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It takes nerve to take on Shakespeare’s recalcitrant and probably untamable “Troilus and Cressida,” but the East Bay’s nerviest theater company, Shotgun Players, is giving it a go. In a production playing Saturdays and Sundays at Berkeley’s John Hinkel Park, Shotgun jabs at the wayward beast, wrestles it, gets knocked down, staggers up, leaps into the fray and all in all does a creditable job of staying in the ring until the final bell (or dull thud) that brings the match to a close. -more-

MUSIC -more-

Saturday, August 3 -more-

Berkeley sure seems like a special place for 17-year-old Ayinde Ubaka. After leading the Slam ‘N Jam Soldiers to a championship victory at last weekend’s AAU Elite 8 tournament, held at Cal’s Recreational Sports Facility, many Golden Bear fans hope the Oakland High senior point guard will continue to feel right at home on the UC Berkeley campus. Scoring the final nine points in Saturday’s first game, including a desperation 4-point play with no time left, and adding another dazzling performance during the championship game, the 6-foot-3 Ubaka thrilled fans and college scouts alike at the weekend tournament. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

The Berkeley Unified School District made at least six months of errors in calculating employees’ income tax withholdings, district officials said Thursday. -more-

NEWPORT, R.I. – It was a watershed event in popular music: Bob Dylan, folk music’s young minstrel, taking the stage with an electric guitar slung over his shoulder. -more-

OSAKA, Japan – The 49ers arrived for the American Bowl on Thursday and made a surprising request: They want to hold on to a Japanese player added to the roster just for the game. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

The transition from a seven- to a six-period day at Berkeley High School, slated for September, has put school administrators and teachers at odds. -more-

The trailers for “Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat” suggest that the comedian at last bares his soul about the personal difficulties he’s had since his last concert film, the enormously successful “You So Crazy” in 1994. -more-

OAKLAND – Eric Chavez homered twice as the Oakland Athletics beat the Detroit Tigers 5-3 on Thursday night. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

SAN DIEGO – Each time a bomb exploded in Jerusalem, Marla Bennett’s parents would fear for their 24-year-old daughter, a student at Hebrew University. But within 15 minutes she would be on the phone, assuring them she was safe. -more-

LOS ANGELES – When last seen by America, Anna Nicole Smith was locked in a seven-year legal battle over her late husband’s Texas oil fortune. -more-

NEW YORK – Baseball’s arbitrator postponed for a second time his decision on whether owners can fold teams without the agreement of players. -more-

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To the Editor: -more-

Marla Bennett, 24, had planned to visit her alma mater UC Berkeley later this month. But that plan ended with the most recent episode of violence in the Middle East. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

NEW YORK – A string of reminders that the economy is still struggling as well as disappointing earnings at Exxon Mobil irked investors Thursday, and pushed stocks sharply lower. The Dow Jones industrials tumbled nearly 230 points, their first triple-digit loss in nearly two weeks. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO – PG&E Corp. disclosed deepening financial troubles Thursday that threaten to push its once-prosperous energy trading business into bankruptcy court alongside its utility, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. -more-

Our remodeling company recently was called to repair a leaking second-story deck. The deck is located on the windward side of the house and leaks were showing up at adjacent interior walls and ceilings. -more-

LANCASTER – Two teenage girls kidnapped early Thursday from a remote lovers’ lane and raped were rescued hours later when sheriff’s deputies closed in on the suspect’s stolen Ford Bronco and shot him to death. -more-

LOS ANGELES – Officials credited a recently adopted child abduction alert system with the safe rescue Thursday of two Lancaster girls. -more-

Dear Tom and Ray: -more-

Drivability on all sorts of road surfaces and in all sorts of conditions has been the rallying cry for Subaru for as far back as we can remember. Their tagline—the beauty of all-wheel drive—demonstrates their focus on safety and a go anywhere mentality rivaled only by Jeep. This year Subaru has taken a huge chance and restyled their Impreza line of small cars, of which we drove the new-for-2002 Impreza Outback Sport. -more-

The East Bay’s casual car pool, which has carried commuters across the Bay Bridge for more than a decade, is not only a ritual for thousands of car poolers but is somewhat of a culture. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

Two of the brightest stars in modern west African music will light up the Ashkenaz Dance Club on San Pablo Avenue this week. On Thursday, it’s Kanda Bongo Man and on Saturday is Rokia Traore. -more-

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Thursday, August 1

BHS’s Toma, St. Mary’s
McGuinness and Lawson
on Alameda Select team at
international tournament -more-

New system misread employees’
bank account numbers -more-

To the Editor: -more-

OAKLAND – Mark Ellis singled home Terrence Long with the go-ahead run in the eighth inning Wednesday as the Oakland Athletics avoided a sweep with a 6-4 victory over the Cleveland Indians. -more-

UC Berkeley placed 15 maintenance workers on paid leave while investigating allegations of drug and alcohol use on the job, “timecard improprieties” and misuse of campus property, university officials said. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

Alameda County schools Superintendent Sheila Jordan announced Wednesday that 109 schools in the county have been selected to receive $1.75 million after they met their performance growth goals. -more-

Wacky weed growing
near sewage pond -more-

If approved by voters
100 officers would be
added to force of 750 -more-

A deal under which the San Francisco 49ers could sell "naming rights'' to Candlestick Park is headed to the full Board of Supervisors for a vote -- but without a recommendation from the Finance Committee. -more-

SAN JOSE — Yosemite killer Cary Stayner told a psychiatrist that voices on the television told him to kill. But all he told the FBI about TV was that it taught him how to cover up his crimes. -more-

New policy considers high school
grades and standardized test scores -more-

NEW YORK — AOL Time Warner Inc. said Wednesday that the Justice Department is looking into its accounting practices, raising the possibility of a criminal case against the world’s largest media company. -more-

Sun Microsystems Inc. is in
the anti-Microsoft business -more-

Father Bill doesn’t look the type to have been arrested 224 times. Appearances, however, are not on O’Donnell’s list of concerns. -more-

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To the Editor: -more-

Thursday, August 1 -more-

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STOCKTON – Masafumi Kawaguchi doesn’t mind being a tour guide or an interpreter for the San Francisco 49ers this week – particularly if they’ll help him out in return. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

It’s one of those Berkeley issues that never seems to go away: parking. -more-

Two-time Olympian Kirk Everist was named head coach of the Cal men’s water polo program this week. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

When Congress made sweeping changes to the nation’s welfare system in the late 1990s, states were given five years of funding with a directive to wean people from government aid. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

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The U.S. Peace Corps is trying to diversify its work force by actively recruiting minorities, older people and couples, but the director of the agency said Monday in San Francisco that only legally married people are classified as a couple. -more-

There is a guinea pig crisis in the Bay Area. -more-

SAN JOSE — The California Farm Bureau has filed suit to block the Environmental Protection Agency from ending the industry’s longtime exemption from federal air pollution regulations. -more-

LOS ANGELES — Federal and regional environmental agencies are investigating a smog-credit swapping program already mired in lawsuits from participating companies. -more-

SACRAMENTO — A statewide blueprint for education — which calls for changes in college admissions policies and the state governance structure — is nearly finished, state officials say. -more-

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SAN FRANCISCO — ChevronTexaco Corp. said Tuesday its second-quarter profit plunged 81 percent as losses on its investment in troubled energy trader Dynegy Inc. hammered the oil giant. -more-

LOS ANGELES — A black Virginia state judge testified Tuesday in a civil rights lawsuit against Los Angeles police that she felt degraded when officers ordered her out of a car at gunpoint and forced her to the pavement during a traffic stop in 1999. -more-

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WRIGHTWOOD — A local state of emergency was declared Tuesday in order to allow more water to be trucked up to this mountain resort, the latest rural community to be hit hard in the aftermath of Southern California’s extremely dry winter. -more-

JULIAN — A wildfire burning in the mountains east of San Diego on Tuesday destroyed five homes and forced the evacuation of homes and trailer parks, officials said. -more-

Wearing bright orange vests, masks and gloves, two five-member teams of young people are tackling one of Berkeley’s ugliest problems: graffiti. -more-

To the Editor -more-

Wednesday, July 31

OAKLAND — Lee Stevens hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning as the Cleveland Indians came from behind to beat the Oakland Athletics 8-6 Monday night. -more-

Four new stops south
of San Francisco will
park thousands of cars -more-

To The Editor: -more-

SAN DIEGO — San Diego Chargers general manager John Butler has been diagnosed with lung cancer and started chemotherapy, a team spokesman said Monday night. -more-

Public hearing scheduled Aug. 15 -more-

To the Editor: -more-

PALM DESERT — Tiger Woods turned in another prime-time performance. Jack Nicklaus produced one last memorable shot. -more-

Peepers found safe -more-

To the Editor: -more-

Today’s Highlight in History: -more-

Owners must limit
hours of operation, fence
the area, lock premises -more-

OAKLAND – The Solano County Coroner's Office Monday identified the young Oakley man killed in a solo-vehicle accident on Interstate Highway 780 in Benicia Saturday morning. -more-

Bay Area conservationists said Monday they are seeing an outpouring of gratitude for their move to intervene in a suit by a Sacramento activist group to weaken protection for a threatened bird. -more-

A Bay Area woman is among five of President George W. Bush's nominees to the National Council on Disabilities to be confirmed to the post late last week, the council announced Monday. -more-

SACRAMENTO — More than 3,400 California schools will finally get their bonuses for improving student test scores, state education officials announced Monday. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Venture capitalists continued to tippy-toe through the high-tech wreckage in the second quarter, sending investments in startups to the lowest level in nearly four years, according to an industry report to be released Tuesday. -more-

WellPoint settles
fraud case for $9.25 million -more-

SAN JOSE — Yosemite killer Cary Stayner has more than 20 signs of mental illness, ranging from sexual fantasies with kids to depression to chronic hair pulling, a psychiatrist testified Monday. -more-

LA Times evacuated after
bomb threat; suspect cornered -more-

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Two new studies add fresh fuel to a decades-old debate about whether a parchment map of the Vikings’ travels to the New World, purportedly drawn by a 15th century scribe, is authentic or a clever 20th century forgery. -more-

Utility district was fined earlier
this year in Berkeley and Oakland -more-

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Vice President Dick Cheney conceded Monday that corporate scandals have shaken confidence in the economy but said reforms will “bring out the best of the free enterprise system.” -more-

Company names new CFO -more-

16th child added to cancer
cluster in Nevada town -more-

To the Editor: -more-

NAPA – Marques Tuiasosopo is trying not to drop any center snaps in practice. That’s something the official backup quarterback just shouldn’t do. -more-

For those who think of kites as the simple diamond-shaped menaces that caused eternal frustration for cartoon character Charlie Brown, kite flying took on a new meaning at the Berkeley Marina last weekend. For the leagues of professionals that competed there, kite flying was more than just a day in the sun. It was fierce competition. -more-

Wednesday, July 31 -more-

At Berkeley Marina’s Adventure Playground, adult staffers and a revolving door of local kids did more than just hammer together and paint a wooden doghouse, fighter plane and beagle last Saturday – they rebuilt a piece of Berkeley lore. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

Berkeley is one of the first cities in the state to reject plans for cable service provider AT&T Broadband to merge with its umbrella company. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

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SAN JOSE – A San Jose radio personality has been suspended after joking about the kidnapping of a 7-year-old Philadelphia girl. -more-

SUNNYVALE – FBI agents have busted a nationwide bribery, money laundering and prostitution ring. -more-

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KERNVILLE – The fire raging near California’s giant sequoias grew by another 1,500 acres Sunday, but the ancient redwoods seemed to be largely out of trouble, fire officials said. -more-

WASHINGTON – California finds itself in an awkward position in Congress: hands outstretched for two major water projects but unsure whether it will get enough money even for one. -more-

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LOS ANGELES – Officials temporarily evacuated five terminals at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday, after a man bypassed security checkpoints by slipping under ropes. -more-

A new train station could be added to the city’s vision of a new transit hub in west Berkeley and be a depot for bus, ferry, train and taxi services. -more-

A visually pleasing aspect of old downtown buildings is often their elaborate decoration. The modern movement striped the "unnecessary" decoration off buildings in order to emphasize the essence of a structure, but the older buildings in downtown are embellished with examples of architectural decoration that break the monotony of modernism. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

Berkeley directors Kathryn Golden and Judith Montell offer two stories of Jewish migration to America in this month’s 22nd annual Jewish Film Festival in San Francisco, Berkeley and Menlo Park. -more-

Saturday, July 27 -more-

When Oakland Tech High megastar Leon Powe announced his plans to play basketball for Cal earlier this week, it was more than a recruiting coup for head coach Ben Braun. It marked the first time since Jason Kidd a decade ago that the Bears lured the top local player to Berkeley, a sign that the program has finally recovered from the shameful Todd Bozeman era. -more-

Everything was going to be all right. Now it’s uncertain. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

“I don’t have any really good stories to tell,” said experimental film artist Alfonso Alvarez while sitting outside his garage-cum-studio in Berkeley earlier this week. “I’m more interested in the act of seeing than the act of telling a story.” -more-

OAKLAND – Eric Musselman has youth, boundless energy and a willingness to be patient. -more-

Berkeley’s planning commission criticized city planners Wednesday for making changes to the city housing policy that could limit citizen participation in the approval process of proposed developments. -more-

To the Editor: -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — More grass-roots than Lollapalooza, more political than Lilith Fair, Ladyfest is a summer festival produced entirely by people proud that their styles of feminism, art and music cannot be easily categorized — or commercialized. -more-

An accident involving a young teenager and a car on Ashby Avenue Wednesday (see sidebar) occurred just one night after Berkeley City Council approved a new pedestrian safety measure for the November ballot. -more-

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A new tune about John Walker Lindh by Nashville singer-songwriter Steve Earle has kicked up a fight between critics who feel he’s unpatriotic and defenders who consider him provocative. -more-

A 13-year-old Berkeley resident was struck by a car Wednesday night at the 1300 block of Ashby Avenue, just west of Mabel Street. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — A federal appeals court declined to reinstate a lawsuit from Mattel Inc. alleging the rock song “Barbie Girl” infringed on the toy-maker’s doll patent. -more-

Today’s Highlight in History: -more-

The Berkeley Chamber of Commerce announced Thursday that developer John DeClercq will succeed Reid Edwards as chair of the chamber’s board. Edwards is stepping down after a record three-year stint at the helm. -more-

NEW YORK — Wall Street finished a tumultuous week on an upbeat note Friday, with stocks posting a solid advance and raising hopes that after more than two months of selling, the worst of the market’s decline might be over. The gain helped the Dow Jones industrials achieve their biggest weekly advance in 10 weeks. -more-

SAN DIEGO — Pearle Vision, one of the nation’s largest eyeglass retailers, has filed a lawsuit challenging a California law that bars out-of-state companies from selling eyewear and providing eye exams at the same location. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — An assembly of West Coast longshoremen has given union negotiators the power to call a strike vote, though no action is imminent since talks with shipping lines have been postponed until mid August. -more-

A new study of San Francisco Bay Area passenger ferries finds that unless new passenger ferries using cleaner fuels or advanced emission control technologies are put in service, overall air quality in the region will suffer. -more-

Disney has taken the most corn-pone of all theater cliches — “We gotta put on a show!” — and turned it into a foot-stomping, crowd-pleasing, heartwarming G-rated romp with the animals in “The Country Bears.” -more-

NEW YORK — CBS ”60 Minutes II” correspondent Scott Pelley landed a big exclusive when President Bush agreed to an interview about the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. -more-

Ballistic tests performed by the Berkeley Police Department last week showed that the handgun used in a June robbery in Albany was the same weapon used in three earlier Berkeley shootings. -more-

Today’s Highlight in History: -more-

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OAKLAND – A spokesman for the Oakland Fire Department says that a second-alarm fire displaced 17 children and five adults from a Victorian home this afternoon. -more-

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Web donations are not income, judge says -more-