believed he could end the violence, while 70 percent said he would not. Nine percent said they did not know. 

In a Gallup poll last month, 43 percent believed Sharon could end the violence, and 41 percent disagreed. 

Sharon’s own standing also took a beating, with 49 percent of the people approving of his performance as prime minister, while 42 percent expressed dissatisfaction. In last month’s poll, 59 percent said they were satisfied. 

The latest poll questioned 593 Israeli adults and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points. 

With the Mideast violence dragging into its 11th month, a growing number of Israeli politicians are talking about the possibility of Israel taking unilateral steps to separate itself from the Palestinians. 

The Haaretz newspaper said a number of politicians were setting up a movement to push for unilateral separation, including Cabinet minister Dalia Itzik, and former minister Haim Ramon, both from the moderate Labor party, along with Michael Eitan from Sharon’s hard-line Likud and Dan Meridor, leader of the Center party. 

Separation efforts could include building a fence between Israel and the West Bank. Israeli troops now man checkpoints on the roads, but most of the border area can be crossed on foot. 

Such plans would have to address how to handle the 200,000 Jewish settlers scattered throughout the West Bank. 

Israeli opponents of unilateral separation say it would mean handing over large parts of the West Bank to the Palestinians without a peace accord. 

KINGSTON, Jamaica — In the heart of Kingston, about a dozen men stand in an open-air emporium stacking long buds of marijuana even though the crop is illegal in Jamaica. 

“High-grade, the best ... smell it,” says a dreadlocked 27-year-old Rastafarian at the “Luke Lane” market, who gives his name only as Toro as he holds a bud in the air and beckons to a passer-by. Sale completed, he lights a joint of rolled marijuana and smiles. 

These days, he has a lot to be happy about. 

A government commission recommended Thursday that marijuana be legalized for personal use by adults – a move the government will likely endorse despite opposition from the United States, which has spent millions to eradicate the crop on the Caribbean island. 

“(Marijuana’s) reputation among the people as a panacea and a spiritually enhancing substance is so strong that it must be regarded as culturally entrenched,” said the commission’s report. 

The National Commission on Ganja – as marijuana is known here – also said Jamaica should allow the use of marijuana for religious purposes. This is important to the Rastafarian minority, who worship deceased Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie as a prophet and use marijuana  

as a sacrament. 

Prime Minister P.J. Patterson last year appointed the commission, which included academics and doctors.  

So far, he and elected officials have not publicly commented on the report. But Ralston Smith, an aide to Patterson, said: “My gut feeling is that the commission’s recommendations will be followed.” 

Any change in existing drug laws would have to be approved by Parliament. And legalization, even for personal use, could cause friction with the United States and violate the 1988 U.N. Convention Against the Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. Jamaica signed the accord. 

“The U.S. opposes the decriminalization of marijuana,” Michael Koplovsky, a U.S. Embassy spokesman, said Thursday. 

Over the last 20 years, the United States has worked with Jamaica to burning marijuana fields and carry out other anti-drug efforts.  

It has also provided aid to fight drug trafficking in Jamaica, the Caribbean’s largest marijuana exporter and a major transshipment point for cocaine bound for Europe and South America. 

The commission addressed these concerns in its report, urging the government to “embark on diplomatic initiatives ... to elicit support for its internal position and influence the international community to re-examine the status of cannabis.” 

Between 1992-98, the United States provided $7.8 million to Jamaica to eliminate marijuana production and trafficking. The most popular method has been to chop down the plants and burn the fields. 

Indian indentured servants are thought to have brought marijuana to Jamaica in the 19th century. Its use as a medicinal herb spread rapidly among plantation workers, with some using ganja tea to alleviate aches, and others using rum-soaked marijuana as remedy for coughs and fevers. 

But it was not until the 1960s and 1970s, with the rise to popularity of Bob Marley and other reggae icons, that marijuana began to gain acceptance outside poor neighborhoods. 

Marijuana’s deep roots were clear in Luke Lane after word spread of the commission’s recommendation. Among the patrons was 43-year-old Horace Clarke, who was also buying school supplies for his three children. 

“At night, when the children are sleeping, sometimes I smoke a little with my lady,” Clarke said as he bought a quarter ounce for about $2.50. 

The vendors were pleased at the possibility the it might be legal to use marijuana, even though selling the drug would remain illegal. 

All had stories of being chased by the police, “If you’re going to smoke it, you have to get it and we sell it,” said a dealer who gave his name only as Metro. 

He said he earns about $100 on a good day. 

“This money doesn’t go out to buy guns, it goes to food that fills the bellies of my children and puts them in school clothes and pays their school fees,” he said. “What’s criminal about that?” 

SAN FRANCISCO — State regulators expanded a program to help low-income residents pay their power bills on Thursday, but left unaddressed a laundry list of other issues that will determine the future of California’s electricity market. 

The state Public Utilities Commission voted 5-0 to use some of the $100 million earmarked by the Legislature for low-income energy assistance programs to create and expand such programs for customers of Mountain Utilities, Sierra Pacific Co., PacifiCorps, Southwest Gas Co. and West Coast Gas. 

The commission approved a one-time boost of $4.9 million for the utilities’ Low Income Energy Assistance Programs, $1.2 million for the California Alternate Rates for Energy program and $400,000 toward CARE’s outreach and administrative costs. 

“Although the effects of the energy crisis have somewhat abated this summer, I believe that the commission must continue to take action to protect those customers who are most vulnerable to high energy prices,” said Commissioner Carl Wood. The commission also voted to: 

• Force mobile home park landlords to share natural gas rebates and interest with their tenants in a timely manner. Residents of ten mobile home parks and The Utility Reform Network had filed complaints accusing landlords of withholding that money. 

• Allow Pacific Gas and Electric Co. to lease property to energy companies hoping to build power plants with easy access to fuel pipelines and transmission lines. This is a way of quickly increasing supplies without harm to ratepayers, commissioners said. 

• Exempt tunnels, control centers and municipal railway crossing devices in PG&E and San Diego Gas and Electric’s territory from rolling blackouts. 

The PUC has delayed until Sept. 6 votes on other long-debated issues, including the right for consumers to pick their own electricity provider. 

PUC President Loretta Lynch said the commission needed the extra time to review the high volume of comments from utilities, consumer advocacy groups, as well as trade groups from the agriculture, manufacturing and technology industries. 

Many of these groups oppose a PUC proposal to allow the Department of Water Resources, which buys electricity on behalf of three ailing utiliites, to pass along rate hikes without having to persuade the PUC the new rates are fair and necessary. 

State officials say suspending the PUC’s authority to reject the rate increases is necessary to help sell $12.5 in bonds to recoup the more than $9.5 billion spent on power thus far. California must show Wall Street it has a sufficient inflow of cash and command of the situation. 

Opponents say the department’s actions already are kept secret from the public, and that it’s unfair to California ratepayers to potentially pay more for electricity but not have regulators review and approve the details of those rates. 

——— 

On the Net: 

http://www.cpuc.ca.gov 

NEW YORK — The big issue in Social Security reform isn’t limited to just strengthening the system. It’s bigger than that. As big, perhaps, as saving the entire economy. 

This latter goal is sometimes lost amid the hot political debate of what needs to be done to keep the system alive beyond 2016. But it is there, and it involves every aspect of the economy and society. 

That larger goal is to get Americans to save, not just for retirement but in order to participate more meaningfully in the economy. To give them a greater share in economic growth. 

In fact, to save the economy. 

Without savings, the economy’s ability to grow and innovate eventually erodes, meaning fewer new companies, outdated older companies, fewer jobs, fewer opportunities.  

Savings finance such things. Not just retirement. 

In short, without saving, the economic pie shrinks rather than grows. When it grows, it means everyone has a bigger part of the pie without lessening their neighbor’s slice. 

But households, even those who used to save, aren’t doing much saving today.  

Blame it on the lack incentives. Blame it on the feeling that the government will take care of them. Blame it on a dozen different reasons. 

The interim (August) report of the President’s Commission to Strengthen Social Security points out that in 1998 the median household owned only $17,400 worth of financial assets, including retirement funds.  

Four of every nine American households saved nothing in 1998; six of 10 African American and Hispanic households saved nothing that year. In effect, they did little to invest in their own and the economy’s future. 

They did, of course, save through Social Security, but that is a type of forced saving that can’t be avoided.  

It is, in the eyes of many, a tax, not an investment. It provides no legal ownership. No incentive to invest. 

Were contributors allowed a portion of Social Security payments for investment in securities, the tax would seem less a tax and more an opportunity to participate in the economy. And an education too. 

It might have social benefits as well, since partial privatization could be an incentive and education for many lower-income and minority families to participate for the first time in financial markets. 

For the first time, it states, “the retirement program can become an active rather than a passive instrument of personal financial security,” providing families with resources  

they never before had or  

maybe imagined. 

It would do even more, “widening the circle of Americans fortunate enough to pass on the accumulated results of their investments and hard work.” 

And, of course, in the process of saving and investing it might also help provide the wherewithal, now in short supply, for the for the economy to expand, productivity to rise, and living standards to become elevated. 

John Cunniff is a business analyst for The Associated Press

SACRAMENTO — A 3-year-old boy’s body was found in a cardboard TV box in a grassy field just a few miles from where his father, Nikolay Soltys, is suspected of also killing his wife, aunt, uncle and two young cousins. 

Tuesday’s grisly discovery was “probably the most distressing of all, because there was a great deal of hope throughout the department that we would be able to find this child safe and sound,” said Sacramento County Sheriff’s Sgt. James Lewis. 

Sergey Soltys’ bloody body was found in a rural part of Placer County, northeast of Sacramento. Authorities said he had been cut or stabbed and was placed inside a 36-inch television box with no lid. Police had not determined the cause of the child’s death. 

A note, written by hand in Russian on the back of a photo of Soltys’ wife holding their son, led authorities to the boy’s body. The note had been tucked into a car door pocket. On Monday, Soltys was seen at both the North Highlands home where his wife was found dead and the Rancho Cordova duplex of the four other victims. The homes are about 20 minutes apart. 

A warrant has been issued for Soltys’ arrest on suspicion of five counts of murder. Lewis said investigators also believe he’s responsible for his son’s death. 

The Sacramento County Coroner’s office on Tuesday said Soltys’ wife and two young cousins died from “sharp force trauma,” indicating stab wounds.  

Autopsies on the others were pending. 

Responding to dozens of tips, authorities intensified a nationwide search for Soltys. Officers were stationed at bus terminals and airports, and investigators appealed to Eastern European residents and offered a $10,000 reward. 

Investigators received as many as a dozen reports of Soltys sightings near where his abandoned car was discovered. None had produced any solid leads. 

As details of the killings continued to emerge, experts tried to unravel what may have gone through the killer’s mind. 

“These are the methodical actions of a man who has made up his mind what he is going to do. He has a mission,” said Clint Van Zandt, a former FBI profiler in Virginia. 

Soltys may have mentally blocked out the violent events as he carried out the tasks of driving and cleaning himself up, another profiler said. 

“He’s putting part of himself in compartments of his mind and not having to deal with them, probably because he can’t deal with them,” said John Philpin, a retired psychologist in Vermont and one of the nation’s first private profilers. 

Authorities got a break late Monday when they found Soltys’ 1995 Nissan Altima parked behind a Sacramento home improvement store. A search of the area turned up nothing but the note. 

Lyubov Soltys, 22, was stabbed before 10 a.m. inside the couple’s home in suburban North Highlands, authorities said. Then, police said, Soltys drove 20 minutes to a duplex in Rancho Cordova, where he stabbed his aunt and uncle, Galina Kukharskaya, 74, and Petr Kukharskiy, 75. 

Authorities said Soltys then attacked two 9-year-old cousins, Tatyana Kukharskaya and Dimitriy Kukharskiy, the grandchildren of the slain couple. 

Gravely wounded, the children ran from the home. Dimitriy died in his mother’s arms, while Tatyana was taken to University of California at Davis Medical Center, where she was later pronounced dead. 

About an hour after leaving Rancho Cordova, investigators said, Soltys arrived at his mother’s house in Citrus Heights to pick up his son. 

Soltys’ mother told police her son seemed fine and showed no signs that anything was wrong. Police would not release her name, saying she was a witness in the case. 

Investigators said they have no motive for the killings, but some family members said they were unhappy Soltys was unemployed and on government aid. Detectives are also investigating whether Soltys had a violent temper and if drugs or mental illness played a role in the killings. 

“He had mental problems,” said Inna Yasinsky, an aunt to one of the children killed Monday. 

In Ukraine, authorities said, Soltys was rejected by the national army for mental instability. He also had a history of domestic violence. Soltys came to the United States almost three years ago and has no known criminal record. 

Before arriving in the Sacramento area, Soltys lived for two years in Binghamton, N.Y., a city of 60,000. 

Lorelle Frushour of the Interreligious Council of Central New York, which sponsored Soltys’ immigration to the United States, called him “a fine person. No problems. We had no indication that there was marital abuse or anything like that.” 

Soltys entered the United States in August 1998 as part of an immigration program designed to let evangelical Christians and Jews escape persecution in parts of the former Soviet Union. 

The program, authorized by the 1989 Lautenberg Amendment, lacks the standard police clearances required of other immigrants. 

Sheriff’s investigators said Soltys is 6 feet tall, weighs 165 pounds and has blue eyes and blond hair. 

—— 

On the Net: See www.sacsheriff.com for a mug shot of Soltys and information about the case. 

According to a 1996 Department of Energy report on residential lighting, in the average U.S. home, lighting accounts for about 1,800 kilowatt-hours a year of the total electricity bill, more than $200 annually at current energy rates.  

The smartest way to avoid the sting of high-priced energy is to make simple changes to reduce the amount of energy used for lighting.  

With compact fluorescent bulbs, it is possible to get the same amount and quality of light for a lot less money. 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy studies show that if every household switched to EnergyStar efficient light fixtures and bulbs, the savings would amount to 70 billion kwh and prevent the release of 100 billion pounds of carbon dioxide per year – the equivalent of removing 10 million cars from the road.  

These are just the environmental benefits. The consumer can reap significant economic benefits as well. 

Besides reducing your utility bills, a home with energy-efficient lighting can be just as well-lit and comfortable as one using traditional incandescent bulbs. The fastest way to capitalize on energy savings is to replace any bulb that operates three or more hours per day with a compact fluorescent bulb. This may include porch lights, living room or kitchen lights. You will notice substantial savings immediately, and according to the DOE, replacing just 25 percent of the incandescent bulbs in your house could cut your lighting bill in half. The trick here is in choosing the correct fluorescent bulb for the job. Flickering and buzzing are common problems in older fluorescent light fixtures, but are easily avoided in new fluorescent bulbs.  

Older bulbs (and some cheap new bulbs) have magnetic ballasts that “hum” at 120 cycles per second, which some people can perceive as a flicker, and which may be accompanied by a buzz as the lamp cycles. (An easy way to identify them is the 1-2 second delay when you switch the light on.) New electronic (or solid state) ballasts operate at 24,000 cycles or more per second, eliminating the flicker.  

The buzz is also gone, since there is no magnetic “pulsing” happening. 

When comparing bulbs, there are three numbers to look for to assure a quality product: watts, temperature, and the Color Rendering Index.  

As of this writing, there are no packaging standards on CFL’s, so these numbers may not appear on each brand of bulb. The watts for compact fluorescent are about one quarter of those of incandescent bulbs. If you use a 60-watt bulb in a fixture, try using a 15-watt compact fluorescent. For a 100-watt equivalent, try using a 25- or 27-watt bulb for equivalent brightness. The second criteria is in the color temperature of the light; that is, what the light from the bulb looks like.  

The unit of measurement that lighting engineers use to rate light temperature is in degrees Kelvin.  

Each manufacturer uses a slightly different blend of materials to create its bulbs; colors can range from blue-white to warm-white to rosey-white.  

Sodium street lights rate are around 2,000 K, and a 40-watt incandescent bulb is roughly 2,200 K while the average 100-watt incandescent bulb is approximately 3,000 K. Halogen bulbs are rated around 3,300 K. 

So, when looking for a good-quality compact fluorescent bulb, look for a temperature rating of around 2,700 K to produce a light that is similar to what you already have in your home. We often hear, “I like a bulb to be the color of sunlight.” Just to clarify things, sunlight ranges from a noontime bright sky of 5-6,000 K to an overcast sky color of 6,500 to 7,500 K (cool blue-ish light), to a northern deep blue sky of 8,500 K. Sunrise and sunset start around 1,500 (deep reds). Daylight changes with the seasons (high or low off the horizon), and is different in every latitude, so no bulb can do that! For a cooler light, look for a rating of 3,500 degrees Kelvin. You might want this color in a kitchen, laundry room or bath, while choosing a warmer light in a reading lamp or living room. Another criteria is the way the light from the bulb makes other colors look, or how close to “true” the colors appear. This is expressed in a scale called the Color Rendering Index, or CRI, on a scale of 0 to 100.  

Think about those orangey sodium street lights. Their color-rating index, or CRI, is very low, in the 30’s, while an incandescent bulb is generally in the 90’s. Our eyes don’t perceive very slight differences in this scale, but we can tell when a bulb is in the lower ranges, because colors look washed out or sometimes grey.  

Look for a CRI number in the 80’s; 82 is a comfortable number and is nearly indistinguishable from an incandescent bulb. Take advantage of the many rebate programs now available on bulbs – some are in-store rebates given at the register, and others require a mail-in coupon. The payback period on a $10 bulb is about 10 months at today’s electricity rates. For the best assurance of a long-lasting, quality bulb, look for the EnergyStar logo from the Department of Energy. 

For more information on energy use, rebates and related products, see the City of Berkeley’s Web site at  

www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/ENERGY. 

Alice LaPierre is an energy analyst for the city’s Energy Office. Her column appears as a public service the first and third Tuesday of the month.

YUBA CITY – Everyone was ecstatic a year ago when test scores soared at April Lane Elementary, one of 430 schools in the first group going through Gov. Gray Davis’ three-year improvement program. 

This summer, however, scores are flat and morale is down as the school begins its crucial third year. 

“I feel disappointed,” said teacher Clarence Craft, reading about “Clyde Monster” to first- and second-graders in summer school. “To go up that much, I wanted to go up again. Taking a step back is not going forward.” 

April Lane and the other 429 schools face dire consequences a year from now if they don’t meet their improvement goals: takeover by the state and possible closing of the school. 

April Lane is not the only school sweating this new school year. An Associated Press analysis of test scores released last week shows nearly half of the 430 schools saw reading and math test scores drop or stay the same. 

Unless they do better this year, they could be facing the serious sanctions just when Davis is running for his second term and is under political pressure. The Democratic governor has made improvement in test scores a central part of his first term; the improvement program was a key part of the school package he pushed through the Legislature in his first few months in office. 

The 430 schools won’t know for sure if they met this year’s 5 percent growth goal until their Academic Performance Index numbers are calculated by the state in October. The complicated API formula is based on the Standardized Testing and Reporting exam or STAR test. 

However, 132 of the 291 elementary schools in the program, or 45 percent, saw the percentage of second-graders who scored at or above the national average in reading drop or stay the same. 

And 34 of the 52 high schools, or 65 percent, had 11th-grade math scores fall or stay the same. 

“It’s never encouraging when scores go down, but the schools didn’t get to where they are overnight. It’s going to take time for them to come back,” says Daniel Chernow, executive director of the University of California, Los Angeles, School Management Program, which has been advising 50 schools in the program. 

Moreover, it’s problematic to judge schools on year-to-year test score changes because such numbers are very volatile due to the small sample of students in a school and one-time factors such as illness or a distracting barking dog, says Thomas Kane, professor of policy studies and economics at UCLA, who has studied test scores in North Carolina and California. 

“Even if a school is making steady progress, it may not be reflected in test scores every single year,” he said. 

The 430 schools chosen for the first group in October 1999 all had test scores in the bottom half of the state. They spent their first year planning how to improve and put those plans into effect last year, using state grants that will continue this year. 

Some of the schools chose structured outside programs, such as Success for All or Ventures Education Systems. Others put together highly individualistic plans with the common threads of heavy reading, test practicing, teacher training and parent involvement. 

April Lane is trying those common threads, with mixed success over the past two years. 

When it started the program in 1999, its base API was 554, in the lowest 40 percent of state schools. Its 2000 test scores were spectacular, even though the plan was just being written that year. Its target was a 12-point increase, but its API jumped to 671, qualifying the school and its teachers for some of the $677 million in rewards offered by Davis. 

However, its 2001 test scores are less encouraging. Scores went up in eight of the 16 grade and subject measurements but down by the same total percentage points in the other eight. 

Principal Craig Guensler says he thinks April Lane will not meet its goal of increasing six points in the 2001 API to be released in October. 

He partially blames the huge number of changes in the school over the past year — a new reading program, a switch from year-round to traditional calendar and a less-than-successful parent liaison experiment. 

The school decided to use Open Court Reading, a very structured phonics-based program by SRA-McGraw-Hill that has greatly improved test scores in many districts. It also chose the company’s math program, Math Explorations and Applications. 

The Open Court books weren’t received until last January, so teachers just used them as supplements last year, he said. Teachers are getting intensive training in Open Court this week, just before school starts on Thursday. 

The “Clyde Monster” story that Craft was reading to his summer-school students is in an Open Court book. He thinks the program looks good and thinks it should improve test scores. 

The switch from a four-track year-round school to a traditional schedule is a big change, one that is disruptive now, but should help the school in the long run, says principal Guensler. Schools on multitrack year-round schedules have troubles with teacher training and communication, since the full faculty is never present at the same time. 

April Lane will also be able to do its STAR testing at one time, instead of spreading it over four tracks over several months, he said. 

The school’s effort to improve parent participation by hiring a parent liaison to encourage involvement didn’t work as planned last year. The woman hired for the job quit after five months because of conflicts with her other job that changed from part-time to full-time. Guensler will be hiring a new liaison this fall. 

The school has had trouble getting parents involved, the principal believes, because they don’t realize what a difference they can make and “some people seem to be afraid to come to a school.” 

With its new calendar, April Lane was able to hold its first summer school, for 155 children identified by teachers as needing extra help. They spent four hours a day on reading and two on math during the four-week program. 

The school might offer more after-school classes during the year to further help kids who are behind, the principal said. 

“We should see a significant gain next year,” predicts Guensler. 

Kindergarten teacher Marilyn Sensney says the state test puts a lot of pressure on the teachers and the students. 

“It’s all based on test scores, because you’re under the gun if you don’t improve,” she said. 

Schools in the program are not really competing against each other, but against themselves to improve by 5 percent, says state Department of Education spokesman Doug Stone. 

“What we’re asking for is a realistic goal,” he said. 

Not going as planned 

Here are some Standardized Testing and Reporting exam or STAR test results for schools in the governor’s three-year improvement program. Scores in reading and math are the percentages of students scoring at or above the national average: 

FIRST GROUP of 430 SCHOOLS (Started program in 1999) 

READING: 

• Second grade: 132 of 291 schools, or 45 percent, declined or stayed the same. Range comparing 2000 score to 2001 is a decline of 35 percentage points to an increase of 41. Median is a gain of 2. 

• Fourth grade: 115 of 288 schools, or 40 percent, declined or stayed the same. Range is a decline of 25 to an increase of 28. Median is a gain of 2. 

• Eighth grade: 41 of 98 schools, or 42 percent, declined or stayed the same. Range is a decline of 27 to an increase of 28. Median is a gain of 2. 

• 11th grade: 26 of 52 schools, or 50 percent, declined or stayed the same. Range is a decline of 13 to an increase of 16. Median is a gain of .5. 

MATH: 

• Second grade: 124 of 291 schools, or 43 percent, declined or stayed the same. Range is a decline of 45 to an increase of 39. Median is a drop of 9. 

• Fourth grade: 107 of 288 schools, or 37 percent, declined or stayed the same. Range is a decline of 40 to an increase of 43. Median is a gain of 3. 

• Eighth grade: 60 of 98 schools, or 61 percent, declined or stayed the same. Range is a decline of 42 to an increase of 61. Median is a drop of 1. 

• 11th grade: 34 of 52 schools, or 65 percent, declined or stayed the same. Range is a decline of 18 to an increase of 14. Median is a drop of 3.5. 

ENGLISH-LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS 

• Fourth grade: Students proficient or above in the standards-based questions ranged from 58 percent to none. The median is 15. 

• Eighth grade: Range is 62 percent to none. Median is 17. 

• 11th grade: Range is 31 percent to 5 percent. Median is 19. 

SECOND GROUP of 430 SCHOOLS (Started in 2000) 

READING: 

• Fourth grade: 76 of 245 schools declined or stayed the same. Median is a gain of 4. 

• Eighth grade: 51 or 116 schools declined or stayed the same. Median is a gain of 1. 

• 11th grade: 33 of 71 schools declined or stayed the same. Median is a gain of 1. 

Source: Associated Press analysis of STAR test data from state Department of Education. Number of schools is greater than 430 because both elementary and middle schools can have eighth grades.

SAN FRANCISCO — A video obtained by a Bay Area television station shows Department of Public Works employees dumping shopping carts full of the personal belongings of homeless people into the back of a garbage truck. 

The tape chronicled an emotional outburst by one homeless man, who watched as his belongings were dumped. 

The video was taken early Wednesday morning in San Francisco’s Potrero Hill neigborhood near Cesar Chavez and Bayshore, said Paul Boden, director of San Francisco’s Coalition on Homelessness. Boden apparently had some strong feelings about the issue. 

“This is the standard operating procedure for how the city and county of San Francisco treats homeless people, Boden told KTVU-TV Thursday. 

Still, Boden said the city has a right to confiscate and return shopping carts to the businesses they originally belonged to, though he added that is not happening. 

“This is strictly a harrassment compaign to let homeless people know that they are despised, unwanted and should get the hell out of town,” Boden said. 

City workers are told to gather abandoned property, said George Smith, director of the mayor’s Office on Homelessness. 

“Our standing operating procedure is to keep the streets clean,” he said, adding that abandoned property is bagged and stored for 90 days, during which owners can pick up their belongings.