Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA) articles from July 2011

Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA) archives from July 2011

A's defeat Twins, 7-3.
July 31, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ The major action involving the A's on Sunday was relegated to the diamond. Oakland made one deal before the nonwaiver trade deadline, shipping reliever Brad Ziegler to the Arizona Diamondbacks in...

Massey getting back on track.
July 30, 2011... Byline: Curtis Pashelka SONOMA, Calif. _ Spencer Massey was asked what he learned from Don "The Snake" Prudhomme in the year he spent driving for the legendary drag racer in 2009. Aside from learning how to handle the greater demands on...

'True Blood' stars get sexy - and edgy.
July 29, 2011... Byline: Chuck Barney BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. _ We've heard of actors who really get into their roles, but this is ridiculous. When "True Blood" stars _ and real-life spouses _ Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer were asked what they enjoy doing...

Athletics put on the hits in routing Rays.
July 28, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ The Athletics have had a shortage of offensive highlights for most of this season. They responded Wednesday night by cramming as many as they could into the fourth inning. Oakland sent 12 men to...

Andy Samberg gladly thrown to the sharks.
July 28, 2011... Byline: Chuck Barney It's been a busy year for funny guy Andy Samberg. In May, the Berkeley, Calif., native and viral video sensation completed his sixth season on "Saturday Night Live." Then, he and his Lonely Island jokers, Akiva...

TV press tour draws wide range of personalities.
July 28, 2011... Byline: Chuck Barney BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. _ At television's summer press tour, it's not always about the glamorous stars who make their living in TV. Sometimes it's about the offbeat characters _ and creatures _ that TV finds itself drawn...

Hot-hitting Pennington leads Athletics to win over Rays.
July 27, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ To locate the major leagues' hottest hitter, scan down to the bottom of the A's batting order. That's where you'll find Cliff Pennington, who continued his post-All-Star break tear in a 6-1 victory...

Athletics rally to beat Rays.
July 26, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ The A's haven't staged many late-inning rallies this season, but they haven't seen too many bullpens as porous as the Tampa Bay relief staff, either. Oakland rallied from a 5-2 deficit by scoring a...

Ex-Etiquette: Discuss money issues with parents, not kids.
July 26, 2011... Byline: Jann Blackstone-Ford and Sharyl Jupe Question: My oldest bonusdaughter, who's almost 9, keeps coming to me asking for things I believe should be covered by child support money. Things such as a blow dryer for her mother's house, a...

With newborn baby, Bhutanese refugee family plants American roots.
July 26, 2011... Byline: Matt O'Brien OAKLAND, Calif. _ The first American citizen in the Mainali family didn't have to flee her country, grow up stateless in another or testify about her life to interviewers with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Her...

Wrapping the cost of energy improvements into a mortgage.
July 25, 2011... Byline: Eve Mitchell Stuck with soaring utility bills in a home that's a glutton for energy? Buying a home that has a lot to be desired in terms of energy-efficient features? There's hope. An under-the-radar program that has been around...

Travel Q&A: Traveling with portable oxygen on flights.
July 25, 2011... Byline: Ann Tatko-Peterson Q. I am a 71-year-old diagnosed with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). I was prevented from boarding a flight from Oakland to Palm Springs in May. My carry-on bag included a standard portable oxygen...

Around the remote: Television picks for the week of July 24-30.
July 24, 2011... Byline: Chuck Barney DON'T MISS: "ENTOURAGE" _ The boys are back in town, but not for long. The outlandish bromantic comedy that introduced us to Hollywood pals Vince (Adrian Grenier), E (Kevin Connolly), Johnny Drama (Kevin Dillon) and...

A's rally falls short against Rivera, Yanks.
July 24, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich NEW YORK _ Going down quietly Sunday against Mariano Rivera would not have fit the Oakland A's season, which has included its share of heartbreakers. The A's rallied from a three-run deficit in the ninth inning against...

Yankees roll over A's, 17-7.
July 23, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich NEW YORK _ Trevor Cahill couldn't offer much explanation Friday night, and none was needed. The numbers told the story of the right-hander's worst outing as a major leaguer. Cahill was tagged for a career-high 10...

It turns out there is a lot to love about reality TV.
July 22, 2011... Byline: Chuck Barney A blight on humanity. An utter waste of time. Trashy. Phony. Cheap. And oh so dumb. Those acidic descriptions reflect the general level of scorn heaped upon reality TV over the years. It's safe to say that no niche of...

Athletics defeat Tigers as Matsui blasts 500th home run between Japan and U.S.
July 21, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich DETROIT _ In a perfect scenario, Hideki Matsui would have made history this weekend at his old stomping grounds of Yankee Stadium. His 500th professional home run instead came Wednesday night at Comerica Park, and the...

Women face several forms of urinary incontinence.
July 21, 2011... Byline: Laura Casey Urinary incontinence is an awkward thing to talk about. It's an even more awkward thing to live with. To prevent an accident, women who suffer from it stop doing things they love, such as running or playing sports. Some...

Athletics' Cahill and Gonzalez struggle against Yankees.
July 21, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich NEW YORK _ Trevor Cahill and Gio Gonzalez are well aware of the New York Yankees' rich history. It's their own history against the Yankees that they want to forget. New York has given both pitchers fits during their...

Decoded DNA from 100,000 Kaiser members opens new research doors.
July 21, 2011... Byline: Suzanne Bohan WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ A team of Bay Area researchers faced a herculean challenge 15 months ago: Sequence the DNA of more than 100,000 Kaiser Permanente members who joined an unprecedented study of genetics and...

BART releases video showing officer firing fatal shots.
July 21, 2011... Byline: Denis Cuff WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ A dramatic video released Thursday shows a BART police officer drawing his gun and firing the shots that killed a knife-wielding homeless man July 3 at San Francisco's Civic Center station. The...

California prisons had lousy bookkeeping, audit finds.
July 20, 2011... Byline: Josh Richman WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Lousy bookkeeping in California's prison system put millions of taxpayers' dollars at risk of fraud and abuse, according to an audit released Wednesday by state Controller John Chiang. Chiang...

Ex-Etiquette: Dad must step up and reset boundaries.
July 19, 2011... Byline: Jann Blackstone-Ford and Sharyl Jupe Q: My ex and I got along fine co-parenting our 6-year-old daughter until I remarried six months ago. My wife, who does not have children, does not want my ex and me to talk at all and requires all...

Those savory grilling spices? I put some in my cocktail and ...
July 19, 2011... Byline: Jackie Burrell In a sea of sweet and fruity martinis, the Andalusia stood in stark contrast. The cocktail _ its cucumber-infused vodka turned crimson by the spicy, roasted red pepper syrup _ glowed like a beacon. And the glass rim,...

Extreme cocktails for the grilling crowd.(Recipe)
July 18, 2011... Byline: Jackie Burrell In a sea of sweet and fruity martinis, the Andalusia stood in stark contrast. The cocktail_its cucumber-infused vodka turned crimson by the spicy, roasted red pepper syrup_glowed like a beacon. And the glass rim,...

Big Island big hit with kids, no matter the age.
July 18, 2011... Byline: Ann Tatko-Peterson I was in big trouble. Two hours into a Hawaiian vacation, my 14-year-old stepdaughter, Dana, and I sat lounging by the pool at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on the Big Island. Already she had sampled an...

Around the remote: Television picks for the week of July 17-23.
July 17, 2011... Byline: Chuck Barney DON'T MISS: "Breaking Bad" _ One of television's finest dramas finally returns after a 13-month absence. When we last left Walt and Jesse (Emmy-winners Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul), they were locked in a heart-stopping...

From ship to scrap.
July 17, 2011... Byline: Thomas Peele VALLEJO, Calif. _ There is nothing easy _ or pretty _ about disposing of an old ship. Call it scrapping. Or recycling. Or ship-breaking. By any name, what is taking place slowly at a dry dock at the former Mare Island...

Athletics defeat Angels to end losing skid.
July 16, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ The Athletics won't nitpick over their victories in the second half of the season. But it was tough knowing what to make of Friday night's 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels. Up three runs in the...

Athletics' Anderson out with Tommy John surgery.
July 15, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich The Oakland Athletics' season took another dismal turn Thursday as left-hander Brett Anderson underwent reconstructive ligament surgery on his left elbow. The procedure _ better known as Tommy John surgery _ is...

U.S. women's soccer team can show America is best at something.
July 15, 2011... Byline: Cam Inman Sunday's Women's World Cup final won't live up to the 1999 pomp and circumstance found inside the Rose Bowl. The United States won't win the championship on home soil before 90,185 fans. Women's soccer won't confuse...

Gays gaining ground in Calif. political district boundary talks.
July 14, 2011... Byline: Lisa Vorderbrueggen WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ In what would be a nationwide first, California may draw its new political districts with an eye toward protecting the voting power of "gayborhoods." Advocates for gay and lesbian groups...

'Breaking Bad' still unbroken.
July 14, 2011... Byline: Chuck Barney Usually right about now, the AMC cable network _ or what I like to call TV's little art house _ offers an exciting break from our summer doldrums with a new season of "Mad Men." Unfortunately, that won't happen this...

Showtime goes to bat for 'The Franchise'.
July 14, 2011... Byline: Chuck Barney In baseball, second-guessing the manager is a sport unto itself. So it was no surprise that many eyebrows were raised when San Francisco Giants skipper Bruce Bochy and front-office bigwigs agreed to allow camera crews to...

Brown signs bill requiring inclusion of gays in history lessons.
July 14, 2011... Byline: Josh Richman and Theresa Harrington WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Public schools must incorporate the historical contributions of gays and lesbians into their lesson plans, under a law signed Thursday by Gov. Jerry Brown. SB 48, the FAIR...

Warriors' Curry and Wright considering playing abroad.
July 14, 2011... Byline: Marcus Thompson II Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry and forward Dorell Wright said they are considering playing overseas if the NBA lockout extends into the season. Neither has a deal in place or a destination set in...

UC regents approve second tuition hike in eight months.
July 14, 2011... Byline: Matt Krupnick SAN FRANCISCO _ Just a little more than a month before the University of California, Berkeley's classes start, University of California leaders have raised tuition for the fall term, the seventh such hike in the past...

Spending cap poses harm to colleges, Lockyer warns.
July 13, 2011... Byline: Steven Harmon SACRAMENTO, Calif. _ California state Treasurer Bill Lockyer warned Wednesday that a spending cap that the Legislature qualified for the ballot will do untold harm to colleges and universities if approved by voters next...

Garrido parole documents reveal stark contrast between reports, reality.
July 13, 2011... Byline: Robert Salonga and Malaika Fraley WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ The tale of Phillip Garrido, the imprisoned two-time kidnapper and rapist who kept Jaycee Dugard in a virtual prison for 18 years near Antioch, Calif., s made up of two stories....

Major story lines for Athletics after All-Star Break.
July 13, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich The Oakland Athletics' 2011 season has been like a jigsaw puzzle. At various times they have pitched well, scored enough runs and played quality defense. But rarely have they done all three of those things, or even...

Cal State approves another tuition increase for fall term.
July 12, 2011... Byline: Matt Krupnick WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ California State University leaders on Tuesday approved the second tuition increase to take effect in the fall term. The board of trustees authorized the 12-percent hike, bringing annual...

Videos show parole agent miss Jaycee Dugard in backyard.
July 12, 2011... Byline: Malaika Fraley WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ The El Dorado County District Attorney's Office on Tuesday released clips of Phillip and Nancy Garrido's home movies, including videos of young girls playing at parks and a parole agent searching...

Dugard memoir details her public excursions, hoping to be recognized.
July 12, 2011... Byline: Robert Salonga ANTIOCH, Calif. _ There's a chance you saw Jaycee Dugard during her 18 years of captivity. Perhaps at the nail salon, or Jack in the Box. Maybe Walmart. There's an even better chance she was hoping you would...

Giants in the 'Franchise'.
July 12, 2011... Byline: Cam Inman It is not sensationalistic nor tension filled. It is not edge-of-your-seat theater nor Hollywood glitz. It is the way it should be. Wednesday night's premiere episode of the Giants' docudrama, "The Franchise," offers a...

Search for missing in fishing boat sinking is called off.
July 12, 2011... Byline: Gary Peterson and Jeanine Benca WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ The search for seven Northern California men missing since their chartered fishing boat sank in the Sea of Cortez on July 3 has officially ended, their families were told Tuesday...

Electric car conversion business booming.
July 11, 2011... Byline: David Morrill Rising fuel prices have been painful for many small-business owners across the country. They've been a boon for Nathan Hutchison. The reason: Hutchison specializes in converting gas-powered cars to run on...

Please, Emmys, show them some love.
July 11, 2011... Byline: Chuck Barney The Emmy nominations come out this week and, as usual, we expect a lot of the same ol' same ol' from the television academy. It's not that Emmy never recognizes newbies. Just last year, youngsters Lea Michele and Chris...

S.F. chef dishes on TV fame.(Recipe)
July 11, 2011... Byline: Jackie Burrell Traci des Jardins has always kept her eye on the prize. For the San Francisco chef, activist and philanthropist, life has always been about something more than merely churning out spectacular French-California cuisine...

Athletics fall to Rangers and Hamilton's big blast.
July 10, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ Perhaps it was baseball destiny that a routine grounder found no man's land on the right side of the Athletics' infield Saturday night, allowing Josh Hamilton to bat in the bottom of the ninth. ...

The final exam: How's your Potterology? Test your learning and endurance.
July 10, 2011... Byline: Jackie Burrell and Joan Morris So, you think you know Harry Potter, do you? You say you've seen all seven movies a dozen times each and have already purchased your ticket for the midnight premiere of the final movie installment? ...

Around the remote: Television picks for the week of July 10-16.
July 10, 2011... Byline: Chuck Barney DON'T MISS: "THE CLOSER" _ A dire day of reckoning appears to be in the cards for Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) as this highly popular crime drama moves into its seventh and final season....

Rangers blank A's, 2-0.
July 10, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich ARLINGTON, Texas _ The Oakland A's talked Sunday of getting away from baseball for a few days, flushing a disappointing first half out of their system and starting anew after the All-Star break. The reality that awaits...

Fan's death casts cloud over Rangers' 8-5 win over A's.
July 9, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich ARLINGTON, Texas _ They played baseball at Rangers Ballpark on Friday, but the shock waves from the death of a fan who fell from the stands the night before still resonated with everyone. That included Texas Rangers...

Gio rocked in Athletics' loss to Rangers.
July 9, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich ARLINGTON, Texas _ Rain did not save Gio Gonzalez this time. The left-hander was rocked for five runs in the first inning Friday night, sending the Athletics on their way to an 8-5 loss to the Rangers and burying...

Athletics fall to Rangers; fan dies after 20-foot fall.
July 8, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich ARLINGTON, Texas _ All was quiet in the Oakland Athletics' clubhouse on Thursday night, but not because of a 6-0 loss to the Texas Rangers. Players were visibly shaken after a fan sitting in the left field bleachers...

Coast Guard continues search in Mexico for missing fisherman.
July 8, 2011... Byline: Suzanne Bohan WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ The U.S. Coast Guard continued its search and rescue mission on Thursday in the Sea of Cortez in Mexico for seven Bay Area fishermen still missing after their charter boat capsized early Sunday...

Some survivors of capsized boat make trek back to Northern California.
July 8, 2011... Byline: Matthias Gafni WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Sixteen fishermen who survived a capsized Mexican fishing boat crossed the border and headed north to reunite with friends and relatives, a Mexican official said Thursday. With their passports...

John Madden says NFL issues should have been handled long ago.
July 8, 2011... Byline: Cam Inman Pro football misses John Madden's common sense more than ever. Two years into his retirement from television broadcasting, Madden is aghast at the NFL's labor lockout and dreads the competitive imbalance it's created for...

Drinking age debate: The drinking age should stay at 21 to protect teens.
July 7, 2011... Byline: Joyce Alcantara We do crazy things when we are young. What if we were young and drunk at the same time? It seems as if the United States is the last country to reduce its drinking age. Unlike our friends across the pond,...

'Torchwood: Miracle Day,' premiering Friday on Starz.
July 7, 2011... Byline: Chuck Barney The moment "Torchwood: Miracle Day" hits the screen, it gets right down to very creepy business. A death-row psychopath (Bill Pullman), strapped to a gurney, awaits lethal injection in Kentucky. As poisonous fluids...

Some survivors of capsize incident start trek back to Northern California.
July 7, 2011... Byline: Matthias Gafni WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Sixteen fishermen survivors from a capsized Mexican fishing boat have crossed the border and are driving north to reunite with friends and relatives, a Mexican official said Thursday. With...

Dugard tells story of her ordeal in book, TV interview.(Excerpt)
July 7, 2011... Byline: Robert Salonga WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Two years after escaping the captivity that hijacked her youth, Jaycee Dugard looks to a pine cone as a link to life before her horror and a harbinger of a brighter future. At the time of her...

Four-legged recruit helps roust vagrants, hand out treats.
July 6, 2011... Byline: Jeanine Benca OAKDALE, Calif. _ Even to seasoned equine rescuer Amber Santos, Lobo the horse was a haunting sight. "He was a walking skeleton, probably 300 pounds underweight," Santos said, describing the first time she saw him....

Tackling my pile of video games.
July 6, 2011... Byline: Gieson Cacho Pile of shame (n.) The stack of games, still in their plastic wrap, that go unplayed. (He will tackle his pile of shame when he is on vacation.) SYN. Deluge of fun. It's a term, originating either on the website NeoGAF...

Moscoso blanks Mariners.
July 6, 2011... Byline: Ben Enos OAKLAND, Calif. _ If Guillermo Moscoso is pitching with his job on the line these days, the pressure sure doesn't seem to be affecting him. The A's right-hander Moscoso continued his run of solid performances with seven...

Divorce is a huge deal - even for adult kids.
July 5, 2011... Byline: Chuck Barney WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ It was a bombshell of mind-boggling magnitude. In February, Kelly received a phone call from her mother, who tearfully delivered the grim news that Kelly's father was leaving her for another woman....

Ex-Etiquette: Indiscrete dad has everything to lose.
July 5, 2011... Byline: Jann Blackstone-Ford and Sharyl Jupe Question: I'm currently in the middle of divorce. We have an 11-year-old daughter. My ex has had multiple girlfriends since we separated and tells our daughter all about them. She has also seen...

Stroller etiquette: A summertime guide to maneuvering at street fairs, farmers markets, parks.
July 5, 2011... Byline: Angela Hill Showdown at the rabbit corral, also known as the small animal exhibit at the Alameda County Fair: On a midweek outing, people with kids in strollers faced off with people without kids in strollers. Tension filled the...

Athletics lose a pitcher's duel to Pineda and Mariners.
July 4, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ The Athletics once again received a pitching performance good enough to win Monday. They have yet to master how to take advantage of it. Beginning a crucial 11-game stretch against American League...

Giants' Lincecum deserves to make All-Star Game.
July 4, 2011... Byline: Cam Inman SAN FRANCISCO _ Tim Lincecum's final pitch Monday: A plea to the media regarding his recent All-Star game selection. "I just really don't want to talk about that right now, to be honest with you," Lincecum said politely...

Around the remote: Television picks for the week of July 3-9.
July 3, 2011... Byline: Chuck Barney DON'T MISS: FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATIONS _ It's birthday party time for the good ol' US of A and television wants in on the action. So if you can't make it out to your local fireworks display, just kick back and watch...

Napa Valley vintners brace for climate change.
July 3, 2011... Byline: Suzanne Bohan WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ A Napa Valley winemaker recently traversed a steep hillside to reach a 12-foot white weather station that towers above rows of cabernet sauvignon vines absorbing the midmorning sun. Curiosity...

Giants and Athletics will show off their pitching in All-Star Game.
July 3, 2011... Byline: Cam Inman Only pitchers will wear the Athletics and Giants caps at the All-Star game, yet again. At least they're making history out of this troubling trend. No franchise has ever sent solely pitchers to eight consecutive All-Star...

Athletics turn back the Diamondbacks.
July 3, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ Gio Gonzalez woke up Sunday morning to news that he had been selected to his first All-Star game. Then the left-hander celebrated by shutting down the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 7-2 Athletics victory....

Harden gives A's boost in 5-4 win over Dbacks.
July 2, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ The tease began Friday night for Oakland A's fans. Rich Harden took the mound in his 2011 debut and showed what he is capable of in a 5-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. His fastball had...

California GOP squandered huge opportunity during budget negotiations, political experts say.
July 2, 2011... Byline: Steven Harmon SACRAMENTO, Calif. _ Even before California Gov. Jerry Brown held his signing ceremony touting an on-time, balanced, though pain-filled, budget, Republicans had embarked on the public relations circuit to celebrate their...

As baseball nears midseason, a look ahead.
July 1, 2011... Byline: Cam Inman Baseball's midseason offers a time to bestow mythical awards and reflect on a zany first half. But enough about that. Instead, let's scout the coming months and envision nine headlines, some more realistic than others: ...