Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA) articles from October 2000

Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA) archives from October 2000

U.S. Internet Users Tend to Be Older, Says Survey.
October 31, 2000... Byline: George Avalos Oct. 31--The Internet's not exactly ready to go gray, but its denizens appear to be a bit older than is suggested by conventional wisdom. At least that's one of the conclusions in a survey released Monday by...

Lawsuit Alleges Contra Costa County, Calif., Fails to Follow Civil Rights.
October 31, 2000... Byline: Thomas Peele Oct. 31--MARTINEZ, Calif. -- Contra Costa County government fails to follow its own procedures in reaching out to minority-owned businesses seeking government work and relies too heavily on contracts awarded without...

Canes' Dorsey is looking to pass another test vs. Hokies.
October 31, 2000... Byline: Jay Heater Ken Dorsey has some eye-popping numbers this season. But it will be the Miami sophomore's performance against Virginia Tech on Saturday that people will remember. Dorsey, who has thrown for 14 touchdowns and just...

Simonton runs to head of the class.
October 31, 2000... Byline: Jay Heater WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ It was the 1996 Christmas season, but not many people wanted the small package under the recruiting tree. San Diego Chargers coach Mike Riley was an exception. Then the head coach at Oregon...

Gannon rushing to newer heights.
October 31, 2000... Byline: Cecil Conley Nine NFL quarterbacks have more touchdown passes than the Raiders' Rich Gannon, who has 10, but only one of those nine has as many rushing touchdowns as Gannon. Daunte Culpepper of the Minnesota Vikings and...

Mora works to keep the faith.
October 31, 2000... Byline: Cam Inman SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ Jim Mora is a defensive coordinator, not a faith healer. Boy, imagine if he were both. Instead, the injuries keep mounting and the 49ers defense continues to solidify its ranking as the...

Raiders hurting after big win in San Diego.
October 31, 2000... Byline: Steve Corkran ALAMEDA, Calif. _ The Oakland Raiders celebrated their come-from-behind 15-13 victory over the San Diego Chargers on Sunday night at Qualcomm Stadium on the plane ride home. Coach Jon Gruden awoke Monday...

Late win in '99 got Raiders off to a good start.
October 31, 2000... Byline: Steve Corkran ALAMEDA, Calif. _ It seemed laughable at the time. The Oakland Raiders defeated the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in their regular-season finale last season and, to a man, spoke about how that victory...

MTV's heinous `Jackass' is the lowest.
October 31, 2000... Byline: Chuck Barney I came oh-so-close to changing the channel just as some knucklehead on MTV's repugnant new show "Jackass" was about to leap into a sewer pond. But then my finger froze on the remote. "Professional obligation," I...

Online dating service boasts a new product _ its CEO.
October 31, 2000... Byline: Janet Adamy Lots of Internet start-up CEOs work nights just to get their companies off the ground. But few of them do it the way Liz Kalodner will in December. The 40-year-old head of SocialNet.com, an online dating and...

Cowens brings new style to Warriors.
October 30, 2000... Byline: Matt Steinmetz OAKLAND _ Coach Dave Cowens brings credibility to the Warriors franchise by way of a Hall of Fame playing career and a place among the top 50 players ever to play in the NBA. Maintaining that credibility has...

49ers sharing blame, not pointing fingers.
October 30, 2000... Byline: Steve Smyth Jr. SAN FRANCISCO_The 49ers pointed fingers at each other after last week's loss to Carolina. They spent a lot of time pointing fingers at themselves after Sunday's 34-24 loss to St. Louis. Coach Steve Mariucci...

49ers lose Travis Jervey on opening kickoff.
October 30, 2000... Byline: Cam Inman SAN FRANCISCO _ It just wouldn't be a 49ers game this season without a serious injury accompanying yet another loss. It didn't take long Sunday for the 49ers to add another casualty to this season's injury list....

The Marshall Plan proves most valuable.
October 30, 2000... Byline: Eric Gilmore SAN FRANCISCO _ ENOUGH ALREADY. JUST give St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk the league MVP trophy and get it over with. Barring a severe injury, he'll own that hardware soon enough, anyway. Can there be...

This time, Darrell Russell carries his weight.
October 30, 2000... Byline: Steve Corkran SAN DIEGO _ Raiders defensive tackle Darrell Russell's contribution manifested itself in more than just occupying blockers and making one tackle for the first time in five games Sunday night. He recorded four...

Chargers kicked out by Janikowski.
October 30, 2000... Byline: Steve Corkran SAN DIEGO _ Raiders players and coaches took great pains this past week to ensure that no one said anything inflammatory toward the San Diego Chargers. After all, the Chargers were winless and showing about as...

Raiders defeat Chargers with Janikowski's foot.
October 30, 2000... Byline: Steve Corkran SAN DIEGO _ Raiders players and coaches took great pains this past week to ensure that no one said anything inflammatory toward the San Diego Chargers. After all, the Chargers were winless and showing about as...

Hard-luck 49ers fall to Rams.
October 30, 2000... Byline: Cam Inman SAN FRANCISCO_Charlie Garner started running left. He cut back. He dashed untouched down the center of the 3Com Park field, eventually trotting into the end zone for an apparent 75-yard touchdown run. But as Garner...

Bud's system is a big hit with Rams.
October 30, 2000... Byline: Steve Smyth Jr. SAN FRANCISCO_Bud Carson, the defensive guru brought in by St. Louis to be a "consultant," spent eight days helping to design a scheme for Sunday's game against the 49ers. It basically boiled down to putting...

Alameda, Calif., Company Helps Produce Interactive Television.
October 30, 2000... Byline: Jessica Guynn Oct. 30--ALAMEDA, Calif.--Maggie Wilderotter wants to bring a big revolution to the small screen. If she succeeds in getting us to turn on, tune in and talk back to the world through the boob tube, television will...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., Business Listing Column.
October 29, 2000... Oct. 29--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...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., People in Motion Column.
October 29, 2000... Oct. 29--PLEASANTON-BASED PEOPLESOFT has expanded its executive management team. Chief Financial Officer Steve Hill has been promoted to senior vice president of business development. Kevin T. Parker has joined as senior vice president,...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., New in Town Column.
October 29, 2000... Oct. 29--BUSINESS: Allstar Oxygen Services ADDRESS: 1441 Franquettte Ave., Suite B, Concord PHONE: 925-288-8890 DESCRIPTION: Home oxygen and durable medical equipment ABOUT OUR BUSINESS: We are full-service respiratory care...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., Business Leader Profile.
October 29, 2000... Byline: Rick Jurgens Oct. 29--NAME: Ezra Roizen TITLE: Chief executive, co-founder and president ` AGE: 29 COMPANY & LOCATION: Montclare Technologies Inc. in Oakland WEB: www.montclare.com NO. OF EMPLOYEES: 48...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., Real Jobs Column.
October 29, 2000... Byline: Jessica Guynn Oct. 29--ALAMEDA, Calif.--Maggie Wilderotter wants to bring a big revolution to the small screen. If she succeeds in getting us to turn on, tune in and talk back to the world through the boob tube, television will...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., Retirement Planner Column.
October 29, 2000... Byline: Steve Butler Oct. 29--LIFESTYLE FUNDS ARE BEST AVOIDED: Lyndon Johnson was once directed to a helicopter by a Marine who said, "Mr. President, this is your helicopter over here." "Son," replied LBJ, "They're all my helicopters."...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., User Friendly Column.
October 29, 2000... Byline: Yael Li-Ron Oct. 29--SOME SMART NEW GADGETS SET TO DEBUT: Fall Internet World Expo has two advantages over other computer trade shows. It's in New York, and it's in New York. Other than that, if you're excited over all things...

49ers fall to Rams.
October 29, 2000... Byline: Cam Inman SAN FRANCISCO_Charlie Garner started running left. He cut back. He dashed untouched down the center of the 3Com Park field, eventually trotting into the end zone for an apparent 75-yard touchdown run. But as Garner...

Trainer puts Lewis in some heavy company.
October 28, 2000... Byline: Jay Heater TRAINER EMANUEL STEWARD was talking about strength. Not that manufactured-by-pumping-iron stuff, mind you, but that pure, wholesome muscle that comes only by the grace of God. "In terms of natural, physical...

Cal tries to move forward.
October 28, 2000... Byline: Jay Heater LOS ANGELES_It was a few days after his team had lost by giving up 23 fourth-quarter points to No. 9 Washington, and Cal coach Tom Holmoe was pondering the future. "These kids have the potential to be pretty good,"...

Stanford upset-minded vs. Huskies.
October 28, 2000... Byline: Steve Smyth Jr. STANFORD_This Washington team is vulnerable. It makes mistakes. It can be beaten. That is the mind set of the Stanford coaching staff and players as the Cardinal (3-4, 2-2 Pac-10) prepares to host the...

Steve Mariucci says rain benefits 49ers' defense.
October 28, 2000... Byline: Cam Inman SAN FRANCISCO_If the rain falls, so might the favored St. Louis Rams. At least that's what the struggling 49ers (2-6) are hoping happens Sunday at 3Com Park. "We're playing a team that doesn't practice or play in...

Tim Brown is simply touchdown man.
October 28, 2000... Byline: Steve Corkran ALAMEDA_Some call him Hall of Fame-bound. Some call him a sure-handed receiver. Others refer to him as the go-to guy. These days, the moniker that fits best perhaps is the one that served him the longest:...

No ball required for a Clemens-Campaneris duel.
October 28, 2000... Byline: Mike Wolcott WELCOME BACK TO Two-Minute Drill, where we spin through the fall air with the same unpredictability as a crazy thought in Roger Clemens' brain: _ A great postseason matchup we never got to see: Clemens pitching...

Safeway to Lay Off Some Store Clerks.
October 28, 2000... Byline: Chris Metinko Oct. 28--Pleasanton-based Safeway Inc. may be starting to feel the effects of the 10-day-old strike involving truck drivers and warehouse workers at its Tracy distribution center. Richard Benson, president of...

Investors Dump Shares of Emeryville, Calif.-Based Biotech Company.
October 27, 2000... Byline: Chris Metinko Oct. 27--After three analysts downgraded the stock, and after sales numbers for one of its key drugs did not meet expectations, Emeryville-based biotechnology company Chiron Corp. saw its shares fall 13 percent...

Richmond, Calif., Health Officials Scolded for Sparing Use of Warning System.
October 27, 2000... Oct. 27--RICHMOND, Calif.--County health officials once again are under fire for making limited use of the Contra Costa Community Warning System, after Thursday's explosion at a plastics recycling plant. Warning system officials and...

Fatal Fire Rocks Richmond, Calif., Plastics Recycling Plant.
October 27, 2000... Oct. 27--RICHMOND, Calif.--A fatal pre-dawn explosion at a plastics recycling plant sent black plumes of toxic smoke into the overcast sky above Richmond Thursday morning, forcing 12 schools to shut down, businesses to evacuate and...

Fire Dampens Richmond, Calif., Plastics Maker's Dreams of World Expansion.
October 27, 2000... Byline: Jerry Abejo Oct. 27--RICHMOND, Calif.--In six years of existence, MBA Polymers has grown to be a world-renowned pioneer in the field of plastics recycling. MBA started out as a modest-sized company in Berkeley and had plans...

Alameda, Calif., Tech Firm Delays Earnings Report.
October 27, 2000... Byline: George Avalos Oct. 27--Financial uncertainty swirled around Pilot Network Services Inc. on Thursday, as the company disclosed it would delay its earnings report until next week. The announcement that Pilot's earnings would be...

Can Clifford Ray ignite passion?
October 27, 2000... Byline: Matt Steinmetz If only passion could be lent. If it could, Warriors fans wouldn't have to worry about their team being competitive this season or whether or not Erick Dampier were playing with enough emotion. If passion...

NASCAR bolsters presence.
October 27, 2000... Byline: Gabrielle Stevenson IN AN ATTEMPT to bolster fan support on the West Coast, NASCAR has decided to open a new office in Los Angeles. Headquartered in Daytona Beach, Fla., NASCAR has other offices in Charlotte, N.C. and New...

CEO believes interactive TV is ready for prime time.
October 27, 2000... Byline: Jessica Guynn ALAMEDA, Calif. _ Maggie Wilderotter wants to bring a big revolution to the small screen. If she succeeds in getting us to turn on, tune in and talk back to the world through the boob tube, television will never be...

Plenty of parallels between USC's Palmer, Cal's Boller.
October 27, 2000... Byline: Jay Heater LOS ANGELES_The jury, dressed up in the colors of USC and Cal, is still out. It's just too early to render a verdict on sophomore quarterbacks Carson Palmer and Kyle Boller. Both Southern California products were...

Trent Green's plan: Sling ball and watch.
October 27, 2000... Byline: Cam Inman SANTA CLARA_Trent Green has a simple plan for when he takes the field at 3Com Park on Sunday. He will be the St. Louis Rams starting quarterback_a job he surrendered last year because of a preseason knee injury_and do...

Battling back is the trademark of John Brodie.
October 27, 2000... Byline: Gary Peterson So there I sat among the 49er Faithful in Kezar Stadium, doing what 49er Faithful did in that dark pre-Montana, pre-Candlestick age_watching John Brodie throw an interception. And listening to the kinds of things...

X-factor for Raiders: avoid major injuries.
October 27, 2000... Byline: Steve Smyth Jr. ALAMEDA, Calif. _ The Raiders are 6-1, the rest of the schedule looks like a big, juicy New York sirloin, the Almighty is in His heaven, and all is right with the world. For the moment. Shangri-La could...

Decorating Dilemma: Long narrow room with a corner fireplace.
October 27, 2000... Q. Our problem is a long narrow room with a fireplace in the corner. Two load-bearing posts separate the living and dining areas. There is no "conversation" or group area. The area near the south window and fireplace is not usable now. The...

World Series, baseball doing their part to cure insomnia.
October 26, 2000... Byline: Neil Hayes A SMALL GROUP of baseball fans and native New Yorkers gathered to watch Game 1 of the World Series on Saturday night. After the game, they planned to go out for a late supper. Unfortunately, by the time Jose...

Cooking from the hip: Figs with gorgonzola.
October 26, 2000... Byline: Catherine Cora Let figs be a fixture in your basket of fruits My first memories of figs as a child were at Mr. George's house. He was an elderly Greek man Mom took care of, and in his back yard stood a colossal tree teeming...

Jamie Lee Curtis finds a special joy in writing children's books.
October 26, 2000... Byline: Lynn Carey DANVILLE, Calif. _ Jamie Lee Curtis is a lot of things, but on this particular day in Danville, she's especially a mom. She clutches a gold necklace with her two kids' names on it as if it was a talisman that would...

Problem not lack of effort for 49ers.
October 26, 2000... Byline: Cam Inman SANTA CLARA _ 49ers rookie cornerback Ahmed Plummer didn't quit. He didn't succumb to the throbbing pain in his left wrist. He returned to the field and finished out the team's eventual 34-16 loss at Carolina on Sunday....

Analyzing games of Week 9.
October 26, 2000... Byline: Eric Gilmore Week 9 Sunday's games Raiders at Chargers The red-hot Raiders have won four straight games and have built a two-game lead over Kansas City in the AFC West. The Chiefs come to Oakland next week, which...

Extra security planned for Sunday in San Diego.
October 26, 2000... Byline: Steve Corkran ALAMEDA_Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego will be the site of three hours or so of hand-to-hand combat Sunday night. Two sides will square off and settle their differences with the use of brute force. Officials will be...

1997, the year the Raiders hit bottom.
October 26, 2000... Byline: Steve Corkran ALAMEDA_Raiders defensive back Calvin Branch stands in front of his locker, preparing for Wednesday afternoon's practice. He goes about his business expressionless. Branch is asked about his rookie season in...

Rams' defense is a bigger mess than the 49ers'.
October 26, 2000... Byline: Cam Inman SANTA CLARA_And you thought the 49ers defense was in disarray. The first-place St. Louis Rams (6-1) may be the reigning Super Bowl champs, but they're having a wild week as they prepare for Sunday's game vs. the 49ers...

Short end of stick doesn't bother streaking Sharks.
October 26, 2000... Byline: Rick Hurd COLUMBUS, Ohio_At the end, they were scrambling. No surprise there. These days, the Sharks skate short-handed about as often as the sun rises. And at the end, they succeeded. The Sharks killed one final penalty...

Lighter Chocolate Angel Cake.
October 26, 2000... Byline: Elaine Magee Q. Enclosed is one of our favorite desserts, but now it is much too rich for us. We're hoping you can adjust the ingredients as you have done so beautifully with others. Am I dreaming? A. I'm always a little...

X-Cursions: On a remote fringe of the newsroom ...
October 26, 2000... Byline: George Avalos and Michael Liedtke 2:23 p.m. Oct. 25, 2000 Looking a bit like a baseball player whose bat had just splintered in the direction of Roger Clemens, X-Cursions columnist Michael Liedtke sits in front of his...

Oil Deals Have Yet to Cut Gas Prices.
October 26, 2000... Byline: Teena Massingill Oct. 26--Keeping up with the myriad of mergers in the oil industry would require a schematic resembling a map of the human genome. In the past three years alone, Texaco and Shell joined their refining and...

Berkeley, Calif., Landlords Sue City for Suppressing Annual Rent Increases.
October 26, 2000... Byline: Tony Hicks Oct. 26--BERKELEY, Calif.--An association of Berkeley landlords is suing the city's rent board, claiming the board has ignored its own rules to suppress the annual rent adjustments it allows property owners. Robert...

Sprint to Offer New Wireless Internet Service in California.
October 26, 2000... Byline: George Avalos Oct. 26--Look, mom, no wires! DSL and cable-television modems are about to get a run for their high-speed Internet services. The challenge comes from Sprint, which unveiled a wireless Internet service Wednesday....

California to Reduce State Sales Tax.
October 26, 2000... Byline: Andrew LaMar Oct. 26--SACRAMENTO, Calif.--The state's booming revenues, fueled by an economy that continues to push up the wages of workers, has triggered an automatic quarter-percent reduction in California's sales tax, Gov....

Threatened Frog Threatens Tech Development in Dublin, Calif.
October 26, 2000... Byline: Peter Felsenfeld Oct. 26--DUBLIN, Calif.-- Dublin city leaders thought they had all their bases covered. With businesses pouring in and the East Dublin Specific Plan in place, it seemed that nothing could stop the irrepressible...

Truckers' Union in Walnut Creek, Calif., Area Alleges Safety Problems.
October 26, 2000... Byline: Janet Adamy Oct. 26--Summit Logistics trucks have received at least four times as many citations and have been involved in at least three times as many accidents as their grocery-driver competitors, according to a...

California Architect's Disability Needs Guide Him through Design.
October 25, 2000... Byline: Jack Chang Oct. 25--CONCORD, Calif.--An average house or apartment presents countless headaches for architect Erick Mikiten who suffers from a weak-bone condition and makes his way in a wheelchair. A flight of stairs might as...

AT&T Divides to Conquer.
October 25, 2000... Byline: George Avalos Oct. 25--Breaking up might not be the easiest thing to do, but for AT&T's customers, it might be the right thing to do. As AT&T Corp. readies its third major corporate division in 16 years, it appears consumers...

Court Sentences Newport Beach, Calif., Stock Brokers to Prison for Fraud.
October 25, 2000... Byline: Brian Anderson Oct. 25--OAKLAND, Calif.--Two Orange County stockbrokers who defrauded a guide dog agency out of a nearly $3 million estate donated in an Oakland man's will have been sentenced to 15 months in prison. Richard...

Owner of Two Northern California Racetracks Requests Season Schedule Change.
October 25, 2000... Byline: Chuck Dybdal Oct. 25--SAN MATEO, Calif.--The face of Northern California racing could change dramatically Friday if the California Horse Racing Board approves a request by Magna Entertainment to rearrange the racing calendar for...

California-Based Online Healthcare Firm Snaps Up Third Floundering Site.
October 25, 2000... Byline: Chris Metinko Oct. 25--For the third time in less than seven months, Emeryville-based HealthCentral has agreed to buy the assets of another company in the ailing e-health care industry. This time, HealthCentral has agreed to...

San Francisco-Based Utility's Parent Company's Profits Up 26 Percent.
October 25, 2000... Byline: George Avalos Oct. 25--PG&E Corp. posted healthy profits Tuesday, but the robust financial results failed to electrify investors. The company, parent of the principal utility for Northern and Central California, reported a 26...

Young 49ers just treading water.
October 25, 2000... Byline: Cam Inman SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ Don't say Jerry Rice didn't warn you. Only two weeks ago, Rice cautioned against reading too much into the way the 49ers rebounded from their 0-3 start. "It's not happening yet," Rice said...

Pac-10 approves basketball tourneys.
October 24, 2000... Byline: Jay Heater WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _As expected, the Pac-10 Conference's chief executive officers Monday approved men's and women's postseason basketball tournaments. The men's tournament will be an eight-team event held in Los...

Blaylock rips Dampier's skills.
October 24, 2000... Byline: Matt Steinmetz OAKLAND_Golden State Warriors point guard Mookie Blaylock has seen enough. Or perhaps, more appropriately, he hasn't seen enough_not from center Erick Dampier anyway. Blaylock, in his 12th NBA season, expressed...

Igber wins fans, friends with and away from Bears.
October 24, 2000... Byline: Jay Heater BERKELEY, Calif. _Cal sophomore tailback Joe Igber, the guy who always has a smile on his face, was a picture of gloom. He was standing alone on the sideline at Husky Stadium after having just fumbled, a mistake that...

Nebraska-Oklahoma once again takes center stage.
October 24, 2000... Byline: Jay Heater Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops remembers when he was a kid growing up in Ohio that he always marked the date when Nebraska and Oklahoma were scheduled to collide. He didn't know the names of the players and he had no...

Raiders know better than to look past 0-7 Chargers.
October 24, 2000... Byline: Steve Corkran ALAMEDA_The Raiders are in the midst of a four-game winning streak. Three of their six victories overall came on the road. They own victories over Indianapolis, Kansas City and defending AFC West champion Seattle...

Super Bowl champs up next for 2-6 49ers.
October 24, 2000... Byline: Steve Smyth Jr. SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ With all the talk of angry words and finger-pointing after the 49ers' loss to Carolina on Sunday, little attention was given Monday to the fact the defending Super Bowl champions are next on...

After a quick start, Beasley goes nowhere.
October 24, 2000... Byline: Cecil Conley Fred Beasley was a hot commodity in fantasy football after he scored a career-high three touchdowns against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, but what has the 49ers fullback done lately? Nothing. Beasley did...

Frustrated 49ers battle losing, not one another.
October 24, 2000... Byline: Steve Smyth Jr. SANTA CLARA, Calif. _A week ago, there were tears. On Sunday, there were angry words and pointed fingers. One thing, one very simple thing, is the cause for all of it, say 49ers coach Steve Mariucci and general...

NFL has Polish ambassador.
October 24, 2000... Byline: Steve Corkran ALAMEDA, Calif. _OK, so it wasn't the shot heard round the world, but Sebastian Janikowski's 43-yard, game-winning field goal against the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 15 opened some eyes in his native Poland. ...

Raiders' road not that rocky.
October 24, 2000... Byline: Steve Corkran ALAMEDA, Calif. _ Praise for the Raiders grows with each game as they tack on victory after victory. And rightfully so after enduring six straight seasons without a playoff berth and five successive seasons of...

Raiders have devil's advocate.
October 24, 2000... Byline: Neil Hayes ALAMEDA, Calif. _The empty locker told you everything you need to know. Rich Gannon usually makes an appearance during Monday's media availability session, but the Raiders quarterback was nowhere in sight. Studying...

California Agency for Disabled People Encounters Financial Trouble.
October 24, 2000... Byline: Alma D. Sharpe Oct. 24--The agency charged with serving 11,000 developmentally disabled people in the East Bay faces "serious operational issues" that could put services at risk for its clients, according to the findings of a...