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

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

Chiron gives up autonomy with sale.
November 1, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Nov. 1--Ending 24 years of independence, Chiron Corp.'s board of directors announced Monday it has accepted a $5.1 billion cash offer from Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company Novartis. Chiron, an...

Children a caveat in any relationship.
November 1, 2005... Byline: Jann Blackstone-Ford and Sharyl Jupe Q: I've fallen in love with a wonderful man. We have an open and honest relationship and the kind of passion that makes my toes curl. The problem lies in his past. I'm having a hard time dealing...

Arlo Guthrie dishes on `Alice's Restaurant'.
November 1, 2005... Byline: Tony Hicks Arlo Guthrie realizes that what started as a wild anti-war joke 40 years ago no longer sounds so far-fetched. "The times are strangely familiar," says the folk singer from his home in Massachusetts. "We have a...

Strong songs.
November 1, 2005... Byline: Tony Hicks Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie weren't the only ones who wrote protest songs. Here are some other obvious _ and not so obvious _ examples worth listening to. _"Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" Bing Crosby (1932): One of...

Appeal delays Reliant trial.
November 1, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Nov. 1--SAN FRANCISCO -- An appeal by prosecutors of a judge's ruling on the admissibility of evidence delayed indefinitely the criminal trial of Houston-based power seller Reliant Energy Inc. that was scheduled to...

Construction plight.
November 1, 2005... Byline: Paula King Nov. 1--BRENTWOOD - When the lights fade in the city and the pace of this booming bedroom community slows, the enormous number of residential construction sites offers countless opportunities for thieves to pilfer...

`The Boondocks' finally makes move to TV.
November 2, 2005... Byline: Chuck Barney "The Boondocks," Aaron McGruder's hot button-pushing comic strip, appeared to be bound for network television a few years ago. Instead, it will debut Sunday night in the niche world of Cartoon Network's late-night...

EDITORIAL: Find way to fix sewers.(Editorial)
November 2, 2005... Nov. 2--As unglamorous as it may sound, one of the basic functions of any local government is to deal with sewers. Yes. sewers. Proper disposal and treatment of any area's waste is a dirty job, but it is one that must be done. Officials in...

No shortage of flu shots despite Chiron concerns.
November 2, 2005... Byline: Sandy Kleffman Nov. 2--Health professionals are quickly doling out flu shots amid uncertainty about how much vaccine Chiron Corp. will produce this year. Many health clinics, the Kaiser system and private doctors have vaccine...

Protest at Richmond refinery turns violent.
November 2, 2005... Byline: Karl Fischer and Lisa Vorderbrue Nov. 2--RICHMOND -- Police used pepper spray to stop a clash between protesters and workers Tuesday morning in front of the Chevron oil refinery after arriving to find a fistfight in progress and...

PG&E looks north for more power.
November 2, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Nov. 2--PG&E Corp. announced Tuesday that is studying the possibility of building a $1 billion, 650-mile undersea cable to import hydroelectric and wind power from the Pacific Northwest to the Bay Area. The...

Park district stops short of taking waterfront property in Richmond.
November 2, 2005... Byline: John Geluardi Nov. 2--RICHMOND -- Faced with a potential eminent domain action, the owners of 238 acres of undeveloped waterfront land known as the Breuner property have temporarily suspended plans to build more than 1,000...

Warriors block out the Hawks.
November 2, 2005... Byline: Marcus Thompson II OAKLAND, Calif. _ The Warriors' season couldn't have started any better. Sure, they didn't play well on either end of the court. They made a lot of mistakes and didn't always display the intensity they...

Covering Chiefs' Gonzalez can be headache.
November 2, 2005... Byline: Steve Corkran ALAMEDA, Calif. _ He stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 251 pounds. He possesses a basketball player's ability to gain position on and out-jump defenders. In short, he is a matchup nightmare for defensive coordinators. ...

In California, royals will visit farmers, take in a musical.
November 2, 2005... Byline: Jessica Yadegaran WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ With any luck, San Francisco will turn what's been a royal snore into a spectacle. This week marks Prince Charles of Wales' first visit to the United States in a decade, and the first...

Top 10 Nickelodeon shows from the '90s.
November 3, 2005... Members of the teen Life in Perspective board at the Contra Costa Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., revisit their childhoods: 1. "Salute Your Shorts." The opening sequence ended with boxers on a flagpole. Need we say more? 2. "Doug." A...

Scientists seek to use stem cells in battle against AIDS.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Betsy Mason SAN FRANCISCO _ Nearly 10 years after the development of antiviral drugs to treat HIV and AIDS, scientists are poised to attack the deadly virus with a new weapon: stem cells. Researchers at UCLA are working on ways...

Chevron criticized over confrontation in Nigeria.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Nov. 3--Amnesty International, in a new report on human rights violations in the oil-rich Niger Delta of Nigeria, criticized Chevron Corp. for its response to a violent confrontation in February between soldiers and...

Illegal file sharing by teens falls, report says.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Ellen Lee Nov. 3--Grace Elliott has downloaded so many songs off the Internet that she could listen to her playlist for six days straight -- without repeats. The 15-year-old Pleasanton teenager used to get her music from...

As garbage bills rise, smaller bins in demand.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Sarah Krupp Nov. 3--ANTIOCH - New garbage rates designed to promote recycling have already changed the habits of hundreds of Antioch residents, according to the city's environmental resource coordinator. Since a plan to shift...

Family to raze homestead for town.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Linda Davis Nov. 3--DANVILLE -- The little cottage at 341 Rose St. where Robert Ferreira grew up will now be torn down for the sake of progress. "I have mixed emotions. It comes and goes," said the 72-year-old Ferreira, a...

Hospital workers' layoffs raise ire.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Tom Lochner Nov. 3--Nursing assistants at Doctors Medical Center San Pablo/Pinole and their union were crying foul Wednesday over layoff notices to 60-plus workers. Hospital spokeswoman Gisela Hernandez said the workers, who...

Richmond to set up public records system.
November 3, 2005... Byline: John Geluardi Nov. 3--RICHMOND -- The Richmond City Council has unanimously approved a new policy that creates a system for city departments to follow when responding to public information requests. The city has been widely...

Restaurants go upscale.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Tanya Rose Nov. 3--BRENTWOOD -- When chain eateries like Chili's and Johnny Carino's started popping up on the Antioch-Brentwood border a few years ago, hungry residents were beyond ready for them, but found them teeming with...

PG&E enjoys healthy quarter.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Nov. 3--PG&E Corp.'s money machine, back in good operating order after the 2000-01 energy crisis and a three-year utility bankruptcy, produced profits without a hitch during the third quarter, supplying the company...

Families sue PG&E, alleging toxic leaks.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Danielle Samaniego Nov. 3--MARTINEZ -- Neighbors surrounding a former PG&E power substation are suing the electricity giant over health issues resulting in one death and property damages from toxic leaks, according to the suit. ...

Life sans Davis painfully clear for Warriors.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Gary Peterson OAKLAND, Calif. _ Mike Montgomery signed a contract 18 months ago to coach the Golden State Warriors, which means he's been a fan of the team longer than most of you. So if Baron Davis' tender hamstring has you in...

Warriors' Davis a game-time decision.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ There are numerous ways Golden State Warriors point guard Baron Davis will be counted on to help his team this season. Riding a stationary bike isn't one of them. But that was the extent of...

Around the remote: Television picks for Nov. 6-12.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Chuck Barney DON'T MISS: "THE WEST WING" LIVE DEBATE _ Now in its seventh season, "The West Wing" is certainly past its prime. But despite fading ratings and a feeling of general ambivalence among most critics, the show is...

It takes one return specialist to appreciate another.
November 4, 2005... Byline: Steve Corkran ALAMEDA, Calif. _ Kickoffs and punts often times provide offensive and defensive players a chance to grab a breather, a drink or perhaps a seat on the sideline. You won't find many players with their backs turned...

Cam's Crystal Ball: Picking NFL games of weekend.
November 4, 2005... Byline: Cam Inman Not even the Crystal Ball could see it coming: The 49ers and Raiders winning on the same weekend? Never. Well, almost never. The 49ers and Raiders went nearly two years before posting victories in the same weekend,...

Chiron trying to outsmart avian flu.
November 4, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Nov. 4--It was in 1997 that Chiron scientists pegged a new virulent bird flu virus as a likely candidate for a future worldwide pandemic. At the time, the virus was responsible for only one major outbreak in Hong...

Clorox Co. raises prices to offset production costs.
November 4, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Nov. 4--Clorox Co. on Thursday disclosed the details of price increases for several products, and also announced a second-quarter slump in profits and a surge in sales. The price increases will range from 5...

Dry cleaning bills demystified.
November 4, 2005... Byline: Blanca Torres Nov. 4--Guy Schwartz is sure of at least one thing: When he needs clothes dry cleaned, he puts them in a bag, calls his cleaner to come pick it up and the clothes come back clean and pressed. What he isn't sure of...

Realtors respond to growing Latino housing market.
November 4, 2005... Byline: James Temple Nov. 4--The real estate industry is polishing up its Latino allure. Realtor groups are sponsoring seminars and classes to teach their members about cultural idiosyncrasies that can affect the homebuying process....

California to stop paying Medicare premiums.
November 4, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Nov. 4--The state will no longer pay premiums for low-income seniors and disabled people enrolled in Medicare HMOs, health officials said Thursday. The decision will force those affected to make tough choices about...

Habitot seeking larger play area.
November 4, 2005... Byline: Martin Snapp Nov. 4--Habitot, Berkeley's award-winning, hands-on children's museum, could relocate to Pleasant Hill for a larger home. Sites in Pleasant Hill and Emeryville are under consideration, said a museum director. Both...

As Davis sits, Warriors can't deliver in Jazz's victory.
November 4, 2005... Byline: Marcus Thompson II OAKLAND, Calif. _ Golden State Warriors point guard Derek Fisher picked up a loose ball and darted out for a break-away with three minutes left in the second quarter. He had Utah Jazz forward Matt Harpring a...

Brushy Peak gates to open Nov. 12.
November 4, 2005... Byline: Denis Cuff Nov. 4--LIVERMORE -- American Indians worshipped and traded goods in the shadow of a peak covered in a green mantle of oak trees that made it a prominent landmark above the dry grasslands below. Cattle ranchers...

Custom car designer makes TV debut.
November 4, 2005... Byline: Danielle McNamara Nov. 4--PITTSBURG -- Although Frank De Rosa, Sr. has been in the custom car biz longer than some baby boomers have been alive, don't dare call him an old-timer. "I hate to be called pops," he said. "If someone...

FasTrak helps police catch car theives.
November 4, 2005... Byline: Mike Adamick Nov. 4--Midnight settled on Dinah Thompson's Danville home and the thief padded toward her car. Shrouded in gloom, the thief pried open the Suburu's door. He found the hidden keys. He motored out of the...

Naval hospital sold for more than $100 million.
November 4, 2005... Byline: Eric Kurhi Nov. 4--OAKLAND -- After being on the auction block for more than two months, the site of the former Oak Knoll Naval Hospital fetched a final bid of $100.5 million. The final 10 days of bidding saw the price go up by...

Officials hope magazine coverage will lead to Jane Doe information.
November 4, 2005... Byline: Sophia Kazmi Nov. 4--CASTRO VALLEY -- The story of the girl with brown hair, brown eyes and near perfect teeth, will be told in the pages of People magazine today. She isn't the newest Hollywood "it" girl, in fact, the...

School stabbing may have been provoked by teasing.
November 4, 2005... Byline: Kelli Phillips Nov. 4--CONCORD -- Police are investigating whether repeated taunting led a 13-year-old boy to stab a classmate with scissors, an investigator said Friday. The Glenbrook Middle School student stabbed a...

Teachers face off about Schwarzenegger elections.
November 4, 2005... Byline: Jackie Burrell Nov. 4--From the outside, the special election campaign looks like a unions vs. Arnold match-up. But the looming ballot battle has divided faculty dining rooms too. Teachers faced off on protest lines in...

Mentally ill teen referred to Youth Authority after slashing attack.
November 4, 2005... Byline: Guy Ashley Nov. 4--OAKLAND -- A mentally ill Oakland teenager was referred to the California Youth Authority Thursday for a 90-day evaluation to determine where she should be confined while serving a sentence for slashing a woman's...

Taped testimony withheld in felony trial.
November 4, 2005... Byline: Bruce Gerstman Nov. 4--By the time Concord police officers found Walter Condon in a Pittsburg apartment wearing only a diaper and carrying a colostomy bag, the 76-year-old attorney had no idea that his credit cards were maxed out,...

Cal's year goes wide left; No. 15 Oregon wins in overtime.
November 5, 2005... Byline: Jay Heater EUGENE, Ore. _ They call it the Mayday play, which made sense given that Cal's 2005 season was swirling out of control on a wet, cold and windy day at Autzen Stadium. In this case, 59 minutes and 50 seconds of...

Internal controls law still hot topic.
November 5, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Nov. 5--BURLINGAME -- What do you get when you put 300 accountants in a room? Not many belly laughs. A lot of references to acronyms with numbers -- numeracronyms? -- such as SOX 404, APB 29 and SFAS 140. And a lot of...

Traffic analysis required to continue condo project.
November 5, 2005... Byline: Alan Lopez Nov. 5--The El Cerrito Planning Commission will require a traffic study as part of its approval of a controversial plan to build a 128-unit condominium project on the southeastern corner of El Cerrito Plaza. Dubbed...

Father-son team transforms jalopy into custom machine.
November 5, 2005... Byline: Danielle McNamara Nov. 5--PITTSBURG - Although Frank De Rosa Sr. has been in the car business longer than some baby boomers have been alive, don't dare call him an old-timer. "I hate to be called Pops," he said. "If someone...

Gas prices give illusion of a bargain.
November 5, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Nov. 5--We gripe about it. We can't do a lot about it. And eventually, we get used to it. Yup, how we respond to persistently high gasoline prices is starting to look a lot like how we talk about the weather. ...

Official wants review of land-use decision.
November 5, 2005... Byline: Sarah Krupp Nov. 5--ANTIOCH - Assemblyman Joe Canciamilla has asked the state to review its decision permitting soccer fields on a contaminated piece of property. The Environmental Protection Agency's department of toxic...

At work or play, they rock around the clock.
November 5, 2005... Byline: Tom Lochner Nov. 5--No clock or chime marks midnight at Casino San Pablo, where 500 electronic bingo machines flash, whirl and spin 24/7. The witching hour finds us amid gamblers scurrying between machines with names such as...

Latino homeownership rising rapidly.
November 6, 2005... Byline: James Temple Nov. 6--The Bravos were legal homeowners before they were legal residents. After nearly a decade living in a "dangerous" part of Richmond, the couple from Mexico City -- Guadalupe, 50, and Javier, 52 -- closed on...

Realtors respond to growing Latino housing market.
November 6, 2005... Byline: James Temple Nov. 6--The real estate industry is polishing up its Latino allure. Realtor groups are sponsoring seminars and classes to teach their members about cultural idiosyncrasies that can affect the homebuying process....

Berkeley's Habitot seeks more space.
November 6, 2005... Byline: Martin Snapp Nov. 6--Habitot, Berkeley's award-winning, hands-on children's museum, could relocate to Pleasant Hill in search of a larger space. Pleasant Hill and Emeryville are under consideration, said a museum director....

More shoppers in East County staying close to home.
November 6, 2005... Byline: Sarah Jane Tribble Nov. 6--Lured by national retailers and expansive new shopping centers like Antioch's Slatten Ranch, East County residents are finally beginning to spend their money at home. Retail sales tax, a main...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., Lisa Vorderbrueggen column.
November 6, 2005... Byline: Lisa Vorderbrueggen Nov. 6--DOUBT CLOUDS STANDARDS PLAN: In last week's hearing with Contra Costa supervisors and heavy industry representatives over a proposed worker training institute, labor didn't offer a single word of...

The Baron's return signals Warriors' win over Knicks.
November 6, 2005... Byline: Marcus Thompson II NEW YORK _ The Golden State Warriors were up by two with the ball inside of three minutes left in the game. Point guard Baron Davis, on a pick-and-roll with backcourt mate Jason Richardson, slipped between...

Conspiracy talk is alive, well in Kansas City.
November 6, 2005... Byline: Gary Peterson KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ You want to avoid hyperbole in the wake of emotionally charged moments such as the ones that presented themselves at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday. So we'll start with this: The only way the...

A very bad trip for reeling Raiders.
November 6, 2005... Byline: Steve Corkran KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ Free safety Stuart Schweigert had just saved the day for the Raiders, at least for the time being. Or so he thought. His tackle of Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson inside the Raiders...

Achy Moss keeps cool despite lack of action.
November 6, 2005... Byline: Steve Corkran KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ Oakland Raiders wide receiver Randy Moss played the entire game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. He came close to doing so without a reception. Quarterback Kerry Collins threw eight...

A's Street wins AL Rookie of the Year award.
November 7, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick They'll have to create space for another award in the trophy room at James and Janie Street's home in Austin, Texas. It was hardly a surprise when A's closer Huston Street won the American League Rookie of the Year...

Warriors' Dunleavy says he's not pressing, but others beg to differ.
November 7, 2005... Byline: Marcus Thompson II NEW YORK _ Several Golden State Warriors players took part in a friendly post-practice contest Monday. They stood in the center of the court and took turns trying to make a basket on a hoop that was raised to the...

Don't let the door hit you, Terrell.
November 7, 2005... Byline: Neil Hayes Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden always says you get what you deserve in the NFL. Never before has that rung as true as it did Monday when Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid announced Terrell Owens had not only...

Organ donors group offers quid pro quo.
November 7, 2005... Byline: Joan Morris Nov. 7--A 50-year-old financial planner from Moraga and a 35-year-old exotic dancer from San Francisco have something unusual in common. Although they've never met, should one need a transplant and the other die, the...

Safeway, condo plan gets negative response.
November 7, 2005... Byline: Alan Lopez Nov. 7--A plan to build 40 to 60 condominiums and a new grocery store at the site of a Safeway on Solano Avenue drew strong opposition from residents at a recent neighborhood meeting. Residents said they worried...

San Francisco-area papers hit by harsh realities.
November 8, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Nov. 8--The Contra Costa Times and its sister editions managed a small gain in the most recent circulation report, but the San Francisco Chronicle and a number of other big-city newspapers slumped. The Times,...

His remarriage brings out jealousy.
November 8, 2005... Byline: Jann Blackstone-Ford and Sharyl Jupe Q: I got a divorce three years ago because I wanted one. I had been unhappy for years and it seemed like the only answer at the time. I did not have an affair when I was married, but I did know...

Advances aid stroke recovery.
November 8, 2005... Byline: Joan Morris Frank Cooper's first clue that his whole life was about to turn upside down came as he was eating an apple. About a year ago, Cooper, 63, choked on the apple he was munching for breakfast. He realized he was having...

Kelly lets his actions do the talking with Raiders.
November 8, 2005... Byline: Steve Corkran ALAMEDA, Calif. _ Oakland Raiders defensive end Tommy Kelly is a man of few words. He lets his play speak for itself and leaves it to others to fill in the blanks. Kelly's dominant play against the Kansas City...

Council approves redeveloping downtown Pittsburg, Calif.
November 8, 2005... Byline: Danielle McNamara Nov. 8--City leaders Monday night gave their thumbs-up to one of the community's most ambitious redevelopment efforts. The Black Diamond project will bring new commercial offices and housing to the downtown...

San Ramon, Calif., considers eminent domain for housing plan.
November 8, 2005... Byline: Scott Marshall Nov. 8--SAN RAMON -- The city wants to re-establish eminent domain -- the ability to appropriate private property for civic use regardless of the owner's wishes -- as debate continues about how to redevelop 128 acres...

Consumers' habits shifting to whole grains.
November 8, 2005... Byline: Blanca Torres Nov. 8--Cindy Gershen, a bakery, cafe and restaurant owner, takes a phrase from her kids to describe what's happened to the low-carbohydrate diet craze: "It's so 10 minutes ago." About two years ago, Gershen...

Nurses' union arranges Doctors hospital picket.
November 8, 2005... Byline: Tom Lochner Nov. 8--SAN PABLO -- Hospital administrators and union officials offered starkly different takes on a bargaining session Monday following last week's announced layoffs of 61 nursing assistants at Doctors Medical Center...

Surprise! Warriors hand Bucks first defeat of season.
November 8, 2005... Byline: Marcus Thompson II MILWAUKEE _ The Golden State Warriors, at this stage in the season, are like Neo in the first "Matrix" move when he fought the agent in the subway station. They're starting to believe. The Warriors exuded...

The NFL at midterm exams.
November 8, 2005... Byline: Cam Inman Like it or not, the 49ers and Raiders are halfway through their seasons, and the playoffs are already seemingly out of reach for a third straight year. As for the rest of the NFL, here are some answers from one man's...

The NFL at the halfway point.
November 8, 2005... Byline: Cam Inman Like it or not, the 49ers and Raiders are halfway through their seasons, and the playoffs are already seemingly out of reach for a third straight year. As for the rest of the NFL, here are some answers from one man's...

Owens' apology a shameless charade.
November 8, 2005... Byline: Gary Peterson The Philadelphia Eagles took roughly five minutes to reject Terrell Owens' plea for reinstatement on Tuesday, which can only mean one thing: They must have spent the first 4:50 laughing so hard they blew snot...

Alamada County orders two cannabis clubs to close.
November 8, 2005... Byline: Guy Ashley Nov. 8--SAN LEANDRO - Two medical marijuana dispensaries in Alameda County are being told to shut down later this month because they breach requirements of a new county dispensary law. But the clubs are expected to...

Teen angst wells up in sly `Skater Dude'.
November 9, 2005... Byline: Jackie Burrell "Thou Shalt Not Dump the Skater Dude _ and Other Commandments I Have Broken" by Rosemary Graham; Viking ($16.99) ___ Teen chick lit runs the gamut from the frothy _ "Mates, Dates" and "Gossip Girls" _ to the...

Get a leg up on latest denim trends.
November 9, 2005... Byline: Jessica Yadegaran WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Angie Meenan of Berkeley, Calif., is a denim devotee of the highest order. Her closet is filled with rows of Paper Denim and Citizen of Humanity jeans that cost upward of $150. She...

Pleasanton, Calif., planning board considers mall expansion project.
November 9, 2005... Byline: Chris Metinko Nov. 9--PLEASANTON -- Expansion could bring a new 144,000-square-foot Nordstrom store, new restaurants and possibly even a multiplex cinema to Stoneridge Shopping Center by 2009. Later this month, the Pleasanton...