Parents have a rosier picture of small schools than teachers, according to a nationwide poll released Tuesday by Public Agenda, a nonpartisan public opinion agency based in New York. -more-

When a team wins 11 straight national titles, it becomes apparent that the competition provided within the United States isn’t quite getting it done. That’s where the Cal men’s rugby team is: they haven’t been beaten by an American team since 1996 and routinely beat their domestic competition by 50 points or more. The answer: import tougher opponents. -more-

In closed session yesterday the city sealed the lid on a possible lawsuit against University of California Berkeley’s plan to put a parking structure and offices on Berkeley’s southside. But perhaps more importantly, it sealed the details of that closed session meeting by further deciding not to report on it — disallowing councilmembers to speak about what took place behind closed doors. -more-

Keys a finalist for inaugural McDonald’s girls’ game -more-

Members of the Board of Education say they are poised to close City of Franklin School, lay off the security manager at Berkeley High School and move to a six-period day at BHS, endorsing many of the key budget cuts identified by Superintendent Michele Lawrence in a $3 million package released Friday. -more-

Los Angeles — Speaking at the state Democratic convention this weekend, Gov. Gray Davis praised himself and attacked GOP opponents as uninspired and driven by corporate interests, in what many observers called the unofficial beginning of Davis’ bid for re-election. -more-

Today is Wednesday, Feb. 20, the 51st day of 2002. There are 314 days left in the year. -more-

Though various community members lauded the redistricting proposal brought forth by 16-year-old Nick Rizzo, it was Elliott Cohen’s plan that received the unanimous approval of the Council. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Dogged by scandal, the city’s Elections Department has lost credibility in the eyes of many San Franciscans, according to a report by the San Francisco Chronicle. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Andy Kampe was six when his family fled the communists in Latvia, fearing for their lives. He still remembers seeing the Statue of Liberty when they arrived in America. -more-

MENLO PARK — California workers paid nearly 10 percent more for their employer-provided health insurance last year than the year before, although their costs were still under the national average, a survey found. -more-

Kidnapper may be first to hand over DNA -more-

YORBA LINDA — Vice President Dick Cheney said Tuesday that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s regime “harbors terrorist groups,” expanding on the Bush administration’s claims of a so-called axis of evil made up of Iraq, Iran and North Korea. -more-

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BEVERLY HILLS — Global Crossing, which is seeking bankruptcy protection after one of the most spectacular flameouts in U.S. telecommunications history, gave contracts to a fledgling Internet firm run by the son of one of its own senior executives. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Shareholders aren’t the only ones upset by ImClone Systems Inc.’s dwindling stock price and its troubles with the Food and Drug Administration and an angry corporate partner. -more-

Last week KPFA began its pledge drive just around the same time that Pacifica Radio Network announced sharp budget and program cuts as well as staff lay-offs in an attempt to blot out some of the red ink on its beleaguered books. -more-

SALT LAKE CITY – Plenty people go through life with wrong-headed notions. The difference between Steven Bradbury and the rest of us is that he has a gold medal to show for his. -more-

Editor: -more-

Tuesday, Feb. 19

East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors authored Measure K has so far been coasting toward the March 5th primaries with few coming out in opposition and wide-scale support. -more-

Both St. Mary’s High basketball teams received byes for the first round of the BSAL playoffs thanks to their strong regular seasons. The teams will play a second-round doubleheader at home on Thursday. -more-

Dear Shirley: -more-

Today is Tuesday, Feb. 19, the 50th day of 2002. There are 315 days left in the year. -more-

Editor: -more-

Bush opens trip with discussions on Japanese economy -more-

Editor: -more-

This weekend a documentary following the adventures and exploits of several swinging couples will premiere at Landmark's Lumiere Theatre, and selected showings will also feature a Q&A with the filmmakers Joe and Harry Gantz -more-

Editor: -more-

Airline passengers had their airport routines sharply altered after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and now the way they’re protected has changed as well. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — To minimize the pain of buying lottery ticket duds, people often console each other, saying at least the lost money goes to a good cause: public schools. -more-

SACRAMENTO — For three decades, the legal right to abortion has been a fundamental cornerstone of American life. -more-

PHOENIX — When Rick Piper wants to reward his 6-year-old, he says only one place will do. -more-

HARTFORD, Conn. — When shareholders of The Walt Disney Co. meet here Tuesday, they will be treated to a show as carefully written and rehearsed as a Broadway play. -more-

A relatively new and surprisingly innovative scam targeting residences has been discovered where thieves steal checks, then blot out the pay to the order of line with ink remover. This allows them to fill in the line with whatever name they want and makes it fairly difficult to trace down the culprit, police say. -more-

A miraculous goal at the end of regulation wasn’t quite enough to get the Berkeley High boys’ soccer team past Castro Valley in the North Coast Section quarterfinals on Saturday night, as the ’Jackets fell on penalty kicks. -more-

Editor: -more-

Monday, Feb. 18

A male sexuality class at University of California, Berkeley has been suspended after reports of lurid extracurricular activities surfaced late last week. The suspension of the class, run by students and sponsored by the university, was announced Friday. -more-

SEATTLE – C.J. Massingale matched a career high with 25 points to give the Washington Huskies a 75-60 upset victory over California Saturday night. -more-

Editor: -more-

While many veteran teachers hobble toward retirement, Rita Davies seems to be sprinting — and she is still vigorously devoted to her teaching career. Known in and around the Berkeley Unified School District as an advocate of the arts, Davies focus in teaching goes, like art, straight to the heart. -more-

Senior second baseman Carson White knocked in the game-winning RBI with no outs in the bottom of the ninth to lead Cal to a 4-3 victory over Long Beach State Sunday at Evans Diamond. -more-

Representative Lee: -more-

INGLEWOOD — Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan issued a call for racial and religious unity on Sunday and condemned the U.S. war on terrorism, saying “there’s a lot of ugliness in America the beautiful, ugliness that can be turned into beauty.” -more-

Senior center Ami Forney posted her second double-double of the weekend in a competitive loss by Cal to visiting Washington, 64-53, Saturday afternoon in its final home game at Haas Pavilion in front of 1,447 fans. -more-

Letter to Editor -more-

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Women’s tennis stays undefeated -more-

OAKLAND — J. Desmond Clark, an anthropologist and African fossil hunter, has died. He was 85. -more-

BERKELEY — The City wants to conserve more energy, and they have decided to offer a $75 carrot to do it. -more-

OAKLAND — Oakland International Airport has announced that its volume of daily flights is expected to increase over the next six months. -more-

Mayor Shirley Dean is proposing an amendment to the city’s municipal code that will ban smoking within 15 to 25 feet of the entrances of all buildings open to the public. -more-

PASADENA — A NASA spacecraft will start peeling back the dry and dusty rust-red surface of Mars this month to reveal what scientists expect are vast, hidden stores of water. -more-

OAKLAND — A car wreck at one of the Bay Area’s notorious illegal car rallies has left a woman dead, a man in jail and top city officials calling for new laws to curb the troublesome activity. -more-

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE — Sen. Harry Reid called President Bush a “liar” for telling Nevadans that he would base a decision on whether to send the nation’s nuclear waste to Nevada on “sound science, not politics.” -more-

SAN RAFAEL — Someone scrawled graffiti on the house and car of the Marin County family accused in the death of an infant and the neglect of 12 other children. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — As interest in the record $191 million state lottery jackpot ebbed higher, so did reports of illegal online ticket sales. -more-

The morning after at least three lottery players landed shares of the biggest single-state jackpot in history, the only winners who were talking were the store owners who sold the tickets. -more-

HOUSTON — The University of California Regents will lead the charge for big-time investors and individual shareholders collectively suing current and former Enron Corp. officials for more than $1 billion gained in stock sales before the company imploded last year. -more-

Despite objections from neighbors, The Zoning Adjustments Board approved the Environmental Impact Report Thursday for the Hills Fire Station proposed for a quiet ridge in the Berkeley hills. -more-

For seven innings, Trevor Hutchinson dodged bullets. But in the eighth, he was done in by foam pellets. -more-

Editor: -more-

If you’re more interested in reading about eunuchs than UNIX,and you’ve been wondering about the private lives of men in turbans and women in burkas in 16th and 17th century Mughal India, then you might want to pick up a copy of “The Twentieth Wife” by first-time author, Indu Sandaresan. -more-

Saturday, Feb. 16

Superintendent Michele Lawrence recommended an initial wave of $3 million in cuts, including the closure of City of Franklin School, in a budget proposal released Friday. -more-

Dear Governor Davis: -more-

The Zoning Adjustments Board unanimously approved a Use Permit for a controversial four-storey, 40-unit senior residence on Sacramento Street at the site of the former Outback clothing store. -more-

Editor: -more-

Today is Saturday, Feb. 16, the 47th day of 2002. There are 318 days left in the year. -more-

John Hinkel Park is located off Arlington Avenue in north Berkeley on a steep wooded hillside. A small creek cascades through it and paths meander under native oak, bay and buckeye trees. The almost six acre park was given to the city in 1919 by John Hinkel, a downtown property owner. It was reported to be the largest gift the city had ever received. The park area was used by the Boy Scouts, and a Boy Scout Club house still stands in the park. -more-

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — John Walker Lindh’s trial will likely start in late August, raising the odds the former Taliban soldier will be in court on the one-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. -more-

LOS ANGELES — Californians looked for ways to boost their luck Friday as the jackpot for Saturday night’s SuperLotto Plus draw rose to $175 million. -more-

LOS ANGELES — Richard Riordan, the front-runner for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, has issued a challenge to fellow California Republicans: Embrace moderate stances such as support for abortion rights or risk becoming “an extinct species.” -more-

STOCKTON — Hoping to save his political skin, Rep. Gary Condit is shaking every hand he can. -more-

WASHINGTON — Two California Democrats on Thursday said they would try to end any prospect for new drilling for gas and oil off the central California coast by letting energy companies swap their leases for similar rights in the Gulf of Mexico. -more-

LOS ANGELES — After months of unrelenting attacks from the Republicans who want to unseat him, Gov. Gray Davis will face a friendly crowd at the California Democratic Party convention this weekend. -more-

TUCSON, Ariz. — Seven California condors born in captivity will be released Saturday atop northern Arizona’s Vermillion Cliffs, adding to the current population of 25 in Arizona. -more-

BEVERLY HILLS — Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, joined by Russell Simmons and other prominent hip-hop figures, called on rap artists to move away from explicitly violent lyrics. -more-

AUSTIN, Texas — Former Enron Corp. Chairman Kenneth Lay wrote repeatedly to George W. Bush throughout his governorship, seeking support for legislation benefiting the energy giant, according to documents released Friday. -more-

LOS ANGELES — Global Crossing chairman Gary Winnick controlled companies that had lucrative dealings with his fiber optics network firm before it imploded, regulatory filings show. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Tundra died three years ago, but Susann Rivera never gave up hope that one day she would play with her furry friend again. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Shares of PayPal Inc. soared 55 percent in the online payment provider’s stock market debut Friday, signaling investors burned by the dot-com crash might be ready to take another chance on promising — but unprofitable — Internet companies. -more-

LOS ANGELES — A federal judge has ordered California to get rid of its “hanging chad” voting machines by the 2004 elections, more than a year before the deadline the state had set. -more-

PHILADELPHIA — Hundreds of youngsters in at least seven states have broken out in mysterious rashes, and some health investigators suspect it might be caused by a new or yet-to-be-identified virus. -more-

Academics warned that destructive concerns about body image are filtering down to 6-and 7-year-olds during a conference on body image Thursday afternoon sponsored by UC Berkeley’s Center for Weight & Health. -more-

Editor: -more-

The explosive popularity of world music the last decade has brought Cuban son and Caribbean soca and Latin American salsa and African high life to the ears of many Americans, but music of the Middle East has, for many people, stayed in the domain of the belly dancing parlor and the odd Oum Kulthum cassette. A Berkeley performance by a couple of giants in the Arabic music world will show how close alongside Western pop this music is progressing. -more-

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Friday, Feb. 15

Sophomore pours in 34 points against El Cerrito -more-

Say problems persist with union contract negotiations -more-