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

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

Thomas is right on the money with his plight.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Gary Peterson HI, I'M FRANK THOMAS. Thank you all for coming today. If you'll take a seat, we can get this press conference under way. Just a quick note before you sit down_the padded seats in the front row are $17.50 an hour....

Mueller might be better off with the Cubs, says Estes.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Joe Roderick SCOTTSDALE, Ariz._Shawn Estes said the Giants may have done third baseman Bill Mueller a favor when they traded him to the Chicago Cubs for reliever Tim Worrell in November. Estes, who was Mueller's best friend...

WCC changes tournament format next year.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Chuck Dybdal ALL EIGHT West Coast Conference women's teams got together for the final time Thursday in the WCC Tournament in San Diego. Next year, two will be excluded from the tournament. That doesn't sit well with most of...

Kings speed past Warriors on Wednesday night.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Matt Steinmetz OAKLAND _ Go-Karts don't go as fast as automobiles. Scooters don't go as fast as motorcycles. And the Warriors don't go as fast as the Sacramento Kings. Not that they didn't try. The Warriors found...

HEADLINE HERE.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Megan Long LIVERMORE, Calif. _ A group that was buying a home for the developmentally disabled until angry residents forced it to pull out of the neighborhood will get a city loan to purchase a different house. As part of a new...

HEADLINE HERE.
March 1, 2001... CC-AM.. CASTROCITY By David Holbrook Knight Ridder Newspapers CASTRO VALLEY, Calif. _ Alameda County officials are poised to launch another study on the feasibility of turning one of the state's largest unincorporated communities...

Listless Sharks fall to Maple Leafs, 2-1.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Rick Hurd TORONTO _ It was easy to say Owen Nolan's presence would've made a big difference Wednesday night. Even Sharks coach Darryl Sutter said it, though for him it wasn't easy. "I hate to say it," he said after the Sharks'...

Decorating Dilemma: Reshuffle, accessorize to make room inviting.
March 1, 2001... Q: I need decorating suggestions for my living room. I am open to all possibilities. Obviously, emptying the room and starting from scratch is the easy choice but not practical. The living room is seldom used (company-only kind of thing), so...

Bush declares Washington state a federal disaster area after quake.
March 1, 2001... Byline: John Simerman SEATTLE_A day after suffering its worst earthquake in 52 years, Washington state got the disaster relief it wanted. Earthquake-torn western Washington was bathed in rain and mud on Thursday as federal and state...

Northwest residents upset that Bush is targeting disaster prevention.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Matt Sebastian WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ President Bush's bid to cut a federal disaster prevention program isn't sitting well in the Bay Area or the Pacific Northwest, where officials say it saved lives during this week's earthquake....

In Olympia, a mix of awe and relief in quake's aftermath.
March 1, 2001... Byline: John Simerman OLYMPIA, Wash._The state Capitol dome cracked. Dozens were injured and dozens more evacuated from split and crumbling buildings. Highway 101 sank just outside of town and a key city bridge must now be replaced. ...

X-Cursions: `This Is Not Happening' marks a return to form.
March 1, 2001... Byline: George Avalos and Michael Liedtke It just might be happening. We're not talking about Fox Mulder's apparent demise. We're sure that didn't happen, or won't last long. What does seem to be occurring, thankfully, is the...

Asian Entrepreneurs Provide Significant Amount of California Venture Capital.
March 1, 2001... Byline: George Avalos Feb. 27--Asian entrepreneurs may be one of the best-kept multi-billion dollar secrets in the Bay Area. A growing number of privately held companies in the East Bay and other parts of the Bay Area that are landing...

Richmond, Calif., Mall Testifies to Economic Power of Asian Community.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Janet Adamy Feb. 28--RICHMOND, Calif.--Craig and Kim Wilson don't go to Pacific East Mall just for its hard-to-find Vietnamese foods and tasty restaurants. The El Cerrito couple goes there to get their son's glasses fixed....

Livermore, Calif., Non-Profit Group Gains House Financing through City Program.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Megan Long Feb. 28--LIVERMORE, Calif.--A group that was buying a home for the developmentally disabled until angry residents forced it to pull out of the neighborhood will get a city loan to purchase a different house. As part...

California Insurance Officials Investigate Possible Phony Insurance Sales.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Chris Metinko Feb. 27--The California Department of Insurance is investigating several brokers in the state, including Rahi Insurance Agency in Hercules, in efforts to stop the sale of phony insurance policies to taxi cab...

Walnut Creek, Calif., Company Gets $10 Million for Online Trading Center.
March 1, 2001... Byline: George Avalos Feb. 27--WALNUT CREEK, Calif.--FinancialOxygen has gotten a $10 million shot in the arm to help it launch its online trading hub for short-term investments. The Internet company wants to automate the current...

Researchers in Berkeley, Calif., Discover Pattern to Tech Stock Prices.
March 1, 2001... Byline: George Avalos Feb. 27--BERKELEY, Calif.--The old adage of "Buy on the rumor and sell on the news" may no longer be the Wall Street equivalent of an urban legend. A UC Berkeley study released Monday reveals there really is such...

Alameda County, Calif., Studies Incorporating Area into New City.
March 1, 2001... Byline: David Holbrook Mar. 1--CASTRO VALLEY, Calif.--Alameda County officials are poised to launch another study on the feasibility of turning one of the state's largest unincorporated communities into one of its newest cities. Later...

California Bill Would Change Staffing Procedures in Nursing Homes.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Thomas Peele Mar. 1--A bill introduced in Sacramento would change the way California nursing homes assign staff to care for patients and make it easier to spot understaffed shifts. Assembly majority leader Kevin Shelley's bill...

Walnut Creek, Calif.-Based Drug Store Company to Use Machines with Pharmacists.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Janet Adamy Feb. 28--A machine-focused facility in Sacramento will be taking over some of the prescription-filling responsibilities of pharmacists at Longs Drug Stores, the company said Tuesday. Walnut Creek-based Longs plans...

President of California Utilities Commission Defends Handling of Power Crisis.
March 1, 2001... Mar. 1--SACRAMENTO, Calif.--Loretta Lynch, who has faced close scrutiny as the president of the Public Utilities Commission, defended her handling of the electricity crisis on Wednesday and said she wishes the agency had recognized sooner that...

Richmond, Calif., Area Tries to Improve Community with Redevelopment.
March 1, 2001... Byline: Jack Chang Feb. 28--RICHMOND, Calif.--The Monterey Pines apartment complex sits on Portrero Avenue as a harbinger of hope for better times in the neighborhood and as a symbol of its lingering difficulties. Newly painted in...

A's coaches are looking to get ahead.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn PHOENIX_The only break Ron Washington allows himself is one that lets him take a long draw on a cigarette while his students are stretching before spring training workouts begin. Washington is an old-school type...

Bears edged by Bruins.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Jay Heater LOS ANGELES_Cal coach Ben Braun was worried his team's 29-point blowout against UCLA on Feb. 1 had awakened a monster. He was right. In a terrific game played by two teams headed toward the NCAA Tournament, No. 12...

Stanford prevails, but it isn't easy.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Damin Esper LOS ANGELES_USC's Brandon Granville drove through the trees, twisting, spinning, hoping to get off the game-tying shot. Instead, as the buzzer sounded on Thursday at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, Granville was slipping...

St. Mary's routs Gonzaga.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Chuck Dybdal SAN DIEGO_St. Mary's College, the No. 1 seed in the West Coast Conference Tournament, looked every bit the conference's top team with an 84-59 first-round victory over Gonzaga on Thursday in the Jenny Craig Pavilion....

49ers get under cap, and manage to lock up Young.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Cam Inman The 49ers triumphantly slid under the league's $67.4 million salary cap before Thursday night's deadline, even managing to give defensive tackle Bryant Young one of the richest contracts in team history. But today,...

Large contract, declining numbers get Gordon axed.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Steve Corkran Darrien Gordon didn't make much of a contribution this past season. His performance returning punts was the worst of his eight-year NFL career. His decline and his high salary combined to make him a logical...

Senators pound `uninspired' Sharks.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Rick Hurd OTTAWA_Darryl Sutter emerged from the Sharks' dressing room, looking weathered and withdrawn. Then he looked into the camera lights and stated the obvious. "Right now, we've got a handful of guys that are playing...

NBC, XFL continue changes for dying league.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Damin Espir NOTES AND NEWS from the wacky world of sports media... _ NBC and the XFL continued to tinker with their on-the-verge-of-dying product this week. On the field, the "bump-and-run" was outlawed, meaning defenders...

Hewitt, Agassi on course for faceoff.
March 2, 2001... Byline: Eric Gilmore SAN JOSE_If he had to struggle Thursday afternoon to beat Andrei Stoliarov in a second-round match at the Sybase Open, how will Lleyton Hewitt ever survive a dream final against top-seeded Andre Agassi? Good...

Two Banks Join Competition for San Francisco-Area Asian-American Customers.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Rick Jurgens Mar. 3--The recent expansion into Oakland by two small banks founded by and catering to Korean-Americans barely caused a ripple in a financial services industry dominated by multibillion-dollar giants. But the new...

Napster to Screen Music Downloads.
March 3, 2001... Byline: George Avalos Mar. 3--SAN FRANCISCO--Napster Inc. said Friday it plans to block music fans from downloading thousands of songs from the popular music-swapping online site this weekend, as a federal judge readied a court order that...

Pleasanton, Calif.-Based Online Dry Cleaning Service Shuts Down.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Chris Metinko Mar. 3--The logo may have been purple, but it was PurpleTie.com's inability to get out of the red that appears to have ended the company's days of washing and folding. The Pleasanton-based online dry cleaning...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., New in Town Column.
March 3, 2001... Mar. 3--NEW IN TOWN: -- BUSINESS: Flaming Foods LLC -- ADDRESS: 752-7 Lakemont Place, San Ramon -- PHONE: 925-735-8520 -- DESCRIPTION: Specialty foods and catering -- ABOUT OUR BUSINESS: Our specialty products are...

Emeryville, Calif.-Based Software Maker Lowers Profit Expectations.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Ellen Lee Mar. 3--Shares of Sybase Inc. fell 8 percent Friday as the Emeryville-based database software maker said it expects to earn between $1.20 and $1.25 per share during fiscal 2001. Analysts polled by First Call/Thomson...

Giambi says McGwire has shot to hit 755.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn PHOENIX_Jason Giambi said he thinks his buddy Mark McGwire definitely has an eye on the all-time home run record. Giambi said Friday he talked with McGwire a few days before the future Hall of Famer signed a...

Giants' Snow will reload instead of rewind.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Joe Roderick SCOTTSDALE, Ariz._J.T. Snow did not spend a portion of his offseason reliving his home run in Game 2 of the National League Division Series against the New York Mets. What good would that do? When someone in the...

Conference title on the line for Stanford.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Damin Esper LOS ANGELES_There were tents and sleeping bags aplenty surrounding Pauley Pavilion on Friday afternoon. Not that odd a sight in the college basketball world. But strange for UCLA, where the fans generally have been...

Presa Canario dog termed `aggressive,' tests reveal.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Corey Lyons SAN FRANCISCO _ In a move that may bring Hera a step closer to death, the district attorney's office completed behavioral tests on the Presa Canario as part of its growing case against the dog's keepers. It remains...

Browns interested in Charlie Garner.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Cam Inman Running back Charlie Garner hit the free-agent market, well, running Friday. The Cleveland Browns contacted Garner's agent, Scott Crawford, first Friday morning to begin officially courting Garner, an unrestricted...

Wiley, Armstrong top Raiders' shopping list.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Steve Corkran The Raiders spent most of the past week trying to re-sign some of their own players before they hit the free-agent market. On Friday, they started looking for players to help them improve upon last season's 13-5...

Demons' Battle glad he didn't give up fight.
March 3, 2001... Byline: Cecil Conley With a first-round draft pick and the head coach's nephew ranked ahead of him on the depth chart, running back Terry Battle figured there was no way he would get a chance to play with the San Francisco Demons this...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., Bankruptcies Column.
March 4, 2001... Mar. 4--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...

Time's running out for Christenson.
March 4, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn PHOENIX_Ryan Christenson looks at Eric Byrnes and sees himself. And therefore he knows his job is up for grabs this spring. Christenson, who will be 27 on March 28, has been on the A's roster for the past three...

Lethargic Cal lays egg, loses to USC.
March 4, 2001... Byline: Jay Heater LOS ANGLES_Why defuse a pressure-packed, season-ending homestand? Cal could have locked up an NCAA Tournament berth by beating USC on Saturday at the Sports Arena but instead looked lethargic in a 74-69 loss that...

Gaels get trounced, end year at 2-27.
March 4, 2001... Byline: Chuck Dybdal SAN DIEGO_The worst season in St. Mary's College basketball history came to an end in a predictable manner Saturday in the Jenny Craig Pavilion. West Coast Conference champion Gonzaga (22-6) needed less than four...

Trail Blazers join the ranks, embarrass Warriors.
March 4, 2001... Byline: Matt Steinmetz PORTLAND, Ore._You could see it in the Portland Trail Blazers' eyes before the game. You could see it in the Warriors' eyes, too. The Blazers, who maintain the best record in the Western Conference, weren't going to...

Special seasons for both St. Mary's and LMU.
March 4, 2001... Byline: Chuck Dybdal SAN DIEGO_Regardless of the outcome of Sunday's West Coast Conference Tournament women's championship, St. Mary's and Loyola Marymount University players and coaches will carry special memories with them forever. ...

Hollans is glad to be back home, scores 28.
March 4, 2001... Byline: Joe Stiglich BERKELEY_The afternoon started out as a tribute to the seven Cal seniors playing their final home game. It didn't take long for Saturday's Cal-USC game to turn into the Aisha Hollans Homecoming Party. The USC...

A better situation for Gragg this time.
March 4, 2001... Byline: Cam Inman Right tackle Scott Gragg doesn't have fond memories of the last time he was a free agent. After starting every game for the New York Giants from 1996-99, Gragg got released last April. He promptly sold his family's...

Barnes gets Demons rolling.
March 4, 2001... Byline: Cecil Conley SAN FRANCISCO_The San Francisco Demons have said backup quarterback Pat Barnes could start for most every other XFL team. They're just glad he's now starting for them. It was a night of firsts for Barnes and the...

Hurd's NHL rankings.
March 4, 2001... Byline: Rick Hurd _ 1. Colorado Outscored opponents 22-6 in winning four straight _ 2. Ottawa Would like to avoid Buffalo in playoffs _ 3. Detroit 13-game unbeaten streak is NHL's longest _ 4. New Jersey ...

Perfection may be everything for Agassi these days.
March 4, 2001... Byline: Eric Gilmore SAN JOSE_Who knows, maybe Andre Agassi will go undefeated this year. He's a perfect 11-0 after thrashing Jan-Michael Gambill, 6-4, 6-4, on Saturday night and advancing to Sunday's Sybase Open final against Great...

Asian-Americans Address Confrontations with `Glass Ceiling'.
March 5, 2001... Byline: Judy Silber Mar. 2--The glass ceiling, that invisible barrier that stops minorities and women from ascending to the top of the corporate ladder, is always elusive. But for Asian-Americans, it's perhaps most difficult to define. ...

California Officials Investigate Cover-Up of Vacant Government Job Positions.
March 5, 2001... Byline: Andrew LaMar Mar. 2--SACRAMENTO, Calif.--Efforts by state bureaucrats to hide vacant positions in order to keep their budgets flush could cost California $380 million this year and has spurred an investigation by the state...

Japanese Contractor Stops Deliveries to California Nuclear-Weapons Project.
March 5, 2001... Byline: Peter Felsenfeld Mar. 1--Public opposition in Japan has prompted the Japanese company making lenses for the National Ignition Facility to stop delivering the critical component to Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. Gerald Bottero,...

Drug Company Executive Speaks at Luncheon in Walnut Creek, Calif.
March 5, 2001... Byline: Judy Silber Mar. 2--WALNUT CREEK, Calif.--Pharmaceutical companies' primary obligation is to develop innovations that will improve medicine and help people, but they cannot bear the entire responsibility for delivering drugs to all...

California Governor Says Energy Deals Achieved, Offers Few Details.
March 5, 2001... Byline: Mike Taugher Mar. 6 --Gov. Gray Davis said Monday he has reached dozens of new agreements with energy firms to stabilize the electricity grid and bring down the price of power, but refused to disclose how much relatively cheap...

California Viewers Lose NBC Signal Due to Cable Fee Dispute.
March 5, 2001... Byline: Chuck Barney Mar. 2--Thousands of satellite TV viewers in the Bay Area spent a night without "Friends" and "ER" when KRON-Channel 4 forced the DISH Network to shut off the station's signal on Thursday because of a dispute over...

Olivares, Lidle impressive in auditions.
March 5, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn TEMPE, Ariz._The spotlight now centers on the Oakland A's most intriguing competition in camp. Sunday was Day 1 in the race for the final spot in the starting rotation, and two of the three competitors pitched...

Big expectations for Trace Armstrong.
March 5, 2001... Byline: Steve Corkran The Oakland Raiders' playoff run this past season proved exciting, promising and telling, even if it didn't yield the desired results in the end. In retrospect, their losing to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC...

Nabokov is going through his first slump.
March 5, 2001... Byline: Rick Hurd BOSTON _ He almost assuredly will be the first Calder Trophy winner in the Sharks' 10-year history. He needs only three more wins to be the first goalie in Sharks history to record more than 30 victories in a season. ...

Rusedski has ace up sleeve, routs Agassi.
March 5, 2001... Byline: Eric Gilmore SAN JOSE _ The final score was the same and so was the outcome. It was 1997 at the Sybase Open all over again Sunday for Greg Rusedski and Andre Agassi. Only this time Rusedski's 6-3, 6-4 victory earned him his...

Berkeley, Calif., Protest Challenges Drug Firms' Lawsuit against South Africa.
March 6, 2001... Byline: Sonia Krishnan Mar. 6--BERKELEY, Calif.--Joining protests around the world, more than 300 people rallied in front of Bayer Corporation on Monday to speak out against a lawsuit brought dozens of pharmaceutical giants -- including...

Stairs all business in Cubs uniform.
March 6, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn MESA, Ariz._Matt Stairs said he's left his laid-back approach in Oakland. He reported to the Chicago Cubs in good shape and ready to compete for the first base job vacated by the departed Mark Grace. Stairs...

Estes still living down 1997.
March 6, 2001... Byline: Jonathan Okanes SCOTTSDALE, Ariz._He has reached double-digits in wins in three of his first four full seasons in the majors. He has a respectable career ERA of 4.30. He has played for the National League All-Star team. So why...

Prospect Torcato needs surgery.
March 6, 2001... Byline: Jonathan Okanes MARYVALE, Ariz._Ah, the glory of spring training. The optimism. The rejuvenation. The sun. It's not always as good as it sounds, however. And now is not a great a time for Giants trainer Stan Conte. The...

AD's job much more complex than in past.
March 6, 2001... Byline: Ann Tatko Once upon a time, a university's marquee coach could consider himself a front-runner for the athletics director position. But that was back before the days of fund raising, facility construction, scholarship...

Shaq compares controversy to marriage.
March 6, 2001... Byline: Matt Steinmetz OAKLAND_Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal held court with reporters for about a half-hour before Tuesday's game against the Warriors at the Arena. The biggest topic of conversation_of course_was his...

Sharks deal for Selanne.
March 6, 2001... Byline: Rick Hurd ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. _ The first time he heard it, San Jose Sharks general manager Dean Lombardi couldn't quite believe it. The Anaheim Mighty Ducks were dropping Teemu Selanne's name in casual trade discussions with the...

Warriors stay close in loss to Lakers.
March 7, 2001... Byline: Matt Steinmetz OAKLAND_It's called professional pride and if you don't have it, well... you're not a professional. The Warriors, who had been blown out of their previous three games, stuck around against the defending champion...

Lakers find wins cure all that ills.
March 7, 2001... Byline: Gary Peterson OAKLAND FOR THOSE WARRIORS FANS who have forgotten what a real NBA team looks like, the Los Angeles Lakers came to town on Tuesday. Behold: a dominant center. A shooting guard who makes his shots. A...

The creator of The Sims takes gaming to where games have never gone before.
March 7, 2001... Byline: Jessica Guynn WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Maybe Will Wright should start a 12-step program. After all, this wunderkind of game design is responsible for hooking millions of people on computer simulation games. His latest, The Sims,...

Golf Hall of Fame has home in Florida.
March 7, 2001... Byline: Samuel Chi ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. _ John Shippen played in the 1896 U.S. Open, finished fifth and was invited back to play in the next four Opens. He also spent 25 years as a teaching professional. John Shippen happened to be...

Sharks lose but are on point.
March 7, 2001... Byline: Rick Hurd TAMPA, Fla._The Sharks weren't about to quibble about their 2-1 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Ice Palace on Tuesday. So what that they dropped their fifth straight game and experienced a bit more misery...

Tiznow puts industry back on fast track.
March 7, 2001... Byline: Chuck Dybdal The racing business is such that there is rhapsodizing in the Daily Racing Form about a crowd of 34,000 at Santa Anita on Saturday for the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap. Fortunately, the racing game_on the...

A's weigh moving to South Bay.
March 8, 2001... Byline: David Holbrook OAKLAND_The Oakland A's are "very interested" in moving to a site near Great America and will return within six months with a proposal, Santa Clara city officials said Wednesday. "That would be their No. 1 site...

Lightning striking again for A's staff.
March 8, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn PHOENIX_The A's may have another nonroster pitching find on their hands. Don't call Eric Hiljus this year's Jeff Tam yet, but Hiljus, a 6-foot-5 right-handed reliever, has been impressive in camp. He's thrown...

Hart latest in line of top A's prospects.
March 8, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn PHOENIX_Jason Giambi already has begun making the comparisons, but they are not to himself. Giambi, the reigning American League MVP, looks at Jason Hart and thinks... "He reminds me of Mark McGwire," Giambi...

Rodriguez given extension.
March 8, 2001... Byline: Jonathan Okanes SCOTTSDALE, Ariz._If Felix Rodriguez wants to be a closer someday, he certainly doesn't seem to be in any hurry. The Giants right-hander, who emerged as one of the top setup relievers in baseball last season,...

Bears hope to ace history test vs. Sun Devils.
March 8, 2001... Byline: Jay Heater BERKELEY_Simply put, it is the biggest game of their lives. History suggests that if Cal wins Thursday night's game against Arizona State at Haas Pavilion, it will receive an invitation to the NCAA Tournament on...

Duke's Williams worthy of honors.
March 8, 2001... Byline: Jay Heater SELECTING THE PERFECT All-America college basketball team is impossible. Is the guard who averages 24 points a game more valuable then the guy who picks up eight assists? Does senior leadership mean more than 10...