Oakland Tribune back issues from May 2009:
Piedmont schools issue pink slips to 74 employees
May 01, 2009; ... Piedmont school district issued pink slips Wednesday to 74classified employees in response to the state budget crisisaffecting schools. The 74 affected employees represent the elimination, for now, of40 FTE, or full-time equivalent positions. Hardest hit were instructional ...
Police reports
May 01, 2009; ... The following crime information affecting areas in or near thehills came from the Oakland Police Department: Assaults (1) April 11 -- 4700 MacArthur Boulevard (12:05 a.m.) Auto burglaries (10) April 10 -- West MacArthur Boulevard (7:38 a.m.); 7000 block ...
Montclair City Briefs
May 01, 2009; ... Oakland Tech play this weekend Oakland Technical High School's performing arts department isputting on Bertolt Brecht's "The Caucasian Chalk Circle" today andSaturday, 6:30 p.m., in the school's auditorium. Drama Teacher JessaBrie Berkner directs the mythical adventure of goodness ...
Thriving baby supply business welcomes community
May 01, 2009; ... It's been one year of juggling parenthood and a new business, andthe Tulip Grove's Jen Frick and Victoria Maitland are ready tocelebrate. To mark the one-year anniversary of their Montclair store, whichsells baby clothes, supplies and toys and provides classes for newparents, ...
Holy Names senior wins Gates scholarship
May 01, 2009; ... Holy Names High School senior Marisela Ezparza has been selectedto receive the Gates Millennium Scholarship award. The Gates Millennium Scholars Program, established in 1999, wasinitially funded by a $1 billion grant from the Bill & Melinda GatesFoundation. The goal of the program ...
Ginny Prior: Restaurant Walk a smashing success
May 01, 2009; ... MONTCLAIR MAY NOT BE MAYBERRY, but it sure can be sweet. Take theLion's Club Restaurant Walk last week. On a balmy spring evening,the town turned out for its first-ever progressive dinner. Local restaurants offered food and drink, the Boy Scouts kept thestreets tidy and acted as ...
Healing with respect
May 01, 2009; ... Speaking respectfully and forcefully to more than 250 people atKehilla Community Synagogue in Piedmont on Sunday, Dr. IzzeldinAbuelaish shared the story of losing three of his eight children anda niece during Israeli shelling of Gaza on January 16. "I share the craziness of our ...
Community activist, tenacious fighter turns 100
May 01, 2009; ... Nobody could care less than Marjorie Saunders that she is turning100. Saunders, who as a pioneer resident of Skyline Boulevard becamethe matriarch of Piedmont Pines, has continued even into her 90s todelve head first and wholeheartedly into innumerable communitycauses, just as ...
Journal editorial: Fernside Boulevard trees provide a lesson in compromise
May 01, 2009; ... Part oF Alameda's tranquil image is its tree-lined, shadystreets. There's no question that when it comes to our trees,emotions run high. They contribute much to the community, not onlyaesthetically but also environmentally. But no matter how strong our attachment may be, there ...
Alameda letters to the editor
May 01, 2009; ... Consider alternate use for Mif Albright I have no opinion on the future of the Mif Albright golf course.If the course is closed though, I suggest the city explore thepossibility of using these 12 acres as alternative source of energyfor the city -- this being a mini solar/wind ...
Police arrest five for strong-armed robbery
May 01, 2009; ... Police arrested two men and three teenagers on suspicion ofrobbing a man Thursday night as he waited for a bus at Santa ClaraAvenue and Bay Street, where they reportedly rifled his pocketsbefore they stole his money and iPod. A patrol sergeant arrested the teens and one of the men ...
Bunnies once again available for adoption
May 01, 2009; ... NOW THAT Easter season is over, the Alameda Animal Shelter isonce again offering bunnies for adoption. Although only three rabbits are in residence in the Shelter'sRabbit Row, about 14 bunnies are available through a rescue group inAlameda, the Alameda Point Bunny Rescue, and the ...
Local author publishes book on her unusual travels
May 01, 2009; ... Alamedan Sara Rivard recently published her first book based onher off-the-grid travels around Central and South America. The book, "Caminante, Bridger of Worlds," contains a series oflinked short stories about her encounters with street children andreflections on her role in the ...
Letters to the Sun, May 1
May 01, 2009; ... Actions speak louder than words For several years, I have read letters to the editor from RichardS. Colman and the small number of his equally editorially prolificcolleagues from Orinda who appear to have in common the followingcharacteristics: -- They do not hesitate to ...
Joe King: An amateur's view of today's sports scene
May 01, 2009; ... DURING MY early years of running track and cross country, thepresident of the Amateur Athletic Union, Avery Brundage, seemed toguard against professionalism on our nation's collegiate and post-collegiate athletic fields with an iron grip. To obtain an AAU card, we had to attest we ...
SUNBEAMS: Going green with garden greens
May 01, 2009; ... MORAGA GARDEN CLUB GOES GREEN: Not only do the club's 141 membersget down on the ground in their own gardens, as well as keep theircommunity's public places looking bright, they celebrated with freshspring greens at their annual salad luncheon with guests whosepleasant problem was ...
Around Castro Valley: Enjoy the sound of music in Castro Valley
May 01, 2009; ... CASTRO VALLEY WILL BE BUZZING with arts activities in the comingweeks. First up, for a classic good time it's Castro Valley HighSchool production of "The Sound of Music," opening tonight at 7:30p.m. School music departments are struggling under budget strains, soplease note that ...
LAMORINDA'S best
May 01, 2009; ... Digest Lectures "Global Poverty: Challenges and Hopes for the New Millennium" --1:30 p.m. May 1. Speaker: Ananya Roy, UC Berkeley professor.Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church, 49 Knox Drive, Lafayette. Events Cinco de Mayo Festival at Moraga Hacienda -- ...
Religious Happenings Calendar
May 01, 2009; ... This calendar lists special events at churches, temples, mosquesand synagogues. Notices must be received at least two weeks beforethe event, which should be public and of general interest, ratherthan for a particular congregation. If the event involves a fee, itcan be no more than $50 ....
No on 1D
May 01, 2009; ... With unemployment and foreclosures on the rise, we need to do allwe can to support children and families in our community. And a goodplace to start is by voting NO on Proposition 1D on May 19. Proposition 1D is a cynical attempt to rob local communities offunding for programs that ...
Gunless "peace" has sinister precedent
May 01, 2009; ... Recently, Jeffrey Suits wrote that after "warrantless searches"are conducted to confiscate all guns, "the world will return to thepeaceful, nurturing society that existed before the scourge offirearms made us violent". In 1938 my father-in-law experienced the "peace" and ...
Down the rabbit hole
May 01, 2009; ... Let me get this straight. You can now smoke a little dope, put alittle more in your pocket next to your suspended driver's license,pull down your pants and underwear, stroll over onto your neighbor'sproperty, push him aside, steal a plant off of his porch and driverecklessly away ....
Voting age should be lowered to 16
May 01, 2009; ... Studying history is one of my hobbies, and one of my passions isexpanding voting rights, especially for disenfranchised tax-payingteenagers. In one book I read (Give Me Liberty! by Eric Foner), AbigailAdams wrote to husband, John, during the American revolution, that"(women) will ...
My Word: Customer service is lost in Las Vegas
May 01, 2009; ... In the Martin Scorsese movie "Casino," Robert DeNiro's characterbecame enraged with the blueberries in his muffin and blurted out tohis executive chef, "Make sure an equal amount of blueberries are ineach and every muffin!" "I can't," the exasperated chef responded, "that would ...
Hayward Daily Review May 1 Letters to the editor
May 01, 2009; ... Healthy living There have been about 150 deaths related to the swine flu, andthose have been ONLY in Mexico. People are beginning to stockpilemedicine, wear masks and cancel vacations to Mexico. Before we allfreak out, let's put this in perspective. There are 435,000 deaths ...
Contra Costa Times May 1 Letters from our readers
May 01, 2009; ... As a former Merchant Marine officer, I do not understand the fussover pirates taking over ships and holding them for ransom. Let's say I am the ship owner. By letting pirates board my ship,they are endangering the lives of my ship's crew. My ship, sittingin the water for months at ...
Editorial: Is Congress kidding? It has no place in the BCS
May 01, 2009; ... REST ASSURED, YOUR Congress is hard at work representing yourvital interests. As proof, we note that one of its subcommitteeswill hold a critical hearing today. Will it discuss the swine fluoutbreak, or how to push momentum into our economy or even theuprising of terrorists in ...
Editorial: Cell phones should not be allowed in California prisons
May 01, 2009; ... DESPITE EFFORTS to confiscate cell phones in prisons, they arebecoming a significant problem that needs to be corrected. Cell phones can be used to coordinate escapes or even plan andorchestrate crimes outside prison walls. Currently, it is against prison rules for inmates to ...
Thomas Sowell: In today's politically correct world it seems survival is optional
May 01, 2009; ... IT USED TO be said that self-preservation is the first law ofnature. But much of what has been happening in recent times in theUnited States, and in Western civilization in general, suggests thatsurvival is taking a back seat to the shibboleths of politicalcorrectness. We have ...
Kathleen Parker: Obama should bow out from speaking at Notre Dame
May 01, 2009; ... HERE ON planet "What About Me," principled people are so rare asto be oddities. Thus, it was a head-swiveling moment Monday whenformer Vatican Ambassador Mary Ann Glendon quietly declined NotreDame's Laetare Medal. Glendon -- a Harvard University law professor and a ...
Valley Times May 1 Letters from our readers
May 01, 2009; ... Enough already -- 159 swine flu deaths and 2,498 illnesses inMexico. In the United States, 55 illnesses. That's it. Every yearthe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 5percent to 20 percent of Americans are infected by what citizenscall "the flu" annually. Of these ...
Ask Amy: Dirty, Smelly House Begs For Intervention
May 01, 2009; ... DEAR AMY: I want some advice on how to help my son and daughter-in-law without hurting their feelings. When we visit, the dog smell and dog hair in their home botherus. The dishwasher is broken and the carpets are not clean. Should we get someone to come in and clean before ...
Trivia Bits: Coke magnate drinks in politics
May 01, 2009; ... 1. Asa Candler gave control over Coca-Cola to his kids after hewas elected mayor of what city in 1916? A. Atlanta B. Cincinnati C. Rochester D. San Francisco 2. What famous scientist was "saddened and ashamed" to declineIsrael's presidency? A ....
Recent restaurant reviews
May 01, 2009; ... The following are shortened versions of recent full-lengthrestaurant reviews. The date the original review ran and its overallrating is in parentheses. If there are more stars than dollar signs,consider it a good value. AMERICAN 900 Grayson, 900 Grayson St., Berkeley ....
Recent restaurant reviews
May 01, 2009; ... The following are shortened versions of recent full-lengthrestaurant reviews. The date the original review ran and its overallrating is in parentheses. If there are more stars than dollar signs,consider it a good value. AMERICAN Burgermeister, 2319 Central Ave., Alameda ....
Miss Manners: Price setting for the dog
May 01, 2009; ... DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have always been taught that finances andexpenses are topics that should not be inquired about, due to theirobviously sensitive nature, especially in an economy like ours. The problem I am facing is that I dog-sit for people in mycollege community (professors, ...
Artistic gems from the Australian outback
May 01, 2009; ... IT'S NOT often that I come across a painting that vibrates. I don't mean literally, as in a work engineered for actualphysical movement, or one that plays with both a viewer's perceptionand a picture's surface in the style of Op Art. It's painting that feels somehow imbued ...
Recent restaurant reviews
May 01, 2009; ... The following are shortened versions of recent full-lengthrestaurant reviews. The date the original review ran and its overallrating is in parentheses. If there are more stars than dollar signs,consider it a good value. AMERICAN 900 Grayson, 900 Grayson St., Berkeley ....
Ex-Etiquette: Why won t they call this good man 'Dad ?
May 01, 2009; ... Q: For most of their lives, my husband has fulfilled the fatherrole for my daughters. Their father died when the oldest was 2 andthe youngest 1. He's taken on the responsibility in every way and,considering that he has never had any biological kids of his own,he's done a great job. The ...
Club owners pushing for entertainment commission
May 01, 2009; ... By Angela Woodall STAFF WRITER When it comes to cracking down on nuisance night clubs, policeand city of Oakland pretty much run the show. That's what ledGeoffrey Pete, proprietor of Geoffrey's Inner Circle, to stand onthe steps of City Hall in March surrounded by other black ...
Chevron profits plunge 64 percent
May 01, 2009; ... Chevron Corp.'s first-quarter profits and revenues plummeted,undermined by lower crude-oil and natural gas prices, but analystsbelieve the company is poised to rebound because of its aggressivequest to scout for new sources of energy. San Ramon-based Chevron earned $1.84 billion ...
NBC exec dies during filming of TV pilot in Sausalito
May 01, 2009; ... An NBC executive died Wednesday night after collapsing during apickup basketball game near Sausalito City Hall where a pilot TVseries was being filmed. Nora O'Brien, 44, of Santa Monica, a vice president of dramaprogramming for NBC Universal, was pronounced dead shortly before ...
Oakland liquor store clerk shot in robbery
May 01, 2009; ... OAKLAND -- A 66-year-old clerk at Bruce's Liquor on MacArthurBoulevard in East Oakland remains in critical condition today afterhe was shot multiple times during a robbery at the store Thursdaynight, police said. The clerk, whose name has not been released, was alone in thestore ...
Eco tour
May 01, 2009; ... The Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program and theMarin Art and Garden Center are hosting a self-guided tour May 9 ofeco-friendly practices including native and drought tolerantplantings, an organic vineyard and garden, rainwater catchmentfacilities, "smart" irrigation ...
Fiesta fun
May 01, 2009; ... Those of you who follow Indoors & Out know what big fans we areof Fiesta Dinnerware, and we're practically drooling over thisyear's new color. Lemongrass becomes the 15th color in the Fiesta line, joiningblack, white, ivory, cinnabar, cobalt, turquoise, sunflower, plum,scarlet, ...
Graffiti scrawled overnight on walls at Concord elementary school
May 01, 2009; ... CONCORD -- Vandals spray-painted graffiti, including a swastikaand obscenities, at Mountain View Elementary School overnight, theMt. Diablo Unified School District reported. The school principal discovered the graffiti about 7 a.m., saiddistrict spokeswoman Sue Berg. A swastika was ...
In the Garden: May 4-11
May 01, 2009; ... Experts with the California Association of Nurseries and GardenCenters say: -- Celebrate Mother's Day with a new rose for the garden. Orchoose another living gift for Mom to enjoy. -- Cut off old flowers as roses finish blooming. -- Check apple and peach crops. Remove ...
Water-Wise Tip: Drought friendly gardens
May 01, 2009; ... With California suffering from drought conditions, the ContraCosta Water District offers weekly tips on using water wisely. Landscapes and gardens with California native plants aresignificantly better suited to survive our hot, dry summers than thetraditional turf-dominated ...
One arrested, one sought in El Sobrante slaying
May 01, 2009; ... Authorities arrested a 30-year-old man on suspicion of murderThursday night in connection with a fatal shooting this week outsidean El Sobrante pharmacy, and are seeking a second person inconnection with the case. Contra Costa sheriff's deputies found Emile Hatfield at a home ...
Weekend Top 10: Portuguese singing star Mariza plays the Paramount Theatre
May 01, 2009; ... 1 Mariza: The striking singer (pictured) is at the forefront ofsurging global interest in fado, the Portuguese music style thatsounds like an urgent mix of Latin, African and Arabic styles.Powerful stuff. Details: Presented by SFJAZZ's spring concert series, 8 p.m. May2, ...
Bay Area concerts: Erykah Badu, Wilco, Pink set local concerts
May 01, 2009; ... On sale May 1 ERYKAH BADU, 9 p.m. June 6, Warfield, $45-&75. WILCO, 7:30 p.m. June 26, Mountain Winery, $39.50. GEORGE LOPEZ, 8 p.m. July 26, San Jose Event Center, $49.50-$65. STELLASTARR, 9 p.m. Aug. 1, Slim's, $20. On sale May 2 JOEL MCHALE, 8 ...
Spin Cycle: Beer goggles, naked hikers and more
May 01, 2009; ... Beware of bares The Swiss region of Appenzell, a bucolic, Alpine area that justcries out for yodelers, is up in arms over a sudden invasion offoreign hikers. We assumed it was because they insisted on singing"So long, farewell, adieu adieu adieu" ad nauseam. But no, turns ...
Ex-kidnap victim who searched for Cantu seriously hurt in crash
May 01, 2009; ... VALLEJO -- A kidnapping survivor from Vallejo who recently puther heart into searching for Tracy's Sandra Cantu hasn't had an easytime since learning of the 8-year-old's death. Midsi Sanchez, 16, was hospitalized Friday with serious injuries -- including a broken neck and punctured ...
S.F. Symphony sets up some sizzle for the summer
May 01, 2009; ... IT'S ALL EYES in the orchestra on Alexander Barantschik tonight,Saturday night and Sunday afternoon in Davies Hall, as the SanFrancisco Symphony concertmaster departs from the norm to becomeleader of the entire group for an all-strings concert featuringVivaldi's famous "Four Seasons," ...
Wet weather, steep grade lead to Carlos Bee crashes
May 01, 2009; ... HAYWARD -- When it rains, cars coming down Carlos Bee Boulevardtend to crash, police say. On Friday morning, it took only about 15 minutes, police said. At 9:48 a.m., the driver of a gray Ford Focus lost control whilenegotiating a turn, and the vehicle ended up against the ...
Former Richmond mayoral aide sentenced for stealing city funds
May 01, 2009; ... WALNUT CREEK -- A former Richmond mayoral aide has been sentencedfor stealing $65,650 from the city by submitting fraudulentinvoices. Oakland resident Parin Shah, 39, was sentenced Thursday in aWalnut Creek courtroom to 120 days in jail and three yearsprobation, and ordered to ...
Bay Point man arrested after high-speed chase from Danville to San Ramon
May 01, 2009; ... DANVILLE -- A Bay Point man suspected of driving a stolen car ledpolice on a high-speed chase on city streets from Danville to SanRamon and crashed into a fence before he was caught and arrested,police said. A patrol unit spotted a 2003 Nissan Altima speeding on San RamonValley ...
BART meeting Saturday on police review board
May 01, 2009; ... OAKLAND -- BART invites the public to a meeting 1 p.m. Saturdayto discuss establishing a civiliian police oversight board for thetransit system. The meeting will be at 1 p.m. at the Bort Metro Center ...
Martinez to study school consolidation
May 01, 2009; ... MARTINEZ -- Declining enrollment and continued budget uncertaintyhave led Martinez school leaders to green-light a districtwidereview that could result in closing a school. "It's just an opportunity to take a look at are our schoolfacilities being used to the maximum capacity," ...
Jaime Richards column: Slip-ups can have big repercussions
May 01, 2009; ... I DON'T MEAN to scare you. Well, yes I do. A little bit. A pinchof paranoia is healthy. You can live a lucky life, but one stupid decision, one lapse ofjudgment and the world as you know it can vanish instantly andeternally. The latest reminder of this depressing fact of life ...
Landlords claim police discrimination in suit against Antioch
May 01, 2009; ... A family of Antioch landlords is suing the city, alleging it wasintimidated, harassed and pressured to evict African-Americantenants receiving government housing assistance. The federal civil rights lawsuit was filed Thursday in U.S.District Court in San Francisco. It names as ...
Richmond may dump foam food containers
May 01, 2009; ... Plastic foam food containers could be barred from Richmond asearly as summer. City officials are getting close to passing a new law that wouldban these takeout containers and require switching to biodegradableones or containers suitable for compost. Paper and products made ...
'May Day' marches call for immigration reform
May 01, 2009; ... OAKLAND -- Thousands of people marched through the Bay Area andacross the country Friday for immigration reform, hoping thatrenewed attention to the challenges facing undocumented immigrantsand their families would make them more of a priority in PresidentBarack Obama's first year in ...
Shadow Cliffs Park meeting set for Monday
May 01, 2009; ... PLEASANTON -- A public meeting on a new land use plan for ShadowCliffs Regional Park will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday atthe Pleasanton public library, 400 Bernal Ave. East Bay Regional Park District planners invite the public toattend, learn about and discuss efforts to ...
As boat market sinks, repo business thrives
May 01, 2009; ... MILWAUKEE -- With boat sales down and repossessions on the rise,hundreds of recreational watercraft from across the nation arestacking up at a Wisconsin business. It's called the Midwest Marine Repo Center, a Skipper Bud's boatdealership, on the south shore of Lake Butte des Morts ...