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

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

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., people in motion column.
May 1, 2005... May 1--Julie and John Meredith of Meredith Real Estate Broker have won the Bay East Association of Realtors' 2004 Pinnacle Award. This award is the local association of Realtor's highest sales achievement award category, recognizing sales of...

Mergers keep callers waiting.
May 1, 2005... Byline: Craig Lazzeretti May 1--The recent flurry of proposed mergers in the telecommunications industry has elicited predictable responses from those who follow such matters. Consumer groups claim cell phone customers will lose as...

Fashion outlets say bling-bling's the thing.
May 1, 2005... Byline: James Temple May 1--Veronica Chung walked out of the Walnut Creek Coach on a recent sunny afternoon with a small shopping bag dangling in her hand. Inside, still folded in tissue paper, was a Mini Skinny, a leather cardholder...

Chiron exec comes to the rescue.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber May 2--The announcement stunned the Chiron Corp. executives, lawyers and communications staff who had gathered at the company's Emeryville headquarters in the early morning hours of Oct. 5, 2004. The officials had...

It's sibling revelry over the stovetop.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Peggy Spear WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ This Mother's Day, while other moms will be enjoying slightly burnt pancakes or a bowl of Cap'n Crunch served on a tray in bed, Pamela Mitchell will be served fresh crepes. Last year, it was a...

Reading, writing & ricotta.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Peggy Spear WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Lynda Rexroat isn't worried that she's surrounded by children wielding 6-inch chef knives. She's more concerned with clean hands than lost digits. "We don't need anyone getting sick...

Rogers quiets A's as fans remain calm.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick OAKLAND, Calif. _ Security was beefed up for Monday night's game against the Texas Rangers, dissuading A's fans from any extracurricular activity against their American League West rivals. The left arm of Kenny...

Governor fills state energy posts.
May 3, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens May 3--Amidst warnings of electricity shortages this summer and the need for expanded power supplies by the end of the decade, on Monday Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger tapped a Pleasanton man to oversee approval of power...

FBI opens an investigation into claims the new Bay Bridge has faulty welds.
May 3, 2005... Byline: Mike Adamick May 3--Welding tests on the skyway portion of the new Bay Bridge are complete, but federal highway officials overseeing the examination say the findings are not ready to be released. "We're still reviewing the...

Latinos' median wage falls.
May 3, 2005... Byline: George Avalos May 3--Latinos made big strides in gaining jobs in the United States during 2004, but they fell behind in wages for the second straight year, a study released Monday showed. Employment among Latinos jumped by 1...

Freeze out may not be ill-meaning.
May 3, 2005... Byline: Jann Blackstone-Ford and Sharyl Jupe Q: My ex and I have four children. We got a divorce three years ago because she wanted to separate. No one was having an affair, and I think she was a little surprised when I met someone and...

49ers' top priority is Smith's progress.
May 3, 2005... Byline: Neil Hayes WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Mike Nolan believes his team can win its division one season after finishing 2-14. The first-year 49ers coach has said the playoffs are a realistic goal next season. Bully for him. Goals are...

Raiders' top pick Washington a pro at overcoming adversity.
May 3, 2005... Byline: Steve Corkran ALAMEDA, Calif. _ Where some sense fear, cornerback Fabian Washington finds excitement. Staring down a talented wide receiver such as Randy Moss isn't scary, it's a challenge. Feeling pressure never enters the...

Interactive marine animal exhibits draw detractors.
May 3, 2005... Byline: Denis Cuff VALLEJO, Calif. _ Watch a dolphin's playful jumps and curious dark eyes and it's hard not to want to reach out and touch it. Or maybe drop it a fish or jump in for a swim. More parks like Six Flags Marine World...

Blogs sounding off on Catholicism, new pope.
May 3, 2005... Byline: Ellen Lee Caught up in the excitement of the selection of a new pope, Cliff Price and his family decided to weigh the odds. Price, a devout Catholic, and four of his 10 children quickly compiled a database of the 115 cardinals...

Study finds significantly higher default rate among college dropouts.
May 4, 2005... Byline: Matt Krupnick WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ College dropouts are 10 times as likely to default on college loans as borrowers who complete their degrees, according to a study released Wednesday. The study, by the National Center for...

Bankruptcy law sparks local worry.
May 4, 2005... Byline: Dan Laidman May 4--The East Bay's high cost of living means some consumers here will be particularly pinched by a new bankruptcy reform law, local bankruptcy lawyers predict. "Because the Bay Area is so expensive people are...

Suburban papers gain circulation.
May 4, 2005... Byline: George Avalos May 4--Some Bay Area newspapers that cater to the suburbs or smaller urban-centers posted modest circulation gains while their big-city cousins struggled in the most recent update on the circulation of U.S....

A's finally score runs but give up even more.
May 4, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick OAKLAND, Calif. _ You don't flip the postgame food spread in early May, but there are concerns in the A's camp after a dreary three-game sweep by the Texas Rangers. The mood in the clubhouse mirrored the ugly...

Future is bleak for Barry Bonds.
May 4, 2005... Byline: Neil Hayes You won't find any reference to it on Barry Bonds' Web site, but a late-August retirement announcement is a more and more likely scenario, which means the Home Run Counter on BarryBonds.com will be forever frozen at 703....

$7.7 billion transportation bill advances in Legislature.
May 4, 2005... Byline: Mike Adamick May 4--A $7.7 billion bond that would pay for overruns on the new Bay Bridge and transportation projects throughout the state moved forward Tuesday, as lawmakers and business leaders coalesced around a highway funds...

Peet's Coffee & Tea earnings perk up.
May 5, 2005... Byline: James Temple May 5--Peet's Coffee & Tea Inc. enjoyed double-digit growth in each of its divisions during the first quarter, propelling earnings 34.2 percent and revenue 22.7 percent over last year. The Emeryville-based coffee...

PG&E's income beats expectations.
May 5, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens May 5--PG&E Corp. posted first-quarter net income of $218 million or 54 cents a share Wednesday and paid its owners a 30 cents-a-share dividend, the first in more than four years. That constituted "a solid start"...

Environmental sirens in Delta are screaming.
May 5, 2005... Byline: Mike Taugher WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ The Delta's open-water fish populations are mysteriously collapsing in a crisis that threatens to unravel the food web of the West Coast's largest estuary. Delta smelt, already a threatened...

Web site hints at move by PeopleSoft founder.
May 5, 2005... Byline: Dan Laidman May 5--A cryptic Web site may herald the arrival of a new business software venture from the founder of PeopleSoft Inc. The site, http://davesnextmove.com, boasts that the unnamed start-up by Dave Duffield and other...

Around the remote: TV picks for May 8-14.
May 5, 2005... Byline: Chuck Barney DON'T MISS: "JAMES DEAN: SENSE MEMORIES" _ Television has a big thing for Elvis Presley this week. In addition to a two-part miniseries on the King that begins tonight, CBS is airing an Elvis special on Friday....

PMI net income ahead of estimate.
May 6, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens May 6--PMI Group Inc.'s first-quarter profits beat analysts' expectations despite some signs of a slowdown in the company's main business of insuring mortgage lenders against losses from loans to borrowers who made...

Warriors' Davis analyzes now but aspires to play next year.
May 6, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Okanes WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Baron Davis is looking forward to appearing as a guest on the pregame and halftime shows during ABC's coverage of the NBA playoffs Sunday. But quite frankly, he doesn't have aspirations to do...

A's win nutty one against Yankees.
May 6, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick NEW YORK _ The scoreboard never lies, but the A's had to be rubbing their eyes just to make sure it wasn't. After the Yankees wiped out a two-run lead in the eighth inning, they were certain this would end like...

Raw material costs hurt Clorox.
May 6, 2005... Byline: George Avalos May 6--Clorox Co. spooked investors Thursday with word that rising prices for raw materials caused profits to fade in the third quarter for the household products company. Oakland-based Clorox said earnings shrank...

Health care laundry workers ready to strike.
May 6, 2005... Byline: Dan Laidman May 6--ANTIOCH -- A top national labor leader addressed a spirited sidewalk rally here Thursday as union officials warned of a looming strike against a major health care laundry company. Unite Here, which represents...

Initiatives mean Californians won't see 2005 election pass quietly.
May 6, 2005... Byline: Andrew Lamar May 6--SACRAMENTO -- Californians appear to be headed for a pre-Thanksgiving election feast with a growing array of proposals to fill their political appetites in what was supposed to be an off year from statewide...

Officials tolerate medical marijuana dispensary in Concord, Calif.
May 7, 2005... Byline: Tom Lochner May 7--A medical marijuana dispensary has thrived for several months in downtown Concord with few apparent ripples in the surrounding neighborhood, even as authorities seek ways to regulate it. The opening of...

Lending advice to a friend (or Barry Bonds) in need.
May 7, 2005... Byline: Gary Peterson WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ We never thought the day would come when Barry Bonds might need our help. We're quite sure he'll never get to the point where he actually wants it. But when you get right down to it, we're...

Yankees' Mussina makes mess of A's offense.
May 7, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick NEW YORK _ It wouldn't be fair to single out anyone as the culprit for the A's offensive struggles Saturday, or any other game during this frustrating stretch. This wasn't a game, frankly, the A's were going to...

Newest A's impressed with Yankee Stadium.
May 7, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick NEW YORK _ It doesn't matter if you're a rookie, veteran or Japanese import - the initial trip to Yankee Stadium is a fascinating experience that can turn a player into a fan. Such was the case for Joe Blanton (the...

A's Chavez battles lofty expectations.
May 7, 2005... Byline: Neil Hayes OAKLAND, Calif. _ Eric Chavez was playing a video game in the A's clubhouse this week while answering questions about his early season slump. "It's frustrating because I don't think there's a reason for it," the A's...

Smith shows 49ers a promising start.
May 7, 2005... Byline: Eric Gilmore SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ The NFL Network was there Friday morning. So was ESPN. So were enough cameras and reporters to stretch from one end of the 49ers practice field to nearly the other. This was not just the start...

Bay Area lawmaker warns of potential ecological disaster in Delta.
May 7, 2005... Byline: Mike Taugher May 7--A Bay Area congressman and leading voice in California water policy is warning that immediate action is needed to avoid a potential ecological disaster in the Delta. Rep. George Miller, responding to a...

American workers in Iraq accept danger with duty.
May 8, 2005... Byline: James Temple After four months living at Camp Victory near Baghdad, Darnell Baker had grown accustomed to the mortars and rockets that insurgents often fired at the U.S. Army base after midnight. If they made it over the walls...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., bankruptcies column.
May 8, 2005... May 8--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...

Venture firms stay active in East Bay.
May 8, 2005... Byline: George Avalos May 8--Privately held East Bay companies with a steady and veteran hand on the tiller are getting a lot of attention, and cash, from venture capitalists. After the dot-bomb meltdown, venture funds are looking to...

Software is king for venture funding online.
May 8, 2005... Byline: George Avalos May 8--Software is the king of the Bay Area venture scene, but biotech may turn into an upstart. Privately held software companies gobbled up the largest slice of the venture financing pie in the Bay Area during...

Blanked again by Yanks, A's move on to Boston.
May 8, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick NEW YORK _ When it was over on another miserable windy and cold day in the Bronx, the Oakland A's had to keep reminding themselves that they were only three games under .500 and by no means falling out of contention....

Macha, A's get the heave-ho as Red Sox romp.
May 9, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick BOSTON _ Some managers might blow a gasket when their team is going bad, challenge an umpire and make a scene to inspired their players. That, however, was not Ken Macha's intention when he argued a very debatable...

Great stuff, presence, attitude define baseball's elite pitchers.
May 9, 2005... Byline: Rick Hurd WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ This was his night. The proof was on the San Francisco Giants' lineup card, but nobody needed to look. More than likely, most had made a mental note of it sometime during the previous three...

Sybase buys two to assist with goal.
May 10, 2005... Byline: Ellen Lee May 10--Software and database maker Sybase Inc. said Monday it has acquired two small high-tech firms as part of its aggressive "unwired" strategy. Dublin-based Sybase, which competes against such behemoths as IBM...

Sleepover shouldn't happen too soon.
May 10, 2005... Byline: Jann Blackstone-Ford and Sharyl Jupe Q: I have dated a man for several months. He and my 12-year-old daughter have always gotten along well. The only time my boyfriend and I can see each other is after work, so we occasionally eat...

Millar's walk-off HR continues A's misery.
May 10, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick BOSTON _ That loud thump reverberating around Fenway Park wasn't the sound of Kevin Millar's bat hitting ball, sending it into the chilly New England night and over the legendary Green Monster, but Oakland A's closer...

Lawsuit delays stem cell research program for now.
May 10, 2005... Byline: Sandy Kleffman May 10--SACRAMENTO -- With a lawsuit threatening to stall California's stem cell research program for months or even years, an oversight committee vowed Monday to explore ways to keep the program afloat until legal...

Transit system, union take dispute public.
May 10, 2005... Byline: Mike Adamick May 10--In a sign that BART labor talks have already reached a boiling point, union and district officials have begun airing their contract proposals in public to gain the upper hand. The battle has already taken...

Alameda County, Calif., may limit number of medical marijuana clubs to 5.
May 10, 2005... Byline: Ivan Delventhal May 10--OAKLAND -- Alameda County supervisors will consider an ordinance to allow no more than five medical marijuana clubs in incorporated areas. And Supervisor Nate Miley is asking the county to consider...

When it comes to buying seats for big shows, concertgoers can't win.
May 11, 2005... Byline: Tony Hicks CONCORD, Calif. _ Jon Mealley exhaled and mouthed a quiet obscenity. It was 10:10 a.m. Sunday morning at Concord's Tower Records. Mealley had been a much happier man at 10, strolling toward the Ticketmaster counter,...

A's clubbed again by Red Sox.
May 11, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick BOSTON _ A grim Ken Macha cut off a reporter's question in mid-sentence. "It's tough taking a positive out of this," he said. When reminded that the A's easily could have finished this miserable trip 3-3...

Anemic offense not a hit for A's.
May 11, 2005... Byline: Neil Hayes We're not going to finger him here because it was a casual conversation, not an interview. It was just two guys shooting the breeze in the clubhouse before the A's opened the season against Baltimore at Camden Yards. ...

PG&E pipeline sale snag removed.
May 12, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens May 12--Chevron Corp. has suffered a setback in its efforts to block a competitor's purchase of a PG&E Corp. oil pipeline running from Richmond to Pittsburg. The deal would also open the way for housing development on...

Highway projects can move forward with funding secure.
May 12, 2005... Byline: Mike Adamick May 12--Long-delayed highway projects that could ease the commute grind for East Bay residents will throttle forward this year now that $1.3 billion in transportation funding is out of jeopardy. Gov. Arnold...

Alta Bates faces loss of accreditation.
May 12, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber May 12--With its reputation at risk, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center will seek today to reverse a preliminary decision that threatens the hospital's accreditiation. The loss of accreditation would deal a huge blow...

Around the remote: TV picks for May 15-21.
May 12, 2005... Byline: Chuck Barney DON'T MISS: THE "EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND" SERIES FINALE _ Last year it was "Friends" and "Frasier" and "Sex and the City." Now another one of television's signpost sitcoms bids farewell, leaving a laugh-starved...

A's continue meltdown.
May 13, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Okanes OAKLAND, Calif. _ The A's will tell you that it's only the middle of May, that there still is plenty of time to find happier days ahead. But make no mistake. Their season at this point has officially reached...

Bakery gets help to ensure its continued rise.
May 13, 2005... Byline: Dan Laidman May 13--Denise Vickers' business just got an extreme bakeover. Her Walnut Creek Baking Co. is the focus of the new episode of a CNN reality show that pairs tiny enterprises with mentors from large corporations. ...

Bay Area job market to grow.
May 13, 2005... Byline: George Avalos May 13--The Bay Area in recent years has been the worst of the worst of the nation's metropolitan labor markets, but employment in the battered region may be ready to climb out of the cellar. Employers in the...

Pro contracts can be pacts with the devil.
May 14, 2005... Byline: Neil Hayes WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ They have nothing to do with sports and everything to do with sports. Sometimes it seems as if virtually every news story revolves around a contract. Jerry Rice just wants the 49ers to offer...

Schwarzenegger budget revisions seek to address education concerns.
May 14, 2005... Byline: Jackie Burrell May 14--Educators awaited Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's 2005-06 budget revisions with bated breath, but there has been little change since January, when the state's chief outraged teachers, administrators and...

Military base cut plan treats California pretty well.
May 14, 2005... Byline: Dogen Hannah May 14--The Pentagon on Friday proposed closing a dozen California military installations as part of its first nationwide downsizing in a decade, but spared the Bay Area from much pain. Secretary of Defense Donald...

California's budget seeks to unclog roads.
May 14, 2005... Byline: Mike Adamick May 14--Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's new budget includes $9 billion for highway projects throughout the state -- little more than half of California's annual $16 billion need. Subtract $1 billion in American Indian...

President of Inter-Fraternity Council at UC Berkeley steps down.
May 14, 2005... Byline: Matt Krupnick May 14--UC Berkeley's Greek alphabet might be losing some letters. The university's troubled fraternity and sorority system took its latest hit Thursday with the resignation of the president of the...

It's bad in minors, too, as A's pitcher ails.
May 14, 2005... Byline: Rick Hurd OAKLAND, Calif. _ As if the news at the major-league level hasn't been discouraging enough recently, now comes this from Triple-A Sacramento: Dan Meyer won't be pitching anytime soon. The pitcher who was the focal...

Good things getting scarce for A's.
May 14, 2005... Byline: Rick Hurd OAKLAND, Calif. _ Time now for a dose of encouraging news regarding the local fast-plummeting team in the American League West. Its best starting pitcher did not land on the disabled list Saturday as expected. Hey,...

It's no fun taking in Giambi's slide.
May 14, 2005... Byline: Neil Hayes OAKLAND, Calif. _ What goes around comes around, as they say. Call it karma but it doesn't make it any easier to watch. This isn't fun. For those of us who remember Jason Giambi at his best, it's not easy watching him at...

Wright blocks light of Trinidad's stardom with unanimous decision.
May 14, 2005... Byline: Jay Heater LAS VEGAS _ Felix Trinidad grew into a superstar because he was one of the greatest fighters in the world. But as a boxer, it was apparent Saturday night at the MGM Grand that Trinidad was no match for Ronald "Winky"...

Runaway for Lost in the Fog.
May 14, 2005... Byline: Tony Kuttner ALBANY, Calif. _ Lost in the Fog ran away with Saturday's $150,000 Golden Bear Breeders' Cup in record fashion, establishing a Golden Gate Fields standard for six furlongs by finishing in 1:07.32. "He could have...

Fed's Yellen sounds off on state of economy.
May 15, 2005... Byline: George Avalos May 15--SAN FRANCISCO -- Janet Yellen, president of the Federal Reserve Bank in San Francisco, has a passion for knowing the ways people and businesses use money. And those who know her acclaim her as a highly...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., retirement planner column.
May 15, 2005... Byline: Steve Butler May 15--"What's good for General Motors is good for the country." This used to be a national truism because so much of American gross national product was once tied, directly or indirectly, to the automobile industry....

Mladin says he's got something prove in Colorado.
May 15, 2005... Byline: Joe Stiglich SONOMA, Calif. _ After carving up the road course at Infineon Raceway for his sixth victory in seven races this season, Suzuki rider Mat Mladin dropped this little nugget on reporters in a post-race news conference...

California lays claim to nation's highest gas prices, but why?
May 16, 2005... Byline: James Temple May 16--California boasts the biggest population of any state, the largest manufacturing base and agricultural harvest, and the highest waterfall and lowest valley. But the Golden State has recently laid claim to a...

Athletics put brakes on eight-game losing skid.
May 16, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick OAKLAND, Calif. _ The A's banished not one but two streaks on a nippy Monday night at the Coliseum. Certainly, one was more important than the other. The A's snapped their eight-game losing streak with a gritty 6-4...

Comebacks for these two not all about laughs.
May 16, 2005... Byline: Gary Peterson WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ The easy thing would be to regard them as laughingstocks. I mean, John Rocker and Rickey Henderson are just hanging there like pinatas. Why not take a hack? You can't miss, and you might draw a...

Brentwood, Calif.-area cherry farmers pray for end to May rainstorms.
May 16, 2005... Byline: Tanya Rose May 16--BRENTWOOD -- As recreational fruit pickers continue to visit Brentwood U-Pick stands by the carload, cherry farmers are quietly praying for an end to the May rainstorms. But they may not see a reprieve soon...

Democrats prepare to negotiate with Schwarzenegger over spending plan.
May 17, 2005... Byline: Andrew Lamar May 17--SACRAMENTO -- The chances of lawmakers striking a deal to avoid a special election are slim, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's chief strategist said Monday, as Democrats ramped up their rhetoric and talk of...

More than a million U.S. kids call teachers Mom or Dad.
May 17, 2005... Byline: Jackie Burrell WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ It doesn't get more exclusive than Berkeley, Calif.'s Treehorn School. With an enviable 1:1 teacher-student ratio, this unorthodox private school blends anthropology lessons with math,...

Reliever Cruz, A's drop ball in loss to Red Sox.
May 17, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Okanes OAKLAND, Calif. _ The beginning of better things turned out to be just an interruption of bad things for the Oakland A's. One day after snapping an eight-game losing streak, the A's wasted a clutch...

Area gets slight relief at gas pump.
May 18, 2005... Byline: James Temple May 18--State and local pump prices are down from their record highs in April, but not necessarily for long. The statewide average cost for a gallon of regular gasoline in California was $2.53 on Monday, a dime...

A's turn dust into gold, rip Red Sox.
May 18, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick OAKLAND, Calif. _ It's no wonder manager Ken Macha's eyes were bleary and red after a long Tuesday night. This is what he pondered before the game: His bullpen was in shambles, with its newest casualty, closer...