Oakland Tribune back issues from February 2008:
District discloses copper thefts
Feb 01, 2008; ... FREMONT -- In the wake of last week's major copper theft sting bySan Jose and Santa Clara police, Fremont school officials have comeforward to say that the district has lost more than $157,000 incopper this school year alone. Add to that the $100,000 it has cost the New Haven ...
More witnesses testify in Ansari slaying
Feb 01, 2008; ... HAYWARD -- Three witnesses, including a pathologist, testifiedWednesday in the trial of a 30-year-old man charged with killingAlia Ansari, an Afghan mother of six who was slain 15 months ago inFremont. The pathologist testified that Ansari, 38, died from a gunshotwound to the ...
Most in viewer group choose Obama
Feb 01, 2008; ... WALNUT CREEK -- Sen. Barack Obama won over more than half of agroup of nine undecided East Bay Democratic and independent voterswho gathered in Bay Area News Group offices Thursday night to watchthe final televised presidential candidate debate before Feb. 5. The converts cited ...
Daughter could testify next week
Feb 01, 2008; ... HAYWARD -- The youngest daughter of an Afghan mother of six whowas slain about 15 months ago in Fremont returned to the witnessstand Thursday and could testify in front of jurors as early asMonday. The girl, who was nearly 4 years old at the time of the killing,is the only ...
Though trailing in race, Huckabee remains unbowed
Feb 01, 2008; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabeeremains in it to win it, he insisted Thursday. "I'm staying in the race because I still think I can win," theformer Arkansas governor told the Commonwealth Club of Californiaduring a midday appearance at the Fairmont ...
President honors Bay Area teenagers
Feb 01, 2008; ... SFO -- With a jaunty wave, President Bush stepped onto the tarmacat San Francisco International Airport on Wednesday for a rare --and brief -- Bay Area visit. After a morning spent talking economics with Gov. ArnoldSchwarzenegger in Southern California, Bush stopped by the ...
Residents meet to chat about future of Newark's Area 2
Feb 01, 2008; ... NEWARK -- About 40 people came to a meeting this week on thefuture of Area 2, an industrial region in western Newark that couldbecome a dense residential neighborhood by a commuter rail station. The second community get-together on the topic focused on threeschematics by Design, ...
County works to make voting easy
Feb 01, 2008 ... OAKLAND -- Commuting and crowds could make it tougher to reach --and vote at -- assigned polling places Tuesday. So, the Alameda County Registrar of Voters Office will be openthrough election day for voters to cast their ballots onpresidential primary candidates, and local and ...
Silent type, boomers and Gen Xer face off
Feb 01, 2008; ... He's a member of the "Silent Generation," a group that came ofage during the Cold War conformity of the 1950s -- a generation yetto hold the White House. She's the arch-baby boomer, an emblem of the idealistic us-versus-them student politics of the 1960s, the ruthless ...
Proposal to protect homeowners from foreclosure fails
Feb 01, 2008; ... SACRAMENTO -- Concerned about potential harm to the lendingindustry, legislative Republicans on Wednesday killed a proposedbill that Senate Democrats argued would have provided some relief tohomeowners hit by the unprecedented mortgage crisis. Senate Bill 926, by Senate leader Don ...
Prop. 93: Old story with a new wrinkle
Feb 01, 2008; ... SACRAMENTO -- In the 17-plus years since voters approvedlegislative term limits, has the constant flow of new faces at theCapitol reinvigorated the Legislature with fresh ideas and energy? Or has the legislative branch been diminished by the loss ofexperience and the constant ...
Mayor: Ending violence requires everyone's help
Feb 01, 2008; ... UNION CITY -- Patience will be the key to action, Mayor MarkGreen said during an emotional and lengthy special meeting at theRuggieri Senior Center to tackle the issue of violence in the city. "We need everyone to help," he said. He added that it will take a community effort ...
GOP debate leaves few voters decided
Feb 01, 2008; ... WALNUT CREEK -- Ten undecided East Bay Republican voters gatheredat the Contra Costa Times Wednesday night to watch the GOPpresidential debate, but in a stark reflection of how close thiselection has become, only a few heard enough to make up their minds. Just three Republicans ...
Local Malaysian Indians planning rally
Feb 01, 2008; ... FREMONT -- While countries such as Israel and Pakistan areinfamous for imposing strict emergency security rules on civilians,the plight of ethnic Indians in Malaysia is less well-known. The tropical nation along the South China Sea officially isIslamic, and Hindu residents there ...
Deadline to apply to CSU East Bay close
Feb 01, 2008; ... HAYWARD -- High school seniors who plan to attend CaliforniaState University, East Bay, next year have about a month left toturn in an application. The university is tightening its application deadline to limitenrollment growth that may not be funded under the governor'sspending ...
Ohlone College dedicates Newark's new 'green' building
Feb 01, 2008; ... NEWARK - NEARLY 300 people packed a chilly plastic tent Thursdayat Ohlone College's Newark Center for an official dedication of thebuilding, touted again and again for its "green" design andoperation. Lt. Gov. John Garamendi helped christen the campus, but thegovernor himself -- ...
2 teens arrested after shot fired into home
Feb 01, 2008; ... FREMONT -- Police arrested two Fremont teenagers in connectionwith a Wednesday morning incident in which a bullet was fired into aCenterville home, Detective Bill Veteran said. The 15-year-old alleged gunman likely was firing at anindividual, but missed and struck the house on ...
Berkeley to Marines: Time to march out
Feb 01, 2008; ... BERKELEY -- Hey-hey, ho-ho, the Marines in Berkeley have got togo. That's the message from the Berkeley City Council, which voted 8-1 Tuesday night to tell the U.S. Marines that its Shattuck Avenuerecruiting station "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiterschoose to stay, ...
Tar balls found on beaches result of natural oil seepage
Feb 01, 2008; ... PACIFICA -- State officials and oil cleanup crews began to winddown their Pacifica-based operations Wednesday as the number of tarballs on San Mateo County beaches dwindled at the end of a three-day surge. As expected, test results confirmed that the source of thesticky, ...
College summit invites Latinos
Feb 01, 2008; ... HAYWARD -- Students considering college will have a chance thisweekend to get information on the steps necessary to apply forhigher education. The eighth annual Latino Education Summit, "Education IsEverybody's Business," will run from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday at ...
Probe finds no laws were broken in layover incident
Feb 01, 2008; ... U.S. Marines were kept from the passenger terminals of OaklandInternational Airport on Sept. 27 because of security concerns and alack of communication between the military and the federal airportsecurity officials, an investigation by the U.S. TransportationDepartment's inspector ...
Belly dancer shakes up commute
Feb 01, 2008; ... SAN LEANDRO -- Nothing beats a shimmy and shake to stop traffic. When commuters spotted a woman in a belly dancing get-up gettingher groove on with a road sign, they called 9-1-1. It's more thanyou might expect to see along the side of Interstate 880 in SanLeandro on a Monday ...
Hayward brothers charged in stabbings, kidnappings
Feb 01, 2008; ... OAKLAND -- Two Hayward brothers -- including one who had part ofhis ear bitten off during the melee -- have been charged withstabbing eight people at an East Oakland party Sunday morning andkidnapping three others, police said Wednesday. The girlfriend of one of the men was also ...
Mother's phone plea to Hans Reiser played back in court
Feb 01, 2008; ... OAKLAND -- The mother of Nina Reiser made a plea to Nina'sestranged husband to try and help find her daughter after she wentmissing Sept. 3, 2006. The call, left on Hans Reiser's cell phone voice mail, was playedfor jurors Wednesday afternoon during the software engineer's ...
Quality of care in hospitals evaluated
Feb 01, 2008; ... While most of the nation's hospitals perform on par with oneanother in patient outcomes, 5 percent of hospitals -- includingseven in the Bay Area -- follow practices that lower the risk of in-hospital deaths of Medicare patients by 27 percent, according to astudy released Thursday by ...
Above-average snowpack encourages state officials
Feb 01, 2008; ... As state water experts Thursday donned backcountry skis andwaterproof vests to measure the snowpack near Highway 50 in theSierra, they received some encouraging news: There's plenty of snowin them thar hills! What a difference a year makes. After last year's bone-dry winter ...
Police bust fencing operation, seize $500,000 in goods
Feb 01, 2008; ... OAKLAND -- Alex Stroud never thought he would see his prizedHoliday Bowl and 2006 Pac-10 championship football rings again afterhis Berkeley apartment was burglarized in June. "You can't just go buy those rings," said Stroud, a junior widereceiver for the University of California, ...
Dublin bucks trend, property values strong In her state of city talk, mayor predicts transition
Feb 01, 2008; ... DUBLIN -- Dublin is going well into the new year with propertyvalues remaining strong and businesses continuing to come to the Tri-Valley city, Mayor Janet Lockhart said Wednesday in her final stateof the city address. Lockhart, who will be termed out in November, spoke before ...
Market's delay dismays retailers
Feb 01, 2008; ... DANVILLE -- Just when tenants in the Green Valley Center thoughtbusiness was going to pick up again, they learned they will have towait. The Fresh & Easy neighborhood market chain announced plans thisweek for 18 Bay Area stores, including one in the Danville shoppingcenter ...
Cal High's sports events vex neighbors
Feb 01, 2008; ... SAN RAMON -- The popularity of California High School's sportingevents is growing by the minute. And so, unfortunately, are theschool's parking problems. San Ramon's City Council voted last week to expand the days andhours for which permits are required to park along Rutland ...
Pleasanton basketball star meets with Bush
Feb 01, 2008; ... Hours before he was to meet President Bush -- who was on a rarevisit to the Bay Area -- Amador Valley High basketball star KevinLaue still had no idea what he would say to the nation's chiefexecutive. "I guess I'll figure it out on the car ride over," the Pleasantonteen said ...
Probe: Airport had no disdain for Marines
Feb 01, 2008; ... U.S. Marines were kept from the passenger terminals of OaklandInternational Airport on Sept. 27 because of security concerns and alack of communication between the military and the federal airportsecurity officials, an investigation by the U.S. TransportationDepartment's inspector ...
Report bad news for local fishermen -- and salmon
Feb 01, 2008; ... PRINCETON-BY-THE-SEA -- Local fishermen saw doom in a reportreleased Tuesday warning that the Sacramento River's fall chinooksalmon population fell by two-thirds in 2007 and is headed forcollapse, according to data from the federal government. The sharp drop in chinook, or "king," ...
Tracy forced to tap into economic uncertainty fund
Feb 01, 2008; ... TRACY -- It seems to be a time of economic uncertainty for thecity of Tracy. At a workshop scheduled for Tuesday evening, the Tracy CityCouncil is expected to hear from city staff about a projectedshortfall of tax revenues forcing a withdrawal from a rainy day fundestablished by ...
County registrar adding convenience
Feb 01, 2008 ... OAKLAND -- Commuting and crowds could make it tougher to reach --and vote at -- assigned polling places Tuesday. So, the Alameda County Registrar of Voters Office will be openthrough Election Day for voters to cast their ballots onpresidential primary candidates, and local and ...
Investigator delayed getting to Cosco Busan accident
Feb 01, 2008; ... A key investigator was unable to get to the Cosco Busan for hoursafter the ship hit the Bay Bridge Nov. 7 because the state agencyresponsible for preventing and responding to oil spills did not havea boat to take him there. The pollution specialist who eventually corrected early, ...
Most of these GOP voters still have homework to do
Feb 01, 2008; ... WALNUT CREEK -- Ten undecided East Bay Republican voters gatheredat the Contra Costa Times on Wednesday night to watch the GOPpresidential debate, but in a stark reflection of how close thiselection has become, only a few heard enough to make up their minds. Just three Republicans ...
Retiree benefits could cripple Contra Costa
Feb 01, 2008; ... Contra Costa County has a double dose of bad news for itsresidents and employees. The public can expect at least $32 million of reduced servicesthis summer, while at the same time current and retired governmentworkers will have to pay substantially higher health care ...
Bay Area flu season may worsen; still time for shot
Feb 01, 2008; ... Protect yourself: The flu season has arrived. People with runny noses, coughs and achy muscles have beenseeking treatment at doctor's offices and hospital emergency rooms. California is now one of 17 states reporting regional fluactivity. Six states have widespread activity ....
Ohlone College unveils Newark campus's new 'green' building
Feb 01, 2008; ... NEWARK -- Nearly 300 people packed a chilly plastic tent Thursdayat Ohlone College's Newark Center for an official dedication of thebuilding, touted again and again for its "green" design andoperation. Lt. Gov. John Garamendi helped christen the campus, but thegovernor himself ...
MSJ's Stoops king of mat at Puma Classic
Feb 01, 2008; ... FREMONT -- Mission San Jose High wrestler Dan Stoops is a wilyveteran. The senior knows the wrestling season -- from December to March -- is a grind. "It started off well this year, I had one loss in my first twotournaments," Stoops said. But, as most wrestlers ...
Ohlone wins with defense
Feb 01, 2008; ... HAYWARD -- In a key matchup between two of the top squads in theCoast Conference North Division, the Ohlone College men's basketballteam turned to defense to break open a tight game, claiming a 68-59victory over host Chabot in the process. After trailing by a single point at 34-33 ...
Ansari's daughter may testify next week in murder trial
Feb 01, 2008; ... HAYWARD -- The youngest daughter of an Afghan mother of six whowas slain about 15 months ago in Fremont returned to the witnessstand Thursday and could testify in front of jurors as early asMonday. The girl, who was nearly 4 years old at the time of the killing,is the only ...
Freshman pivotal for Logan wrestling
Feb 01, 2008; ... UNION CITY -- If Matt Haney didn't understand the James LoganHigh wrestling tradition when he made the varsity team this year asa freshman -- he does now. The 171-pounder clinched Logan's 38-27 Mission Valley AthleticLeague victory over visiting Newark Memorial on Wednesday ...
Newark gains regular-season girls soccer title
Feb 01, 2008 ... UNION CITY -- A first-half goal by Alyssa Trujillo was all theNewark Memorial High's girls soccer team would need to beat hostJames Logan 1-0. The win secured a repeat regular-season Mission Valley AthleticLeague championship for Newark, and gives the Cougars home-fieldadvantage ...
Biser has taken Newark soccer to new heights
Feb 01, 2008; ... FREMONT -- Soccer is a true team game with 11 players workingtoward a common goal, but a few individuals can take a team to ahigher level. In Newark Memorial High's case, Sarah Biser has helped theCougars (8-0-4) remain unbeaten in league play and gain first place.This season ...
Senemar scores twice in win
Feb 01, 2008 ... PLEASANTON -- Pouring rain couldn't stop the Monte Vista Highgirls soccer team from adding another win in the East Bay AthleticLeague. The Mustangs topped Amador Valley 2-0 in tough conditionsThursday. The rain started around 3 p.m. and kept going through the nightgame ....
Woodrow's 34 help Huskies clinch title
Feb 01, 2008; ... FREMONT -- There is no doubt the girls basketball teams fromWashington and American are the top two teams in the Mission ValleyAthletic League -- and just as clear is that their star players,Morgan Woodrow and Alex Carbonel, are among Northern California'selite. So when the ...
Foothill's Sweeney ready to return for 2008
Feb 01, 2008; ... PLEASANTON -- John Mannion always wanted to be a high schoolfootball head coach, so last year when longtime Foothill coach MattSweeney resigned, Mannion was given a chance to fulfill one of hisgoals. Mannion had been an assistant to Sweeney for 11 years and hadbecome one of ...
San Ramon capitalizes on Laue's absence
Feb 01, 2008; ... PLEASANTON -- The Amador Valley High boys basketball teamcouldn't hold its own under the rim without injured, 6-foot-10 inchKevin Laue, as San Ramon Valley drove through the Dons 81-70Wednesday night. The second half of the East Bay Athletic League season got off toa rocky start ...
Wolf Pack downs Stagg with late surge
Feb 01, 2008 ... STOCKTON -- With a big fourth quarter by its two leading scorers,the West High girls basketball team put itself comfortably in secondplace in the Tri-City Athletic League. Whitney Howard scored 10 points and Eliza Bowles added nine inthe fourth as the Wolf Pack pulled away for a ...
One down, three to go for Amador
Feb 01, 2008; ... PLEASANTON -- The road to the East Bay Athletic League boyssoccer championship for Amador Valley heading into this week wasfairly straightforward -- win its final four games, and it wins thetitle. Wednesday night, Amador took care of the first game, beatingGranada 3-0, leaving ...
Tracy starts fast, routs Lincoln
Feb 01, 2008; ... TRACY -- It took about four minutes for the Tracy High girlsbasketball team to establish itself as the aggressor Thursday nightin its rematch against Lincoln. The Bulldogs scored the first 10 points of the game and held theTrojans without a point for the first 4:31 in a 48-29 San ...
Keefe's basket stuns Sierra
Feb 01, 2008; ... MANTECA -- With her team trailing by a point with less than 30seconds remaining Thursday night, Sonora High's Kelli Keefe -- heldscoreless to that point -- watched as teammate Brittany Malonebattled inside, grabbing her own rebound twice but not convertingeither putback. After ...
West gives St. Mary's a battle
Feb 01, 2008; ... TRACY -- Patrick Jemerigbe picked the right time to nail two freethrows. With West on a 16-4 run and having cut a 15-point lead to fourpoints with 47 seconds left, Jemerigbe hit his first two consecutivefree throws of the night to start an 8-1 run for St. Mary's to closeout the ...
Scheible scores 18 as Manteca garners fourth straight victory
Feb 01, 2008 ... SONORA -- Manteca boasted three players in double figuresWednesday and claimed its fourth Valley Oak League boys basketballvictory in a row with a 59-51 road win over Sonora in Castle Gym. "We did a good job in the second half taking care of the ball,"Buffaloes coach Dave Asuncion ...
Tempest II records 2-0 win over Modesto
Feb 01, 2008 ... The Tempest II girls soccer team posted a 2-0 win over Modesto 1in Frazier League play on Jan. 19. Sarah Ballard scored off a pass from Nancy Tristan less than aminute into the game to give Tempest an early lead, but the team hadtrouble penetrating the Modesto defense for most of ...
Nunnally gets Weston Ranch rolling
Feb 01, 2008; ... CERES -- It was mildly surprising that the Ceres High boysbasketball team gave first-place Weston Ranch all it could handleWednesday night. It was no surprise who led the Cougars' comeback. James Nunnally scored nine consecutive points late in the fourthquarter to help give ...
Foothill's Sweeney ready to return
Feb 01, 2008; ... PLEASANTON -- John Mannion always wanted to be a high schoolfootball head coach, so last year when longtime Foothill coach MattSweeney resigned, Mannion was given a chance to fulfill one of hisgoals. Mannion had been an assistant to Sweeney for 11 years and hadbecome one of ...
A 2nd Hercules task is fulfilled
Feb 01, 2008; ... BERKELEY -- One historic win this season wasn't enough for theHercules High girls basketball team. After knocking off Pinole Valley on Jan.11 for the first time inschool history, the Titans added to their list of firsts Thursday,beating host Berkeley 50-43 to force a tie atop the ...
Spivey powers Holy Names by Pioneers ROUNDUP
Feb 01, 2008; ... HAYWARD -- The inside presence of Holy Names University seniorMartha Spivey helped the first-place Hawks overtake host Cal StateEast Bay 61-56 in Cal Pac Conference play. Spivey's second-half defense, including three blocked shots andseveral key rebounds, put the clamps on the ...
Whittington sparks Knights' win
Feb 01, 2008; ... OAKLAND -- To put it simply, Crystal Whittington and herCastlemont teammates made one point all too clear Wedenesdayafternoon. The Knights are the team to beat in the Oakland Athletic Leaguegirls basketball race. In a game that Whittington described as "one that we were ...
Enduring Tiger storm, Mack attacks in OT
Feb 01, 2008; ... OAKLAND -- The gym at Fremont High has not been a warm, friendlyenvironment for the McClymonds High boys basketball team. The Warriors' only loss in Oakland Athletic League play camethere last year, and Mack hadn't won at Fremont since 2005. So whenthe Tigers opened an eight-point ...
Dons move into HAAL title chase
Feb 01, 2008; ... SAN LORENZO -- The two-horse battle for Hayward Area AthleticLeague girls basketball supremacy is now a three-team race to thefinish, as Arroyo shocked Bishop O'Dowd 52-49 on Wednesday night. Thanks to senior Danika Potestio's game-high 27 points and clutchfourth quarter free ...
Soccer struggles to make grade
Feb 01, 2008; ... Just as they might in any practice, the Menlo-Atherton High boyssoccer players are working on their individual skills. Head coachJacob Pickard circles around, offering instruction to some playerswhile simply observing the progress of others. But instead of working to perfect their ...