Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA) articles from August 2005

Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA) archives from August 2005

California's Democrats regain the driver's seat.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Andrew LaMar SACRAMENTO, Calif. _ They began the year in turmoil and disarray. But seven months later, Democrats have risen to the challenge thrown down by California's celebrity Republican governor, who has sought to undercut...

Mellow in Manhattan: Do it like the New Yorkers do.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Anne Chalfant NEW YORK _ I have this vision of the good life: regular sojourns to New York, London and Paris to ``do the things I always do.'' I'm well on my way to perfecting that formula in Paris and London. It's the Big...

Contra Costa County, Calif., residents drop off e-waste.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Tom Lochner Aug. 1--ANTIOCH -- The lines were so long at the Contra Costa County fairgrounds Sunday, you would think they were giving away computers instead of taking them. It was a giveaway of a different sort as Environmental...

Dublin, Calif., Safeway appeals denial of digital gas-price sign.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Sophia Kazmi Aug. 1--DUBLIN -- Perhaps Dublin isn't really into the digital idea -- at least not for its gas stations. For years the city has touted itself as Digital Dublin -- named for new high-tech companies moving in. But...

Danville, Calif., complex to house upscale retail, offices.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Linda Davis Aug. 1--DANVILLE - An upscale retail-office complex will rise from what is now a construction site on East Prospect Avenue, in the heart of the shopping district. The complex will be called Prospector Square and...

Martinez, Calif., marina makeover to cost $18 million.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Danielle Samaniego Aug. 1--MARTINEZ -- After watching its marina founder for decades, officials are betting on a private operator and $18 million to turn it around. "Everybody talks about it being a diamond in the rough, and it...

Unconditional deal? Not here.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Ellen Lee Aug. 1--When SBC Communications Inc. introduced its $14.95-per-month DSL promotion in June, it set a new scramble for high-speed Internet service. A better bargain than even some dial-up plans, it spurred competitors to...

Wal-Mart eyes North Concord, Calif., site.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Ryan Huff Aug. 1--CONCORD -- What's now a hodgepodge of welding shops and other industrial businesses near highways 4 and 242 could turn into a new home for Wal-Mart in 2007. The world's largest corporation wants to open a...

Red-hot A's beat Santana, Twins.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick MINNEAPOLIS _ There were pranksters at work in a raucous A's clubhouse, and their target was first baseman Dan Johnson, who grew up in nearby Coon Rapids, Minn. Pitcher Kirk Saarloos was spotted hanging a blue...

Moss weighs in on his early days as a Raider.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Steve Corkran NAPA, Calif. _ Oakland Raiders coach Norv Turner approached a huge gathering of people, all positioning themselves to get as close as possible to the expected visitor. Turner wondered aloud if the crowd was...

Bed-sharing concerns future stepmom.
August 2, 2005... Byline: Jann Blackstone-Ford and Sharyl Jupe Q: I am the future stepmom of a wonderful 10-year-old boy who very happily sleeps in his own bed in his own room while he is at our house. My question is, how do I convince him that he should be...

For lead vocalist of Aterciopelados, the birth of something great.
August 2, 2005... Byline: Andrew Gilbert Babes and rock `n' roll go together like gin and tonic. Babies, however, are another matter entirely. But for Andrea Echeverri, lead vocalist and one half of the remarkable partnership that is the Colombian...

Streaking A's do it again in Minnesota.
August 2, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick MINNEAPOLIS _ It's become a scene repeated over and over in June, July and now August. The music in the A's clubhouse is loud and the mood upbeat, signifying a win. The A's can't explain, and they'd rather not. As...

Study finds link between autism, `off switches' in brain's neurons.
August 2, 2005... Byline: Sandy Kleffman Providing one more clue for solving the autism mystery, researchers have discovered that the brain mechanism that stops or slows nerve impulses contributes to the disorder. A team at Duke University Medical...

Atkins empire's bandwagon waylaid by hungry competitors.
August 2, 2005... Byline: Ellen Lee Aug. 2--SAN RAMON - Six years ago, Leland Turner was diagnosed with high cholesterol and diabetes and placed on a low-fat diet. It didn't help: one year later, he went under the knife for open-heart surgery. But...

Concord, Calif., plans for naval weapons station closure.
August 2, 2005... Byline: Ryan Huff Aug. 2--If the inland portion of the Concord Naval Weapons Station closes later this year, massive home developments and office buildings will not sprout up overnight. While Concord officials envision adding 33,000...

OPINION: Program Makes Sense.
August 2, 2005... Aug. 2--A state-funded program in its title posed the question, "Got E-Waste." Over the weekend East Bay residents answered that rhetorical musing with an emphatic yes. Judging from the line of traffic at the Contra Costa Fairgrounds in...

Castro Valley, Calif., expected to put $44M school bond measure on ballot.
August 2, 2005... Byline: Eric Louie Aug. 2--The Castro Valley school board tonight is poised for final approval to place a $44 million bond measure on the November election ballot. If passed, the district would use the money for various renovation and...

Utility seeks non-power charge hike.
August 2, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Aug. 2--PG&E Corp. will ask regulators for a 15 percent hike in distribution and other non-power charges to customers of its vast electricity and natural gas system, the company said Monday. The increase would take...

Chevron can tap into fastest-growing markets with Unocal Corp. purchase.
August 3, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Aug. 3--Chevron Corp. will be able to vault into one of the world's most dynamic regions and serve some of the fastest-growing countries if it successfully completes a purchase of Unocal Corp., analysts said Tuesday....

Bid for Unocal by Chinese firm is yanked.
August 3, 2005... Byline: Ellen Lee Aug. 3--Facing heavy political pressure, CNOOC Ltd. backed down Tuesday from its $18.5 billion bid for Unocal Corp., ending a tense bidding war and all but assuring that competitor Chevron Corp. will take over the...

Kaiser leads by example in creating network.
August 3, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Aug. 3--Kaiser Permanente is about to leap far ahead of its peers. The behemoth HMO is rolling out a $3.2 million computer system that will integrate medical records across the country into one seamless network...

OPINION: A very special award.
August 3, 2005... Aug. 3--Over the years, the Times has won many awards. We are happily used to it because -- despite our flaws and what our critics say -- we know we put out a consistently fine newspaper every day. But we must admit that the award we received...

Benicia, Calif., fears traffic from Vallejo project.
August 3, 2005... Byline: Danielle Samaniego Aug. 3--A 445-home Vallejo subdivision has Benicia residents concerned about traffic woes that are expected to spread across city boundaries. The housing project will sprawl across the 190-acre Bordoni Ranch...

A's lose to Twins in ninth.
August 3, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick MINNEAPOLIS _ It's a shock if the Oakland A's lose any game lately, but Wednesday night's 4-3 setback to the Minnesota Twins was a jolt to their system. They had to trudge off the field as the reeling Twins...

Brewer learns to do the `Hustle'.
August 3, 2005... Byline: Pat Craig Those who know about these things in Hollywood are touting Craig Brewer as the next big thing, _ invoking comparisons to "Rocky," the film that launched Sylvester Stallone as surely as a right cross from Apollo Creed. ...

Government targeting Iranians Americans, rights coalition says.
August 3, 2005... Byline: Nathaniel Hoffman SAN FRANCISCO _ About seven months ago an Iranian American called the American Civil Liberties Union to report that an FBI agent had phoned for an interview. The agent mentioned she was part of the "Iran...

Sale of mortgage lender E-Loan is Popular purchase.
August 4, 2005... Aug. 4--A Puerto Rican bank announced Wednesday that it is buying online mortgage lender E-Loan Inc. in a deal worth $300 million. Popular Inc., which owns and operates Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, will pay E-Loan shareholders $4.25 a...

PG&E's quarter 2 numbers posted.
August 4, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Aug. 4--PG&E Corp. posted second-quarter net income of $267 million on Wednesday and added a nickel a share to its projections of expected profits for the full year and for 2006. The San Francisco-based utility...

Supervisro lets go all members of 2 Alamo, Calif., boards.
August 4, 2005... Byline: Linda Davis Aug. 4--ALAMO - Contra Costa Supervisor Mary Piepho is cleaning house in this bedroom community of some 14,000 residents -- at least on some of its county-appointed boards. On Wednesday, all six members of the R-7A...

Ex-Cal State East Bay official fills Chabot-Las Positas seat.
August 4, 2005... Byline: Eric Louie Aug. 4--The Chabot-Las Positas Community College District governing board on Tuesday chose Hal Gin, a recently retired longtime Cal State East Bay administrator, for the open trustee seat covering San Lorenzo and...

Sale of E-Loan is Popular purchase.
August 4, 2005... Byline: Ellen Lee and Rick Jurgens Aug. 4--A Puerto Rican bank announced Wednesday that it is buying online mortgage lender E-Loan Inc. in a deal worth $300 million. Popular Inc., which owns and operates Banco Popular de Puerto Rico,...

Energy secretary Bodman visits Lawrence Livermore lab.
August 4, 2005... Byline: Betsy Mason Aug. 4--LIVERMORE - Federal Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman spent Wednesday at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory -- his first visit to a lab he considers a key component in national energy research. "What goes on here is...

Reversal on digital gas signs in Dublin, Calif.
August 4, 2005... Byline: Sophia Kazmi Aug. 4--DUBLIN - After one resident's scathing assessment of the planning commission's decision to deny a digital sign for a Safeway gas station, the City Council unanimously repealed the commission's ruling and...

Walnut Creek pursues library bond.
August 4, 2005... Byline: Theresa Harrington Aug. 4--Walnut Creek is pinning its hopes to build the largest branch library in Contra Costa County on a $21 million library bond measure that will appear on the Nov. 8 ballot. The City Council unanimously...

OPINION: Victory for free trade.
August 4, 2005... Aug. 4--By a narrow margin of 217-215, the House of Representatives passed the Central American Free Trade Agreement, which was signed by President Bush on Tuesday. It was a victory for the administration and for the economies of the United...

PG&E's second-quarter numbers posted.
August 4, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Aug. 4--PG&E Corp. posted second-quarter net income of $267 million on Wednesday and added a nickel a share to its projections of expected profits for the full year and for 2006. The San Francisco-based utility...

Clear sailing for Northern California school.
August 4, 2005... Byline: Ann Tatko-Peterson Aug. 4--BERKELEY -- Waves crash over the bow of the sailboat, spraying cold bay water in every direction. A sharp wind, blowing at 18 knots, fills the sails and sweeps over skin warmed earlier by the sun. The...

Castro Valley, Calif., school board puts $44M bond measure on ballot.
August 4, 2005... Byline: Eric Louie Aug. 4--The Castro Valley school board Tuesday approved placing a $44 million bond measure on November's ballot that, if passed, would be the third and largest voter-approved property tax for school facilities in seven...

Social services' system switch smooth.
August 4, 2005... Byline: Kiley Russell Aug. 4--Contra Costa's social workers breathed a tentative sigh of relief when the avalanche of chaos and stress expected during the transition to a new computer system failed to materialize Wednesday. Workers at...

San Ramon, Calif., wants spill penalty to pay for beautification.
August 4, 2005... Byline: Scott Marshall Aug. 4--SAN RAMON -- The city will propose that the state consider adopting several environmental projects that would be funded with fine money paid by the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District. The projects,...

Young hitters help A's take 3 of 4 from Twins.
August 4, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick MINNEAPOLIS _ Surely the day will be remembered for the majesty of Dan Johnson's seventh-inning home run at a stadium he frequented many times as a youth. Or, perhaps, early on, the majestic 12-to-6 curveballs by...

Around the remote: TV picks for Aug. 7-13.
August 4, 2005... Byline: Chuck Barney DON'T MISS: "WEEDS" _ Talk about a desperate housewife. Mary-Louise Parker shines in this deliciously dark satire about a single soccer mom selling pot in the suburbs to make ends meet. Parker plays Nancy Botwin,...

Clorox shows gains, but analysts remain wary.
August 5, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Aug. 5--Clorox Co. ended its 2005 fiscal year with a quarterly performance that exceeded the expectations of prognosticators, but left some analysts wondering how well the household products maker would fare in the...

Mortgage premiums drive PMI earnings higher.
August 5, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Aug. 5--PMI Group Inc. posted second-quarter net income of $104.6 million, or $1.04 a share, as higher premiums for mortgage insurance policies more than offset a slowdown in new policies written and the cost of...

Washington lawmakers call for more port security in Oakland.
August 5, 2005... Byline: Guy Ashley Aug. 5--OAKLAND -- Two congressional representatives on Thursday praised recent security upgrades at the Port of Oakland while warning that Washington needs to cough up more money to guard against terrorist attacks at...

Stem cell proposition challenges to be heard in Alameda.
August 5, 2005... Byline: Sandy Kleffman Aug. 5--HAYWARD -- The high-stakes legal battle over California's $3 billion stem cell research program will play out in Alameda County. Alameda County Superior Court Judge Bonnie Sabraw decided Thursday to...

Commuter service may reach Tracy.
August 5, 2005... Byline: Mike Adamick Aug. 5--BART commuters could chug into the Central Valley under a proposal that would extend train service beyond Contra Costa County and create a new Northern California rail network. A key Central Valley rail...

(Artificial) fields of dreams in California.
August 5, 2005... Byline: Bill Kruissink Aug. 5--A carpet is rapidly spreading across the East Bay's high school football fields. Seemingly one school district after another is finding the funding to lay down artificial playing surfaces for high school...

OPINION: MLB not serious yet.
August 5, 2005... Aug. 5--If Bill Clinton taught us anything it was that you don't wag your finger into the television cameras and say you didn't do something that you did. It is a lesson that must have sailed right over the head of Baltimore Orioles star first...

OPINION: Stem-cell seed.
August 5, 2005... Aug. 5--The chances that Florida lawmakers would pass a stem-cell bill that could escape Gov. Jeb Bush's veto pen are less than slim to none. They're virtually nonexistent. But state Rep. Franklin Sands, D-Weston, probably isn't so naive...

OPINION: Hall Of Famer Young.
August 5, 2005... Aug. 5--Steve Young had giant shoes to fill when he replaced Joe Montana as quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers back in 1991. The fans adored Joe Cool, the superhuman comeback king with the uncanny ability to turn a losing game around in the...

Civic Park prepares for winter wonderland.
August 5, 2005... Byline: Danielle Samaniego Aug. 5--WALNUT CREEK - Cue the "A Charlie Brown Christmas" soundtrack. Civic Park is on its way to securing enough money to make an outdoor skating rink a reality for the holidays. Organizers announced...

Alta Punta appeals for extra police.
August 5, 2005... Byline: Alan Lopez Aug. 5--EL CERRITO -- Residents in the Alta Punta neighborhood have asked the city for more police officers in response to a perceived increase in crime. "I think the message the neighborhood wants to convey is that...

Contract costs stall approvals.
August 5, 2005... Byline: Shirley Dang Aug. 5--West Contra Costa school board members launched a review of consultant spending after discovering Wednesday that one firm earned more than $310,000 last year under five agreements. In one instance, the...

Judge combines stem cell lawsuits.
August 5, 2005... Byline: Sandy Kleffman Aug. 5--HAYWARD - The high-stakes legal battle over California's $3 billion stem cell research program will play out in Alameda County. Alameda County Superior Court Judge Bonnie Sabraw decided Thursday to...

Piepho counsels Alamo, Calif., on new governing body.
August 5, 2005... Byline: Linda Davis Aug. 5--ALAMO - This community is in for a big MAC, without the fries. If Contra Costa Supervisor Mary Piepho has her say, a municipal advisory council could be Alamo's official advisory body to the Board of...

A's rally to top Royals, 5-4.
August 5, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ The mentality is ingrained in their minds as tightly as the Old English A's logo stitched to their caps. Teams can talk the talk, but can they deliver on a nightly basis? The A's evidently can....

Teahen joins the A's `Moneyball' group in the majors.
August 5, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ There were three "Moneyball" players at Kauffman Stadium on Friday night. You know about outfielder Nick Swisher and pitcher Joe Blanton, two of the A's top rookies. They were joined by another,...

Marino, Young offered different styles in Hall of Fame careers.
August 5, 2005... Byline: Cam Inman CANTON, Ohio _ Steve Young was on the move, which really isn't anything new. But as he headed toward his new minivan last week at the 49ers' Santa Clara facility, he stopped in his tracks. Then he laughed. He...

Changed nuclear scenarios greet 60th anniversary of Hiroshima.
August 5, 2005... Byline: Matt Krupnick WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ The stories coming out of Hiroshima in the days after Aug. 6, 1945, were horrific. Those who weren't vaporized immediately in the first, brutal use of an atomic bomb were scarred, blinded,...

Oakland diocese settles abuse lawsuits for $56 million.
August 5, 2005... Byline: Bruce Gerstman OAKLAND, Calif. _ The Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland announced Friday that it had settled lawsuits with 56 victims of sex abuse for a total of $56 million. The settlements come after about four months of...

Contra Costa County, Calif., residents complain over design of D.A.'s building.
August 6, 2005... Byline: Danielle Samaniego Aug. 6--MARTINEZ -- A planned four-story downtown county building is kicking up dirt before the ground even breaks. Design plans for the new Contra Costa County District Attorney's headquarters on the corner...

Networking, software have room to expand.
August 6, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Aug. 6--It pays to network. Software and networking companies were able to wolf down a generous helping of venture financing during the spring. Networking firms doubled their share of the total venture pie for the...

Intense Gannon now the retiring type.
August 6, 2005... Byline: Gary Peterson NAPA, Calif. _ Rich Gannon's farewell to football _ old news cooked up fresh, and served for lunch on Saturday _ was everything his career was not. Relaxed. Jocular. Reflective. Uncontentious. There was no...

California hospital dodges accreditation loss.
August 6, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Aug. 6--Alta Bates Summit Medical Center announced on Friday that it received conditional accreditation, reversing an initial denial that if finalized could have led to the loss of government funding. With...

Oakland, Calif., Diocese settles abuse suits.
August 6, 2005... Byline: Bruce Gerstman Aug. 6--OAKLAND -- The Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland announced Friday that it had settled lawsuits with 56 victims of sex abuse for a total of $56 million. The settlements come after about four months of...

Objections abound over Martinez, Calif., DA's building.
August 6, 2005... Byline: Danielle Samaniego Aug. 6--MARTINEZ -- A planned four-story downtown county building is kicking up dirt before the ground even breaks. Design plans for the new Contra Costa County District Attorney's headquarters on the corner...

Fire station closures in Richmond, Calif., end.
August 6, 2005... Byline: Karl Fischer Aug. 6--RICHMOND -- The Fire Department this week ended its 19-month practice of closing a station daily to accommodate its budget-related staffing shortage. All seven city fire stations opened Monday and will...

Pardee Homes impact study doesn't tip scale.
August 6, 2005... Byline: Bonita Brewer Aug. 6--Both supporters and detractors of Pardee Homes' controversial 2,450-unit North Livermore project on November's election ballot can find ammunition in a newly released publicly funded study of the project's...

Ikea still untangling Dublin, Calif., store details.
August 6, 2005... Byline: Sophia Kazmi Aug. 6--Those holding their breath for the opening of the new Dublin Ikea store may want to exhale right about now. The store will open eventually on a 27.4-acre parcel along Dublin Boulevard between Hacienda Drive...

Low jobless rate good for economy, scares Wall Street.
August 6, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Aug. 6--The nation's job market is firing on all cylinders, according to a report released Friday, as employers hired at a brisk pace in July and paychecks grew at their fastest rate in a year. But the employment...

No. 1 QB up in the air as Cal opens preseason camp.
August 7, 2005... Byline: Jay Heater BERKELEY, Calif. _ Those who remember quarterback Aaron Rodgers' first season at Cal in 2003 will know that the battle between junior college transfer Joe Ayoob and redshirt freshman Nathan Longshore won't be decided...

Raiders' Walker moves to left guard.
August 7, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Okanes NAPA, Calif. _ At least Langston Walker is starting again, albeit not at the position he truly desires. Walker, entering his fourth year with the Raiders, has moved from right tackle to left guard this season to...

A's complete dominating sweep of Royals; Angels next.
August 7, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ Here's all you need to know about Sunday's game at Kauffman Stadium: Oakland A's 11, Kansas City Royals 0. There will be more on this systematic dismantling later, but about a second after...

Another masterful showing for Steve Young.
August 7, 2005... Byline: Cam Inman CANTON, Ohio _ Bill Walsh called Steve Young's performance ``masterful, brilliant.'' And that just was describing the speech Young gave Sunday at his induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Walsh's words also...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., bankruptcies column.
August 7, 2005... Aug. 7--The following businesses filed for legal protection from creditors in the federal bankruptcy court in Oakland. Companies most commonly file for protection under three chapters of the bankruptcy code: Chapter 7, which involves...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., people in motion column.
August 7, 2005... Aug. 7--BANKING: Kirsten E. Weisser, 46, has been appointed executive vice president of The Mechanics Bank in the East Bay. Her responsibilities include overseeing private banking, investment management and trust, and retail brokerage...

Cemetery idea pitched for base.
August 7, 2005... Byline: Lisa Vorderbrueggen Aug. 7--With 5,000 acres of prime central Contra Costa land at the Concord Naval Weapons Station about to come on the market, get ready for a modern-day land rush. But unwilling to wait until the feds...

New minister brings church 'back to life'.
August 7, 2005... Byline: Alan Lopez Aug. 7--EL CERRITO -- Douglas Moss went to the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley looking for answers to profound questions: If God is good, how can there be evil in the world? He found his answers in the...

EDITORIAL: State needs to assess impacts of water pumping.
August 7, 2005... Aug. 7--What is happening to the Delta, the state's largest estuary and source of water for 22 million Californians? Over the past decade CalFed, a group of varied state and federal water interests, has spent $3 billion to improve the Delta...

Festival celebrates history, shows residents' city pride.
August 7, 2005... Byline: Sara Steffens Aug. 7--With her Jack Russell terrier Angel clutched to her side, Chinette Richardson leaned forward, delicately rummaging through the bowl of bolts, nuts and screws. "You have to see if you can find the rivet,"...

Residents, officials irked by illegal sky shows.
August 7, 2005... Byline: Tanya Rose Aug. 7--DISCOVERY BAY -- On any given night, John Garza wakes from a deep sleep to the sound of rockets whizzing down his street. Then comes the "pop" of commercial-grade fireworks, the grand exploders you might see at...

Library plan could use eminent domain.
August 7, 2005... Byline: Theresa Harrington Aug. 7--While Walnut Creek is publicly trying to drum up support for its $21 million November library bond, it is also quietly trying to acquire private property for a new library, parking garage with retail,...