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

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

Universities propose program to increase math, science teachers.
June 1, 2005... Byline: Matt Krupnick Jun. 1--California's public universities will aim to dramatically increase the number of math and science teachers to better prepare students for the state's high-tech economy, officials announced Tuesday. ...

Don't miss these Santa Barbara sites.
June 1, 2005... Byline: Anne Chalfant Santa Barbara has a reputation for sunny, rain-free winters _ until this year when it was pounded by winter storms. In April, earth movers were working to reshape the beach and remove the sand wall created by the...

California's Santa Barbara is a courtly gem.
June 1, 2005... Byline: Anne Chalfant SANTA BARBARA, Calif. _ The trickiest thing about Santa Barbara is trying to find the grocery store. "Ralphs Grocery is just over there," someone gestures. "Over there" leads to a large white stucco building...

A's continue onslaught vs. Devil Rays.
June 1, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick OAKLAND, Calif. _ What do we have here? It's hard to believe this is the same team that returned from Tampa Bay and Cleveland after a wretched 0-6 road trip. Then again, this isn't the same team. There's one...

New Livermore, Calif., housing center will offer help to home buyers.
June 1, 2005... Byline: Bonita Brewer Jun. 1--San Ramon gets at least 10 phone calls and emails daily from people seeking information on affordable housing programs. Livermore has a list of more than 800 people looking for housing opportunities. ...

Separation of church, state contested.
June 2, 2005... Byline: Randy Myers WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ As worries mount over crumbling walls at California's 21 Spanish-era missions, one man says another historic wall deserves equal preservation. The Rev. Barry Lynn claims that spending $10...

`Comeback' just another stale glimpse inside Hollywood.
June 2, 2005... Byline: Chuck Barney WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Lisa Kudrow's new HBO series, "The Comeback," arrives this weekend with two strikes against it: 1) It's not all that funny, which could be a problem considering it's supposed to be a comedy, and...

Athletics win fourth in row, but Dotel's out for season.
June 2, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick OAKLAND, Calif. _ The A's first four-game winning streak of the season was tempered by the news that closer Octavio Dotel has elected to have Tommy John surgery and won't pitch again in 2005. Despite...

Health official sets record straight on obesity.
June 2, 2005... Byline: Sandy Kleffman WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ The headlines made health experts cringe: "Why Not A Bit Of Fat On The Bone?" "A Little Fatness May Not Be A Dangerous Thing." "Go Ahead, Supersize Me!" Such was the reaction...

Scientists sequence DNA of extinct bear.
June 2, 2005... Byline: Betsy Mason WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Scientists have sequenced the DNA of a long-extinct species of cave bear using a method they hope will work on Neanderthals, as well. This is the first time anyone has been able to get more...

Report claims California must work on gap between jobs, education.
June 2, 2005... Byline: Lisa Vorderbrueggen Jun. 2--California's future shines brighter than some doomsayers predict, but the state must grapple with significant challenges over the next 20 years, according to a report released today. Among the...

Kensington residents oppose show.
June 2, 2005... Byline: Alan Lopez Jun. 2--KENSINGTON -- Former Bill Graham Presents vice president Danny Scher is once again planning a benefit concert in his backyard amphitheater over the objections of some residents. Pop singer Jackson Browne will...

UC Davis plans local MBA program.
June 2, 2005... Byline: Matt Krupnick Jun. 2--UC Davis this month will begin accepting students to its new business program in San Ramon, making it the latest player to enter the increasingly crowded Bay Area MBA market. Davis, scheduled to begin its...

Around the remote: TV picks for June 5-11.
June 2, 2005... Byline: Chuck Barney DON'T MISS: "INTO THE WEST" _ After just experiencing the brilliant, rough-and-tumble second season of "Deadwood," it might be difficult to embrace another televised Western _ even if it is produced by Steven...

Study predicts growing coverage gap.
June 2, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Jun. 2--Only slightly more than half of Californians will have health care coverage through their employer by 2010, predicts a new study released today. If premiums continue to increase by double-digit rates, many...

Two more lawsuits halt bond sale.
June 3, 2005... Byline: John Simerman Jun. 3--The green light has turned red again for a $1 billion state transportation bond tied to Indian slot machine revenues. The Schwarzenegger administration apparently spoke too soon last week when it declared...

A Halladay win for Blue Jays over A's.
June 3, 2005... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ Talk about a rude welcome. Ryan Glynn took the mound for his A's debut Friday night against the Toronto Blue Jays at McAfee Coliseum. His task? He got to face Toronto ace Roy Halladay,...

Power-system repair pace draws ire.
June 3, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Jun. 3--SAN FRANCISCO -- A top federal energy regulator on Thursday scolded California officials for their lack of progress in repairing the state's electricity system after the 2000-01 energy crisis. "After four...

Job services found under one roof.
June 3, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Jun. 3--CONCORD -- A "mall" for jobs has sprouted in a north Concord industrial park. EastBay Works and the state's Employment Development Department, along with other job-market organizations, are now operating...

NFL is bracing for labor impasse.
June 4, 2005... Byline: Gary Peterson By now you've become accustomed to life without the National Hockey League. It's got one lost season in the bag, and while both sides are careful to characterize current negotiations as "productive," we all recognize...

Grieving Byrnes leads A's past Blue Jays.
June 4, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick OAKLAND, Calif. _ With the way the energetic, entertaining Eric Byrnes comports himself on a diamond, it's hard to tell when he's playing inspired baseball. One way or another, this was going to Byrnes' night. His...

Instant replay would be an error in baseball.
June 4, 2005... Byline: Gary Peterson It has been four days since Pedro Feliz took a stab at Jimmy Rollins' blooper to shallow left field, and we still don't know whether or not he caught the ball. Umpires ruled it a hit, and the 7,462 replays that...

Dusting off after hostile takeover.
June 4, 2005... Byline: Ellen Lee Jun. 4--Pleasanton-based business software maker PeopleSoft Inc. became part of Oracle Corp. late last year, after more than 18 months of a bitter hostile takeover battle. Some of its employees, mostly engineers,...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., people in motion column.
June 5, 2005... Jun. 5--DENNIS HAMMER, CFP, of Tri-City Fence Company, Inc., in Vallejo, was recently voted Chairman-elect of the board of Governors of the American Fence Association. RETAIL AND FINANCIAL expert Peter Hanelt has been appointed to Silicon...

Committee of one makes its pitch for new A's stadium.
June 5, 2005... Byline: Neil Hayes WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ New A's owner Lew Wolff recently announced that a three-person committee formed to explore options for a new ballpark will be sent on a fact-finding tour of top sports facilities throughout the...

Winning ways: A's starting to feel good about themselves again.
June 5, 2005... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ The mood was relaxed around the A's clubhouse Sunday afternoon, and the way they're playing, why not? Batting practice was canceled, players sauntered in just a couple of hours before game time,...

It's all in how you look at the numbers.
June 5, 2005... Byline: Gary Peterson Apparently, eight was enough for the Giants. _ Whereas seven's heaven for Lance Niekro, who now has as many home runs in his rookie season as his Uncle Phil hit in a 24-year Hall of Fame career. _ Full...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., bankruptcies column.
June 5, 2005... Jun. 5--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...

No consensus on baseball's interleague play.
June 6, 2005... Byline: Rick Hurd Time now to interrupt the perfectly healthy pulse of competition that baseball's 2005 season has offered each of its divisions _ yes, even the National League Central thanks to the Chicago Cubs' recent surge _ for this...

U.S. mistakes in Haiti.
June 6, 2005... The following editorial ran in the Contra Costa Times on Friday: ___ Long before "Operation Iraqi Freedom" there was "Operation Restore Democracy." That U.S. invasion nearly 11 years ago was supposed to restore Haitian President...

New closer is a sound call so far for A's.
June 6, 2005... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ Sooner or later, Huston Street is going to need his own song. You know, the kind of adrenaline-pumping rock anthem that blares throughout the ballpark when a major league closer enters the game....

A global village awaits Jackson verdict.
June 6, 2005... Byline: Tony Hicks SANTA MARIA, Calif. _ Judgment Day is coming for Michael Jackson, one way or another. But not even the Book of Revelations could describe this. The worldwide circus arrived Monday morning in this quiet central...

Children's Hospital wins big in insurance reimbursement contracts.
June 7, 2005... Byline: Rebecca Rosen Lum Jun. 7--Children's Hospital and Research Center at Oakland has won substantial increases in insurance reimbursements for treatment of developmental and behavioral problems, guaranteeing most of its young patients...

$5 million donation will keep stem cell research alive during lawsuit.
June 7, 2005... Byline: Sandy Kleffman Jun. 7--SACRAMENTO -- Leaders of California's stem cell agency accepted a $5 million donation Monday to keep the search for medical breakthroughs afloat while litigation prevents them from issuing bonds. San...

After 40 years, nation's oldest female letter carrier hangs up her bag.
June 7, 2005... Byline: Amy Chen CONCORD, Calif. _ When Irene Massey started delivering mail 40 years ago, a first-class postage stamp cost 5 cents and few women walked a route. "The men didn't like us at first," said Massey, the fourth female mail...

A's draft heavy on high schoolers.
June 7, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick WASHINGTON _ The A's first selection in the amateur draft grew up rooting for Oakland. Their fourth pick grew up in their clubhouse. The A's followed late predraft speculation by taking Texas A&M shortstop Cliff...

Zito, A's come up empty vs. Nats.
June 7, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick WASHINGTON _ There was a nice story developing for the A's during their first visit to RFK Stadium in nearly 34 years. But these tales, at least this season, have a way of imploding when the A's are away from the...

Families to donate land to park district.
June 8, 2005... Byline: Denis Cuff Jun. 8--BRENTWOOD -- Weston Cook wanted to leave the city behind and build a country home with plenty of elbow room for his children to roam. Cook and four other families with a similar goal found their dream spot...

TV ups ante with poker.
June 8, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Okanes WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Mark Hickman was a senior producer for a television production company during the mid-1990s when he was hired by the Discovery Channel to put together an anthology of documentaries. One...

CompUSA embraces technotainment.
June 8, 2005... Byline: James Temple Jun. 8--CompUSA Inc. and its Good Guys Inc. subsidiary are converting 17 California stores into "combination" outlets, a response to the convergence of technology and consumer electronics that one analyst called...

A's are on the road to nowhere as Nationals feel right at home.
June 8, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick WASHINGTON _ For an Oakland A's team struggling so mightily on the road, this place and its oppressive heat, rabid fans and a bunker-style visiting clubhouse isn't the most fortuitous stop on the National League...

Father, son suspected of terrorist ties arrested in California.
June 8, 2005... Byline: John Simerman and Jessica Guynn WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Criminal charges against a Lodi, Calif., father and son with suspected ties to al-Qaida are part of a years-long probe into terrorist activity that continues to expand as...

Online viral ads moving at lightspeed.
June 8, 2005... Byline: Ellen Lee WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Very popular on the Internet, this new "Star Wars" spoof is. "Store Wars," a short video featuring organic vegetables dressed up as "Star Wars" puppets, has sped through the Internet like rapid...

Passenger's warning prompts Amtrak evacuation.
June 9, 2005... Byline: Karl Fischer Jun. 9--RICHMOND -- Authorities shut down two commuter rails and evacuated the downtown Amtrak station for several hours Wednesday morning after an agitated train passenger warned a conductor the train would "fall into...

Chevron closer to Unocal takeover.
June 9, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Jun. 9--San Ramon-based oil giant Chevron Corp. removed a roadblock to its $17 billion purchase of El Segundo-based Unocal Corp. when the two companies' agreed with federal regulators to settle a pending antitrust case...

Potential for strike looms after Concord, Calif., school talks fail.
June 9, 2005... Byline: Jackie Burrell Jun. 9--Mediated contract negotiations have failed in the Mt. Diablo school district, and rumors of mass resignations and a possible strike cloud the final days of school. The district has entered "fact finding,"...

Water Authority to audit its spending of $3 billion.
June 9, 2005... Byline: Mike Taugher Jun. 9--SACRAMENTO -- The organization responsible for maintaining a 10-year ceasefire in California's water wars detailed plans Wednesday to emerge from what appears to be the worst crisis in its history. The...

Livan gets the calls; A's take the loss.
June 9, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick WASHINGTON _ It was a different uniform and certainly a different team, but if you closed your eyes at some point Thursday you'd swear you where back at Pro Player Stadium in Miami and a younger, slimmer Livan...

Around the remote: TV picks for June 12-18.
June 9, 2005... Byline: Chuck Barney DON'T MISS: "The Closer" _ This latest entry in the tired cop-show genre didn't seem at all enticing upon first glance, and a gratuitously gory depiction of a murder scene in the early moments made it even less...

Former employees sue Dow Chemical; claim herbicide caused health problems.
June 10, 2005... Byline: Bruce Gerstman Jun. 10--MARTINEZ -- Former employees of Dow Chemical in Pittsburg and families of deceased employees are suing the company, alleging that workers made an herbicide 25 to 55 years ago that caused liver disease,...

New loan option requires discipline.
June 10, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Jun. 10--An East Bay financial company believes it has fashioned a one-of-a-kind tonic for people who want to keep their balance sheets healthy in a time of skyrocketing house prices and more costly home loans. ...

Empty nests replenished for nation's largest colony of seabirds.
June 10, 2005... Byline: Mike Taugher SOUTHEAST FARALLON ISLAND, Calif. _ The first thing the rare visitor notices upon landing here are the gulls _ thousands of nesting, protective, angry, screaming gulls. They're everywhere, on the hillsides and...

Autism treatment sparks hope for parents.
June 10, 2005... Byline: Sandy Kleffman LAFAYETTE, Calif. _ At 18 months, Jamison Handley began his heartbreaking plunge into autism. The once-happy child who met all his developmental milestones began to spend his days spinning in circles, running...

More and more, Web record labels skip the retail step.
June 10, 2005... Byline: Dan Laidman WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ As the Oakland band Communiqui enters the studio this month, they have a new mandate from their label to record extra music that will only be released digitally. It is a new tactic for...

Airport-area disclosure talks delayed.
June 10, 2005... Byline: Bonita Brewer Jun. 10--LIVERMORE - The city's Airport Advisory Commission will be asked to postpone, pending legal review, further discussion of how much land around the municipal airport should come under a new state law about...

Editorial: Battling the housing issue.
June 10, 2005... Jun. 10--Affordable housing seems like an oxymoron in California urban areas, especially places such as Contra Costa and Alameda counties. The more it's talked about, the less it seems to exist. Communities everywhere wrestle with the lack of...

Editorial: Wealth gap keeps growing.
June 10, 2005... Jun. 10--It should come as no surprise that the rich have gotten a lot richer since President Bush took office. But just how much richer is not something that was common knowledge. The president has long insisted that his tax breaks mostly have...

Online ads raise ethics questions.
June 10, 2005

State senate panel to hear pipeline safety suggestions.
June 10, 2005... Byline: Mike Taugher Jun. 10--A state senate committee today will consider recommendations on improving pipeline safety in the wake of a disaster last November that killed five workers. The hearing will be held in Walnut Creek. "We...

A's crank up volume after winning on road.
June 10, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick ATLANTA _ The music was loud and pulsating in the visitor's clubhouse at Turner Field, a rare occurrence for the A's on the road lately. Turning up the tunes is customary for the winning team, but it's a ritual...

Four charged with audacious swindle.
June 10, 2005... Byline: George Avalos WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Four men, including a Walnut Creek resident, face federal charges in a case in which government agents claim the suspects posed as wealthy financiers and a British noble as part of an alleged...

Livermore, Calif., airport-area disclosure talks delayed.
June 10, 2005... Byline: Bonita Brewer Jun. 10--LIVERMORE -- The city's Airport Advisory Commission will be asked to postpone, pending legal review, further discussion of how much land around the municipal airport should come under a new state law about...

EDITORIAL: Housing issue a battle northern California.
June 10, 2005... Jun. 10--Affordable housing seems like an oxymoron in California urban areas, especially places such as Contra Costa and Alameda counties. The more it's talked about, the less it seems to exist. Communities everywhere wrestle with the lack of...

OPINION: Wealth gap keeps growing.
June 10, 2005... Jun. 10--It should come as no surprise that the rich have gotten a lot richer since President Bush took office. But just how much richer is not something that was common knowledge. The president has long insisted that his tax breaks mostly have...

Tilting at the largest windmill in town.
June 11, 2005... Byline: James Temple Jun. 11--Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has become the rallying point for criticism of labor practices, but even some critics acknowledge the company has been singled out for being the largest retailer, not necessarily the...

No. 7 in East Bay, Synnex maintains vision of growth.
June 11, 2005... Byline: Ellen Lee Jun. 11--FREMONT -- Synnex Corp. quietly leapt onto the Times' list of top Bay Area and East Bay businesses a few years ago. The 25-year-old computer and technology distributor went public in 2003 and quickly rose...

Schmidt's fallen from elite ranks.
June 11, 2005... Byline: Gary Peterson SAN FRANCISCO _ You have to remind yourself how it used to be, the confidence Jason Schmidt inspired every time he walked to the mound to start a game. Or, better yet, when he walked off the mound at the end of a...

Smoltz thwarts A's attempts in complete game.
June 11, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick ATLANTA _ The last time John Smoltz pitched a complete game, on April 30, 1999, his catcher, Brian McCann, was 15 years old and a freshman at Duluth High School in suburban Georgia. McCann backed Smoltz's outing...

Autopsy to be performed on mother, daughter.
June 11, 2005... Byline: Sophia Kazmi WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ An autopsy will be performed Monday on a Walnut Creek mother and daughter found dead Friday afternoon in the back of a vehicle in unincorporated Sonoma County. Mary Alicia Driscoll, 39, and...

Few arrests go to terror convictions.
June 12, 2005... Byline: John Simerman WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ The federal case against a Lodi, Calif., father and son accused of ties to al-Qaida terror training in Pakistan rings familiar to legal scholars who have tracked the Justice Department's pursuit...

A's settle down, stop Braves.
June 12, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick ATLANTA _ The rain came fast and furious in the fifth inning. It was one of those Southern squalls that the locals don't pay much mind to. It came and went quickly. But the 29-minute rain delay may have helped...

The park's spell is mesmerizing.
June 13, 2005... Byline: Chuck Barney When my sister, Charleen, phoned recently and proposed an impromptu trip to Disneyland to celebrate the birthdays of our youngest sons, I was initially and uncharacteristically reluctant. Some major home...

A's Haren heeds advice from guru Zito.
June 13, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick Some might suspect that Danny Haren's turnaround took root in Tampa Bay on May 26, when he allowed four hits and two runs over seven innings. The seeds were actually planted a day earlier, when he was chatting...

Touring internationally might be Jackson's best option.
June 13, 2005... Byline: Tony Hicks WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Michael Jackson is free, but lawyers aren't. Neither are chimpanzee trainers, Ferris wheel operators, or limo drivers. Even with Monday's not guilty verdict on 10 counts related to child...

Parents aim to shield teens from recruiters.
June 13, 2005... Byline: Shirley Dang Jun. 13--As bombs continue to explode in the Middle East, and U.S. armed forces search for fresh recruits, one source of young servicemen and women has become increasingly difficult to tap. Some high schools,...

WIC proposal is well-received.
June 13, 2005... Byline: Sara Steffens Jun. 13--Ideas about healthy eating have shifted dramatically over the past three decades, but one of the largest federal nutrition programs has failed to keep up with the times. WIC -- formally known as the...

OPINION: Bay Bridge skyway.
June 13, 2005... Jun. 13--At first glance, the Schwarzenegger administration's desire to change part of the design for the new eastern portion of the Bay Bridge seemed like a bad idea. In fact, we opposed his proposal to replace plans for a self-anchored...

Representative holds first ever congressional e-hearing.
June 14, 2005... Byline: Lisa Vorderbrueggen Jun. 14--In the first ever congressional e-hearing, Rep. George Miller, D-Martinez, has collected testimony from 2,000 United Airlines workers and retirees about the company's push to dump its broken pension...

Timing is everything with children.
June 14, 2005... Byline: Jann Blackstone-Ford and Sharyl Jupe Q: I have been divorced for six years. I have a new "friend" and we are being careful to portray the relationship as cordial in front of my daughter until we agree that the relationship is...

A's Blanton is near perfect, blanks Mets into eighth.
June 14, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Okanes OAKLAND _ It was exactly three weeks ago Wednesday that Oakland A's starting pitcher Joe Blanton nearly pitched an imperfect game. Four starts later, the rookie took a perfect game into the fifth inning on his way...

Federal government to revisit status of California spotted owl.
June 14, 2005... Byline: Mike Taugher WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Tuesday it would re-evaluate its 2003 decision to leave California spotted owls off the list of threatened or endangered species, in part because of rule...

California gas prices go down, for now.
June 15, 2005... Byline: James Temple Jun. 15--State pump prices continue to fall, but rising oil costs and the summer driving season could soon reverse the trend. The statewide average for a gallon of regular unleaded was $2.36 on Monday, a 17-cent...

San Francisco-area public transportation union may strike next week.
June 15, 2005... Byline: Mike Adamick Jun. 15--BART employees are preparing to strike if a new salary contract isn't signed by the end of the month, with three major unions set to authorize the work stoppage next week in case negotiations fizzle. With...

Attention on stars' lives seems to coincide with their latest projects.
June 15, 2005... Byline: Mary F. Pols Finally, gossip hounds have the ultimate clue in the Case of the Probable Affair: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, 10 feet tall and all over each other. That's right, the discussed ad nauseam action-comedy-romance "Mr....