Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA) articles from June 2001

Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA) archives from June 2001

Decorating Dilemma: More seating needed in small living room.
June 1, 2001... Q. Our living room is small (about 13 by 16 feet), with a low "popcorn" ceiling and no recessed lighting. There is pine paneling on two walls and hardwood floors with no rugs. The bay window is too high to sit on. All our furniture is...

California System Operator, Electric Utilities to Meet Federal Deadline.
June 1, 2001... Byline: Rick Jurgens Jun. 1--PG&E Corp. will once again go its own way today when owners and operators of the California electricity grid, under pressure from federal regulators, make another move in the ongoing contest for control of the...

Power Generator Refuses to Start Building Plant in California.
June 1, 2001... Byline: Greg Cannon Jun. 1--ANTIOCH, Calif.--Power generator Mirant Corp. says it will not start building a 530-megawatt power plant, blaming the state's "hostile business climate." It won a state license for the plant Wednesday from...

Bellhorn becomes true definition of utility player.
June 2, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn OAKLAND_This utility stuff truly has tested Mark Bellhorn's versatility. He was called up as a backup second baseman, became the A's top pinch runner, then started at second base for a hobbling Frank Menechino....

Giambi can't bail out the A's.
June 2, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn OAKLAND_As usual, Jason Giambi tried carrying the A's to victory on his muscular back. He did manage to captivate the fans with yet another clutch homer. But that momentum would burn out quicker than one of those...

Guthrie, Stanford enjoy a laugher.
June 2, 2001... Byline: Jay Heater STANFORD_Stanford hammered the Golden Spike. South Carolina pitcher Kip Bouknight, last year's Golden Spikes award winner as the top player in college baseball, was nothing more than an overworked batting-practice...

Brenly is perfectly mistaken.
June 2, 2001... Byline: Steve Corkran So, former Giants catcher Bob Brenly wants a day in his honor, eh? What the Arizona Diamondbacks rookie manager needs most is a healthy dose of perspective. This much we learned after Brenly ripped San Diego...

Baker on Alou's firing: `It's terrible'.
June 2, 2001... Byline: Joe Roderick DENVER_He was once one of Dusty Baker's mentors when the Giants manager broke into the big leagues in 1968, and although his relationship with Felipe Alou was strained in 1997 because of sign-stealing accusations,...

Giants find a remedy at Coors.
June 2, 2001... Byline: Joe Roderick DENVER_If the Giants were looking for a place to jump-start their offense, welcome to town, boys. If ever there was a stadium on the planet that cures hitting woes, it's Coors Field. The Giants, held to four runs...

Pujols has come a long way.
June 2, 2001... Byline: Joe Roderick JUST WHO IS Albert Pujols and why is he appearing almost nightly on SportsCenter highlight shows? Pujols, 21, started last season at Single-A Peoria, and was playing at Maple Woods Community College (Kansas City,...

Madsen watches history unfold.
June 2, 2001... Byline: Eric Gilmore If you're surprised by the Lakers' transformation from a team bent on self-destructing to one intent on sweeping its way to another NBA title, you're not alone. Lakers rookie Mark Madsen, a former Stanford and San...

NFL's best route is the high road.
June 2, 2001... Byline: Neil Hayes Paul Tagliabue is vacationing in Italy, where he undoubtedly is celebrating his recent legal victory over longtime NFL nemesis Al Davis and his Raiders. And when the league commissioner tucks himself into bed at...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., New in Town Column.
June 2, 2001... Jun. 2--BUSINESS: Little Galloping Treasures Coffee & Collectibles ADDRESS: 60 Golf Club Road, Pleasant Hill PHONE: 925-827-5980 DESCRIPTION: Coffee house and collectible shop ABOUT OUR BUSINESS: We are a unique business...

Success in San Francisco-Area Black Business Community is Hard Fought.
June 2, 2001... Byline: Teena Massingill Jun. 2--Lunch is a steaming plate of red beans over rice, candied yams and a side order of okra. No room for dessert, though the peach cobbler at Sadie's Soulfood Kitchen is tempting. Between bites, members of...

Airfare Hikes Start to Hit Business.
June 2, 2001... Byline: Teena Massingill Jun. 2--The calls started coming in around the end of last year and have increased in frequency in 2001. American Express Consulting, part of American Express Corporate Services, received a slew of calls from...

A's notebook: Orioles' rookie keeps up trend.
June 3, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn OAKLAND_The A's continued to be perplexed by rookie pitchers Saturday. This time it was Baltimore's Josh Towers' turn to pitch the best game of his brief major-league career. In just his sixth appearance and...

Zito's slide continues as A's fall to Orioles.
June 3, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn OAKLAND_The same pitcher who absolutely baffled the New York Yankees in last year's Division Series had major trouble with the American League's worst offense. A fast decline? Yeah, you bet. Barry Zito is not...

Gronk is mound monster as closer.
June 3, 2001... Byline: Gary Peterson STANFORD_Lee Gronkiewicz never had a chance. For one thing, he doesn't look like a Lee. For another, his last name is perfect fodder for dugout shorthand, which stipulates that any name longer than two syllables isn't...

Cardinal puts hurt on Gamecocks.
June 3, 2001... Byline: Jay Heater STANFORD_For most of the Super Regional title game on Sunday at Sunken Diamond, Stanford put South Carolina through the grinder. Three Gamecocks were drilled by pitches. Their catcher was hit on the head by a bat....

Gamecocks bounce back to get even with Cardinal.
June 3, 2001... Byline: Jay Heater STANFORD_South Carolina, a team on the verge of elimination, took full advantage of its desperation in a 4-3 win over Stanford on Saturday in Game 2 of the Super Regional playoffs at Sunken Diamond. The Cardinal,...

Padres could look different this time.
June 3, 2001... Byline: Joe Roderick DENVER_The Giants may see a different San Diego team than the one they knocked around in early April, when they won five of six games between the teams. After an 8-15 start, the Padres surged over the .500 mark...

Nen's ineffectiveness striking in Giants loss.
June 3, 2001... Byline: Joe Roderick DENVER_The Giants, as third baseman Russ Davis was saying after the game, have come to expect sterling work from their closer, Robb Nen. And when Nen is off kilter, as he was Saturday, it's painful to watch. It's...

Henderson racing back to Bay Area with Padres.
June 3, 2001... Byline: Gary Peterson We gather here not to bury Rickey Henderson, but to praise him. The way he's going, the burying will come soon enough. Henderson returns to the Bay Area tonight as a member of the San Diego Padres. And not a...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., Bankruptcies Column.
June 3, 2001... Jun. 3--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.
June 3, 2001... Jun. 3--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...

Experts Offer Insight to the Future of Black Businesses in Silicon Valley.
June 3, 2001... Jun. 3--The Times gathered a group of business professionals to discuss what have become hot-button issues for many black businesses and individuals including gentrification, Proposition 209 and business financing. Participants were: --...

New Rules to Protect Snakes, Frogs Make California Land Difficult to Develop.
June 3, 2001... Jun. 3--More than half the land in the East Bay falls under new rules that protect the Alameda whipsnake and the California red-legged frog, adding another layer of regulation that could make much of that land more difficult to develop, a Times...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., Tapan Munroe Column.
June 3, 2001... Byline: Tapan Munroe Jun. 3--PROBLEMS FACING STATE MORE VAST THAN ENERGY: As I write this column on a warm day in California worrying about another rolling blackout and how it might prevent me from meeting my deadline, it dawns on me that...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., User Friendly Column.
June 3, 2001... Byline: Yael Li-Ron Jun. 3--QUICKEN REVEALS TAX "RELIEF" TRUTH: Unlike many in the media, who are cheering the so-called tax relief approved by president Dubya two weeks ago, I've been skeptical (nay, suspicious) of the truth behind that...

California Transportation Chief Remains Positive Despite Budget Cuts.
June 3, 2001... Byline: Lisa Vorderbrueggen Jun. 3--SACRAMENTO, Calif.--Jeff Morales doesn't act like a guy whose budget just got siphoned to help fuel the state's sputtering budget. In fact, a year after he took the post, the new director of the...

Fuson has a new draft strategy.
June 4, 2001... Byline: Jonathan Okanes OAKLAND _ If the A's get another Eric Chavez, Mark Mulder or Barry Zito in this year's first-year player draft, then director of scouting Grady Fuson has certainly done his homework. The lack of success the A's...

Lidle finally lands win.
June 4, 2001... Byline: Jonathan Okanes OAKLAND_It's gotta be the shoes. Cory Lidle changed his luck by dumping his usual Reeboks and wearing Pumas for his start Sunday at Network Associates Coliseum. The result: Lidle's first win of the season as the...

Rockies pound Giants, 11-2.
June 4, 2001... Byline: Joe Roderick DENVER_If this was a fitting end to a perfectly miserable week, the Giants had it down pat. They didn't get their first hit until the seventh inning, and by then their opponent had 18 and led 11-0. Mark Gardner was...

Rice will remember glory years as 49er the most.
June 4, 2001... Byline: Eric Gilmore When wide receiver Jerry Rice takes center stage at Canton, Ohio, later this decade, his exit from the 49ers this year will rate little more than a mention. When Rice is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame,...

Oakland must now deal with having both Rice and Brown.
June 4, 2001... Byline: Neil Hayes Now that Jerry Rice is bound for Oakland, Raiders officials must develop a system to accommodate the former 49ers' legend and his new teammate, Tim Brown. Maybe Brown can complain about not getting the ball enough...

Jerry Rice's records.
June 4, 2001... RICE'S NFL RECORDS REGULAR SEASON Receiving yards 19,247 Most receiving yards in a single season 1,848 Career receptions 1,281 Consecutive games with a reception 209 Total touchdowns 187 ...

Career timeline of Jerry Rice.
June 4, 2001... Oct. 20, 1984: 49ers coach Bill Walsh flips on the television in his Houston hotel room, watches highlights of a Mississippi Valley State game and discovers Rice, who streaks across the TV screen for one of his five TD receptions. April...

Dot-com bomb a boon to Peace Corps recruiters.
June 4, 2001... Byline: Joan Morris WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ At age 25, Jessica Hsu was having what she calls a quarter-life crisis. Hsu had joined the dot-com world 2{ years earlier, attracted by the newness, the creativity and the chance to be in on the...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., 401(k) Queries.
June 4, 2001... Byline: Steve Butler Jun. 4--DON'T OPEN THAT ENVELOPE SO FAST: Until last year, it was marvelous fun to open our quarterly 401(k) or brokerage statements. Every three months they made us feel like we had just won the Publishers Clearing...

State Senator Warns of Possible Shortfall in California's Treasury.
June 4, 2001... Byline: Andrew LaMar Jun. 4--SACRAMENTO, Calif.--The state's treasury, already being taxed by the energy crisis and the downturn of the high-tech industry, could face a shortfall of more than $7 billion next year if California's economic...

Rison's status uncertain after Rice report.
June 5, 2001... Byline: Steve Corkran Free agent wide receiver Andre Rison must be sitting in his living room somewhere, saying, ''Hey, what about me?'' after hearing countless reports about receiver Jerry Rice agreeing to terms on a contract with the...

Raiders expected to announce Rice signing Tuesday.
June 5, 2001... Byline: Cam Inman LOS ALTOS, Calif. _ Get out the bridge fare, Jerry Rice, because you have plenty of toll crossings ahead of you. Rice is taking his record-setting football career across San Francisco Bay to the Oakland Raiders after...

Pleasanton golf reaches Open.
June 5, 2001... Byline: Samuel Chi WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Just 10 days ago, Todd Fischer wasn't sure where his game was. But on Monday, Fischer found enough of it to qualify for his first U.S. Open. Fischer, of Pleasanton, shot 136 in the U.S. Open...

California Electricity-Supply Forecast for June Worsens.
June 5, 2001... Byline: Mike Taugher and Rick Jurgens Jun. 5--An electricity supply forecast for gloom in June was based on overly optimistic assumptions about how many plants would be off-line. The gloomy prediction was based on a historic average of...

No Federal Energy Price Caps In Sight; California Likely to Sue.
June 5, 2001... Byline: Daniel Borenstein Jun. 5--Gov. Gray Davis has strong economic data to back up his claim for wholesale price caps, but it's unlikely his promised lawsuit against federal regulators will lead to rate limits anytime soon. The...

California Program Aims to Recruit Minority Students Into Biomedical Research.
June 5, 2001... Byline: Judy Silber Jun. 5--Five years ago, as a community college student at San Jose City College, Meraf Eyassu had only vague ideas about where her interests in biology could lead. But a program for minorities called Bridges to the...

Enron Subsidiary Sets Out to Capture Part of Retail Natural Gas Market.
June 5, 2001... Byline: Rick Jurgens Jun. 5--An affiliate of Enron Corp., the politically potent and wildly profitable Houston-based energy conglomerate, has got a deal for you. With an offer of a two-year price guarantee, New Power Co., based in...

Hayward, Calif., Software Maker Will Miss Revenue Goals, Lay Off Workers.
June 5, 2001... Byline: Chris Metinko Jun. 5--Certicom Corp. said Monday the company will miss revenue projections for its current quarter and fire up to 30 percent of its workforce. The announcement came despite the Hayward software maker reporting...

A's believe first-round picks have right stuff.
June 6, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn ANAHEIM_The A's became players in the new youth movement in professional sports. Not only did the club draft a high school pitcher in the first round of baseball's amateur draft Tuesday, but the A's tabbed one...

Giambi worth whatever it will take for A's to keep him.
June 6, 2001... Byline: Eric Gilmore A'S THIRD BASEMAN Eric Chavez said it months ago, before the team reported to Arizona for spring training. He said it when the odds of the A's signing first baseman Jason Giambi to a new long-term contract still...

Giants consider Hennessey a `safe pick'.
June 6, 2001... Byline: Joe Roderick SAN FRANCISCO_In this day and age, as Giants general manager Brian Sabean pointed out, it's not always about selecting the best available player when it's your turn to draft in the first round. There are factors...

Giants' owner open to changes.
June 6, 2001... Byline: Joe Roderick SAN FRANCISCO_Like a lot of people, Peter Magowan is troubled by the less-than-appealing play of the Giants. Unlike those people, Magowan is the team's managing general partner and has a big say in what happens to...

Warriors assess draft prospects.
June 6, 2001... Byline: Matt Steinmetz Warriors general manager Garry St. Jean, assistant general manager Gary Fitzsimmons and coach Dave Cowens are in Chicago through Friday, assessing the field of players eligible for the June 27 NBA draft. The...

49ers notebook: Rice gone but not forgotten.
June 6, 2001... Byline: Cam Inman SANTA CLARA _ 49ers coach Steve Mariucci grabbed a team roster, gazed at the piece of paper for a few seconds and then got on with his post-minicamp press conference Tuesday. Yep, Jerry Rice's name indeed was missing...

Rice's story: Fade to silver and black.
June 6, 2001... Byline: Gary Peterson Alameda, Calif. _ Jerry Rice said his heart was pounding as he ran onto the practice field. Rich Gannon confessed to having butterflies the first time he threw a pass in Rice's direction. Jon Gruden, the man with the...

Jerry Rice's new apparel has appeal with Raiders.
June 6, 2001... Byline: Steve Corkran Jerry Rice found his way to the Raiders' training facility in Alameda without incident Tuesday morning. He then ducked into the locker room, looked around and saw three familiar faces in running backs Charlie Garner...

Along came MTV's disgraceful `Spyder'.
June 6, 2001... Byline: Chuck Barney MTV turns 20 this year and it's scary to admit that I'm old enough to recall an ancient era when the cable channel was actually about music and was teeming with such monumental artists as Adam Ant, Flock of Seagulls...

New shows a relief for summer TV doldrums.
June 6, 2001... Byline: Chuck Barney Summer is typically a wasteland for avid TV viewers. It's when the major networks go into hibernation and boring reruns fill the small screen. But the past two years have produced monster hits in "Who Wants to Be...

PG&E Bills Bring Electric-Rate Crisis Home to Californians.
June 6, 2001... Byline: Mike Taugher Jun. 6--After months of reading about it, Northern Californians will begin to see how the electricity crisis is going to affect their checking accounts when new utility bills start arriving in mailboxes over the next...

Blacks Are Migrating to Outskirts of Oakland, Calif., Area.
June 6, 2001... Byline: Kelly Smolen Jun. 6--Until four years ago, Sandra Burt had been a lifelong Oakland resident. But the former urbanite wanted a change. She set down roots in a completely opposite stead -- Discovery Bay -- a sleepy boating and golf...

Stock Market Rebuilds with Blue Chip Help.
June 6, 2001... Byline: George Avalos Jun. 6--Want a hot stock tip? The bull is back. Almost in stealth mode, the nation's battered stock markets have staged a quiet rally in recent weeks. Even the technology-laden Nasdaq has managed to repair...

Pacific Bell Will Offer Support for Setting Up a Home Network.
June 6, 2001... Byline: Janet Adamy Jun. 6--Pacific Bell is hoping to cash in on homes with multiple computers by offering a service to link them together. Starting this month, customers can pay Pac Bell between $200 and $600 to have the phone company...

Pittsburg, Calif., Steel Mill Is Closing Temporarily.
June 6, 2001... Byline: Glenn May Jun. 6--PITTSBURG, Calif.--The USS-POSCO steel finishing plant will have a temporary but complete production shutdown starting late next week because of damage from a May 31 fire, mill officials say. As many as 400...

Chavez gives A's cushion.
June 7, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn ANAHEIM, Calif. _For the rest of the season, Eric Chavez will have to be cautious about his ailing left foot. One moment of overexertion could mean the season for the Oakland A's third baseman. But Chavez did not...

Walk-on a perfect Cardinal example.
June 7, 2001... Byline: Chuck Dybdal STANFORD_Junior second baseman Chris O'Riordan is the perfect poster boy for the 2001 Stanford baseball team. The Cardinal wasn't expected to make its third straight trip to the College World Series, and O'Riordan,...

Bonds is a blast, and a Giant dilemma, too.
June 7, 2001... Byline: Neil Hayes You wake up groggy, shuffle to the bathroom in a ratty robe and glance at your reflection in the mirror. That's when you realize, much to your bewilderment, that yours is no longer the smiling face in the family...

Giants continue their mastery of the Padres.
June 7, 2001... Byline: Jonathan Okanes SAN FRANCISCO _ The end of the last road trip provided the perfect medicine for the Giants, and not just because they were returning home. It also meant the opportunity to play the San Diego Padres, whom the...

Owens seeks refund of fine by 49ers over Dallas antics.
June 7, 2001... Byline: Cam Inman SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ Wide receiver Terrell Owens wants his money back, and today he's expected to testify why he should be refunded the week's paycheck -- worth $24,294 -- that he got docked for his celebration antics...

Star-studded field expected in Tahoe.
June 7, 2001... Byline: Samuel Chi STATELINE, Nev._Tim Brown and Jerry Rice will be in plenty of competition in training camp. But before either heads to Napa in late July, the Raiders' wide receiving duo will try to outdo each other on the golf...

Tainted shots spread meningitis in Bay Area, officials say.
June 7, 2001... Byline: Kristi Belcamino WALNUT CREEK, Calif., _ A cortisone solution injected into the spine of several patients _ at least one of whom died of a form of meningitis _ was mixed at a local pharmacy and was found to be contaminated with the...

Lighter Oven-Fried Flautas.
June 7, 2001... Byline: Elaine Magee Q: I love to order beef flautas from the Mexican restaurant in town. But I have to say, it's practically dripping in grease when it comes to the table. Is there a way to make flautas without deep-frying them? A:...

Berkeley scientists unveil the world's smallest laser.
June 7, 2001... Byline: Andrea Widener WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ A team of UC Berkeley chemists have created the world's smallest laser from miniature tubes 1,000 times thinner than a human hair. This new creation _ 100 times tinier than the previous...

Antioch, Calif., Auto Painting Center Specializes in `Cosmolition'.
June 7, 2001... Byline: John Lovejoy Jun. 7--ANTIOCH, Calif.--You'd think that Kevin Fitzgerald's biggest competition would be other body shops. But the co-owner of Antioch's new MAACO Auto Painting and Bodyworks center says his competition comes from...

San Francisco-Area Politician Pushes $3 Bridge Toll.
June 7, 2001... Byline: Lisa Vorderbrueggen Jun. 7--Seismic repairs to Bay Area bridges and the new Bay Bridge eastern span will cost $250 million to $630 million more than Caltrans' latest estimate, a private engineering firm has determined. The...

Cisco Systems Goes Ahead with Pleasanton, Calif., Office Deal.
June 7, 2001... Byline: Kelly Smolen Jun. 7--PLEASANTON, Calif.--Networking behemoth Cisco Systems Inc. is still buying a $28 million suburban office building here. But facing declining revenue and job cuts, the company has no immediate plan to put...

California Senators Approve Tough Gun Bill.
June 7, 2001... Byline: Andrew LaMar Jun. 7--SACRAMENTO -- A handgun licensing measure that would become one of the nation's farthest reaching if it makes it into law narrowly won passage in the state Senate on Wednesday, setting up a showdown in the...

San Francisco-Area Olympics Proposal Includes $300 Million Arena Replacement.
June 7, 2001... Byline: Ann Tatko Jun. 7--SAN FRANCISCO--All those concerns about traffic congestion and financing no longer darken the possibility of the Bay Area hosting the Summer Olympic Games in 2012. That is, unless there's any real concern...

Oakland, Calif., `Accelerator' Building Aids Technology's Minorities.
June 7, 2001... Byline: Jessica Guynn Jun. 7--OAKLAND, Calif.--A low-slung building on a downtown Oakland street serves up an incongruous slice of Silicon Valley. Spacious offices and conference rooms are outfitted with tasteful furniture and...

Creditors Will Question San Francisco-Based Utility about Debt Plans.
June 7, 2001... Byline: Matt Sebastian Jun. 7--Pacific Gas & Electric Co.'s creditors will meet face-to-face with the bankrupt utility's CEO today, a potentially raucous gathering that legal experts warn could be long on platitudes but short on specifics....

Consistently inconsistent A's let one get away to Angels.
June 8, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn ANAHEIM_It was proven once again Thursday that the A's are a team of inconsistencies, unable to play solid baseball for any extended period of time, unable to capitalize on a team that appeared ready to call it a...

Beane refuses to discuss status of manager Howe.
June 8, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn ANAHEIM_For the second time this season, A's general manager Billy Beane was confronted with questions about manager Art Howe's job status. Beane refused to respond to any speculation Thursday, preferring to point out...

It's official: Baker demotes Benard.
June 8, 2001... Byline: Joe Roderick SAN FRANCISCO_Giants manager Dusty Baker confirmed Thursday what has become evident: Struggling Marvin Benard has lost his center field job to Calvin Murray. "I'm sure a lot of people are happy about that," Baker...

Giants follow a familiar scenario; Barry homers again.
June 8, 2001... Byline: Joe Roderick SAN FRANCISCO_What a perfectly abnormal day at Pacific Bell Park. Felipe Crespo hit two home runs, Russ Ortiz lasted only 1 2/3 innings and Barry Bonds homered. Oh wait, nothing abnormal about that last entry. ...

Crespo Brothers have a blast.
June 8, 2001... Byline: Gary Peterson ANSWER: A CRESPO cream. Question: What do you get when you throw one of the Crespo brothers a batting practice fastball? It happened three times Thursday. The Giants' Felipe Crespo whacked two home runs. The...