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

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

Avoid a holiday hangover with a spending plan.
October 31, 2005... Byline: Victoria Manley Oct. 31--Shawn Rummel and Melissa Taylor have spent a lot of time hunting for the perfect Halloween costumes. For weeks, the friends have scrounged through thrift stores and retailers for various elements of...

Warriors hold on to Dunleavy.
October 31, 2005... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ The Golden State Warriors renewed their commitment to their young core Monday, signing small forward Mike Dunleavy to a five-year contract extension just hours before their deadline for doing so...

Circus Vargas reinvents itself.
October 31, 2005... Byline: Sarah Krupp Oct. 31--PLEASANTON -- The cotton candy tasted the same and the popcorn was just as buttery, but otherwise, the circus billed as a Latino-style extravaganza wasn't much like those Enrique Areyzaga remembered in Mexico...

Energy crisis trial to begin this week.
October 31, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Oct. 31--SAN FRANCISCO -- A criminal trial set to begin this week in U.S. District Court here will consider charges that Houston-based Reliant Energy and four high-level former and current employees conspired to shut...

Teachers do far more than teach.
October 31, 2005... Byline: Jackie Burrell Oct. 31--In a state as vast and varied as California, 80 percent of classrooms house at least one student who is still learning to speak English. The state and federal government may dictate specific performance...

From legs to licenses _ commuter rail's lost and found supervisor has it all.
October 31, 2005... Byline: Mike Adamick OAKLAND, Calif. _ In a secluded downtown office below the 12th Street BART station, Nicole McCamish picks through the everyday detritus left by some of the 300,000 train commuters: umbrellas, books, cell phones,...

Therapy counters radiation exposure.
October 31, 2005... Byline: Betsy Mason WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Stem cells may soon play a role in the U.S. campaign to be better prepared for a terrorist attack. A Bay Area biotech company is working on a cell therapy that could be used to help victims...

`Desperate' fan gives one thumb up for iPod video.
October 31, 2005... Byline: Chuck Barney When it comes to television screens, I confess to being a "size-matters" kind of guy who prefers living large. How large? Well, if my house could accommodate it _ and my wife would allow it _ I'd have a TV screen...

The guys behind the hot spot.
October 30, 2005... Byline: Jessica Yadegaran WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ You walk into a club and, instantly, hundreds of brains begin computing where you fall on a scale of 1 to 10. No need for guilt or offense. It's as subconscious as blinking. On a...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., business leader profile column.
October 30, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Oct. 30--BANK EXECUTIVE MAKES COMMUNITY HIS PRIORITY For Steven Buster, small banking is beautiful banking. But it sure helps to have $2.6 billion in assets. Buster, who has been the top boss at...

East Bay office vacancy still declining.
October 30, 2005... Byline: James Temple Oct. 30--Empty East Bay office space has declined for the fifth consecutive quarter, sending the regional vacancy rate to its lowest level in two years. Average asking rents, in turn, ticked up in each of the...

Waste agency seeks new director.
October 30, 2005... Byline: Theresa Harrington Oct. 30--RICHMOND -- Central Contra Costa's waste agency is looking for a new executive director as its current chief leaves for a job in Richmond. Janet Schneider, the executive director of the Central...

Raiders stop Titans for 1st road victory.
October 30, 2005... Byline: Steve Corkran NASHVILLE, Tenn. _ All the momentum the Oakland Raiders had built evaporated in an instant. Tennessee Titans punt returner Adam ``Pacman'' Jones stood in the end zone, as teammates mobbed him. More than 69,000 fans...

UCLA Bruins' wrecking ball applies force.
October 29, 2005... Byline: Gary Peterson STANFORD, Calif. _ Next month they're going to demolish old Stanford Stadium. Maybe they'll find the three-touchdown lead the Cardinal lost on Saturday. One minute it was there _ 24-3 over undefeated,...

Burgess ushers rebirth of Raiders' defensive line.
October 29, 2005... Byline: Steve Corkran NASHVILLE, Tenn. _ Oakland Raiders coach Norv Turner thought he knew what his team got when it landed free agent defensive end Derrick Burgess in the offseason. Seeing Burgess sack Atlanta Falcons quarterback...

East Bay teens opt out of military recruitment.
October 29, 2005... Byline: Jackie Burrell And Joyce Tsai Oct. 29--There won't be many Moragans heading to Iraq next year. And San Ramon and Berkeley High grads are unlikely to board that particular transport either. As the Iraqi war enters its third...

Ralph Morrell remembered as government watchdog.
October 29, 2005... Byline: Denis Cuff Oct. 29--Ralph Morrell, a retired Navy man, figured something smelled rotten in Sacramento when his legislator voted one way on tougher penalties for rapists, but went down in the official count as having voted...

City reaches settlement with refinery.
October 29, 2005... Byline: Danielle Samaniego Oct. 29--MARTINEZ -- The city has reached a $1.5 million settlement with a major refinery over a 1997 oil leak that seeped into a wetland preserve. Texaco Trading and Transportation Inc. agreed to settle...

Simons found guilty of murder.
October 29, 2005... Byline: Eric Louie Oct. 29--STOCKTON -- With less than a day of deliberations, jurors found Michael Simons of Livermore guilty of killing his 17-year-old estranged wife, Jenna Nannetti. Friday's verdict in a San Joaquin County...

Richmond-based bank keeps it in the family.
October 29, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Oct. 29--RICHMOND -- A TV show about Mechanics Bank could easily be titled "Family Ties." The Richmond-based financial institution on Friday reached a remarkable milestone when it completed its 100th year of...

Oil industry gains bypass Chevron.
October 29, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Oct. 29--Chevron Corp., handicapped by a hurricane-damaged refinery and shut-in oil and gas wells in the Gulf of Mexico, captured a smaller-than-expected portion of a third-quarter profit feast in an oil industry...

Chiron gets nod for U.S. flu stockpile.
October 28, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Oct. 28--Chiron Corp. has received a $62.5 million contract to supply avian influenza vaccine for a U.S. stockpile, the company reported on Thursday. The supply is part of an effort by the U.S. Health & Human...

Higher rates, chillier weather to raise PG&E natural gas bills.
October 28, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Oct. 28--Higher rates, combined with a normal seasonal increase in the use of furnaces to fend off the cold, will leave the average PG&E customer holding a natural gas bill for November nearly double the tab for...

The evolution of iPod accessories.
October 28, 2005... Byline: Ellen Lee Oct. 28--Jo Ann Villalobos was shopping at Ikea this summer when she tried to slip one of its finger puppets onto her iPod Shuffle. It didn't quite fit, but it sparked an idea: Why not dress up her iPod? ...

New firms find plenty of venture cash.
October 28, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Oct. 28--The innovative spirit is alive and well in the Bay Area and the East Bay, as venture capitalists pour more money into privately held companies in the region. The venture financing activity in the Bay...

BCS computers aren't adding up.
October 28, 2005... Byline: Eric Gilmore Jeff Sagarin, take a bow. Peter Wolfe, pat yourself on the back. Richard Billingsley, you're the man. Kenneth Massey, two thumbs up. The rest of you computer geniuses who take part in the weekly Bowl Championship...

Cam Inman's Crystal Ball: Picking NFL games of weekend.
October 28, 2005... Byline: Cam Inman That's a big 10-4, good buddy. Actually, that's 10-4, 10-4, 10-4, 10-4, which are the records Crystal Ball has delivered for four straight weeks. That's what we get for making our picks over CB radio while watching...

Replays, close-ups overshadow World Series.
October 28, 2005... Byline: Gary Peterson When television first started using replay during broadcasts of sporting events, the idea was so novel, so radical, that an "Instant Replay" footer was displayed on the screen to let viewers know this was not real...

Evolution of iPod accessories includes cute outfits.
October 28, 2005... Byline: Ellen Lee WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Jo Ann Villalobos was shopping at Ikea this summer when she tried to slip one of its finger puppets onto her iPod Shuffle. It didn't quite fit, but it sparked an idea: Why not dress up her iPod?...

SBC Park to change name again.
October 28, 2005... Byline: Ellen Lee Oct. 28--Say it ain't so. It appears that SBC Park, home to the San Francisco Giants, is getting a new name, the third in three years. SBC Corp., which announced earlier this year it was buying AT&T for $16...

Lab computer is the fastest in the world.
October 28, 2005... Byline: Betsy Mason Oct. 28--LIVERMORE -- Livermore gained some world-class bragging rights Thursday when Lawrence Livermore Laboratory unveiled the world's most powerful supercomputer. Clocked at the record-breaking speed of 280.6...

4 plead guilty in hazing death.
October 28, 2005... Byline: Kelli Phillips PLEASANT HILL, Calif. _ Four men pleaded guilty Friday to charges ranging from hazing to involuntary manslaughter in the death of Matthew Carrington, a 21-year-old fraternity pledge and California State University,...

Titans' McNair presents a dangerous challenge for Raiders.
October 28, 2005... Byline: Steve Corkran ALAMEDA, Calif. _ Quarterbacks Tom Brady, Trent Green, Donovan McNabb, Drew Bledsoe and Drew Brees all make for a long, hard day for opposing defenses. Yet, the things they do best weren't much help to the Raiders...

Stern not making a fashion statement.
October 28, 2005... Byline: Eric Gilmore Quick hits while we breathlessly count down the hours until the NBA's dress code begins Tuesday. _ You've got to wonder if commissioner David Stern went too far with his corporate-eye-for-the-NBA-guy dress code....

No shortage of challengers to Lost in the Fog.
October 28, 2005... Byline: Jay Heater ELMONT, N.Y. _ One horse that will challenge Lost in the Fog early in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Sprint is Lifestyle, a Wesley Ward-trained 5-year-old who led after a quarter-mile in his last three races before...

A test of speed the focus at Belmont.
October 28, 2005... Byline: Jay Heater ELMONT, N.Y. _ Despite an inordinate number of visitors poking their heads into every stall at Belmont Park's Barn 11, it was business as usual Friday for Northern California trainer Greg Gilchrist and his 3-year-old...

Hit and run suspect found.
October 28, 2005... Byline: Ryan Huff Oct. 28--CONCORD -- After an intensive six-day search for a suspect, Concord police arrested the driver they believe killed Susan Hyung in a downtown hit and run accident Oct. 22. Officers arrested a 20-year-old...

School grounds tested for contamination.
October 28, 2005... Byline: Shirley Dang Oct. 28--SAN PABLO -- The Department of Toxic Substances Control has recommended testing Helms Middle School for health hazards after reports showed gasoline in the groundwater and soil. "It's kind of like an...

Police report contradicts theory in Vitale's death.
October 28, 2005... Byline: Nathaniel Hoffman Oct. 28--LAFAYETTE -- A police report made the day before Pamela Vitale was killed in her remote Hunsaker Canyon home contradicts the theory that an expected shipment of marijuana growing equipment put her in...

Around the remote: Television picks for Oct. 30-Nov. 5.
October 27, 2005... Byline: Chuck Barney DON'T MISS: "RX FOR SURVIVAL: A GLOBAL HEALTH CHALLENGE"_This highly ambitious six-hour documentary series provides a sobering, yet somewhat hopeful, look at the state of our planet's health. Narrated by Brad...

Medicare's Part D plan may not be for everyone.
October 27, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Oct. 27--Decisions about enrollment in the new Medicare Part D prescription drug program are anything but straightforward. Seniors can begin signing up for the program on Nov. 15. But the prospect befuddles most...

San Carlos, Calif.-based biotech firm works on cell therapy.
October 27, 2005... Byline: Betsy Mason Oct. 27--Stem cells may soon play a role in the U.S. campaign to be better prepared for a terrorist attack. A Bay Area biotech company is working on a cell therapy that could be used to help victims survive exposure...

California unions' political clout is at stake.
October 27, 2005... Byline: George Avalos WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has plenty riding on November's special election. But organized labor's future as a political powerhouse in California also hinges on next month's vote....

Health Net says dispute not for court.
October 27, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Oct. 27--A contract dispute between Health Net of California and the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association should be decided by a state agency, not the courts, an attorney for the health plan argued on Wednesday....

End seems near for Woodson as a Raider.
October 27, 2005... Byline: Steve Corkran ALAMEDA, Calif. _ Oakland Raiders cornerback Charles Woodson stands a fair chance of playing again this season as long as his recovery from the broken right fibula that he sustained Sunday goes as well as hoped. ...

Behemoth hamburger puts up a fight.
October 26, 2005... Byline: Rowena Coetsee Oct. 26--ANTIOCH -- The big sign atop the tiny burger joint says it all in a single word: EAT. And that's exactly what Hazel's customers do. Fans of the Willie just do it to the extreme. Located on the...

Chiron expects market share boost.
October 26, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Oct. 26--Despite a difficult year, executives from Chiron Corp. said they are looking to expand flu vaccine production and be a significant player in that market. The Emeryville-based company said on Tuesday that...

Moss' questionable status good news for Raiders.
October 26, 2005... Byline: Steve Corkran ALAMEDA, Calif. _ Oakland Raiders wide receiver Randy Moss practiced Wednesday and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Tennessee. That qualifies as good news as far as the Raiders are concerned. Moss...

Bump in the Night Productions: Your nightmare is their dream job.
October 26, 2005... Byline: Danielle Samaniego Oct. 26--This is a schoolhouse children's nightmares are made of. The first sign of things askew at this former elementary school is the black hearse in the parking lot with a skeleton head peering through...

Cost Plus chooses new chief executive.
October 26, 2005... Byline: Blanca Torres Oct. 26--Oakland-based Cost Plus Inc., parent of the World Market retail chain, named Barry J. Feld as chief executive officer and president, the company announced Tuesday. Feld has been a Cost Plus board member...

Loan program aimed at reeling retailers.
October 26, 2005... Byline: Bonita Brewer Oct. 26--LIVERMORE -- Downtown merchants struggling financially during ongoing First Street renovation construction could get some help through low-interest loans offered by Valley Community Bank in conjunction with...

Complications of wedding invitations.
October 25, 2005... Byline: Jann Blackstone-Ford and Sharyl Jupe Should stepmother who didn't raise her be listed on bride-to-be's wedding invitation? Q: My parents are divorced. My dad has been remarried for 14 years; however, my stepmother did not...

Bernanke nominated to succeed Greenspan.
October 25, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Oct. 25--Ben Bernanke, President Bush's choice as the next Federal Reserve chairman, faces a delicate balancing act to preserve the Goldilocks character of today's just-right economy. In a lot of quarters, the...

Manville site may get homes.
October 25, 2005... Byline: Danielle McNamara Oct. 25--More than 400 homes and commercial space could be developed on the former Johns Manville industrial site that was used to make asbestos-containing products until 1980. The Planning Commission will...

Bill would ease way for offshore drilling.
October 25, 2005... Byline: Mike Taugher Oct. 25--In a bid to boost domestic energy production, Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, introduced legislation Monday to make it easier for companies to drill for oil off the nation's coasts. The bill, which would...

General plan needs reconfiguration, officials say.
October 25, 2005... Byline: John Geluardi Oct. 25--RICHMOND -- The Richmond City Council has chosen a planning firm to help manage the city's rapid growth by updating the general plan. After interviewing three companies, the council this past week...

Why the world is into Greg Behrendt.
October 24, 2005... Byline: Jessica Yadegaran SAN FRANCISCO _ How can you tell if you've arrived'? Autograph requests, usually, or scoring the best table at the Sushi Bar of the Week in Los Angeles. Comedian-mega-author Greg Behrendt has got all...

Pass U.S. shield law for media.
October 24, 2005... The following editorial appeared in the Contra Costa Times on Friday, October 21: ___ The Justice Department has guidelines designed to make media subpoenas a tool of last resort. Unfortunately, the guidelines are not mandatory and...

Best Buy plans Brentwood, Calif., store.
October 24, 2005... Byline: Tanya Rose Oct. 24--BRENTWOOD -- Electronics giant Best Buy is coming to Brentwood after all, city and company officials have confirmed. The announcement puts an end to months of swirling rumors about a possible Brentwood...

East Contra Costa County, Calif., is hurting for doctors.
October 24, 2005... Byline: Sarah Jane Tribble Oct. 24--Dr. Derek Johnson laughs self-consciously as he walks through his spacious new office near downtown Brentwood. The 13 exam rooms are built for four physicians, but for now Johnson has them all to...

Pleasanton, Calif., eyes new projects, nudges housing cap.
October 24, 2005... Byline: Chris Metinko Oct. 24--Two weeks after holding a workshop to discuss a potential 690-unit elderly care community on the east side of Pleasanton, the City Council and Planning Commission will take a look Tuesday night at another...

Slow-growth group will fight senior homes plan.
October 24, 2005... Byline: Sarah Krupp Oct. 24--ANTIOCH -- Many cities consider upscale senior houses the best kind of development: homes that attract responsible residents who have money to spend. But what may be coveted elsewhere is not readily...

Fired Krueger fires back at Bay Area radio station.
October 24, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Okanes During and after the controversy that followed his remarks that certain members of the San Francisco Giants are ``brain-dead Caribbean hitters hacking at slop nightly''_comments that ultimately led to his...

Raiders' injury news is painful.
October 24, 2005... Byline: Steve Corkran ALAMEDA, Calif. _ The news on injuries to starting cornerback Charles Woodson and starting strong safety Derrick Gibson is every bit as discouraging as first feared, Oakland Raiders coach Norv Turner confirmed...

Bill would give states greater authority over offshore drilling.
October 24, 2005... Byline: Mike Taugher WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ In a bid to boost domestic energy production, Rep. Richard Pombo introduced legislation Monday to make it easier for companies to drill for oil off the nation's coasts. The bill, which...

Gaming industry is no longer a boys' club.
October 23, 2005... Byline: Ellen Lee Oct. 23--Before going to bed, Rhonda McDonald hops on the computer for a little R&R. She'll play an online game or two, maybe a bit of bingo or a puzzle game such as "Snood." Something about matching and unlocking the...

Raiders roll to improbable win over Bills.
October 23, 2005... Byline: Steve Corkran OAKLAND, Calif. _ The Oakland Raiders offered scant evidence that would suggest they had the fortitude and resolve to overcome their 1-4 start. Each game seemingly pointed to the contrary. That prospect seemed...

Jordan carries Raiders past Bills.
October 23, 2005... Byline: Jennifer Starks OAKLAND, Calif. _LaMont Jordan said it himself. He needs to be involved for the Oakland Raiders to be successful. Maybe he was right. Jordan made his presence felt early and often, and the result was a 38-17...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., business briefs column.
October 22, 2005... Oct. 22--CLASS-ACTION SUIT FILED AGAINST PIXAR: Emeryville-based Pixar (PIXR) has been named in a class-action lawsuit filed by New York law firm Milberg Weiss Bershad & Schulman on behalf of shareholders. The suit claims Pixar and Disney...

Cal roars back to beat Washington State.
October 22, 2005... Byline: Jay Heater BERKELEY, Calif. _ Cal coach Jeff Tedford and Washington State coach Bill Doba went into Saturday's key Pac-10 showdown at Memorial Stadium looking for big second-half plays. But Tedford probably didn't expect that...

MLS only has itself to blame.
October 22, 2005... Byline: Gary Peterson Freddy Adu shouldn't be getting suspended. He should be getting grounded, like any respectable 16-year-old boy. He should be making the mistakes we all made at that age, but he should be making them in the comfort...

Bridge to be fortified for earthquakes.
October 22, 2005... Byline: Mike Adamick Oct. 22--Federal and state engineers announced Friday the new Bay Bridge is held together by welds that are thicker and stronger than planned, meaning the $6.3 billion seismic project would remain standing in the...

Doty leaves post at Camp Parks.
October 22, 2005... Byline: Sophia Kazmi Oct. 22--DUBLIN-- In the two years Col. James Doty has been at the helm of Camp Parks, he oversaw many changes. New affordable homes for soldiers, Camp Parks coming under its own command, and other construction...

Friend testifies against man accused of killing wife.
October 22, 2005... Byline: Eric Louie Oct. 22--STOCKTON -- A man who has already pleaded no contest for his role in the killing of Jenna Nannetti testified Friday that Michael Simons shot his 17-year-old estranged wife several times as part of a plan to...

Man who inspired "Rain Man" astonishes audiences with memory.
October 22, 2005... Byline: Sophia Kazmi Oct. 22--SAN RAMON -- There is no doubt Kim Peek has an incredible memory. The man, who inspired the 1988 Oscar winner "Rain Man," has memorized the contents of 7,600 books, and could tell you the day of the...

Family and friends remember Pamela Vitale.
October 22, 2005... Byline: Cassandra Braun Oct. 22--The woman with the sparkling smile and silky, long hair was a loving mother and wife who approached every facet of her life dynamically and graciously. That was how friends and family chose to...

Drug measure supporters and adversaries battle with ads.
October 22, 2005... Byline: Sandy Kleffman Oct. 22--It's hard to imagine a more lopsided battle than that of the rival prescription drug measures on the Nov. 8 ballot. In the past two weeks alone, the no on Proposition 79/yes on Proposition 78 folks...

Witnesses and friends testify against Simons for murder.
October 22, 2005... Byline: Eric Louie Oct. 22--STOCKTON -- Two witnesses at the murder trial of Michael Simons testified Thursday that in the months before the death of his wife, Jenna Nannetti, they heard Simons talk of harming her. Daniel Bonacich,...

Proposal urges permits for dangerous dogs.
October 21, 2005... Byline: Rebecca Rosen Lum Oct. 21--Two Contra Costa supervisors want to leash owners of the kinds of dangerous dogs involved in savage attacks on children and adults since 2001. If the proposal, by Supervisors John Gioia of Richmond...

Rock Paper Scissors Championship brings out the kid in adults.
October 21, 2005... Byline: Chris Metinko Oct. 21--When you think of games of skill and strategy, contests like chess, mahjong and the wildly popular poker come to mind -- not the game you played with your sister to decide who got to ride shotgun to the...

Bills' McGahee high on skill, confidence.
October 21, 2005... Byline: Steve Corkran ALAMEDA, Calif. _ To hear Buffalo Bills running back Willis McGahee tell it, the Raiders got only a primer on how to play run defense from the San Diego Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson last Sunday. Eight defenders...

Cam's Crystal Ball: Picking NFL games of weekend.
October 21, 2005... Byline: Cam Inman New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick's voice softened as he addressed the media this week. "I don't think anybody has a crystal ball," Belichick said. Ouch. Some may think he was talking about linebacker...

After probe, all's weld on Bay Bridge.
October 21, 2005... Byline: Mike Adamick Oct. 21--The FBI has closed an eight-month probe into allegations that the new $6.3 billion Bay Bridge rests on faulty support piles -- an investigation that stalled construction on some parts of the bridge and cast...

FormFactor surpasses profit target.
October 21, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Oct. 21--FormFactor Inc. basked in cheers from Wall Street on Thursday after the company reported strong financial results and was poised for more gains, thanks largely to a state-of-the-art factory for the East Bay...