There was no clashing last night, it was all smiles and laughter at the Berkeley Repertory Theater’s hosting of Culture Clash where Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, was making one of her last public appearances before tomorrow’s primary election. 

Lee, the incumbent in the ninth district, faces civil engineer Kevin Greene in Tuesday’s primary. 

Lee started receiving national attention on September 14 when she voted against H. J. Res. 64, which gave President George Bush the authority to use military force in response to the terrorist attacks. Much of the attention was negative, Lee has received upwards of 700,000 pieces of derogatory mail, including death threats, directly related to her stance against taking military action. 

Recently, especially with strikes in Afghanistan escalating and allies showing signs of leeriness, her critics are faltering and supporters are rallying, her campaign war chest for this campaign is twice as hefty as the previous election. 

“People have been really supportive all the way through it,” Lee said, adding that in addition to death supports she received numerous emails applauding her lone vote.  

“But now as I watch Sen. Daschle and Byrd, they are now asking my questions. What I said one night when the vote came down on this resolution is that it was so vague. And now I think, especially after the axis of evil speech, that Congress is beginning to realize how much power we gave him.” 

Just days ago it was reported that the defense department could not predict how long the strikes will last or how much they will cost in the end. 

Lee said the resolution was written that way, “open-ended and broad.” 

“And I think people see that, it’s just that fear gets in the way,” she added. 

There was no one for Lee to fear last night. She was surrounded by supportive voters applauding her for bravery and thanking her for the stand she took against military action. 

“When this all came down a lot of people just got depressed. They felt helpless because they thought there was nothing for them to do. It was good to have you as an example,” Elise Fried of San Francisco said to Lee. 

Also on hand with words of support was longtime friend and actor Roger Guenveur Smith — most recently noted for a critically acclaimed one-man play about Huey P. Newton. It was showing February 13th on PBS, but will continue to sporadically throughout the year. 

A Berkeley-native, Smith said Lee was the most progressive of the National Progressive Caucus and a true friend to the people. 

Lee’s signature concerns have been health care and education. She’s also worked on the International Relations Committee and the Financial Services Committee (Subcommittees on Housing and International Monetary Policy). In addition, she played a key role in Congress in the fight against HIV/AIDS, helping to secure more than $5 million in funding in Alameda County. 

She has received key endorsements for this primary and preliminary pollings indicate she pulled out early as the front-runner, despite predictions that her lone “No” vote on Sept.l4th was going to haunt her come election time. 

“But I say until every vote has been cast and every ballot counted we are still going to be hard at work,” Lee said. “Out there talking to people, knocking on doors, continuing the grassroots campaign we’ve always done.” 

But things haven’t been so cordial for the Congresswoman.  

David Horowitz, editor-in-chief, of “FrontPage” even called her an anti-American communist. Horowitz, in an essay entitled An Enemy Within,” alleged that Lee supports America’s enemies and actively collaborates with them.  

He recalled meeting her early in her career with the late Huey Newton. Horowitz referred to Newton as the infamous "Minister of Defense" for the Black Panther Party, a gangster at war with America, and referred to Lee as his undercover agent in local government. 

Horowitz, a self-proclaimed conservative libertarian, ultimately suggested that Lee’s behavior was similar to treason. 

But other than the ultra conservatives like Horowitz, some political commentators are beginning to point to Lee’s lone voice back in September, saying that perhaps she had a point. 

Editor: 

Jackie Fox Ruby should withdraw immediately from the County School Board Race, Berkeley's ever deepening fiscal mess didn't happen overnight. Career employee Jackie Fox Ruby was either incapable of understanding the developing mess or she chose not to inform Berkeley's citizens!  

The revelations of overpaying staff and payment to former staff, are events Jackie Fox Ruby should have known were wrong.  

It is bad enough that Berkeley has to focus on fixing the mess so that education will again be the focus of our schools.  

We don't need to send Berkeley's fiscal and management diseases to the County School Board. Jerry Wiggins has been critical that Berkeley's Schools were not doing enough for our children, especially those at risk. This attitude coupled with his experience makes him the best hope for all of our children and therefore the only candidate worthy of your vote on March 5. 

John Cecil 

Berkeley

Saturday, March 2

The 2002 White Elephant  

Sale 

9 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

White Elephant Warehouse 

333 Lancaster St., Oakland 

The 42nd annual White Elephant Sale, benefiting the Oakland Museum. Free. http://www.museumca.org/events/elephant.html. 

Outdoor Cross Training and  

Conditioning Basics 

2 p.m. 

REI 

1338 San Pablo Ave. 

REI’s Kristy Ruocco will draw on her experiences as a certified yoga instructor and nutritionist as she discusses the fundamentals of outdoor cross training and conditioning - different types of workouts, stretching, nutrition and goal setting. 527-4140. 

The Great Rummage Sale 

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society 

2700 Ninth St. 

The Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society is a “no-kill” animal shelter whose 

mission is to place adoptable dogs and cats in suitable, loving homes. 

Our Great Rummage Sale, held the first and third Saturday of each month, 

helps provide funds toward the operation of our shelter. clamata@berkeleyhumane.org. 

Sunday, March 3

Shaping a Just U.S. Policy in  

the Middle East 

2 - 7:30 p.m. 

International House 

2299 Piedmont Ave. 

Join Bay Area peace, social justice and faith-based organizations for a two- day conference focusing on the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, Iraq, Afghanistan and the impact these policies on civil rights and democracy in the U.S. 415-565-0201 x26, www.afsc.org/wagingpeace. 

The Ancient Trees Initiative 

noon 

The Fellowship of Humanity 

411 28th Street  

The Old Growth Tree Initiative of Northern California is a statewide measure that will be submitted directly to California voters in the November 2002 election if 420,000 or more Californians sign the petitions. 451-5818, www.ancienttrees.org. 

The Berkshire’s Second 

Anniversary Celebration 

2 - 4 p.m. 

The Berkshire Assisted Living 

2235 Sacramento St. 

The public is invited. Tours available. 841-4844. 

English Ceilidh Dancing 

7 p.m. 

Grace North Church  

2138 Cedar St.  

Family friendly, no partner needed, all dances taught and called to live music. $10. 650-365-2913, http://www.bacds.org. 

Hadassah Donor Brunch 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

H's Lordship's Restaurant 

Berkeley Marina 

Ariel Levite, former head of the Bureau of International Security in Israel and military scholar, speaks about Israeli Security. teachme99@attbi.com. 

Monday, March 4

Low- and No-Tech  

Approaches to Household 

Energy Conservation 

7 - 8:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Adult School 

University Ave. and Bonar St. 

How to cut your energy bills by 50-90 percent with lots of diligence and little money, by Rueben Deumling, Berkeley Energy Commission. 981-5435, energy@ci.berkeley.ca.us. 

The Dominican School of  

Philosophy 

and Theology presents the 2002 Aquinas Symposium: 

Aquinas' Commentaries on Platonic Texts 

7:30 p.m.  

Badè Museum, Pacific School of Religion  

1798 Scenic Ave. 

Fran O'Rourke on "Unity in Aquinas' Neoplatonic Commentaries"; Vivian Boland, O.P., on "Thinking About Good: Aquinas on Divine Names IV, De Hebdomadibus & Nicomachean Ethics I"; and Mark Damien Delp on "Abstract and Concrete Names: Logic and Metaphysics in Aquinas' Platonic Commentaries." Free and open to public. 883-2072, mdelp@dspt.edu. 

Economics of Transition  

Seminar 

noon 

UC Berkeley 

Harris Room (119 Moses Hall) 

Wei Li, University of Virginia, "Great Leap Forward or Backward? Anatomy of a Central Planning Disaster." 642-4608, http://www.igs.berkeley.edu:8880/ 

Tuesday, March 5

Berkeley Folk Dancers  

Salsa Dance Workshop  

7:45 - 9:45 p.m. 

Live Oak Park Recreational Center 

1301 Shattuck Ave. 

With Charlene Van Ness. Dancers of all levels welcomed. BFD members $5, 

non-members $7. 234-2069.  

The Dominican School of  

Philosophy and Theology  

presents the 2002 Aquinas  

Symposium: Aquinas'  

Commentaries on Platonic  

Texts 

7:30 p.m.  

Badè Museum, Pacific School of Religion  

1798 Scenic Ave. 

Wayne John Hankey on "Thomas' Neoplatonic Hisotries. 

Free and open to public. 883-2072, mdelp@dspt.edu. 

Institute of Governmental Studies Library 

Join with fellow political junkies to watch the returns and assess the impact of the California primary. We'll be following the results of the Republican governor's race, a potential shift in control of the US House as California elects the largest congressional delegation in the nation, State Assembly and Senate primary contests, and key initiative battles. Expert commentary will be provided, amateur comments are welcome. 642-4608, http://www.igs.berkeley.edu:8880/ 

Sharper scores 34, but St. Mary’s falls back in second half 

Despite a huge game from John Sharper, the St. Mary’s Panthers couldn’t hold onto a halftime lead, faltering down the stretch in a 76-70 loss to De La Salle in the North Coast Section Division I championship game at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley. 

Sharper, a senior, scored 22 of his game-high 34 points in the first half, hitting his first five 3-pointers to stake the Panthers to a 38-36 lead after one half. But the Spartans, who won their fourth straight NCS title, came out with a seven-point run to start the second half and never trailed again. 

De La Salle center Rekalin Sims had his way down low, leading the Spartans with 22 points and 12 rebounds. The top-ranked Spartans also got some clutch long-range shooting from Taylor Pena and Matt Schroeder, who scored 15 and 12 points, respectively. 

The Panthers usually cause turnovers in bunches with their pressure defense, but De La Salle calmly advanced the ball through the press all night, committing just eight turnovers in the game. The Spartans used a height advantage to go over the Panthers and got plenty of easy baskets on the break. 

St. Mary’s head coach Jose Caraballo blamed himself for the loss, feeling he hadn’t made the proper adjustments during halftime. 

“(De La Salle head coach Frank) Allocco outcoached me in the second half,” Caraballo said. “He kicked my butt, and I lost this game for us.” 

Allocco’s most important strategy was to limit Sharper after the break, breaking out of his usual all-zone defense. At least one Spartan defender was assigned to Sharper at all times in the second half, holding him to 12 points, six of which came in the game’s final seconds. 

“We tried to make adjustments,” De La Salle coach Frank Allocco said. “(Sharper) was getting a lot of looks and we trying to keep him from getting so many open shots.” 

With Sharper comparatively bottled up, the Panthers couldn’t get things going. Point guard DaShawn Freeman scored 8 of his 12 points in the second half, but big men Chase Moore and Simon Knight combined to score just 13 points in the game after pouring in 34 against Bishop O’Dowd on Friday. 

The loss broke a 21-game winning streak for the Panthers, as well as a 12-game postseason run that included last season’s Division IV state championship. But the narrow loss also proved that Caraballo was correct in moving the team up to Division I this season, as they stood up to one of the state’s top teams and came up just short. 

“This was an important game for us,” Sharper said. “We know now we can play at this level. We got this far, and we can go farther if we play better. We can get these guys next time.” 

The Panthers will get another shot at top competition in the Northern California Regional playoffs. They got the fifth seed as an at-large team and will head to No. 4 Oak Grove, the Central Section winner, on Wednesday at 7:30. De La Salle was awarded the second seed and will face the winner of a Pleasant Valley-Vallejo out-of-bracket matchup. Oakland Tech, the last team to beat both the Panthers and Spartans before Saturday, was given the top seed.

It wasn't so much about donning suffragette sashes at tea parties as picking electric guitars in a bar lined wall-to-wall with Barbie dolls. 

At a Saturday night event at the Stork Club in Oakland, four local bands rocked a house full of hipsters, feminists, fellow travelers and local music aficionados to raise money for Ladyfest Bay Area, a non-profit organization that will put on a five-day festival celebrating women's music, visual and lively arts, and spoken word in July. 

“ We want to create an alternative space for women and women's media outside of the mainstream,” said Cortney Rock, a Cal student who is one of the 25 volunteer organizers. “ No one is creating this space for us and it's stupid to wait for corporate America to do it for us.”  

Though Ladyfests have been happening for two years around the U.S. and in Europe, this summer's event will be the first in the Bay Area. The organizers, who meet every other week at the University of California,Berkeley or the Modern Times Bookstore in San Francisco, hope that their event can be more inclusive than other women's events that exclude transgendered people and feminist men. They hope to capitalize on California's diversity, and spike the event with the Bay Area's own brand of outspoken politics and do-it-yourself workshops. 

Being active is a large part of the Ladyfest manifesto. “ It's about a community of women doing something together, making something happen, and giving approval of other women in the area doing things,” said Rae Griner, who is a graduate student at Berkeley. 

Saturday's event was headlined by The Quails, whose sassy, danceable punk shook every wallet chain in the saloon. Also playing were Confederacy of Fools, an experimental jazz-noise act, The Betty Expedition, psychedelic mood music straight out of a David Lynch movie, and Riot-a-Go-Go, stomping electric guitar rock. 

Although the event was a benefit for a women's art event, the night at the Stork Club was not for riot grrrls only. Only three of the 12 performers were women. Confederacy of Fools, an all-male band, said that it had no connection with Ladyfest before Saturday.  

Many members of the audience said that they did not usually participate in a lot of feminist activities. Friends at work had recommended the bands to Oakland-resident Art Tedeschi.  

“ I'm kind of an introvert,” he said. “ But my girlfriend is a feminist and I would stand up for women's rights. I wanted to hear music so I had no problem checking it out.”  

But for The Quails, this gig was part of a long-standing interest in Ladyfest. Members of the group exhibited art at the first event in Olympia, Wash. and hope to go to Ladyfest D.C. in August. Drummer Julianna Bright of San Francisco hopes that the festival can change the white, male focus of the punk scene. 

“ When we're on tour, we're learning how San Francisco is really kind of a wacky anomaly. There aren't so many women in bands in other places,” she said. 

The Quails proudly endorsed its feminist and queer-friendly politics even if, said bassist Seth Lorinczi, it sometimes “ raises hackles and draws lines.” But other groups were not so explicitly feminist. 

“ I believe in the freedom of personal expression in America,” said Riot-a-Go-Go's Nova Szoka, who played guitar in garter belts, Lycra and clodhopper sneakers. “ If it's about saying what you want to say without getting into trouble, then it's feminism.”  

But confusion over definitions did not stop the 100 people in the Stork Club from signing up to help organize July's event or dropping cash. Organizers were glad because there is still a lot to do. 

For one thing, they still do not have all of the money they need to put on the event, although the Jon Sims Center for the Arts has given them a grant. 

Saturday's event was only the first of seven benefits they are planning. 

They will also be seeking donations from local businesses and individuals.  

The group is also still considering arts submissions. Guidelines, calendars and the Ladyfest mission statement can be found at www.ladyfestbayarea.org 

. 

Fans can't wait for the event to come together. “ Last summer, there was Ladyfest East Coast and Ladyfest Midwest,” said Jenna MacKillop of Oakland. 

“ But why wasn't it here? I expected it to be here first. I mean, Ladyfest Midwest?”  

Editor: 

I am a strong supporter of Loni Hancock in her candidacy for state Assembly. I was elected to the Berkeley City Council while Loni was Mayor.  

As Mayor, Loni launched the revitalization of our downtown and kick-started our burgeoning Arts District — the crowning jewel of which is the Berkeley Repertory Theater.  

Loni also nurtured the growth of Berkeley's Public Education Foundation, which leverages private and public resources on behalf of our public schools. Loni Hancock is all about crafting a positive future for everyone and especially for our children.  

Both Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton called upon her to work on behalf of the nation, and we now have a chance to elect her to represent us in Sacramento on March 5th.  

Lucky us. 

Councilmember Linda Maio 

City of Berkeley 

The Berkeley High girls’ basketball team shook off a tough first half with a 9-0 run to start the second half of Saturday’s North Coast Section Division I championship game against Pittsburg, finishing with a 60-53 win at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley. 

The title is Berkeley’s seventh in a row and 14th overall, both section records. Bishop O’Dowd’s boys’ team won six in a row from 1978-83. 

Saturday’s game was a stop-and-go affair, with constant whistles from the officials keeping either team from finding a rhythm. But the constant fouls favored Berkeley, as Pittsburg freshman Necolia Simmons, who was giving the ’Jackets a hard time in the post, played just 11 minutes due to foul trouble. 

“Without all the foul trouble, you can’t predict what would have happened,” Pittsburg coach Maureen Mattson said. “I’d have to say we outplayed them.” 

Guard Shaquita Brown led the ’Jackets with 16 points, with backcourt mate Angelita Hutton scoring 12. Senior forward Sabrina Keys had 13 points and 10 rebounds. Pittsburg got 15 points from forward Courtney Warren, but the Pirates’ leading scorer was just 5-for-18 from the field. 

SImmons established herself early, bulling her way down low for two early baskets for a 4-2 Pirate lead. But the ’Jackets answered with a 13-2 run, and a 28-28 tie at halftime the best Pittsburg could manage for the rest of the way. 

Keys had a rough-and-tumble game. Coming in with a sprained ankle, she was poked in the eye in the first quarter, then rolled her other ankle early in the second, forcing her to sit for five minutes. Without her, Berkeley was vulnerable down low, giving up two quick putbacks that cut their lead to 22-18. 

But even with Keys out, Simmons still picked up her third foul when she hit Myette Anderson’s arm on a shot. Simmons showed her youth, jumping up and down in reaction to the call and earning a technical foul, which doubled as her fourth personal. The freshman left the game and would return only for a 30-second stint in the fourth quarter before fouling out. 

“Simmons being out made a big difference,” Berkeley head coach Gene Nakamura said. “She can play, but she’s a freshman, and she made freshman mistakes.” 

Instead of pulling away with Simmons on the bench, the ’Jackets coughed up their lead instead. Anderson missed her foul shots, and Hutton missed both free throws for the technical. Pittsburg’s Courtney Warren scored off an inbounds play in the final seconds, and the score was tied 28-28 going into halftime. 

Keys came out of the locker room with renewed energy, scoring the first two baskets of the second half.  

“Sabrina’s a warrior,” Nakamura said. “She has two sprained ankles, but she’s the type of girl who just laces ‘em up a little tighter and gets back out there.” 

Hutton then hit a 3-point play and stole the ball, feeding Brown for a layup and a nine-point lead. The lead got as big as 15 points in the quarter. 

“We were beating ourselves with turnovers and fouls,” Keys said. “But once we started playing our game and getting good shots, they couldn’t beat us.” 

But the ’Jackets didn’t exactly slam the door. The Pirates got as close as four points down the stretch, thanks to some quick triggers by the Berkeley players. 

“I wasn’t very happy,” Nakamura said of the Pirate comeback. “Time is (Pittsburg’s) enemy at that point, and we were giving the ball right back to them.” 

The ’Jackets were awarded the second seed for the Northern California Regional playoffs this week. They will play the winner of a St. Ignatius-Washington outbracket game at home on Wednesday. Pleasant Valley, which beat Berkeley earlier this season, is the top seed, while Pittsburg was given the fifth seed and will take on OAL champ Oakland Tech.

An independent publishing house has declared Sunnyvale the seventh safest city in the nation based on a comparison of crime rates as of 2000, and ranked 10 other Bay Area cities in the top 100 of the 327 cities surveyed. 

On the down side, however, the "Morgan Quitno 8th Annual America's Safest Cities'' survey, released last week, rated one Bay Area city, Oakland, as the 28th most dangerous in the nation, and Salinas as the 98th. The only California city with a higher rate of crime than Oakland, according to the survey, is Compton. 

The annual survey by the Lawrence, Kan.-based company ranks cities with populations of 75,000 or more from safest to most dangerous by comparing their rates for six basic crimes to the national average. By this measure, mthe publishing house found that Livermore is the 15th safest city in the country, Santa Clara the 22nd, Fremont 24th, Redwood City 36th, San Mateo 39th, Daly City 51st, Alameda 72nd, Vacaville 73rd, San Jose 90th and Santa Rosa 97th. 

While many cities remained within a few places of their rankings in last year's survey, a few showed a considerable change. San Mateo dropped 10 places from last year's ranking as 29th safest, and Alameda fell nearly 30 places. Antioch and San Leandro also showed sizable drops in their safety ranking.  

Daly City, on the other hand, improved its safety ranking by nearly 20 places.  

Proposition 42 hijacks general purpose state taxes to benefit only transportation, in fixed proportions. There already is a gas tax to support transportation. If it is insufficient, increase it or have an honest weighing of spending priorities for all the state's responsibilities.  

If we start awarding sales tax money by what it was generated, then why not have sales tax from luxury items support projects for the wealthy, and computer taxes to support the computer industry, etc.?  

Perhaps public hospitals should be supported by gas taxes in proportion to the cost of traffic injuries, and police by the amount of time spent on traffic issues? It used to be that pooled resources paid for public services. Please vote March 5 to help defeat proposition 42. 

Barbara Judd 

Berkeley

TUCSON, Ariz. - In perhaps its biggest Pac-10 basketball game ever, California came away with the second-worst loss in the school’s history.  

Rick Anderson had 17 points to lead six Arizona scorers in double figures as the 14th-ranked Wildcats routed No. 21 California 99-53 on Saturday.  

The loss guaranteed Oregon the Pac-10 title, the Ducks’ first outright conference championship since they won the inaugural NCAA tournament in 1939. Later Saturday, Oregon beat UCLA 65-62 to finish two games ahead of its nearest rival.  

It was California’s worst loss since a 101-50 rout at Stanford two years ago. The Bears could have earned a share of the Pac-10 title with a victory and an Oregon loss to UCLA. Cal hasn’t won a conference championship in 42 years.  

Cal head coach Ben Braun and his players seemed as perplexed as anyone by the team’s uninspired effort.  

“I just don’t remember many times our team didn’t step up and meet the challenge,” Braun said. “It’s hard to explain.”  

Arizona (19-9, 12-6) finished tied for second and will get the No. 2 seed in next week’s Pac-10 tournament because the Wildcats won all possible tiebreakers.  

The Wildcats held a players-only meeting before the game.  

“We talked about either being the second seed or the sixth seed. That was a lot of motivation,” playmaker Jason Gardner said. “There were a lot of people saying we were going to finish fourth or fifth in the Pac-10. We wanted to prove everything wrong.”  

The Bears (21-7, 12-6), swept by Arizona this season, fell behind 14-3, trailed by 19 points at halftime, then were buried by Wildcats with a 30-4 burst to start the second half.  

“That’s what we don’t understand at this point,” Cal’s Brian Wethers aid. “We knew how important of a game this was, and to come out and give this effort is real frustrating.”  

Anderson, who missed Arizona’s practice Friday because of a virus, played just 20 minutes and had nine rebounds. He was 3-for-5 from 3-point range as the Wildcats made 14 of 32 from beyond the arc and outrebounded the Bears 48-27. After the game, Anderson begged off interviews because he needed to go receive antibiotics.  

“Ricky was still really under the weather and had been since early in the week,” coach Lute Olson said. “I think you saw against Stanford that he just ran out of gas in the second half. We didn’t have him work out at all yesterday. He just watched practice. He needs to get well for us.”  

Luke Walton had 10 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds for the Wildcats, while Salim Stoudamire had 15 points, Jason Gardner and Will Bynum each added 14 and freshman Dennis Latimore a career-best 12.  

Bynum, who sat out Thursday’s loss to Stanford for missing a workout on Sunday, was 4-for-9 from 3-point range.  

Wethers scored 18 points for the Bears and Joe Shipp had 13.  

The Wildcats outscored California 43-7 in a stretch of just over 13 minutes - 13-3 over the last three minutes of the first half and the run over the first 10:04 of the second.  

Arizona scored 21 consecutive points to go up 79-34 on Latimore’s over-his-head layup with 9:56 to play.  

The Wildcats, who led 49-30 at halftime, were 8-of-13 on 3-pointers in the first half. They shot 49 percent against a California team that leads the Pac-10 in defense and 3-point defense. In its 68-58 victory at Cal on Jan. 31, Arizona shot 55 percent - 65 percent in the second half.  

California, which beat Arizona State on Thursday night, has not swept the Arizona schools on the road since they joined the Pac-10 in 1978-79.

Today’s Highlight in History: 

One hundred years ago, on March 4, 1902, the American Automobile Association was founded in Chicago. 

On this date: 

In 1681, England’s King Charles II granted a charter to William Penn for an area of land that later became Pennsylvania. 

In 1789, the Constitution of the United States went into effect as the first federal Congress met in New York. (The lawmakers then adjourned for lack of a quorum.) 

In 1829, an unruly crowd mobbed the White House during the inaugural reception for President Jackson.. 

In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated president, pledging to lead the country out of the Great Depression. 

In 1933, the start of President Roosevelt’s first administration brought with it the first woman to serve in the Cabinet: Labor Secretary Frances Perkins. 

In 1952, 50 years ago, actors Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis were married in San Fernando Valley, Calif. 

In 1981, a jury in Salt Lake City convicted Joseph Paul Franklin, an avowed racist, of violating the civil rights of two black men who were shot to death. 

Ten years ago: 

Another round of Middle East peace negotiations concluded in Washington, D.C., with Israel rejecting a plan for Palestinian elections. 

Five years ago:  

President Clinton visited the scene of tornado destruction in his home state of Arkansas, where he also declared Ohio and Kentucky disaster areas because of floods. President Clinton barred spending federal money on human cloning. 

One year ago:  

President George W. Bush dedicated a $4 billion aircraft carrier in honor of former President Reagan. An oceanside memorial was held in Hawaii for 9 people from a Japanese fishing boat who were killed when their vessel was accidentally sunk by a U.S. submarine.  

While not wanting to belittle the welcome addition of the new Berkeley Pedestrian Bridge over Interstate 80, I was amused to learn from a quote by Mr. Scott Berkowitz that “t's awesome and unique. There is no other bridge like this anywhere, and I've been everywhere.” 

Perhaps Mr. Berkowitz may have been everywhere in Alameda County, but he certainly has NOT been to visit Gateshead, County Durham in England.  

Here you will find a unique bridge, catering exclusively for pedestrians, bikers and the disabled, called the Millennium Bridge that opens and closes by a “winking eye” process.  

By viewing the web-page http://www.gateshead.gov.uk/bridge/bridged.htm other less-well travelled readers in Berkeley might wish to learn about other “awesome and unique” things in other countries. 

Dr. Barry Welsh 

UC Space Sciences Laboratory, 

UC Berkeley 

LOS ANGELES — Dave Smith, whose elegant prose helped usher in an era of literary journalism at the Los Angeles Times in the 1960s, died of a heart attack at his Tucson, Ariz., home. He was 64. 

Smith, who was found dead Feb. 20, covered some of California’s most high-profile crime cases for the Times, including the trial of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin. 

He was perhaps best known at the paper, however, for pieces like one on Benny Smith, who killed several women and girls at a Mesa, Ariz., beauty parlor in 1966. The story, nearly 8,000 words long, examined in meticulous detail the killer’s psychological profile, tracing a descent into crime that began with a troubled, lonely childhood. 

He was one of several people the Times recruited in those days “because they could write,” recalled former Editor William F. Thomas. 

Smith, who grew up in Arizona, worked for the Tucson Daily Star while attending the University of Arizona. He went on to work for The Associated Press in Los Angeles and New York before joining the Times in 1968. He retired in the 1980s, returning to Arizona..

Editor: 

It is time for us to stop hiding behind fears about traffic as a justification for blocking development.  

The main reason why we have traffic is people are forced to commute to Berkeley as the housing stock has increased by only 715 while the number of jobs increased by 18,000. If we are going to block denser development in appropriate areas like University, San Pablo and Sacramento and at Ashby and North Berkeley Bart stations then we have no business complaining about traffic. There is constant talk about encouraging commuters to Berkeley to use public transportation, but what about encouraging residents of Berkeley to do the same? How will we address internal commuting? What are we doing to encourage residents of Berkeley to get out of their cars when running their errands or dropping off/picking up their kids from school? Are we going to address the problem of congestion by building the 17,000 needed units, or are we going to protect the interests of the 10% of Berkeley residents who can afford to purchase a home in Berkeley? As one of the 90% of Bay, I am willing to sacrifice the bay views of pseudo progressives. 

Jeffrey Schilling 

Berkeley

SANTA ROSA — A small plane crashed about a quarter mile from the Sonoma Skypark Airport Sunday, injuring the pilot and his 17-year-old passenger. 

The pilot, a 56-year-old Hayward resident, said the plane malfunctioned and he lost control about 100 feet in the air. The plane nose-dived, narrowly missing a house and clipping a truck as it crashed around 3 p.m. 

The plane took off from the Sonoma Skypark Airport, and the manager described the pilot as a safe pilot. 

“He’s been flying for many years,” manager Roy Secrist said. “He’s very experienced, very qualified, a very safe flier.” 

The 17-year-old girl suffered deep cuts and a broken ankle. She was interested in learning to fly, and the pilot is her father’s friend. The pilot suffered minor cuts and bruises. 

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating. 

40,000 square-foot facility fulfills Harvey Milk’s dream 

SAN FRANCISCO — When one of the nation’s first openly gay leaders was assassinated 23 years ago at City Hall, a dream died with him. City Supervisor Harvey Milk had envisioned a place where gays and lesbians could come together to talk about politics, social issues or simply about what it meant to live as homosexuals in San Francisco. 

Milk, who first used his camera store in the Castro District as a meeting place for gays, would have been proud of the San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center. Its doors opened Sunday with a grand celebration after nine years of planning and construction. 

“If San Francisco is the gayest place in America, the center is the gayest place in the gayest place in America,” said Oren Slozberg, the center’s interim executive director. 

It’s a place for newcomers, youth, seniors and everyone in between. Everything from an American Indian group to therapy and classes on how to write resumes will be offered there. There are even unisex bathrooms so visitors aren’t forced to pick a gender. 

The center also will provide a gay-friendly environment for those who may still be closeted or intimidated. Some students are already praising the site as a place to continue their education while avoiding homophobic peers in mainstream classes. 

And, by design, the building makes a statement to anyone coming in or out. The 40,000 square foot center is a classic Victorian house combined with an addition built out of clear glass. The glass structure is a symbolic statement about the gay community’s history and its future — an open, uncloseted lifestyle that’s proudly showcased. 

“It’s a place to mark and celebrate commitment ceremonies, memorials and births,” Slozberg said. “Very specific moments in their lives.” 

While San Francisco is far from lacking in gay rights groups and services, most are scattered throughout the city. Some, like the Harvey Milk Institute, which offers classes and programs about gay culture, have been operating out of organizers’ homes. 

The $15.3 million community center, which included $7.5 in government funding, will provide 23 nonprofit agencies with office space. 

Nearly 50,000 people are expected to visit in the first year based on projections from the nation’s 142 other gay centers. 

The opening also serves as a second wind for the city’s battered gay community. After Milk was shot by Supervisor Dan White in 1978 during the height of gay-rights activism, AIDS hit hard — ravaging the city’s gay population. 

The history room will make sure none of that is lost with exhibits, lectures and performances. 

“We need to be a stronger and more cohesive community to face all of the outside challenges we continue to face,” said Dana Van Gorder, vice president of the board of directors. “We’re not as focused as we should be on what we want the political and social future to look like. The center is dedicated to the idea of building our future.”

SAN FRANCISCO — As California’s primary draws near, Rep. Gary Condit faces the toughest election of his crumbled political career and Republicans are waging a fierce battle for the right to take on Democratic Gov. Gray Davis. 

Tuesday’s primary comes after a year of turmoil featuring a sex scandal involving a missing intern, a crippling energy crisis and multi-billion-dollar budget troubles. 

Besides determining Condit’s future and Davis’ opponent, voters also will decide whether to send two sisters to Congress for the first time, and whether the state will revise its 12-year-old term-limits law. 

In Condit’s district, once so supportive it was called Condit Country, the 13-year House veteran faces his toughest challenge from Assemblyman Dennis Cardoza, a former aide who has garnered cash and endorsements from former Condit supporters. 

The primary winner will face the victor in a four-candidate GOP field that includes state Sen. Dick Monteith, R-Modesto. 

Polls conducted by Cardoza’s campaign showed the state legislator leading Condit by a 2-to-1 ratio. 

Condit’s bid for another term was shadowed by the case of Washington, D.C., intern Chandra Levy, 24, who vanished as she was preparing to move home to Modesto after her internship ended at the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. 

The divisive Republican race for the gubernatorial nomination, meanwhile, has been dominated by two Los Angeles millionaires who attend the same Roman Catholic church in Santa Monica. 

Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, encouraged by the White House to run, once held an overwhelming lead in the polls over Los Angeles businessman Bill Simon. However, Simon, who had never before run for political office, vaulted into the lead in the most recent polls. 

Simon poured millions of his own personal fortune into his campaign and even attracted attention from representatives of President Bush who had become uncomfortable with Riordan’s chances. 

Now Riordan has been forced to try to show Republicans that only he, as a moderate, can beat Davis in a state where Democrats vastly outnumber Republicans. Simon, on the other hand, is pinning his hopes on an expected high turnout from conservatives who can’t abide Riordan’s relative liberalism. 

“It started a huge food fight in the Republican party,” said Bruce Cain, a University of California, Berkeley, political scientist. 

On Saturday, Riordan and Simon toured California trying to churn up support and intensifying their attacks. 

Riordan spent the morning in the Bay Area. He visited an office where supporters were calling voters to cast ballots Tuesday for Riordan. Among the notables lending their voices to recorded pro-Riordan messages this weekend was Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

Riordan stepped up his Simon attack, calling him too extreme to be elected in California. He also blamed Davis, who already has run a slew of anti-Riordan ads, for his decline in the polls. 

“Gray Davis knows I will beat him in November and his only choice of staying on as governor is to beat me next Tuesday,” Riordan told a crowd of supporters in Burlingame. “Don’t let that happen.” 

Simon, meanwhile, flew around the state, stopping at airports from Chico to Santa Maria and thanking supporters. He did not attack Riordan, though Riordan had called him a “sanctimonious hypocrite.” 

“It’s the closing days of the campaign, I’m obviously sad to hear of this,” he told reporters as he got on the plane in Sacramento to head to Oakland. “Emotions are running high and a lot of things are being said.” 

A third candidate in the Republican primary, Secretary of State Bill Jones, is the most politically experienced candidate in the field. However, he never managed to build any momentum or raise cash for his campaign. 

Until the final weeks, the Republican candidates had concentrated on bashing Davis, who is unopposed in the Democratic primary but has spent nearly $15 million on his campaign — more than any of his GOP rivals. 

California voters face a ballot initiative to revise the term-limits law that was approved in 1990. If passed, it would let legislative districts’ voters petition to extend their legislators’ tenure by an extra term. A poll released Friday showed opposition to the initiative was growing, rising to 51 percent in late February from 45 percent in late January. 

“Hand over Taliban and al-Qaida or you will be destroyed. Come forward with information about Taliban and al-Qaida,”  

— American leaflets dropped to the ground by helicopter 

SURMAD, Afghanistan — U.S. bombers pounded al-Qaida and Taliban positions in the eastern mountains of Afghanistan on Sunday after a 1,500-strong coalition ground attack the day before failed to dislodge the well-armed renegades. 

No major ground action was reported Sunday. However, U.S. Chinook helicopters ferried in supplies to American and other troops still in the hills, a local commander said, signaling preparations for a new round of ground fighting. 

Afghan troops warned the operation to dislodge the regrouping Taliban and al-Qaida forces from their hide-outs in the mountain caves here in Paktia province was far from over. 

“You can’t do everything in one operation,” said Raza Khan, an Afghan fighter recovering from Saturday’s battle at the hospital in the provincial capital, Gardez. “This is Afghanistan. This is a guerrilla war.” 

Leaflets dropped by U.S. aircraft on the arid plains of the province urged residents to cooperate: “Hand over Taliban and al-Qaida or you will be destroyed. Come forward with information about Taliban and al-Qaida,” read the leaflets, written in Afghanistan’s two most common languages, Pashtu and Dari. 

One American soldier and three Afghan fighters were killed Saturday on the first day of the ground operation, the Pentagon said. Six Americans were injured and airlifted out, a doctor at Gardez hospital said. 

The assault, which began with bombing raids late Friday, was believed to be the largest joint U.S.-Afghan military operation of the 5-month-old terrorism war. Pro-U.S. Afghan troops approached the hide-outs from three directions to isolate the renegades and prevent them from escaping. 

Sunday’s operations were mostly limited to airstrikes as B-52s and other warplanes repeatedly pounded targets in the Shah-e-Kot mountains 20 miles east of Surmad and the Kharwar range to the west in Logar province. 

The bombardments sent thick, black plumes of smoke above the snowcapped peaks and shook the ground in Surmad, where a constant stream of bombers streaked overhead. 

However, one Afghan commander, Abdul Matin Hassan Kheil, said his men came under fire Sunday from mortars, heavy artillery and rockets fired from al-Qaida positions where Arabs, Chechens and Pakistanis were believed holed up. 

“You can see it is a big operation,” said Kheil, who led 50 fighters at a front-line position. He said coalition forces were dug in about one mile from al-Qaida bases in the Shah-e-Kot mountains. Kheil estimated it would take a month to push the renegades from the mountains.

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gray Davis has announced that he will not take a position on Proposition 45, the ballot measure that would ease term limits in the state Legislature. 

The governor’s announcement Saturday runs counter to his own Democratic Party, which has poured $3.2 million to back the initiative. His neutral stance also differs from Democratic legislators who have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in support of Prop. 45. 

The initiative is opposed by the state Republican Party and by all three of Davis’ GOP challengers for governor — former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, businessman Bill Simon Jr. and Secretary of State Bill Jones. 

Recent polls show the measure trailing slightly among likely voters, but a large portion of the electorate remains undecided. 

If the measure fails, several Democratic lawmakers would be required to leave the Legislature in 2004. 

LOS ANGELES — In less than two years, Northrop Grumman Corp. has catapulted from a distant fourth among defense contractors to a strong third. If its proposed acquisition of TRW Inc. goes through, it could soon hit No. 1. 

The rapid growth came as Northrop bought Litton Industries, then Newport News Shipbuilding and several other smaller companies. Last month, it made a $5.9 billion unsolicited bid for TRW. 

The moves reflect a decade of consolidation in the defense industry during which a Reagan-era hodgepodge of contractors shrank to a handful of large, powerful one-stop shopping conglomerates. 

The consolidation was encouraged by the Defense Department, which wanted fewer, stronger companies competing for shrinking dollars. 

But critics question whether taxpayers have benefitted from the trend. They say less competition among contractors has meant higher prices and less incentive for technological innovation. 

“It’s basic economics,” said P.W. Singer, Olin Fellow in the foreign policy studies program at the Brookings Institution. “You have fewer firms out there bidding on these contracts, and so the prices don’t get driven down by competition.” 

The situation also makes it tough for small companies to grow and join the major players. Analysts say technology moves so fast, the government can no longer promise long-term contracts, making it nearly impossible for small firms to spread research and development costs over many years. 

“You don’t want to commit to buy a unit for the next 20 years because it may have a shelf-life of three or four years,” said Sam Gejdenson, a consultant and former congressman from Connecticut. Experts say the consolidation trend peaked in 1996, when the Department of Justice balked at approving the purchase of Northrop by Lockheed Martin Corp. 

“That’s the first time the government stepped up and said, ’We’ve seen enough,”’ said Christopher Hellman, a senior analyst at the Center for Defense Information, a nonprofit think tank in Washington, D.C. 

Gejdenson and others say the Department of Justice is sensitive to issues of competition and has slowed the pace of major deals in recent years. Justice officials, along with the Pentagon, rejected a proposed combination of General Dynamics and Newport News Shipbuilding last year because it would limit competition for nuclear ships. 

World’s second largest software firm’s shortfall dashes hopes of a high-tech comeback 

SAN FRANCISCO — Technology bellwether Oracle Corp. warned Friday its profit and sales during its latest quarter were weaker than anticipated — an indication that recession-weary businesses remain reluctant to invest in computer software and other equipment. 

The Redwood Shores-based company estimated its earnings for the three-month period ending in February will be 9 cents per share, a penny below the consensus estimate of analysts polled by Thomson Financial/First Call. The projection also represents penny decrease from the company’s profit at the same time last year. 

Oracle, the world’s second largest software maker behind Microsoft, is scheduled to announce the results of its fiscal third quarter March 14. The shortfall reflected sluggish sales of Oracle’s database and business software, particularly in Asia, said CEO Larry Ellison. 

Without providing specific numbers, Oracle said the year-to-year change in software sales for third quarter will be similar to second — second-quarter sales fell 27 percent from the previous year. 

In a conference call with analysts in December, Oracle executives had forecast a decline “in the high teens” during the just-completed quarter. 

Oracle’s warning probably will dash hopes for a revival in the depressed high-tech. “This casts a pall over everything,” said industry analyst George Gilbert of Credit Suisse First Boston. Oracle’s shares fell 63 cents to close at $15.99 on the Nasdaq Stock Market. After the company issued its warning, Oracle’s shares plunged $1.27, or nearly 8 percent, in after-hours trading. Many other tech stocks also dropped during after-hours trading. 

LOS ANGELES — One of the major creditors lining up to salvage some of its investment in Global Crossing is trying to stop the $750 million buyout proposal put forward by the telecom firm. 

Fleet National Bank, a subsidiary of FleetBoston Financial Corp., said the price is too low and the proposed deal “may be tainted by collusion and self-dealing.” 

Fleet filed its objection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of New York Friday. Under the bankruptcy plan filed by Global Crossing Jan. 28, Hutchison Whampoa of Hong Kong and Singapore Technologies Telemedia would inject $750 million for a 79 percent stake in the company. Creditors would receive the remaining 21 percent and $300 million in cash. 

Fleet said that because Global Crossing has more than $600 million of cash on hand, the buyout price would amount to less than $150 million. Global Crossing spent more than $12 billion to build a seamless fiber optic network spanning 27 countries between 1997 and this year. 

In the filing, Fleet said that recent revelations by the New York Times that two Global Crossing directors, including chairman and founder Gary Winnick, secretly invested $25 million in a firm effectively controlled by Singapore Technologies “suggest strongly that the Investment Proposal may be tainted by collusion and self-dealing.” 

Fleet also objected in its filing to termination and expense reimbursements fees of $50 million promised to Hutchison and Singapore Technologies, which it said amounts to 33 percent of the net cash offered creditors. 

Janis Burenga, a spokeswoman for Global Crossing, would not comment on Fleet’s filing except to say, “the court will ultimately decide.”

District and union to enter delicate negotiation 

Now that the Board of Education has approved $3.8 million in cuts and set the stage for heavy layoffs, the Berkeley Federation of Teachers and the school district are locked in a delicate dance over work conditions for those who will remain. 

“What’s nice is that both the district and the union are coming across with a collaborative attitude,” said David Gomez, associate superintendent of administrative services. “But it’s not going to be all rosy.” 

Budget cuts, approved by the board Wednesday night, include several items that may affect teachers who retain their jobs.  

Among other things, the board voted to increase class sizes and move from a seven- to a six-period day at Berkeley High School.  

Currently, BHS instructors teach for five periods, plan for one and monitor the hall for another. With only six periods in place, work schedules laid out in the teacher contract could be affected. 

The board also voted to cut department heads at the high school and replace them with “department specialists.” The specialists would have less planning time than their predecessors and a higher stipend. That stipend is negotiable.  

Union president Barry Fike would not confirm the issues at stake, citing the importance of confidential negotiations. But he said at least five of the contract’s 25 articles may need to be re-negotiated in the wake of the cuts. 

Gomez got more specific. He said the union, in preliminary discussions, has raised concerns over class size, work schedule, stipends for department heads at the high school, and a teacher evaluation program, involving peer review, that is built into the current contract. 

District and union officials are scheduled to meet Monday night and set a start date for official negotiations. Both sides said they expect civil talks, but fireworks at the school board meeting Wednesday night suggest there may be turbulence ahead. 

At the meeting, Fike criticized the district for failing to provide the union with financial and teacher retirement information. 

“BFT made a formal request for information to the district many days ago and we have yet to be handed one item on the list,” he said. 

Superintendent Michele Lawrence countered that the district only heard about the request at a meeting with union officials two days before. Fike countered that the official request was first made two weeks prior, on Feb. 11. 

Fike also attacked the district for scheduling layoff hearings during Spring Break, when many teachers have planned to go away on vacation. The hearings allow teachers to verify that the district has accurately accounted for their seniority, which plays a vital role in which teachers are cut.  

“The psychological trauma of receiving layoff notices is hard enough,” he said. “To purposefully schedule layoff hearings in such a way would clearly be adding insult to injury.” 

In an interview Friday, two days after the board meeting, Associate Superintendent of Business Jerry Kurr said the district will address the union’s scheduling concerns. 

“If that is an issue with a lot of people, we won’t do that, because we don’t want to start in an adversarial mode,” said Kurr. 

Still, Kurr said the district does have some concerns about paying for substitutes to fill in for teachers with layoff hearings during the regular work week.  

Wednesday night, the Board of Education voted to issue layoff notices to about 200 district employees. Roughly 150 of those employees are teachers or administrators who, if they have the proper credentials, could take a job in the classroom and “bump” a beginning teacher. 

The Board, which needs to cut about $6 million by the end of the year, plans to rescind many of the layoff notices as the budget picture crystallizes in the coming months.  

For more than 25 years national, state and local preservation groups have given annual awards to the owners, architects and contractors of buildings that have been restored, stabilized or adaptively reused in ways that are sensitive to the original building. The awards serve to demonstrate that old buildings can be reused, rehabilitated and given a new life and to encourage the preservation of older buildings. All types of buildings are eligible for these awards: from once common 1920s gas stations to warehouses, hotels, or single-family homes. 

The building pictured here is the Town and Gown Club and it has received two preservation awards, one from the state-wide California Preservation Foundation, and one from the local organization, Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association.  

A building that receives an award need not be the work of a famous architect, but the Town and Gown Club happens to have been designed by Berkeley and the Bay Area's most famous architect, Bernard Maybeck. The building was constructed in 1899 and is one of Maybeck’s early surviving buildings; several from this period were destroyed in the 1923 Berkeley fire, and a few more have been lost to redevelopment. 

The club building exemplifies Maybeck's interest in creating a visually interesting structure without the use of applied decoration. It is wood-frame construction and finished on the exterior with redwood shingles. The overhanging roof is supported by a system of outrigger joists and verticals wood pieces. 

Richard Longstreth in his book On the Edge of the World described the building: "Maybeck was fascinated by the expressive potential of structural elements…[the club is] a tall, unadorned box with a structural cage that bursts out near the top, extending nearly six feet from the wall plane… This network projects just as far into the upstairs assembly room, where it appears to hang from the roof…the relationship of structure to space is made all the more tenuous by the absence of revealed posts…instead, the paneling and fireplace are improbably elongated, as if they hung from the beams." Stabilizing this building to make it safe for future generations of users and yet retain its unique character, required complex engineering and planning.  

The Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association will present this year's awards on May 23. To nominate a building for an award, please call 841-2242.  

Susan Cerny is author of "Berkeley Landmarks" and writes this in conjunction with Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association.

Editor: 

The University's Director of Transportation Nad Permaul asserts (Daily Planet, 2/28) that the University can't afford to follow the City's lead and provide its employees with Eco Pass transit passes that will allow them to ride A.C. Transit for free. 

The cost, estimated at $60 per year per employee, is a drop in the bucket in relation to the University's overall compensation costs. It's also a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of building the planned Underhill parking structure. The University could provide all its employees with Eco Passes for the next 30 years for less than what it will cost to build the Underhill garage. 

That UC thinks that Eco Pass is too expensive suggests that they view addressing the concerns of Berkeley citizens about as a very low priority.  

The University is the largest generator of automobile traffic in the city. The volume of traffic and the traffic congestion in the neighborhoods surrounding campus is a real problem 

Encouraging more employees to use transit should be a high priority, especially if the University plans to expand. 

The University's approach to transportation planning is internally contradictory. On the one hand, they have followed the lead of UC Santa Cruz and UC Davis and implemented a bus pass for students (the “Class Pass”). They have a shuttle bus system that serves the campus. But on the other hand, they charge below market rates for parking and plan to add a huge amount of additional parking at Underhill, which will encourage more people to drive. 

Eco Pass programs in Denver and Boulder, Colorado, and in Santa Clara County have succeeded in increasing transit ridership and reducing automobile trips. 

If UC can't manage to take this basic step, then they shouldn't be surprised if every one of their proposed developments meets opposition from Berkeley citizens and their elected representatives.  

University officials are constantly saying that they want to work cooperatively with the City. Actions speak louder than words. Implementing Eco Pass for their employees would signal that they are serious about cooperation. 

Rob Wrenn 

Planning Commission 

Berkeley 

NEW YORK — Is there life beyond Earth? A new computer-generated show at the American Museum of Natural History probes the question by taking viewers from the blackest depths of the ocean to the cosmos outside the Milky Way galaxy. 

It’s quite a ride. The journey unfolds on the domed ceiling of the circular theater, where images from seven huge projectors form sights like a panorama of the surface of Mars. It feels like you’re riding some kind of magic whale that can rise with speed and grace from the deep ocean to slip through the clouds and soar through outer space. 

“The Search for Life: Are We Alone?” replaces “Passport to the Universe,” which took more than 3 million viewers on a different cosmic voyage during its two-year run at the museum’s Hayden Planetarium. The original show, narrated by Tom Hanks, may return later. 

Harrison Ford takes over the narrating duties in the new 23-minute production, which the museum developed with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 

The new show continues the idea of sweating the scientific details. The 25,000 stars it shows in the Milky Way galaxy are in the right spots; so are the 28,000 other galaxies it depicts. And when audience members watch cosmic clouds condense to form stars, they’re seeing the results of mathematical simulations designed to understand that process. 

For a lay audience of museumgoers, isn’t this overkill? 

“We’re a scientific institution. Our goal is to educate. ... We want to actually show the science,” replied Anthony Braun, executive producer for the museum’s Rose Center for Earth and Space. 

Quite properly, the show doesn’t claim to answer the question of whether there’s life in outer space, because scientists don’t know. A lay person who has paid attention to the topic won’t hear any startling insights here either. But the presentation does review key points that scientists are pondering. 

The visit to the deep ocean, for example, shows a perpetually dark environment where scalding hot water spurts from the bowels of Earth — and where some organisms thrive. “Life is tougher than we thought,” Ford remarks. 

The show also notes the fairly recent discoveries of dozens of planets outside the solar system, illustrating the idea that the universe contains plenty of places where life might spring up. “What are the odds that our planet is the only one with life?” Ford asks. 

Some of these distant “exoplanets” have already been reached by radio and TV waves from old transmissions on Earth, the show notes. You have to wonder what any distant life form would conclude about whether there’s intelligent life on Earth. 

Ford also notes that two favorite potential spots for life are much closer to home: Mars and Europa, a moon of Jupiter. Viewers check out Mars with a 360-degree image of its surface, courtesy of the 1997 Pathfinder mission. 

For all its focus on the possibility of life beyond, the show’s closing words remind viewers that there’s work to be done at home, too. 

“If we can learn to protect our only home in the cosmos and the life that it brought forth,” Ford says, “just think of the new worlds, and ways of being alive, that we might discover.”

Saturday, March 2

The 2002 White Elephant  

Sale 

9 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

White Elephant Warehouse 

333 Lancaster St., Oakland 

The 42nd annual White Elephant Sale, benefiting the Oakland Museum. Free. http://www.museumca.org/events/elephant.html. 

Outdoor Cross Training and  

Conditioning Basics 

2 p.m. 

REI 

1338 San Pablo Ave. 

REI’s Kristy Ruocco will draw on her experiences as a certified yoga instructor and nutritionist as she discusses the fundamentals of outdoor cross training and conditioning - different types of workouts, stretching, nutrition and goal setting. 527-4140. 

The Great Rummage Sale 

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society 

2700 Ninth St. 

The Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society is a “no-kill” animal shelter whose 

mission is to place adoptable dogs and cats in suitable, loving homes. 

Our Great Rummage Sale, held the first and third Saturday of each month, 

helps provide funds toward the operation of our shelter. clamata@berkeleyhumane.org. 

Sunday, March 3

Shaping a Just U.S. Policy in  

the Middle East 

2 - 7:30 p.m. 

International House 

2299 Piedmont Ave. 

Join Bay Area peace, social justice and faith-based organizations for a two- day conference focusing on the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, Iraq, Afghanistan and the impact these policies on civil rights and democracy in the U.S. 415-565-0201 x26, www.afsc.org/wagingpeace. 

The Ancient Trees Initiative 

noon 

The Fellowship of Humanity 

411 28th Street  

The Old Growth Tree Initiative of Northern California is a statewide measure that will be submitted directly to California voters in the November 2002 election if 420,000 or more Californians sign the petitions. 451-5818, www.ancienttrees.org. 

The Berkshire’s Second 

Anniversary Celebration 

2 - 4 p.m. 

The Berkshire Assisted Living 

2235 Sacramento St. 

The public is invited. Tours available. 841-4844. 

English Ceilidh Dancing 

7 p.m. 

Grace North Church  

2138 Cedar St.  

Family friendly, no partner needed, all dances taught and called to live music. $10. 650-365-2913, http://www.bacds.org. 

Hadassah Donor Brunch 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

H's Lordship's Restaurant 

Berkeley Marina 

Ariel Levite, former head of the Bureau of International Security in Israel and military scholar, speaks about Israeli Security. teachme99@attbi.com. 

Monday, March 4

Low- and No-Tech  

Approaches to Household 

Energy Conservation 

7 - 8:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Adult School 

University Ave. and Bonar St. 

How to cut your energy bills by 50-90 percent with lots of diligence and little money, by Rueben Deumling, Berkeley Energy Commission. 981-5435, energy@ci.berkeley.ca.us. 

The Dominican School of  

Philosophy 

and Theology presents the 2002 Aquinas Symposium: 

Aquinas' Commentaries on Platonic Texts 

7:30 p.m.  

Badè Museum, Pacific School of Religion  

1798 Scenic Ave. 

Fran O'Rourke on "Unity in Aquinas' Neoplatonic Commentaries"; Vivian Boland, O.P., on "Thinking About Good: Aquinas on Divine Names IV, De Hebdomadibus & Nicomachean Ethics I"; and Mark Damien Delp on "Abstract and Concrete Names: Logic and Metaphysics in Aquinas' Platonic Commentaries." Free and open to public. 883-2072, mdelp@dspt.edu. 

Economics of Transition  

Seminar 

noon 

UC Berkeley 

Harris Room (119 Moses Hall) 

Wei Li, University of Virginia, "Great Leap Forward or Backward? Anatomy of a Central Planning Disaster." 642-4608, http://www.igs.berkeley.edu:8880/ 

Tuesday, March 5

Berkeley Folk Dancers  

Salsa Dance Workshop  

7:45 - 9:45 p.m. 

Live Oak Park Recreational Center 

1301 Shattuck Ave. 

With Charlene Van Ness. Dancers of all levels welcomed. BFD members $5, 

non-members $7. 234-2069.  

The Dominican School of  

Philosophy and Theology  

presents the 2002 Aquinas  

Symposium: Aquinas'  

Commentaries on Platonic  

Texts 

7:30 p.m.  

Badè Museum, Pacific School of Religion  

1798 Scenic Ave. 

Wayne John Hankey on "Thomas' Neoplatonic Histories: His Following of Simplicius"; David Burrell, C.S.C., on "Aquinas' Use of the Liber de Causis to Formulate the Creator as Cause-of-Being"; and Richard Schenk, O.P., on "From Providence to Grace: Dionysius in the Mid-Thirteenth Century." Free and open to public. 883-2072, mdelp@dspt.edu. 

Primary Election Night  

Festivities 

7 p.m. 

UC Berkeley 

Moses Hall 

Institute of Governmental Studies Library 

Join with fellow political junkies to watch the returns and assess the impact of the California primary. We'll be following the results of the Republican governor's race, a potential shift in control of the US House as California elects the largest congressional delegation in the nation, State Assembly and Senate primary contests, and key initiative battles. Expert commentary will be provided, amateur comments are welcome. 642-4608, http://www.igs.berkeley.edu:8880/ 

Wednesday, March 6

Draft 2001-2010 Short Range  

Transit Plan 

6 p.m. 

AC Transit Board Room - 2nd Floor 

1600 Franklin St. 

A public hearing before the AC Transit Board of Directors will be held to receive input prior to the adoption of the SRTP. www.actransit.org. 

Healing Mission 

6:45 p.m. 

St. Mary Magdalen Parish 

2005 Berryman St. 

Catholic Lay Missionary John Cojanis from the Diocese of Tucson will be conducting a large Healing Mission—spiritual, emotional and physical—everyone is invited to attend. 526-4811x19. 

Colombia and Drug  

Trafficking 

10 a.m. - noon 

Berkeley City Club 

2315 Durant Ave. 

One hour lecture by Dr. Luis Felipe Suarez - former Colombian Consul General in Puerto Rico and San Francisco, followed by one hour of questions. A Foreign Policy Association program. $5. 526-2925. 

Germbusters Puppet Show 

2:30 - 3 p.m. 

Hall of Health, Lower Level 

2230 Shattuck Ave.  

Hall of Health staff will perform two short, lively puppet shows about germs, their effects on the body, cleanliness, and proper hand-washing technique. For children ages 3 to 10. 549-1564, www.hallofhealth.org. 

Sight-Singing Classes 

6:30 - 7:20 p.m. 

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church 

6013 Lawton Ave., Oakland 

Intermediate level sight-singing classes, 5 class series, $25 for the series. 465-4199, osc1@mindspring.com. 

Peace Walk and Vigil 

7:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley BART Station 

To demonstrate opposition to war and the U. S. bombing of Afghanistan. www.indymedia.org. 

"Global AIDS Treatment  

Access: Victories won and  

new challenges  

on the horizon" 

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

1797 Madera St. 

A HealthGAP benefit houseparty/reception. Presentations by AIDS Treatment News Editor John James and international AIDS activist Julie Davids plus entertainment. 841-4339, www.healthgap.org. 

Sequencing the Human  

Genome: Prokaryotes 

4:10 p.m. 

International House Auditorium  

2299 Piedmont Ave. 

Public lecture by Dr. J. Craig Venter, chairman of the board for the Institute for Genomic Research. 643-7413, www.grad.berkeley.edu/lectures. 

Transnational Urbanism:  

Locating Globalization 

12:30 p.m. 

UC Berkeley 

Harris Room (119 Moses Hall) 

Berkeley Center for Globalization and Information Technology Spring 2002  

Speaker Series with Michael P. Smith, UC Davis. 642-4608, http://www.igs.berkeley.edu:8880/ 

Thursday, March 7

Ancient Cultures of the Indian Himalaya 

7 p.m. 

REI 

1338 San Pablo Ave. 

Slide presentation by Barbara Sansone through the Kinnaur and Spiti Valley in eastern Himachul Pradesh. 527-4140. 

Resisting the Occupation: Jewish Peace  

Activists in Israel and Palestine 

7 p.m. 

La Peña Cultural Center 

3105 Shattuck Ave. 

Seth Schneider and Jerry Geffner were part of a recent American Jewish delegation that removed roadblocks, planted olive trees, monitored checkpoints, and met with Israeli and Palestinian peace organizations. Join them as they share slides and stories from their December trip. $5-10 sliding scale, proceeds benefit Rafah refugees. 301-0842, seth_schneider@yahoo.com. 

Sequencing the Human Genome: Eukaryotes 

4:10 p.m. 

International House Auditorium  

2299 Piedmont Ave. 

Public lecture by Dr. J. Craig Venter, chairman of the board for the Institute for Genomic Research. 643-7413, www.grad.berkeley.edu/lectures. 

Friday, March 8

International Women’s Day 

1 - 2:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Music, history, and speakers.  

Berkeley Women in Black 

noon - 1 p.m. 

Bancroft and Telegraph Ave. 

Standing in solidarity with Israeli and Palestinian women to urge an end to the occupation and push the peace process forward. 548-6310, wibberkeley.org. 

Celebrating International Women’s Day 

6 - 9 p.m. 

Julia Morgan Theatre  

2640 College Ave. 

International Women's Day celebration with Suheir Hammad, poet and author of "First Writing Since" and "Born Palestinian, Born Black." This event is 

presented by the Arab Women's Solidarity Association and Women of Color 

Resource Center. All are welcome to both the reception at 6 p.m. and the 

program at 7 p.m. $10 - $30, sliding scale. 845-8542, www.coloredgirls.org. 

Berkeley Critical Mass Ninth Birthday Ride 

5:30 p.m. 

Downtown Berkeley BART 

Roll through the streets with glee to celebrate the ninth 

birthday of the monthly Berkeley Critical Mass ride. Party follows. http://www.bclu.org/couch/. 

Men Considering Serving in the  

Roman Catholic church as a  

priest or brother 

9 p.m. 

Precious Blood Mission House  

2800 Milvia 

An Evening of Dialogue and Discernment for men who are considering serving in the Roman Catholic church as a priest or brother. RSVP to Rev. Gary M. Luiz, 848-1053. 

Saturday, March 9

Train for the Eco-Challenge 

2 p.m. 

REI 

1338 San Pablo Ave. 

Liz Caldwell and Barry Siff, veteran members of Team REI-Salomon, with a slide presentation on their recent Eco-Challenge events in New Zealand and Borneo. They will discuss how to train for a competition, select team members and prevent injury. 527-4140. 

Sunday, March 10

Storytelling Women 

3 - 5 p.m. 

Live Oak Center, Social Hall 

1301 Shattuck Ave. 

Women tellers telling about women who inspire their lives. 4 storytellers and a musician. Part of the annual women’s and girls’ tea party and storytelling ceremony held in Codornices Park. $30 suggested. 841-6612. 

The Labor Movement, Democracy  

and the Political Vacuum 

noon 

The Fellowship of Humanity 

411 28th St., Oakland 

Presentation by Steve Zeltzer. 451-5818, HumanistHall@yahoo.com. 

Monday, March 11

The Science Behind Global Warming,  

and How You Can Reduce Your Impact 

7 - 8:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Adult School 

University Ave. and Bonar St. 

Susan Ode, Berkeley Energy Commission, will provide an update on the science and implications of global warming for the world, plus a practical list of actions you can incorporate in your life to protect the global climate and improve the quality of your life. 981-5435, energy@ci.berkeley.ca.us. 

Odyssey of Conflict and Odyssey of Mastery-- 

Polanyi, Pirsig, Zen, and the Art of Knowing 

3:30 - 5 p.m. 

Pacific School of Religion, Mudd 206 

1798 Scenic Ave. 

Lecture and discussion presented by Allen Dyer, M.D., professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at East Tennessee State University, also former chair of the ethics committee of the American Psychiatric Association. Free and open to the public. 849-8285. 

Learning from The History of Government 

noon 

UC Berkeley 

Harris Room (119 Moses Hall) 

Positive Political Theory Seminar with Roger Myerson, University of Chicago. 642-4608, http://www.igs.berkeley.edu:8880/. 

Tuesday, March 12

An Evening with Numfundo Walaza:  

The Burden of Forgiveness 

7:30 - 9 p.m. 

Church Divinity School of the Pacific, 

Tucson Common Room 

2451 Ridge Rd. 

An evening with Numfundo Walaza, director of the Trauma Center for Survivors of Violence and Torture in Capetown, South Africa. Walaza will talk about "The Burden of Forgiveness: Reflections from the Truth and Reconciliation Committee of South Africa." $15. 204-0720, mkmorrison@cdsp.edu. 

Panthers lead wire-to-wire as center Knight shines 

Most of the time, it’s the St. Mary’s High backcourt that gets the most attention. After all, both DaShawn Freeman and John Sharper will play Division I college ball next season. Any accolades left over usually are heaped upon forward Chase Moore, a multi-talented three-sport athlete. But on Friday night against Bishop O’Dowd, it was center Simon Knight who paved the way for the Panthers to play for the North Coast Section title tonight. 

Knight scored 22 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and pilfered 5 steals against the third-seeded Dragons, showing a nice midrange touch to complement his inside game. The 6-foot-8 junior made his first eight shots of the game and missed just one shot before garbage time of the 74-63 St. Mary’s victory. 

“Everyone on this team can play,” said Knight, who put up 100 jumpers from each end of the free throw line during Thursday’s practice. “I can shoot, and the coaches told me to take my time.” 

St. Mary’s head coach Jose Caraballo was effusive in his praise of his biggest player. 

“Simon had the game of his life tonight,” Caraballo said. “He was just outstanding. He played his ass off.” 

The Panthers got off to a quick start, jumping out to a 6-0 lead, and never looked back. O’Dowd never even managed to tie the game, getting within a point at 23-22 early in the second quarter. But every time the Dragons made a run, St. Mary’s would hit a couple of baskets to get some breathing room. 

“We were patient, and we got back in the ballgame a couple of times,” O’Dowd head coach Pat Phelps said. “But we were just outmanned.” 

Knight’s outburst was such a surprise, even the Dragons didn’t seem to know who he was. Dave Brutucao-Kemp, who scored 12 points on four 3-pointers for O’Dowd, couldn’t come up with Knight’s name after the game. 

“Their big guy had a great game,” he said. “We just had no answer for him.” 

After a Andrew Lemke basket got O’Dowd within a point at 23-22, Knight took over, scoring 8 points during an 11-1 St. Mary’s run.  

In the second half, Knight hit his eighth straight shot to give the Panthers their biggest lead of the game, 49-33. The Dragons would get no closer than seven points for the remainder of the game, as Freeman and Sharper avoided turnovers and hit key free throws down the stretch. 

For Caraballo, who played for Phelps, the win was special. 

“I played for Phelps, and he’s got record wins and a great program,” Caraballo said. “He took us off his schedule this year, and my kids were fired up. But the most important thing is that we get to play again.” 

The Panthers face top-seeded De La Salle tonight at 8 p.m. at Haas Pavilion for the championship. De La Salle is the defending Northern California Division I champion, but St. Mary’s will be fired up to play on the Bay Area’s biggest stage. 

“We’ve been wanting De La Salle all season,” Freeman said. “They’ve been ranked ahead of us, and we have a chance to prove everyone wrong.” 

Lady ’Jackets take it easy, still get by San Leandro 

The Berkeley High girls’ basketball team gave an uninspired effort on Friday night against San Leandro, but it was still enough for an easy 59-46 victory in the North Coast Section Division I semifinals. 

The top-seeded Lady ’Jackets face No. 2 Pittsburg tonight at Haas Pavilion for the NCS title. The game will start at 6 p.m. 

Berkeley got 15 points and 10 rebounds from senior forward Sabrina Keys and 11 points from senior guard Angelita Hutton.  

The ’Jackets were bigger and faster than the Lady Pirates, but they didn’t force as many turnovers as usual, tallying just two steals in the game. But Berkeley’s defense was still solid as they held Pittsburg to 15-for-63 (24 percent) shooting from the floor. Guard Jen King led the Pirates with 14 points, but shot just 5-for-22 as her team’s primary offensive weapon. Jackie Levesque scored 12 points for Pittsburg. 

The ’Jackets jumped out to a 16-2 lead in the first quarter, and Natasha Bailey hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer for a 19-4 edge at the first break. Pittsburg managed to cut the deficit to eight points at 25-17 just before halftime, but would get no closer. They started the third quarter with a 1-for-16 shooting slump, letting the ’Jackets take a 22-point lead. The Pirates refused to let up, however, fouling and scrapping for points until the bitter end. 

Berkeley head coach Gene Nakamura waited until there was a little more than a minute left in the game to bring in his five promoted junior varsity players. The squad, which outscored first-round opponent McKinleyville to end the game, ran even with Pittsburg, 7-7.

A sixth-grade student brought a clip with several bullets to Longfellow Middle School earlier this week, according to school and police officials. 

Longfellow Principal Bill Dwyer said the student, who has been suspended, got the clip from an uncle’s gun. 

“I think it was just foolishness,” he said. “We weren’t aware of a violent threat, or any plan.” 

Lt. Cynthia Harris, spokesperson for the Berkeley Police Department, said the student was booked. But, as a first-time offender, she said, the student will likely be referred to Alameda County’s Youth Court program. 

The program, which stages mock trials run by youth, generally sentences offenders to community service.  

Editor: 

I read in the Planet that Councilmember Polly Armstrong is leaving. I know for most people she will be remembered as “the orange flag lady.” 

However, from someone who is admittedly single-issue focused, I honestly believe Harrison Park (and I imagine a number of other things) would not be there except for her willingness to support the project. 

Very early in our effort to get Harrison Park developed we had our usual crowd of kids and parents waving their green “We Need More Playing Fields” signs. And the council was all smiles as child after child came to the microphone.  

At 11:30 that night, the once packed audience now nothing but a few stragglers, the council took up the discussion of the park. 

One councilmember talked about how expensive the park was going to be, several said nothing. There was a lull in the conversation. And Polly spoke, “When all these people were in front of us we were more than happy to indicate we supported their cause. Now that they aren't here we don't have much to say. Well, I for one think we need these playing fields and I think we owe it to these kids and parents to give them what they have asked for.”  

The council voted to option the land and the process of Harrison Park was started.  

So the children and adults who play on these and other fields in the City of Berkeley, we owe you a debt that can never be repaid. You made a difference.  

Sorry to see you go.  

Doug Fielding 

Chairperson  

Association of Sports Field Users 

NEW YORK (AP) — For the first time in five years, no black reporter was among the top 25 on the network evening news programs in 2001, as measured by the amount of stories they reported, according to a study released Thursday. 

Byron Pitts of CBS and Pierre Thomas of ABC were tied for 28th place with 72 appearances on their news programs, said the study by the Center for Media and Public Affairs. 

Only one other black reporter — Randall Pinkston of CBS — was in the top 50, the center said. A year earlier, two black reporters made the top 10. 

Overall, the study found that the number of stories reported by all minorities and women were up slightly over 2000. Eighty-eight percent of the stories were reported by whites and 75 percent by men, the report said. 

The most visible network news reporter last year was John Roberts on CBS, who reported 177 stories. Robert Hager was the leader at NBC with 159 stories, followed by Terry Moran’s 138 stories on ABC, the center said. 

EUGENE, Ore. – Cal had a chance to extend its season on a long Jackie Lord 3-point shot, but UCLA held on to eliminate the Golden Bears, 46-42, in the first round of the Pac-10 Women’s Basketball Tournament. 

The Bruins held a 45-42 lead with eight seconds remaining, when Lord took a deep shot that could have tied the game. But she missed, the ball fell to UCLA’s Whitney Jones, who was fouled and made one of two free throws to ice the game. 

Cal ended its season with a 7-21 record (2-16 in the Pac-10), while UCLA improved to 9-19 (4-14). The Bruins, who swept Cal in three games this season, moved on to play Stanford in the second round of the tournament. 

“It was so low-scoring, it might not have been a great game from a fan perspective,” Cal coach Caren Horstmeyer said, “but from the athletes’ perspective, I think you saw a great game with two teams that battled.” 

Cal lost despite a strong performance by senior center Ami Forney, who had a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds in her final college game.  

The Bears did come out strong, taking a 16-14 lead as they battled a tough UCLA 2-3 zone. Early on, the Bears did everything Horstmeyer wanted them to do – get points in transition, reverse the ball, even make a rare 3-pointer. Cal also tied a season high with 16 steals. 

“I thought our team was a little nervous,” UCLA coach Kathy Olivier said. “We played them twice and beat them twice. We felt like Cal had nothing to lose.” 

“Early in the game we played our gameplan,” Horstmeyer said “and then we fell into exactly what UCLA wanted us to do. Where we lacked a little bit was our shot selection.” 

Cal shot poorly for the third time this year against UCLA, making just 16 of 59 shots for a 27.1 field goal percentage. 

UCLA shot just 30.4 percent itself but got a virtuoso performance from reserve guard Gennifer Arranaga, who scored a game-high 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 from the free throw line. 

Arranaga scored on a variety of jumpers and drives to the basket, often finishing UCLA fast breaks or secondary breaks. 

“Nat [Nakase] was telling me to run,” Arranaga said. “I’ve got a nickname, Speedy Gonzales, to live up to on the team.” 

In the second half, with Cal up 30-26, UCLA slapped the Bears with a 13-0 run sparked by seven points from Arranaga. 

Cal fought back to within 43-42 with a 12-4 run. 

Forney, along with reserve guard Janet Franey, are the lone seniors on this year’s squad. 

“We had a great career, even though we didn’t win,” Forney said. “I don't think it was as bad as people think. I like to use it as a positive, because we had to fight through tough situations.”

Union reps want city to come back to the bargaining table 

Berkeley fire fighters want the city to know they are serious about renegotiating their 2000-2004 contract.  

They showed up in full force at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, making a sea of blue several rows deep. Several fire fighters stood up to testify to the dedicated service and bravery of their colleagues in order to convince the city to give them a fair shake. 

When the fire fighters negotiated their compensation package in 2000, they agreed to give up 7.75 percent of their wages each year to qualify immediately for a new benefits package enacted by the state of California called “3 percent at 50.”  

In this new California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS), retirement benefits would amount to a certain percentage of a public safety officer’s highest year of earnings, determined by multiplying 3 percent times the number of years of service. The previous system gave public safety officers 2.5 percent at 50. 

“At the time we were negotiating with the city, we knew that to enjoy the benefits, it would not be free. We’d have to give something up,” said Rick Guzman, who is president of the Berkeley Fire Fighters Association and has been a fire fighter for 16 years. 

So Berkeley firefighters went two years with no raises – not even cost-of-living adjustments – so that members who were on the verge of retirement in 2000 could take advantage of the new program. 

But when the police department settled their contract a year later, the city agreed not to trade cost-of-living adjustment raises for the CalPERS benefits. 

“Basically, the cops got an increase in salary and the city to pay for CalPERS,” said Guzman. 

But Randolph Files, president of the Berkeley Police Association, did not see it this way. “There was a trade-off of money versus time,” he said.  

Although the two unions went into negotiations together, the fire fighters separated to negotiate a contract that would put the benefits in place in July 2000. Police officers’ benefits do not kick in until July of this year. Moreover, the police officers’ contract is also six-years long, while the fire fighters’ is four. 

“You’re comparing oranges and jet-skis,” said David Hodgkins, Employee Relations Officer for the city. 

“Everyone pays for it in one way or another. When you’re bargaining with unions, they see their interests differently. They carve up the money in different ways,” he said. 

Nevertheless, said Guzman, “We’re pissed.” The fire fighters want to bring the city back to the bargaining table. 

A “zipper clause” in contract negotiations, however, says that both sides must agree to come back to the table. The city can only re-enter negotiations if the City Council gives Human Resources the go-ahead. This is why the fire fighters were at Tuesday night’s meeting. 

Although Mayor Shirley Dean proposed a resolution on Tuesday that would have immediately granted fire fighters a 7 percent pay raise effective this July, she withdrew her proposal. The City Council instead adopted Kriss Worthington’s proposal that the City Manager consider an “equitable policy in implementing new state retirement rules for firefighters and for all city employees” in the city’s regular budget process. 

The union is now preparing information for city officials that will compare their compensation packages to those of other fire departments in the Bay Area. Guzman said it should be in the city’s hands by next week. 

Fire fighters will know by April whether the City Manager puts their raise in his recommendations. The budget will be finalized in June by a City Council vote.  

“This is super-fast-forward in government time for something that’s going to cost nearly a million dollars,” said Worthington. 

Although he said he was sympathetic to the fire fighters’ request at the Tuesday meeting, he could not give them the money on the spot. 

“That would not have been fiscally responsible. As elected officers know, there’s no instant gratification in government,” he said. 

Hodgkins would not comment on whether he thought the existing contracts were fair or whether he wanted to re-open negotiations. 

“I think we have a contract and I will abide by the conditions therein,” Hodgkins said. “I will do as the council directs.” 

This isn’t enough for fire fighters. “They’re dragging their feet,” said Guzman. “First it was that, then it was this. Now they say they don’t have the money to do it,” said Guzman. 

“I had a bad feeling about it when we signed the contract. I was afraid they would give it to the cops and change it on us.” 

But the police officers, for their part, hope that the difference in contracts does not cause bad blood between the two unions. “They’re a labor union, so we support them,” said Files. “If they’re treated unfairly, we ask the city to treat them fairly, just like any labor group.” 

Editor: 

Berkeley High School has in recent years been plagued by arson attacks, achievement gaps, ephemeral principals and countless other problems. The only thing holding the school together is the fantastic education that it offers to its students.  

Well, it seems that now that's gone too. 

The Berkeley School Board's decision to reduce the schedule to six periods will have a devastating effect on the students' education. Double-period science — a program that is likely to be cut — allows students to take first-year advanced placement classes, has consistently given students an advantage when applying to college, and it offers a great understanding of the sciences.  

The elective program, which provides students with a diversity of skills and includes classes in art, music, and dance, will also suffer.  

Everything that is great about a Berkeley High education will disappear and Berkeley High will become indistinguishable from any other high school in the nation.  

It is obvious that the school board needs to cut back on something — but is taking away what makes Berkeley High unique the answer?  

Gordon Jenkins 

student of Berkeley High school. 

LOS ANGELES — Two former strategists for President Clinton were hired as consultants for the Screen Actors Guild during negotiations with the Association of Talent Agents. 

Mark Fabiani and Christopher Lehane began working for the actors union in January. Fabiani was behind the scenes while Clinton fought off allegations in the Whitewater and Monica Lewinsky investigations. Lehane worked in the White House counsel’s office while Clinton was in office. 

Both men were asked to consult for the union in case either an impasse or agreement was struck with the talent agents group, SAG officials said Thursday. 

The two groups reached a tentative agreement last weekend that would allow talent agencies to make and receive investments in production companies. 

The agreement would loosen existing rules, in place since 1939, to protect actors from exploitation by agents working on behalf of producers or studios. 

Under the proposed contract, independent production companies and large advertisers would be allowed to invest as much as 20 percent in a talent agency. Movie studios and television networks still would be banned from owning or investing in a talent agency. 

The deal still must be approved by SAG’s board of directors and membership and ratified by the talent agencies.

The Berkeley High Yellowjackets scored five runs in the first three innings, then held on to beat California High 5-3 on Friday in the ’Jackets’ season opener at San Pablo Park. 

Junior Sean Souders threw five innings for the win, giving up one earned run on four hits while striking out six. Ethan Friedman earned the save by retiring the last four Grizzly batters. 

Berkeley scored three of their runs in the second inning. Bennie Goldenberg led off with a walk from California starter Adam Brizentine, and Jason Moore’s grounder was kicked by shortstop Spike McDougal. Designated hitter Jeremy Riesenfeld followed with a single to bring home Goldenberg. Brizentine plunked Sam Geaney with his next pitch, but Geaney was forced at second on Lee Franklin’s grounder, with Moore scoring on the play. Rightfielder Jeremy LeBeau drove in the last run with a double to the gap in right, giving the ’Jackets a 4-0 lead. 

Berkeley tacked on another run in the next inning, with Clinton Calhoun singling, stealing second and scoring on a single by Moore. 

That was all the lead Souders and the bullpen would need. Souders was solid through five innings, giving up just one run, a homer by California first baseman Andrew Worswick. Coming out to start the sixth, however, Souders surrendered two straight singles, prompting Berkeley head coach Tim Moellering to pull him in favor of Andre Sternberg, one of Moellering’s four southpaws.  

Sternberg struck out Mike Ancin, but walked McDougal to load the bases. Sternberg’s bore down to get Worswick to hit a comebacker, getting the force at the plate for the second out. 

Sternberg’s first pitch to the next batter, Justin Langro, was wild, allowing a run to score. Sternberg hurt his throwing shoulder on the pitch, the same shoulder that kept him out much of last season, and left the game.  

“I have four outstanding lefties, so I’m not too worried about having a righty in there,” Moellering said. “But I am concerned if we lose Andre for any length of time.” 

Moellering called on Friedman, yet another lefty. Langro hit a grounder up the middle that second baseman Franklin stopped with no throw to first. McDougal scored, but Franklin caught Worswick too far past third base and caught him in a rundown, with Friedman applying the final tag. 

Friedman set down the Grizzlies in order in the seventh inning for the save.

With Election Day approaching, California Secretary of State Bill Jones is predicting that only about 36 percent of eligible voters will bother to cast ballots on Tuesday. 

Local Bay Area officials interviewed today have similarly low expectations. 

Jones cited a number of factors as contributing to the poor expected turnout, including the earliest primary in state history, the lack of high-profile ballot measures and the international war on terrorism. 

“Because of the competition for voter attention, the early election date and a variety of other factors, we estimate that the turnout of registered voters this March will be approximately 36 percent,” Jones said. 

He said a later than usual February Super Bowl and the recently concluded Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City also may have siphoned some of the interest away from the election. 

Jones said the tight three-way race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination could help elevate turnout though. In addition, he said that the removal of more than 2 million ineligible voters from the rolls in recent years should help provide a more accurate depiction of voter participation. 

Contra Costa County elections officials said today they are anticipating a turnout of roughly 40 percent on Election Day. Alameda County Assistant Registrar Elaine Ginnold said they are expecting a 38 percent turnout. 

“It’s disappointing considering we spent six months preparing for it,” Ginnold said. 

San Francisco Department of Elections Director Tammy Haygood, however, said today that she does not prognosticate. 

“We don't predict turnout, we count votes,” Haygood said. “We’re just encouraging people to vote.” Haygood joined Jones in reminding voters that the election will operate as a "modified primary'' because of the U.S. Supreme Court's invalidation of California's open primary initiative. 

As a result, voters who are registered with a political party may vote only for candidates in their own party. Voters who declined to state a party affiliation when they registered to vote may request the ballot for one of the four political parties that have opened up their primary to nonpartisan registrants. Those are the Democratic, Republican, American Independent and Natural Law partiesHaygood also reminded voters to check their polling places, which might have changed due to redistricting.Election information is available online at http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections.htm.

Editor: 

Because of my own involvement in Berkeley schools, I am very interested in the candidates for our representative on the Alameda County Board of Education.  

I don't exactly understand what role the candidate elected will play as the representative from our area.  

The reason for my confusion, is because in all of my years as an active parent in the Berkeley schools, I have never met the incumbent. And I have only actually seen him once.  

That was when Alameda County Superintendent Sheila Jordan was presenting her budget concerns to our school board. He wasn't actually involved in the presentation, but he did introduce himself. 

Personally, I expect more from a candidate.  

I expect that person to spend time observing our schools, as well as our board. How else can they make intelligent decisions in regard to education?  

I want him/her to develop the kind of relationship with our principals and administration that foster a line of communication that might help us to foresee problems, before we are in the kind of budget situation we're in now.  

And I believe that Jacki Fox Ruby is that person.  

She has played a very active role in our schools in the past, and I am really glad that she has found a way to continue in that role.  

Jacki knows our schools and better understands our needs.  

Mark A. Coplan 

Willard Parent 

ANAHEIM — Responding to residents’ complaints that fireworks shows at the Disneyland Resort are polluting their neighborhood, a regional agency will test air particles to collect any residue. 

The South Coast Air Quality Management District will place glass plates in neighborhoods upwind and downwind from the resort later this month to determine whether ash and other products such as aluminum and magnesium are being left behind. 

“If we have some sort of measurable residue, we’ll make a determination whether additional sampling should be done and what type,” said Carol Coy, AQMD’s deputy executive officer of engineering and compliance. “This is just the first step.” 

Disney has increased the number of fireworks shows over the past two years. Park officials said they support the testing to ensure compliance with state regulations. 

People who live near the resort believe long-term exposure to the fireworks residue may be harmful. 

“I think there needs to be some follow up for people who have been exposed to this for a long time,” Anaheim resident Amy Davis said. “Nobody is tracking the health issues.”

Urban agriculture, freedom of the press and nationalized health care. 

These were just a few of the issues explored by a delegation of seventeen local environmentalists and journalists in a recent nine-day trip to Cuba. 

“It’s really interesting to see an alternative way of doing things,” said Beck Cowles, program manager for the Ecology Center, a Berkeley-based environmental group. “Cuba has a lot of lessons for us.” 

The Ecology Center co-sponsored the Feb. 15-24 journey with the Media Alliance, a left-leaning San Francisco resource and training center for activists and journalists. 

The group, which spent time in the capital city of Havana and the rural province of Pinar del Rio, visited a pair of radio stations, a facility which produces chamomile and aloe vera for medicinal purposes, and a local doctor participating in Cuba’s system of nationalized health care. 

But Martin Bourque, executive director of the Ecology Center, which runs Berkeley’s twice-weekly Farmers Market, said Cuba’s support of urban agriculture was particularly interesting. 

Bourque, editor of a new book called “Sustainable Agriculture and Resistance: Transforming Food Production in Cuba,” said the island country began an intensive urban agriculture program in the early-1990s, during the height of an economic recession. 

With the countryside struggling to produce and transport an adequate supply of crops to the cities, he said, the government gave away land to urban residents willing to produce crops. Today, according to Bourque, one-third of Cuban produce comes from city gardens. 

Bourque praised the city of Berkeley and the Berkeley Unified School District for passing innovative food policies that emphasize local production. But, he added that Berkeley could learn something from the more comprehensive Cuban model.  

“What we don’t have is a real political will, or institutional support,” said Bourque, noting that Havana has 200 city employees dedicated to urban agriculture, while Berkeley’s only professional is a specialist at UC Berkeley’s Extension School. 

Rebeka Rodriguez, program director for Media Alliance, said the radio stations the group visited made do with limited resources. 

“My impression of the stations we visited is that they were extremely underfunded, poorly-equipped stations,” she said, “and despite these obstacles, they were able to disseminate information broadly.” 

A station the group visited in Vinales, a small town in Pinar del Rio, made use of simple cassettes and a telephone to transmit news to a larger station in the city of Pinar del Rio for broadcast, Rodriguez said.  

Bourque said the exchange of ideas in the press was limited, but not as limited as some Americans might think. 

“Any fundamental critique of the government isn’t reported,” he said. “But there is a lot of debate within the system. I think that’s something people miss when they say, ‘oh, it’s state-run media.’ ” 

Bourque added that the Cuban media does not dig into the personal lives of politicians like the American media. 

“It’s refreshing. Why should we spend so much time on a president’s personal life,” he asked, in reference to the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, “when there are such pressing public issues?”

Philly lures fugitives with phony mail, cash promises 

PHILADELPHIA — They thought they were getting money owed to them by the city. Instead, more than six dozen fugitives got arrested. 

Using a phony city agency and fake letters promising big bucks, Philadelphia police lured 80 fugitives into a trap over the last two months. 

Detectives sent out letters from the fictional Office of Municipal Audit and Disbursement to 549 fugitives wanted for crimes ranging from burglary to fraud. The letter said that the agency owed the fugitives $1,320.27 in unpaid benefits and they could get the check at the office. 

A fake office was set up near other city offices. When the cash-motivated fugitives arrived in the waiting room, a staff member would ask them to go into the next room to sign for the checks. 

Instead of a fat check, the room was full of detectives waiting to escort the fugitive into a police car. 

“It was just con men being conned. Greed took over,” Sgt. Joe Motto said. 

Arrests included 27 people charged with assault and battery, nine charged with burglary and 10 charged with robbery. 

Farmer claimed to lost herd 

PITTSBURGH — Call it the “Little Bo Peep” ploy. 

A dairy farmer has admitted he tried to hide his assets, including 200 head of cattle, from creditors and federal agents by claiming he couldn’t find them. 

Vern E. Over has pleaded guilty to concealment of assets and bankruptcy fraud for selling livestock and equipment from his Clarion County dairy farm and then telling a bankruptcy trustee and FBI agents he didn’t know where they went, according to court documents. 

Over has also agreed to tell authorities what happened to the missing property. 

According to court documents and his lawyer, Michael Witherel, Over sold some of the items after he filed for bankruptcy in 1994. 

When his western Pennsylvania farm was being liquidated a year later to pay creditors, a bankruptcy trustee couldn’t count the cattle, tractors, wagon, plows and other farm equipment because they were gone. 

“There’s no question that things were sold,” Witherel said. “He’s a good and decent man who shouldn’t have done what he did and he’s going to pay the price.” 

Over could face five years in prison under sentencing guidelines, but Witherel said he would likely get no more than 1 1/2 years. 

Ball club bans bin Laden from their bobbleheads dolls 

HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Bobblehead dolls are a popular promotion at ball games, but a minor league baseball team decided that Osama bin Laden’s head doesn’t belong on them. 

The Hagerstown Suns, an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, rejected a proposed bin Laden bobblehead giveaway promotion Thursday after an Internet poll indicated most people would find it distasteful. 

The team had considered a promotion in which fans entering the ballpark would be given the dolls and then be invited to smash them. 

Of 194 responses, 72 percent considered the idea “way out of line,” according to the team’s Web site. 

“We’re really glad the fans got online and voted,” team general manager Kurt Landes said. He said the club’s staff came up with the idea. 

Bobblehead manufacturer Alexander Global Promotions, of Bellevue, Wash., gets requests every week for bin Laden dolls, company chief executive Malcolm Alexander said. 

“The answer from us consistently has been no,” he said. 

Idaho elevates their potatoes 

BOISE, Idaho — At the prompting of fourth graders, Idaho’s famous potatoes are being elevated to the top of the vegetable heap. 

The state Senate unanimously sent Gov. Dirk Kempthorne a bill that would designate the potato as Idaho’s official state vegetable. 

The bill, passed Thursday, had already been approved by the House. 

For decades, Idaho has led the nation in potato production, making spuds practically synonymous with the state. Most license plates are graced with the slogan “Famous Potatoes.” 

Now the potato joins other official state symbols like the mountain bluebird, cutthroat trout and Appaloosa horse. 

The idea for the official vegetable came from fourth-grade classes studying Idaho history at Grand View Elementary School. The children wrote to 200 other fourth-grade classes around the state and to all 105 legislators for their support. 

LOS ANGELES — Richard Riordan lashed out at Bill Simon as a “sanctimonious hypocrite” Friday, harshly criticizing the former friend who has overtaken him with just days to go before the GOP gubernatorial primary. 

“Those are the words my mother taught me to say about people who carry religion on their lapel but go around telling untruths about other people,” added the moderate former Los Angeles mayor, whose maverick bid to broaden the Republican Party is flagging in the face of Simon’s traditional conservative campaign. 

As recently as Sunday, Riordan laughed off a question about whether he remains friends with Simon, who attends Catholic church with him in Santa Monica and who Riordan encouraged to run for governor before getting in the race himself. 

Since then a Field Institute poll showed Simon overcoming a 33-point deficit to overtake Riordan 37-31 among likely voters in the March 5 GOP primary, and the campaigns have been relentlessly on the attack. Simon has slammed Riordan for consorting with Democrats and accused him of being soft on taxes, and Riordan has hit back by questioning Simon’s business practices and his failure to register as a Republican until 1992. 

Riordan put to rest Friday any doubts about his relationship with Simon. 

“He has the sanctimonious gall to say he’s a good friend of Dick Riordan’s — ’but I want to tell you what Dick Riordan’s all about’ — and then he starts lying about me,” Riordan told a Hollywood press conference. “This is not friendship. This is sanctimonious hypocrisy.” 

In fact Riordan’s campaign was first in airing a negative attack ad. 

Simon strategist Jeff Flint said the multimillionaire investor still considers Riordan his friend, and that the two will probably continue to ski together since they own houses close to each other in Sun Valley, Idaho. 

“Bill Simon’s not going to address the increasingly false and desperate charges from Dick Riordan,” Flint said. “It’s clear he’s only lashing out because he’s fading in the polls.” 

In another sign Riordan’s campaign is in trouble, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday that the White House has reached out, through intermediaries, to Simon. 

The Times said a Washington lobbyist with ties to the White House approached Simon strategists this week to discuss an appearance with the president if Simon wins the primary. 

Riordan has said President Bush personally urged him to run, and he has long been seen as the candidate with the blessing of an administration eager to install a Republican governor in the nation’s most populous state. He said Friday that nothing has changed in his relationship with the White House. 

“The White House is reaching out to both of us. This is a close race. They will support whoever wins this nomination because we have to get rid of (Democratic incumbent) Gray Davis,” Riordan said. 

Simon confirmed contacts took place but declined to elaborate. 

“There have been contacts between our staffs, and the White House will work with whoever is the winner of this election,” Simon said. 

Asked how he felt about it, Simon said, “You have to say, wow.” But he added, “At the end of the day I tell all our guys and all our gals, you know, stay humble.” 

Sex offender info to be made available in 13 languages 

SAN JOSE — Public information on registered sex offenders now will be available in 13 languages and will be updated daily, Attorney General Bill Lockyer said Friday. 

Law enforcement agencies will be able to obtain and give daily updates of Megan’s Law information by accessing a Department of Justice databasa via a secure Intranet connection. The new Web-enabled application replaces a CD-ROM produced by the attorney general’s office and distributed monthly to law enforcement. 

In addition to English the information will be available in Arabic, Armenian, Cambodian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese. 

Suspect in Oakland shooting connected to another homicide 

SAN FRANCISCO — A man critically wounded by San Francisco police is a suspect in the killings of seven people, including a witness shot six days after testifying in a gang homicide case, police said Thursday. 

Ramon Sapp, 24, was shot at least six times Wednesday and was in critical condition Thursday night. 

San Francisco police believe Sapp has ties to a drug gang in the city’s Western Addition neighborhood. Sapp is also a suspect in the January 2001 shooting death of Dustin Thomas. 

Albany schools to layoff teachers to reduce $1.5m shortfall 

ALBANY — The Albany Unified School District will lay off teachers and administrators, and reduce the number of class periods, to slash $1.5 million from its budget. 

School officials say an array of reasons — from a fluctuating enrollment during the past several years to overly optimistic salary settlements with various unions last year — have forced them to take these steps. 

“The way school districts work, you’re supposed to keep a 3 percent reserve,” said Albany school board member Marsha Skinner. “This year, we’re going down into our reserve, even with cuts we’ve already made.” 

KABUL, Afghanistan — U.S. warplanes and helicopter gunships bombarded suspected al-Qaida hide-outs in Afghanistan’s eastern mountains Saturday, opening a new offensive against Taliban and al-Qaida believed regrouping there, Afghan officials said. 

On the ground, about 600 Afghan and American forces moved into the same Shah-e-Kot mountains Saturday, said Safi Ullah, head of the local governing council, reached by telephone in Gardez, 20 miles north of the attack. 

In neighboring Pakistan, authorities sealed off the border along the mountains to block any fleeing al-Qaida from escape. 

The U.S. Central Command in Florida refused comment because the operation was ongoing. 

There were no details of any ground fighting, although bombing was continuing into Saturday, Safi Ullah said. The majority of the ground forces were Afghan, Safi Ullah said. 

Commander Wazir Khan Zedran, talking to the Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press, was quoted as saying al-Qaida had opened fire with mortars from the mountains, even though they hadn’t yet come under ground attack. 

U.S. B-52 bombers have been out in force in recent days over Paktia province, site of the new reported offensive. 

Afghan officials say al-Qaida and Taliban fighters are regrouping there and just over the border in Pakistan, urging the faithful to wage holy war against U.S. forces. 

U.S. officials and Afghan sources estimate 4,000 to 5,000 foreigners who fought for the Taliban and al-Qaida remain inside Afghanistan. Many of them are believed to be in Paktia and other provinces along the Pakistan border. 

They are receiving support from a variety of groups, including Kashmiri separatists, Islamic militants in Pakistan and some former officials of Pakistan’s intelligence service, according to Afghan sources. 

In Pakistan, a senior government official at the Pakistan border town of Miran Shah said Saturday that troops have blocked all routes to prevent escape of any al-Qaida and Taliban fleeing the attack. 

The official, Javed Marwat, said a 60-mile strip with Afghanistan has been closed. 

A tribal elder in the area, Haji Rasool Khan, said by telephone that his Madakhel tribe would not give shelter to any al-Qaida on the run. 

The last major U.S. bombing in Afghanistan was in January, when airstrikes targeted regrouping Taliban and al-Qaida forces in the eastern Zawar region. In that strike, at least 18 civilians were confirmed dead before an aid group’s count was cut short by continued bombardment. Local officials have told The Associated Press that several dozen civilians had died, but no precise figures are available. At least 35 homes were destroyed. 

HAVANA — Cuban police in black berets entered the Mexican embassy early Friday and detained 21 young men who had crashed a stolen bus through the gates two days earlier and asked to be taken out of Cuba. 

The unarmed, specially trained police took action after Mexico asked Cuba to remove the men. The detainees, who authorities in both countries said were seized without putting up any resistance, were rushed away in trucks during the pre-dawn hours. 

While human rights activists expressed concerns about their fate, Mexican authorities said they believed the men had no grounds to fear political persecution and there was no risk to their lives. Mexico said the men did not ask for political asylum and wanted to emigrate for purely economic reasons. 

“These are young people facing a difficult economic situation, like many in Latin America,” said Gloria Abella of Mexico’s Foreign Relations Department. 

After commandeering a public bus, the men crashed the embassy gates late Wednesday night. Their forced evacuation about 30 hours later sent a strong message across the island: holing up in a diplomatic mission is not a sure ticket off the island. 

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba — A hunger strike by prisoners at this remote U.S. naval base seemed to lose momentum after the U.S. military agreed to allow the Taliban and al-Qaeda captives to wear turbans, as long as guards could inspect them at any time. 

Of the 300 terror suspects detained at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, 75 refused to eat lunch on Friday, military officials said. That number was down significantly from the peak of the hunger strike Thursday, when 194 prisoners declined lunch. 

The protest began Wednesday after guards removed a makeshift turban from a praying captive’s head. Military officials had previously banned turbans because they might be used to hide weapons. 

The military says the prisoners are fighters of the international al-Qaida terrorist network, believed responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States, and the deposed Afghan Taliban regime that harbored it. Some have been held at the base in southeastern Cuba since Jan. 11. 

Detainees told officials the hunger strike was in response to two guards stripping a detainee of his turban during prayers Tuesday after the inmate ignored orders to remove it, Marine Maj. Stephen Cox said. He added that detainees have been issued prayer caps or can drape towels over their heads. 

The policy change on head coverings seemed to have little impact on those who continued their hunger strike Friday. 

Two inmates were taken to the camp infirmary Friday and treated for dehydration through intravenous drips, officials said. One ate and was taken back to his cell. The other refused to eat and remained in the infirmary. 

“We’re certainly not going to allow them to harm themselves or starve,” said Marine Capt. Alan Crouch, a spokesman for the detention mission. 

Even those declining food appear to be drinking water, said Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Jeff Carter, another spokesman. 

In an address to prisoners Thursday night by Brig. Gen. Mike Lehnert, the Marine in charge of the detention mission, indicated there might be more to the hunger strike. 

“He told them at this point he could not tell them how long they will be here or what will happen to them in the future,” Cox said. 

“Gen. Lehnert also told the detainees that they will be judged fairly” when the time comes, Cox said. 

The new policy “was explained to the detainees, and they’ve talked back and forth to the commanders and the chaplain several times ... and we are hoping it will ease the tension,” Air Force Brig. Gen. John Rosa, deputy director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staffs, said Friday at the Pentagon. 

Friday afternoon, Camp X-ray was quiet, with detainees passing the time as usual — pacing in their chain-link cells, sitting or lying down. A few were interrogated in wooden buildings near their cells. They are not allowed to have lawyers. 

Tension has been building among the inmates, some of whom were held for months in Afghanistan before being brought to Guantanamo beginning seven weeks ago. 

In recent days, some have ignored a taped call to prayer and instead have picked individual detainees to announce and lead prayers, which Muslims do five times a day. 

A week ago there was “a disturbance” when a guard doing a random search of a cell inadvertently dropped a copy of the Quran, officials said. 

“There is an underlying tension associated with the uncertainty of their future,” Cox said. 

U.S. officials say they are determining the legal fates of the detainees. Those not tried by a military tribunal either would be prosecuted in a U.S. court, returned to their home countries for prosecution, released outright or held indefinitely. 

Some of Washington’s closest allies have criticized President Bush’s proposal to try some detainees before secret military tribunals empowered with the death penalty. 

The detainees come from 32 countries, several of which have asked that their nationals be returned home to face trial. 

“In some instances, and I won’t pick out a country, it is indeed likely that some of those detainees may go back to those countries,” Victoria Clarke, spokeswoman for Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, said at the Pentagon Friday. 

Amnesty International said the protest “highlights the dangers of the legal limbo into which the prisoners have been thrown” and underscores the “urgent need” for the United States to allow the prisoners due process, including the right to challenge their detentions. 

AHMADABAD, India — Hindu attackers stalked Muslims in the streets and set fire to their homes and shops Friday, pushing the death toll in India’s worst religious violence in a decade past 300. 

Officials said Saturday that a Hindu mob torched the Muslim village of Sardarpura late Friday, killing at least 27 people trapped inside their homes. The killings took the death toll in three days of carnage to 322. 

Press Trust of India news agency said police fired bullets in the air to scare away the mob, which regrouped as soon as the police patrol left. The mob set houses and shops on fire using cooking gas bottles, police said. 

The bloodshed has been largely confined to the western state of Gujarat, and has not spread across this vast nation despite a call for a general strike by Hindu nationalists. 

Some 900 soldiers deployed in Ahmadabad, a city of 3.5 million, where young Hindu men brandished swords and sticks Friday in a second day of looting and attacks triggered by a fiery assault on a train by Muslims.

You have to hand it to Michael Moore for bravery. At a time in which dissent has been sent to the back of the bus, Moore is insisting on his front-row seat. 

Stupid White Men and Other Sorry Excuses for the State of the Nation! (Regan Books, $24.95), a deliciously wicked read for those who like to see the comfortable hung, drawn and quartered, is the latest book by the blue-collar big mouth whose best known work is the documentary Roger & Me. With characteristic relish, Stupid White Men takes aim at “Thief-in-Chief” George W. Bush, fat-cat executives, general American ignorance, self-satisfied whites and Democrats who might as well be Republicans.  

Berkeley fans will get a chance to see Moore on Mar. 6 when he will be appearing at the First Congregational Church of Berkeley at 7:30 PM. Moore told the Planet he is looking forward to coming back to Berkeley, a place he admires for its “rich history of dissent and of politics and of ideas, though it’s not the place it used to be.” 

“I like Berkeley,” said Moore. “It reminds me of a city back home – Ann Arbor.” 

Moore’s book Stupid White Men is full of the same wisecracks. Social commentary is served up with the same funny-yet-disturbing “What Gives?” humor we have come to love in Moore’s work. In a prayer to “Lord (God/Yahweh/Buddha/Bob/Nobody),” for example, he writes, “We beseech You to make the children of every senator in the Mountain Time Zone gay–really gay.”  

Stupid White Men’s humor is even more biting because Moore has done his homework. When Moore writes, “Never, ever let someone fly you up in the air who’s making less than the kid at Taco Bell,” he knows what he is talking about. His research confirmed that commuter plane pilots’ starting pay can be as low as $13,000, which comes to about $9,000 after pilots pay for their own flight training and uniforms. 

Moore, who was writing the book last spring, also pointed the finger at Enron long before Kenneth Lay was publically outed. His book slams the energy company for running a big scam – and taking advantage of California in particular. 

“Look, Bush and Kenny Boy have a map of the state of California for target practice,” Moore told the Planet. “It’s the home state of Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon, but they hate it. They wrote it off in the last election. They knew it was going to go to the Democrats.” 

Moore’s essay on race relations, “Kill Whitey” is not as sharp as other parts of his book, however. Moore rightly points out that white people need to take more responsibility for slavery, the programming on FOX and the invention of the punch card ballot. But the mea culpa strikes an almost self-righteous note in parts. 

He also focuses mainly on blacks, to the exclusion of other minorities in today’s underclass, because, he writes, “African-Americans have been on the lowest rung of the economic ladder since the day they were beaten and dragged here in chains.” But recent scholarship has suggested that race and class do not map so neatly among color lines as they used to. In fact, by 1980, Harvard Professor William Julius Wilson had already written a landmark sociological study of urban blacks called The Declining Significance of Race. 

Moore’s most controversial chapter, though, is the “Dear George” letter in which Moore asks if the president if he is an illiterate, a drunkard and a felon. This sharp criticism almost prevented his book from being published at all. 

Stupid White Men was due to be shipped on Sept. 11 for sale on Oct. 2 when hijacked planes slammed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Moore and his publisher, Regan Books, an imprint of Harper Collins, both felt it was best to hold the book. 

But when his book had not been published by Dec. 2, Moore said he was wondering, “Where’s my book?” Turns out, Regan Books wanted Moore to rewrite up to 50 percent of his book because it was too harsh on the president. 

“I said, ‘I’m not rewriting 50 percent of one word. I feel the same way now as I did then. If you want me to rewrite it, I’ll just make it harsher,’” said Moore. 

Luckily some librarians from New Jersey came to his aid when they heard him speak at a private event. They organized an internet campaign, posting on list-serves and barraging the publishers with e-mail complaints. When trade magazines and the New York Post picked up the story, the publishers relented. 

Moore said he is very pleased that the book has been published without a single irreverent word of it altered, though he will be soon posting an additional chapter called “The Sad and Sordid Whereabouts of bin Cheney and bin Bush” on his website (www.michaelmoore.com). “People were nervous. That’s why I was afraid to put my book out,” explained Moore. “But it’s not good in a democracy to be afraid of dissent,” he added.  

“My biggest motivation for writing the book was to get people fired up and tell them not to give up.” 

The Associated Press 

REDWOOD CITY — A judge suspended criminal proceedings in the case of a Minnesota obstetrician accused of killing her 13-year-old son after the woman blurted out in court Friday that she wanted to represent herself and plead guilty to charges she stabbed the boy to death. 

Donna Anderson, 48, made the statements at the beginning of a hearing in the courtroom of San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Stephen Hall. The judge did not accept entry of Anderson’s guilty pleas and instead ordered another hearing to appoint two doctors to examine the woman to assess her mental status. 

Anderson had previously claimed a child pornography ring may be funding her defense against her will and is not allowing her access to a fair trial. 

During an interview Thursday with two San Francisco Bay area media outlets, Donna Anderson recited a rambling list of names, her work history and vague allegations. She refused to answer any questions and did not mention her son’s name in the prepared statement she read. 

Prosecutor Steve Wagstaffe said the woman’s statement’s Friday brought a quick end to the proceedings which were to resume Tuesday. Anderson was seeking attention for her case, Wagstaffe said. 

“Two days ago she was blaming some pornography ring for everything that’s happened and today she’s pleading guilty to two counts,” Wagstaffe said. 

Anderson is being held in the San Mateo County jail’s medical wing on charges she stabbed her son, Stephen Burns, to death.

The Associated Press 

PHILADELPHIA — The 1998 national tobacco settlement was supposed to end government-sponsored litigation against Big Tobacco. But some local officials, unhappy with the way states are spending the settlement money, are looking to the courts for help. 

At least two counties — one in Pennsylvania and another in Michigan — are pursuing lawsuits against the tobacco giants, arguing that they haven’t received their fair share of the $206 billion settlement. 

“Most of the money was supposed to go to help people. And now we’re building bridges with it,” said Larry Levin, an attorney representing Carbon County, Pa., in a suit against the tobacco industry. 

Levin’s firm is trying to organize a class-action lawsuit of Pennsylvania counties. So far, only Carbon County has signed on. 

The rural county in eastern Pennsylvania says it is entitled to millions of dollars from the state’s share of the tobacco settlement to treat sick smokers. The county has been promised $136,000 per year for anti-smoking programs. 

The dispute has led to an unusual alliance between the tobacco industry and the state of Pennsylvania, which plans to withhold Carbon County’s share of the settlement if it goes ahead with litigation. 

“The tobacco companies have paid to settle these claims,” said Sean Connolly, spokesman for state Attorney General Mike Fisher. “It would be unfair to have them pay over and over and over.” 

Under the terms of the national settlement, eight major tobacco companies agreed to pay 46 states for smoking-related health costs. Most states have used at least some of the money for programs unrelated to smoking and for closing budget gaps, leaving anti-smoking forces up in arms. 

A report released last month by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids said that only five states are funding anti-smoking programs at the level recommended by the federal government. In Pennsylvania, lawmakers have earmarked just under $30 million per year for anti-smoking programs, out of an initial settlement share of $927 million. 

“The problem the counties are raising is indicative of what’s happening around the country,” said William V. Corr, executive vice president of the campaign. “People who want to address the tobacco toll aren’t getting substantial resources.” 

In the Detroit area, Wayne County, Mich., has been pursuing a lawsuit against the tobacco industry for the past three years. The suit hit a stumbling block last month, when the Michigan Supreme Court said the county was bound by the national settlement and not permitted to sue. But a federal judge has asked the high court to revisit the case. 

The national settlement insulated the tobacco industry from lawsuits by counties, cities and other political subdivisions. The settlement says that if a local government wins a judgment, the money will be deducted from the state’s share. 

Worried about that possibility, the Pennsylvania General Assembly last summer passed a law that punishes any local government that pursues legal action against tobacco companies. A county or city filing such a suit would not get any money from the tobacco settlement. Private hospitals, social service agencies and other groups entitled to tobacco money would also be penalized. 

“The General Assembly will not allow counties to double-dip,” Connolly said. “They can’t have it both ways, suing on their own behalf and still benefitting from the state’s settlement.” 

The law came into play last year when Lackawanna County in northeastern Pennsylvania sued seven major tobacco companies and two Pennsylvania cigarette distributors. The county claimed it was entitled to reimbursement for the cost of treating sick smokers at the county-run nursing home and prison. 

The county withdrew its lawsuit in October, a few months after the Legislature acted. 

“The state government just put the squeeze on the counties and forced local governments out of participation in lawsuits,” Lackawanna County Solicitor Joseph O’Brien said. “The state people wanted the ability to decide where the money went rather than let local government do it.” 

Bill Godshall, executive director of SmokeFree Pennsylvania, said anti-smoking forces sued three years ago to prevent the attorney general from signing the national settlement agreement in the first place. But the lawsuit was tossed out and subsequent appeals failed. 

“I don’t think (Carbon County’s) lawsuit has one chance of success,” Godshall said. “That train left the station three years ago.” 

SACRAMENTO — An autopsy has confirmed a Ukrainian immigrant accused of killing six family members died by hanging in his jail cell, officials said Friday. 

Sacramento County coroner Paul Smith said he expects a formal ruling that Nikolay Soltys committed suicide Feb. 13, but other details are pending the release of toxicology reports in about a week. 

The death is being investigated by the sheriff’s department that oversees the Sacramento County Jail and by the district attorney’s office that had been expected to prosecute Soltys. 

Soltys’ attorney, Tommy Clinkenbeard, has asked for an outside investigation by the attorney general’s office into whether jailers were negligent by not preventing his client’s death. 

Sheriff’s officials have denied any lapse in vigilance. 

At the Crossroads Trading Company, Nika Thomas fingers a pair of black leather boots and explains her recent job lay-off. Until last fall, she worked at IKON, an office-supply shop. Then the economy went south, and she was let go. She gave up her frequent shopping haunts.  

“I shop less now at stores like Macy’s and Nordstroms,” said Thomas, 23. She settles on the boots, a mid-length skirt and heads to the register. The total is $18. “Now I shop at consignment shops, second-hand stores; that sort of thing,” she said. 

She wasn’t the only fiscal conservative at Crossroads. The store trades in new and used clothing on College Avenue in Berkeley. It also buys old clothing for resale and sells a few items on consignment.  

“People come in and say, ‘I’ve just lost my job!’ said Crossroads manager Kristofer Velasquez. “But they’re still shopping.” 

While the recession has slowed business at most retail shops, Velasquez said that his business has been steady, if not improved. Customers said that Crossroads and other second-hand stores are reasonable compromises between expensive boutiques and lower-end thrift-stores. 

“People can still take care of their shopping addiction,” said Velasquez, “but not spend as much.” 

About half the shoppers on a recent Tuesday said they’d been laid off at some point. A few have been re-hired. All said they were worried about the sluggish economy.  

“My friends are scaling down,” said Matt Russell, as he browsed men’s jeans. “People are worried about the basics – paying bills, getting groceries.” 

California’s unemployment rate of 6.2 percent now tops the 5.6 percent national rate, and San Francisco’s unemployment is a record 7 percent, according to recent figures released by the state’s Employment Development Department. And a break from the recession, at least for California, is not in sight.  

So even at second-hand stores shoppers want bargains. 

“People are not buying as much expensive stuff,” said Emily Gautier, a Crossroads clerk, “it’s more the ten-dollar-and-under pile.” While the occasional Gucci hits the rack, prices rarely top $60 dollars, and most clothing at Crossroads is casual. Some is even a steal. The price for a pair of brown-velvet Gap-pants: nine dollars.  

It’s prices like these that drew Dianne Mighetto into the store on Tuesday. She had a baby last month and is searching for non-maternity blue-jeans. Her little girl gives her cause to celebrate, she said, but not to splurge. She has not lost work because of the recession, but it has worried her. Since it began, she said, “everything has changed.”  

“I am on a total budget,” she said, her arm cradling ten pairs of jeans. “I’m looking for one pair. These jeans are half-off, so that’s like $12.” Like many shoppers at Crossroads, she wants to find a bargain, but not look like she’s wearing one. The store sells used clothing that is “pleasing,” according to a flyer that outlines the store’s guidelines. It stipulates that it will only buy clothing that is “clean, without spots, holes or odors.” The store’s meticulousness sells. 

“It’s nice to cut corners and still get nice things,” said Mighetto. “That’s why I come here.”  

Others come hoping to off-load a bag of old clothes. They are recently unemployed and panicked, says Velasquez, and hope to make enough to “pay the rent.”  

Crossroads pays sellers 40 percent of the item’s selling price in the store. One woman left the shop on Tuesday with $30 dollars cash for two pair of pants, a suede top and a jean jacket. It’s a handy sum, but probably won’t cover a week’s groceries, never mind a month’s rent.  

But then, it all depends on the scale you work with. “There were a few people who worked at Levi’s and had thousands of dollars of free samples and clothing they’d bought with discounts,” said Velasquez. “Then they were laid off. So they brought them down here and sold them to us.”  

FRESNO — The families of 13 tomato pickers killed on their way home from work and two survivors are eligible for more than $2 million after a judge ruled that their commute was covered under workers’ compensation. 

In a decision made public Friday by the Worker Compensation Appeals Board, a judge ruled that the farmworkers were exceptions to a “going and coming” rule that prevents commuters from collecting workers’ comp benefits. 

Green Valley Ag, a farm labor contractor, and Terra Linda Farms were found liable to pay workers’ comp claims and death benefits to the victims of the Aug. 9, 1999 crash in Five Points, west of Fresno. 

“It’s been something that I’ve been waiting for,” said crash survivor Lucila Gonzalez, 23, who had several surgeries to repair her liver. “I cried a lot. They had to take me to the bathroom and shower me. I couldn’t move for three months.” 

The workers were headed home in the early morning when their van slammed into a big-rig truck that was making an illegal turn, killing all but two of the tomato pickers. 

The crash spurred reform of farm worker transportation vehicles, requiring seats and seat belts in vans. 

Judge Stephen Webster said the survivors could collect workers’ comp because they were required to use the labor contractor for transportation and both the labor contractor and the grower benefited from the transportation they were provided. 

Each family will be entitled to $200,000 in death benefits, said Robert Perez, the farmworkers’ attorney. The companies will also pay past medical bills and medical benefits for life. Gonzalez’ bills totaled $1.1 million. 

Javier Alabart, a lawyer for Green Valley Ag and its insurance company, said it was not immediately clear if his clients would appeal. 

He said the case was difficult because the law is slanted in favor of the workers and because the facts were so horrible. 

“It’s a heart wrenching case because you have relatively young people, hard working individuals working for minimum wage, with families here or in Mexico and they’re dead,” Alabart said. “There’s not much you can do about that.” 

Alabart emphasized that the Workers Compensation Appeals Board is a no-fault system and the judge did not blame the contractor or the farm. However in a final comment, the judge made a scathing remark about conditions for farmworkers. 

“We, as a society, should be ashamed to allow our fellow human beings to be treated in this disgraceful and obscene manner,” Webster said. 

SAN FRANCISCO — As they head toward Tuesday’s primary, the three major Democratic candidates for insurance commissioner are running TV ads that are triggering more sniping in one of the fiercely contested statewide races. 

In an ad for Assemblyman Tom Calderon that began running widely earlier this week, a woman speaking in sign language, “I’m sick of waiting for someone to take on the HMOs, so I’m voting for Tom Calderon.” 

The ad is misleading, according to Calderon’s opponents and consumer critics, because the insurance commissioner has little jurisdiction over the state’s major health maintenance organizations, or HMOs. The state Department of Managed Health Care, created in July 2000, is the HMO industry’s primary regulator. 

“It’s a tremendously deceptive claim,” said consumer activist Jamie Court, who has worked on several HMO reform bills in the Assembly. 

If he is elected, Calderon intends to push for changes that will give the insurance commissioner more power over billing disputes involving HMOs, said his spokeswoman Valerie Martinez. “It’s an issue important to California and an issue that hasn’t been addressed,” she said. 

The Department of Managed Health Care doesn’t agree with Calderon. “The governor created this department to protect patients’ rights and any retreat from that would be bad news for consumers,” said Daniel Zingale, the department’s director. 

The ads of Calderon’s chief opponents, former Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi and former Assemblyman Tom Umberg, are also drawing criticism. 

Judge expects cases to be settled as lawyers start gathering millions of documents 

HOUSTON – Multibillion-dollar lawsuits against Enron Corp. officials and the company’s former auditor, Arthur Andersen LLC, will go to trial in December 2003, a federal judge has ruled. 

U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon in Houston told lawyers before filing the trial schedule that she expects the cases to be settled. But they have 18 months to gather millions of documents and prepare their cases if they take their claims to trial. 

“It’s something real now,” said Rod Jordan, 63, a member of the Severed Enron Employees Coalition. Jordan was among 4,500 workers abruptly laid off in December after Enron filed the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history. 

He also is among hundreds of former workers, retirees and investors who filed lawsuits over millions of dollars in investments or 401(k) accounts that evaporated when Enron’s once-enviable stock price plummeted to less than a dollar. 

“Without a date, it was something that maybe would go to trial someday, maybe it won’t,” Jordan said Friday. 

Harmon said in the order filed late Thursday the cases have generated national attention given allegations of accounting abuses and Andersen’s role as Enron’s former outside auditor. She said she hoped an efficient resolution of the cases would change “the nation’s impression that the justice system grinds slowly in a Dickensian fashion.” 

Harmon also ordered Enron to provide plaintiffs with all documents the company has given Congress and the Labor Department, both of which are investigating the collapse. The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Justice Department also are investigating. 

“We’ll continue to cooperate with all investigations and inquiries,” Enron spokeswoman Karen Denne said Friday. 

Harmon’s order addresses class-action lawsuits against current and former Enron officials and Chicago-based Andersen. 

Plaintiffs in the consolidated case are large investors, like the University of California regents, the lead plaintiff. They also include several state pension funds, Amalgamated Bank and some individual investors. 

Plaintiffs in the other actions are Enron employees and retirees. Those cases will be consolidated April 1. 

“The order sends a strong message that the judge wants to move quickly,” University of California spokesman Trey Davis said Friday. 

The plaintiffs are seeking more than $25 billion from Enron officials, including former chief executives Kenneth Lay and Jeff Skilling, and the auditing firm. 

Davis declined to say whether Arthur Andersen has offered a reported $750 million to settle claims with creditors, investors and employees. But other lawyers involved with the cases said Andersen had claimed that anything more would put the firm out of business. 

Andersen spokesman Patrick Dorton declined comment Friday beyond an earlier statement that “we think it is in the best interests of all parties to deal expeditiously and responsibly with what has occurred.” 

Randy McClanahan, one of the lawyers representing employees, called the reported offer “a good start,” but that he doubted it would be anywhere close to what plaintiffs eventually will demand. 

Anthony Sabino, a professor at St. John’s University and an expert in bankruptcy, oil and gas law, said Andersen’s efforts to settle the claims quickly show the firm wants to leave Enron behind and focus on its other clients. 

“Clearly this is damage control in the extreme,” Sabino said. “Right now, job one is to retain the very significant client base they have.”

RENO, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management formally withdrew its approval of a proposed cat litter mine on BLM land north of Reno Friday, but said the Oil-Dri Corp. could submit a revised plan. 

BLM officials said they were forced the withdraw their earlier record of decision because the project no longer is feasible after Washoe County rejected a special use permit this week for an accompanying processing plant on neighboring private land. 

Oil-Dri Corp. officials expected the move and already are making plans to submit a new proposal. John Singlaub, manager of the BLM’s district field office in Carson City, said the revised plan will require a supplemental environmental impact statement as well. 

Under the revised plan, the largest maker of cat litter in the world still would mine the clay in two open pits across about 300 acres of BLM land but likely would site the processing plant on federal land as well. 

Another option is to ship the raw clay material elsewhere for processing, company officials say. 

The Washoe County Board of Commissioners rejected the special use permit on a 3-2 vote late Tuesday night despite Oil-Dri’s claims that the county has no authority to block access to the company’s mineral rights on federal land under the General Mining Law of 1872. 

“One way or another, we’re going to mine, whether we have to go to district court or ship the clay out or whatever,” Oil-Dri Vice President Bob Vetere said after the vote. 

Opponents said the project could cause water shortages and would pollute the air and water, clog residential streets with truck traffic and ruin the rustic qualities of the Hungry Valley area, just 10 miles north of downtown Reno. 

“I really think this could end up being some kind of defining case on the 1872 mining law,” said Tom Myers, a hydrologist and executive director of the Great Basin Mine Watch who has been involved in numerous appeals challenging mining projects in Nevada. 

Commissioners Jim Shaw and Jim Galloway joined Chairman Pete Sferrazza in opposing the project, and Commissioners Joanne Bond and Ted Short supported Oil-Dri’s bid. Bond and Short said they fear Tuesday’s vote will mean the county will lose jurisdiction over the project if it is built on federal land. 

Oil-Dri officials say their project would produce about 100 jobs and generate $12 million annually for the local economy. The project is the result of a search started 20 years ago for a new source of raw material for West Coast customers who sell Oil-Dri cat litter under several brand names. 

“We’re businessmen,” Vetere told the commission Tuesday night. “We’re being told by our customers, the Chloroxes and the Wal-Marts of the world that they want this clay and they want it quick.”

Embattled accounting firm settles Arizona cases without admitting wrongdoing 

PHOENIX – Arthur Andersen, the accounting firm battling fallout from the collapse of Enron Corp., agreed Friday to pay $217 million to settle three lawsuits stemming from the 1999 collapse of the Baptist Foundation of Arizona, an investment group. 

The foundation’s failure, the largest nonprofit bankruptcy in U.S. history, left 13,000 mostly elderly investors out $590 million. 

The settlement resolves a case brought by a bankruptcy trust for foundation investors that was suing Andersen in Maricopa County Superior Court for $155 million in compensatory damages. 

It also resolves a class-action against Andersen by former BFA investors, a civil action brought by the Arizona Corporation Commission, a state regulatory agency, and disciplinary proceedings brought against Andersen and some of its employees by the Arizona Board of Accountancy. 

The foundation was created in 1948 as a nonprofit religious entity to raise money for Southern Baptist causes. 

“These investors, many of whom are elderly, trusted the misleading financial statements audited by Andersen,” said Arizona Attorney General Janet Napolitano. “This agreement will allow Baptist Foundation victims to at least recover most of their investment.” 

A statement from Arthur Andersen said the firm made a business decision to settle the cases without admitting wrongdoing. 

“This settlement is an important step in building confidence in our firm,” the company’s statement said. 

The state’s lawsuit alleged that Andersen prepared financial statements that concealed huge losses that should have been red-flagged to alert investors. 

Warnings of potential trouble were ignored or inadequately investigated, allowing senior managers of the foundation to mislead the board of directors and to engage in fraud at the expense of investors, the suit said. 

Lawsuits against Andersen in the Enron case make similar allegations.

Dealer disappears without delivering $300,000 worth of merchandise 

WHITE LAKE TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Green packing popcorn, large boxes and a note saying “closed for inventory” are nearly all that is left of a ceramic-figurine store whose owner went out at lunchtime one day and never returned. 

Now, Stewart C. Richardson’s wife, the FBI and more than 100 customers who bought items like miniature statues of frolicking mice from him on eBay want to know where he went – and what happened to the money they say he collected for merchandise he never sent. 

A warrant was issued Thursday for Richardson’s arrest, accusing him of wire fraud. An FBI affidavit says Richardson devised a scheme on eBay to defraud customers, and the agency cites about 75 victims with a loss of about $163,000. But officials estimate there are more than 100 people who never got their ceramic figurines, for a loss of about $300,000. 

The alleged fraud stems from a Dec. 28-Jan. 4 auction of figurines from an apparently fictitious estate in Phoenix. Though pictures of the items were posted on the online auction site, customers say they came from catalogs. 

“We were really bidding on air,” said Jan Lebow of Virginia Beach, Va., who bought seven items totaling nearly $4,000. 

Lebow bought Wee Forest Folk figurines, as did many of the auction customers. The figurines – mostly mice in poses of different themes, such as holidays and sports – are a popular collector’s item and can go for hundreds of dollars apiece. Richardson also dealt in the more expensive Hummel figurines and Lladros. 

EBay spokesman Kevin Pursglove said fraud on eBay is rare. “We’ve never had anything like this,” Pursglove said. 

Two customers say they each paid Richardson more than $20,000 for Wee Forest Folk figurines during the auction and also had arranged to meet Richardson in Phoenix on Jan. 18 to pick up the items, according to the FBI. Richardson never showed. 

Customers also say that after the auction ended, Richardson contacted the second-highest bidders on some items and told them the winner hadn’t paid so they could have the items, thus getting twice the money. 

Those bidding on eBay had no reason to be suspicious of Richardson – he had high ratings from past buyers, he had the bricks-and-mortar business, Retired Figurine Exchange, and he had been selling on eBay for several years. 

The feedback ratings let buyers and sellers judge how a person does business on eBay. Marten Halma of Poughquag, N.Y., checked out the ratings before buying six items for nearly $4,000 during the auction. 

“I didn’t really worry about sending him that amount of money because he seemed to have a good reputation,” Halma said. Halma and Lebow were able to recoup much of their money through their credit card companies. 

Richardson disappeared Jan. 17. On Jan. 22, customers began posting warnings about a possible eBay fraud. But there were still some positive messages from customers who bid on different auctions. One note from Jan. 23 read, “Terrific packaging!!, good communication, will buy from again!” 

Friends and associates of Richardson’s wife, Arlene Murray, say she was surprised and embarrassed by her husband’s disappearance. Murray owned a scrapbooking shop two doors down from her husband’s store; it, too, now has a “closed for inventory” sign. 

According to the FBI, Richardson, 60, also took $220,000 from a business account he shared with his wife, and $101,000 from an account she said she didn’t know about. 

Murray did not return calls. Two women inside the locked figurine store said they had no comment. The shop’s phone has been disconnected. White Lake Township is about 35 miles north of Detroit. 

Business owners in the small strip mall where Richardson kept his store say he rarely spoke to his neighbors and always had a dog with him. 

“I don’t even know if he had any kids, where he lived,” said barber shop owner Bobby Leist, who cut Richardson’s hair. “Usually after six years, you get to know them a little bit.” 

Richardson spent several years in a Michigan prison in the 1960s for various offenses, including theft and assault with intent to commit murder. 

Richardson’s former wife said she is not surprised he took off. 

“That’s what he did to me. Left a note on the table. Not only that, he took about $70,000 in antiques,” said Cathy Richardson, who was divorced from Stewart Richardson in 1992.

Troubled utility expected to pay off more than $5 billion in past due bills to avoid bankruptcy 

LOS ANGELES – More than a year after it began piling up debt to pay for electricity, troubled utility Southern California Edison is expected to pay more than $5 billion in past due bills Friday, freeing it from the threat of bankruptcy. 

Edison was expected to secure a loan from investment banks this week that, combined with cash on hand, will allow it to remove debt that has damaged the utility’s credit rating and kept it from being able to buy power for its customers. 

The state has been buying power for Edison and the state’s other two regulated utilities since last year. 

“Payment is contingent on closing the financing, but it is still our intent to make the payments tomorrow,” said Brian Bennett, vice president of external affairs for Edison International, SoCal Edison’s parent. 

Sometime Friday, Edison should pay approximately $5.5 billion to creditors. The utility will use $3.4 billion of cash on hand, plus about $400 million it collected from ratepayers in January and February. The remaining $1.6 billion will come from loans. 

The loans will be backed by Edison first mortgage bonds and will be repaid from money collected from ratepayers over the next year. 

Edison will pay for power bought from major power generators as well as smaller generators, known as qualifying facilities. 

Bondholders will also be paid. But under the terms of a settlement with the state, dividends to common stock holders will not be paid. 

Friday’s payments will not return the utility to creditworthiness or allow it to begin buying its own power. The utility estimates it will not recover its undercollection — the difference between the cost of power and what it was able to charge ratepayers — until sometime next year. 

Edison, the state’s second-largest utility, first fell into debt in January, 2001, when it defaulted on payments due for power delivered the previous November and December. It was the first time in the company’s 110-year history that it failed to pay its bills. 

Faced with the same power crisis caused by the state’s deregulation of utilities, Pacific Gas & Electric, the state’s largest utility, which serves Northern California, filed for bankruptcy protection in April 2001. 

Edison chose not to follow that route and fought several times as groups of creditors threatened to force it into involuntary bankruptcy. 

The company negotiated a settlement with Gov. Gray Davis that would allow it to issue bonds in exchange for selling the state its share of California’s power transmission system. 

When that deal failed to gain legislative support, Edison settled a federal lawsuit against the California Public Utilities Commission. The settlement requires the state to maintain higher electricity rates until Edison recovers its undercollection. 

“We believe the settlement puts Edison on the path to creditworthiness and we welcome Edison paying off their past debts even earlier than scheduled,” said Terrie Prosper, a spokeswoman for the CPUC.

Closure for City of Franklin delayed 

The Board of Education, amid strong community opposition, approved $3.8 million in budget cuts recommended by Superintendent Michele Lawrence Wednesday night. The board chopped $1.1 million from the central office, shifted from a seven- to a six-period day at Berkeley High School and increased class sizes.  

At Lawrence’s urging, the board tabled a controversial proposal to close City of Franklin school and killed a move to shut down the Berkeley Schools Excellence Project office.  

The BSEP office is an independent body that administers a $10 million special tax, used for class size reduction and enrichment. In a Jan. 15 budget proposal, Lawrence recommended folding the excellence project administration into the district’s business office.  

BSEP advocates have argued that the office is effective and must remain independent to maintain the support of taxpayers, who are leery of a district with a history of financial mismanagement. 

Lawrence acknowledged this concern in retreating from her Jan. 15 recommendation.  

“There is a tremendous distrust in this community,” said Lawrence, who just took the reins this year, arguing that it will take time to convince the public of her administration’s fiscal integrity. 

Lawrence said she was withdrawing her recommendation to close Franklin because there were too many unanswered questions about the fate of the school’s students and building. 

Board Vice President Joaquin Rivera agreed to delay action on Franklin, but suggested he will ultimately support closure, which would save the district an estimated $326,000. 

“Postponing the decision is just prolonging the agony,” said Rivera, arguing that the school should be closed because it is underenrolled and racially imbalanced. 

“It feels like they’re playing games,” said Jean Townsend, parent of a sixth grader at Franklin in an interview Thursday. “It’s disappointing how they’ve handled the whole thing.” 

Board member Terry Doran asked Lawrence to provide a new recommendation on Franklin by the board’s March 13 meeting. In response, the superintendent said she would try to accommodate the request. 

In an interview Thursday, Lawrence expanded on her thinking about Franklin. She said the district cannot sustain the underenrolled school as it is. But she suggested that Franklin might remain in the building alongside another program. The district could move another school into the large building, she said, or shift the Independent Study program to the facility.  

Several parents and students at Wednesday’s meeting expressed concern about the move to a six-period day, worried that it would cut into the high school’s successful double-period science program and limit the number of electives available. 

“Don’t make cuts that will destroy what we have,” said Derick Miller, president of the PTA Council, an umbrella group for the district PTAs. 

Miller and other critics at the meeting charged the board with making decisions on the six-period day and other items without a full grasp on the ramifications. 

“Please take responsibility,” said Miller. “Ask for the information. Demand the information.” 

Board members said they have been asking the superintendent and staff the right questions. But they acknowledged they are making hurried decisions in order to meet a statutory deadline of March 15 to inform employees they might be laid off next year. 

Board president Shirley Issel abstained from the vote on the recovery package. 

“I do feel like I was lacking a full picture of the impact of the decision we were making on the six-period day,” Issel said. “I just wanted to acknowledge the important concerns of the community.”  

The cuts approved Wednesday night include 37 layoffs in the central office and about 25 classroom teachers. But the board, which must cut a total of $6 million to balance next year’s budget, voted to issue layoff notices to about 200 employees total. 

The district intends to rescind many of those layoff notices in the coming months as the budget picture becomes clear. Lawrence indicated that the high school athletic director, reading recovery teachers, librarians and music teachers will likely be among those keeping their jobs. 

Contact reporter David Scharfenberg at scharfenberg@berkeleydailyplanet.net 

Editor: 

We, citizens of Berkeley often complain of council actions but rarely about a lack of action. After seven closed sessions of council it was clear (for those of us who watch this sort of thing) that YOU would not vote to protect our community. This time, when the stakes are great, it is unbelievable that no action is being considered. Instead, you (staff and council) now are attempting to cover over the issue and institute some form of crisis controls by offering “grief counseling” to those of us who have participated by calling for a meeting today at 10:30 a.m. 

Historically, (and especially in the last decade) council has failed to create an understanding or even a working relationship with UCB. There are many reasons for this. But today it is clear that in this election year and with a majority of council, including the Mayor looking for the November VOTES a lawsuit against U C B would simply be counterproductive. Now it has also become clear that this November, we, citizens of Berkeley need a NEW COUNCIL, not just one that talks, but a new council, not afraid to act. 

L A Wood  

Berkeley

Watch out for avalanches, which sound like bombs bursting. Beware of 100-foot crevasses – seemingly bottomless holes that are covered with a light dusting of snow, so you can’t tell they are there. Imagine being surrounded by below-freezing temperatures, winds that can flatten you in an instant, and infinite vistas of ice. 

Mount Everest – which is located in the Himalayan mountain range, on the Tibet-Nepal border – is the highest mountain peak in the world. Explorers view climbing Mount Everest as the ultimate challenge. Many people have attempted to climb Mount Everest … only to die trying. Often their bodies aren’t even found. There isn’t much oxygen that high above sea level, which makes it difficult even to catch your breath. It’s easy to become buried under miles of snow and ice and rock.  

But some people live for a challenge.  

In 1924 an explorer named George Mallory was asked why he wanted to climb Mount Everest. He answered: “Because it is there.” 

Now you can learn everything you ever wanted to know about climbing Mount Everest. You can find out what explorers at Everest’s base camp have for dinner: Spam, potatoes, and Tibetan bread. You’ll see what a person’s fingers look like after they’ve suffered frostbite, and are in danger of falling off. You’ll get a list of the gear you’ll need for your climb. And you’ll find out how to go to the bathroom while wearing a one-piece Gore-Tex oversuit with no holes. 

Just check out The Young Adventurer’s Guide to EVEREST: From Avalanche to Zopkio by Jonathan Chester, just published by Berkeley’s Tricycle Press. Chester is a Berkeley author who’s spent years mountain-climbing, and he’s the author of several other books for adults and children about the varied subjects of penguins, Antartica, and climbing. Chester’s writing is clear, gracefully informative, and flat out exciting. And the photographs which fill this beautiful book are glorious … lush and sparkling sharp as a winter morning at 40 below. 

924 Gilman Mar. 1: Street to Nowhere, Thick as Thieves, Calimigo, Scociopath, Samsara, Dead in the End; Mar. 2: Funeral Dinner, Betray the Species, The Shivering, Confidante, The Cause, Get Get Go; Mar. 8: Dead and Gone, Drunk Horse, The Cost, Scurvy Dogs; Mar. 9: Not Flipper, The Sick, Lo-FI Niessans, Stalker Potential, Deficient; All shows start a 8 p.m. unless noted; Most are $5; 924 Gilman St. 525-9926. 

Anna’s Bistro Mar. 1: Anna sings jazz standards; 10 p.m., Bluesman Hideo Date; Mar. 2: Ed Reed; 10 p.m., Ducksan Distones Jazz Sextet; Mar. 3: Danubius; Mar. 4: Renegade Sidemen; Mar. 5: Singers’ open mic w/ Ellen; Mar. Bob Schoen Jazz Quartet; Mar. 7: Graham Richards Jazz Quartet; Mar. 8: Buddy Conner; 10 p.m., Bluesman Hideo Date; Mar. 9: Vicki Burns and Felice York; 10 p.m., Ducksan Distones Jazz Sextet; Mar. 10: Choro Time; Mar. 11: Renegade Sidemen; Mar. 12: Singers’ open mic w/ Trio; Music starts at 8 p.m. unless noted, 1801 University Ave., 849-2662. 

Ashkenaz Music and Dance Community Center Mar. 1: 9:30 p.m., Caribbean All Stars, $11; Mar. 2: 9:30 p.m., West African Highlife Band, $11; Mar. 3: 7:30 p.m., Flamenco open stage, $8; Mar. 4: 6:30 p.m., Vista College Class; Mar. 5: 9 p.m., Brass Menagerie; Mar. 6: 8 p.m., Tom Rigney and Flambeau, $8; Mar. 7: 10 p.m., Grateful Dead DJ Nite, $5; Mar. 8: 9:30 p.m., Henri-Pierre Koubaka and Kasumai Bare, $10; Mar. 9: 7:30 p.m., “In Song and Struggle,” 3rd annual music, dance and spoken word celebration of International Women’s Day and 12 years of Berkeley Copwatch, $10-$20; Mar. 10: 2 - 6 p.m., California Friends of Louisiana French Music, $8; Mar. 10: 7:30 p.m., Be Sharps - The 22-voice student choir from El Cerrito’s Windrush Middle School, $5; 1317 San Pablo Ave., 548-0425, www.berkeleycopwatch.org. 

Cal Performances Mar. 10: 3 p.m., The Petersen Quartet perform the works of Beethoven, Shostakovich and Ravel. $34; Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley, 642-9988 

Eli’s Mile High Club Every Friday, 10 p.m. Funky Fridays Conscious Dance Party with KPFA DJs Splif Skankin and Funky Man. $10; 3629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland. 655-6661 

La Peña Cultural Center Mar. 1: 9 p.m., 2nd Annual Women in Salsa Celebration, $10; Mar. 2: 8 p.m., Aywah! Ethnic Dance Co., $16; Mar. 3: 3:30 p.m. -6 p.m., Domingo de Rumba in the Café; Mar. 6: 7:30 p.m., Students of La Peña's classes perform Josh Jones' Latin Jazz and Hip Hop/Funk Ensemble perform with guest artists from Joyce Young's Poetry, Resistance and Cultural Arts Workshops, and students from Merritt College high school. $8; 3105 Shattuck Ave., 849-2568, www.lapena.org. 

The Starry Plough Mar. 1: 9:30 p.m., Darling Clementines, Swingin' Doors, $6; Mar. 2: 9:30 p.m., Jon Dee Graham, Naked Barbies, $8; Mar. 3: 8 p.m., The Starry Irish Music Session led by Shay Black; Mar. 4: 7 p.m., Dance Class and Ceili (traditional Irish music session), free; Mar. 5: 7:30 p.m., Open Mic, free; Mar. 6: 8:30 p.m., Poetry Slam $7; Mar. 7: 9:30 p.m., Bleachmobile, Grain USA, Knieval, $4; Mar. 8: 9:30 p.m., 5 Rue Christine Label Showcase, Deerhoof, Xiu Xiu, Hella, Slim Moon Solo, $5; Mar. 9: 9:30 p.m., Gun and Doll Show, Visitor Jim, Anton Barbeau, $5; Mar. 10: 8 p.m., The Starry Irish Music Session led by Shay Black; Mar. 11: Dance Class and Ceili (traditional Irish music session), free; Mar. 12: 7:30 p.m., Open Mic, free; Mar. 13: 8:30 p.m., Poetry Slam with host Charles Ellik, $7; Mar. 14: 9:30 p.m., Giant Value, Warm Fields, $4; Mar. 15: 9:30 p.m., Moore Brothers, $6; Mar. 16: 9:30 p.m., St. Patrick's Celtic Meltdown, Blue on Green, Green Man Gruvin, $5; Mar. 17: 6 p.m., St. Patty's Day Celebration, Chameleon, Irish dancers & bagpiper, $10; 3101 Shattuck Ave., 841-2082. 

Tuva Space Mar. 21: 8 p.m., Blues Translation; Mar. 22: 8 p.m., Electro-Acoustic Quartet; Mar. 23: 8 p.m. Solo Guitar Performance, 9:30 p.m. Country, Folk, and Blues Standards. $8 All shows $8. 312 Adeline St. 649-8744, acme@sfsound.org 

“Soukous Xplosion Tour 2002” Mar. 1: 9 p.m. Madilu Systems, Nyboma, Diblo Dibala & Matchatcha and special guest Daly Kimoko will make the sounds of Africa come alive. $25, $30 at door. California Ballroom, 1736 Franklin St., Oakland, 415-421-8497 

“Cosi Fan Tutte” Through Mar. 3: The Berkeley Opera will perform Mozart’s classic opera. $10 - $30. Call for specific dates and times. Julia Morgan Theater, 2640 College Ave. 841-103, www.berkeleyopera.com 

“In Praise of Music: Berkeley Choral Festival” Mar. 4: 8 p.m., Several local choral groups will join the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra in a benefit for the Musicians’ Pension Fund. $25 - $49, $12 students. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley Campus, 841-2800 

“Splendors of Versailles and Madrid” Mar. 9: 8 p.m., Mar. 10: 7:30 p.m., Jordi Savall conducts the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra as they perform works from the Royal Court composers of Spain and France. $34 - $50. First Congregational Church, Dana & Durant, 415-392-4400 

“Kusum Africa” Mar. 1 & 2: 8 p.m., Sixty artists and four dance companies representing the traditions of the Congo, Republic of Guinea, and Ghana adapt sub-Saharan dance-drumming to tell the story of the occupation of Accra, Ghana to protest British colonialism. $18 - $30. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley Campus, 642-9988 

“The Healing Has Time” Mar. 9: 8 p.m., Diamano Coura West African Dance Company, a tribute in dance benefiting the Mother of Peace Orphanage Living with AIDS in Zimbabwe. $15-$30. Kaiser Convention Center - Calvin Simmons Theater, 10th St., Oakland, 278-2681, diamanoc@aol.com. 

“Risk of Falling” Mar. 9: 8 p.m., Mar. 10: 4:30 p.m., Julie Drucker has assembled troupe of dancers ages 24 to 83 to perform an intergenerational dance project that weds improvisational movement and personal storytelling to explore issues of trust, fear, aging and community. $12 - $15, $10 seniors. Hillside Community Church, 1422 Navellier St., El Cerrito, 286-7922 

“Compania Espanola De Antonio Marquez” Mar. 13 & 14: 8 p.m., Artistic Director Antonio Marquez showcases his dazzling and dynamic program of flamenco. $24 - $36. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley Campus, 642-9988 

Theater 

“Night, Mother” Feb. 23: 8 p.m., A drama exploring one young woman’s decision to take control of her life with one furious and heartbreaking act. Directed by Bahati Bonner. $12, $8 seniors. La Val’s Subterranean Theatre, 1834 Euclid Ave. 496-1269 x1950, nightmother@onebox.com 

“The Pirandello Project” Through Feb. 23: Check venue for specific dates, times and prices. An original presentation of three short works by the Nobel Prize-winning playwright, Luigi Pirandello. Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave., 841-4082, www.pirandelloproject.org 

“Culture Clash in AmeriCCA” Through Mar. 3: Check theater for specific dates and times. The comic trio Culture Clash present their latest collection of political, ethnological and socialogical humor written for and about Berkeley. $10 - $54. Berkeley Repertory Theatre, 2025 Addison St., 647-2949, www.berkeleyrep.org 

“Rhinoceros” Through Mar. 10: Check theater for specific dates and times. An absurdist tragic-comedy about a small provincial town whose citizens slowly but surely transform into large cumbersome rhinoceroses. Directed by Barbara Damashek. $38 - $54. Berkeley Repertory Theatre, 2025 Addison St. 647-2976 www.berkeleyrep.org. 

“Divine Comedy: The Dante Project” Mar. 1 through Mar. 10: Fri. - Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. A motorcycle and sidecar speeding over the Marsh of Styx, a flying bathtub touring the solar system, and a traveler passing through a wall of fire are some of the more spectacular moments in this comic twist on Dante’s poem. $6 - $12. Zellerbach Playhouse, UC Berkeley Campus, 642-9925, genturc@uclink.berkeley.edu 

“The Golden State” Feb. 23 through Mar. 24: Thur. - Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 7 p.m., An aging Brian Wilson meets the ruling family of the sea, and a blend of comic book escapade and tragedy follows in the wake. $20, Sunday is pay what you can. Transparent Theater, 1901 Ashby Ave., 883-0305 

“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. 

“A Fairy’s Tail” Mar. 16 through Apr. 20: Thur. - Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 5 p.m. The Shotgun Players present Adam Bock’s story of a girl and her odyssey of revenge and personal transformation after a giant smashes her house with her family inside. $10 - $25. The Allston Street Theatre, 2116 Allston Way, 704-8210, www.shotgunplayers.org 

Film 

“Human Rights International Film Festival” Through Feb. 24: Nine provocative films will be shown, many followed by question and answer sessions with local and visiting filmmakers. Check theater for films and times. Pacific Film Archive, 2527 Bancroft Way, 642-1412. 

Contra Costa Jewish Film Festival Through March 7th. On wednesday Febraury 27th at 7:30p.m. 2736 Bancrfot Avenue - Love, Israeli Style will be playing. On Thursday, March 7th at 7:30 p.m. 2451 Shattuck Avenue - The Search for Peace will be playingg ($5).  

Exhibits  

“Adventures in La Land” Through Feb. 23: Installations by Suzanne Husky and Paintings by Amy Morrell. Tues. - Sat., 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; 4920 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, 428-2349. 

“Transformations: Through the Eye of a Needle” Through Feb. 23: Two-person exhibition by Rebecca Bui and Linda Lemon including procelain and fabric dolls and mixed media works on handmade paper. Tues.-Sat., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Ardency Gallery, 709 Broadway, Oakland, 836-0831, www.artolio.com 

“Ton of Joy” Through Mar. 1: Group show of twelve painters and sculptors: Simone Anders, Susan Brady, Erin Fitzgerald, Karen Frey, Kei Hanafusa, Nancy Legge, Burke Rainey, Robin Sebourn, Kristen Throop, Clay Vajgrt, Whitney Vosburgh, Ann West; Mon. - Sat., 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Hollis Street Project, 5900 Hollis St., Emeryville. 

“Celebrating the African Diaspora” Through Mar. 1: A Black History Month Exhibit celebrating the contributions of Africans in America and throughout the Diaspora. 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.; University of Creation Sprituality, 2141 Broadway, Oakland, 835-4827 x31 

“Trace of a Human” Feb. 28 through Mar. 30: Jim Freeman and Krystyna Mleczko exhibit their latest works including mixed media sculpture installation and acrylic on canvas paintings. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Ardency Gallery, 709 Broadway, Oakland, 836-0831, gallery709@aol.com 

“Ansel Adams in the University of California Collections” Through Mar. 10: A selection of photographs and memorabilia presenting a different perspective on Adam’s career as one of the leading figures in American photography; Through Mar. 24: “Migrations: Photographs by Sebastiao Salgado,” over 300 black-and-white photographs of immigrants and refugees taken by the Brazilian photographer. Wed. - Sun. 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., $4- $6. The University of California, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, 2626 Bancroft Way, 642-0808, www.bampfa.berkeley.edu. 

“A Retrospective Show” Through Mar. 13: The Women’s Cancer Resource Center “The Art of Living Black,” an Open Studios event for local African American artists. The Gallery features a retrospective show of the work of the late Jan Hart-Schuyers. Mon. - Thurs. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Sat. 12 - 4 p.m., Women’s Cancer Resource Center, 3023 Shattuck Ave., 548-9286 x307, www.wcrc.org. 

The Richmond Art Center Through Mar. 16: “The Art of Living Black 2002: The sixth Annual Bay Area Black Artists Exhibition and Art Tour,” group exhibition of 81 artists; “Introspección Dual: Recent Painting by Verónica B. Rojas and Santiago Gervas”; “Transmutations: Recent work by Tim Jag”; “The NIAD` Family,” Artwork from the National Institute of Art and Disabilities; “Still Here,” collaborative art project about AIDS in the 21st century; “Girls in the Hall,” artwork by girls incarcerated in the San Francisco juvenile justice system; Tues. - Fri., 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Sat. noon - 4:30 p.m.; The Art of Living Black Art Tour Weekend: Mar. 2 and 3, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; 2540 Barrett Ave., 620-6772, www.therichmondartcenter.org. 

“Stas Orlovski” Feb. 16 through Mar. 23: New work by Stas Orlovski featuring a series of large paintings and drawings examining the relationships between body and landscape and eastern and western aesthetics. Tues. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Traywick Gallery, 1316 Tenth St., 527-1214 

“Average Female (Perfect)” Through Mar. 24: Manhattan-based artist Sowon Kwon projects footage of the first ever perfect-scoring gymnasts: Romanian, Nadia Comanece and Russian, Nelli Kim at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Kwon superimposes over the gymnasts a hand-drawn outline of the “average” female body to direct the audience’s attention to the gymnasts’ movements throughout their performances. Wed. - Sun 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., $4 - $6. University of California, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, 2626 Bancroft Way, 642-0808, www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

"Earthly Pleasures" assemblage and photographs by Susan Danis, Through March 30: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Mon. - Sat.; Sticks, 1579 B, Solano Ave., 526-6603.  

“Domestic Bliss” Through Apr. 4: Collection of abstract paintings and mixed medium by Amy St. George. Albany Community Center Foyer Gallery, 1249 Marin Ave., Albany, 524-9283. 

Trillium Press: Past, Present and Future Feb. 15 through April 13: Works created at Trillium Press by 28 artists. Tues. - Fri. noon - 5:30 p.m., Sat. noon - 4:30 p.m.; Kala Art Institute, 1060 Heinz Ave., 549-2977, www.kala.org.  

“The Legacy of Social Protest: The Disability Rights Movement” Through April 30: The first exhibition in a series dealing with Free Speech, Civil Rights, and Social Protest Movements of the 60s and 70s in California. Photograghs by: Cathy Cade, HolLynn D’Lil, Howard Petrick, Ken Stein. The Free Speech Cafe, Moffitt Undergraduate Library, University of California-Berkeley, hjadler@yahoo.com.  

“The Art History Museum of Berkeley” 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 Botticelli’s “Primavera” Ongoing. Call ahead for hours. Atelier 9, 2028 Ninth St., 841-4210, www.atelier9.com. 

“Jurassic Park: The Life and Death of Dinosaurs” Feb. 2 through May 12: An exhibit displaying models of the sets and dinosaur sculptures used in the Jurassic Park films, as well as a video presentation and a dig pit where visitors can dig for specially buried dinosaur bones. $8 adults, $6, youth and seniors. Lawrence Hall of Science, Centennial Dr., above the UC Berkeley campus, 642-5132, www.lawrencehallofscience.org 

“The Image of Evil in Art” Feb. 7 through May 31: An exhibit exploring the varying depictions of the devil in art. Call ahead for hours. The Flora Lamson Hewlett Library, 2400 Ridge Rd., 649-2541. 

“The Pottery of Ocumichu” Through May 31: A case exhibit of the imaginative Mexican pottery made in the village of Ocumichu, Michoacan. Known particularly for its playful devil figures, Ocumichu pottery also presents fanciful everyday scenes as well as religious topics. Call ahead for hours. The Flora Lamson Hewlett Library, 2400 Ridge Rd., 649-2540 

“Being There” Feb. 23 through May 12: An exhibit of paintings, sculpture, photography and mixed media works by 45 contemporary artists who live and/or work in Oakland. Wed. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sun. 12 - 5 p.m. $6, adults, $4 children. The Oakland Museum of California, Oak and 10th St., 238-2200, www.museumca.org 

“Scene in Oakland, 1852 to 2002” Mar. 9 through Aug. 25: An exhibit that includes 66 paintings, drawings, watercolors and photographs dating from 1852 to the present, featuring views of Oakland by 48 prominent California artists. Wed. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sun. 12 - 5 p.m. $6, adults, $4 children. The Oakland Museum of California, Oak and 10th St., 238-2200, www.museumca.org 

Readings 

Black Oak Books Feb. 27: 7:30 p.m., Author & Activist Randy Schutt discussing his new book "Inciting Democracy: A Practical Proposal for Creating a Good Society." 1491 Shattuck Ave., 486-0698. 

Cody’s on Fourth St. Feb. 27: 6 p.m., Rodney Yee brings “Yoga: The Poetry of the Body”; Feb. 28: Rosemary Wells talks about children, children’s books, and the importance of reading; All events begin at 7 p.m. unless noted and ask a $2 donation. 1730 Fourth St., 559-9500, www.codysbooks.com.  

Cody’s on Telegraph Ave. Feb. 25: David Henry Sterry describes “Chicken: Self-portrait of a Young Man for Rent”; Feb. 26: Carter Scholz reads from “Radiance”; All events begin at 7:30 p.m. unless noted and ask a $2 donation. 2454 Telegraph Ave., 845-7852, www.codysbooks.com.  

Easy Going Travel Shop & Bookstore Feb. 28: Terrence Ward reads from his book “Searching for Hassan: An American Family’s Journey Home to Iran”; All readings are free and start at 7:30 p.m., 1385 Shattuck Ave. at Rose, 843-3533. 

Poetry 

Poetry Flash @ Cody’s Feb. 27: Stephen Kessler and John Oliver Simon; All events begin at 7:30 p.m., $2 donation. 2454 Telegraph Ave., 845-7852, www.codysbooks.com.  

Tours 

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

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. 

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. Mon. and Wed., 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Tues. and Fri., 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thur., 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 2065 Kittredge St. 647-1111 or www.habitot.org. 

UC Berkeley Museum of Paleontology Lobby, Valley Life Sciences Building, UC Berkeley “Tyrannosaurus Rex,” ongoing. A 20 foot 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. Mon. - Fri., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sat. and Sun., 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 642-1821. 

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. 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, www.lhs.berkeley.edu. 

UC Berkeley Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology will close its exhibition galleries for renovation. It will reopen in early 2002.  

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

Friday, March 1

Tropical Trees and  

Sustainable Development  

in West Africa  

3 - 5 p.m. 

UC Berkeley 

103 Mulford Hall 

Roger Leakey of James Cook University, Australia will present some of his recent work on developing indigenous fruit and nut trees to produce marketable products beneficial to resource-poor rural and peri-urban households in West Africa. Discussion and Q&A. 643-4200, http://cnr.berkeley.edu/BeahrsELP. 

Sexuality & Spirit  

7 - 9 p.m. 

1109 Addison St. 

Join Karin Lichter for an evening of discussion, laughter and truth. 548-6451. 

Berkeley Women in Black 

noon - 1 p.m. 

Bancroft and Telegraph Ave. 

Standing in solidarity with Israeli and Palestinian women to urge an end to the occupation and push the peace process forward. 548-6310, wibberkeley.org. 

Race, Ethnicity and Immigration Colloquium 

noon 

UC Berkeley 

Harris Room (119 Moses Hall) 

Alan Kessler, UCSD, "Ethnic Identity, Economic Insecurity, and American Attitudes toward Immigration Policy Reconsidered." 642-4608, http://www.igs.berkeley.edu:8880/. 

Saturday, March 2

The 2002 White Elephant Sale 

9 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

White Elephant Warehouse 

333 Lancaster St., Oakland 

The 42nd annual White Elephant Sale, benefiting the Oakland Museum. Free. http://www.museumca.org/events/elephant.html. 

Outdoor Cross Training and  

Conditioning Basics 

2 p.m. 

REI 

1338 San Pablo Ave. 

REI’s Kristy Ruocco will draw on her experiences as a certified yoga instructor and nutritionist as she discusses the fundamentals of outdoor cross training and conditioning - different types of workouts, stretching, nutrition and goal setting. 527-4140. 

The Great Rummage Sale 

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society 

2700 Ninth St. 

The Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society is a “no-kill” animal shelter whose mission is to place adoptable dogs and cats in suitable, loving homes. Our Great Rummage Sale, held the first and third Saturday of each month, helps provide funds toward the operation of our shelter. clamata@berkeleyhumane.org. 

Sunday, March 3

Shaping a just U.S. policy in  

the Middle East 

2 - 7:30 p.m. 

International House 

2299 Piedmont Ave. 

Join Bay Area peace, social justice and faith-based organizations for a two- day conference focusing on the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, Iraq, Afghanistan and the impact these policies on civil rights and democracy in the U.S. 415-565-0201 x26, www.afsc.org/wagingpeace. 

The Ancient Trees Initiative 

noon 

The Fellowship of Humanity 

411 28th Street  

The Old Growth Tree Initiative of Northern California is a statewide measure that will be submitted directly to California voters in the November 2002 election if 420,000 or more Californians sign the petitions. 451-5818, www.ancienttrees.org. 

The Berkshire’s Second Anniversary Celebration 

2 - 4 p.m. 

The Berkshire Assisted Living 

2235 Sacramento St. 

The public is invited. Tours available. 841-4844. 

English Ceilidh Dancing 

7 p.m. 

Grace North Church  

2138 Cedar St.  

Family friendly, no partner needed, all dances taught and called to live music. $10. 650-365-2913, http://www.bacds.org. 

Hadassah Donor Brunch 

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

H's Lordship's Restaurant 

Berkeley Marina 

Ariel Levite, former head of the Bureau of International Security in Israel and military scholar, speaks about Israeli Security. teachme99@attbi.com. 

Monday, March 4

Low- and No-Tech  

Approaches to Household 

Energy Conservation 

7 - 8:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Adult School 

University Ave. and Bonar St. 

How to cut your energy bills by 50-90 percent with lots of diligence and little money, by Rueben Deumling, Berkeley Energy Commission. 981-5435, energy@ci.berkeley.ca.us. 

The Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology presents the 2002 Aquinas Symposium: Aquinas’ Commentaries on Platonic Texts 

7:30 p.m.  

Badè Museum, Pacific School of Religion  

1798 Scenic Ave. 

Fran O'Rourke on “Unity in Aquinas’ Neoplatonic Commentaries”; Vivian Boland, O.P., on “Thinking About Good: Aquinas on Divine Names IV, De Hebdomadibus & Nicomachean Ethics I”; and Mark Damien Delp on “Abstract and Concrete Names: Logic and Metaphysics in Aquinas’ Platonic Commentaries.” Free and open to public. 883-2072, mdelp@dspt.edu. 

Economics of Transition Seminar 

noon 

UC Berkeley 

Harris Room (119 Moses Hall) 

Wei Li, University of Virginia, “Great Leap Forward or Backward? Anatomy of a Central Planning Disaster.” 642-4608, http://www.igs.berkeley.edu:8880/. 

Tuesday, March 5

Berkeley Folk Dancers  

Salsa Dance Workshop  

7:45 - 9:45 p.m. 

Live Oak Park Recreational Center 

1301 Shattuck Ave. 

With Charlene Van Ness. Dancers of all levels welcomed. BFD members $5, non-members $7. 234-2069.  

The Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology presents the 2002 Aquinas Symposium: Aquinas’ Commentaries on Platonic Texts 

7:30 p.m.  

Badè Museum, Pacific School of Religion  

1798 Scenic Ave. 

Wayne John Hankey on "Thomas' Neoplatonic Histories: His Following of Simplicius"; David Burrell, C.S.C., on "Aquinas' Use of the Liber de Causis to Formulate the Creator as Cause-of-Being"; and Richard Schenk, O.P., on "From Providence to Grace: Dionysius in the Mid-Thirteenth Century." Free and open to public. 883-2072, mdelp@dspt.edu. 

Primary Election Night Festivities 

7 p.m. 

UC Berkeley 

Moses Hall 

Institute of Governmental Studies Library 

Join with fellow political junkies to watch the returns and assess the impact of the California primary. We’ll be following the results of the Republican governor’s race, a potential shift in control of the US House as California elects the largest congressional delegation in the nation, State Assembly and Senate primary contests, and key initiative battles. Expert commentary will be provided, amateur comments are welcome. 642-4608, http://www.igs.berkeley.edu:8880/. 

Wednesday, March 6

Draft 2001-2010 Short Range Transit Plan 

6 p.m. 

AC Transit Board Room - 2nd Floor 

1600 Franklin St. 

A public hearing before the AC Transit Board of Directors will be held to receive input prior to the adoption of the SRTP. www.actransit.org. 

Healing Mission 

6:45 p.m. 

St. Mary Magdalen Parish 

2005 Berryman St. 

Catholic Lay Missionary John Cojanis from the Diocese of Tucson will be conducting a large Healing Mission—spiritual, emotional and physical—everyone is invited to attend. 526-4811x19. 

Colombia and Drug Trafficking 

10 a.m. - noon 

Berkeley City Club 

2315 Durant Ave. 

One hour lecture by Dr. Luis Felipe Suarez - former Colombian Consul General in Puerto Rico and San Francisco, followed by one hour of questions. A Foreign Policy Association program. $5. 526-2925. 

Germbusters Puppet Show 

2:30 - 3 p.m. 

Hall of Health, Lower Level 

2230 Shattuck Ave.  

Hall of Health staff will perform two short, lively puppet shows about germs, their effects on the body, cleanliness, and proper hand-washing technique. For children ages 3 to 10. 549-1564, www.hallofhealth.org. 

Sight-Singing Classes 

6:30 - 7:20 p.m. 

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church 

6013 Lawton Ave., Oakland 

Intermediate level sight-singing classes, 5 class series, $25 for the series. 465-4199, osc1@mindspring.com. 

Peace Walk and Vigil 

7:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley BART Station 

To demonstrate opposition to war and the U. S. bombing of Afghanistan. www.indymedia.org. 

“Global AIDS Treatment Access:  

Victories won and new challenges  

on the horizon” 

6:30 - 9 p.m. 

1797 Madera St. 

A HealthGAP benefit houseparty/reception. Presentations by AIDS Treatment News Editor John James and international AIDS activist Julie Davids plus entertainment. 841-4339, www.healthgap.org. 

Sequencing the Human Genome: Prokaryotes 

4:10 p.m. 

International House Auditorium  

2299 Piedmont Ave. 

Public lecture by Dr. J. Craig Venter, chairman of the board for the Institute for Genomic Research. 643-7413, www.grad.berkeley.edu/lectures. 

Transnational Urbanism: Locating Globalization 

12:30 p.m. 

UC Berkeley 

Harris Room (119 Moses Hall) 

Berkeley Center for Globalization and Information Technology Spring 2002  

Speaker Series with Michael P. Smith, UC Davis. 642-4608, http://www.igs.berkeley.edu:8880/. 

Thursday, March 7

Ancient Cultures of the Indian Himalaya 

7 p.m. 

REI 

1338 San Pablo Ave. 

Slide presentation by Barbara Sansone through the Kinnaur and Spiti Valley in eastern Himachul Pradesh. 527-4140. 

Resisting the Occupation: Jewish Peace Activists in Israel and Palestine 

7 p.m. 

La Peña Cultural Center 

3105 Shattuck Ave. 

Seth Schneider and Jerry Geffner were part of a recent American Jewish delegation that removed roadblocks, planted olive trees, monitored checkpoints, and met with Israeli and Palestinian peace organizations. Join them as they share slides and stories from their December trip. $5-10 sliding scale, proceeds benefit Rafah refugees. 301-0842, seth_schneider@yahoo.com. 

Sequencing the Human Genome: Eukaryotes 

4:10 p.m. 

International House Auditorium  

2299 Piedmont Ave. 

Public lecture by Dr. J. Craig Venter, chairman of the board for the Institute for Genomic Research. 643-7413, www.grad.berkeley.edu/lectures. 

Friday, March 8

International Women’s Day 

1 - 2:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Music, history, and speakers.  

Berkeley Women in Black 

noon - 1 p.m. 

Bancroft and Telegraph Ave. 

Standing in solidarity with Israeli and Palestinian women to urge an end to the occupation and push the peace process forward. 548-6310, wibberkeley.org. 

Celebrating International Women’s Day 

6 - 9 p.m. 

Julia Morgan Theatre  

2640 College Ave. 

International Women's Day celebration with Suheir Hammad, poet and author of “First Writing Since” and “Born Palestinian, Born Black.” This event is presented by the Arab Women’s Solidarity Association and Women of Color Resource Center. All are welcome to both the reception at 6 p.m. and the program at 7 p.m. $10 - $30, sliding scale. 845-8542, www.coloredgirls.org. 

Berkeley Critical Mass Ninth Birthday Ride 

5:30 p.m. 

Downtown Berkeley BART 

Roll through the streets with glee to celebrate the ninth 

birthday of the monthly Berkeley Critical Mass ride. Party follows. http://www.bclu.org/couch/. 

Men Considering Serving in the  

Roman Catholic church as a  

priest or brother 

9 p.m. 

Precious Blood Mission House  

2800 Milvia 

An Evening of Dialogue and Discernment for men who are considering serving in the Roman Catholic church as a priest or brother. RSVP to Rev. Gary M. Luiz, 848-1053. 

Saturday, March 9

Train for the Eco-Challenge 

2 p.m. 

REI 

1338 San Pablo Ave. 

Liz Caldwell and Barry Siff, veteran members of Team REI-Salomon, with a slide presentation on their recent Eco-Challenge events in New Zealand and Borneo. They will discuss how to train for a competition, select team members and prevent injury. 527-4140. 

Sunday, March 10

Storytelling Women 

3 - 5 p.m. 

Live Oak Center, Social Hall 

1301 Shattuck Ave. 

Women tellers telling about women who inspire their lives. Four storytellers and a musician. Part of the annual women’s and girls’ tea party and storytelling ceremony held in Codornices Park. $30 suggested. 841-6612. 

The Labor Movement, Democracy and the Political Vacuum 

noon 

The Fellowship of Humanity 

411 28th St., Oakland 

Presentation by Steve Zeltzer. 451-5818, HumanistHall@yahoo.com. 

Monday, March 11

The Science Behind Global Warming,  

and How You Can Reduce Your Impact 

7 - 8:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Adult School 

University Ave. and Bonar St. 

Susan Ode, Berkeley Energy Commission, will provide an update on the science and implications of global warming for the world, plus a practical list of actions you can incorporate in your life to protect the global climate and improve the quality of your life. 981-5435, energy@ci.berkeley.ca.us. 

Odyssey of Conflict and Odyssey of Mastery-- 

Polanyi, Pirsig, Zen, and the Art of Knowing 

3:30 - 5 p.m. 

Pacific School of Religion, Mudd 206 

1798 Scenic Ave. 

Lecture and discussion presented by Allen Dyer, M.D., professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at East Tennessee State University, also former chair of the ethics committee of the American Psychiatric Association. Free and open to the public. 849-8285. 

Learning from The History of Government 

noon 

UC Berkeley 

Harris Room (119 Moses Hall) 

Positive Political Theory Seminar with Roger Myerson, University of Chicago. 642-4608, http://www.igs.berkeley.edu:8880/. 

Tuesday, March 12

An Evening with Numfundo Walaza:  

The Burden of Forgiveness 

7:30 - 9 p.m. 

Church Divinity School of the Pacific, 

Tucson Common Room 

2451 Ridge Rd. 

An evening with Numfundo Walaza, director of the Trauma Center for Survivors of Violence and Torture in Capetown, South Africa. Walaza will talk about "The Burden of Forgiveness: Reflections from the Truth and Reconciliation Committee of South Africa." $15. 204-0720, mkmorrison@cdsp.edu. 

Wednesday, March 13

Trees Forum 

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. 

Church Divinity School of the Pacific, 

Tucson Common Room 

2451 Ridge Rd. 

Amahra Hicks of USFS, and Jeff Romm of UCB discuss "Just Forests Initiative: Faith-based Activism for Public Land." Free and open to the public. www.gtu.edu/StudServ/TREES 

Compiled by Guy Poole

St. Mary’s girls fall to Eagles for third time this season in NCS quarterfinal 

The Kennedy Eagles kept the St. Mary’s girls’ basketball team from an undefeated BSAL regular season. They kept the Panthers from the league title. And on Thursday night, they kept them from continuing their season. 

The Eagles beat St. Mary’s for the third time this season with a 12-1 run to finish the game, winning 51-39 in a North Coast Section Division IV quarterfinal. The Panthers went flat just when they needed to step up, scoring just four points in the fourth quarter. 

“We showed an inability to handle (Kennedy’s) pressure,” St. Mary’s head coach Don Lawson said. “But we were definitely there for three quarters. We had a solid game plan. We just didn’t execute in the fourth quarter.” 

The Panthers’ leading scorer, freshman Shantrell Sneed, was hampered by an illness and scored just 4 points on 2-of-12 shooting. It didn’t help matters that seemingly every time Sneed put up a shot, Kennedy center Diedra Chatman, all 6-foot-6 of her, was there to swat the ball away. Chatman had 8 blocks and 12 rebounds in the game, more than compensating for a poor offensive day with just 8 points. 

“Diedra had one of the best defensive games I’ve ever seen her play,” Lawson said. 

Freshman guard Natty Fripp led the Panthers with 13 points, and point guard Meghan Leary had 10 points. Kennedy got good production from its bench, with Roshonda Abercrombia scoring 15 points and Crystal Thompson pitching in with 13 points and 5 steals. 

The Panthers tied the game for the final time at 37-37 when Fripp stole the ball and went for a layup on the first possession of the fourth quarter. But that was the last field goal for St. Mary’s, with two free throws all they could muster for the next seven-plus minutes. 

Meanwhile, the Eagles were running the floor with ferocity. After Kamaiya Warren made a free throw for St. Mary’s to make the score 39-38 in favor of Kennedy, Thompson hit two free throws of her own, then followed with a steal and coast-to-coast layup. Chatman blocked a shot from Leary, and Abercrombia took the ball the other way for a short jumper. Chatman scored on Kennedy’s next possession, and suddenly the Panthers were down 47-38 with just three minutes left in the game. 

“We just started to bog down, and we made some poor decisions,” Lawson said. 

After Aisha McDaniel hit a free throw to stop the Kennedy run, the Eagles slowed the game down to a crawl, and St. Mary’s missed a couple of long 3-pointers. 

Kennedy will play No. 2 Ursuline tonight in the semifinals, while the Panthers’ season is over. But with just two seniors on this year’s team and Sneed and Fripp getting their first season under their belts, St. Mary’s should be a strong contender next season. 

“We’re ahead of the game at this point,” Lawson said, pointing out that the St. Mary’s girls’ program is just seven seasons old. “We should be making big pushes for Northern California and the state next season.”

TEMPE, Ariz. – Shantay Legans expected to have a chance to make a big play for California. He got it and made it. 

Legans, who was 4-for-4 on 3-pointers, made the last of those with 2:45 to play, and the 21st-ranked Golden Bears pulled away from Arizona State for a 91-80 victory Thursday night. 

“I usually have the ball in close situations like that,” said Legans, who had 20 points, five assists and four steals. “The coaches have confidence in me, and I have confidence in myself, so I just shot it.” 

Amit Tamir followed Legans’ 3-pointer with another one 25 seconds later and the six-point boost gave the Golden Bears an 80-72 lead that proved insurmountable. 

“We took advantage of some mismatches, and everybody contributed to this one,” California coach Ben Braun said. “We seemed to exploit whatever opportunities we had in the second half. Joe Shipp was scoring on the blocks, Ryan Kelly was getting some open jumpers, Shantay nailed a few, Amit gave us some big baskets.” 

Tamir finished with 18 points and seven rebounds and Shipp also had 18 points for the Bears (21-6, 12-5 Pac-10), who remained in the race for the conference title. 

Tommy Smith had a season-high 22 points and 10 rebounds for Arizona State (14-12, 7-10), while injured center Chad Prewitt had 17 of his 19 points in the second half. 

Prewitt partially tore a ligament in his right elbow during practice on Tuesday. 

“He’s a warrior, and he plays through that,” Arizona State coach Rob Evans said. “He’ll be in real early tomorrow morning, and he’ll be ready to play against Stanford on Saturday.” 

Cal, which finished 17-1 at home, rallied to win for the fourth time in nine road games. 

“That’s a sign of an older team,” Shipp said. “We talked in the locker room about, ‘We don’t want any letdowns tonight.’ We came out in the second half and played really aggressive.” 

The Sun Devils led 59-53 after Smith made a layup off an inbounds pass with 9:36 to play. 

But they went nearly six minutes without another field goal, and Cal caught up and went ahead with a 17-4 run that lasted 4:23. 

Legans made two free throws with 6:16 to play as the Bears regained the lead, 64-63. 

After a putback by Forehan-Kelly at the 5:41 mark, Smith was called for an intentional technical for pushing Forehan-Kelly in the back, and Evans benched him for the final 5:39. 

Legans made the two technical free throws, and Cal led 68-63. Shipp banked in a 7-footer with 5:13 to go, and Arizona State got no closer than four points after that. 

“I got caught pushing the guy,” Smith said. “It was retaliation from a couple of plays before, and I got caught for the technical, and from that point our team went down.” 

There was only one lead change in the first half, but four in a 1:31 span of the second after the Bears made up a five-point halftime deficit. 

Arizona State regained the lead at 53-52 with 12:24 remaining on two free throws by Kenny Crandall, starting an 8-1 surge which Smith capped with his layup. 

No one but Smith, who had 16 points at halftime, had scored for Arizona State, and Cal had a 14-9 lead before James Braxton made a layup 5:49 into the game. 

Crandall, playing for the first time since spraining his right foot on Jan. 31, tied it at 14 with a 3-pointer 24 seconds later, feeding a 17-3 run that gave the Sun Devils a 26-17 lead with 9:26 left in the half. 

Legans made three 3-pointers over the next 2:43, getting the Bears within 30-26.

Older plan revamped and ready for council approval 

By Jia-Rui Chong 

Special to the Daily Planet 

In an unusually cordial workshop over redistricting, a four-member subcommittee of City Council settled on one plan to present to the whole council on Monday. 

The four-month long process was distilled into a two and a half-hour swap meet that brought together councilmembers from both sides of the aisle–moderates Polly Armstrong and Miriam Hawley, and progressives Linda Maio and Kriss Worthington. Staff from the City Manager’s office, the City Clerk’s office and the Department of Information Technology also added their input. 

The subcommittee began with a base plan presented by Brian Quinn, an applications programmer from Information Technology. It was an aggregate map he created from the council’s approved plans and his notes from Tuesday’s meeting. 

Councilmembers came into this workshop from Tuesday’s City Council meeting with three main concerns. 

• To bring together students who are currently divided into three districts. The most contentious issue in the redistricting controversy was resolved by adding student co-ops on the southern border of District 6 to District 7 and keeping the Foothill dormitories together as part of District 8. 

Worthington said he was pleased that the students were now divided only into two districts where they already made up significant portions of the population. He added that the student increases in Districts 7 and 8, however, were probably not significant enough to affect the chances of a student being elected to City Council. 

• To rationalize the jagged line on the western side of District 8. This issue was solved by the addition of several blocks along Benvenue, consisting mostly of tenants and single-family houses, to District 8. 

• To work out the interface at the northernmost part of the District 5 and 6. In this case, the subcommittee shifted the current line westward to Spruce north of Acacia Steps. 

“No one triumphed and no one was beating anyone else up,” said Armstrong, who called herself “the compromise kid” during the meeting. “Kriss’s district and mine changed the most, but in the end, there were compromises and changes.” 

“I’m amazed we were out before three o’clock,” said Maio, who was also delighted with everyone’s willingness to give and take.  

“After what we’ve all been through – something I think everyone would consider a dreadful process – we couldn’t continue in this vein.” 

Maio said that this workshop went so smoothly because the subcommittee was politically balanced and because they had “a really high-quality technical program” that allowed them to make changes with a mouse click and analyze the impact immediately. 

But not everyone was so happy with the proceedings. 

Councilmember Dona Spring, who had to keep silent during the meeting because she was not officially part of the subcommittee, left halfway through in disgust. 

“I was aghast at how the process had been hijacked,” said Spring. “The council plan had agreed to work with the Maio-Worthington plan in subcommittee and make minor revisions to it. But Brian Quinn came in with an entirely new proposal that was dramatically different from anything we’d seen before.” 

Spring felt that this was not only the worst plan she had ever seen, but also an outrageous process. 

The council had not given city staff the go-ahead to work out the suggestion on their own, nor was her district, District 4, allowed to participate in a process that dramatically altered its boundaries, Spring said. 

While the final draft that emerged was not as bad as she had feared, Spring said it was torture to watch her district be punched back and forth like a punching bag.  

But Spring was still upset by shift of the Oxford tract neighborhood into District 6 because this tenant-dominated area will be moved into a homeowner-dominated district that is not friendly to tenants’ interests. Moreover, she worried that her efforts to protect the neighborhood from the negative impacts of university development have been lost. 

Others on the council will probably not want to hear her objections, Spring said, because they will want to end this process. Still, she hopes she can at least work out a trade with Councilmember Maio over Ohlone Park. 

“District 4 is just going to have to be the sacrificial lamb in the redistricting process,” said Spring.

Editor: 

Re: your front page story, “Transportation, parking woes,” you reported that “Councilmember Kriss Worthington joined the ranks.” Is this the same Berkeley councilman who recently voted against building any more parking in Berkeley and voted for a 2 year moratorium on even studying the transportation problems of Berkeley? Was his presence in support of more parking and a transportation study? 

David M. Weitzman 

Berkeley

LOS ANGELES — Country radio stations might want to consider changing their playlists after Grammy night. 

Traditional country and bluegrass music — virtually ignored by country radio stations in favor a slicker pop sound — dominated Wednesday’s ceremony. The “O Brother Where Art Thou” soundtrack, with its mixture of roots music, classic country and folk, had five wins, including album of the year. Its awards total tied the evening’s other big winner, soul newcomer Alicia Keys. 

And it wasn’t just “O Brother”; other traditional country or bluegrass performers also took home Grammys. 

“I think a lot of radio programmers are probably holding their breath right now (and thinking), ‘This is going to pass,”’ said Barry Bales, part of Alison Krauss and Union Station, which picked up two awards for the evening. “Maybe it won’t this time. They might actually have to play the songs on their stations.” 

None of today’s more commercial country stars, like Tim McGraw and Faith Hill — the kind of artists who have dominated the country Grammys the last few years — won a single award Wednesday. 

Instead, the awards went to old-timers like Ralph Stanley and Dolly Parton, plus younger stars like Alison Krauss and Union Station, who reflect the classic country sound. Even the country album of the year reflected Grammy voters’ retro thinking: “Timeless,” a Hank Williams tribute featuring Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow, Emmylou Harris and others. 

A live interpretation of the “O Brother” soundtrack, “Down From the Mountain,” won best traditional folk album. 

“Is it too late to get on the ‘O Brother’ soundtrack?” quipped Crow before announcing yet another award for the disc. 

Mike Kraski, senior vice president and general manager of the Sony Nashville label, said Grammy voters are more in touch with fans’ tastes than radio stations are. 

“It can be seen as a reinforcement of what’s been going on with consumers for a long time,” he said. “They’ve become disengaged with the contrived and pop nature of a lot of the music being churned off the Nashville assembly line.” 

Lucinda Williams, another Nashville artist whose music is ignored by country radio, also was rewarded; her song “Get Right With God” won best female rock vocal. 

“I think it’s real significant, what we’ve seen today,” she said. “There are a lot of different kinds of music there.” 

Though the “O Brother” soundtrack was one of the year’s 10 best-selling discs, selling more than 4 million copies, it did not generate hit songs. But T Bone Burnett, who conceived of the soundtrack and won producer of the year honors, said radio’s rejection didn’t hurt the album. 

“Radio doesn’t have the stranglehold that it once had on the distribution of music, to say the least,” he said. 

Country music has gone through cycles of pop influence and return to basics since the 1960s, when artists like Eddy Arnold added orchestras and lush background vocals to offer an alternative to rock ’n’ roll. 

The most recent pop push was aided by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which allowed corporations to own multiple stations in a single market. That has resulted in radio station chains not wanting stations to compete for the same audiences within a market. Country radio stations have targeted females age 25 to 54 as their desired audience. Researchers and consultants believe that audience prefers lighthearted, pop-leaning songs, and attractive artists like Shania Twain. 

Mike Flood, program director for KUSO in Norfolk, Neb., said “O Brother” did not get much play on his station because listeners weren’t asking for it. 

“There does seem to be a disconnect. I don’t ever get requests for any of these songs,” he said. 

He called radio “a niche business. We target 25- to 54-year-old females. They like Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, and new groups like Emerson Drive. ... It’s more of a male audience that likes the ’O Brother’ music.” 

Still, the demand for more traditional or alternative country music is clear. Lost Highway, a relatively new label, put out the “Down from the Mountain” disc and has found success with nonconformist artists such as Ryan Adams and Williams. 

Sony Nashville has a subsidiary label, Lucky Dog, which handles rootsy country artists like Charlie Robison and The Derailers. 

Stanley, who at 75 won his first Grammy Wednesday for his “O Death” track on the “O Brother” soundtrack, hoped the attention would persuade radio programmers to add his kind of music to their rotation. 

But he wasn’t counting on it. 

“It looks like it should, but I don’t know,” he said. “If that won’t, I don’t think anything will.” 

——— 

EDITOR’S NOTE — Associated Press Writer Jim Patterson in Nashville, Tenn., contributed to this story. 

——— 

http://www.grammy.com 

Liquor store declared public nuisance, owners decide to close down 

The manager of Brothers Liquor store , Monsoor Ghanem, said yesterday that the embattled business has closed down for good. 

“What’s the point. The city makes it impossible to stay. I am not going to pay $100 a day to stay open,” Ghanem said yesterday, while at the store clearing the shelves.  

The retail liquor store has been at odds with residents in the south Berkeley neighborhood — numerous complaints have been lodged that the store is a Mecca for illegal activity, including drug dealing and prostitution. 

At a January 15 public hearing in City Council chambers Berkeley Police Lt. Allen Yuen stated there has been 19 felony arrests on or near the store in a one-year period. He also said that the managers of the store had until recently been uncooperative with the police department.  

Editor:  

The Music Curriculum Committee was formed several years ago pursuant to the BSEP measure that was passed so overwhelmingly by the citizens of Berkeley. The committee is very concerned about the severe budget problems facing the District. We want to be proactive, and part of the solution. As part of that, we need to convey information about the importance of musical education for our children, and the ways that we can ensure it will happen. We think it important to know about the vast improvement in the program, since the District hired a full time Coordinator for music and the arts. 

Running the Music Program is like running a small school. We have a staff of 15 teachers, involving some 11.5 FTE. These teachers visit 15 sites, and reach over 1,300 kids in grades 4 & 5 alone! The music program has a budget of about $650,000 that must be managed properly. There are over $1 million worth of instruments and supplies that must be accounted for and maintained. 

For the first time in many years, the music program has made significant progress in achieving its goals, thanks entirely to the District’s foresight in hiring a coordinator. This past year, the music program: 

• Initiated and currently administers the self-insurance fund for the $1 million worth of instruments. 

• Catalogued sheet music and music texts. 

• Recovered lost instruments and music stands. 

• Identified and appraised instruments in actual need of repair (as opposed to those instruments which need to be replaced.) 

• Applied for, (in partnership with Cal Performances,) a Kennedy Center Partners in Education grant for years 2001-2004, and on going. Berkeley was only the third district chosen in California in the 11 years of the program. This partnership is bringing the district (at almost no cost,) workshops for teachers and artists in the classrooms tied to the School Time performances. 

• Recently, over 600 Berkeley students attended the Alvin Ailey Company performance at Zellerbach. Twenty-two teachers attended the workshop and a former Alvin Ailey dancer worked with some 250 students. Again, Cal Performances covered costs not covered by the Kennedy Center, including the artist visits. 

• Greatly improved the efficiency of our delivery of music, involving better scheduling of teachers who need to travel to so many schools.  

• Re-instituted weekly meetings of the entire music staff. 

• Improved moral among teachers. 

• Improved curriculum 

• With the support of one of the Arts Work grants, music teachers are developing scope and sequence music curriculum for the 4th and 5th grades, covering band, orchestra and choir. These are based upon the California Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards (VAPA), adopted by the District. Music teachers are also working on engaging students in class, classroom management and home practice techniques. 

In partnership with the BAESC Committee, we also secured the funds necessary to pay for half of the Coordinator’s position. As part of this we: 

• Organized data about BUSD arts programs so that the District could become eligible for State, and Federal grants 

• Obtained four State Arts Grants. 

• Obtained an East Bay Community Foundation Grant. 

• Obtained a BPEF grant for the final phase of VAPA administrator funding. 

• Reapplied for the 4 State Arts Work Grants this year. 

There has been much discussion over the issue of whether the district should be driven by grants as opposed to the general fund. It should be noted that the Arts Work program (and thus the legislature that passed it,) anticipated that districts would not have enough funds to implement the VAPA content standards. That’s why the money is there and that’s why the grants are structured as they are. The partnerships among the state districts and communities depend upon these multiple, interlacing streams of funding. It’s quite different from other areas, such as math, language and the sciences. 

We are finally securing good programs and getting some recognition for our efforts in the arts both nationally, and from the state. This has been possible because of a coordinator to run the program. This job can not be handled as an extra job for a principal. It has been tried, and has not worked. 

We must keep in mind the history of the music program, and in particular, the tremendous commitment that the citizens of Berkeley have to the arts. BSEP passed by perhaps 83 percent of the voters. It provided for a restricted fund solely intended to provide musical education for our kids. 

Michael Kelley 

Co-Chair 

Music Curriculum Committee 

NEW YORK — Tonya and Amy are getting ready to rumble. 

The pugilistic divas will face off on “Celebrity Boxing,” a Fox special scheduled to air March 13. The network is billing the bout between Tonya Harding and Amy Fisher as “the battle of the bad girls.” 

Also on the special, former “Brady Bunch” star Barry Williams will be pitted against Danny Bonaduce, once part of TV’s “Partridge Family.” 

The network said the fights will be real, each lasting three rounds. 

Harding gained notoriety when, in January 1994, the figure-skating champ was involved in a bungled plot hatched by her ex-husband to disable her rival Nancy Kerrigan. Kerrigan took the silver medal while Harding, who finished eighth in the Winter Olympics, later pleaded guilty to conspiracy. 

Fisher made headlines as “the Long Island Lolita” when, as a teen-ager having an affair with auto mechanic Joey Buttafuoco, she shot and wounded his wife in 1992. Fisher served almost seven years in prison. 

A third celebrity-boxing pairing has yet to be announced, Fox said. 

Women face UCLA in first round of Pac-10 Tournament 

EUGENE, Ore. – Cal goes into the first Pac-10 Women’s Basketball Tournament hoping the third time’s the charm against UCLA. 

The Golden Bears, the No. 9 seed at the tournament hosted by the University of Oregon, face a familiar first-round opponent tonight in the Bruins, who are seeded eighth. UCLA defeated Cal a week ago, 58-48, in Los Angeles, and swept both games from the Bears during the regular season. 

The two teams play alike – they both defend well and don’t score many points. Cal (7-20, 2-16 Pac-10) and UCLA (8-19, 4-14) also have two of the poorest records in the conference. 

UCLA’s Natalie Nakase is hoping for three in a row against Cal. 

“I think they want at least one victory against us,” she said, “but I don’t think they’re going to get it here.” 

The Bruin guard provided more bulletin-board material, adding, “I can’t wait to play Stanford.” Top-seeded Stanford awaits the winner of the Cal-UCLA game. 

Nakase has reason to be confident. The Bears shot a woeful 22.6 percent from the field in the last meeting with the Bruins and shot 30.4 percent in the earlier meeting, a 64-48 loss on Dec. 30 in Berkeley. 

UCLA didn’t do much better. The Bruins shot 33.3 percent in the first matchup and 33.8 percent in the second. 

Cal head coach Caren Horstmeyer says, without going into details, her team will add a defensive wrinkle for tonight’s game. UCLA’s Whitney Jones averaged 12.5 points in the two games, but it’s not as if Cal’s defense has been bad. Cal also outrebounded UCLA 44-36 and 49-48, respectively. 

Olga Volkova could help the Bears if she’s on the floor. Cal’s 6-foot-4 center has been out for seven games because she’s nursing an ankle injury and has been deemed ineligible by the NCAA, which is investigating whether the club Volkova played with back in Ukraine was an amateur or professional team. As of early Thursday, Cal believed Volkova was eligible for tonight’s game. 

One of the keys to victory is beating the UCLA zone. UCLA predominantly played in a 2-3 zone against Cal the second time around. The Bears, who shot 2-of-23 from 3-point land, could not bust the zone from the perimeter. Cal hopes crisper ball movement and pushing the tempo will lead to better results. 

“Ultimately, we need to beat the zone down the floor in transition,” Horstmeyer said. “We need to get some easy baskets.” 

The Bears need to loosen the defense around post player Ami Forney, who scored just 3 points in the second game. Cal’s senior center was a force in the first game, however, scoring a game-high 18 points and pulling down 10 boards. 

Kristin Iwanaga could be the X-factor. The point guard is the Bears best 3-point shooter at 43.4 percent and ranks third in Pac-10 free throw shooting at 85.9 percent. If Iwanaga can get it going, Cal has a chance to make Nakase eat her words.

Traditionally the city of Berkeley has a midyear fiscal surplus, this year there’s a $1.8 million shortfall, and the finance department’s looking closely at ways to tighten its belt. 

Though staff has not discussed these matters yet with its City Council, the meeting has been pushed back to March 12th, according to Paul Navazio of the finance department, the city will likely look to cutbacks in the current energy program and instituting a selective hiring freeze. 

“In previous year, we’ve had reports where we project to have more money available than what we’ve anticipated,” Navazio said. “And in the past council has been in the position where they were able to add programs to the budget. 

This report is showing we are anticipating revenues to be $1.8 million less. On one hand we have to recognize that and deal with it. And then on the other hand, as to not to get further into the hole in the future we have to make out a five year forecast to further scale back our expenditures.” 

Friday 

Baseball – Berkeley vs. California, 3:30 p.m. at San Pablo Park, Berkeley 

Boys Basketball – St. Mary’s vs. Bishop O’Dowd (NCS semifinal), 6:30 p.m. at Berkeley High School 

Girls Basketball – Berkeley vs. San Leandro (NCS semifinal), 8 p.m. at Berkeley High School 

Saturday 

Crew – Berkeley at the Novice Regatta, 8 a.m. at Lake Merced, San Francisco 

Men’s Rugby – Cal vs. Sacramento State, 1 p.m. at Witter Field 

Girls Basketball – NCS Division I Final, 6 p.m. at Haas Pavilion 

Boys Basketball – NCS Division I Final, 8 p.m. at Haas Pavilion

Today is Friday, March 1, the 60th day of 2002. There are 305 days left in the year. 

Today’s Highlight in History: 

On March 1, 1932, 20-month-old Charles A. Lindbergh Jr., the son of Charles and Anne Lindbergh, was kidnapped from the family home near Hopewell, N.J. (Remains identified as those of the child were found the following May.) 

On this date: 

In 1781, the Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation. 

In 1790, Congress authorized the first U.S. Census. 

In 1845, President Tyler signed a congressional resolution to annex the Republic of Texas. 

In 1864, Rebecca Lee became the first black woman to receive an American medical degree, from the New England Female Medical College in Boston. 

In 1867, Nebraska became the 37th state. 

In 1872, Congress authorized creation of Yellowstone National Park. 

In 1940, “Native Son” by Richard Wright was first published. 

In 1954, Puerto Rican nationalists opened fire from the gallery of the U.S. House of Representatives, wounding five congressmen. 

In 1961, President Kennedy established the Peace Corps. 

In 1981, Irish Republican Army member Bobby Sands began a hunger strike at the Maze Prison in Northern Ireland; he died 65 days later. 

Ten years ago: Sen. Brock Adams abandoned his re-election campaign after eight women accused him in a Seattle Times report of sexual abuse and harassment. 

Five years ago: Severe storms hit Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi, and spawned tornadoes in Arkansas blamed for two dozen deaths. Rescue teams fought snow, high winds and wild dogs as they tried to bring help to an earthquake-devastated region in northwest Iran, where the death toll was estimated at 3,000. 

One year ago: Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban, defying international protests, began destroying all statues in the country. Seven foreign oil workers (a Chilean, an Argentine, a New Zealander and four Americans) who were kidnapped the previous October in Ecuador’s jungle were freed after a ransom was reportedly paid. 

Today’s Birthdays: Actor Robert Clary is 76. Singer Harry Belafonte is 75. Former U.S. Solicitor General Robert H. Bork is 75. Actor Robert Conrad is 67. Author Judith Rossner is 67. Rock singer Mike D’Abo (Manfred Mann) is 58. Sen. John Breaux, D-La., is 58. Rock singer Roger Daltrey is 58. Actor Dirk Benedict is 57. Actor Alan Thicke is 55. Actor-director Ron Howard is 48. Actress Catherine Bach is 48. Country singer Janis Gill (Sweethearts of the Rodeo) is 48. Actor Tim Daly is 46. Singer-musician Jon Carroll is 45. Rock musician Bill Leen is 40. Actor Russell Wong is 39. Actor John David Cullum is 36. Actor George Eads (“CSI”) is 35. Actor Mark-Paul Gosselaar is 28. Actor Jensen Ackles (“Dark Angel”) is 24. Rhythm-and-blues singer Sammie is 15.

Andy Katz, city affairs director for the Associated Students of the University of California, said he is considering a November run for City Council in the wake of Councilmember Polly Armstrong’s retirement announcement this week. 

“I’m considering it,” said the UC Berkeley senior, who also serves on the Zoning Adjustments Board, noting that he has formed an exploratory committee to look into the possibility. 

Katz said he could develop a base of support beyond the students living in District 8 because of his experience on ZAB and work with neighborhood groups. 

“I’ve certainly been able to work with people from all walks of life,” he said.  

City Councilmember Kriss Worthington, District 7, said Katz has a shot. 

“He is a student, but he’s much, much more,” said Worthington, noting that Katz has logged long hours in General Plan and Southside Plan meetings. 

Becky O’Malley, a retired businesswoman who has suggested she might run, said Katz “has a lot of potential,” but questioned whether he could win widespread support. 

“I don’t think he would be able to appeal to the majority of District 8 voters because he is relatively new to the scene,” O’Malley said. 

But, O’Malley said it would be worthwhile to have student on the council, and suggested she might not run if redistricting provided Katz, or another student, with a legitimate chance to win.  

A redistricting plan approved by a City Council subcommittee yesterday will likely provide District 8 with a slight increase in its student population.  

O’Malley said it is too early to determine whether the plan, which has not yet been approved by the full council, would provide any significant bump to a student candidate. 

“It is my understanding that it is not a drastic change,” added Katz, who maintained that he could appeal to a broad cross-section of voters, no matter what the composition of the district. 

Katz said if he runs and is elected, he will make housing, safety and transportation top priorities. As a Councilmember, he said, he would urge UC Berkeley to provide transit passes for its employees. 

“The university needs to be accountable for the impacts it has on the community,” Katz said, arguing that the passes would reduce congestion. 

O’Malley said she would push for passes as well, as part of a larger effort to make the university more responsive to city needs. 

“I think the thing that everyone in Berkeley has to face is the relationship between the city and the university,” she said, arguing that UC Berkeley has not done enough to mitigate the impact of its construction projects. 

O’Malley added that, as a City Councilmember, she would work to make sure that affordable housing is a top priority for the few remaining sites for development in Berkeley. 

Gordon Wozniak, a Planning Commission member who has expressed interest in running for the seat, could not be reached by the Planet’s deadline. 

Contact reporter David Scharfenberg at scharfenberg@ berkeleydailyplanet.net  

FRESNO — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency told the state Thursday that a plan is due in 18 months to clean up the San Joaquin Valley’s chronically polluted air. 

The action was expected after regional air quality officials failed to meet federal Clean Air Act standards by the end of last year to reduce dust, soot and other tiny particles from the air. 

The region could lose $2 billion in highway funds if the EPA doesn’t approve a plan in the next two years. 

For nine years, the EPA and regional air officials have failed to put such a plan into action. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District has missed deadlines and the EPA has failed to act on plans. In a court settlement reached with health and environmental groups, the EPA agreed last month to finally take action on the district’s 1 d 997 plan to reduce unhealthy air particles, which lodge deep in the lungs and cause serious respiratory ailments. 

Tony Wise, the owner of Granter Jewelry and Loan Company in El Cerrito, considers the pawn industry the economy’s divining rod.  

“You’re at the pulse right here,” Wise said. “ It’s really interesting because I can tell what’s going on in the street by what is happening here.” 

From his vantage point, the recession hit the middle to upper class first, while the less affluent were accustomed to dealing with less.  

“We saw people who didn’t recognize that things were slowing down and were buying really well, but they also came in for loans,” Wise said.  

Like any other business during a recession, the pawnshop industry has seen better days, but East Bay shops like Wise’s strike a curious balance between loaning money to those who need it to survive and selling their inventory to those who want a bargain.  

“You can tell when the checks are late, either Social Security or SSI,” Wise said. Clients come in and sell items, and they’re not giving up the basics. “They’re giving up luxury items, so that they can get the necessities.” 

Granters sits on San Pablo Avenue in the midst of a middle class El Cerrito. The shop is well lit and is just doors away from its new home, which is being reconstructed. Cameras, jewelry, coins and musical instruments all beckon the patron. On a recent Tuesday, a ringing phone competes with the door bell customers press to enter.  

A young woman comes in and asks Tony’s father, Ralph, how much she can get for a piece of jewelry.  

He silently examines the gold chain. “How much are you looking to borrow?” he counters. She said she was not looking for a loan, but wanted to sell. “I could give you $65 for it,” Ralph said. The young woman gasped.  

“I went to the [pawnshop] in Richmond and guess how much he said he’d give me for it?” she asked. 

“I have no idea,” Ralph said, seemingly used to hearing comparison of shopping results. 

“He said he’d give me $15,” she said.  

Ralph shook his head and continued filling out her paperwork. 

Once someone decides to sell an item, they have to sign a statement that they are indeed the owner of the item, show picture ID and give a thumbprint, which is then forwarded daily to the police department. If they are selling it outright, that finishes the deal. If they are only pawning the merchandise, interest of 1 to 2.5 percent a month kicks in. 

If the customer fails to repay the loan during the agreed on time period, the item is forfeited. It can then be sold by the broker, but not before a reminder notice is sent. Some 90 percent of the loans, brokers said, are repaid on time. An equal percentage of clients, they added, return for a new loan.  

Bob Robinson of United Jewelry Mart of Oakland said the recession means his clients sell more at once. “We see people bringing in five to seven pieces, whereas in the past they brought in one at a time.” The store sat quiet during the interview, only the sound of traffic going by.  

Barbara Cogar, manager of the California Loan and Jewelers on Telegraph Avenue in Oakland said she has seen the same. “We get people all the time, bailing folks out of jail, paying bills,” Cogar said. “They come in for short-term loans for things like tuition.”  

Cogar said that most of her store’s clients are repeat customers. In her 35 years at the store, she has seen and heard it all.  

“One man came in, and when I asked him what he was going to do with the money, he said ‘I’m going to buy drugs.’ Then he changed his mind and asked for his [property] back.” She chuckled, “That’s the worst thing I’ve heard.”  

Cogar also said, last year a young man purchased a diamond ring and proposed to his fiancée in the store. “That was a first,” she said. 

The stereotype of the dim snake pits is one that is changing according to Tim Cassidy of Stockton. Cassidy spent 18 years as a board member of the National Pawnbrokers Association, a professional organization for pawnbrokers that has the mission to enhance images and perceptions of the industry. Cassidy said he thinks there is one way to change the public’s perception of a pawnshop.  

“One of the best things people in our industry have done, not just here in California but also nationally, is to clean up the shops,” he said.

The temporary Berkeley Public Library at 2121 Allston Way will be closing for good this evening, as library staffers begin to move back into  

the newly renovated and expanded central library on nearby Kittredge Street. 

The Allston Way location has served as home to library employees and collections during the three-year renovation of the city's main library, which will remain closed for five more weeks while materials are set up. 

The city of Berkeley will hold a celebration on April 6 to show off the facelift. 

The renovated library includes double the floor space from its previous incarnation.  

Patrons will see entire levels for the “Art and Music” section, as well as for the “Children’s Services” section. There will also be a so-called “Popular Library,” and a new Berkeley history room. 

If placed end-to-end, the library's shelves would spread out seven miles, and library officials say those shelves will be stocked with books, videos, CDs, cassettes and DVDs. 

Much of the original furniture at the 1931 building has also been restored. 

Other Berkeley Library branches will be open for regular business while the downtown library remains closed.

What if you were ready to plant your garden and had nowhere to buy seeds? In many parts of the world, each growing season is not heralded in with garden catalogs in mailboxes and seedpackets lined up on racks in stores. Rather, gardeners not only grow vegetables and flowers, but also the seeds for them. Here, you might want to grow some seeds to ensure a supply of a particular variety of vegetable or flower not readily, perhaps not always, available. 

Perhaps your main reason to grow your own seeds would be the same reason that you garden in the first place. Gardening satisfies a primal urge to celebrate and partake in the cycles of life, with growth and decline measured not only month by month through the seasons, but also in terms of years. Growing the seeds that grow into your carrots, rather than just the carrots themselves, widens your participation in that cycle. 

Growing garden seeds is not difficult as long as you follow a few guidelines. Two worthwhile books on this topic include “Seed to Seed” (Suzanne Ashworth, 1991) and “Saving Seeds” (Marc Rogers, 1990). Don’t save seeds from hybrids or you’ll get plants different, and generally worse, than the ones that produced the seed. A hybrid is denoted as such on the seed packet. 

Seeds you do save should always be from the best and healthiest plants, not necessarily ones that produce the most seed. Collect seeds when fully ripe. If seeds ripening in a dried fruit (a dried bean pod, for example) tend to drop to the ground, tie a paper or cheesecloth bag around the nearly ripe fruit. Finally, store your seeds in a dry place. 

If you are a beginning seed-saver, keep your efforts in step with your enthusiasm and knowledge. Special techniques are required to save seeds of plants which are biennials (onions, and carrots, for example), or which need cross-pollination (the cabbage family, for example) or need strict isolation to avoid cross-pollination (squashes, for example). Also, at least initially, do not put effort into saving too many different kinds of seeds. 

The easiest seeds to grow are from plants that are annuals and self-pollinating. These include pea, bean, lettuce, pepper, and eggplant. Tomato also is in this category, and saving and growing seeds each year is the way many gardeners are able to harvest delectable “heirloom” varieties passed on to them by neighbors or relatives.

NAPA — Voters in this valley of wine likely will approve new dormitories for hundreds of migrant farmworkers who have been sleeping in cars or under the stars, a blight on the conspicuous prosperity of the region and its $4 billion showcase industry. 

They are men such as Angel Sanchez Ortega, 38, a field hand born in Mexico who arrived two grape-picking seasons ago. Though he now shares a bunk room with his brother-in-law and a friend at an old county-administered camp, in the past he has retired to the front seat of his car to sleep. 

“There is a demand for beds,” says Ortega, who makes around $400 a week for six days of work. “Build more camps. A lot of people need it.” 

Just last week, five men in search of work, ages 18 to 24, showed up at a Roman Catholic church in St. Helena, a town of 6,000 in the valley’s north. They are sleeping on the porch of a building behind the sanctuary, a corner parcel that Monsignor John Brenkle has made a refuge for campesinos who often lack immigration papers and so can’t live at the county camps. 

The problem is most acute during the fall harvest, when hundreds of workers — no one is sure just how many — come from Mexico to find jobs aplenty but a dearth of affordable housing. 

Backers of Measure L, as the March 5 ballot proposal is called, call it a solution without a downside. The five new housing camps and 300 new beds it authorizes would nearly triple the supply of government-regulated accommodations. It would also ensure a pool of cheap and available labor for vineyard owners. There is no organized opposition. 

The irony of public support for government-run camps is not lost on Volker Eisele, a vineyard owner and longtime civic activist. Such camps were the object of scorn in “The Grapes of Wrath,” he notes, a book so powerful it tattoos landowners with the mark of “the evil California growers exploiting the Okies.” 

Presently, Napa County runs three permanent camps with 136 beds, plus a 40-bed cluster of yurts — squat and collapsible domes inspired by Mongolian nomads. Measure L would permit the new camps for single men who can show they are employed and have immigration papers. Cost would be $10 a day for room and board. 

Though the measure allows for five new camps, only one is being planned, on land offered by Joseph Phelps Vineyards between a highway and the Napa River. The site’s two 30-bed dorms will be made of packed earth and some recycled materials. There is a central courtyard, space for a communal garden and a soccer field. 

“The workers are here,” says Tom Shelton, chief executive of Joseph Phelps Vineyards. “This is just a more humane way of treating people.” 

It’s also a bow to Napa County’s growing diversity. Hispanics were 14 percent of Napa County’s population in 1990 but had grown to 24 percent by 2000, according to census data. 

Subsidizing some housing for the newcomers has become a point of social tension for working-class locals. 

The opposition, to the extent it expresses itself, talks of a government subsidy pushed by a wine-growing elite that ignores Napa natives who can’t afford the high cost of living. 

Dennis Korte, a Napa resident whose letters to the local paper make him the de facto opposition leader, says migrant workers should get decent apartments — just not in the pastoral valley. 

“Bus them in,” said Korte, 54, a metal worker who says his niece had to move to neighboring Lake County to afford the rent. “I may sound a little bit racist to say this, but I think Measure L will kind of degrade the valley.” 

In recent years the valley has gone upscale, fast. In the fall of 1999, the median home price was $188,000. Now it’s around $336,000. Trophy estates blotch the hills. Limousines pull up to country stores for afternoon sandwiches. Sometimes wine confers celebrity — Robert Mondavi an example — and sometimes celebrities — take Francis Ford Coppola — make wine. 

Large vineyards stopped supplying housing in the late 1980s when many were bought by absentee corporations. The valley’s housing authority estimates 400 beds were lost. High wine prices also have seen denser planting and more labor-intensive methods. Vineyards now fit cheek-by-jowl along the valley floor and are creeping up into the hills. 

That’s where Eisele lives on a ranch and vineyard with fantastic puffs of bright yellow mustard blooming between the columns of vines that march up the slopes behind his house. 

A self-described “advocate for land preservation,” Eisele is also director of the Napa Valley Grape Growers Association and a Measure L supporter. 

He sees Measure L as part of a larger push for affordable housing for migrant workers. The keystone of that movement, Eisele says, is a recent state law that lets vineyards tax themselves $10 per vine acre each year — money that will go to an affordable housing fund to include family apartments in the valley’s few cities. 

Eisele will owe $600 per year for his 60-acre plot, but there are up to 45,000 acres of planted vine acres, county officials estimate, making for nearly a half-million dollar pot. 

That will help solve a problem that has degenerated, Eisele says, into the charge that “whenever there’s a brown face under a bridge, it’s the fault of agriculture.” Now, he says, “we are all of a sudden ahead of the game.” 

——— 

On the Net: 

Napa Valley Grape Growers Association: http://www.napagrowers.org/ 

California Human Development Corp: http://www.chdcorp.org/chdcweb/documents/housing.htm 

LOS ANGELES — A proposed agreement between the Screen Actors Guild and talent agents would hold agents accountable for enforcing union contracts outside the United States, union officials said Thursday. 

The Screen Actors Guild had previously announced it would require actors to work under SAG contracts when acting in Canada, Australia and other countries that have been attracting film and television production in recent years. That rule takes effect May 1. 

“The cooperation of the agents will make the implementation far more significant than if the actors have to do it by themselves,” SAG spokesman Ilyanne Kichaven said. 

Under the recent agreement, which must still be ratified by both sides, agents would be required to sign actors to union contracts when finding them work overseas. 

If a client is signed to nonunion work, even by mistake, the agent would forfeit all commissions. The actor would be subject to union discipline. 

The agreement is expected to fill as many as 3,000 overseas acting jobs with union members over the next five years, Kichaven said. 

The SAG board of directors will vote on the deal March 11, after which members will vote. 

SAG actors who work overseas often are forced by production companies to accept nonunion deals or work under local union rules. In Canada, actors working under the Alliance of Canadian Cinema Television and Radio Artists earn less than their SAG counterparts. 

Over the past decade, millions of dollars of film and television production have taken place outside the United States because it is cheaper to film in Canada, Australia and other countries that offer significant tax incentives. 

The trend is commonly called “runaway production.” 

SAG estimates that in the past five years, more than $190 million has been lost in union wages, dues and contributions to the union’s pension and health plan because of SAG actors accepting nonunion work overseas. 

NEW YORK — A brief surge of enthusiasm evaporated on Wall Street Thursday, gradually pulling stock prices lower in what turned out to be another lackluster session. Blue chips fell into losing ground in the last half hour of trading, while technology issues stumbled earlier on a profit warning from Gateway. 

Stocks initially had a healthy, widespread advance on news that the economy grew by a stronger-than-expected rate in the fourth quarter. An uptick in business activity in the Chicago area also prompted strong buying. 

But the market repeated a now-familiar pattern of retrenching whenever it climbed to a point where investors believed it would be prudent to cash in their profits. 

So the Dow Jones industrial average closed down 21.45, or 0.2 percent, at 10,106.13, having risen as much as 111 in the first hour. The Dow’s moves mirrored those of Wednesday, when it surged nearly 140 points on positive comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, then closed up a slim 12.32. 

The broader market also finished lower Thursday. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index declined 3.16, or 0.3 percent, to 1,106.73, while the Nasdaq composite index fell 20.39, or 1.2 percent, to 1,731.49. 

For much of the session, there was modest buying activity pegged largely to a Commerce Department report on the gross domestic product. GDP rose at an annual rate of 1.4 percent in the final three months of 2001, surpassing analysts’ expectations for a 0.9 percent increase. 

The Purchasing Management Association of Chicago also had positive news, saying its index of area business rose to 53.1 percent in February on a seasonally adjusted basis from 45.1 in January. A reading above 50 indicates expansion in the manufacturing sector and a reading below 50 signals a contraction. 

The Chicago survey is considered a reliable forecast of the index of the Institute for Supply Management, formally the National Association of Purchasing Management, which is due to be released Friday. 

But Wall Street’s response, from enthusiastic to uninspired, was similar to Wednesday’s trading, when stocks advanced strongly after Fed Chairman Greenspan told Congress the recession is nearly over, although the economic recovery won’t be particularly robust. Stocks later lost most of those gains. 

Analysts attributed the market’s inability to sustain an advance to an economic recovery that will likely be slow. 

“I think Mr. Greenspan underscored the whole thing. He talked about moderation. The economy is coming out of the recession, but it is not vigorous,” said Larry Wachtel, market analyst at Prudential Securities. 

Prospects of a robust turnaround would likely prompt investors to buy up riskier tech shares, Wachtel said. Instead, tech continues to slump as companies put off orders for new computer and networking equipment. 

“Capital spending is certainly not vigorous, which is why the Nasdaq is down. I see no signs that companies are spending on telecommunications, software or technology,” Wachtel said. 

The tech sector declined on a first-quarter profit warning from Gateway, which fell 50 cents to $4.60. 

Other tech losses came from Dow industrial Intel, down $1.34 at $28.55, and Dell Computer, off 58 cents at $24.69. 

The Dow’s earlier advance was crushed by Disney, which fell $1.25 to $23, and 3M, which stumbled $1.07 to $117.93. But Honeywell rose 97 cents to $38.12. 

Another contributor to Wall Street’s cautious mood has been investors’ worries about corporate bookkeeping practices in the wake of Enron’s collapse. 

“There are two competing forces now. One is the economy is stabilizing, and that is good. The negative is there is still a great deal of concern about corporate governance and accounting,” said Arthur Hogan, chief market analyst at Jefferies & Co. 

Advancing issues narrowly outnumbered decliners 8 to 7 on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated trading volume was light at 1.68 billion shares, just below Wednesday’s 1.69 billion. 

The Russell 2000 index, which measures the performance of smaller company stocks, fell 3.25, or 0.7 percent, to 469.36. 

Overseas, markets were mostly higher Thursday with Japan’s Nikkei stock average finishing up 0.1 percent. In Europe, France’s CAC-40 closed up 0.9 percent, Britain’s FT-SE 100 fell 1.5 percent, and Germany’s DAX index gained 1.6 percent. 

——— 

On the Net: 

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

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

City Councilmember Polly Armstrong, District 8, announced Tuesday that she will not run for re-election in November, ending months of speculation. 

“I just decided that I had done as much as I could for the district and the city,” she said, “and I’m used up.” 

Armstrong, one of four “moderates” on the nine-member council, said she was tired of the constant fighting and gridlock that characterize the body’s Tuesday night meetings. 

“The last 12 months, particularly, have been very dispiriting,” she said. “Every vote was 5-4, whether it was the sun coming up, or the end of the world. I began asking myself if it was a waste of time.”  

Armstrong’s announcement kicked off a flurry of speculation around who might run for her seat. Gordon Wozniak, an Armstrong ally on the Planning Commission, said he is “thinking very seriously about running.” 

Armstrong indicated that she would support Wozniak if he ran for office. 

Becky O’Malley, who serves on the Landmarks Commission, said she is considering a run. “It’s a public service thing,” she said. “People do owe something to the city.” 

O’Malley said she identifies as a “progressive,” but added that she does not believe “that all change is progress.” 

Two others mentioned as potential candidates – Mary Ann McCamant, a former member of the Planning Commission, appointed by Armstrong, and Janice Thomas, president of the Panoramic Hill Association – said they will not run. 

Armstrong said her proudest accomplishments in office include instituting curbside plastic recycling and pushing for transit passes for university students. Armstrong added that she was pleased she could play a role in the “renaissance” of downtown Berkeley, particularly the arts district. 

“The downtown Berkeley that I see today is so different from what was ther eight years ago,” she said. 

Mayor Shirley Dean said she is sorry to see Armstrong go. “Polly has been, always, a valuable member of the council and I’m sorry to see that she will not be running for re-election,” she said. 

“I’ve got to work hard to make sure that the next councilmember in District 8 is an ally,” Dean added. 

Progressive Councilmember Kriss Worthington had muted praise for Armstrong, focusing on her effort, last year, to put orange flags in place at busy intersections for pedestrians crossing the street. 

“It might be dumb,” he said. “But it might be brilliant. If you laugh too much, you might miss something good.” 

Worthington said the race for the vacant District 8 seat should generate heavy interest, as it is one of only a handful of open seat races in the last decade in Berkeley. 

Armstrong said she would like to move into a private sector job when she leaves the City Council. But, she fantasizes about a stint in Paris before taking a new job. 

“On long Tuesday nights, when I’d feel like a bug pinned to a wall,” she said, “I dreamed about another life in Paris.” 

The Berkeley High girls’ basketball team got started on the postseason road on Wednesday night with a 72-30 stomping of Mission (San Jose) in the first round of the North Coast Section Division I playoffs. 

Berkeley guard Angelita Hutton continued her hot shooting of late, scoring a game-high 22 points in limited playing time.  

“Angelita’s got a lot of confidence right now, shooting and playing well,” Berkeley head coach Gene Nakamura said. “She’s doing the job we need her to do.” 

Nakamura took advantage of the mismatch to rest his starters for much of the game, and gave significant playing time to his reserves. Freshman point guard Danesha Wright took advantage, scoring 12 points with 3 steals.  

Nakamura brought his five promoted junior varsity players into the game with five minutes remaining, and even the young ’Jackets outscored the Warriors, 6-5. 

“(The promoted players) won their part of the game. They’re still undefeated,” Nakamura said with a smile. Berkeley’s junior varsity was a perfect 25-0 this season. 

The game turned into a rout early, as Berkeley’s defensive pressure completely discombobulated the Warriors, causing 12 turnovers in the opening quarter alone. The ’Jackets had a 15-0 lead when Nakamura pulled his starters, and the lead got to 19-0 before Mission’s Bonnie Chen hit a 3-pointer. The score was 45-11 at halftime, and the second half was a sloppy mess of turnovers and missed shots. 

Berkeley will face San Leandro, which upset Monte Vista on Wednesday, on Friday at 8 p.m. Nakamura expects more competitive games from here on out. 

“We’ll face a bigger challenge from San Leandro on Friday,” he said. “It’ll get tougher, and it’s always dangerous when it’s win or go home.” 

NOTES: The St. Mary’s-Bishop O’Dowd boys’ game on Friday has been moved to Berkeley High’s Donahue Gymnasium. The game will tip off at 6 p.m.... Nakamura said it would “take a miracle” for freshman center Devanei Hampton to play again this season. Hampton has a partial tear of her exterior cruciate ligament... Berkeley guard Shaquita Brown is still troubled by a sprained ankle suffered two weeks ago.

Editor: 

Any plan for Mayor Willie Brown to be an ombudsman would be a big mistake because the first person in that roll sets the general conditions for the whole use of such an office. 

Here in Berkeley a law student was the first ombudsman and garnered the opposition of the League of Women Voters. After he left the phone rang off the wall by frustrated citizens seeking assistance. 

In Australia, the proposal for such an office was widely opposed by newspapers and government employees. Sir Guy Powles, a retired diplomat was the first appointee. Within weeks the word was “why didn't we do this long ago.” Sir Powles helped spread the concept in Canada so that every province has such an office. 

Here in California, Jesse Unruh supported having an ombudsman. By Federal fiat each state has a nursing home ombudsman. 

San Francisco should wait for a more suitable candidate for such an important position. 

Charlie Smith 

Berkeley

924 Gilman Mar. 1: Street to Nowhere, Thick as Thieves, Calimigo, Scociopath, Samsara, Dead in the End; Mar. 2: Funeral Dinner, Betray the Species, The Shivering, Confidante, The Cause, Get Get Go; Mar. 8: Dead and Gone, Drunk Horse, The Cost, Scurvy Dogs; Mar. 9: Not Flipper, The Sick, Lo-FI Niessans, Stalker Potential, Deficient; All shows start a 8 p.m. unless noted; Most are $5; 924 Gilman St. 525-9926. 

Blake’s Feb. 28: Ascension, $5; 2367 Telegraph Ave., 877-488-6533. 

Cal Performances Mar. 10: 3 p.m., The Petersen Quartet perform the works of Beethoven, Shostakovich and Ravel. $34; Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley, 642-9988 

Eli’s Mile High Club Every Friday, 10 p.m. Funky Fridays Conscious Dance Party with KPFA DJs Splif Skankin and Funky Man. $10; 3629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland. 655-6661 

Jupiter Feb. 28: Spectraphonic; All shows are free and begin at 8 p.m., unless noted. 2181 Shattuck Ave., 843-7625, www.jupiterbeer.com. 

Tuva Space Mar. 21: 8 p.m., Blues Translation; Mar. 22: 8 p.m., Electro-Acoustic Quartet; Mar. 23: 8 p.m. Solo Guitar Performance, 9:30 p.m. Country, Folk, and Blues Standards. $8 All shows $8. 312 Adeline St. 649-8744, acme@sfsound.org 

“Soukous Xplosion Tour 2002” Mar. 1: 9 p.m. Madilu Systems, Nyboma, Diblo Dibala & Matchatcha and special guest Daly Kimoko will make the sounds of Africa come alive. $25, $30 at door. California Ballroom, 1736 Franklin St., Oakland, 415-421-8497 

“Cosi Fan Tutte” Through Mar. 3: The Berkeley Opera will perform Mozart’s classic opera. $10 - $30. Call for specific dates and times. Julia Morgan Theater, 2640 College Ave. 841-103, www.berkeleyopera.com 

“In Praise of Music: Berkeley Choral Festival” Mar. 4: 8 p.m., Several local choral groups will join the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra in a benefit for the Musicians’ Pension Fund. $25 - $49, $12 students. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley Campus, 841-2800 

“Splendors of Versailles and Madrid” Mar. 9: 8 p.m., Mar. 10: 7:30 p.m., Jordi Savall conducts the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra as they perform works from the Royal Court composers of Spain and France. $34 - $50. First Congregational Church, Dana & Durant, 415-392-4400 

“Kusum Africa” Mar. 1 & 2: 8 p.m., Sixty artists and four dance companies representing the traditions of the Congo, Republic of Guinea, and Ghana adapt sub-Saharan dance-drumming to tell the story of the occupation of Accra, Ghana to protest British colonialism. $18 - $30. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley Campus, 642-9988 

“Risk of Falling” Mar. 9: 8 p.m., Mar. 10: 4:30 p.m., Julie Drucker has assembled troupe of dancers ages 24 to 83 to perform an intergenerational dance project that weds improvisational movement and personal storytelling to explore issues of trust, fear, aging and community. $12 - $15, $10 seniors. Hillside Community Church, 1422 Navellier St., El Cerrito, 286-7922 

“Compania Espanola De Antonio Marquez” Mar. 13 & 14: 8 p.m., Artistic Director Antonio Marquez showcases his dazzling and dynamic program of flamenco. $24 - $36. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley Campus, 642-9988 

“Culture Clash in AmeriCCA” Through Mar. 3: Check theater for specific dates and times. The comic trio Culture Clash present their latest collection of political, ethnological and socialogical humor written for and about Berkeley. $10 - $54. Berkeley Repertory Theatre, 2025 Addison St., 647-2949, www.berkeleyrep.org 

“Rhinoceros” Through Mar. 10: Check theater for specific dates and times. An absurdist tragic-comedy about a small provincial town whose citizens slowly but surely transform into large cumbersome rhinoceroses. Directed by Barbara Damashek. $38 - $54. Berkeley Repertory Theatre, 2025 Addison St. 647-2976 www.berkeleyrep.org. 

“Divine Comedy: The Dante Project” Mar. 1 through Mar. 10: Fri. - Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. A motorcycle and sidecar speeding over the Marsh of Styx, a flying bathtub touring the solar system, and a traveler passing through a wall of fire are some of the more spectacular moments in this comic twist on Dante’s poem. $6 - $12. Zellerbach Playhouse, UC Berkeley Campus, 642-9925, genturc@uclink.berkeley.edu 

“The Golden State” Feb. 23 through Mar. 24: Thur. - Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 7 p.m., An aging Brian Wilson meets the ruling family of the sea, and a blend of comic book escapade and tragedy follows in the wake. $20, Sunday is pay what you can. Transparent Theater, 1901 Ashby Ave., 883-0305 

“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. 

“A Fairy’s Tail” Mar. 16 through Apr. 20: Thur. - Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 5 p.m. The Shotgun Players present Adam Bock’s story of a girl and her odyssey of revenge and personal transformation after a giant smashes her house with her family inside. $10 - $25. The Allston Street Theatre, 2116 Allston Way, 704-8210, www.shotgunplayers.org 

Contra Costa Jewish Film Festival Through March 7th. On wednesday Febraury 27th at 7:30p.m. 2736 Bancrfot Avenue - Love, Israeli Style will be playing. On Thursday, March 7th at 7:30 p.m. 2451 Shattuck Avenue - The Search for Peace will be playingg ($5).  

“Ton of Joy” Through Mar. 1: Group show of twelve painters and sculptors: Simone Anders, Susan Brady, Erin Fitzgerald, Karen Frey, Kei Hanafusa, Nancy Legge, Burke Rainey, Robin Sebourn, Kristen Throop, Clay Vajgrt, Whitney Vosburgh, Ann West; Mon. - Sat., 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Hollis Street Project, 5900 Hollis St., Emeryville. 

“Celebrating the African Diaspora” Through Mar. 1: A Black History Month Exhibit celebrating the contributions of Africans in America and throughout the Diaspora. 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.; University of Creation Sprituality, 2141 Broadway, Oakland, 835-4827 x31 

“Trace of a Human” Feb. 28 through Mar. 30: Jim Freeman and Krystyna Mleczko exhibit their latest works including mixed media sculpture installation and acrylic on canvas paintings. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Ardency Gallery, 709 Broadway, Oakland, 836-0831, gallery709@aol.com 

“Ansel Adams in the University of California Collections” Through Mar. 10: A selection of photographs and memorabilia presenting a different perspective on Adam’s career as one of the leading figures in American photography; Through Mar. 24: “Migrations: Photographs by Sebastiao Salgado,” over 300 black-and-white photographs of immigrants and refugees taken by the Brazilian photographer. Wed. - Sun. 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., $4- $6. The University of California, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, 2626 Bancroft Way, 642-0808, www.bampfa.berkeley.edu. 

“A Retrospective Show” Through Mar. 13: The Women’s Cancer Resource Center “The Art of Living Black,” an Open Studios event for local African American artists. The Gallery features a retrospective show of the work of the late Jan Hart-Schuyers. Mon. - Thurs. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Sat. 12 - 4 p.m., Women’s Cancer Resource Center, 3023 Shattuck Ave., 548-9286 x307, www.wcrc.org. 

The Richmond Art Center Through Mar. 16: “The Art of Living Black 2002: The sixth Annual Bay Area Black Artists Exhibition and Art Tour,” group exhibition of 81 artists; “Introspección Dual: Recent Painting by Verónica B. Rojas and Santiago Gervas”; “Transmutations: Recent work by Tim Jag”; “The NIAD` Family,” Artwork from the National Institute of Art and Disabilities; “Still Here,” collaborative art project about AIDS in the 21st century; “Girls in the Hall,” artwork by girls incarcerated in the San Francisco juvenile justice system; Tues. - Fri., 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Sat. noon - 4:30 p.m.; The Art of Living Black Art Tour Weekend: Mar. 2 and 3, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; 2540 Barrett Ave., 620-6772, www.therichmondartcenter. org. 

“Stas Orlovski” Feb. 16 through Mar. 23: New work by Stas Orlovski featuring a series of large paintings and drawings examining the relationships between body and landscape and eastern and western aesthetics. Tues. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Traywick Gallery, 1316 Tenth St., 527-1214 

“Average Female (Perfect)” Through Mar. 24: Manhattan-based artist Sowon Kwon projects footage of the first ever perfect-scoring gymnasts: Romanian, Nadia Comanece and Russian, Nelli Kim at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Kwon superimposes over the gymnasts a hand-drawn outline of the “average” female body to direct the audience’s attention to the gymnasts’ movements throughout their performances. Wed. - Sun 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., $4 - $6. University of California, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, 2626 Bancroft Way, 642-0808, www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

“Earthly Pleasures” assemblage and photographs by Susan Danis, Through March 30: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Mon. - Sat.; Sticks, 1579 B, Solano Ave., 526-6603.  

“Domestic Bliss” Through Apr. 4: Collection of abstract paintings and mixed medium by Amy St. George. Albany Community Center Foyer Gallery, 1249 Marin Ave., Albany, 524-9283. 

Trillium Press: Past, Present and Future Feb. 15 through April 13: Works created at Trillium Press by 28 artists. Tues. - Fri. noon - 5:30 p.m., Sat. noon - 4:30 p.m.; Kala Art Institute, 1060 Heinz Ave., 549-2977, www.kala.org.  

“The Legacy of Social Protest: The Disability Rights Movement” Through April 30: The first exhibition in a series dealing with Free Speech, Civil Rights, and Social Protest Movements of the 60s and 70s in California. Photograghs by: Cathy Cade, HolLynn D’Lil, Howard Petrick, Ken Stein. The Free Speech Cafe, Moffitt Undergraduate Library, University of California-Berkeley, hjadler@yahoo.com.  

“The Art History Museum of Berkeley” 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 Botticelli’s “Primavera” Ongoing. Call ahead for hours. Atelier 9, 2028 Ninth St., 841-4210, www.atelier9.com. 

“Jurassic Park: The Life and Death of Dinosaurs” Feb. 2 through May 12: An exhibit displaying models of the sets and dinosaur sculptures used in the Jurassic Park films, as well as a video presentation and a dig pit where visitors can dig for specially buried dinosaur bones. $8 adults, $6, youth and seniors. Lawrence Hall of Science, Centennial Dr., above the UC Berkeley campus, 642-5132, www.lawrencehallofscience.org 

“The Image of Evil in Art” Feb. 7 through May 31: An exhibit exploring the varying depictions of the devil in art. Call ahead for hours. The Flora Lamson Hewlett Library, 2400 Ridge Rd., 649-2541. 

“The Pottery of Ocumichu” Through May 31: A case exhibit of the imaginative Mexican pottery made in the village of Ocumichu, Michoacan. Known particularly for its playful devil figures, Ocumichu pottery also presents fanciful everyday scenes as well as religious topics. Call ahead for hours. The Flora Lamson Hewlett Library, 2400 Ridge Rd., 649-2540 

“Being There” Feb. 23 through May 12: An exhibit of paintings, sculpture, photography and mixed media works by 45 contemporary artists who live and/or work in Oakland. Wed. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sun. 12 - 5 p.m. $6, adults, $4 children. The Oakland Museum of California, Oak and 10th St., 238-2200, www.museumca.org 

“Scene in Oakland, 1852 to 2002” Mar. 9 through Aug. 25: An exhibit that includes 66 paintings, drawings, watercolors and photographs dating from 1852 to the present, featuring views of Oakland by 48 prominent California artists. Wed. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sun. 12 - 5 p.m. $6, adults, $4 children. The Oakland Museum of California, Oak and 10th St., 238-2200, www.museumca.org 

Readings 

Black Oak Books Feb. 27: 7:30 p.m., Author & Activist Randy Schutt discussing his new book "Inciting Democracy: A Practical Proposal for Creating a Good Society." 1491 Shattuck Ave., 486-0698. 

Cody’s on Fourth St. Feb. 27: 6 p.m., Rodney Yee brings “Yoga: The Poetry of the Body”; Feb. 28: Rosemary Wells talks about children, children’s books, and the importance of reading; All events begin at 7 p.m. unless noted and ask a $2 donation. 1730 Fourth St., 559-9500, www.codysbooks.com.  

Cody’s on Telegraph Ave. Feb. 25: David Henry Sterry describes “Chicken: Self-portrait of a Young Man for Rent”; Feb. 26: Carter Scholz reads from “Radiance”; All events begin at 7:30 p.m. unless noted and ask a $2 donation. 2454 Telegraph Ave., 845-7852, www.codysbooks.com.  

Easy Going Travel Shop & Bookstore Feb. 28: Terrence Ward reads from his book “Searching for Hassan: An American Family’s Journey Home to Iran”; All readings are free and start at 7:30 p.m., 1385 Shattuck Ave. at Rose, 843-3533. 

Poetry 

Poetry Flash @ Cody’s Feb. 27: Stephen Kessler and John Oliver Simon; All events begin at 7:30 p.m., $2 donation. 2454 Telegraph Ave., 845-7852, www.codysbooks.com.  

Tours 

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

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. 

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. Mon. and Wed., 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Tues. and Fri., 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thur., 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 2065 Kittredge St. 647-1111 or www.habitot.org. 

UC Berkeley Museum of Paleontology Lobby, Valley Life Sciences Building, UC Berkeley “Tyrannosaurus Rex,” ongoing. A 20 foot 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. Mon. - Fri., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sat. and Sun., 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 642-1821. 

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. 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, www.lhs.berkeley.edu. 

UC Berkeley Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology will close its exhibition galleries for renovation. It will reopen in early 2002.  

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

Thursday, Feb. 28

Cody’s Evening for Parents  

and Teachers 

7 p.m. 

Cody's Books 

1730 Fourth St. 

Rosemary Wells, children's author of dozens of books including Max and Ruby and Noisy Nora, will discuss children, books, and the importance of reading to your children. 527-6667, www.parentsnet.org. 

Trekking in Bhutan 

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment, Inc. 

1338 San Pablo Ave. 

Seasoned traveler, Ruther Anne Kocour will share slides and stories of her adventures trekking in this majestic country. 527-7377 

Take the Terror Out of  

Talking 

noon - 1:10 p.m. 

Calif. Dept. Health Services 

2151 Berkeley Way 

Room 804 

State Health Toastmasters Club is presenting a six-week Speechcraft workshop to help you overcome your fear of speaking in public and improve your communication skills. Cost is $36 for six sessions, Feb. 28 & March 7, 14, 21. 649-7750. 

The Writing Life 

4:30 p.m. 

North Branch Library 

1170 The Alameda 

Peter S. Beagle will discuss his works and the life and times of a professional writer. 649-3913, www.infopeople.org/bpl. 

Photographing the Famous 

7:30 p.m. 

College Preparatory School Auditorium 

1600 Broadway, Oakland 

Michael Collopy will talk about photographing the famous (Mother Teresa, Frank Sinatra, Mikhail Gorbachev, Nelson Mandela).  

Our School – Information Night  

for Prospective Parents 

7 - 9 p.m. 

St. John’s Community Center, Room 203 

2727 College Ave. 

An opportunity for parents to learn about Our School and its approach to education, grades K-5. 704-0701, www.ourschoolsite.ws. 

Dancing with Lucretia 

and Haiitian literature 

1:15 - 3:15 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Free. 232-1351. 

Friday, March 1

Tropical Trees and  

Sustainable Development  

in West Africa  

3 - 5 p.m. 

UC Berkeley 

103 Mulford Hall 

Roger Leakey of James Cook University, Australia will present some of his recent work on developing indigenous fruit and nut trees to produce marketable products beneficial to resource-poor rural and peri-urban households in West Africa. Discussion and Q&A. 643-4200, http://cnr.berkeley.edu/BeahrsELP. 

Sexuality & Spirit  

7 - 9 p.m. 

1109 Addison St. 

Join Karin Lichter for an evening of discussion, laughter and truth. 548-6451. 

Berkeley Women in Black 

noon - 1 p.m. 

Bancroft and Telegraph Ave. 

Standing in solidarity with Israeli and Palestinian women to urge an end to the occupation and push the peace process forward. 548-6310, wibberkeley.org. 

Saturday, March 2 

The 2002 White Elephant Sale 

9 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

White Elephant Warehouse 

333 Lancaster St., Oakland 

The 42nd annual White Elephant Sale, benefiting the Oakland Museum. Free. http://www.museumca.org/events/elephant.html. 

Outdoor Cross Training and  

Conditioning Basics 

2 p.m. 

REI 

1338 San Pablo Ave. 

REI’s Kristy Ruocco will draw on her experiences as a certified yoga instructor and nutritionist as she discusses the fundamentals of outdoor cross training and conditioning - different types of workouts, stretching, nutrition and goal setting. 527-4140. 

The Great Rummage Sale 

10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society 

2700 Ninth St. 

The Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society is a “no-kill” animal shelter whose mission is to place adoptable dogs and cats in suitable, loving homes. Our Great Rummage Sale, held the first and third Saturday of each month, helps provide funds toward the operation of our shelter. clamata@berkeleyhumane.org. 

Sunday, March 3

Shaping a Just U.S. Policy in  

the Middle East 

2 - 7:30 p.m. 

International House 

2299 Piedmont Ave. 

Join Bay Area peace, social justice and faith-based organizations for a two- day conference focusing on the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, Iraq, Afghanistan and the impact these policies on civil rights and democracy in the U.S. 415-565-0201 x26, www.afsc.org/wagingpeace. 

The Ancient Trees Initiative 

noon 

The Fellowship of Humanity 

411 28th Street  

The Old Growth Tree Initiative of Northern California is a statewide measure that will be submitted directly to California voters in the November 2002 election if 420,000 or more Californians sign the petitions. 451-5818, www.ancienttrees.org. 

The Berkshire’s Second Anniversary Celebration 

2 - 4 p.m. 

The Berkshire Assisted Living 

2235 Sacramento St. 

The public is invited. Tours available. 841-4844. 

English Ceilidh Dancing 

7 p.m. 

Grace North Church  

2138 Cedar St.  

Family friendly, no partner needed, all dances taught and called to live music. $10. 650-365-2913, http://www.bacds.org. 

A proposed shake-up of the Berkeley Unified School District’s Independent Study program, which serves about 200 students, is in flux. 

Pupils in the 10-year-old program receive several hours of one-on-one instruction per week from certified teachers, but do much of their coursework at home. 

Superintendent Michele Lawrence, as part of a $3 million budget cut proposal released Jan. 15, recommended laying off the Independent Study director, moving the program to the district’s adult school on University Avenue, and assigning administrative duties to Berkeley Adult School principal Margaret Kirkpatrick, for a savings of roughly $81,000. 

But Lawrence told the Planet Wednesday that the program, currently housed at Berkeley Alternative High School, will not move to the adult school. 

“It’s clear that moving it to adult education is not going to be a viable option,” Lawrence said. “So it’s back to the drawing board.” 

The superintendent said concerns about adequate space at the adult school and the wisdom of putting young children alongside adult students have convinced her that the University Avenue facility will not work. 

Lawrence originally proposed moving the program from the Alternative High School to make space for a “continuation” school on the campus. 

A continuation school, required by California law, provides academic support and vocational education for struggling high school students.  

Berkeley has not had a continuation school in place for several years, and has attempted to fill the void through programs at the Alternative High School. But Lawrence is insisting on full compliance with the law. 

The superintendent said Wednesday that one possibility would be housing the Alternative High School, continuation school and Independent Study program all on the same campus. 

The idea has drawn mixed reaction. Alex Palau, principal at the Alternative High School, said the facility could not handle all three programs. But Carl Brush, who heads up the independent study program, said all three programs may be able to co-exist on the same site. 

Brush, who will retire at the end of the year, is currently sharing director’s duties with Sara McMickle, an English teacher in the program who spends three days working as an administrator and two days as an instructor. 

Brush, McMickle and independent study teachers said the program will need a full-time administrator next year. Turning over duties to the Adult School principal or any other administrator who already has a full plate would be a mistake, they argued. 

“It would be a catastrophe,” said Doug Healy, a history and English teacher. “Running this program is a full-time job.” 

The director, among other things, meets with parents and students, coordinates professional development and deals with the program budget. 

One of the director’s chief duties is keeping track of the program’s extensive paperwork in order to ensure continued state funding.  

Traditional schools receive state funding based on attendance figures. Because students in the independent study program only meet with their teachers a few hours a week, instructors must quantify the work that students do on their own in order to develop attendance records.  

The director must get all the paperwork in order to ensure that the program passes muster in state audits. 

Independent Study staff said they have concerns about a part-time administrator keeping track of all the documents and ensuring continued funding. 

“There’s this incredible bureaucratic paper trail that we have to keep in order,” said McMickle. 

Lawrence said she is sensitive to that concern. “There needs to be someone, clearly, who monitors the compliance issues,” she said. 

The Independent Study staff has recommended that the district employ a full-time “teacher on special assignment” who would run the program day-to-day, with a credentialed administrator providing oversight and support.  

The “teacher on special assignment,” they argue, would not receive the pay of a credentialed administrator, so the district would still save money. McMickle has expressed interest in applying for such a position. 

Lawrence signaled support for the idea in the Wednesday interview, but suggested several other scenarios, including a part-time teacher, part-time administrator or a highly-paid clerical employee. 

The Board of Education, which must make about $6 million in cuts total to balance next year’s budget, was scheduled to vote on Lawrence’s $3 million in cuts Wednesday night, after the Planet’s deadline.

Squeezing into the bleachers during warm-ups for an early-season St. Mary’s High boys basketball game, a reporter latches onto the fan nearest him and begins peppering him with some preliminary questions about the team. The fan is more than happy to oblige and, indeed, seems to know all the Panther ins and outs: This is the league opener for St. Mary’s, playing without their injured point guard DaShawn Freeman, a key to their Division IV state championship last year. Over there, that’s the head coach, his name is Jose Caraballo - and right there, that’s the player to watch: shooting guard John Sharper, who is shouldering an increased burden while Freeman recovers. He’s also a great student, and he’ll “probably go Ivy League” at the end of this, his senior year. 

From the opening tip, St. Mary’s proceeds to take the opponent completely apart - an 18-3 run kicks off what will become a 90-63 shellacking, and sure enough, John Sharper is in command. As the helpful fan narrates, Sharper (seemingly on cue now) demonstrates the many facets of his game: he calmly buries a 3-pointer from the top of the arc (”he’s got a great jumpshot”) then, seconds later, picks the opposing point guard’s pocket (”I told you - his defense is underrated”) and streaks the length of the floor to feed a velvety-soft bounce pass (”he’s unselfish”) to teammate Chase Moore for an easy bucket. 

Sharper is the story. Grateful for the fan’s help, the reporter introduces himself. 

“Pleased to meet you,” says the fan, “I’m John.” Grinning now: “John Sharper. Senior. Make sure you get that part about his defense - (the papers) always seem to miss that part.” 

Okay, duly noted. 

It is difficult to get to know Sharper, Junior, an only child, without first meeting Sharper Senior. Senior is ever-present as Junior’s number one fan (he never misses a game), lead publicist (see above), and, as evidenced later in the same game, head fashion advisor: Senior spent about one and a half quarters of that contest hollering at Junior to pull up his shorts, which Senior from time to time perceives as sagging too low, a potential hindrance to Junior’s play. While Junior’s crossover dribble did not seem encumbered (think lightning and you’re getting close), Senior could tell that something was amiss - and didn’t hesitate to let Junior know. Eventually, Junior got the message and hiked them up when Senior finally promised to come down on the floor and do the job himself if Junior didn’t. 

“We had a little talk about that after the game,” John Jr. said. “He reminds me every once in a while. He thinks they’re too low and they might slow me down - he’s got my best interest in mind.” 

And what’s on Junior’s mind? The biggest decision of his young life is looming: College - where? 

“That decision is going to have to wait until the playoffs are over,” Junior says simply. 

Amidst a dizzying flurry of names and places (he has received feelers and/or visits from Cal, USC, San Diego State, Florida State, Yale, Princeton and others) Sharper’s focus is right where a team leader’s thoughts should be: on the present, on nothing more than the next challenge. 

That challenge continues on Friday night. The Panthers, who have moved up to Division I this season, opened the North Coast Section playoffs with a 79-52 win against Antioch High, with Sharper scoring a game-high 26 points. St. Mary’s will host Bishop O’Dowd on Friday at 7:30 p.m. 

Sharper has led by example all season. He took over the point with Freeman out early in the year, sublimating his scoring abilities to distribute the ball. Coach Caraballo is not surprised by Sharper’s composure. 

“A leader?” Caraballo laughs. “This year he has been the leader. He leads by example - he does it in the classroom, and he does it on the court. He’s just a fabulous young man.” 

Caraballo, who describes Sharper as “a coach on the floor” due to Sharper’s uncanny understanding of the game, isn’t pulling for one school or another in the pursuit of Sharper, who Caraballo believes will be an impact player wherever he ends up. 

“He’s going to be a steal,” Caraballo says. “An absolute steal. I am going to miss him tremendously.” 

Meanwhile, Junior remains focused on the task at hand and demure about commitments for the future. 

A young man who says he “doesn’t really have a girlfriend right now” but who is “spending time with a few different people” doesn’t change his tone of voice when discussing the huge decision regarding where he’ll be spending the next four years of his life. He loves Cal, but thinks that it is “maybe a little too close to home,” says that he “would love to stay on the West Coast,” but at the same time seems tantalized by the Ivy League. 

Caraballo isn’t pulling for one school or another in the pursuit of Sharper, just wanting him to “end up somewhere that will make him happy.” And neither is Senior, or at least so he says. 

“If he ends up on the East Coast, we’ll probably be spending a lot of money on planes and phone calls,” Senior says, “but I’d be okay with it. That’s the sort of thing that can change your life, and I’ll be tickled.” 

Already accepted academically to Cal, Sharper continues to weigh his options. A 3.4 GPA and an 1100 SAT score are solid numbers for any student, much less a basketball player. And when combined with other numbers like 18 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds per game, it just might all add up to an Ivy League caliber package. 

And if you need more convincing, just call John Sharper, Senior - he’ll be happy to provide you with the details.

Editor: 

For a year and a half Israel and the Palestinians have been locked in a bloody embrace of mutual terrorism.  

As the toll of slaughter and destruction has mounted there have been few heroes on either side. Until now. 

Last month 53 frontline combat soldiers in the Israeli Army publicly announced their refusal to “dominate, expel, starve and humiliate an entire people” in the Occupied Territories. Bearing witness that they have been issued commands “that had the sole purpose of perpetuating” Israeli control over the Palestinian people, they declared that they would take no part in the Army’s “missions of occupation and oppression.”  

During the past few weeks an additional 200 soldiers have added their names to this declaration. They have demonstrated rare courage, stepping out of the lockstep march of violence and hatred – refusing to shoulder arms against children in the name of children. Men and women of goodwill can read the soldiers’ statement of principle and sign a petition of support online at www.seruv.org. 

Joseph Stein 

Berkeley 

To the protesters rallying to improve transit at UC Berkeley Wednesday, trying to park around campus is a savage game of musical chairs. 

A skit during the lunchtime demonstration had UC employees and students wearing cardboard car costumes and elbowing each other for seats. Playful as it was, the skit was meant to direct the attention of university officials to a more serious problem — the difficulty of finding parking spaces on campus and the lack of adequate public transit alternatives. 

“We have to ask for parking permits, but it’s more like a hunting license because there’s not enough space for parking,” said Tanya Smith of Berkeley’s University Professional & Technical Employees Union. 

The Coalition of University Employees organized the rally in front of California Hall on campus to hand over a petition with 1,600 signatures to the Vice Chancellor of Business and Administrative Services Horace Mitchell.  

Seven labor unions, the Sierra Club, student groups and Councilmember Kriss Worthington joined the ranks. 

Norah Foster, chair of CUE, said the protesters had two main demands: the formation of a task force of students, faculty and staff for unilateral decision-making and an immediate distribution of free “Class Passes” for employees to free up parking space and improve air quality.  

Class Passes, paid for as part of regular tuition fees, entitle students to unlimited rides on AC transit and campus shuttles. 

Mitchell graciously accepted the petitions and told the crowd the university was on their side.  

“The university takes very seriously issues related to transit,” he said. “But it’s complicated. This is not an excuse not to provide parking, but to say that we’re working on different aspects of this problem.” 

Mitchell said his office was ready to open a dialogue with employees’ groups on the proposals his office has been working on. He expects they can all find a solution within a month, he said. 

Smith said now that the unions handed in their petitions, they were prepared to enter into talks with the university. But she was skeptical about how seriously the university would take their demands.  

Although she was heartened by Mitchell’s warm tone, Smith said the university has in the past given her the cold shoulder.  

“UC has always given lip service to transit,” she said. “I wrote in asking for information in a letter dated Oct. 26 and I still haven’t gotten a response from the university.” 

Susana Hinojosa, who works at the library, agreed it was about time the university addressed the traffic situation.  

“For employees, transporation is horrible and traffic is horrible,” she said. “Employees need to get to work. If we didn’t the university wouldn’t run.” 

Speakers at the rally were particularly bitter about the $2.5 million profit the university made from employee parking permits from 1999-2000. The skit showed “Gramma Parking Permit” hoarding her cash and unwilling to give up even just a little wad to pay for more parking or fund bus and BART passes. 

Nadeson Permaul, the university’s Director of Transporation , said UC Berkeley has invested the $2.5 million in long-term projects to build more parking: 150 spaces that should be ready by this summer and another 550 spots for 2004. 

Permaul acknowledged that the university could be doing more. Right now subsidies for transportation only amount to $15 for the first six months and $5 a month thereafter.  

“They are extremely modest,” said Permaul. “The subsidy needs to be bigger to accommodate the cost of living, I agree. But the question is how to fund it.” 

Currently, the City of Berkeley gives each employee an “Eco Pass” for unlimited rides on AC Transit, but Permaul said the $60 per person the city pays is too much for the university. 

He added that the university’s situation is more complicated because it also has to work with BART, which surveys show is the most popular form of public transportation among employees.  

The university does have other transportation programs in place, though. Employees can buy transit passes pre-tax and pay for parking on a daily basis to save money on the days they do not park. 

If employees want a Class Pass, said Permaul, they need to tax themselves just as the students do. “The students have voted to assess themselves mandated fees of $18 per semester. The employees who are using pressure to get the university to pick up the tab. Where is the money going to come from?” 

Although the university ran free shuttles between campus and the Rockridge BART station last year, the pilot program was scrapped in December. Permaul said the shuttle service was not meeting its goal of tempting employees from Contra Costa County to use public transportation. Instead, shuttle riders tended to be local people who used to ride AC Transit to work and now did not pay fares.  

When AC Transit asked for more money to cover these losses, Permaul said the university stopped the program. Even though the program made a lot of locals happy, the shuttle did not achieve its goal and would have become too expensive. 

“We have a financial model,” said Permaul. 

Contact reporter Jai-Rui Chong at chong@berkeleydailyplanet.net 

Editor: 

I am writing as a citizen of Berkeley, who also happens to be a member of the BUSD School Board’s Budget and Finance Advisory Committee. I am also the father of three BUSD graduates and one current BUSD student. I join the community in sharing the deep concern with the proposed budget cuts.  

There is no easy place to cut: class size, music, teacher staff compensation, athletics, under achievers, students with special needs - where is the easy target for the substantial cuts that must come? There is none, and if we think for a moment, we all know it. 

But the need for substantial cuts is clear. There simply is not enough money to continue operations at the current level. But why, many ask, is this suddenly an issue? The answer is simple: the administering of the BUSD has been deplorable. The BUSD is not unique in this respect. One only has to look to neighboring Emeryville to find a district which is now bankrupt and under the control of the state. Berkeley is not far from this fate. The process of budget cutting now can either be done by the community, or it will be done by the state. We, the citizens, get to choose. If we act responsibly, Berkeley will remain in control; if not, the state will make the hard decisions. 

Beyond the hard budget decisions, the BUSD must also address the lack of adequate management resources which has given rise to the current crisis, or more to the point, learn from the mistakes of the past. It would be easy to point fingers and lay blame – there are plenty of potentially culpable players. I have been impressed with how little talk of this nature I have heard. However, if we are to move forward, I believe that it would be helpful if we, the citizens of Berkeley, consider the role that we have played in this developing fiasco.  

The fiscal problems which Michelle Lawrence, the new superintendent, has inherited and is now confronting are ultimately the responsibility of the voters of the City of Berkeley. We, the voters, have chosen and interact vociferously with our government. While school board members may express concern over administrative matters, the dialogue with the citizenry is almost exclusively focused on programs. The school board and school administration regularly encounter highly aroused and outspoken groups who are adamant in the promotion of their particular wishes. The discussion during elections and board meetings focus almost entirely on programs and compensation for teachers. The citizenry are very much in control, if informally, of the agenda. To the best of my knowledge, there has never been an outspoken group on the subject of school administration who has had any real impact.  

During the annual budgetary process, BUSD administration has always served as an easy target. Thus we now have an outmoded computer system, poorly trained and inadequate staff, and a revolving door for management. How can it be a surprise that no one understood school finances? that there is no management information? that there are people collecting paychecks who have long ago left the employ of the district? 

What is surprising is that we have a highly competent, dedicated new superintendent, who in turn has hired a seasoned financial administrator. They are working with the county and state, and addressing the problems head-on. This is a good development. What concerns me is that our community will revert to form when each of our favorite programs is cut as they inevitably will be, that the howl of protests will bring the process to a stand-still, and without the support our new administrators deserve, that we will drive them out of town. That would be a DISASTER. And part of our support must be investing in administration while cutting programs. An unpleasant concept, but essential if we are to move forward as we must. 

Stoicism and a sense of community will get us through this. I also believe that when the voters of this fine city see that the school district can be managed responsibly that they will provide the resources that the school district requires in order to offer the education our children deserve. 

Robert Smith 

Berkeley 

Today is Thursday, Feb. 28, the 59th day of 2002. There are 306 days left in the year. 

Today’s Highlight in History: 

On Feb. 28, 1951, the Senate committee headed by Estes Kefauver, D-Tenn., issued a preliminary report saying at least two major crime syndicates were operating in the United States. 

On this date: 

In 1827, the first U.S. railroad chartered to carry passengers and freight, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Co., was incorporated. 

In 1844, a 12-inch gun aboard the USS Princeton exploded, killing Secretary of State Abel P. Upshur, Navy Secretary Thomas W. Gilmer and several others. 

In 1849, the ship California arrived at San Francisco, carrying the first of the gold-seekers. 

In 1854, some 50 slavery opponents met in Ripon, Wis., to call for creation of a new political group, which became the Republican Party. 

In 1861, the Territory of Colorado was organized. 

In 1974, the United States and Egypt re-established diplomatic relations after a seven-year break. 

In 1975, more than 40 people were killed in London’s Underground when a subway train smashed into the end of a tunnel. 

In 1986, Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme was shot to death in central Stockholm. 

In 1995, Denver International Airport opened after 16 months of delays and $3.2 billion in budget overruns. 

In 1996, Britain’s Princess Diana agreed to divorce Prince Charles. 

Ten years ago: Twenty-eight people were injured when an IRA bomb exploded at London Bridge train station. 

Five years ago: Brushing aside congressional calls for a tougher stance against Mexico, President Clinton recertified the country as a fully cooperating ally in the struggle against drug smuggling. In North Hollywood, Calif., two heavily armed masked robbers bungled a bank heist and came out firing, unleashing their arsenal on police, bystanders, cars and TV choppers before they were killed. 

One year ago: A powerful earthquake rocked the Northwest, shattering windows, showering bricks onto sidewalks and sending frightened people running into the streets in places like Seattle and Portland, Ore. A train collision in northeast England killed 10 people and injured more than 70. 

Today’s Birthdays: Actress Billie Bird is 94. Actor Charles Durning is 79. Svetlana Alliluyeva, daughter of Josef Stalin, is 76. Actor Gavin MacLeod is 71. Actor Don Francks is 70. Actor-director-dancer Tommy Tune is 63. Auto racer Mario Andretti is 62. Singer Joe South is 62. Actor Frank Bonner is 60. Actress Kelly Bishop is 58. Football player Bubba Smith is 57. Actress Stephanie Beacham is 55. Actress Mercedes Ruehl is 54. Actress Bernadette Peters is 54. Basketball player Adrian Dantley is 46. Actor John Turturro is 45. Rock singer Cindy Wilson is 45. Actress Rae Dawn Chong is 41. Actor Robert Sean Leonard is 33. Actress Maxine Bahns is 31.

Is that a candy bar in your pocket? 

OCALA, Fla. — Call him the Baby Ruth Bandit. 

A Philadelphia man was in the Marion County jail Tuesday following a weekend crime spree in which he stole a car by pretending a candy bar in his pocket was a gun, police said. 

Jesse Allen Gross, 20, reportedly told a deputy after his arrest on Sunday that he was on drugs when he pedaled a stolen adult tricycle to a convenience store and purchased the candy bar to prepare for the heist. 

Gross said he watched Earl and Carolyn Sue Roberts, both of Umatilla, as they stopped at the store in their 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier Sunday morning. Earl Roberts went inside and Carolyn Roberts went to a pay phone. 

Moments later, Carolyn Roberts noticed Gross getting into her car. She pleaded with him not to take their car, according to reports. Roberts said Gross gestured that he had a gun in his pocket. 

The couple ran back into the store and Gross drove off. He was quickly spotted by deputies and abandoned the car. 

Eventually, deputies found Gross and arrested him. He was being held on charges of armed robbery and resisting arrest without violence. 

Block those calls 

LE ROY, N.Y. — George Washington and Thomas Jefferson died before the telephone was invented, but that didn’t keep them from dialing a New York woman — according to her caller ID box. 

The former presidents were among several famous names listed on the ID box of Nancy Crocker one morning last week. Other calls supposedly came from Edgar Allan Poe, Albert Einstein and Ronald Reagan. 

Crocker, a resident of this town 20 miles southwest of Rochester, called her telephone company, Frontier Telephone of Rochester Inc., which said the listed numbers were fake. 

A Frontier customer service representative said a brief power failure or aging equipment may have caused the names to appear. The company sometimes enters fictitious names and numbers when testing the system, she said. 

The phone company said the same thing has happened before, according to Crocker. 

Convict sues for not being arrested fast enough 

BANGOR, Maine — A convicted sex offender who fled into the woods when approached by a detective is threatening to sue, saying he lost a few toes to frostbite because police were slow in arresting him. 

Harvey Taylor, 48, spent at least three nights in the woods after running from a Penobscot County Sheriff’s detective a few weeks ago. 

“If the detective had done his job, I wouldn’t be in here now. I would have been in jail that very same day,” Taylor told the Bangor Daily News in an interview Tuesday from his hospital room. 

Taylor said he has had “two or three” toes amputated on his left foot due to frostbite. He said he wasn’t sure of the number because he didn’t want to look too closely at his foot. 

A hospital spokesman declined to comment on his condition. 

Chief Deputy Glenn Ross of the sheriff’s office said Taylor is wanted in Florida for probation violations linked to his convictions for sexual offenses involving a minor child. 

Ross defended the actions of the detective. 

“He was cautious and professional,” he said. ”(Taylor) made some decisions and he has to live with the consequences.” 

Inmate finds stolen wallet 

MADISON, Wis. — The money was long gone, but the credit cards and family photographs were still there. 

Sociology professor Bert Adams didn’t think he’d ever again lay eyes on his stolen wallet, lifted in 1996 from his office at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The wallet was found in a broken refrigerator by a prison inmate. 

Adams happily went through his still-wet wallet Friday after it showed up in the mail from the Fox Lake Correctional Institution. 

Fox Lake officials said the inmate found the wallet when he was moving some refrigerators that the university had donated to the prison’s vocational school program. 

“He turned it in and the instructor looked through it and came up with the name,” said Larry Jenkins, an associate warden.  

“We contacted (Adams) and he seemed quite stunned.” 

Adams said everything was wet but in fine shape, including photographs of his grandchildren, his registration for a 1991 Toyota traded in five years ago and the rain check for a car wash that expired in September 1996. 

SACRAMENTO — Californians will decide Tuesday whether to spend some green — their tax money — on greenery. 

Proposition 40, dubbed the California Clean Water, Clean Air, Safe Neighborhood Parks and Coastal Protection Act, would spend $2.6 billion on water and air quality, protecting beaches, improving parks, and preserving open space, farmland and wildlife habitat. 

The debt would cost taxpayers an estimated $4.3 billion over 25 years — including $1.7 billion in interest — or $172 million a year from the state’s general fund. 

Supporters including the National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation and League of Women Voters of California say that works out to about $5.20 per citizen per year, a bargain. There’s no tax increase; instead, the measure requires the money to be spent from existing tax revenues. 

“California is continuing to grow at a pace of about 500,000 people a year,” said Assemblyman Fred Keeley, D-Boulder Creek, who authored the proposition. “We need to make capital improvements in parks, open space, clean air and water to maintain quality of life.” 

Critics, including the California Farm Bureau, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and National Tax Limitation Committee, note voters approved $4 billion for similar purposes two years ago, when the state and its economy was in much better financial condition. 

“This is not the time to spend another $2.6 billion plus interest to address the same issues,” said Farm Bureau Federation President Bill Pauli. With a budget deficit of about $14.5 billion, critics note the state already is eyeing cuts in services and possible tax increases. 

The critics have raised no significant money to fight the proposition, however, while proponents have spent or were prepared to spend more than $5 million. 

Gov. Gray Davis is counting on part of the money to help plug the deficit hole, as well as to fund natural resources projects proposed in his pending budget. 

State Treasurer Phil Angelides supports the measure, which he says would only marginally affect the state’s budget and borrowing power. And Keeley argues that with interest rates at a 40-year low, borrowing now is a bargain. 

While it’s only two years since the last bond measure, that money went quickly to make up for 12 years with no natural resources bonds approved at all, Keeley said. “It went to take care of the tremendous backlog of need. Proposition 40 is designed to look somewhat forward.” 

Business groups say the cost would be offset by helping maintain the natural beauty that draws millions of tourists to the state each year. 

A November poll by the Public Policy Institute of California showed support for the measure by 74 percent of the 2,002 adults surveyed, with an error margin of 2 percent. The support came despite what pollsters noted was a steep drop in consumer confidence, but before many voters knew much about the state’s looming budget deficit. 

More than $1 billion allocated under the proposition would go to state and local parks. 

The Legislative Analyst projects state and local governments would spend of tens of millions of dollars annually to maintain or operate parks purchased with the bonds. But the California Organization of Police and Sheriffs argues more neighborhood parks will provide children with safe places to play. 

About $400 million would go to water quality protection projects, and $300 million to buy and maintain wildlife habitat. Another $50 million to replace older, heavily polluting diesel trucks and buses operating in state and local parks. 

But opponents point to another $375 million that would be spent through private organizations, which could claim part of the money for administrative costs. And the Farm Bureau’s Pauli objects that $75 million for farm and grazing land preservation “continues excessive land acquisition by government that already owns half the state.” 

Since 1980, voters have approved about $7.6 billion in debt for recreation, conservation and water projects, but all but $1.2 billion of that money has been spent. 

Among other projects, passage of the proposition would help the state buy the Cargill Inc. salt ponds in Southern San Francisco Bay. The state wants to add the 13,000 acres to the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay Wildlife Refuge and restore it to a tidal marsh.

“The California Clean Water, Clean Air, Safe Neighborhood Parks and Coastal Protection Act.” 

Issues $2.6 billion in debt to pay to improve water and air quality; protect beaches; improve parks; and preserve open space, farmland and wildlife habitat. 

Estimated cost: $4.3 billion over 25 years, including $1.7 billion in interest, or $172 million a year from the state’s general fund. Potential annual cost of tens of millions of dollars to maintain or operate parks. 

Supporters include the National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, League of Women Voters of California. 

Opponents, including the National Tax Limitation Committee, say the state can’t afford more debt in a faltering economy, and that the money will be spent “on more pork, not ... parks.” They note voters approved $4 billion in bonds for parks and clean water efforts in 2000.

With her strategy and possibly her job on the line, Hewlett-Packard Co. chief Carly Fiorina appealed directly to Wall Street analysts Wednesday for their support of the $21.5 billion purchase of Compaq Computer Corp., calling it vital to the company’s future. 

The acquisition, which would be the biggest in technology industry history, is the subject of a vicious proxy fight headed to a shareholder vote March 19. Though several big investors have come out against the deal, analysts say the race is too close to call. 

In an all-day meeting at a New York hotel that was broadcast over the Internet, Fiorina asked analysts to ignore the fervent opposition of dissident HP director Walter Hewlett. She spent most of her time detailing the deal’s projected financial benefits. 

She said HP will be able to offer more complete packages for corporate customers because of Compaq’s strength in personal computers, Windows-based servers, data storage and services. She played a video with pro-merger testimonials from big customers. 

“PCs are not a bad business,” Fiorina said. “PCs have the opportunity to be a great business. You just have to measure it by the right yardsticks.” 

Still, she also slammed Hewlett and fellow heir David W. Packard, who sponsored independent polls that found widespread employee opposition to the merger at two HP sites. 

She said both men are trying to mislead investors “because they cannot win this campaign on the substance.” 

“Don’t be distracted by the so-called ‘focus and execute’ plan,” Fiorina said, referring to the alternate strategy Hewlett proposes. “It is not a plan — it is a press release.” 

During a one-hour grilling by analysts at the end of the meeting, Fiorina refused to speculate on what would happen to her or the company if the deal is rejected, though she said her team would “go back and look at all of our alternatives again.” 

Befitting the closeness of the proxy fight, Fiorina sometimes sounded like a political candidate on the eve of an election. 

“Do we retreat into the past and surrender our future? Or do we choose to put all of this energy and effort and commitment to work so that we can lead and grow?” she said. “That choice now rests with our shareowners, and we look forward to your support.” 

The meeting featured presentations from other top HP executives as well. Chief financial officer Bob Wayman said HP’s pro forma earnings per share in 2003 could be $1.51 with Compaq, $1.35 without — a 12 percent improvement. 

That estimate actually is quite conservative, said George Elling, a Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown analyst who supports the Compaq purchase. Elling believes HP could earn as much as $2 per share next year if the deal goes through. 

Webb McKinney, the HP executive leading the integration effort, explained how the companies have been preparing to begin working together on April 1, assuming the deal is approved by shareholders and the Federal Trade Commission. 

Hewlett made a big pitch of his own Wednesday, filing a 48-page report with the Securities and Exchange Commission reiterating his position that HP is overpaying for Compaq and that integrating the companies is too risky. He also ran full-page newspaper ads. 

Several analysts said they give the deal a 50-50 chance of going through but added that the key development will be the report expected in the next week from Institutional Shareholder Services. 

The Maryland-based research firm advises investors how to vote and in some cases actually votes for them. Wayman agreed with some projections that as many as 40 percent of HP shares could be swayed by the ISS decision. 

That could be crucial because of the significant bloc of shares already lined up against the deal, notably Hewlett and Packard family interests with 18 percent of HP stock. However, some analysts say ISS will influence much less than 40 percent because of the contested and complicated nature of this proxy fight. 

“It’s not a clear case yet to the investment community on who could win,” said Ari Topper, an analyst with Merger Insight. “It could go either way.” 

Andrew Neff of Bear Stearns said he thought HP did a good job of presenting its case Wednesday but said shareholders still should take note of the fact that most large mergers don’t work out. Either way, he said, HP will face tough challenges. 

Shares of Palo Alto, Calif.-based HP fell 2 cents to close at $20.03 on the New York Stock Exchange, where shares of Houston-based Compaq fell 20 cents to $10.20. 

——— 

AP Business Writer Alan Clendenning in New York contributed to this report. 

——— 

On the Net: 

Pro-merger site http://www.votethehpway.com 

Anti-merger site http://www.votenohpcompaq.com 

SAN FRANCISCO — The stock of struggling retailer Gap Inc.’s stock fell by 8 percent Wednesday, driven down by another poor quarterly earnings report and worries the company’s plans to raise $1 billion will depress earnings even if sales rebound. 

Gap’s shares dropped $1.15 to close at $12.40 on the New York Stock Exchange. Wednesday’s trading gave investors their first chance to react to Gap’s fourth-quarter results, released after the market closed Tuesday. 

Besides disclosing its second consecutive quarterly loss, Gap said February sales at its stores open for at least a year — a key industry benchmark known as same-store sales — were so far down by 17 percent from the same time last year. It marks the 22nd consecutive month of declining same-store sales at the San Francisco-based company. 

The Gap is facing its biggest problems at its flagship chain. The February same-store sales at the Gap chain were down by 23 percent through Monday, worse than management projected. On Tuesday, the company’s chief executive Millard Drexler during a conference call promised to return to best-selling basics of the past like stretch pants and ribbed sweaters, but analysts are becoming restless. 

“Reality is setting in. They are clearly having a really tough time at the Gap stores,” said industry analyst Richard Jaffe of UBS Warburg. 

To improve its cash flow, Gap plans to raise $1 billion by issuing debt that can be converted into stock into a later date. The deal may result in an additional 60 million outstanding shares, Jaffe estimated. 

Any increase in outstanding sales will depress the company’s earnings per share. 

Both Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s Investors Service on Wednesday assigned junk ratings to Gap’s $1 billion offering. The services downgraded Gap’s credit rating to junk status earlier this month, citing the company’s sagging sales and expectations that a turnaround is unlikely to occur until the second half of this year, at the earliest.

HONOLULU — Warren Higa is prepared to walk away from the Shell station he has run in Makiki for the past 22 years. 

Shell is asking for a monthly lease that would reach $19,000 after two years, more than twice what Higa pays now. Shell is also asking that Higa sign a personal guarantee for the lease. If Higa were to walk away from the station before the three-year lease expires, Shell could go after his personal property, such as his home, to collect any amount owed on the lease. 

“That’s a real dealbreaker,” Higa said. “It works totally in favor of the oil company and totally against the dealer.” 

A Shell Oil Co. spokesman could not be reached for comment. 

Despite the passage of a 1997 state law that was supposed to protect Hawaii’s gasoline dealers from being replaced by stations run by oil companies, approximately 30 dealers have gone under since, according to the Hawaii Automotive Repair and Gasoline Dealers Association. 

There are various reasons for the decline. For example, Shell scarcely used company-operated stations before a 1998 joint venture with Texaco. 

But some local dealers blame loopholes in the state law, as well as a lawsuit over a portion of the law that restricts the amount the oil companies can charge to dealers for rent. 

Under the law, Higa estimates his rent should be about $14,000. The Shell lease gives him a choice of paying the capped amount of rent. However, if the state loses the lawsuit over the rent cap, Higa would be liable for the difference. 

The oil companies, which oppose the 1997 law, say dealers are going out of business because dealerships are a less efficient way of serving the marketplace. 

“People don’t choose where they buy their gas based upon saying this is a dealer or company-operated station,” said Albert Chee, spokesman for Chevron Corp. Consumers make their choices based on factors such as convenience, the type of services provided and price. 

Plus, the recent arrival of massive gas stations run by retailers such as Costco Wholesale is providing heavy competition. 

“We’re dying,” said Harvey Okamura, whose family has run the Aiea Shell dealership since 1969. His lease nearly doubled to $10,000 a month in 1998, though he plans to hang on. “I’m a diehard,” Okamura said. 

Consumers should be concerned about the situation, because the consequence of fewer dealers and more company-run stations will be higher gas prices, Higa said. Dealers are independent businesspeople, who can offer a variety of discounts and services to beat the dealer across the street, Higa said. 

“If you take out all the dealers, (the oil companies) can price the way they want to price,” Okamura said. 

During recent arguments in the state’s antitrust lawsuit against the major oil companies, attorneys for the oil firms repeatedly said Hawaii has high gas prices because just a few oil firms serve the local market. The companies are naturally discouraged from competing with each other, because they would collectively lose money. 

“I can guarantee that (the price is) going to go up and up and up and the state’s going to suffer,” Higa said. 

Chevron disputes that. There is no evidence of heavy price competition among the dealers to begin with, Chee said. 

Company-operated gas stations are more economically efficient than dealer stations, because the oil companies have more control over operations, said Ken G. Smith, Chevron’s marketing manager in Hawaii. Chevron benefits from the reduced costs and can pass savings on to customers, he said. 

Chevron, one of two companies in the state that refine gas, has increased its number of company-run gas stations. Two years ago, five of Chevron’s 48 stations on Oahu were run by the company, or about 10 percent, Chevron said at the time. Chevron now has nine company-run stations out of 38, or 24 percent. 

Some dealers, even those who have already lost their stations, defend the oil companies. “I don’t blame them,” said Mike Hamada, who walked away from his Shell dealership in November. “They’re in business to make money.” 

The dealers are in business to make money too, but they’re not making as much as they once did. Profit margins, which used to be more than 20 cents per gallon in the 1980s, are now closer to 3 cents per gallon, dealers said. 

“When business was good, nobody was grumbling,” Hamada said. 

Under the 1997 law, oil companies cannot build a new company-operated station within one-eighth of a mile of any dealership on Oahu. On neighbor islands, the distance is one-quarter of a mile. The rule represents a milder form of “divorcement,” a restriction that some states have imposed on company stations. Maryland has had an all-out ban on company-run stations since 1979. The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the law. 

Chevron opposes divorcement as a restriction on the marketplace that leads to higher gas prices and poorer service, Chee said. It allows weaker, badly run dealerships to survive competition. 

“This may be hard to believe, but the oil companies are the most efficient player in the marketplace, and with those efficiencies, they are able to offer the best services and the best products at the best price,” Chee said. 

His point was supported by John Umbeck, a Purdue University professor who has studied the Maryland law. Umbeck also plans to testify as Chevron’s expert at the rent-cap trial. 

Divorcement leads to higher prices because it protects dealerships from competition by the leaner company-run stations, Umbeck said. “Typically the capitalist system allows you to come into the market with a better idea,” he said. 

But divorcement isn’t only about gas prices; it’s about protecting the other things that a dealer offers to a community, Frank Young said. A dealer conforms more to local customers than a company that has nationwide policies, he said. A dealer could open customized accounts for business customers or carry local foods. 

“There’s a more intimate relationship,” he said. 

At about 1 p.m. a backhoe digging a drain on the corner of Sacramento Street and Blake Street broke a main high-pressure gas pipeline.  

Police blocked off four city blocks and redirected traffic around the intersection until 3 p.m. when Pacific Gas & Electric workers finally clamped the pipeline. Assistant Fire Chief Ron Falstad said he evacuated residents from the 1 1/2 blocks nearest the gas leak and brought in three trucks and an ambulance as precautionary measures. 

“This is a high-pressure gas line so if it ignites there will be a big plume of fire higher than that telephone pole,” said Assistant Fire Chief David Orth, while the outcome was still unclear. “Normally, they don’t ignite, though.” 

Although the Fire Department can clamp the smaller half-inch pipelines while waiting for PG&E to arrive on the scene, Orth said that the high-pressure 2-inch line was something PG&E had to handle. “Something this major happens three to four times a year,” said Orth. 

In an hour and a half, the six-person PG&E crew to put a vise on the plastic pipeline without any complications. 

Richard Billups, a PG&E supervisor, said they only had to cut off the gas in the immediate area around the leak. PG&E did not have to shut off the gas to any of the houses in the area. Electricity and water were unaffected. 

Orth said there was no health risk because natural gas dissipates quickly. Mercaptin, an odorizer added to natural gas to make leaks detectible, is toxic in high concentrations, but not in this case. Natural gas may also cause suffocation because it excludes oxygen, but will not cause problems if people stay away from confined spaces. 

Still, local residents were worried. “My house reeks,” said Lorraine Taggert, who lives several blocks south of the gas leak and was not evacuated. She noticed the smell at 1 p.m. and came out to consult with neighbors and firefighters about what to do.  

Residents north of the gas leak, however, could not smell the gas because the wind was blowing south. 

Ron, the Berkeley Cement worker who hit the pipeline, said this sort of accident is not uncommon. “It doesn’t take much to break the line,” he explained as he smoked a cigarette. “It’s plastic so it breaks easily.” 

Ron explained that he has hit pipelines before, but he can usually feel them before digging too deep.  

“It’s one of those things that happens–like when you’re digging in your yard to put in a new flower and you hit a sprinkler line. Only this is on a bigger scale,” he said. 

PG&E is still investigating the case to find out who is at fault so that the company can bill them.  

Jason Alderman, a company spokesperson, said that right now it seems to be the fault of Berkeley Cement.  

Johnnie Bryant hit a jumper in the lane with no time left to give Bishop O’Dowd a thrilling 50-49 North Coast Section first-round playoff win over Berkeley High Tuesday night in Oakland. 

Berkeley High ended its season with a 19-8 record, while Bishop O’Dowd improved its record to 23-4 and moves on to the second round of the NCS playoffs, where they will face St. Mary’s High on Friday at 7:30 p.m. 

Twenty seconds before Bryant’s heroics, Lee Franklin had given Berkeley High the lead at 49-48 with a driving layup after he stole the ball from the Dragons’ Dave Brutocao-Kemp in the frontcourt. Bishop O’Dowd then threw the ball away on the ensuing inbounds pass. When Berkeley High inbounded the ball and O’Dowd fouled Dontae Hall with 13 seconds left, the ’Jackets seemed to have sewn up a victory. 

But Hall missed both free throws to set up the final play. 

“It’s a tough loss, but I told them what they should be focusing on now is they should be very proud of their performance and they should be proud of the character they showed tonight,” Berkeley High coach Mike Gragnani. “We kept getting down six, eight points to O’Dowd in a very hostile gym. To these kids’ credit, they kept their composure and they fought and they had a chance to win the game up to five seconds to go in the game.” 

Damien Burns was a force inside for Berkeley, despite playing with four fouls, and led a balanced scoring attack with 9 points. Three players -- Hall, Shaun Burl and Darryl Perkins -- scored 8 points each for Gragnani’s team. 

Burns made two crucial plays late in the game, hitting a turnaround jumper that gave the ’Jackets a 45-45 tie with 1:09 remaining and then passing the ball to Burl for a layup that cut the deficit to 48-47 with 37 seconds left. Burl was fouled but missed the ensuing free throw. 

Bryant led O’Dowd with 16 points, followed by Chris Domin’s 13. Bryant scored 12 of those points in the first half and was slowed somewhat in the second half by Hall’s defense. 

Gragnani was proud of his team’s effort despite the loss. 

“It’s a great season, because of the journey that we went on,” he said. “We had a relatively inexperienced team. It was a bunch of guys who were learning to know each other and learning to play together. I told the kids at the beginning of the season, “Wins, losses, they don’t matter. What will determine whether this was a successful season was whether we’re playing our best basketball at the end of the season.” We have improved tremendously. We had the chance to knock off one of the best programs around here in their gym, and I can’t tell you how gratified I feel and how proud of the team I am.”

Dear Editor: 

I agree with Mr. Nakadegawa that Berkeley should approach zoning in an evolutionary manner, but I disagree with his vision of our future city.  

All new infill development must consider transit services, but it must be contextual to the built environment. 

He asserts Berkeley must become denser to support better transit service. 

Berkeley is already 25% denser than LA (9,823.3 vs. 7,876.8 persons per square mile), the third most densely populated city in Northern California: 37% more than Oakland, and 74% more than Emeryville. Alameda County is the 4th densest county in California. 

Mr. Nakadegawa points to Curitiba, Brazil, with 6-10-story buildings along “transit corridors,” 3-4-stories a block back, and single-family homes beyond. Is this his vision for Berkeley? This implies a transit-corridor reach of at least two blocks to either side. Our General Plan defines a “transit corridor” as any major bus or train line.  

AC Transit’s map reveals that most of Berkeley is within two blocks of a bus line, and therefore would be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled in height and density. Few Berkeleyans would share this dream, stalled in traffic under looming shadows from such buildings, wondering where the views of the Hills and Bay went. 

How dense is dense enough? Perhaps the real problem lies with the quality, routes, and untimeliness of AC Transit service. BART is already at full-capacity in the trans-bay tunnel, and no provision was made to carry 

BART or light rail on the new Bay Bridge. Why can’t public transit work now? 

Carrie Olson 

Berkeley 

Wednesday, Feb. 27

Berkeley Gray Panthers 

1:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Defending and improving Medicare. 548-9696, graypanthers@hotmail.com.  

Berkeley Mental Health Commission 

6:30 p.m. 

2640 Martin Luther King Jr. Way 

Auditorium 

Berkeley mental health clinic. 644-8562. 

Poetry Workshop 

5:30 - 7:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Art Center 

1275 Walnut St. 

The Literary Arts Program at the Berkeley Art Center is starting a weekly, 3 month poetry workshop facilitated by Rob Lipton. All levels welcome. 665-1662. 

Thursday, Feb. 28

Cody's Evening for Parents and  

Teachers 

7 p.m. 

Cody's Books 

1730 Fourth St. 

Rosemary Wells, children's author of dozens of books including Max and Ruby and Noisy Nora, will discuss children, books, and the importance of reading to your children. 527-6667, www.parentsnet.org. 

Trekking in Bhutan 

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment, Inc. 

1338 San Pablo Ave. 

Seasoned traveler, Ruther Anne Kocour will share slides and stories of her adventures trekking in this majestic country. 527-7377 

Take the Terror Out of Talking 

noon - 1:10 p.m. 

Calif. Dept. Health Services 

2151 Berkeley Way 

Room 804 

State Health Toastmasters Club is presenting a six-week Speechcraft workshop to help you overcome your fear of speaking in public and improve your communication skills. Cost is $36 for six sessions, Feb. 28 & March 7, 14, 21. 649-7750. 

The Writing Life 

4:30 p.m. 

North Branch Library 

1170 The Alameda 

Peter S. Beagle will discuss his works and the life and times of a professional writer. 649-3913, www.infopeople.org/bpl. 

Photographing the Famous 

7:30 p.m. 

College Preparatory School Auditorium 

1600 Broadway, Oakland 

Michael Collopy will talk about photographing the famous (Mother Teresa, Frank Sinatra, Mikhail Gorbachev, Nelson Mandela).

State Assemblywoman Dion Aroner (D-Berkeley) and student leaders rallied around a proposed $15 million bond for new student housing at a press conference at UC Berkeley Tuesday morning. 

But Governor Gray Davis and university officials have raised concerns about the politics and language of the proposal. 

The bond gained momentum Monday afternoon when the Assembly’s Appropriations Committee added $15 million for low-income student housing to a larger $2.1 billion housing bond that California voters will likely consider in November. 

The legislature and Governor Gray Davis will have to approve the bond measure before it goes to the voters. 

In order to qualify for the money, universities would have to come up with matching funds, either by dipping into their own budgets or lining up private developers. 

Until now, the state’s public universities have not drawn on taxpayer dollars to pay for housing, depending instead on student fees, donations and other sources. 

Under the current system, Aroner argues, the universities have moved too slowly to address the student housing crisis. If passed, she said, the bond would mark a “paradigm shift” in the way student housing is funded, providing the first-ever direct infusion of public dollars, and stimulating speedier development.  

But the bond amendment faces a number of obstacles. First, Davis has raised concerns about asking the public for too much money in bond issues on the March and November ballots. 

In March, voters will decide on a $2.6 billion parks bond and a $200 million elections equipment bond. In November, the housing bond will likely run alongside a more than $10 billion education bond. 

“You want to have the right amount,” said Sandy Harrison, spokesman for Davis’s Department of Finance. “You want the amount that will do the most good and won’t frighten voters away.” 

Aroner said student housing advocates will have to “be vigilant” to ensure that Davis does not strip away the student housing money. 

Chuck McFadden, spokesman for the University of California system, said UC does not yet have an official position on the student housing bond amendment. 

But he said the university, currently in negotiations with Aroner and State Senator John Burton (D-San Francisco), who authored the larger housing bond, does have some concerns about the language in the amendment. McFadden said the bond should give all UC campuses a shot at the money.  

McFadden would not offer details on the university’s precise concerns with the language. But the amendment, which would provide money to both the UC and California State University systems, gives priority first to development on university-owned land, and second to campuses “suffering from a severe shortage of housing and limited availability of land.” 

Aroner said the “severe shortage” language would likely give a leg up to UC Berkeley, UCLA and other campuses facing the most severe housing crunches.  

Aroner added that only four to five campuses statewide would likely receive bond funding, given the relatively small amount of money involved. She said the state would need to provide about $500 million to address the statewide student housing crisis in a more comprehensive way. 

Another potential concern for the university is the effect of the bond amendment on the rest of the system’s budget. Historically, McFadden said, the university has avoided asking the state for housing money, concerned that it could eat into research and instructional budgets. But he emphasized that the university has not yet raised this concern in talks with Aroner and Burton. 

Students at the press conference said the measure marked an historic step toward addressing a housing crisis at UC Berkeley and at universities statewide. 

“This is a major triumph,” said Josh Fryday, Vice President of External Affairs for the Associated Students of the University of California. “There are students who are living on counches, on the basements of fraternities, who are living in cars.” 

Jimmy Bryant, a fourth-year student at UC Berkeley, said he is sleeping on a couch in a dangerous Oakland neighborhood because it is all he can afford. 

Bryant said that low-income and minority students are the most effected by the housing crunch. 

“This is not just a situation for me,” he said. “You will barely find any minorities living in and around the Berkeley campus.” 

According to a UC Berkeley student survey completed in the fall of 2000, and presented at the press conference, students spent an average of two months looking for an apartment and 55% of their income on housing.  

The St. Mary’s High girls’ basketball team took a 20-point lead in the second half against McKinleyville on Tuesday night in Berkeley, then survived foul trouble and a late push by the visiting Panthers to hold on for a 56-48 win in the first round of the North Coast Section Division IV playoffs. 

McKinleyville narrowed the St. Mary’s lead to just two points on a putback by Kali Wunner that made the score 47-45 with three minutes left in the game. But St. Mary’s freshman guard Natty Fripp scored on two consecutive drives to give her team some space, and McKinleyville never got within striking distance of the lead again. 

St. Mary’s (21-8) moved on to play BSAL rival Kennedy (Richmond) on Thursday in the second round. Kennedy beat the Panthers twice this season, including a comeback win in the league championship game. Thursday’s game will be at Kennedy High at 7:30 p.m. 

Tuesday’s game looked to be an easy win for St. Mary’s until the fourth quarter. The home side was in foul trouble all night, and starters Heidi Spurgeon and Kamaiya Warren both fouled out within a minute of each other, with Warren earning a technical foul for exhibiting her frustration with several questionable calls. 

“I got very angry,” Warren said. “I don’t know what was going on. Maybe the refs didn’t want us to win.” 

St. Mary’s other starters all had four fouls when the game ended. All the fouls sent McKinleyville (20-10) to the line 35 times, but they couldn’t capitalize, making only 14 of their free throws. 

“We played an ugly game, and we fouled them more than was necessary,” St. Mary’s head coach Don Lawson said. “I had to rely on some young players to play a lot of minutes.” 

St. Mary’s still had a 10-point lead when Warren fouled out, but McKinleyville guards Kaitlinn Solinsky and Danielle Hux hit back-to-back 3-pointers, then Wunner’s putback got them within a shot of the lead. 

“I was just praying the best team would win,” Warren said of watching the attempted comeback from the bench. 

The Panthers have one day of practice to get ready for third-seeded Kennedy, a tall task. Deidra Chatman, Kennedy’s 6-foot-6 center, will be a tough matchup for Warren and freshman forward Shantrell Sneed. Chatman scored 20 points in last weekend’s BSAL championship, which the Eagles won 59-54 after trailing by as much as 13 points in the first half. 

“All I can do is play my best defense,” Warren said. “If I do that I’ll be okay, and I think we’ll do fine.” 

Kennedy will likely be without the services of second-leading scorer Rashonda Abercrombia, who showed up at Tuesday’s game at St. Mary’s on crutches. 

“I think we have a very good shot at beating (Kennedy),” Lawson said. “The sheer factor that we played them so close last time gives us a chance.”

It has become clear to me that a civic dialogue needs to be developed in Berkeley on the subject of residential density. The new General Plan harbors many assumptions, some of which may be more justified than others.  

Among its positive points is an excellent discussion and analysis of projected residential density guidelines.  

This discussion in the Land Use Element is marred by the refusal to apply the guidelines to the assessment of individual parcels, leaving the guidelines without relevance to engendering a shared vision of Berkeley.  

This disconnect is worsened by uncertainty that these guidelines will be implemented in ordinance to any recognizable degree. Only 5 of Berkeley's 18 zoning districts with a residential component actually have a development standard for residential density (R-1, R-1A, R-2, R-2A and ES-R). One may hope that, spurred on by the General Plan, a residential density development standard, reflective of the General Plan discussion, will be promulgated for each zoning district having a residential component. 

Howard Muir 

Berkeley

WALNUT CREEK — Bob Teachout knows a thing or two about pigeons. He keeps about 400 of them at his Walnut Creek home and has been racing pigeons for 40 years. 

Now if he only had such a deft touch in dealing with his neighbors who say they’ve grown tired of dead birds on their lawns and pigeon droppings speckled across their homes and sidewalks. 

A city zoning official has ordered Teachout to reduce his roost by half, but he’s appealed that decision. Now he’ll see his disgruntled neighbors again Thursday when the Walnut Creek Planning Commission takes another look at the pigeon problem. 

Most homeowners in Walnut Creek are limited to three pets per household but Teachout is exempt from the limit because he had the birds before the city annexed the land from the county. 

“I want to be able to continue doing what I have been doing ever since I’ve lived here,” Teachout said. 

His neighbors, like Vaughan Bargy, say the pigeons are a cooing nuisance. 

“We’ve got pigeon droppings, dead birds started showing up more and more frequently in my yard,” Bargy said. “There are millions of flies in the warm weather,” and the smell kicks into high gear “when the wind blows the wrong way.” 

Bargy is one of four neighbors that banded together and filed a complaint with the city in November about the raucous roost. 

Teachout said the complaint about flies attracted to his birds and their smell is merely a circumstance of living in the great outdoors. 

“We live in the country,” Teachout said. “There is a slight odor, but it’s not offensive.” 

After investigating the neighbors’ complaint, Walnut Creek zoning administrator Victoria Walker ruled in December that the pigeons were indeed a nuisance. 

With two minutes gone in Tuesday’s North Coast Section first-round game between St. Mary’s High and Antioch High in Berkeley, the visiting Panthers were up 4-3. Then the home Panthers turned up the heat. 

A 20-2 run to finish the first quarter by St. Mary’s (26-2) essentially ended the game, as the St. Mary’s press caused turnovers in bunches. Antioch got back within seven points early in the third quarter, but a 10-1 answering run by St. Mary’s ended any hopes of a comeback. The win was St. Mary’s 20th in a row. 

The St. Mary’s guard duo of DaShawn Freeman and John Sharper dominated the game. Sharper scored a game-high 26 points to go with 5 steals, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, while Freeman was all over the court, scoring 19 points while nabbing 8 steals and dishing out 6 assists. Center Simon Knight had 8 points and 10 rebounds. 

Tyrone Witherspoon led Antioch with 18 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks, with Sean Namanny pitching in with 14 points. 

The 20-2 stomping that put Antioch (16-11) away was St. Mary’s at its best. Freeman got things going with a steal and layup, then lasered a pass to Knight for an open layup. Sharper swiped an Antioch pass for an easy score, and third guard Tim Fanning nailed a 3-pointer. Freeman stole another pass for a Sharper layup, and Knight even got into the thievery, grabbing a sloppy pass and finding freshman Larry Gurganious streaking ahead of the pack for a layup that ended the quarter. 

“They’re tough on the ball, and they all play great defense,” Antioch head coach John Radford said of St. Mary’s. “We haven’t seen that kind of pressure anywhere before.” 

St. Mary’s head coach Jose Caraballo was pleased with his team’s effort early, but lashed into them after they allowed Antioch to climb back within nine points at halftime. 

“We pretty much took care of (Antioch) early, but the kids got a little lazy for a while,” Caraballo said. “But the only thing that matters is winning and playing on Friday.” 

St. Mary’s won the Division IV state championship last season, and Caraballo moved them to the top level for a shot at the big boys. The Panthers will face third seed Bishop O’Dowd at home on Friday. The Dragons beat Berkeley High on a last gasp shot in their first-round game, and Caraballo didn’t seem to see them as much of a threat. 

“(O’Dowd) has no height and no speed,” he said. “That’s a bad combo when you’re playing us. The kids are going to be fired up to play them.”

Editor: 

The historic Cerrito Theater, with its incredible Art Deco murals and interior, is one of El Cerrito's hidden treasures. For forty years, Mr. Kiefer stored furniture in this vintage San Pablo Avenue theater. The new property owner wants to lease the space to a new tenant immediately. Very promising negotiations with the owners of Oakland's Parkway Theater recently stalled. But we believe there is still a chance to bring this 1937 theater back to life. 

We have to act quickly, or the opportunity will slip away and this unique artistic and historic treasure may soon become a discount mattress store. Help us convince the property owner and the City Council that this theater is worth saving. Become a Friend of the Cerrito Theater today: send e-mail to friendsofcerritotheater-subscribe@yahoogroups.com, or call 232-6466. 

Lori Dair 

Friends of the  

Cerrito Theater 

El Cerrito 

In the minds of some, City Council will be taking a step back in the redistricting process, holding a special meeting at noon tomorrow to consider four proposals — not the original two agreed upon last week. 

“We’re right back in the same position we were in last week,” said Berkeley City Manager Weldon Rucker, dismayed by the recent detour the redistricting process appeared to be taken. “I had hoped that by the end of this meeting, we could come up with — parts of this and parts of that — but that it would equal up to something.” 

Rucker cautioned councilmembers last night that unless they narrowed the playing field of possible redistricting plans last night and gave staff some direction it would be a hardship for them to come up with something before the early April deadline. 

But in the minds of some, especially students of the University of California, Berkeley and Elliot Cohen, the author of the plan approved last week, the step back was both welcomed and necessary. 

“This communication back and forth between two factions of council is exactly what I wanted to achieve when I submitted the Nuclear Free plan. I hope they can resolve whatever differences they have and get to a point where the council can actually adopt a plan and reduce the bickering.” 

Last week City Council approved Cohen’s redistricting proposal which featured the least amount of displacement and deviation from census data by a unanimous decision. They also agreed to further discuss a proposal authored by 16-year-old Nick Rizzo, which was glued together more by the community of interest model. 

Last night, additional plans were submitted by Councilmember Worthington and there were two other plans that folded the objective of university students the existing plans of Rizzo and Cohen. The fourth plan to be pored over tomorrow will be Cohen’s original redistricting proposal. 

Councilmember Dona Spring earlier in the debate over possible proposals expressed her frustration with the fact that council was no closer to agreeing upon a proposal than they had been a week prior, but in the end she too seemed to welcome the possibility for negotiation. 

“This is a very political process,” said Councilmember Dona Spring. “And we have to work together to come up with a compromise. We have to do that. You can’t do that for us Mr. City Manager.” 

Contact reporter: devona@berkeleydailyplanet.net  

Editor: 

While peace talks between the Colombian government and the country's largest insurgency group entered into a critical moment last month, some US policymakers asserted their support for US military aid to Colombia to be used in counterinsurgency efforts.  

Currently the 1.28 billion dollars in military aid allocated for 2000, 2001, and 2002 can only be used for explicitly counter-narcotic operations. Allocating even more money for counterinsurgency use would mean slipping further into the quagmire of an endless guerrilla war. Yet there is no proof that a counterinsurgency effort would ever bring peace and stability to this Andean nation.  

A critical look at history points to a need for a politically negotiated settlement that incorporates the concerns of civil society and addresses the root causes of war. Washington needs to change its tone or chance damaging the peace process further. 

On the surface it may appear logical that the Colombian military, given enough assistance, training, and arms from the United States, could effectively quash the major rebel groups. However, Colombian history seems to indicate that lasting peace will require more than a firm hand. Since at least the early 1800s, when colonists led by Simón Bolivar won independence from Spain, Colombia has found itself embroiled in civil war more often than not.  

Spates of violence between peasant groups have wracked the country time and again, with the result almost always being a brief cease-fire until the next match is thrown into the tinderbox because the underlying issues are not addressed.  

The nature of the current conflict also creates a powerful disincentive to fight it militarily. The insurgents are largely Colombian peasants who inhabit the vast jungle or mountainous terrain. Their most effective weapons are not sophisticated missiles or expensive helicopters but crude bombs made from household gas tanks. To “win” this counterinsurgency war would require such draconian civilian repression by the state and its armed forces that it would effectively sow the seeds of the next insurgency group. Colombian peace advocates point to the last time there was a major counterinsurgency campaign in Colombia under the “soft dictatorship” of Rojas Pinilla in the 1950's. Rather than bringing lasting peace, that era of counterinsurgency led to the founding of both major guerrilla groups currently active in Colombia, the FARC and the ELN. 

So why do some policymakers in DC want to increase US military aid and involvement in Colombia's internal conflict? Numerous actors have influenced the debate, including defense manufacturers that profit from increased military aid, international oil companies that own most of the oil fields in Colombia, and the Colombian military itself. Just last week General Fernando Tapias, the head of the Colombian military, returned from a low-profile trip to DC in which he met with Condaleeza Rice and other high-level defense department officials. In addition to legitimate concerns about the efficacy of strengthening the Colombian military, there is a question as to whether the US should be funding a military that both  

the US State Department and Human Rights Watch have documented as having close connections to a terrorist organization, the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC). Although the term “terrorist” has perhaps been over-used recently, the AUC paramilitary is clearly responsible for numerous, horrific atrocities against unarmed civilians. 

While the debate in DC continues to center around military options, a coalition of six governors from southern Colombia has proposed an alternate plan, one that focuses on economic and social solutions to the conflict. A viable economic and social solution, designed by local governments and civil society aware of community needs, may just be what Colombia needs to put an end to a long history of violence. It is no coincidence that the most tranquil moments in Colombian history have come during periods of equitable economic boom. The growth of the coffee industry in the early 20th century is indicative of the trend.  

By providing the small farmer a profitable cash crop, coffee helped to create the broadest economic prosperity that Colombia has known-and also the longest stretch of peace in its history. Since then, coffee prices have plummeted, local markets have been “globalized,” and the results are an ever widening gap between the rich and the poor and increased violence throughout the country. 

A military approach to curbing the violence in Colombia has failed in every attempt. Now is the time to consider locally designed economic and social solutions. 

Kirk Jorgensen 

Today’s Highlight in History: 

One hundred years ago, on Feb. 27, 1902, American author John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, Calif. 

On this date: 

In 1801, the District of Columbia was placed under the jurisdiction of Congress. 

In 1807, poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in Portland, Maine. 

In 1861, in Warsaw, Russian troops fired on a crowd protesting Russian rule over Poland; five marchers were killed. 

In 1922, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the 19th Amendment to the Constitution that guaranteed the right of women to vote. 

In 1933, Germany’s parliament building, the Reichstag, caught fire. The Nazis, blaming the Communists, used the fire as a pretext for suspending civil liberties. 

In 1939, the Supreme Court outlawed sit-down strikes. 

In 1960, the U.S. Olympic hockey team defeated the Soviets, three goals to two, at the Winter Games in Squaw Valley, Calif. (The U.S. team went on to win the gold medal.) 

In 1972, President Nixon and Chinese Premier Chou En-lai issued the Shanghai Communique at the conclusion of Nixon’s historic visit to China. 

In 1973, members of the American Indian Movement occupied the hamlet of Wounded Knee in South Dakota, the site of the 1890 massacre of Sioux men, women and children. (The occupation lasted until May.) 

In 1982, Wayne B. Williams was found guilty of murdering two of the 28 young blacks whose bodies were found in the Atlanta area over a 22-month period. 

Ten years ago:  

William Aramony resigned as president of United Way of America amid charges of financial mismanagement and lavish spending. Former Sen. S.I. Hayakawa died in San Francisco at age 85. 

Five years ago:  

A jury in Fayetteville, N.C., convicted former Army paratrooper James N. Burmeister of murdering a black couple so he could get a skinhead tattoo. (He was later sentenced to life in prison.) Divorce became legal in Ireland. Legislation banning most handguns in Britain went into effect. 

One year ago:  

President Bush went before Congress with a $1.9 trillion spending plan that would sharply reduce growth in many government programs while leaving room to give Americans the biggest tax cut in two decades. 

Today’s Birthdays: 

Actress Joanne Woodward is 72. Actress Elizabeth Taylor is 70. Consumer advocate Ralph Nader is 68. Actress Barbara Babcock is 65. Actor Howard Hesseman is 62. Actress Debra Monk is 53. Rock musician Paul Humphreys (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) is 42. Basketball player James Worthy is 41. Actor Adam Baldwin is 40. Actor Grant Show is 40. Rock musician Mike Cross (Sponge) is 37. Actor Donal Logue is 36. Rhythm-and-blues singer Chilli (TLC) is 31. Rock musician Jeremy Dean (Nine Days) is 30. Rhythm-and-blues singer Roderick Clark is 29. Chelsea Clinton is 22. Rhythm-and-blues singer Bobby Wilson (Mista) is 22. 

Editor: 

I am writing in reference to the 2/26 article about a wrongful detention by the BPD. It seems that I often read angry statements by people so wrongfully detained and their friends or relatives, many times with the implication that their race contributed their mistaken detention. 

I am writing to state the obvious fact that mistaken detentions of this sort are an inevitable consequence of having police protection - even effective police protection. Certainly it is important for the police and us all to do what we can to minimize such mistakes and to rectify them as quickly and painlessly as possible, but some such detentions will have to happen if we are to enjoy the safety of police protection in a civilized society. 

I was myself wrongfully detained in connection with a car theft some years ago. In my case my car looked like a car that had been stolen. The fact that I was a young white male (as the police were looking for) contributed to their mistaking me for the thief. I was detained, patted down, handcuffed, interrogated, and ultimately released after the police had a chance to verify my registration information and identity. I found it a more interesting experience than an evening of chips and sodas. 

I find it difficult to understand how comments like "It's not right" and the notion of "seeking satisfaction" after such an incident can be anything but negative for our society. I certainly agree that such an evening is "a real experience", but to say that the detainees were "humiliated" seems to me to go too far. To me it was the victim of the armed robbery who was most traumatized and it was the police (and perhaps again the victim) who were humiliated by their mistake. 

We're all doing the best we can. Live and learn. 

James Donnelley 

Berkeley 

LOS ANGELES — After a litany of testimony from neighbors saying they were terrorized by two huge dogs, prosecutors showed jurors evidence that the dog owners claimed their presa canarios never scared anyone. 

“Did you ever have any incident whatsoever where your dogs lunged at someone?” a prosecutor had asked Robert Noel during grand jury testimony. 

“No,” said the defendant. 

Some 30 witnesses have come forward to say that the dogs which killed a San Francisco woman had confrontations with their neighbors for months — lunging, snarling, growling and once biting someone. 

“Did you enjoy it when your dogs scared people?” Noel was asked. 

“My dogs never scared people,” Noel told the grand jury which indicted him and his wife, Marjorie Knoller, last March. 

Knoller had testified that Bane, the larger dog which mauled Diane Whipple, 33, never pulled her owner in a way that she could not control. Witnesses have told of seeing Knoller dragged along the ground by the dog. 

Knoller, 48, and Noel, 60, are charged in the Jan. 26, 2001, mauling death of Whipple in their San Francisco apartment building. 

Wednesday’s court session was planned as the most dramatic of the trial so far, focusing on testimony from an elderly neighbor, Esther Birkmaier, who witnessed the mauling of Whipple through a limited view from the peephole on the front door of her apartment. Police and paramedics also were to testify about the bloody death scene. 

Knoller, who was present when Whipple was killed, is charged with second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and having a mischievous animal that killed a human being. Noel faces the latter two charges. 

The trial was moved to Los Angeles due to publicity in San Francisco 

Lawyers on both sides of the case said Tuesday that the jury’s decision will hinge on whether they believe that the couple knew their presa canario dogs, which weighed over 100 pounds each, were dangerous. They told the grand jury they saw no such indications. 

Asked if their dogs acted aggressively toward people, Noel testified: “Not that I can recall.” 

But jurors heard otherwise. 

A self-described “dog fanatic” who admired one of the two huge animals at a dog park said she tried to pet the creature but was frightened away. 

“The dog squared off her chest and made an aggressive stance with her hackles raised a little bit,” witness Cathy Brooks said. “The dog’s tail was straight out. Her ears were flat and she was staring me down. I backed away very slowly.” 

Derek Brown, a resident of the building where the defendants lived, testified he and his wife were terrorized by the dogs three times — the animals lunging at them in the lobby while Noel strained to hold them on leashes. 

“The dogs continued to go berserk at us and I uttered (a profanity) and the man kept walking and said, ’Oh, they’re friendly.’ ... We were left there stunned and amazed,” Brown said. 

He said the incident was repeated twice and he and his wife had decided to report it to the apartment management but had not done so before Whipple’s death. 

John O’Connell, a management consultant, said the dogs terrified his 6-year-old son as he walked him to school in December 2000. 

“One of the dogs lunged at him, his teeth bared, growling and barking. Tmo (a nickname pronounce Tee-mo) just freaked. He jumped back. His eyes were wide. He was frozen. He was totally shocked and terrified,” O’Connell said. 

Noel yanked on the dogs’ leashes and yelled something at them, O’Connell said. On cross-examination, he conceded he thought he heard Noel mutter something like “sorry,” but nothing else. 

Knoller’s attorney, Nedra Ruiz, said outside court that it will be important to jurors that none of the prosecution witnesses filed any kind of complaints about the dogs until after Whipple was dead. 

I would like to compliment you and Peter Crimmins on your report on the Promises screening.  

I have just a few quibbles, in one paragraph, Crimmins says there were heated discussion between the filmmakers "as Goldberg and Shapiro are Jewish, leaning to toward the Israeli side...." One can be Jewish or not and be on any particular side in this conflict. In my case, I am also Jewish and would be classified as not being identified with the typical Israeli side. This is true of most members of a Jewish Voice Peace, a Bay Area progressive Jewish group that may be the largest of its kind in the U.S. We think the U.S. supported Israeli illegal occupation of Gaza and the West Bank is the root cause of the problems in the region.  

Further, if prospects for peace are somehow placed in the hands of children, we might do well in this country to educate our own children in this country on U.S. complicity in supporting the longest occupation in modern history. 

Robert Lipton Ph.D. 

Prevention Research Center 

Berkeley 

SACRAMENTO — Two state senators have introduced legislation to deal with so-called “e-waste,” millions of obsolete computers and televisions that are banned from landfill sites because they contain lead and other toxins. 

California officials on Tuesday estimated more than 6,000 TVs and personal computers end up as detritus every day, many either illegally dumped or relegated to dusty closets before being tossed out. 

“It’s a boom in California,” said Democratic Sen. Gloria Romero, whose Los Angeles-area district includes the nation’s largest landfill. “We shouldn’t be surprised, because it’s Silicon Valley.” 

Romero’s bill, introduced last week, would require manufacturers to initiate collection and recycling programs for hazardous electronic scrap or pay the state to do the job for them. 

A companion bill, introduced by Democratic Sen. Byron Sher, would require consumers to pay a fee upfront — much like a bottle deposit — to cover the cost of disposing cathode ray tubes unless their manufacturer offers a free program. 

Manufacturers worry that a California-only fee or disposal requirement could hurt sales in the nation’s most populous state. 

They’d rather the solution wait until the National Electronics Product Stewardship Initiative — a consortium of government, manufacturing, retailing and environmental interests — compiles its recommendations in another year, said Gino DiCaro of the California Manufacturers and Technology Association. 

DiCaro said any program should be voluntary, such as those offered by IBM and Hewlett-Packard. IBM said it sells an average of about 200 “product take-back kits” each month at about $30 per kit, a fraction of the millions of computers it sells in the United States each year. 

Some local governments have started collecting the old devices in a move to stop illegal dumping, but that could cost them — and ultimately taxpayers statewide — more than $1.2 billion over five years, according to the lobby group Californians Against Waste. 

Editor: 

Are you not also alarmed by the escalating abuses of power and the systematic subversion of our democracy since the Bush regime usurped the White House?  

Despite the media insistence on high popularity ratings for George Bush, I do not hear anything but fear and revulsion coming from the citizens of our country, even from people who are usually deceived. Massive protests are occurring every weekend and dictatorship has become a household word.  

Staggering numbers of starving Afghan moms, dads and children have been bombed in the night. Their country is in ruins. Warlords and the Northern Alliance drug dealers now reign supreme, conveniently aligned with US oil interests. The people of Afghanistan were unfortunately born in the vicinity of oil and for this they were murdered and their country destroyed. How many times will this pattern repeat? 

Hundreds of human beings have been kidnapped and caged in 6x8 foot containers in violation of our constitution and the Geneva Convention.  

They had the audacity to defend themselves when their country was bombed and invaded. Lawsuits have been filed in their behalf by conscientious citizens who are true patriots, defenders of human rights and constitutional law, including former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark. 

Why does Cheney refuse to call his captives POW's? Is it because Congress has not approved or declared war and his regime is in violation of the law?  

Does Bush imagine that declaring war on a noun rather than a nation will camouflage his agenda and that by inventing the term “unlawful combatants” he can escape the penalties of criminal behavior?  

Over 1,200 people have been “detained” who have not yet been charged with a crime or given access to legal counsel. After five months their families still do not know where they are.  

They are being held by the US government because of their ethnic origin, without any evidence that they have committed a crime.  

They are living a Nazi nightmare right here in America.  

Bush has repeatedly made reckless public accusations and threats against sovereign nations he plans to attack, without regard for the law and despite repeated warnings from the international community that they will not condone his abuses of power. His aggression has alarmed the whole world and alienated our allies. His answer? “We do not need anyone's permission.”  

Since when is he king of the world?  

The Bush regime wasted no time, capitalizing on the nation's fear, to decimate the Bill of Rights, and our constitution. Ashcroft rammed a repressive reactionary agenda through Congress disguised as a “Patriot Act” legalizing government wiretapping and internet surveillance of private citizens, police searches of their homes without probable cause, seizure of their property and their assets, and detention of citizens without giving them access to legal counsel.  

There is nothing patriotic about this act. This is blatant fascism. 

Constantly pushing for further extremes the Bush regime then announced its intention to install secret military tribunals with no court of appeal and executions of those whom they denounce. Let us not forget that Martin Luther King's group was listed as a terrorist organization by the FBI.  

Next on the list is mandatory ID cards to track the movements of American citizens, and a so-called “Homeland Security” force to control domestic society. Would anyone agree to this fascist agenda without the constantly reinforced fear of “terrorist threats?”  

Laws protect us when emotions are untrustworthy. It is precisely because people are irrational when they are afraid, that we have laws. This is no time to abandon the well thought out laws that have made America safe for democracy.  

For Bush's permanent war on anyone, anywhere, any time he is demanding $450 billion.  

Like his tax cut for the ultra wealthy, this transfer of funds from the public treasury to private coffers will be good for Wall Street, campaign contributors and the billionaire's club.  

Bush plans to pay for his bloated defense contracts with our social security pensions and says cheerfully he doesn't mind at all having a big budget deficit.  

Why should he?  

It won't affect him.  

That Congress would even consider granting this wish is completely outrageous. 

We depend on our representatives to uphold the constitution, spend our money on the public good and protect the earth we all share. We depend on our courts to be rational, fair and undeceived. It has become all to evident in the past fourteen months that our trust has been betrayed again and again. 

Ari Fleischer warned Americans to “watch what you say.” It would be inappropriate to question the regime while they are in the midst of global mayhem and murder.  

When is it appropriate to confront a tyrant?  

There is nothing patriotic about destroying the Bill of Rights. There is nothing patriotic about bankrupting America for a killing spree. There is nothing patriotic about dying for oil. There is nothing patriotic about surrendering to fascism. There is nothing patriotic about remaining silent. Exercise your freedom of speech while you still have it.  

Nancy Alexander 

SALINAS — The town that once labeled homegrown author John Steinbeck a “no-good” is hosting dinners and parties in his honor to celebrate what would have been his 100th birthday. 

Residents and tourists alike were to gather in Salinas and neighboring Monterey on Wednesday to mark the occasion and celebrate the enduring popularity of Steinbeck’s stories. 

“So many people worldwide form a vision of California through Steinbeck’s writings,” said Amanda Holder, director of marketing for the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas. “They come to look at the places he wrote about and they’ve seen themselves in the characters.” 

Wednesday’s celebrations begin with city leaders, schoolchildren and Steinbeck’s son, Thom, singing happy birthday at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas. 

Later in the evening, the Steinbeck House — a restaurant housed in the roomy, two-story Victorian house where Steinbeck was born and raised — is hosting a $100-per-plate birthday dinner, followed by music and festivities on Monterey’s Cannery Row. 

SAN FRANCISCO — After less than two months on the job, the western regional director for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Monday he was fired. 

After being placed on administrative leave until March 1, Richard Mallory said he received a letter from HUD Deputy Secretary Alphonso Jackson notifying him that his services were no longer needed. 

Mallory said there was no reason for him to be dismissed. 

Based out of San Francisco, Mallory was appointed by President Bush in January to oversee HUD operations in four western states, including California. 

The dismissal comes shortly after Mallory announced he would closely watch the HUD-controlled San Francisco Housing Authority, an organization that provides 25,000 low-income residents with affordable housing. Mallory said Monday he had raised questions about the organizations management and current HUD officials. The organization has been plagued with problems during the past few years. A former Housing Authority official was convicted of selling rent vouchers in 2000. 

SAN JOSE – Hewlett-Packard Co. and Compaq Computer Corp. have cleverly hidden that their chief executives would reap tens of millions of dollars if their $21.5 billion merger goes through, the deal’s leading opponent charged Tuesday. 

With the proxy fight growing ever nastier, HP director Walter Hewlett – a member of the board’s compensation committee – said plans drawn up last fall would bring Carly Fiorina and Michael Capellas a total of $117.4 million over two years. 

HP said no such plans ever existed and accused Hewlett of trying to mislead investors. 

HP and Compaq have revealed that thousands of key employees and executives would get $634 million in bonuses if they remain at the combined company after the deal is completed. The bonuses are an incentive to stay on during the tough integration process. 

The companies also have said HP’s Fiorina turned down the chance to get a post-merger bonus of $8 million, and Compaq’s Capellas rejected a potential $14.4 million, because both wanted to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest as they fight to sell the deal. 

While that may be admirable, Hewlett contends it is not the whole story – because both Fiorina and Capellas would be in line for big pay raises that go far beyond what they could have gotten with those post-merger bonuses. 

Hewlett believes HP shareholders who will vote on the deal on March 19 have the right to know what the CEOs’ compensation could turn out to be, since it might be a significant cost. 

So he disclosed that HP came up with a new two-year contract for Fiorina worth $69.8 million in salary, bonuses and new stock options. The board also drew up plans to give Capellas – who would be president and chief operating officer of the new HP – $47.6 million in salary, bonuses and options over the same period, Hewlett said. 

Fiorina’s salary is $1 million, and her stock options are essentially worthless at HP’s current stock price. Capellas made $1.6 million in 2001. Neither executive received a bonus. 

Hewlett said the packages were agreed upon and approved by the board, and detailed in a “side letter” – separate to the merger agreement – from HP attorney Larry Sonsini to a Compaq lawyer. 

In fact, Hewlett said the minutes of a Sept. 20 meeting of his three-director compensation committee reveal that Fiorina’s new package had been approved, although details on how her stock options were to be priced had yet to be worked out. 

But at some point, Hewlett said, someone added to the minutes that the committee had ultimately decided Fiorina’s entire package would have to be “reconsidered at a future meeting.” Hewlett said he was unaware of any such decision by the committee. 

HP is trying to “hide the ball,” Hewlett said. 

But Sonsini said there is nothing to hide. Capellas and Fiorina floated some general terms for future pay packages, but the board found them unacceptable and decided to put off the talks until after the merger’s completion, Sonsini said in an interview. 

Those early discussions did not include the specific figures Hewlett cited, Sonsini said. 

Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, associate dean of Yale University’s School of Management, called the pay packages as described by Hewlett “obscenely high.” 

“I actually have a high regard for Carly Fiorina, but I’m disappointed this information hadn’t been revealed,” he said. 

Sonnenfeld said that if the packages were detailed in the side letter, it could be a binding agreement that should be disclosed to shareholders. Sonsini said the side letter was in no way binding. 

HP shares rose 3 cents to $20.01 on the New York Stock Exchange, where Compaq stock fell 20 cents, nearly 2 percent, to $10.40.

BEVERLY HILLS – A group of independent record labels and small businesses that serve the recording industry believes jobs will be lost if recording artists are allowed to break their contracts before labels recoup their investments. 

The newly formed group calling itself the California Music Coalition said Tuesday its members oppose efforts by high-profile musicians to repeal a state law that prevents recording artists from terminating contracts after seven years. 

The group is backed by the major record companies. But the smaller labels and companies that press compact discs, make packaging and even provide limousines fear hundreds of jobs will be lost if the law is repealed because labels will not have enough money to nurture and support new acts. 

“We’re already in a soft economy, we’re already experiencing cuts and we can’t afford to lose any more jobs,” said Gary Suzuki, who operates a printing press at Ivy Hill Packaging in Vernon, a company of 250 employees that prints inserts that accompany CDs. 

Smaller companies believe it’s unfair for successful musicians such as Don Henley and Courtney Love to paint the major labels as villains who force artists to produce recordings and refuse to let them seek more lucrative deals elsewhere. 

Henley and other artists claim the California law is unfair because it binds musicians to contracts longer than it holds other people who work under so-called “personal services” arrangements. 

The exception was granted after record labels argued it often takes as many as seven recordings, which can take more than seven years to produce, before they recoup their investment on artists. 

Most recording contracts require a certain number of recordings from artists, regardless of how many years it takes to produce them. 

Henley and other artists, including Billy Joel, No Doubt and the Dixie Chicks, were performing a series of benefit concerts Tuesday night in the Los Angeles area to benefit the Recording Artists Coalition. The artists are demanding new relations with record labels, including fairer contracts and more oversight of accounting practices. 

At a time when record sales are plummeting and profit margins are thin, the record companies want assurances that the millions of dollars they spend to promote and nurture new acts will be repaid from the profits generated by the few musicians who find major success.

By Jia-Rui Chong 

Special to the Daily Planet 

Students at University of California, Berkeley were “disgusted and disappointed” by the rejection of their redistricting plan at last Tuesday’s city council meeting, said Josh Fryday, External Affairs Vice President of the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC).  

The ASUC redistricting proposal, which would have made students 60 percent of the District 7 population, was part of the students’ long-term fight to elect one of their own to the Berkeley City Council.  

“The thing is, this is the first opportunity that has come up in years–because redistricting only comes up every 10 years–for a student to be elected to city council,” said Fryday. “My first reaction was that they’re scared of having a student sitting on city council.” Berkeley citizens were invited to submit their own proposals after the Citizens for Fair Representation successfully challenged the accepted redistricting plan last October. On Feb. 19, the city council decided to approve two of the five plans for further consideration.  

Modifications on the plans drawn up by Elliot Cohen of Nuclear Free Berkeley and Berkeley High School student Nick Rizzo will be heard tonight. 

The proposal drafted by the ASUC would have increased the student population in District 7 by four percent by incorporating part of District 8. Fryday said that this plan represented the best attempt to bring as many students as possible into one district under the constraints of the city charter. Their first proposal was rejected because it did not follow the charter, which says that new district maps must follow established lines as closely as possible. 

Fryday blasted the current plans for trying to divide and conquer students. “The simple truth is, students are just like any other Berkeley neighborhood. We want a chance to have our voice be heard. We want to be kept whole and united. We don’t want special treatment, but we do want fair treatment,” he said. 

“Some people tell me it’s not good for students, but I don’t buy that,” he said. Of the 1000 people moved into District 8 under his plan, he said, only 675 are students. All the proposals except the ASUC’s would also have moved the student-populated Foothill Dormitories into District 8. 

Councilmember Kriss Worthington, who represents District 7 and who is usually the most vocal in supporting student concerns, said that he did not support the ASUC proposal because it was not practical. 

“Someone who is not a good student candidate won’t get elected by four percent,” he said. “A good student could win in District 7 now. A good student could win in District 8 now.” 

Fryday, however, dismissed arguments that the ASUC plan was impractical.  

“The plan submitted met every redistricting criteria established by the city. The only criteria it didn’t meet was that it didn’t continue to promote the current undemocratic, disenfranchising status quo.” 

Mayor Shirley Dean, who said she thought the students’ plan was “fair” and voted for it last Tuesday, put the rejection down to politics.  

“Kriss Worthington doesn’t want a student running against him despite his statements that he wants students to run for council.” 

Worthington, however, defended his support of students and said that his opposition to the ASUC proposal had nothing to do with who would run against him.  

“In one month and in this last year, I’ve involved more students in Berkeley government than she [Dean] has in several decades,” said Worthington. He rejected the ASUC plan, he said, because it made it hurt students who might want to run for office in District 8, where there is a significant student population. 

Councilmember Linda Maio said politics had nothing to do with the way she voted. She abstained because she wanted to support the principle of student participation in local government without giving this particular plan the thumbs up.  

“I didn’t want to discount the students and say, ‘No, you don’t have a role.’ I’m glad they’re coming in and talking and participating. But I knew there were other proposals that kept working constituencies and neighborhoods together.” 

She said she did not like the way the ASUC plan split up the Bateman neighborhood in particular and supported the Nuclear Free Berkeley plan because it drew neater lines. 

“Someone’s ox is going to get gored because we have to balance all of these different interests,” Maio said. 

The ASUC is trying to roll with the punches. At tonight’s council meeting, it will propose revisions that bump up the number of students in District 7 while working within the basic accepted guidelines. It will also keep pushing for a ballot measure to amend the city charter so that completely new redistricting plans can be drawn. 

“Frankly, the reforms that the students want are going to have to go through the charter amendment, not this process,” said Cohen. “It’s really sad that the students are being used as pawns in a political game.” 

Editor: 

Q: What's the difference between the top management of Enron Corporation and the administration of the Berkeley Unified School District?  

A: not much, apparently. In Berkeley, we have a top-heavy politically-correct administration made up of people who cannot add, cannot administer and cannot audit. 

How can you possibly spend seven million dollars that you don't have? Credit card bills? Cell-phone bills? 

Practicing "whole math"(where students were encouraged to invent their own answers in math, as: 2 + 2 = 7)? 

By hiding debt offshore in the Farallon Islands?  

These folks are trying to pass the blame onto “old obsolete computers,” but that argument won't wash. 

Spreadsheets, such as Lotus123 and Excel have been functioning perfectly well for the last fifteen or twenty years. Obviously, some Berkeley school administrators said, “Who cares? Let the good times roll. Its only public money and we can always get more of that from the suckers (tax payers).” 

Computers and computer software are dumb, blind machines. If you put garbage in, you get garbage out. 

Simple. It is obvious that the administrators of the Berkeley Unified School District could not be bother to add, check on software to see that it included all ongoing expenses and then audit the results at the end of each school year. Remedial arithmetic classes are indicated. 

James K. Sayre 

Oakland

Tuesday, Feb. 26

Berkeley Camera Club 

7:30 p.m. 

Northbrae Community Church 

941 The Alameda 

Share your slides and prints and learn what other photographers are doing. 525-3565. 

The Legal Challenges of Parenting Facing LGBT Couples 

5:30 - 7:30 p.m. 

UC Berkeley 

Boalt Hall, Room 100 

An informal wine and cheese reception will follow the panel discussion. 415-551-1275, boaltcaucus@yahoo.com. 

Berkeley Organization for  

Animal Advocacy Presents:  

Dr. Ned C. Buyukmihci 

7 p.m. 

UC Berkeley 

204 Wheeler Hall 

Buyukmihci will speak about the ethical dangers of animal experimentation. 925-487-4419, http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~boaa/. 

Wednesday, Feb. 27

Berkeley Gray Panthers 

1:30 p.m. 

North Berkeley Senior Center 

1901 Hearst Ave. 

Defending and improving Medicare. 548-9696, graypanthers@hotmail.com.  

Berkeley Mental Health Commission 

6:30 p.m. 

2640 Martin Luther King Jr. Way 

Auditorium 

Berkeley mental health clinic. 644-8562. 

Poetry Workshop 

5:30 - 7:30 p.m. 

Berkeley Art Center 

1275 Walnut St. 

The Literary Arts Program at the Berkeley Art Center is starting a weekly, 3 month poetry workshop facilitated by Rob Lipton. All levels welcome. 665-1662. 

Thursday, Feb. 28

Cody's Evening for Parents and Teachers 

7 p.m. 

Cody's Books 

1730 Fourth St. 

Rosemary Wells, children's author of dozens of books including Max and Ruby and Noisy Nora, will discuss children, books, and the importance of reading to your children. 527-6667, www.parentsnet.org. 

Trekking in Bhutan 

7 p.m. 

Recreational Equipment, Inc. 

1338 San Pablo Ave. 

Seasoned traveler, Ruther Anne Kocour will share slides and stories of her adventures trekking in this majestic country. 527-7377 

Take the Terror Out of Talking 

noon - 1:10 p.m. 

Calif. Dept. Health Services 

2151 Berkeley Way 

Room 804 

State Health Toastmasters Club is presenting a six-week Speechcraft workshop to help you overcome your fear of speaking in public and improve your communication skills. Cost is $36 for six sessions, Feb. 28 & March 7, 14, 21. 649-7750. 

Friday, March 1

March 1 

Tropical Trees and Sustainable  

Development in West Africa  

3 - 5 p.m. 

UC Berkeley 

103 Mulford Hall 

Roger Leakey of James Cook University, Australia will present some of his recent work on developing indigenous fruit and nut trees to produce marketable products beneficial to resource-poor rural and peri-urban households in West Africa. Discussion and Q&A. 643-4200, http://cnr.berkeley.edu/BeahrsELP. 

Sunday, March 3

Shaping a just U.S. Policy in the Middle East 

2 - 7:30 p.m. 

International House 

2299 Piedmont Ave. 

Join Bay Area peace, social justice and faith-based organizations for a two- day conference focusing on the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, Iraq, Afghanistan and the impact these policies on civil rights and democracy in the U.S. 415-565-0201 x26, www.afsc.org/wagingpeace. 

It was not exactly the way Reza Mokhtari-Fox had planned to spend the better part of his Friday night. Eighteen-year-old Fox and his two friends went up to the corner store on University and Sacramento for chips and sodas. Shortly after leaving, they were accosted by approximately 13 police officers, six cars and immediately shuttled off to jail.  

The arresting officer, Fox said, though it was difficult to tell with a barrage of white lights in their face, told them they had been positively identified as perpetrators who had just robbed a senior by gunpoint. 

The suspects were three African American males. Fox is Mediterranean. The arresting officer Caucasian. 

“My son called me and told me to come help him,” said Mahmood Mokhtari, Fox’s father. “When I got there they said it was a ‘$20,000 bail.’ I called lawyers. I called bail bonds. I never had to deal with anything like this. I know my son, he would no hurt a fly, not to mention a robbery at gunpoint.” 

After three and a half hours, Fox and his friends were released much to the relief of their families. 

“At first I didn’t want to say anything. I didn’t want to make things worse for him, but afterwards I started to get angry. This is my son. He doesn’t even look like a black man. It’s like saying all Mexican’s, all brown people are black,’” Mokhtari said. 

“It makes me think they had just started arresting every group of black kids in the vicinity,” he added. 

Fox, a freshman at Vista Community College said that when the officers questioned him he and his friends combined had less than $30 on their person and no weapons. 

“I also had an alibi for the whole day but it didn’t matter,” Fox said. “When they finally let us go — I mean they didn’t even listen to anyone until my mother, a white woman showed up — they acted as if they were doing us a favor.” 

Berkeley Police Department could not comment yesterday on this incident. But police documents do verify that the three youths were detained and let go after approximately three and a half hours. 

At this point Fox and his father are looking for satisfaction.  

“We are contacting the Police Review Board. We’ve already contacted the NAACP and I’ve spoken with my councilmember Dona Spring. It’s not right,” Mokhtari said. 

“My friends were kind of traumatized by the whole thing,” Fox said. “It’s a real experience to be locked in a jail cell and not know when you are going to get out. 

You don’t think this kind of thing is going to happen, especially here in Berkeley. It is supposed to be the most liberal city — built on freedom or whatever.” 

Ironically enough the incident occurred weeks after Mokhtari had returned from visiting relatives in Iran — where he fled for the sake of freedom. 

“I had just came back from I ran, the Axis of Evil, right? And I come home to this. And of all places, in Berkeley, if a kid can not go down the street and buy a pack of chips without getting busted and humiliated where else do we have to go?” Mokhtari asked. 

Contact reporter: devona@berkeleydailyplanet.net 

Editor: 

Last Tuesday night, some members of the City Council rejected the only redistricting plan that would have significantly increased the chance for a student to be elected to the city council. In doing so, they sent a message to nearly a quarter of the city’s population that politicians, who are only concerned with keeping themselves in power, run this city.  

Kriss Worthington, who likes to call students one of his closest political allies, justified voting against those same students by saying the plan wasn’t "practical."  

In fact, the plan submitted met every redistricting criteria established by the city. The only criteria it didn’t meet was that it didn’t continue to promote the current undemocratic, disenfranchising status quo.  

While Worthington accused other members of the council of paying "lip-service" to the interest of students, his vote sent a message loud and clear that issues students care about – low-income housing, safer streets, and a cleaner city – are not priorities. 

Through their actions, the members of the council have essentially disenfranchised 22% of the city for the next ten years. Even more disgraceful, they have argued that students are actually better off divided and diluted among several districts. It is a sad comment that in one of the most progressive cities in country, members of our city council actually feel comfortable using the same arguments that have been used to fight the Voting Rights Act and to disenfranchise racial and ethnic minorities for decades.  

The simple truth is, students are just like any other Berkeley neighborhood. We want a chance to have our voice be heard. We want to be kept whole and united. We don’t want special treatment, but we do want fair treatment. 

Though individual students come and go from Berkeley, the student commitment to this city has never left. We have to worry about the same tight housing market that forces many to choose between paying the rent and eating dinner. We have to worry about driving on and walking across the same busy streets. We have to worry at night that we may one day become another crime statistic. And just like every other resident in Berkeley, we want to participate in the process of solving these problems. 

Hopefully, in the weeks ahead, the council will teach students a better lesson. They will be able to show that politicians can get beyond petty political gamesmanship. They will be able to show that elected officials can learn to put their own interests after those of the citizens who put them into office. And if they don’t, those same officials may have to learn the lesson that those same citizens can vote them out of office too.  

As a representative of 31,000 students, and 22,000 members of the Berkeley community, I have been fighting throughout this whole re-districting process for fair representation of students. I only hope that now, members of the city council don’t relinquish their responsibility to represent Berkeley students and citizens too. 

Josh Fryday 

University of California, Berkeley 

Tonight a packed City Council agenda includes the appeal of the proposed Library Gardens development and at least one councilmember is saying there’s a good chance the project will soon top its last hurdle towards breaking ground. 

The five-story, 176-unit downtown residential development has been proposed by TransAction Companies.  

The road thus far has been paved with obstacles for the project.  

It had to clear the Landmarks Preservation Commission and Design Review Committee before going to the Zoning Adjustments Board. It also faced some formidable citizen opposition. In addition, this process has been criticized by at least one councilmember. TransAction Senior Vice President John DeClercq, who originally proposed a mix of 196 one- and two-bedroom units of undisclosed rents last June, was originally turned down. Later, he was told by a councilmember, according to Worthington of a decision that was made behind closed doors. 

Six months later, 20-units shy of the original proposal and time for public comment on the proposal, it appears that the city and the developer have come up with something both parties can agree upon. 

“This appears like it is going to be the last hurdle for this project,” said Councilmember Dona Spring. “I think we might be able to finally move forward on this and that will mean 176-units downtown. 

Councilmember Kriss Worthington said that DeClercq would also include a public plaza, an outdoor children’s’ play area, ground-level retail space and expanded parking underground. 

With its 176 units, the complex would contain nearly twice as many apartments as the recently-approved Gaia Building, which Patrick Kennedy’s Panoramic Interests is building almost directly across Shattuck Avenue. 

In fact, it will be one of the largest housing developments ever built in Berkeley. Twenty percent of the project will be affordable to low and moderate income people.

Editor: 

The recent Zoning Adjustments Board public hearing on Valentines Day evening apparently lasted a "heartbreaking" seven plus hours until well past 2:00 a.m. the following morning. When meetings involving complex civic issues last longer than 4-5 hours, the quality of discourse between board/commission members and with the public is inexorably subject to the law of diminishing returns. 

Most board/commission members, the public at large, and the press are not retired or independently wealthy and therefore work for a living and have worked the day of the meeting and will no doubt work the next day 

-- exhaustion leaps to mind. If a meeting that begins at 7:00 p.m. cannot be completed by approximately 11:00 p.m., then there are too many agenda items prepared for the meeting by City staff. Barring any other rational explanation, then one must question whether this frequent breakdown in process at public meetings is possibly being staged and/or manipulated by city politicians, their staffs, and their principal political/financial supporters to discourage public input and derail adequate press coverage on controversial issues before the boards and commissions. 

The City Attorney should note that this breakdown is a serious matter that is encroaching on the effectiveness of open city government and fairness for the public that merits investigation by appropriate authorities and the press should the City staffs who prepare the board/commission agendas not clean up their act. So I ask the public and the press: Are you being served? If not, speak up now. 

David Olson 

Berkeley

Strong support on the Board of Education may save the music program from substantial cuts. 

Superintendent Michele Lawrence has recommended that the board, which must cut about $6 million to balance next year’s budget, layoff music program coordinator Suzanne McCulloch, assign her duties to one or more elementary school principals and reduce the number of full-time teaching positions from 11.5 to 9.1. 

But, board members say protecting teacher positions will be a top priority, and at least two have raised concerns about cutting the coordinator position, put in place this year. 

“I don’t think there’s any question that the program has benefited tremendously from the coordinator and there needs to be a person to do that work,” said Shirley Issel, president of the school board. “I hate to see a program that’s suffering from a lack of leadership.” 

“As competent as our principals are, they’re also overworked,” said board member John Selawsky. 

Selawsky argued that in the past administration of the program by principals has not worked. 

But board member Ted Schultz cautioned that budgetary realities will play a role in any final decision. 

“This is the first year we’ve had someone as a coordinator and it seems to be making an impact,” he said. “On the other hand, we’re in a budget pinch.” 

About half of the funding for the coordinator’s position comes from the Berkeley Schools Excellence Project, a special local tax, a quarter from state grants and a quarter from private grants. 

One of the private grants, a $10,000 award from the East Bay Community Foundation, will not be renewed next year. 

Chris Lim, associate superintendent of instruction, said McCulloch has done great work, but added that the financially-strapped district is concerned about picking up the $10,000 tab. But Issel said she is confident the district can find money to fill the hole. 

By all accounts, the music program had its share of problems before this year. There was no coherent district-wide curriculum, instruments were lost or went unrepaired, and there were constant scheduling problems, said teachers and parents. 

“The program has improved a lot with the coordinator,” said Rita Kimball, principal of Washington School. 

District music teachers say McCulloch, and her assistant Annette Lys, have done invaluable work by cataloguing instruments, organizing professional development and bringing instructors together. 

Karen Wells, a music teacher at the elementary and high school levels, praised McCulloch for helping to create a unified curriculum. 

“That would never of happened if Suzanne weren’t here,” Wells said. 

“This is the first year that many of us have been evaluated,” added Greg Gomez, who teaches woodwinds and brass at the fourth- and fifth-grade levels. 

“I’m a beginning teacher,” said Madeline Prager, another music instructor. “Suzanne has given me valuable tips.” 

Henry Viets, another music teacher, said McCulloch has been an effective advocate with school principals.  

“Approaching the principal as one music teacher, there an hour and a half a week, is not really effective,” he said. “(McCulloch) has made our lives so much better.” 

But music supporters say preservation of the coordinator position is not enough. Michael Kelley, co-chair of the Music Curriculum Committee, said the program cannot afford to lose 2.4 full-time teaching positions, as proposed by the superintendent.  

“We’re already operating at a bare bones minimum,” he said. 

“If we lose some teachers, we will be overwhelmed,” added Viets. “It will be horrendous.” 

Viets said the prospect of a smaller staff, and a growing workload, already had some teachers looking elsewhere. “Some of us are already preparing our resumes,” he said. 

Teachers also bemoaned the effect of layoffs on students, arguing that music helps to nurture creativity and build self-esteem. 

“You just can’t believe the feelings those kids have when they’re coming off the stage,” said Prager. 

Susan Medak, chair of the Berkeley Arts in Education Steering Committee, which advises the board, pointed to studies showing higher graduation rates, less absenteeism and greater parental involvement when students take part in music and the arts. 

Board members reached by the Planet said they value the music program and will try to preserve as many teachers as they can. Lawrence herself, at a school board meeting last week, signaled her support for music teachers.  

Jesse Anthony, a music teacher for 33 years, said he is confident of Lawrence’s support in the end. “She supports music,” he said. “She understands it.” 

Lawrence could not be reached for this story by deadline. 

Well, the other shoe just dropped.  

Berkeley Unified School District just slashed its budget by almost one-third.  

So much for educating our children. 

Meanwhile, the United States of America, land of the free, easily came up with the mega-bucks necessary to kill thousands of women and children in Afghanistan (probably by raiding our social security reserves). 

As we slide into giving this country's wealth over to total military armament, please remember Hitler, Mussolini and Tojo (the original evil axis):  

While they were out trying to conquer the world, the German, Italian and Japanese people slowly slid into deprivation, devastation and want. 

Now that Bush, Ashcroft and Rumsfeld are trying to convince us to live on munitions stockpiling and media hype also, it's time to ask ourselves -- what will OUR post-war world be like? 

When planning our future, always remember this simple home truth: WAR CREATES NOTHING. WAR IS A HUNGRY BEAST WHO DESTROYS ITS KEEPERS AS WELL AS ITS PREY. 

Jane Stillwater 

Berkeley

Language barriers, poor air quality and a lack of access to quality health care have contributed to an asthma crisis among California Latinos, according to a report released Monday by San Francisco-based Latino Issues Forum. 

“The cases are rising to an epidemic level in California,” said Raquel Donoso, senior program manager at the Issues Forum. 

Berkeley Latinos, however, may be faring better than the statewide community, according to the latest figures compiled by the city. 

According to statewide data from the California Department of Health Services, Latinos were hospitalized for asthma at a rate of 106 per 100,000 between 1995 and 1997, compared to 100 for non-Hispanic whites and 355 for African-Americans, who had the highest rates.  

In Alameda County the overall numbers were similar. But for children 14 and under, hospitalization rates were considerably higher than the statewide average. Among Latinos for instance, 265 per 100,000 were hospitalized for asthma, compared to 183 statewide. 

According to 1999 data compiled by the city, 89 children ages one to 19 were hospitalized for asthma. Forty-nine were African-American, 22 were white, eight were Asian, six were “other,” and only three were Latino. 

Dr. Jose Ducos, medical epidemiologist for the city, said there is no cut and dry explanation for the disparity in Berkeley and county-wide figures. But he noted that the Latino population is comparatively small in Berkeley, composing about 10 percent of the total. 

Ducos added that, according to several medical indicators, Berkeley’s Latino population is relatively healthy. He suggested that low asthma hospitalization rates may reflect that overall health. 

But Ducos and other health care professionals in the area warned that hospitalization figures are an inexact measure. Good preventative care in a given area might prevent hospitalization, a lack of health insurance may keep certain populations away from long-term care and, most important, hospitalization figures reflect only the worst cases, they said. 

Ducos is working on a city-wide mail survey, scheduled to be completed this summer, that will give officials a better idea for the prevalence of asthma and other chronic diseases. 

Medical research on the causes of asthma is inconclusive, but doctors say that dust, cigarette smoke and other pollutants act as triggers for asthma attacks.  

Dr. Sue Haverkamp, associate medical director for pediatrics at La Clinica de La Raza in Oakland, said many of her Latino patients suffer from asthma. 

She attributes the high incidence to socio-economic conditions, noting that low-income patients tend to live in overcrowded and unsanitary dwellings that produce dust, cockroach dander and other asthma triggers.  

According to Donoso, of the Issues Forum, two in three overcrowded households statewide are Latino.  

The Issues Forum report makes several recommendations for reaching out to this population. The Forum calls on the state to develop more Spanish-language asthma information, launch a statewide education campaign and provide money to hire more school nurses, among other things. 

The report also calls on local schools to provide more asthma information and train teachers on the basics. Next year, the Ethnic Health Institute at Alta Bates-Summit Medical Center in Berkeley will conduct public education on asthma in the Berkeley and Oakland schools. The Institute will also work in Berkeley and Oakland public housing. 

Barefoot worms have it rough 

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Things aren’t looking good for a barefoot bookworm. 

Robert Neinast has sued the Columbus Metropolitan Library, saying that the ban on going barefoot there blocks a healthy lifestyle and his First Amendment rights. 

During a hearing Friday in U.S. District Court, Judge Algenon Marbley told Neinast, a software writer from nearby Pickerington, that he wasn’t inclined to let the case go to trial. 

The library’s attorney, Philomena Dane, told the judge that the library has the policy to protect patrons’ safety and avoid injury lawsuits. 

Dane said Saturday that Neinast failed to make the case that going barefoot is a form of expression. 

“One doesn’t know what the message is,” she said. 

Neinast wore a dark suit and black shoes in court. 

“As I said in my affidavit, I wear shoes on formal occasions, and it doesn’t get much more formal than this,” he said after the hearing. 

The legal eagle has landed 

NEWARK, N.J. — A legal eagle is coming back to the federal courthouse in Newark. 

The 2-ton, hand-carved limestone eagle, which sat at the base of the flagpole at the old courthouse for decades, will be unveiled March 5 during ceremonies at the federal courthouse. 

The eagle vanished in the late 1930s, around the time when the old courthouse was demolished. However, few were aware of its disappearance until members of the U.S. District Court Historical Society in New Jersey commissioned a comprehensive study of the state’s federal courts. 

During their work, researchers unearthed a 1938 newspaper article about the statue. Investigators soon tracked it to a Montclair home once owned by B. Palmer Davidson, a former writer for The Star-Eagle, a predecessor of The Star-Ledger of Newark. The statue was cemented onto the side of a brick structure attached to a garage wall in his back yard, where it remained for many years. 

The eagle was removed from the home in November and has been refurbished. 

How many students does it take to change a light bulb? 

CHICAGO — The University of Chicago finally has its own answer to a vexing question: How many students does it take to change a light bulb? 

Mary Ruth Yoe, the editor of the school’s alumni magazine, decided students there had gone long enough without a good University of Chicago answer so she asked for contributions. Scores of responses followed. 

“Change it to what?” answered Michael P. Richard. “We were taught to define terms.” 

Another entry argued that the answer depended on whether the students are undergrads or graduate students. 

The answer for undergrads? “Four. One to change it and three to complain about how hard it was.” 

For graduate students, though, the answer was, “Just one. But it takes seven years.” 

Yesterday afternoon the Academy Award –nominated film, “Promises,” up for Best Documentary Feature, screened at the Pacific Film Archive as part of the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival. It was the first time the film by Berkeley-based filmmakers Carlos Bolado and Justine Shapiro, and San Francisco-based B.Z. Goldberg, had been screened in the Bay Area. 

The film’s distributor, Cowboy Pictures, will give the film a limited theatrical release in March and April. 

Following seven children, both Israeli and Palestinian in the West Bank, the film sought to give voice to the young people and actively attempt to bring them together as a way toward creating peace. The hope, it would seem, lies in trying to bring children together before their political biases become insurmountable. 

The difficulty is that even young children are not clean slates – they are not innocent of war, or the contagious hatred of war. Listening to their elders, throwing stones in the street, and watching their friends and family become "martyrs" (i.e. killed), the 10 year-old kids come loaded with political baggage against their neighbors.  

The next generation, the film suggests, is not more innocent than its predecessor. But it may be more hopeful. They certainly have a better sense of humor than their respective Ministers and Presidents. A playground scene of a Jewish vs. Palestinian belching contest could do more to the peace process than the hot air traded across official negotiation tables. 

Carlos Bolado, editor and co-director of "Promises," spoke to the audience after the screening of the film yesterday afternoon. He said the editing was a year-long process hampered by many difficulties. For one, he had hundreds of hours of videotape of kids speaking Hebrew and Arabic, two languages Bolado doesn’t speak. Also the political nature of the film incited long, heated discussions between the three filmmakers, as Goldberg and Shapiro (Bolado’s wife) are Jewish, leaning toward the Israeli side, and Bolado calls himself a political leftist who tends to side with the Palestinians. 

The film goes beyond documenting the children’s lives, becoming an active participant. After selecting a handful of subjects from as wide a swath of backgrounds as their were able – male and female, Israeli and Palestinian, Jewish and secular – the directors and co-producers Goldberg and Shapiro arranged for all their conflicting subjects to come together to meet and talk and play. 

Some of the children agreed to the cross-political playdate, and some expressed their indifference and hostility to meeting children from the other side. 

The filmmakers did the bulk of their shooting in the West Bank in 1997 and 1998. Because of the escalating tension and violence there in the past couple years, Bolado said this film could not be made today. Access is largely shut down for citizens and press alike, and parents would not allow their children to take part in a project of this nature in the current climate. 

Criticism came from the audience during a question-and-answer period following yesterday’s screening: The film didn’t explain how more Palestinians have been killed during the land war, and some in the audience felt the oppression on the Palestinians in guarded camps was overlooked. Bolado apologetically admitted that much of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was not portrayed in the film in favor of a more balanced, humanist position. 

Bolado said the long, heated discussions in the editing room were about these issues and the filmmaker’s own political interests, but he and the filmmakers decided to narrow the focus of the film on the lives of the children rather than make a political call to arms. He said they wanted the film to be more centrist in order to be seen by as many people as possible and create dialogue. Making the film pro- or anti- Israeli or Palestinian, Bolado said, would be like talking to the same 12 people who think exactly the same way. 

The situation in the West Bank is a complicated one and if leftist sympathies are in favor of the Palestinian plight and against the U.S. government’s military aide to Israeli, Bolado said the conflict’s roots go back many years and not so long ago it was the Israeli’s that were the ones painted the victims. The war has been bred into the citizens on both sides of the conflict for generations. 

The final images of the film are in a hospital maternity ward where families can view the newest additions to their families. After listening to 12 year-old children describe the difficulties they have in overcoming their differences with other kids on the other side of military checkpoints, this coda offers a question to ponder: How young must peace activists go to get children innocent of war? 

When asked by an audience member if he thought the way to make peace in Israel-Palestine is through the children, he evaded a direct answer. He said it’s important to keep people talking to each other, "we have to keep making films… We have to keep doing things."  

BERKELEY — The Federal Trade Commission and the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice are holding four joint hearings at the University of California at Berkeley, which began on Monday, to field testimony on issues of patents and competition. 

The university's Haas School of Business is hosting the hearings, which run until Thursday.  

They are part of a national series of hearings being held under the theme “Competition and Intellectual Property Law and Policy in the Knowledge-Based Economy.” 

The hearings will allow members of academia and business to present their experiences to the commission, as it tries to develop a better understanding of how to balance issues of antitrust law with intellectual property policies. 

Thirteen UC Berkeley professors are among those who are expected to testify in the hearings, including Chairman of the Competition Policy Center Joseph Farrell and Director of the Institute of Business and Economics Research Carl Shapiro. 

In the past, both Shapiro and Farrell have served the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division as deputy assistant attorneys general for economic analysis. 

The hearings, which are open to the public, are divided into several categories and topics, including economic perspectives on intellectual property, competition and innovation. 

Other sections of the hearing will allow representatives from several fields of business and commerce -- biotechnology businesses, pharmaceutical companies, software firms, Internet merchants, and those who make hardware and semiconductors -- provide business perspectives on patents.

SAN FRANCISCO — A former high tech executive was sentenced on Monday to two years and 10 months in prison for trying to have sex with someone he met on the Internet who pretended to be a 14-year-old girl. 

Ranjit Singh Sahota, 37, of Fairfax, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for attempting to persuade and coerce a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity. He was also sentenced to a 3-year period of supervised release. A hearing was scheduled for May 24 to determine the amount of restitution Sahota owes to a girl he allegedly raped in August 2000. 

Sahota was arrested last June at a meeting he set up with an FBI agent posing as a 14-year-old girl. He admitted having online conversations with the agent, telling her he was a college student and he wanted her to be his girlfriend. He also admitted he sent her sexually explicit messages. 

Sahota is the founder and former chief executive officer of MetaTV, a Mill Valley firm that develops portals and formats for interactive Internet television services. He was replaced as CEO of MetaTV in June 2001, just days after his arrest. 

LAS VEGAS — Under fire by some black leaders, MGM Mirage Inc. reported Monday that it is putting more minorities in management and employing more minority vendors and contractors as part of its diversity efforts. 

The largest operator of Las Vegas Strip hotel-casinos acknowledged criticism of its minority business practices when MGM Grand announced its $6.4 billion merger with Mirage Resorts in May 2000. Company officials told state gambling regulators at the time that it would improve after the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People criticized the company’s management. 

On Monday, company officials issued a progress report that detailed the company’s successes and its unmet goals. 

“While more than half of the work force is minority, less than a third of managers and above are minorities,” said Terry Lanni, MGM Mirage chairman, who gave the company’s inaugural diversity report. 

“Hispanics clearly have the largest challenge in upward mobility, although each minority group is underrepresented (in management),” he said. 

MGM Mirage established the gambling industry’s first “diversity initiative,” Lanni said. 

“We recognized the importance of diversity to the success of our business,” he told about 270 minority group and business representatives at a luncheon at MGM Grand hotel-casino. 

As examples, Lanni pointed to the company’s recent hiring of a black woman as a senior vice president and the formation of a diversity committee headed by another black woman — MGM Mirage board member Alexis Herman, former Labor Secretary in the Clinton administration. 

“But that doesn’t mean we’re going to fire every white male,” he added. 

The company’s Clark County resorts spent $445 million on goods and services in 2001. Of that, $24.3 million, or 5.5 percent, was spent with minority and female-owned businesses, Lanni said. “With 28.5 percent of Clark County comprised of minorities, we should be doing one heck of a lot more than 5.5 percent of our total business with women- and minority-owned firms,” he said. “We have got a lot of work to do.” 

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A federal judge has ordered handheld computer maker Palm Inc. and its former parent, 3Com Corp., to post a $50 million bond ina dispute with Xerox Corp. over a handwriting-recognition patent. 

The struggling computer maker and 3Com, both based in Santa Clara, Calif., are appealing a Dec. 20 ruling that they infringed on Xerox’s patent of the technology, which allows users to enter letters and numbers into personal-data units with simple, one-stroke motions. 

U.S. District Judge Michael Telesca ordered the bond Feb. 22. 

If the Stamford, Conn.-based company prevails on the appeal, the bond “will ensure that Xerox is able to collect at least some, if not all, of the damages it will suffer as a result of 3Com’s infringement during the appeal period,” he wrote. 

The bond covers only the potential damages that accrue during the appeal period, not the entire infringement period. 

Xerox sued U.S. Robotics, later acquired by 3Com, in April 1997, claiming that the technology marketed as Graffiti and used in Palm, Handsprings and other handheld devices infringed a Xerox patent received on Jan. 21, 1997. 

Telesca ruled in December that Xerox’s patent for Unistrokes technology invented at its research center in Palo Alto, Calif., was valid and was infringed upon by Palm and 3Com in devices that use “Graffiti” language. 

Last week, the judge denied Xerox’s motion for an injunction that would have prevented Palm from selling its electronic organizers during the appeal period. 

A rejection of Palm and 3Com’s appeal by the Court of Appeals would clear the way for Xerox to seek damages. 

“We continue to serve notice that Xerox will always take the appropriate actions to protect its valuable patents from unauthorized use and infringement,” Xerox general counsel Christina Clayton said. 

SAN FRANCISCO — To recover from its worst-ever recession, the high-tech industry needs to create better new products said Intel Corp. chief executive Craig Barrett Monday, while speaking at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco. 

He said Intel’s decision to continue spending on research, development and manufacturing during the downturn is paying off as the company is now producing faster and cheaper processors than ever before. 

“The only way to get out of a recession is with new products,” Barrett told about 4,000 attendees of the Intel Developer Forum. “Old technology does not sell. ... You need to continue to invest.” 

FORT WORTH, Texas — Thirteen Parker County families have filed a lawsuit against Chevron Pipe Line Co., alleging it dumped toxic and carcinogenic chemicals at its pipeline booster/pump station east of Brock. 

The families allege chemicals have migrated into the soil and groundwater sources of nearby farms and ranches, Fort Worth law firm Puls, Taylor & Woodson LLP said Monday. 

The lawsuit was filed Feb. 22 in state court in Weatherford. 

Leaks from boosters, sumps, pumps, swab traps and oil water separators on or under the station are cited as sources of the pollution 

A spokesman for ChevronTexaco in Houston, Mickey Driver, said the company hadn’t yet seen the lawsuit and could not comment. 

Chevron Pipe Line Co. is a subsidiary of San Francisco-based ChevronTexaco Corp. 

Brock is about 30 miles west of Fort Worth. 

STANFORD — Stanford University faculty and students mourned the death and honored the life of fallen Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl Monday. 

Pearl, a Stanford alumnus, was remembered as a bright, funny person, who was both a driven and gentle soul. He graduated from Stanford in 1985 with a degree in communications. Nearly 600 people crowded into Memorial Church to remember Pearl. 

“I’m going to miss knowing that he is out there in the world,” said Karen Edwards, who was a classmate of Pearl. 

Stanford President John Hennessy said an endowment would be established in Pearl’s name to benefit communications students. 

Born on Oct. 10, 1963, in Princeton, N.J., Pearl worked for newspapers in Massachusetts after growing up near Los Angeles and graduating from Stanford University. 

Pearl joined The Wall Street Journal in 1990. He spent three years in Atlanta; moved to Washington, D.C., in 1993, where he covered transportation; then moved to London in 1996 and to Paris in February 1998. 

“It was obvious he was destined for a brilliant career,” said Henry Breitrose, a Stanford professor. Based in Bombay, India, for the past year as the Journal’s bureau chief for South Asia, Pearl was on assignment in Pakistan pursuing as part of the newspaper’s coverage of the war on terrorism in neighboring Afghanistan. Nearly a month after his abduction by Islamic extremists, the U.S. State Department confirmed Thursday that Pearl had died. The Journal said it believed Pearl was killed by his captors. 

“I truly like to believe that during the countless hours he was being held by kidnappers, that this also numbed him into thinking clearly, brilliantly and he achieved a state of grace true to his spirit,” said Marion Lewenstein, a Stanford professor. Pearl’s wife Mariane is a French free-lance journalist, who lived and worked with Pearl in Pakistan. She is seven months pregnant with the couple’s first child. 

BURLINGAME — The father of a 13-year-old boy believed to have been killed by his mother described his son as gentle, giving and intelligent. 

“He was a bright, mature kid,” Frank Burns told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis of his son Stephen Burns. “He was the kind of kid that if he had a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich and you didn’t have anything, he’d give you half. Then if someone else wanted some, he’d give half of that.” 

Stephen Burns was visiting his father in Burlingame last month when his mother, Donna Anderson, 48, allegedly stabbed him to death in the back of Frank Burns’ home. Anderson and Frank Burns are divorced. 

Stephen Burns was in seventh grade at Blake School and loved basketball. His hero was Kobe Bryant, a guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. Stephen Burns also played French horn and baseball. 

Police said that on Feb. 24, Frank Burns heard a scream and ran to the back of the house, where he reportedly found Anderson stabbing their son. Frank Burns, 53, was stabbed in the leg with a 7-inch kitchen knife as he tried to restrain Anderson, police said.  

Editor: 

Last week, the plight of security workers at Oakland airport was a front-page article in the Daily Planet. Your report focused on the idea that "This is part of an anti-immigrant wave". But you missed the real story:  

Why were these jobs federalized, putting all those screeners out of work? 

Making that happen was apparently a priority for Barbara Lee, our representative in Congress. In an October 16th Planet article about her visit to the Oakland airport, she was quoted as being in favor of federalization, and as having been working hard in support of that aspect of the airport security bill. Her office later sent out a constituent letter listing it as a “legislative priority.” 

Her constituents and the Daily Planet should insist on an explanation. Why did she think this was a good idea, despite opposition to it in her district and the damage it caused? Why was she willing to trade these people's jobs away? 

Bob Jacobsen 

Berkeley

Today’s Highlight in History: 

One hundred and twenty-five years ago, on March 2, 1877, Republican Rutherford B. Hayes was declared the winner of the 1876 presidential election over Democrat Samuel J. Tilden, even though Tilden had won the popular vote. 

On this date: 

In 1793, the first president of the Republic of Texas, Sam Houston, was born near Lexington, Va. 

In 1836, Texas declared its independence from Mexico. 

In 1899, President McKinley signed a measure creating the rank of Admiral of the Navy for Adm. George Dewey. 

In 1899, Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state was established. 

In 1917, Puerto Ricans were granted U.S. citizenship. 

In 1923, Time magazine made its debut. 

In 1939, Roman Catholic Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli was elected pope; he took the name Pius XII. 

In 1949, an American B-50 Superfortress, the Lucky Lady Two, landed at Fort Worth, Texas, after completing the first non-stop, round-the-world flight. 

In 1955, the William Inge play “Bus Stop” opened at the Music Box Theatre in New York. 

In 1977, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a strict code of ethics. 

Ten years ago:  

A jury was seated in Simi Valley, Calif., in the assault trial of four Los Angeles police officers charged with beating motorist Rodney King. The U.N. General Assembly welcomed eight former Soviet republics and San Marino as its newest members. Actress Sandy Dennis died in Westport, Conn., at age 54. 

Five years ago:  

It was revealed that Vice President Gore had raised millions of dollars for the 1996 campaign through direct telephone solicitations, and that some of the calls were made on special phones installed in government buildings for that purpose. 

One year ago:  

The United Nations tried in vain to persuade Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban to reverse its decision to destroy a pair of giant, ancient statues of Buddha and other Buddhist relics that the regime considered idolatrous. 

Today’s Birthdays:  

Actress Jennifer Jones is 83. Bluegrass singer-musician Doc Watson is 79. Actor John Cullum is 72. Former Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev is 71. Author Tom Wolfe is 71. Actress Barbara Luna is 63. Actor Jon Finch is 61. Author John Irving is 60. Singer Lou Reed is 60. Actress Cassie Yates is 51. Actress Laraine Newman is 50. Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., is 49. Singer Jay Osmond is 47. Pop musician John Cowsill (The Cowsills) is 46. Tennis player Kevin Curren is 44. Rock singer Jon Bon Jovi is 40. Actress Heather McComb is 25. Actor Robert Iler (“The Sopranos”) is 17. 

She may have fries coming out of her ears someday 

HUDSONVILLE, Mich. — Kate Shermak’s teacher gave her and her classmates an unusual assignment: Write to a local business and make an absurd request. 

“My outrageous request is to get a lifetime supply of curly fries for free,” Kate wrote to the operators of an Arby’s restaurant. “They are my favorite fries. 

“If you can’t meet my outrageous request, I will understand.” 

The restaurant decided to one-up Kate in the outlandishness department by actually granting her wish. The fifth-grader got a certificate good for free curly fries for the rest of her life at the Hudsonville franchise, The Grand Rapids Press reported Wednesday. 

Lisa Young, who manages the Arby’s in Hudsonville, about 10 miles southwest of Grand Rapids, said she and company officials “thought it was great that Kate decided that Arby’s was her favorite place to eat.” 

John Pyper, Kate’s teacher at Jamestown Elementary School, said he has assigned the lesson for years as a way to make letter-writing fun. 

This year, one child received a month’s supply of free chocolate milk from a local dairy. Another student got a free ice cream party at a restaurant in nearby Jamestown. 

But some requests are just too unrealistic, Pyper said. One student wrote to a sixth-grade teacher at the school, asking — unsuccessfully — to be excused from homework next year. 

——— 

GREENWICH, Conn. (AP) — Grade inflation might not be just for the big-time universities. 

Educators in this wealthy suburb of New York are defending the middle schools’ honor roll after more than half of all students — and 71 percent of pupils at one school — made the list. 

During the recently completed second marking period, 71 percent of Eastern Middle School students made the honor roll. The rate was 50 percent or higher at the district’s other two middle schools. 

“I’m sure there is some grade inflation,” Eastern Middle School Principal Ben Davenport told the Greenwich Time. “But I think the honor roll, for the most part, is fairly accurate. We are blessed with a lot of bright youngsters.” 

All three middle school principals said making the honor roll is still a significant accomplishment, even with so many students doing it. 

“I don’t think there are too many kids there who don’t belong there,” Western Middle School Principal Don Strange said. 

Central Middle School Principal Jim Bulger added, “Our students are not average students. Almost half of the students in our school would score in the top third on a national ability test.” 

——— 

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A squirrel monkey stolen from a safari theme park has been returned, safe and sound. 

A man anonymously returned Charlie the monkey to sheriff’s deputies, nearly two weeks after she was stolen from Lion Country Safari, officials said. 

The man called the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s office Tuesday and said he bought the monkey from a third party because he knew it was stolen and wanted to return it. 

“I said, ’Look man, I just want the monkey,”’ said deputy Kris Roy. 

The mysterious man handed over the monkey Tuesday night under the cover of darkness. No charges have been filed. 

Charlie was one of 11 squirrel monkeys in an exhibit at the 500-acre park in Loxahatchee, 15 miles west of West Palm Beach. The species grow to be a little bigger than a football. 

Charlie had spent all of her life in the theme park. 

The monkey, who appeared to be in good condition, will be quarantined for 30 days before returning to her exhibit home, officials said. 

——— 

SILVERDALE, Wash. (AP) — For Terry Donison’s science class, the two-headed salmon was an oddity that everyone expected would be temporary. A month later, the fish, dubbed Sam and Ella, is alive and swimming. 

“It appears to be very healthy and very active,” said Donison, whose classroom at Ridgetop Junior High School is home to Sam and Ella’s tank. 

About a month ago, shortly after several eggs hatched in the tank, Donison discovered a baby salmon with two heads. The oddity became the focus of her class and an extra point of study. The prognosis was grim: Two-headed animals born in nature usually die soon after birth. 

Shortly after Donison’s salmon were born, the fish settled into the gravel at the bottom of the tank. This week, as Donison was moving rocks at the bottom of the tank, she was shocked to find Sam and Ella alive. 

Sam and Ella is now swimming around with the other fish. 

Doug Williams, a spokesman for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, said in his 10 years with the department, he has never seen an adult two-headed salmon. 

After learning this week that the salmon had survived this long, he said, “That’s great, that’s wild.” 

Two employees called in sick. As if that wasn’t enough, the payroll had to be done. No matter. Juanita McMullen, program manager of YouthWorks and a community- service veteran with 29 years of experience in this field, took it in stride. 

“Youth service providers have always had to be extremely creative,” McMullen said.  

Youth employment programs around the country may soon have to get even more creative, at least as far as finding funds. With national unemployment rates rising, the recent Northeastern University Center for Labor Market Studies report found Americans younger than 24 years old have been especially hurt by the economic slowdown. And in January, the Bush administration announced plans to cut federal funding for youth opportunity grants from $225 million to $45 million, effective in 2003.  

Berkeley has been sheltered from those cuts because unlike most cities, which rely heavily on state and federal funding for their programs, it provides more than 85 percent of the budget. 

“I love this city,” McMullen said. “We are lucky the city has always been supportive. Say ‘thank you’ to those folks from me.” 

The city clearly appreciates YouthWorks’ accomplishments. In McMullen’s McKinley Avenue office, a bookshelf covered with framed awards sits near her impeccably organized desk. That’s probably because she and her staff have helped thousands of young people find jobs. 

This summer — as it has for several summers running — the program will help 400 14- to 25-year-olds find jobs and apprenticeships in a variety of fields, including biotechnology, city services and technology. To apply during the weeks after March 1, applicants need to be Berkeley residents who have photo identification and a Social Security card. 

During the year, they run an after-school work-program where several dozen students are enrolled.  

McMullen and her crew of four career counselors also help clients create resumes and prepare for job interviews. 

Some students have never seen a resume before or panic at the thought of a job interview. Tahira Warner, 23, said she was really nervous about starting to apply for jobs, until McMullen rallied behind her. YouthWorks and high-school counselors helped her finish her first resume and start applying. 

“Juanita was always around campus,” said Warner. “She’s always energetic. She makes you more confident that you can find a good job.” 

That confidence helped her get two internships at the Port of Oakland and a third with the City of Berkeley. Warner now wants to talk to other students as an example of a YouthWorks success story. 

YouthWorks provides job development and placement, resume preparation, career counseling, work site monitoring and job skills training. Counselors also monitor job performance and help young people work on their strengths and weaknesses. 

Warner is a classic program success-story. She was hired full time by the city of Berkeley when she graduated five years ago. She now works for the city’s mental health services office and “absolutely loves it,” she said.  

Berkeley Unified School District has worked closely with the YouthWorks program to help students like Warner think about their careers while in high school.  

Like students, program employees say much of the program’s success is due to McMullen’s dedication. 

“She comes in weekends and attends every ceremony honoring our kids,” YouthWorks employee Jenny Seay said. “She has a genuine love for each and every student. A lot of them call her ‘Mama Bear’ or ‘Auntie.’” 

In her purple head-wrap and matching top, the 54-year-old Oakland native seemed like she would be anyone’s dream aunt. As she talked, she referred to clients and even reporters as “good baby” and “sweetie.” 

Despite her energy, McMullen admits economic troubles have hurt employment services in the past.  

“When I was most worried was when you were going to choose between helping the child or parent finding a job,” she said, referring to her early days in the field. “But we have so many resources for youth now.” 

She said she has “heard rumblings” about new budget cuts and the affects they will have on youth services. In the Bay Area, where unemployment, now at seven percent, has grown much faster than in Southern California, some local youths say they’re not sure if they’ll be able to find work.  

“I don’t know if I’ll have a job this summer,” 15-year-old Glenda Reyes said, as she sat with her friend Juana Castro outside Berkeley High School. Both said they have friends who have found jobs through YouthWorks, and so they too may apply to the program.  

So far, Reyes has worked for her mother, a janitorial supervisor, but she isn’t working currently. Castro does office work at a local chiropractic office.  

Jeré, another Berkeley High student, who declined to her full name, said she wanted to apply to the program. 

“I’m 14. I didn’t think there is anywhere where I can work,” she said. 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Good grief, Elizabeth Taylor is 70! 

The girl from “National Velvet” has gone through eight marriages and seven divorces, one widowhood, two Oscars, several life-threatening illnesses and she’s still here. And celebrating. 

“I had a party last night,’ Taylor, who turned 70 on Wednesday, said Tuesday night. “I’m having one tomorrow. And I think I’ll have one over the weekend. 

“I feel like 45,” she continued. “I don’t look too bad for someone my age, with my history of illnesses and operations and all those anesthetics. When they knock you out, it gives you time to catch up on your beauty sleep.” 

Taylor, who became a 12-year-old star in “National Velvet,” won best-actress Oscars for “Butterfield 8” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” 

About turning 70: “I like it. It’s no different from being 69. It’s a round number, and there’s something about roundness that has always appealed to me.” As for future plans, she’ll continue raising money to fight AIDS. 

“AIDS is challenge enoughtuntil they find a cure,” she said. “It’s the challenge of a lifetime for anyone. And I’m not going to give up until there is a cure.” 

Taylor is also willing to do another movie, not one for TV, but a “movie movie.” But, she added wistfully, “When you’re 70, they figure you should be out to pasture. And I don’t really give a damn what they think.  

Editor: 

We appreciated your February 23-24 front page article on the Hemlock meeting. 

But it was unfortunate and misleading to include in the caption a statement by someone completely opposed to our movement. To include the statement in the article was legitimate but not to put it in the caption. Many people would simply have read the caption and not the entire piece. 

Nancy Ward 

Hemlock Society 

Today’s Highlight in History: 

Two hundred years ago, on Feb. 26, 1802, French literary giant Victor Hugo was born in Besancon. 

On this date: 

In 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte escaped from the Island of Elba to begin his second conquest of France. 

In 1848, the Second French Republic was proclaimed. 

In 1919, Congress established Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. 

In 1929, President Coolidge signed a measure establishing Grand Teton National Park. 

In 1940, the United States Air Defense Command was created. 

In 1951, the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, limiting a president to two terms of office, was ratified. 

In 1952, Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced that Britain had developed its own atomic bomb. 

In 1962, after becoming the first American to orbit the Earth, John Glenn told a joint meeting of Congress, “Exploration and the pursuit of knowledge have always paid dividends in the long run.” 

In 1987, the Tower Commission, which probed the Iran-Contra affair, issued its report, which rebuked President Reagan for failing to control his national security staff. 

In 1993, a bomb built by a group of Islamic extremists exploded in the parking garage of New York’s World Trade Center, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000 others. 

Ten years ago:  

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that sexually harassed students may sue to collect monetary damages from their schools and school officials. The Supreme Court of Ireland cleared the way for a 14-year-old girl to leave the country for an abortion. 

Five years ago:  

President Clinton defended White House fund-raising tactics as “entirely appropriate,” a day after the disclosure of documents putting Clinton at the center of all-out fund-raising efforts. Israel’s Cabinet voted to build a new Jewish neighborhood in disputed east Jerusalem. “Change the World” won four Grammy awards, including record of the year; Celine Dion’s “Falling Into You” won album of the year and best pop album. 

One year ago: 

A U.N. tribunal convicted a Bosnian Croat political leader (Dario Kordic) and a military commander (Mario Cerkez) of war crimes for ordering the systematic murder and persecution of Muslim civilians during the Bosnian war. 

Today’s Birthdays:  

Actor Mason Adams is 83. Actor Tony Randall is 82. Actress Betty Hutton is 81. Singer Fats Domino is 74. Political columnist Robert Novak is 71. Singer Johnny Cash is 70. Country-rock musician Paul Cotton (Poco) is 59. Actor-director Bill Duke is 59. Singer Mitch Ryder is 57. Rock musician Jonathan Cain (Journey) is 52. Singer Michael Bolton is 49. Actor Greg Germann (“Ally McBeal”) is 44.