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

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

County extends ban on new medical marijuana dispensaries.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Guy Ashley Mar. 1--OAKLAND -- Alameda County supervisors on Monday extended for one year an ordinance banning new medical marijuana dispensaries in unincorporated areas. The 4-0 vote gives the county additional time "to...

San Francisco raises bus, train and trolley fares.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Mike Adamick Mar. 1--SAN FRANCISCO -- Transit officials voted to raise bus, train and trolley fares Monday amid an outcry of opposition, making it more expensive for commuters to traverse the city by the Bay and for East Bay day...

Bonus parent won't shake bio bond.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Jann Blackstone-Ford and Sharyl Jupe Q: My husband was married previously and has one daughter, age 5. We were just married and moved in together in September. Yesterday his daughter said to me, "I know this is mean, but my mommy...

Bocachica is looking to catch on with A's.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick PHOENIX _ Maybe, Hiram Bocachica was saying recently, it wasn't such a good idea to want to leave the Los Angeles Dodgers after spending parts of three seasons with them. Bocachica has endured two miserable seasons...

Could glory days be not far away for Warriors?
March 1, 2005... Byline: Neil Hayes WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ The franchise appears to be inching ever closer to completing the circle. If everything goes right and it catches a few breaks, maybe, just maybe, it will end up right back where it started more...

Fresh start a capital idea as Expos become Nats.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Rick Hurd VIERA, Fla. _ You sense something when you catch a glimpse of baseball's brand new team going through the usual spring drudgery. Hope and renewal are part of every camp; the theme is one of the sport's longest-running...

Davis comes up short in Warriors' loss to Grizzlies.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Marcus Thompson II MEMPHIS, Tenn._Recently acquired point guard Baron Davis had the ball with 5.2 seconds left, the Golden State Warriors down two. He pulled up for the game-winning 3-pointer over his former UCLA teammate Earl...

State holds summit on ID theft.
March 2, 2005... Byline: Ellen Lee Mar. 2--SACRAMENTO -- When an emergency room administrative assistant stole Tracey Thomas' identity in 1999, the episode became a recurring nightmare. "You can't stop it once it's started," the 34-year-old Berkeley...

Safeway bags foul-mouthed gift.
March 2, 2005... Mar. 2--It's either the perfect plush Easter gift or a foul-mouthed fowl. Safeway Inc. on Friday recalled from its shelves a yellow chick hand puppet that chirps out the word "cluck" -- or, to some, a word that rhymes with "cluck." By...

Ex-Quintus CEO draws one-year term and a fine.
March 2, 2005... Byline: Jessica Guynn Mar. 2--Nearly three years after pleading guilty to criminal charges of securities fraud, a former East Bay high-tech executive was sentenced Tuesday to one year in federal prison for cooking the books at his former...

SBC marks down its DSL service price.
March 2, 2005... Byline: James Temple Mar. 2--SBC Communications Inc. has marked down its basic DSL service to $19.95 a month, a clear stab at siphoning users from equal or higher-priced dial-up services such as America Online. It's the first time a...

PG&E says gas cheaper but still double '01 price.
March 2, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Mar. 2--The retail price of natural gas for PG&E customers will fall slightly in March, to 67 cents a therm from 60 cents a therm in February, but will remain 47 percent higher than a year ago, when natural gas cost 41...

Angels confident K-Rod can excel at role of closer.
March 2, 2005... Byline: Rick Hurd TEMPE, Ariz. _ They've known in Anaheim that this day was coming. They've known it since those magical October nights three seasons ago when a World Series was won. They've known it since a kid of 20 named Francisco...

Richardson steps up for Warriors.
March 2, 2005... Byline: Marcus Thompson II MINNEAPOLIS _ It was like Willis Reed hobbling out of the locker room to rescue the New York Knicks in the 1970 NBA Finals. OK, OK. Maybe that's putting it on a bit thick. But Warriors guard Jason...

Moss receives Raiders' love _ for now.
March 2, 2005... Byline: Eric Gilmore ALAMEDA, Calif. _ Randy Moss arrived Wednesday afternoon at Oakland Raiders headquarters with a police escort (insert your own punch line here), seven Alameda motorcycle cops leading the way, an obvious gesture of...

Raiders welcome Randy Moss to the fold.
March 2, 2005... Byline: Steve Corkran ALAMEDA, Calif. _ Cue up AC/DC's "Problem Child." Dust off the videotapes of Daryle Lamonica and Ken Stabler heaving the ball to Cliff Branch. Brace yourself for what promises to be a ride unlike any other the Raiders...

Lott's on witness stand against Romanowski.
March 2, 2005... Byline: Ivan Delventhal OAKLAND, Calif. _ Hall of Fame defensive back Ronnie Lott, the former 49ers great, took the witness stand in an Oakland courtroom Wednesday, testifying that team speeches he gave over his 14-year NFL career never...

Wild turkeys find mating success with wingmen, study finds.
March 2, 2005... Byline: Betsy Mason WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Men in bars aren't the only ones who like to bring along a buddy to help them meet women. It turns out that some wild turkeys also prefer to employ a wingman. The upside of having a wingman is...

Backers of Indian casino say they'll give money for road improvements.
March 3, 2005... Byline: Tom Lochner Mar. 3--SAN PABLO -- The owners and financial backers of a San Pablo Indian casino will front the state $25 million for road improvements as soon as the state okays the casino, the chairwoman of the Lytton Band of Pomo...

Governor pushes reform agenda.
March 3, 2005... Byline: Kiley Russell Mar. 3--HAYWARD -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, continuing his campaign Wednesday to win "the people" over to his ambitious reform agenda, held a highly stage-managed event in front of an adoring crowd of business...

Survey: Majority of Mexican immigrants would use work program.
March 3, 2005... Byline: Jack Chang Mar. 3--A landmark survey released Wednesday of nearly 5,000 Mexican immigrants found a great majority of them would participate in a temporary work permit program similar to one President Bush proposes -- although a...

`The Jacket'.
March 3, 2005... Byline: Mary F. Pols The audience for fictions that involve time travel tends to divide into two categories. Literal-minded people are more drawn to stories where everything makes perfect sense at the end. Lingering questions that can be...

Longs posts 32 percent jump in profit.
March 3, 2005... Byline: James Temple Mar. 3--Longs Drug Stores Corp.'s company-wide overhaul, undertaken three years ago amid flagging sales and profits, appears to be paying off. The Walnut Creek-based drug store chain reported preliminary...

On steroids: `Our hands were tied' _ yeah, right.
March 3, 2005... Byline: Gary Peterson It seemed a refreshingly tart bit o' candor when Tony La Russa piped up, claiming to have known about Jose Canseco's steroid jones while Canseco was creaming home runs for the Bash Brothers-era Athletics. Acutely...

Ugly loss to No. 10 Washington puts Cal in a tough spot.
March 3, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Okanes BERKELEY, Calif. _ Cal now has played 27 games this season. Who cares? The Bears' season is now down to one game_one game to determine if there are more games. Cal was run off the Haas Pavilion floor by No....

Running back Jordan the final piece in Raiders' plan.
March 3, 2005... Byline: Steve Corkran The Oakland Raiders finalized a contract with free-agent running back LaMont Jordan on Thursday, adding the last piece to an offense that figures to be among the NFL's best in the 2005 season. The Jordan move came...

Prosecution witnesses tell of Williams' decline.
March 3, 2005... Byline: Ivan Delventhal OAKLAND, Calif. _ There was the Marcus Williams before "the punch" _ an upbeat young man living out his childhood dream of playing for the hometown Raiders _ and then the standoffish and moody young man who emerged...

Around the remote: TV picks for March 6-12.
March 3, 2005... Byline: Chuck Barney DON'T MISS: "OPRAH WINFREY PRESENTS: THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD": Halle Berry shines in this provocative and passionate adaptation of Zora Neale Hurston's classic 1937 novel. Berry plays Janie Crawford, a free...

Mariners want to give Ichiro help finding his way home.
March 4, 2005... Byline: Rick Hurd PEORIA, Ariz. _ What's in a number? Well, admiration for one. Fascination for another. Humor and bewilderment for a third. This particular number generated all of those human emotions in the Emerald City and...

Toddler heart recipient thriving a year later.
March 4, 2005... Byline: Randy Myers OAKLEY, Calif. _The thank-you letter remains unwritten, though often contemplated. Nine months after the joyous and exhausting day when their 3-year-old son received a new heart, Bill and Stephanie Wessels struggle...

Chiron executive's goal: regain confidence.
March 4, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Mar. 4--BERKELEY -- To regain the confidence of British regulators, Chiron Corp. completely overhauled the production process at the Liverpool plant where it manufactures flu vaccine, Chiron Chief Executive Officer...

Vehicle fuel efficiency falls short.
March 4, 2005... Byline: James Temple Mar. 4--Advertised fuel efficiency often doesn't jibe with the reality of the road, according to the American Automobile Association. Tests on hundreds of new vehicles found that actual miles per gallon fall well...

Governor loses ruling on nurse ratios.
March 4, 2005... Mar. 4--In a blow to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and a victory for nurses who have waged an all-out public relations campaign against him, a judge indicated Thursday that she will likely force the state's hospitals to increase the number of...

Extent of A's reliever's injury is still unclear.
March 4, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick PHOENIX _ A's reliever Chad Bradford said he underwent an MRI on his lower back earlier in the week but is still unclear about the extent of the injury. Bradford was in the clubhouse Friday, still in street clothes...

Thomason, University of Pacific find the spotlight.
March 4, 2005... Byline: Eric Gilmore Early last month, University of the Pacific basketball coach Bob Thomason called his Tigers "the most disrespected team in the country." Pacific was unranked and under the radar. Unfairly so, argued Thomason, a...

Richardson leads Warriors past Wizards.
March 4, 2005... Byline: Marcus Thompson II WASHINGTON _ You know the Golden State Warriors were shooting a lot of three-pointers Friday night when Baron Davis, known for occasionally shucking the offense for an ill-advised trey, was imploring his...

Lawmaker speaks on pension reform.
March 4, 2005... Byline: Peter Felsenfeld Mar. 4--MORAGA -- The Southern California lawmaker who ignited the state's explosive pension reform debate pitched his sweeping overhaul plan Thursday night to Contra Costa leaders. Speaking at St. Mary's...

Stocks rise on positive jobs report.
March 5, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Mar. 5--A better-than-expected report on new jobs helped power the nation's stock markets Friday to their highest levels in nearly four years. The employment gains last month were strong enough to persuade some...

Hospitals ordered to add nurses.
March 5, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Mar. 5--Confirming a tentative decision, a judge ruled Friday that hospitals must meet stringent nurse-staffing requirements that the Schwarzenegger administration had tried to delay. The Sacramento Superior Court...

PG&E executives gain millions on stocks.
March 5, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Mar. 5--This week a group of PG&E Corp.'s top executives realized millions of dollars in gains by exercising options to buy stock that they immediately sold. Chairman Robert Glynn led the charge, flipping 607,000...

Catcher Pierzynski dodging damaging label with White Sox.
March 5, 2005... Byline: Rick Hurd TUCSON, Ariz. Cancer. You see the word and automatically you cringe. The most grotesque of disgusting images pop into mind when the "C" word is mentioned, the most damaging of diagnoses are assumed. For an...

Lawson, Cal women no match for No. 2 Stanford.
March 5, 2005... Byline: Jay Heater SAN JOSE, Calif. _ Anyone who has watched Cal's struggling basketball team knows that Bears freshman center Jessica Lawson is the player of the future. On Saturday during the Pac-10 Conference Tournament quarterfinals at...

It's open season for breaking baseball's code of privacy.
March 6, 2005... Byline: Rick Hurd Nobody had to tell Dusty Baker about The Code the first time he set foot in a big league clubhouse in 1968. Nearly 30 years later, nobody needed to tell Tim Hudson, either. "It's just common sense," Hudson said....

California, fishers at odds.
March 6, 2005... Byline: Denis Cuff BERKELEY, Calif. _ A small silver fish prized in Japan for its salty eggs has swum into a political storm over the last commercial fishery in San Francisco Bay. Many Bay Area residents are unaware that their back...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., people in motion column.
March 6, 2005... Mar. 6--Grant Cooke has joined Intergy Corp. in Pleasanton as vice president of programs and business development. He is the former director of public relations for Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill. --Commercial real estate attorney...

Manufacturing execs seek ways to survive.
March 6, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Mar. 6--The litany of woes that confront California manufacturers extends to plenty of areas: Health care. Workers' comp. Environmental rules. Housing costs. Global competition. If they close plants, expand in...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., business bulletin column.
March 6, 2005... Mar. 6--BULLETIN BOARD: --Experience Unlimited of Pleasant Hill, a no-fee, nonprofit volunteer organization sponsored by California Employment Development Department to help professionals seeking new jobs, holds an orientation, 8:30 a.m....

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., business listing column.
March 6, 2005... Mar. 6--BUSINESS NAME FILINGS: 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...

`Gunner Palace'.
March 7, 2005... Byline: Mary F. Pols The tag line for "Gunner Palace" reads: "Some war stories will never make the nightly news." The implication you might take from that is that the documentary contains material too inflammatory for the dinner hour. ...

Quinn addresses finance's changes.
March 7, 2005... Byline: James Temple Mar. 7--Jane Bryant Quinn is one of the nation's foremost personal finance commentators. The author of two bestsellers regularly advises readers of both Newsweek and Good Housekeeping how to manage their money and...

Oakland A's pitcher ready to step into spotlight.
March 7, 2005... Byline: Joe Stiglich PHOENIX _ He ranks as a grizzled veteran of the A's pitching staff, at least as grizzled and veteran as a 23-year-old can be. There are lots of fresh, young faces on the A's pitching staff in spring camp, and Rich...

Williams damage `irreversible,' court told.
March 7, 2005... Byline: Ivan Delventhal OAKLAND, Calif. _ Former Raider Marcus Williams has suffered "irreversible" brain damage as a result of being punched in the face in August 2003 by then-teammate Bill Romanowski, a doctor testified Monday. Dr....

`Holly's Law' reintroduced to halt FDA approval of abortion pill.
March 7, 2005... Byline: Bonita Brewer WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ The controversial RU-486 abortion pill, which 18-year-old Holly Patterson of Livermore, Calif., took a week before dying of a massive infection in September 2003, would be at least temporarily...

Keeping ex's name can be practical.
March 8, 2005... Byline: Jann Blackstone-Ford and Sharyl Jupe Q: My husband of two years was previously married and has two kids _ a son and a daughter. He shares custody with his ex-wife. Six months ago, his ex-wife remarried and she refuses to change her...

Contra Costa County, Calif., performs triage on affordable housing.
March 8, 2005... Byline: Peter Felsenfeld Mar. 8--Contra Costa supervisors have saved hundreds of affordable apartments this year from sputtering mid-construction, but derailed hundreds more in the process. Unexpected cuts in federal Section 8 dollars...

Gas price gains portend budget pains.
March 8, 2005... Byline: James Temple Mar. 8--Pump prices, which have steadily ticked up during the last two months, are poised to leap nearly a quarter per gallon in the coming weeks. The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded averaged $2.21...

Warriors still rock on the road.
March 8, 2005... Byline: Marcus Thompson II PHILADELPHIA_The Philadelphia 76ers fans had seen enough. By the time guard Jason Richardson nailed a 3-pointer from the left wing, giving the Warriors a 20-point lead and forcing another Sixers timeout, most...

Rodgers gives NFL scouts a sneak peek.
March 8, 2005... Byline: Jay Heater BERKELEY, Calif. _ A group of about 25 NFL scouts gathered in the middle of the Memorial Stadium field Tuesday afternoon as Aaron Rodgers slipped off his sweatshirt. Already scheduled to throw for NFL coaches and...

Teary Romanowski tells of his Jekyll-Hyde ways.
March 8, 2005... Byline: Ivan Delventhal OAKLAND, Calif. _ Bill Romanowski, the former Oakland Raiders linebacker, teared up Tuesday afternoon as he testified about his own Jekyll and Hyde persona_one side a gladiator in the NFL and the other a...

Cosmetics firms to give away $175 million in products after legal settlement.
March 9, 2005... Byline: James Temple Mar. 9--OAKLAND -- Major cosmetics manufacturers and retailers, including L'Oreal, Estee Lauder and Target, will give away $175 million in products to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing the companies of price...

Deal reached in cosmetics lawsuit.
March 9, 2005... Byline: James Temple Mar. 9--OAKLAND -- Major cosmetics manufacturers and retailers, including L'Oreal, Estee Lauder and Target, will give away $175 million in products to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing the companies of price...

Hearings might crack the code.
March 9, 2005... Byline: Neil Hayes This is the showdown we've all been waiting for. It could be more compelling than the Red Sox-Yankees. It's The Oath vs. The Code. Some are calling it grandstanding. Given the long-standing tradition of...

`Robots'.
March 9, 2005

Fiscal troubles prompt officials to watch community college district.
March 10, 2005... Byline: Matt Krupnick Mar. 10--Watching the unsettled Contra Costa Community College District is enough to make an observer dizzy these days. Beset with sickouts, layoff threats, strike plans, lawsuits, angry meetings and contract...

Walnut Creek, Calif., restaurant invites youngsters to mascot contest.
March 10, 2005... Byline: Maricella Miranda Mar. 10--WALNUT CREEK -- Celebrity mascots like Ronald McDonald and the Subway chain's Jared Fogel can make or break an eatery. McCovey's Restaurant in downtown Walnut Creek hopes to hit one out of the...

`Downfall'.
March 10, 2005... Byline: Mary F. Pols Late in the movie "Downfall," the actress playing Magda Goebbels throws herself at the feet of Adolf Hitler and begs him not to kill himself, to flee Berlin instead and carry on his dream of the Third Reich. ...

Quinn urges investors to be cautious.
March 10, 2005... Byline: James Temple Mar. 10--WALNUT CREEK -- Diversity and conservative bets are key to financial fitness in the world of increasing economic uncertainty, said Jane Bryant Quinn, one of the nation's foremost personal finance commentators,...

A's may settle for one southpaw in relief.
March 10, 2005... Byline: Joe Stiglich PHOENIX _ Last season Ricardo Rincon had the company of two fellow left-handers in the A's bullpen with Chris Hammond and Arthur Rhodes. This season it could get lonely for the southpaw. One of the intriguing...

Percentages don't add up for Pac-10.
March 10, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Okanes LOS ANGELES _ There were a lot of positive vibes floating around the Staples Center on Thursday. Despite UCLA's loss to Oregon State in the first round of the Pac-10 Tournament, everyone seemed to be united in...

Punch cost former Raider millions, economist claims.
March 10, 2005... Byline: Guy Ashley OAKLAND, Calif. _ Former Raiders tight end Marcus Williams lost as much as $8.7 million in potential earnings, benefits and medical costs when his fledgling professional football career was ended by a punch to the face...

Around the remote: TV picks for March 13-19.
March 10, 2005... Byline: Chuck Barney DON'T MISS: "The Shield": Television's best cop show returns this week for its fourth season and changes are afoot. Joining the cast is Glenn Close, the five-time Oscar nominee who's getting her first taste of...

Gas price hikes hit consumers beyond pump.
March 11, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Mar. 11--The renewed climb in crude oil prices could jolt consumers at the checkout counter as well as the gas pump. For the last week or so, motorists have come to dread that trip to the gas station, facing...

Magowan retiring from Safeway board.
March 11, 2005... Byline: James Temple Mar. 11--San Francisco Giants Managing General Partner Peter Magowan is retiring from Safeway Inc.'s board of directors, bringing an end to a 37-year career with the supermarket chain as well as a family legacy. ...

Conservation group set to buy 700 acres in Contra Costa County, Calif.
March 11, 2005... Byline: Denis Cuff Mar. 11--A conservation group has raised $3.2 million to buy 700 acres of rolling hills between Martinez and Hercules as the centerpiece of a new open space for hikers, birds and wildlife. The nonprofit Muir Heritage...

Just can't feel sorry for Romo.
March 11, 2005... Byline: Eric Gilmore I've been trying to wrap my mind around the image of former Raiders linebacker Bill Romanowski as a sympathetic figure. Romanowski was on the witness stand Wednesday in Alameda County Superior Court, reportedly...

Former Gael has a shot with Royals.
March 12, 2005... Byline: Joe Stiglich SURPRISE, Ariz. _ Getting traded from the A's to the Kansas City Royals was a jolt for Mark Teahen, though he knew deep down it was best for him. Playing third base in the A's organization is not a sound plan for...

Rookie second baseman is making an impression.
March 12, 2005... Byline: Chris Haft SCOTTSDALE, Ariz._Despite being a last-minute replacement, Kevin Frandsen looked like he belonged where he was. The former San Jose State star played all nine innings of Saturday's split-squad game against the Los...

Grocers slow to cater to Latinos.
March 12, 2005... Byline: James Temple Mar. 12--Many Bay Area food retailers are shifting their products and practices to appeal to the ballooning Latino market, but most aren't doing nearly enough given the size of the opportunity, experts say. ...

Housing policies for poor assailed.
March 12, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Mar. 12--BERKELEY -- Panelists at a conference sponsored by UC Berkeley's Housing and Urban Policy program painted a bleak picture Friday of the options available to families with incomes too low to buy houses or pay...

Top PG&E execs enjoy another lucrative year.
March 12, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Mar. 12--Last year was just another of lucrative pay envelopes for former Chief Executive Robert Glynn and four other top executives of PG&E Corp., who as a group collected $13.7 million in salaries, bonuses and other...

Antioch corrugated-box factory to close June 1.
March 12, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Mar. 12--An Antioch factory that makes corrugated packages will shut its doors in June as its parent, Temple-Inland Inc., pursues a quest to slash expenses, company officials confirmed Friday. Just over 100...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., people in motion column.
March 13, 2005... Mar. 13--Marc H. Berger, CPA, is the new managing partner at Leibowitz Shumaker Berger & Rubens LLP, a business advisory, tax and accounting service with offices in Walnut Creek and San Francisco. --James J. Odell has been appointed senior...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., business bulletin column.
March 13, 2005... Mar. 13--Monday, March 14 Experience Unlimited of Pleasant Hill, a no-fee, nonprofit volunteer organization sponsored by California Employment Development Department to help professionals seeking new jobs, holds an orientation, 8:30 a.m....

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., business listing column.
March 13, 2005... Mar. 13--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...