Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA) articles from September 2011

Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA) archives from September 2011

McDonald makes his mark with breakthrough game.
September 13, 2011... Byline: Cam Inman SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ It didn't take long for Ray McDonald to shake up things up as the 49ers' new starter at left defensive end. He was a force on Sunday's opening series, capped by a third-down sack of Seattle Seahawks...

Willingham powers A's over Angels.
September 13, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ Left fielder Josh Willingham and first baseman Brandon Allen both could factor heavily into the A's fortunes next season. One continued raking Monday night and the other continued struggling, and both...

Ex-Etiquette: What to do when kids don't want to stay with other parent.
September 13, 2011... Byline: Jann Blackstone-Ford and Sharyl Jupe Question: How old do children need to be before they don't have to go see the other parent if they don't want to? My kids are telling me they don't want to go see their dad and now that they're...

NBC sitcom 'Up All Night' a bundle of joy.
September 13, 2011... Byline: Chuck Barney Everyone loves cute, cuddly babies, that's for sure. But TV shows pegged to babies are usually lame and sappy and about as repulsive as a loaded diaper. "Up All Night," a comedy premiering Wednesday night on NBC, could...

Digital music explosion leaves some music fans hungry for vinyl.
September 13, 2011... Byline: Tony Hicks When the man who heads one of the biggest up-and-coming cloud music services wants a serious listening experience, there's only one place he turns. He drops the needle onto an LP. "I have a dedicated listening room in...

Foot injury slows Crabtree.
September 12, 2011... Byline: Cam Inman SAN FRANCISCO _ Wide receiver Michael Crabtree saw sporadic action for the 49ers before his troublesome left foot flared up in the second half of Sunday's 33-17 season-opening win over Seattle. Crabtree said a postgame...

Niners open with win over Seahawks.
September 12, 2011... Byline: Cam Inman SAN FRANCISCO _ The 49ers hired coach Jim Harbaugh to ignite an overdue turnaround. One game into his tenure, their arrow is pointing in that direction. Sunday's 33-17, season-opening win over the Seattle Seahawks didn't...

Baker blazing trail, one loaf at a time.
September 12, 2011... Byline: Jennifer Modenessi WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ It's 6:30 a.m., and Josey Baker is carefully monitoring a dozen or so loaves of his handcrafted bread as they burnish to a golden brown inside the wood oven at Oakland, Calif.'s Pizzaiolo...

The starter kitchen: What do you really need for meals?
September 12, 2011... Byline: Jackie Burrell Setting up that first apartment kitchen is not just a rite of passage. It's a major undertaking for any college student, newlywed or 20-something. Suddenly, the solo microwaveable bowl that served so well during late...

Around the remote: Television picks for the week of Sept. 11-17.
September 11, 2011... Byline: Chuck Barney DON'T MISS: "THE SPACE BETWEEN" _ On the 10th anniversary of 9/11, the airwaves will be jammed with news coverage of the day's events, as well as in-depth commemorative programs, including "9/11: 10 Years Later" (8...

Lightning strikes trigger several California wildfires.
September 10, 2011... WALNUT CREEK, Calif._Firefighters in Alameda and Contra Costa counties were kept busy Friday night after a fast-moving weather system brought lightning strikes that touched off fires in several locations. The largest of those fires was...

Pac-12 teams Cal and Colorado meet for a non-conference game.
September 10, 2011... Byline: Jonathan Okanes Cal and Colorado will get to sample more of the new Pac-12 than the other teams in the conference this season. Under the new scheduling arrangement, Pac-12 football teams play every team in their division and four...

Special footwear for 49ers' Crabtree.
September 9, 2011... Byline: Cam Inman Michael Crabtree has a history of entering seasons fashionably late, and this time, he'll be wearing a "pretty sweet" custom cleat on a twice-broken left foot. "I've been here before," Crabtree said Thursday. "It's...

For professors, 9/11 tragedy became teaching tool.
September 9, 2011... Byline: Matt Krupnick BERKELEY, Calif. _ When Steven Weber refers to "the event," the meaning is clear. Weber teaches students at the University of California, Berkeley, about national and international security, so Sept. 11, 2001, is the...

Moscoso takes no-hitter into 8th for A's.
September 8, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ Guillermo Moscoso's steady work often flies under the radar, but it was impossible to ignore the run at history he made Wednesday. The right-hander took a no-hitter into the eighth inning, holding the...

Athletics' 'Big Three' pitchers not toobig this season.
September 8, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich The Oakland Athletics began this season with optimism revolving around a trio of pitchers who seemed ready to create their own "Big Three" legacy. However, that foundation on which the Athletics are building has shown...

Whitner set for Niners debut.
September 7, 2011... Byline: Cam Inman SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ The 49ers are ready to unveil their new quarterback_for their secondary, that is. Strong safety Donte Whitner, one of 19 newcomers this year under first-year coach Jim Harbaugh, will make his 49ers...

Chevron to pay $24.5 million for gas station pollution violations.
September 7, 2011... Byline: Mike Taugher WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Chevron has agreed to pay $24.5 million to settle allegations it violated anti-pollution laws at gas stations around California. The company improperly altered leak detection equipment in...

Niners' offense in place.
September 7, 2011... Byline: Cam Inman SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ The 49ers offense finally looked complete Wednesday_unless you were expecting the acquisition of former Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback David Garrard. All offensive players practiced in their...

Ranking the NFC and AFC.
September 7, 2011... Byline: Steve Corkran Ranking the AFC 1. New England Coach Bill Belichick is tired of being upstaged by Jets coach Rex Ryan. Therefore, he isn't taking any chances this season and just might tap his own bank account to sign even more...

Ex-Etiquette: Pets, too, may need custody agreements tweaked.
September 6, 2011... Byline: Jann Blackstone-Ford and Sharyl Jupe Q: Six months ago my ex and I split up. We weren't married, but we were together for 25 years and he cheated on me, so we broke up. We have an 18-year-old who has gone off to college, and two dogs...

Deportation tide changing for gay couples.
September 6, 2011... Byline: Matt O'Brien OAKLAND, Calif. _ When a judge last month closed a deportation case against Filipino immigrant Raul Sinense, he and his husband, Peter Gee, celebrated by having coffee together on Berkeley's Solano Avenue. The low-key...

Travel Q&A: How to relive the Civil War in California.
September 6, 2011... Byline: Ann Tatko-Peterson Q: I love history. This year I'd like to focus on the sesquicentennial of the Civil War. Problem is, I'm strapped for cash and can't afford to fly to the big battle sites. Can you help me plan a road trip? Any good...

Strong ties between Cal, Colorado coaches.
September 6, 2011... Byline: Jonathan Okanes BERKELEY, Calif. _ Cal and Colorado spent the offseason trading coaches. Less than a year later, they are getting the chance to visit old friends. In revamping his coaching staff after his first losing season, Cal...

Athletics' winning streak ends.
September 5, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ The bullpen was considered a worry-free portion of the Oakland Athletics' roster coming into this season. As with the entire team, however, inconsistency has been the theme for Oakland's relief corps...

49ers choose captains: Willis and Gore.
September 4, 2011... Byline: Cam Inman Roster cuts had come and gone, but coach Jim Harbaugh delivered more news after the 49ers' workout Saturday. No, he wasn't ready to unveil a new No. 3 quarterback to replace Josh McCown, who was among the 26 players...

Cal turns back Fresno State.
September 4, 2011... Byline: Jonathan Okanes SAN FRANCISCO _ Other than a disturbing amount of mistakes, Cal's 2011 season opener was a successful first step in the process of erasing the scars of coach Jeff Tedford's first losing season. Quarterback Zach...

Gay Ugandan refugee finds home in Bay Area.
September 4, 2011... Byline: Matt O'Brien OAKLAND, Calif. _ Being gay in Uganda was never easy for gospel singer Daniel Dyson, but the anti-gay hysteria that erupted in the African nation two years ago forced him to flee. Prominent Christian pastors had...

Around the remote: Television picks for the week of Sept. 4-10.
September 4, 2011... Byline: Chuck Barney DON'T MISS: "RESCUE ME" SERIES FINALE _ It seems only fitting, that in a television week crammed with 9/11 anniversary remembrances, this landmark drama about New York firefighters brings an end to its impressive...

Athletics sweep out the Mariners.
September 4, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ A lot of good things happened offensively for the Athletics on Sunday, and Hideki Matsui was the common thread in most of them. He tied an Oakland record with three doubles _ each one banging off the...

49ers acquire quarterback Tolzien.
September 4, 2011... Byline: Cam Inman Scott Tolzien's last pass of the exhibition season went for a San Diego Chargers touchdown Thursday against the 49ers. On Sunday, the 49ers claimed him off waivers. Tolzien, an undrafted rookie out of Big Ten-champion...

Athletics trounce Mariners.
September 3, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ The month of September has held little intrigue for A's fans in recent seasons. They'll have a legitimate reason to stay engaged this year after Friday's promotion of outfielder Michael Taylor. ...

McCarthy and Athletics blank the Mariners.
September 3, 2011... Byline: Joe Stiglich OAKLAND, Calif. _ The Athletics took a low-cost gamble in signing Brandon McCarthy last winter, not sure what they would get from the oft-injured right-hander. McCarthy is validating that decision, and the latest...

49ers end preseason on a high note.
September 2, 2011... Byline: Cam Inman SAN DIEGO _ Quarterback Alex Smith and the 49ers' first-string offense saved their exhibition-season best for Thursday night's finale. Smith engineered touchdown drives on the first two possessions against the host San...

Cool off with liquor on a stick.
September 2, 2011... Byline: Jackie Burrell Some sommeliers and food writers have started taking kid-friendly, icy sweet popsicles in new and adult directions. Hello, Sauvignonblancsicles and Prosecco pops! Salutations, frozen sangria. And is that...

Winners and losers: A last look back at summer TV.
September 2, 2011... Byline: Chuck Barney In just a few weeks, we'll be up to our eyeballs in new TV shows as the networks delve into their fall season. We say, bring it on. Reruns are painful. But before the sun sets on another summer, let's take a few...

Cal meets Fresno State at Candlestick.
September 2, 2011... Byline: Jonathan Okanes Despite the fact that Mychal Kendricks attended high school just around the corner from Bulldog Stadium, Fresno State's coaching staff didn't pursue him until it was too late. Kendricks, a linebacker who attended...

Bowman in starting linebacker role for 49ers.
September 2, 2011... Byline: Cam Inman Blitzing linebacker NaVorro Bowman burst into the backfield, sacked the quarterback and recovered a fumble he skillfully forced. That one play, in the exhibition finale win at San Diego, exemplifies why Bowman will be...

Open season for Chez Panisse celebration.
September 1, 2011... Byline: Jennifer Modenessi WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ When the crowds descend upon the University of California-Berkeley Art Museum's grounds this weekend, they won't just be celebrating a milestone in acclaimed restaurant Chez Panisse's 40-year...

Deadheads are still grateful - and willing to spend.
September 1, 2011... Byline: Jim Harrington OAKLAND, Calif. _ There's an old joke that goes something like this, "How do you know that a Deadhead has stayed at your house?" Answer: "He's still there." The Deadheads definitely are still in the house. More...

9/11 remembered all around the TV dial.
September 1, 2011... Byline: Chuck Barney Ten years ago, Americans gathered around their TV sets to witness the ghastly and incomprehensible images of 9/11. A decade later, television will mark the anniversary of the terrorist attacks with a massive outpouring of...

Cal's Sofele gets main duty this time.
September 1, 2011... Byline: Jonathan Okanes Cal fans have spent the past two seasons getting acquainted with running back Isi Sofele. Now it's time to deepen their relationship. After two years of spot duty, Sofele enters the 2011 season as the Bears'...

Weapons-grade nuclear material dwindling at Livermore lab.
September 1, 2011... Byline: Suzanne Bohan WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ The "denuking" campaign at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has reached another milestone, with 90 percent of its historic stockpile of plutonium and weapons-grade uranium now removed, a...