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

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

Flu vaccine maker Chiron awaits final federal approval.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Sep. 1--In a long-awaited decision released Wednesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has found Chiron Corp.'s flu vaccine manufacturing plant to be "generally acceptable," implying that it will likely allow the...

Gas prices soar in wake of hurricane.
September 1, 2005... Sep. 1--Hurricane Katrina's upward pressure on California gasoline prices will only exacerbate a cost trend that has far outpaced, and increasingly drawn money from, other consumer expenses for the past half-decade. The aftermath of the...

Feeling the loss of a unique city.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Anne Chalfant If you've been to New Orleans, you are mourning. If you haven't been to New Orleans, you are mourning because you missed it _ for now and possibly forever. Some experts are questioning the advisability of...

A's fall into tie, again, with the Angels.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick ANAHEIM, Calif. _ So this is the American League West race? The way the A's and Los Angeles Angels hit during their three-game series, a crawl would be more appropriate. The teams combined for nine runs during...

Raiders are in fine form in final tuneup in win over Saints.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Steve Corkran OAKLAND, Calif. _ Wide receiver Randy Moss stood on the sideline with a beanie on his head. Quarterback Kerry Collins watched the action with a baseball cap taking the place of a football helmet. Cornerback Charles...

Playing game was right thing to do for Saints.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Gary Peterson OAKLAND, Calif. _ The Raiders played the New Orleans Saints in an exhibition football game at McAfee Coliseum on Thursday night, and if you want to argue that nothing of value was served, knock yourself out. ...

Bay Area residents anxious to reach loved ones.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Sandy Kleffman and Nathaniel Hof Sep. 1--For Bay Area residents with loved ones in areas ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, trying to reach them and learn about their welfare has often been a gut-wrenching ordeal. Emergency and...

OPINION: Buchanan here to stay.
September 1, 2005... Sep. 1--When Contra Costa Supervisor Mark DeSaulnier suggested moving Buchanan Field so the area could be developed, it seemed unlikely, but worth consideration. Residential and commercial construction would have created thousands of jobs and...

Broadway Plaza splits from city's planning.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Theresa Harrington Sep. 1--Broadway Plaza is separating its proposed expansion from controversial growth discussions in Walnut Creek. The shopping center, which could have nearly doubled in size if a 400,000 square foot...

Local districts generally meeting state, federal standards.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Eric Louie and Jeanine Benca Sep. 1--Local schools accustomed to high marks on standardized tests kept their heads above the increasing wave of schools statewide failing to meet federal standards. Livermore was the exception,...

Public schools get mixed marks.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Jackie Burrell Sep. 1--Whether California's public schools are awesome or awful depends entirely on the report card. Federal and state reports released Wednesday differ as dramatically as if they'd been penned by Dr. Jekyll and Mr....

Around the remote: TV picks for Sept. 4-10.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Chuck Barney DON'T MISS: "Reunion" _ So you think "24" is pretty cool, the way it devotes each episode to one hour of a single day? This new soap-mystery series mimics that innovative concept, but does it at warp speed as it...

California camp teaches earth consciousness.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Eric Louie Sep. 1--LIVERMORE -- When the sun rises, Camp Arroyo comes to life. It's not just because the Livermore camp, which teaches earth consciousness to visiting school groups, offers gardening, hiking and other outdoors...

Book price a burden for college students.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Matt Krupnick Sep. 1--BERKELEY -- These days, college students have a choice: two new bookcases from Ikea, or a single biology textbook for nearly the same price. Students have complained about book prices for decades, but now...

Local colleges accept students displaced by Katrina.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Danielle Samaniego Sep. 1--Bay Area colleges are taking unprecedented steps to help students displaced in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Campuses across the Bay Area are opening up enrollment for students forced to...

Katrina reminds Californians of past hurricanes.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Betsy Mason Sep. 1--Hurricane Betsy took his home in New Orleans in 1965 forcing him, his wife and weeks-old baby to live in his office for a month, boiling water and baby bottles and stealing sandwiches from vending machines. ...

Displaced New Orleanians await news of their homes.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Cassandra Braun Sep. 1--CONCORD -- Since Chris and Christina Morel arrived in Oakland late Wednesday with their two sons, they have scoured the 24-hour cable news networks for any mention of their hometown of Metairie, La. ...

Off-duty officer kills robber.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Kelli Phillips Sep. 1--BRENTWOOD -- An off-duty officer who shot and killed an armed bank robber in the parking lot of a grocery store was identified Thursday as a veteran Alameda County Sheriff's deputy. Brentwood police...

Local teen wins contest, recording contract.
September 1, 2005... Byline: Maria Natale Sep. 1--Just out of high school, Martina Wilson has already landed a recording contract and has plans for a concert tour. On Wednesday night, the 18-year-old Pleasanton resident took first place in a national...

Pediatrician makes case for circumcision.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Peggy Spear WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Prince Charles is, but William and Harry aren't. Jesus was, but Diego Rivera wasn't. Louis XVI wasn't, and that caused all kinds of problems with Marie Antoinette. Circumcised, that is. And...

Feeling the loss of a unique city.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Anne Chalfant If you've been to New Orleans, you are mourning. If you haven't been to New Orleans, you are mourning because you missed it _ for now and possibly forever. Some experts are questioning the advisability of...

Swiss firm Novartis makes bid for Chiron.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Sep. 2--Seeking full ownership of Chiron Corp., Swiss pharmaceutical maker Novartis AG offered $4.5 billion in cash to take over the Emeryville-based biotechnology firm, the two companies announced Thursday. ...

Katrina's hit felt at Bay Area pumps.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens and James Temple Sep. 2--Gas prices in California jumped Thursday as some fuel destined for the state was diverted to eastern markets facing a supply crunch due to storm damage at refineries and pipelines. Late in...

Gas prices in California won't put brakes on travel.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Amber Ellis Sep. 2--A surge in gasoline prices and disruptions in air travel to the southeastern United States won't deter 4.9 million Californians who plan to travel during Labor Day weekend, according to AAA of Northern...

Portables make up El Cerrito High.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Alan Lopez Sep. 2--EL CERRITO - A sea of tan portable buildings has replaced the old El Cerrito High School campus, and though it may be cramped many say it is also an improvement. "I like the fact that the bathrooms are...

West Contra Costa County, Calif., school district shy of feds' standard.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Shirley Dang Sep. 2--Like other districts across California, the 32,000-student West Contra Costa school district improved academically by state measures in 2004-05 but faltered on federal requirements., The California...

Camp Arroyo in Livermore, Calif., harnesses sun's energy.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Eric Louie Sep. 2--LIVERMORE -- When the sun rises, Camp Arroyo comes to life. It's not just because the Livermore camp, which teaches earth consciousness to visiting school groups, offers gardening, hiking and other outdoors...

Fund stem-cell study.
September 2, 2005... Sep. 2--Stem-cell research is one of the most promising areas of biomedical study ever. Many scientists believe the benefits from such research are likely to be as revolutionary as the development of antibiotics. In the not-too-distant...

API results a mixed bag for schools.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Jackie Burrell and Paula King Sep. 2--Contra Costa schools got conflicting report cards this week with the release of the state's Academic Performance Index and the federal government's "failing schools" list. And 75 bemused school...

Textbook firms under fire for rising prices.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Matt Krupnick Sep. 2--BERKELEY--These days, college students have a choice: two new bookcases from Ikea or a single biology textbook for nearly the same price. Students have complained about book prices for decades, but now...

PG&E plans for electricity rate hike.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Rick Jurgens Sep. 2--PG&E Corp. delivered an early New Year's surprise Thursday to users of its electricity: a prediction that rates paid by customers who light their homes with the utility's electricity will rise by 10.8 percent...

12-0: A's swing easily, blast Yankees.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Okanes OAKLAND, Calif. _ The A's played about eight hours of baseball during their three-game series at Los Angeles and scored a total of three runs. It took them about 15 minutes to equal that total Friday night against...

Solar programs energize camp, schools.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Eric Louie Sep. 2--LIVERMORE -- When the sun rises, Camp Arroyo comes to life. It's not just because the Livermore camp, which teaches earth consciousness to visiting school groups, offers gardening, hiking and other outdoors...

Businesses donate to Katrina victims.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Meera Pal Sep. 2--With a special kinship to Lafayette, La., some residents of Lafayette, Calif., decided Thursday to help their bayou brethren. Residents of other East Bay cities, such as Martinez and Danville, are also trying...

Jury to visit scene of murder during trial.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Bruce Gerstman Sep. 2--MARTINEZ -- She's admitted killing her husband. Now, Susan Polk wants to describe the details to a jury in the very room where it happened. "It's the ultimate in due process," said Polk's attorney...

Katrina to cause natural gas and electricity bills to rise.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Mike Taugher Sep. 2--The devastation of Katrina is already pushing up gasoline prices, but the bigger hit to Californians could be months from now when natural gas and electricity prices rise because of the hurricane, experts said...

National Guard soldiers return to California from Afghanistan.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Dogen Hannah Sep. 2--CONCORD -- About three dozen National Guard soldiers have returned to California from a year-long tour in Afghanistan a bit bewildered but grateful to be back. The detachment of the 143rd Field Artillery...

Report critical of local nuclear weapons complex.
September 2, 2005... Byline: Betsy Mason Sep. 2--An independent report released Thursday is highly critical of security throughout the U.S. nuclear weapons complex, including Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. The report, commissioned by the Department of...

Perhaps Jason Giambi is the comeback kid.
September 3, 2005... Byline: Eric Gilmore OAKLAND, Calif. _ When New York Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi came to Oakland on May 13 to face his former A's team, he was playing a personal game of how low can you go. Giambi was hitting .198 at the time....

Cal opens with rout of Sac St., loses QB.
September 3, 2005... Byline: Jay Heater BERKELEY, Calif. _ With one 46-yard touchdown pass on Saturday against Sacramento State, Cal backup quarterback Steve Levy said he erased the doubt about his ability to play Division I-A football. His team's ability...

WestCAT links Hercules and Contra Costa College.
September 3, 2005... Byline: Tom Lochner Sep. 3--WestCAT will inaugurate bus service Tuesday between Hercules and Contra Costa College in San Pablo and expects to start a transbay service later this month. Buses will run from Hercules to Contra Costa...

East Bay gas flirts with $3, but relief may be on the way.
September 3, 2005... Byline: James Temple and Rick Jurgens Sep. 3--Average pump prices have crossed the long-feared $3 threshold for the first time in a Bay Area city, but some relief may be in store as state wholesale rates plunged Friday after a week of sharp...

Hospital workers threaten to strike.
September 3, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Sep. 3--SAN FRANCISCO -- Ratcheting up pressure on Sutter Health, health care workers at eight Northern California hospitals, including three in the East Bay, say they will strike because little progress has been made...

Hybrid owners begin to buy passes.
September 3, 2005... Byline: Amber Ellis Sep. 3--More than a third of hybrid vehicle owners in California have applied for stickers to drive their fuel-efficient cars in car pool lanes, a spokesman for the Department of Motor Vehicles said. A new federal...

Natural gas rate hikes likely after hurricane.
September 3, 2005... Byline: Mike Taugher Sep. 3--The devastation of Katrina is already pushing up gasoline prices, but the bigger hit to Californians could be months from now when natural gas and electricity prices rise because of the hurricane, experts said...

East Bay joins nation in unprecedented relief effort.
September 3, 2005... Byline: Peggy Spear Sep. 3--The most potent humanitarian effort in recent history is roaring to life. If anyone feared that Americans' charity had been exhausted in the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, last year's torrid hurricane season...

California Military Police race to control rioting in New Orleans.
September 3, 2005... Byline: Kiley Russell Sep. 3--NEW ORLEANS -- By the time the soldiers of the 49th Military Police Battalion touched down in New Orleans late Friday, the city was a warren of flood-ruined homes and burning buildings. News accounts that...

Rate hikes likely after hurricane.
September 3, 2005... Byline: Mike Taugher Sep. 3--The devastation of Katrina is already pushing up gasoline prices, but the bigger hit to Californians could be months from now when natural gas and electricity prices rise because of the hurricane, experts said...

More companies join relief efforts.
September 3, 2005... Sep. 3--More Bay Area companies are pledging aid to victims of Hurricane Katrina. Walnut Creek-based Longs Drugs Stores Corp. will match up to $100,000 of customer donations. The chain plans to sell donation certificates of $1, $5, $10 and...

Bay Area wage trends promising, study shows.
September 3, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Sep. 3--Many East Bay health care professionals are enjoying robust growth in their wages. But lawyers and other legal workers are not. And don't be so sure the boss gets a fat pay raise every year. Those are some...

A's coach touched by generosity.
September 4, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick OAKLAND, Calif. _ Before Saturday's game, A's coach Brad Fischer approached fellow coach Ron Washington and handed him an envelope given to him by Yankees slugger Jason Giambi. Washington peeked inside and found a...

Another dreary outing for A's.
September 4, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick OAKLAND, Calif. _ Now what? The A's have reached another crisis point in their long and highly unpredictable season. The landscape may change dramatically in a few days, but at this juncture, they have the look of...

Nextel Cup rookie Kyle Busch steals everyone's thunder.
September 4, 2005... Byline: Joe Stiglich FONTANA, Calif. _ So much of the talk leading up to the Sony HD 500 focused on Jeff Gordon, and his quest to make the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup. After the sky turned dark and the lights went on Sunday night...

Raider players: what conspiracy? Bring on the Patriots.
September 4, 2005... Byline: Steve Corkran ALAMEDA, Calif. _ Seventeen straight regular-season victories. Four straight postseason victories. Twenty one overall. Two straight Super Bowl victories. Three of the past four. Sold-out crowd. National television...

No off-ramp from Bay Bridge work in California.
September 4, 2005... Byline: Mike Adamick Sep. 4--The Harrison Street off-ramp on the western end of the Bay Bridge will close this week in the latest and most inconvenient wave of a seismic safety project expected to tangle weekend traffic throughout...

Pleasanton, Calif., council weighs return of fireworks.
September 4, 2005... Byline: Chris Metinko Sep. 4--PLEASANTON - This city has been without Fourth of July fireworks since the Alameda County Fair discontinued its fireworks, a consequence of the 1998 fair midway shooting that left 10 people injured. The...

Massage business denied permit by Richmond, Calif., panel.
September 4, 2005... Byline: John Geluardi Sep. 4--The Richmond Planning Commission followed the urging of south Richmond residents Thursday and put the kibosh on a conditional use permit for a massage business on San Pablo Avenue. City planning staff...

OPINION: Feeling the loss of a unique city.
September 4, 2005... Byline: Anne Chalfant Sep. 4--If you've been to New Orleans, you are mourning. If you haven't been to New Orleans, you are mourning because you missed it -- for now and possibly forever. Some experts are questioning the advisability of...

OPINION: Safeguard private property rights.
September 4, 2005... Sep. 4--Rarely has a U.S. Supreme Court ruling been met with such widespread opposition as the Kelo v. City of New London, Conn., decision in July. The objections are well justified. In its 5-4 ruling, the court said it was constitutional...

From clans to kilts, call it a genuine gathering in Pleasanton, Calif.
September 4, 2005... Byline: Thomas Peele Sep. 4--PLEASANTON - MacFie... MacCloud... MacLaine... It is a myth, and perhaps only a myth, that the Scots represent the world's strongest stock. Just don't call it a myth here. Here, it is an absolute --...

Bay Area wage trends promising, study shows.
September 4, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Sep. 4--Many East Bay health care professionals are enjoying robust growth in their wages. But lawyers and other legal workers are not. And don't be so sure the boss gets a fat pay raise every year. Those are some...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., people in motion column.
September 4, 2005... Sep. 4--ACCOUNTING: Blanding, Boyer & Rockwell LLP, a certified public accountants and consultants firm has elected Tom Rockwell office managing partner. Janet Apostolo, Amy Hershey and Natalie Sandberg have been promoted to manager, and Lisa...

OPINION: Feds fail on Katrina.
September 5, 2005... Sep. 5--The Department of Homeland Security has failed miserably. In its first major test nearly four years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Homeland Security was grossly unprepared to respond to Hurricane Katrina. Four...

OPINION: Loss of justice.
September 5, 2005... Sep. 5--The death of U.S Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist late Saturday is a loss to the nation, and it places an entirely different light on the confirmation hearing of high court nominee Judge John Roberts. Although we often...

Parent groups may cause California school district to change tune.
September 5, 2005... Byline: Jackie Burrell Sep. 5--Fourth-grade classrooms may resound with music once more in the Mt. Diablo school district, thanks to parent fund-raising efforts. Trustees are expected to give administrators the go-ahead on Tuesday --...

Student finds demand for supply.
September 5, 2005... Byline: Brooke Bryant Sep. 5--Whiz kid turns entrepreneur by harnessing the power of the Internet. It's a commonplace story these days, grown stale even before most of the techie trailblazers crashed and burned in the dot-com bust. ...

Students, faculty eager for UC Merced's debut.
September 5, 2005... Byline: Matt Krupnick Sep. 5--MERCED -- As 18-year-old Marghuba Osman walked into her brand-new UC Merced dormitory Saturday morning, the sign on the door pretty much explained her main reason for attending the university. "This...

Merced, Calif., residents unsure of school's impact.
September 5, 2005... Byline: Matt Krupnick Sep. 5--MERCED -- This city is stretching, yawning and greeting the new day. It's about to find out whether it has woken up on the wrong side of the bed. The addition of a brand-new University of California campus...

University tries to draw on Central Valley's Latino population.
September 5, 2005... Byline: Matt Krupnick Sep. 5--MERCED -- With much of California's booming Latino population flocking to the Central Valley, UC Merced finds itself in a prime position to boost that group's educational profile. "Latino students do not...

Separated couple think of getting back together.
September 6, 2005... Byline: Jann Blackstone-Ford and Sharyl Jupe Q: I'm currently going through a divorce. Our 15-year marriage fell apart for many reasons: him putting his parents first, his drinking on the weekends, my letting go of my household chores and...

Will hamburger highs or doughnut delirium stop quest for the best?
September 6, 2005... Byline: James Temple The motto of the Kansas City Barbeque Society, the largest organization of its kind, is: "Barbecue _ It's not just for breakfast anymore." In other words, this is a city that takes its barbecue very seriously. And...

EDITORIAL: Feds can do better on gas-mileage standards.
September 6, 2005... Sep. 6--The Feds failed us again, you know. The administration has proposed modest changes in fuel standards for light trucks and smaller sports utility vehicles, which, of course, is better than nothing. But designers of this proposal left...

EDITORIAL: Not truly refugees.
September 6, 2005... Sep. 6--VICTIMS, DISPLACED, EVACUEES. Those in the midst of trying to go on with their lives after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina have been called many things, including refugees. Pictures of the bedraggled, forlorn and scared around New...

Concord considers cannabis club ban.
September 6, 2005... Byline: Danielle Samaniego Sep. 6--CONCORD - Central Contra Costa's sole medicinal marijuana dispensary may be shut down if the City Council approves a permanent ban on such establishments today. The council will vote whether to enact...

Oakland schools progress on state targets, miss feds'.
September 6, 2005... Byline: Quynh Tran Sep. 6--Oakland schools are doing fine according to state standards, but the district falls flat based on federal standards, according to test results released last week. Based on California's Academic Performance...

Trucking guidelines stir debate.
September 6, 2005... Byline: Mike Adamick Sep. 6--Alejandro McKay parks on the side of the road outside the Port of Oakland. His white, 525-horsepower Freightliner big rig rumbles to a halt and continues to cough as McKay eases down two steps to the ground....

A's endure center-field debacle in loss to Mariners.
September 6, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Okanes OAKLAND, Calif. _ Mark Kotsay played center field for the Oakland A's on Tuesday night for the first time in nine games. In the seventh inning, it looked like it. Kotsay made two errors in the inning, doubling...

Bonds' impact immeasurable.
September 6, 2005... Byline: Eric Gilmore LOS ANGELES _ The San Francisco Giants' "X" factor, better known as Barry Bonds, took more batting practice Tuesday at Dodger Stadium and crushed more home runs into the bleachers. He fielded more fly balls and...

Residents push past floodwaters, debris to reclaim bits of their lives.
September 6, 2005... Byline: Kiley Russell NEW ORLEANS _ Wading through calf-high floodwater in the rising afternoon heat, Steven Green carried food and water from his home to the mud-caked SUV parked out front. Along with his wife, five teen-aged children and...

Talk about daunting, try picking the Week 1 winners.
September 7, 2005... Byline: Cam Inman Predicting how season openers will unfold is a daunting task. Even New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick thinks so, and he's got three gaudy Super Bowl rings to hawk if his picks stink. "In my mind, it's the...

Odds are against a three-peat by Patriots.
September 7, 2005... Byline: Cam Inman WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Quarterback Tom Brady sounds sincere _ as always _ when saying he and the New England Patriots have "as much to gain as anybody" this season. No one else, however, is in position to pursue a...

Plan could avert hospital strike.
September 7, 2005... Byline: Judy Silber Sep. 7--To avoid a strike that could involve as many as 8,000 health care workers at eight Northern California medical centers, a federal mediator has taken the unusual step of crafting a settlement, although it's...

Analysts differ over interest rates.
September 7, 2005... Byline: George Avalos Sep. 7--Alan Greenspan is getting a lot of advice over how to steer the nation's economy through the murky waters roiled by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Since the lethal storm ripped through the Gulf Coast,...

A's rally for five in ninth to beat Mariners.
September 7, 2005... Byline: Joe Roderick OAKLAND, Calif. _ After A's manager Ken Macha informed right fielder Nick Swisher that he'd be receiving a "mental day off," Swisher took a seat in the dugout to "relax." You wouldn't call what Swisher endured in a...