Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA) articles from July 2000

Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA) archives from July 2000

Walnut Creek, Calif., Investors Bring Failing Juice Line Back to Profitability.
July 31, 2000... Byline: Chris Metinko Jul. 31--WALNUT CREEK, Calif.--Three years ago, almost no one wanted to take a flyer on Ocean Spray's soon-to-be defunct line of Mauna La'i juice. Joe Flannigan, however, saw gold in that guava. Mauna La'i,...

Hall of Fame offers connection with past.
July 31, 2000... Byline: Neil Hayes CANTON, Ohio _ The first thing that strikes you about the Pro Football Hall of Fame is how small the original building is. It reminds visitors how much this sport has grown since the original two-building complex was...

Rice awaits his day in sun.
July 31, 2000... Byline: Matt Maiocco CANTON, Ohio_As the only recognizable player on the field, receiver Jerry Rice was clearly a fan favorite during the 49ers' hour-long practice Sunday night at Fawcett Stadium. About 8,000 people showed up to...

A's notebook: Beane not expecting to pull deadline deal.
July 30, 2000... Byline: Gary Washburn OAKLAND_With the market drying up, the A's still are pondering whether to make one final move before Monday's 1 p.m. PDT trade deadline. The A's are searching for a right-handed hitting outfielder with power,...

Fasano delivers for A's.
July 30, 2000... Byline: Gary Washburn OAKLAND_The lovable backup catcher walked into the clubhouse after an unbelievable afternoon in which he provided all of the A's offense. He did not demand more playing time. He did not talk about his untapped...

Piatt, A's supply more than enough support for Appier.
July 30, 2000... Byline: Wes Nakama OAKLAND_Fifteen minutes before the A's game against the Boston Red Sox on Saturday night, about 20 young men and women gathered behind home plate to show off their yo-yo talents. But none of those fine artists...

Giants manage only four hits in loss to Cubs.
July 30, 2000... Byline: Joe Roderick CHICAGO_When Barry Bonds made a postgame statement about his recent struggles as a hitter, he might as well have been talking about the entire team. Bonds, who is hitting .111 on the road trip, was asked about...

Giants' offensive funk continues in a one-sided defeat to the Cubs.
July 30, 2000... Byline: Joe Roderick CHICAGO_When you walk the thin line between victory and defeat as the Giants have since they hit the road, the margin for error can be something as simple as a bloop hit or the flub of a grounder. Or an...

D'backs have bigger problems than pitching.
July 30, 2000... Byline: Joe Roderick NO DOUBT THE ACQUISITION of Curt Schilling will be a major boost to Arizona's pitching staff. With Schilling joining Randy Johnson, it gives the Diamondbacks a formidable pair of aces down the stretch, although...

Howie Long's journey is complete.
July 30, 2000... Byline: Matt Maiocco CANTON, Ohio_Although Boston-born Howie Long might have had a difficult time understanding the Southern accent of his position coach, he still vividly remembers the words of Earl Leggett. Long was a second-round...

Third time is a charm for Venus.
July 30, 2000... Byline: Eric Gilmore STANFORD, Calif. _ Venus Williams made it clear early that this time would be different. She made it clear there would be no Bank of the West Classic three-peat Sunday for Lindsay Davenport at her expense. From...

Venus, Lindsay set for encore.
July 30, 2000... Byline: Eric Gilmore STANFORD_Here we go again. Two-time defending champion Lindsay Davenport vs. back-to-back runner-up Venus Williams, take three, at the Bank of the West Classic. Davenport and Williams will meet on Sunday in...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., Business Bulletin Column.
July 30, 2000... Jul. 30--MONDAY: ProSearch, Oakland chapter of Experience Unlimited, a nonprofit organization sponsored by California Employment Development Department for adult job seekers, holds a job search and career transition workshop, 9 a.m.-noon at...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., Business Listing Column.
July 30, 2000... Jul. 30--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., People in Motion Column.
July 30, 2000... Jul. 30--EDUCATION Saint Mary's College in Moraga has appointed Nancy L. Sorenson, Ed.D., as dean of the School of Education. Dean Elias, Ed.D., has been appointed as dean of the School of Extended Education. ASSOCIATIONS Clear...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., Business Leader Profile.
July 30, 2000... Byline: George Avalos Jul. 30--MAKING E-HEALTH A REALITY: Name: Albert Greene Company: HealthCentral.com Title: President, Chief Executive Officer and Director Headquarters: Emeryville Employees: 137 What's...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., Retirement Planner Column.
July 30, 2000... Byline: Steve Butler Jul. 30--RETIREMENT EDUCATION METHODS NEED WORK: The late Marshall McCluhan, communications guru of the 1960s and '70s, coined the phrase, "The medium is the message." He meant that television conveyed a level of...

Marine Biologist Alleges Willful Destruction of Livermore, Calif., Pond.
July 29, 2000... Byline: Bonita Brewer Jul. 29--LIVERMORE, Calif.--One of the wildlife biologists hired to survey sensitive species in North Livermore has alleged "apparently willful destruction" of a pond known to be breeding habitat for the California...

Relief help costly as A's get Mecir.
July 29, 2000... Byline: Gary Washburn OAKLAND_A's general manager Billy Beane found out Friday the downside of having such a rich farm system. When he sought a quality setup man to bolster his bullpen, teams continued to ask for the same guy in...

Martinez proves too much for A's.
July 29, 2000... Byline: Gary Washburn OAKLAND_Pedro Martinez wasn't perfect, Terrence Long made sure of that in the first inning. But what Martinez offered Friday night at Network Associates Coliseum surely was good enough to dominate the A's. ...

Aurilia, Giants walk off with a victory over Cubs.
July 29, 2000... Byline: Joe Roderick CHICAGO_Giants shortstop Rich Aurilia never has experienced the exhilaration of trotting around the bases and being mobbed by teammates after hitting a walk-off homer. That's OK by Aurilia, who came about as...

Chances of deal appear slim.
July 29, 2000... Byline: Joe Roderick CHICAGO_With Monday's 1 p.m. (PDT) trading deadline quickly approaching, it appears the Giants won't swing a deal. "It's going that way, but I've been surprised before," general manager Brian Sabean said before...

Promoting teamwork through building cars.
July 29, 2000... Byline: Teena Massingill Watching 15 enthusiastic, highly trained professionals build their own race cars was similar to watching the meticulously coordinated work of a NASCAR pit team. They mounted tires, adjusted the steering and...

Montana and Lott, forever together.
July 29, 2000... Byline: Matt Maiocco CANTON, Ohio_It had to be fate. How else to explain the events that led to both Joe Montana and Ronnie Lott, the two most important players in 49ers history, arriving on the steps of the Pro Football Hall of Fame...

`Joe Cool' takes his rightful place in Hall of Fame.
July 29, 2000... Byline: Neil Hayes CANTON, Ohio _ Joe Montana stood on the steps of pro football's shrine and tried to quiet the record crowd that wouldn't stop chanting his name. This was the moment the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback meant...

Does Montana rate as the best QB ever?
July 29, 2000... Byline: Matt Maiocco CANTON, Ohio_Something like this was attempted in 1994 by a committee composed of media members and league personnel. Their goal was to elect the NFL's all-time team to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the...

Al Davis offers reflections.
July 29, 2000... Byline: Steve Corkran Raiders managing general partner Al Davis rarely grants interviews these days. This past Monday, he held an impromptu chat session with Steve Corkran and other Bay Area reporters who cover the Oakland Raiders. He...

Venus, Davenport are pushed to the limit.
July 29, 2000... Byline: Eric Gilmore STANFORD_Venus Williams had lost the first set of her quarterfinals match Friday afternoon against 10th-seeded Amy Frazier, double-faulting five times in the tie-break. Now she was down 3-1 in the second set and...

Pedro has foggy memory on beanball controversy.
July 28, 2000... Byline: Gary Washburn OAKLAND_This time, Pedro Martinez just wants to be friends. Last season's American League Cy Young Award winner, speaking to reporters Thursday before the A's met the Boston Red Sox, tried to downplay the...

Joe Montana's first rivalry divided a town.
July 28, 2000... Byline: Neil Hayes MONONGAHELA, Pa._Ask people in this town about the quarterback controversy involving Joe Montana and they don't mention Steve Young or even Rusty Lisch, whom Montana competed against for the starting job at Notre Dame....

Ronnie Lott always was laying it on the line.
July 28, 2000... Byline: Eric Gilmore During the past 37 years as athletics director at Rialto's Eisenhower High School, Roger Reupert has watched thousands of athletes come through his program. Many were dedicated. Many were motivated. Then there...

Joe Montana, great? Not till college.
July 28, 2000... Byline: Neil Hayes MONONGAHELA, Pa._Three former Ringgold High School coaches gathered at a diner at the edge of town recently to swap Joe Montana stories. They laughed at those who claim they knew Montana was destined for the Hall...

Decorating Dilemma: Redesigned room calls for color, continuity.
July 28, 2000... Q. For months now, my newly constructed master bedroom remains unfinished. I want to buy new furniture for the room (Country French style), but I'm not sure what pieces to buy. As you can tell by the dimensions (about 12 by 15 { feet), there...

`Sleepy Hollow' director makes us all voyeurs.
July 28, 2000... Byline: Randy Myers Bugs that chew up and spit out the innards of soldiers. A murder suspect who finds undies too confining. A showgirl whose specialties are lap dancing and bad acting. Welcome to the seamy, guttural and...

More or less? Too often, trailers give away the plot.
July 28, 2000... Byline: Randy Myers DreamWorks shouldn't have given up the ghost so quickly. The company's new hit, the sweaty-palmed thriller "What Lies Beneath," suffers not because of anything that transpires on screen, but by what unravels, or...

California-Based Retail Chain Adds an East Coast Goods Hub.
July 28, 2000... Byline: Janet Adamy Jul. 28--Cost Plus Inc. will build a distribution center on the Eastern seaboard as part of a plan to expand East, the Oakland retailer said Thursday. Cost Plus, which sells everything from imported dressers to...

California Community College to Undergo Major Overhaul, if Funding Found.
July 27, 2000... Byline: Sonia Krishnan Jul. 27--The Contra Costa Community College District will place a $236 million bond measure on the November ballot to modernize aging buildings and expand campuses to meet unprecedented growth over the next decade....

Antioch, Calif., City Manager Speaks of Firms Interested in Area Development.
July 27, 2000... Byline: Greg Cannon Jul. 27--ANTIOCH, Calif.--He couldn't name names, but City Manager Mike Ramsey reported Tuesday that there is a strong buzz among employers and office developers over the Lone Tree Way corridor. Speaking at the...

Antioch, Calif., City Council Takes Measures to Control Growth.
July 27, 2000... Byline: Greg Cannon Jul. 27--ANTIOCH, Calif.--The City Council on Tuesday took what it called a bold step and approved measures that will cap new house permits at 500 per year and require developers to generate two jobs for each new...

Oakland, Calif., Pursues Idea of Military-Style Charter School.
July 27, 2000... Byline: Sonia Krishnan Jul. 27--OAKLAND, Calif.--The school week would go from Monday through Saturday. The day would include ten hours of academic classes, physical education, mandatory study sessions and computer lab homework. The...

San Mateo, Calif.-Based Internet Music Site Shut Down by Court Order.
July 27, 2000... Byline: George Avalos Jul. 27--SAN FRANCISCO--Napster Inc., the renegade online service for song swapping, faces a crippling shutdown by this weekend after a federal judge Wednesday ordered a halt to music downloads from its Internet...

Berkeley, Calif., Residents Debate Rent Eviction Law.
July 27, 2000... Byline: Tony Hicks Jul. 27--BERKELEY, Calif.--City voters will decide in November whether renters need eviction protection from landlords claiming they need the space for themselves or relatives. The City Council decided Tuesday to...

Concord, Calif., Grocery Welcomes In-Store Starbucks Coffee Store.
July 27, 2000... Byline: Jack Chang Jul. 27--CONCORD, Calif.-- It had seemed like just another day at the office earlier this month in the growing Starbucks Coffee empire. A bright, giant Albertson's supermarket was opening on Clayton Road and had...

Wholesale Warehouse Relocates from Martinez to Concord, Calif.
July 27, 2000... Byline: Brandy Underwood Jul. 27--Costco Wholesale offers more bulk for the buck. The major warehouse competitor has packed up its bags and checked out of Martinez to relocate in Concord at 2400 Monument Blvd., off Detroit Avenue....

Facts about Monongahela and Joe Montana.
July 27, 2000... Byline: Neil Hayes _ Monongahela was founded seven years before the end of the Revolutionary War and is the oldest community in the Monongahela Valley. _ Patriots and farmers gathered here during the ``Whiskey Rebellion'' in the...

Special delivery from Hudson.
July 27, 2000... Byline: Gary Washburn SEATTLE_Tim Hudson delivered just as significant a message to his own team as he did the Seattle Mariners. Kevin Appier may still be considered the ace of the A's pitching staff, but Hudson was able to shut down...

Giants move into West lead.
July 27, 2000... Byline: Joe Roderick SAN DIEGO_If you didn't know it beforehand, it would be hard to tell by the atmosphere in the clubhouse that the Giants had just moved into first place, following a 3-1 win over the San Diego Padres. No music. No...

Monongahela is where the heart is for Montana.
July 27, 2000... Byline: Neil Hayes MONONGAHELA, Pa. _ You won't find a sign proclaiming this to be the hometown of Joe Montana. There are no banners hanging over Main Street announcing his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Oh, there are...

Venus overpowering in first round.
July 27, 2000... Byline: Wes Nakama STANFORD, Calif. _ Here's a scary thought for the remaining field in the Bank of the West Classic: Venus Williams said she's playing better now than she did at Wimbledon. Williams, who beat Lindsay Davenport to win...

Giants beaten by Padres.
July 26, 2000... Byline: Joe Roderick SAN DIEGO_Woody vs. Woody, Part II, did not turn out as well as it did for the Giants the last time they faced the San Diego Padres. Woody Williams outdueled Kirk Rueter, who answers to "Woody" in baseball...

Legacy of quarterbacks such as Montana is link to glory days of Pennsylvania towns.
July 26, 2000... Byline: Neil Hayes PITTSBURGH_The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, is 99 miles away, but the road to Canton begins right here in Iron City. Pro football's roots can be found buried in the river banks of Western...

Even with top sprinters out, U.S. looks strong in men's track.
July 26, 2000... Byline: Damin Esper There are many who believe that the gold medal chances of the United States in the men's 200 meters pulled up lame alongside Michael Johnson and Maurice Greene at the Olympic Trials. Those people would be...

Kournikova has easy evening.
July 26, 2000... Byline: Wes Nakama STANFORD_Anna Kournikova made it all look easy at the Bank of the West Classic on Tuesday night. She needed only 48 minutes to sweep past first-round opponent Anne Miller, 6-2, 6-1. She gracefully handled all the...

Retooling often equals pure disaster in TV land.
July 26, 2000... Byline: Chuck Barney PASADENA, Calif. _ Utter the word "retooling" to a roomful of TV critics and they'll immediately duck for cover. The term, in industry lingo, usually refers to a fledgling show pegged for an 11th-hour overhaul....

U.S. teammates renew old rivalry in track.
July 26, 2000... Byline: Damin Esper Marion Jones has always understood winning. As a high school freshman, she defeated rival Inger Miller in the four most important races of the season _ two at the Arcadia (Calif.) Invitational (considered the best...

Emeryville, Calif.-Based Online Health Care Business Plans to Buy Rival.
July 26, 2000... Byline: George Avalos Jul. 26--EMERYVILLE, Calif.--Hoping to be one of the last health care dot-coms standing, HealthCentral.com announced Tuesday it plans to buy the assets of DrugEmporium.com. But while HealthCentral hopes to build...

California's San Francisco Bay Area May See End of Boom in Housing Market.
July 26, 2000... Byline: Kelly Smolen Jul. 26--The good news for the Bay Area's white-hot housing market is that sellers are still sitting on something of a gold mine, according to figures released Tuesday by a real estate trade group. But the boom times...

Contra Costa County, Calif., to Set Aside Land Off-Limits to Development.
July 26, 2000... Byline: Denis Cuff Jul. 26--MARTINEZ, Calif.--Contra Costa County supervisors agreed Tuesday to place 22 square miles of territory off limits to development in the county's strongest action in a decade to curb urban sprawl. Saying...

Oakland, Calif.-Based Internet Firm Provides Kid-Safe Web Site.
July 25, 2000... Byline: George Avalos Jul. 25--OAKLAND, Calif.--An East Bay company is using a human touch to help make sure kids don't stumble into one of the Internet's red-light districts. It's called The Children's Internet and is a new way to...

Hundred-Acre Office Park in Pleasanton, Calif., Is Up for Sale.
July 25, 2000... Byline: Kelly Smolen Jul. 25--PLEASANTON, Calif.--A major real estate transaction is poised to happen in Pleasanton. The Bernal Corporate Park, a 100-acre, 1.1-million square-foot business park adjacent to the Bernal Avenue exit off...

Gardner finally beats San Diego.
July 25, 2000... Byline: Joe Roderick SAN DIEGO _ This was a night where trends changed for Mark Gardner, and for the better. At long last, Gardner beat his nemesis, the San Diego Padres, with a 3-0 win Monday night at Qualcomm Stadium. The...

Howie Long's long road to glory.
July 25, 2000... Byline: Steve Corkran Nineteen years ago, the NFL announced that the Oakland Raiders selected Villanova defensive lineman Howie Long in the second round of the draft. A draft analyst then jumped in with some quick insight for those...

The state of track is at a crossroads.
July 25, 2000... Byline: Damin Esper The finals of the men's 200 meters Sunday at the U.S. Olympic Trials could serve as a metaphor for the state of track and field in the United States. It was a great race with three men breaking 20 seconds_the second...

A's lefties give Angels old one-two.
July 24, 2000... Byline: Cam Inman OAKLAND_Late last September, Mark Mulder and Barry Zito took turns pitching the Vancouver Canadians to the Triple-A World Series crown. "Those two were lights out in the playoffs," recalled Adam Piatt, a former...

Giants turn page quickly after defeat.
July 24, 2000... Byline: Joe Roderick LOS ANGELES_Time for a multiple choice question. Why were the Giants shut out for the first time since May 20, and for only the second time this season?: A. The pitching of Darren Dreifort. B. The twilight...

Raiders expressing confidence.
July 24, 2000... Byline: Steve Corkran NAPA, Calif. _Players run around with boundless energy. Coaches dish out encouraging words with unusual frequency. The drills are crisp and snappy. Everywhere you look, optimism abounds at the Raiders training camp....

Peterson is expected to arrive Monday.
July 24, 2000... Byline: Matt Maiocco STOCKTON, Calif. _The 49ers should have their entire draft class in training camp Monday evening after reaching a contract agreement Sunday with top pick Julian Peterson. Peterson, an outside linebacker from...

Letdown after breakdown in showdown.
July 24, 2000... Byline: Gary Peterson SACRAMENTO, Calif. _Michael Johnson could see it coming. He understood the game even as Maurice Greene was throwing out the ceremonial first zinger. "I've been through it twice, these showdowns," Johnson said...

Clark family affair in 800.
July 24, 2000... Byline: Damin Esper and Mitch Stephens SACRAMENTO, Calif. _Meredith Rainey-Valmon was standing at the edge of the mixed zone where athletes exited the track at Hornet Stadium. As each of the other competitors in the women's 800 meters...

Devers hurdles her latest challenge.
July 24, 2000... Byline: Mitch Stephens SACRAMENTO, Calif. _ If looks could kill, Gail Devers would have made America's Most Wanted list. She had just earned her way to the top of the 100-meter hurdles list in Sunday's U.S. Olympic Trials final at...

Relief at last as Jones savors a win.
July 24, 2000... Byline: Mitch Stephens SACRAMENTO_The wide smile beaming from Marion Jones' face wasn't from rejoice but relief. The 24-year-old became the fourth athlete to win three U.S. Olympic Trial events in a single year by taking the...

`Apes' to dominate the video planet this August.
July 24, 2000... Byline: Randy Myers The shark ruled last month on DVD; now it's time for the apes to put the bite on "Jaws." Twentieth Century Fox certainly isn't monkeying around with its much-anticipated six-disc set of the "Planet of the Apes"...

Networks finally cash in on summer.
July 24, 2000... Byline: Chuck Barney PASADENA, Calif. _ There's a brand-new message circulating in the land of network TV: "Get off your lazy duffs; summer vacation is over." And it's about time. Thanks to nonscripted shows like ABC's "Who...

A's let their play do their talking.
July 23, 2000... Byline: Gary Washburn OAKLAND_The focus on Barry Zito winning his major-league debut shifted quickly to the young opposing pitcher from the Anaheim Angels. As much was said about Brian Cooper as Zito, who pitched a wobbly five...

It's no day at beach for Zito in debut.
July 23, 2000... Byline: Gary Washburn OAKLAND_The dude did it. Barry Zito, the self-admitted surfer and beach bum, accomplished his goal in his first major-league start. He survived. In fact, he did more than that. Zito pitched five...

Giants win; Dodgers eyeing Dusty.
July 23, 2000... Byline: Joe Roderick LOS ANGELES_Welcome to LA-LA land, where the headline on the front page of Saturday's Los Angeles Times read: "Dusty Is In Dodger Eyes." Here, in the shadow of Hollywood, the Baker-returns-to-Dodgers story would...

Lone woman makes way in crowded field at Sears Point.
July 23, 2000... Byline: Jonathan Okanes Some of the top drivers for today's American Le Mans Grand Prix of Sonoma were discussing the problems of maneuvering through what should be a crowded track at Sears Point Raceway, when Jennifer Tumminelli came up...

Dave Wilcox: 49ers' quiet gladiator bound for Canton.
July 23, 2000... Byline: Matt Maiocco JUNCTION CITY, Ore._Josh Wilcox was born a month before his father reported to his final San Francisco 49ers training camp in 1974. He knew his dad, Dave Wilcox, was a good football player, as evidenced by the...

Closure is close for John Carlos.
July 23, 2000... Byline: Gary Peterson SACRAMENTO_The young man in the video ate up ground with astonishing speed. He tore around the curve and burst down the tree-lined straightaway, a magnificent confluence of technique, determination and raw energy....

Best triple jumps not long enough at trials.
July 23, 2000... Byline: Damin Esper SACRAMENTO_Sheila Hudson has accomplished a lot in her career as a triple jumper. Seven U.S. titles. A since-broken world record. The current American record. Two NCAA titles while at Cal. And she competed in the...

Fans will get double dose of Johnson-Greene.
July 23, 2000... Byline: Damin Esper SACRAMENTO_As if the final event of the U.S. Olympic Trials wasn't enough, fans will get a bonus on Sunday_two meetings between Michael Johnson and Maurice Greene in the men's 200 meters. Johnson and Greene will...

Quakes are shot down by Revolution.
July 23, 2000... Byline: Jennifer Starks SAN JOSE_All he could do was shake his head in disgust and wish that he could, just this once, turn back time. While he often is able to make some of the most difficult saves look easy, Earthquakes goalie Joe...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., Bankruptcies Column.
July 23, 2000... Jul. 23--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., Business Listing Column.
July 23, 2000... Jul. 23--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...