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

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

Firms see brighter prospects ahead.
February 1, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Feb. 1--Companies in the East Bay are much more likely to hire employees than to dismiss them in the coming months, according to a new survey released today that paints a brighter outlook for the Bay Area economy. ...

Hospitals adopting computer technologies.
February 1, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Feb. 1--Moving toward a time when hand-written medical charts will be a thing of the past, hospitals in the East Bay are installing expensive computer technologies they hope will improve the flow of medical information....

Consumer impact difficult to gauge.
February 1, 2005... Byline: James Temple Feb. 1--Most observers agree that SBC Communications Inc.'s tentative $16 billion deal for AT&T Corp. will affect California consumers, but they disagree over how. Consumer advocates say the combined company --...

Questions surround merger of SBC, AT&T.
February 1, 2005... Byline: Ellen Lee Feb. 1--SBC Communications Inc.'s $16 billion merger with AT&T Corp. could affect thousands of Bay Area employees as it seeks to save as much money as possible to make the deal financially worthwhile. But it could...

Ex's frivolous calls are wife's hang-up.
February 1, 2005... Byline: Jann Blackstone-Ford and Sharyl Jupe Q: How would you handle an ex-wife who refuses to be respectful of your marriage to her ex-husband and continues to intrude upon that relationship through daily phone calls about matters...

Wolff kicks off push to build new team stadium for A's.
February 1, 2005... Byline: Guy Ashley Feb. 1--OAKLAND -- Projecting certainty that his bid to buy the Oakland A's will succeed, Lew Wolff told elected officials and business leaders Monday that the focus now is all about building a new stadium for the team....

Warriors' Robinson suspended for violating drug policy.
February 1, 2005... Byline: Eric Gilmore As it turns out, a stiff back isn't Warriors forward Cliff Robinson's only problem. Robinson was suspended Tuesday for five games without pay for violating the NBA's drug policy. Robinson, 38, did not dispute...

California's attorney general files suit over forest management.
February 1, 2005... Byline: Mike Taugher WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ California's top lawyer sued the Bush administration over management of Sierra Nevada forests on Tuesday, saying the federal government illegally relaxed restrictions on timber companies. ...

Bonds' offseason cuts are troubling.
February 2, 2005... Byline: Gary Peterson This is how it starts, with a scope in October followed by another in January. A clean-out followed by a spruce-up. Here a nip, there a tuck, everywhere a snip, snip. No one has ever made money betting the under...

Savannah State (0-24) closing in on infamous year.
February 2, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Okanes While much is being made of the perfect seasons being enjoyed by Illinois and Boston College this season, there is another team on the road to perfection. Or rather, imperfection. Savannah State, a...

Belichick to play AT&T Pro-Am.
February 2, 2005... Byline: Eric Gilmore Last year, it was New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. This year, it's Patriots coach Bill Belichick. Just call it the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am's Super Patriots connection. Belichick has...

Injury-riddled Kings still too much for Warriors.
February 2, 2005... Byline: Marcus Thompson II OAKLAND, Calif. _ It figured to be a battle of benches and no-names, what with both rosters depleted. This had to concern the Warriors, who had been torched by the likes of New Jersey's Brian Scalabrine, New...

Arborist cuts to chase, scrambles to disasters.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Dan Laidman Feb. 3--ORINDA -- Aaron Corbiere kept watch last week as one of his crew members chainsawed through a 90-foot Monterey pine perched precariously over a house, dismembering the damaged tree one 800-pound chunk at a time....

A look at president's proposals.
February 3, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Feb. 3--President Bush has made reform of the 70-year-old Social Security system one of the pillars of his domestic agenda. He used his State of the Union speech Wednesday as a springboard to pursue his plan to...

A look at tort reform proposals.
February 3, 2005... Byline: James Temple Feb. 3--ISSUE: During Wednesday's State of the Union address, President Bush called on Congress to pass tort reform legislation limiting legal awards in medical malpractice, asbestos and class-action lawsuits. In...

Arizona Wildcats tame these Bears.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Okanes TUCSON, Ariz. _ If timing is everything, it only makes sense that Cal ended up with nothing on Thursday night. The Bears picked the worst possible time to start a game with what they admitted was a lack of...

St. Mary's comes up short in loss to Gonzaga.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Jennifer Starks SPOKANE, Wash. _ There were no long faces on the part of the St. Mary's College men's basketball team. A few puzzled looks, yes. But no long faces. The Gaels knew they were on the verge of doing something...

Drinking excessive amounts of water can be deadly.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Betsy Mason SANTA ANA, Calif. _ Members of the Chi Tau fraternity at Chico State University learned the hard way that drinking too much water can be dangerous when Matthew Carrington died after a pledge event. Carrington drank...

Large lemon nets $30 in online auction.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Maricella Miranda WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ When destiny grows a gigantic lemon, you can turn it into a lot of lemonade. That's what happened when Kevin Wrobel of Walnut Creek sold Gigantor, a 9-inch-diameter lemon, on eBay. ...

Front offices for Eagles, Patriots showing how it's done.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Cam Inman JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ Forgive Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Corey Simon. He's like most of you. He cares about what happens on the field, not in the front office. "I don't know those guys," Simon said of his...

Around the remote: TV picks for Feb. 6-12.
February 3, 2005... Byline: Chuck Barney SUPER BOWL XXXIX: Yeah, yeah, I know. It's the biggest television event of the year and it will draw something like a bazillion viewers _ many of whom won't even pretend to be fans of the New England Patriots or...

East Bay vies for stem-cell institute.
February 4, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Feb. 4--Emeryville is throwing itself into the mix of cities bidding to host the newly created California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the organization that will dispense $3 billion in voter-approved stem cell...

Study says kelp may cut cancer risk.
February 4, 2005... Byline: Betsy Mason WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Seaweed might be good for more than just holding your sushi roll together. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have found that kelp seaweed supplements lowered levels in...

We're hopelessly `Lost,' and loving every minute of it.
February 4, 2005... Byline: Joan Morris So, what exactly is the deal with that toy airplane? And the giant, unseen monster? And the compass that doesn't show true north? Is there hidden meaning to the lyrics that were scribbled over that mysterious map?...

Warriors edge lowly Hornets.
February 4, 2005... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ This one had "stinker" written all over it. The NBA's worst team was in town, and the Golden State Warriors were working on loss No. 7 in a row. But despite its ice-cold shooting through...

Fraternity pledge died from excessive water intake, coroner says.
February 4, 2005... Byline: Kelli Phillips CHICO, Calif. _ Coroner's officials said a 21-year-old Chico State student died from the effects of over-consumption of water, complicated by low body temperature, during a fraternity initiation. Matthew...

Stanford researchers: Women can hold their own in sciences, math.
February 4, 2005... Byline: Glennda Chui There are many possible reasons why women don't go into math, science and engineering as often as men, but an innate lack of ability is not one of them, Stanford University researchers said Friday. "Clearly, girls...

Richmond executives abused city credit cards, preliminary report says.
February 5, 2005... Byline: Rebecca Rosen Lum Feb. 5--Richmond executives have abused city credit cards, paying for big-ticket items, wracking up $20,000 in late fees, eating out in style several times a week and charging unauthorized trips, a preliminary...

Bush appointee pushes technology for health system.
February 5, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Feb. 5--STANFORD -- Appointed a year ago by President Bush to serve as the nation's first national coordinator for health information technology, Dr. David Brailer is charged with promoting a health care system that...

PMI posts positive earnings.
February 5, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Feb. 5--PMI Group Inc. of Walnut Creek posted net income of $80.5 million, or 79 cents a share, for the quarter that ended Dec. 31, just about the same as the $80.2 million, or 80 cents a share, net income posted a...

Bush's first term adds 119,000 jobs.
February 5, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Feb. 5--Herbert Hoover can keep his place in the history books, because President Bush's first term produced a gain in jobs -- barely. Throughout the campaign, Bush was compared by Democrats to his fellow...

Parry brothers have unique view on adversity.
February 5, 2005... Byline: Cam Inman JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ One of fullback Josh Parry's Philadelphia Eagles teammates is battling a leg injury. If you haven't heard by now, the poor soul is wide receiver Terrell Owens. Owens' once-broken right fibula...

Warriors unravel as Nuggets romp.
February 5, 2005... Byline: Marcus Thompson II DENVER _ Look on the bright side: forward Zarko Cabarkapa was impressive. He was aggressive on both ends of the floor. He showed some hustle, displayed some flash, exhibited some savvy. He finished with 16...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., business bulletin column.
February 6, 2005... Feb. 6--Monday, Feb. 7 Experience Unlimited of Pleasant Hill, a no-fee, nonprofit volunteer organization sponsored by California Employment Development Department to help professionals seeking new jobs, holds an orientation, 8:30 a.m. at...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., business listing column.
February 6, 2005... Feb. 6--The following individuals or corporations filed fictitious-business-name statements in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The Times makes every effort to ensure accuracy but cannot be held responsible if there are errors or omissions in...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., people in motion column.
February 6, 2005... Feb. 6--Rothstein Kass, an international accounting and consulting firm in Walnut Creek, has hired Seth Blackman, CPA, as audit and tax manager; Maria Joseph, CPA, as audit manager; and Sarah Holland, human resources coordinator. --Michael...

Success means time in the gym as well as on the track.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Joe Stiglich FONTANA, Calif. _ Elliott Sadler becomes somewhat of a fitness fanatic in the offseason, which seems odd for a NASCAR driver who touts M&M's candy as his primary sponsor. But challenge Sadler on whether sitting...

Can-do fondue.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Nicholas Boer Even if you can't cook. Even if you're a man who opens cans. Even if you are more curmudgeon than Casanova. You can make fondue on Valentine's Day. Try it. She'll melt. Pop a bottle of Champagne. Pour some...

With new SAT, students opt for a head start at ever younger ages.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Jackie Burrell WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ There's no such thing as "too early" in the world of high stakes, high stress college admissions. The launch of a brand new SAT exam next month has teens cramming, parents fretting and the test...

Canseco's words carry little weight.
February 8, 2005... Byline: Neil Hayes When it comes to the sad and pathetic final chapters of once-great baseball players, this ranks right up there_make that down there_with Pete Rose's too-little-too-late admission that he bet on baseball. Jose Canseco...

Wishful thinking a dangerous luxury.
February 8, 2005... Byline: Jann Blackstone-Ford and Sharyl Jupe Q: It's been seven months since my ex and I separated and our divorce is now final. My kids, ages 13 and 15, seem to like my new girlfriend, even initiated a vacation together_she's sleeping in a...

Steinbach shoots back at ex-A's mate Canseco.
February 8, 2005... Byline: Neil Hayes WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Terry Steinbach read on the Internet about the allegations made by Jose Canseco in his soon-to-be released book. His first instinct was to ignore it. He didn't want to help Canseco sell more books....

Bay Area's economy, population growth behind state's.
February 8, 2005... Byline: Kiley Russell Feb. 8--The Bay Area's somewhat sluggish economy is keeping the region's population in check even as California adds hundreds of thousands of new residents every year, according to new estimates. The nine counties...

Department of Energy's total 2006 budget request may slimmer.
February 8, 2005... Byline: Betsy Mason Feb. 8--The Department of Energy's budget request for 2006 may be slimmer overall than last year, but the proposed money for nuclear weapons and nuclear non-proliferation efforts are up. Money requested for...

Around the remote: TV picks for Feb. 6-12.
February 8, 2005... Byline: Chuck Barney SUPER BOWL XXXIX: Yeah, yeah, I know. It's the biggest television event of the year and it will draw something like a bazillion viewers _ many of whom won't even pretend to be fans of the New England Patriots or...

Romantic cliffhanger is right on target.
February 9, 2005... Byline: Myles Knapp "Hot Target" by Suzanne Brockmann; Ballantine Books ($19.95) Two words that should bring fear and loathing to every man: Romantic Suspense. Forget about the fact that you are a guy and therefore likely involved in,...

`Inside Deep Throat'.
February 10, 2005... Byline: Mary F. Pols Contrary to what you might think, the most profitable movie of all time was not made by George Lucas or Steven Spielberg, but by a petite sleazeball named Gerard Damiano. The film was 1972's "Deep Throat," the...

Green Day is the band to beat Sunday at the Grammys.
February 10, 2005... Byline: Tony Hicks It's almost time for the Grammys. This is the biggie for the pop music world. It's Oscars, it's Emmys, it's... something, hard to tell what. If you're not winning an award at one of the 4,000 entertainment award shows,...

Around the remote: TV picks for Feb. 13-19.
February 10, 2005... Byline: Chuck Barney DON'T MISS: THE 47TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS: Will this be the year of the "Idiot"? Bay Area band Green Day seems to have a lot of buzz and critical momentum going into the recording industry's big bash. Their punk...

Legislators want all residents to carry health insurance.
February 11, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Feb. 11--Two California legislators unveiled a radical health care package Thursday that would tackle the state's high uninsured rate by requiring that all residents carry insurance. The series of eight bills...

A lampost for Valentine's Day?
February 11, 2005... Byline: James Temple Feb. 11--Chocolates are for chumps, and roses are overrated. If you really want your sweetheart to swoon this Valentine's Day, how about a lamp post? That, at least, is the suggestion of the Walnut Creek Downtown...

Suit targets trust-mill schemes.
February 11, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Feb. 11--An annuity-sales scheme that promised free estate planning advice to seniors was an illegal trust mill that cost victims $70 million, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday state Attorney General Bill Lockyer...

Cardinals' La Russa lashes out at Canseco.
February 11, 2005... Byline: Joe Stiglich SAN FRANCISCO _ St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa used a book promotion Friday to once again rip Jose Canseco for allegations the former A's star has made about steroid use by Mark McGwire and other former...

Warriors turn Hornets into offensive juggernaut.
February 11, 2005... Byline: Marcus Thompson II NEW ORLEANS _ It seemed as though the Golden State Warriors couldn't guard anybody in Friday night's 111-108 loss to the New Orleans Hornets at New Orleans Arena. Forward Rodney Rogers was unstoppable in the...

Stanford women drub Cal even worse this time.
February 11, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Okanes BERKELEY, Calif. _ When Stanford beat Cal at Maples Pavilion last month, the Cardinal held the Bears to just four points over a 9 {-minute stretch of the first half. Apparently not wanting to be accused of...

Mickelson's second round isn't too shabby.
February 11, 2005... Byline: Eric Gilmore PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. _ Two rounds are done, and one key question remains at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am: Can anyone catch Phil Mickelson? One day after shooting a course-record 62 at Spyglass Hill in...

`Raymond' the sportswriter, not.
February 11, 2005... Byline: Neil Hayes PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. _ I was following Ray Romano around Poppy Hills Golf Course and listening to the rain splattering on a hundred umbrellas when it hit me. I shouldn't be following him. He should be following me....

Grocery workers OK contract.
February 12, 2005... Byline: James Temple Feb. 12--A solid majority of Bay Area grocery workers approved a three-year contract with major supermarkets, formally averting a rerun of the prolonged Southern California strike that ended last year. Sixty-four...

Kickert, St. Mary's come up short.
February 12, 2005... Byline: Jennifer Starks SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ Jason Walberg didn't give Brody Angley much daylight. Maybe an inch or two, if that. Apparently, that was all Angley needed to drill an off-balance 10-footer that not only broke a late tie...

Spirit of the AT&T is missing in action.
February 12, 2005... Byline: Neil Hayes PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. _ Peter Jacobsen injured his knee Thursday, withdrew from the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and is nowhere to be found. Why tournament officials would allow such a thing is a mystery....

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., people in motion column.
February 13, 2005... Feb. 13--William D. Vaughn of Moraga has joined U.S. Trust in San Francisco, a wealth management company, as a senior vice president and senior portfolio manager. --Kevin Wilk of Walnut Creek has been named director of strategic alliances...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., business listing column.
February 13, 2005... Feb. 13--The following individuals or corporations filed fictitious-business-name statements in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The Times makes every effort to ensure accuracy but cannot be held responsible if there are errors or omissions...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., business leader profile column.
February 13, 2005... Byline: Jessica Guynn Feb. 13--As a small child, Edward Chin slept on an army cot next to the water heater before graduating to a bunk bed in a ramshackle four-bedroom house shared by 16 family members in Oakland's Chinatown. His father --...

Tech firms pacing IPO rebound.
February 13, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Feb. 13--The Bay Area's software and biotech fledglings are sitting pretty these days. Privately held companies in the tech and life sciences arena captured the largest shares of financing from venture capitalists...

La Russa is roasted at charity benefit.
February 13, 2005... Byline: Tom Barnidge WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ When a guy has survived 26 seasons as a major league manager, appeared in four World Series and won more than 2,100 games, it's difficult to find reasons to criticize him. But nothing worth doing...

Protest hopes to call attention to bill promoting marriage.
February 13, 2005... Byline: Sara Steffens WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Advocates for battered women are furious over a federal proposal to spend $1.5 billion promoting marriage among parents on welfare. "We agree marriage is good, but what happens when that's...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., business bulletin column.
February 14, 2005... Feb. 14--Experience Unlimited of Pleasant Hill, a no-fee, nonprofit volunteer organization sponsored by California Employment Development Department to help professionals seeking new jobs, holds an orientation, 8:30 a.m. at 367 Civic Drive,...

Couple's assets need a stretch.
February 14, 2005... Byline: James Temple Feb. 14--For most people, wealth would be the answer to their financial woes. For Holly Taylor, it is the source. After the networking company she co-founded went public in the late 1990s, Taylor became a paper...

Alaska resort provides opportunity to view northern lights.
February 14, 2005... Byline: Anne Chalfant The sublime does not issue guarantees. I bought an airline ticket to head north to Alaska during prime aurora borealis viewing, knowing full well the dancing lights might evade me. I was a seeker, drawn by...

Moonbow phenomenon a popular attraction at Cumberland Falls.
February 14, 2005... Byline: Howard Shapiro CORBIN, Ky. _ Chasing down Mother Nature's phenomena can be maddening. I had arrived here, at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, on a clear morning but now, clouds appeared overhead. If I were to see the big deal...

Storm enthusiasts enlist in tour groups to chase tornadoes.
February 14, 2005... Byline: Michael Martinez VALENTINE, Neb. _ We knew it was coming. We had seen the clouds gather for most of the afternoon as we drove up the highway from North Platte, near central Nebraska. By the time we checked into our motel and...

Dread badge of courage: Hang gliding over Rio de Janeiro.
February 14, 2005... Byline: James Temple RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil _ I glimpsed the spotless sky through the hotel window and pictured the sun-kissed bodies amassing on the white sand beach outside, so naturally I spent my last morning in Rio de Janeiro pacing...

Cost certainty is costing a season.
February 14, 2005... Byline: Gary Peterson Any minute now, assuming it hasn't happened already, National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman will step to a microphone and put an official end to the season-that-never-was. When he speaks, he doubtless will...

Move beyond vanilla when exploring whites.
February 14, 2005... Byline: Janice Fuhrman You'll probably never pour yourself a nightly glass of Gruner Veltliner or Muller-Thurgau (two German wine grape types), but you can still break away from your chardonnay, that vanilla of the wine world, and venture...

Event regulation at stake in battle over backyard concert.
February 15, 2005... Byline: Peter Felsenfeld Feb. 15--Local government leaders statewide are anxiously awaiting the outcome of talks this week between West Contra Costa community leaders and a Kensington man who has held illegal concerts at his house. At...

SEC steps up probe of Chiron.
February 15, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Feb. 15--A decision by the Securities and Exchange Commission to conduct a formal investigation of Chiron Corp.'s actions during the flu vaccine crisis places the threat of fines, corporate governance changes and...

$1 million InVision settlement with SEC.
February 15, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Feb. 15--InVision Technologies has agreed to pay $1.1 million to federal securities regulators to settle a complaint the East Bay maker of bomb-detection systems allowed improper payments to foreign officials in Asia,...

NASCAR has made its point.
February 15, 2005... Byline: Joe Stiglich When Kurt Busch clinched last season's Nextel Cup title in the final race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 21, his fellow competitors probably wasted no time mapping out strategy for 2005. NASCAR teams never...

Biological dad shouldn't be secret.
February 15, 2005... Byline: Jann Blackstone-Ford and Sharyl Jupe Q: When I was 20 years old I had a daughter. Her father had no interest in having a child, and we lost contact soon after I told him I was pregnant. Two years later I met a wonderful man. We have...

Canseco's story undercut with wild inconsistencies.
February 15, 2005... Byline: Rick Hurd You don't need to peruse a list of Jose Canseco's motives to find fault with the credibility of his sorry contribution to pop culture. Jose is more than happy to do that for you even before he drops the name, "Mark...

UNLV, Pacific refused to quit in unlikely wins.
February 15, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Okanes The combined deficit was 18 points. The total time remaining was just over one minute. But in two venues Saturday separated by more than 800 miles, UNLV and Pacific brought the art of a comeback to new heights. ...

Warriors' smaller lineup comes up little in loss to Mavericks.
February 15, 2005... Byline: Marcus Thompson II OAKLAND, Calif. _ Once again, the Golden State Warriors and their small lineup mounted enough offense to win. For the fourth consecutive game they topped the century mark, their longest such streak since back in...

Is Dunleavy the solution or the problem for the Warriors?
February 15, 2005... Byline: Marcus Thompson II WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Oooh, to see Warriors small forward Mike Dunleavy at his best. To see him weave his way to the basket and convert an off-balance layup. To see him curl off a screen and snap the net...

Ex-Raider seeks different kind of glory off gridiron.
February 15, 2005... Byline: Linda Davis DUBLIN, Calif. _ Number 26 is carrying the rock for the Big Man now. Not so long ago, Napoleon Kaufman was an Oakland Raiders running back. But the world of Hail Mary passes has given way to one of Hallelujahs, as...