CONTRA COSTA TIMES

Las Positas to offer bachelor's degree From counterculture's cutting edge to the educational mainstream, integral studies are coming to the Livermore-Amador Valley. Las Positas College has teamed up with an alternative college borne of 1960s interest in Asian religion and cultures to let students take classes at the community college for a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies. The classes will start in 2006.

Ready for takeoff  The Byron Airport is a sparkle in the eyes of many east Contra Costa leaders who see an untapped economic gem sitting in their rural backyard, but political and physical barriers are conspiring to prevent a major expansion.

Not so hot property To the naked eye, the private island in the middle of San Francisco Bay looks like a misshapen loaf. But after four years on the market, for a cool $10 million, it's starting to resemble a white elephant.

Justice Department clears roadblock for Indian casino The U.S. Department of Justice has asked a federal court to toss a lawsuit filed by Amador County to overturn approval of a 2,000-slot casino about 40 miles from Sacramento.

Jury says no to Antioch man's insanity defense MARTINEZ -- A jury found Monday that an Antioch man who shot a childhood acquaintance was sane when he committed the crime, meaning he could spend the rest of his life in prison.

Blackhawk to vote on police tax Residents in this upscale community of 4,255 voters will be asked in a special mail-in ballot election to spend 28 cents more per day for police services.

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SACRAMENTO BEE

Governor embarks on image change Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is about to try the political version of one of those makeovers popular on afternoon TV talk shows - where the guest is transformed from unsightly to attractive.

Governor signs voter-data bill Legislation to ban foreign workers from handling personal information from California voter lists or petition drives was signed Monday by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

U.S. backs casino in court WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Justice has asked a federal court to toss a lawsuit filed by Amador County seeking to overturn approval of a 2,000-slot casino about 40 miles from Sacramento.

CalPERS scores 12.7% return ROHNERT PARK - Fueled by hefty gains in the real estate and private equity markets, the California Public Employees' Retirement System recorded a 12.7 percent investment return in its latest fiscal year, officials reported Monday

Daniel Weintraub: Proposition 77 case pits principle vs. voters' will  The battle over Proposition 77 - the measure endorsed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to change the way the state draws political district lines - has now moved to an appeals court. A three-judge panel Monday blocked, at least temporarily, a lower court ruling throwing the measure off the ballot. The panel will now consider the initiative's fate in more depth.

Other view: Arnold's own Keystone Kops  In the annals of California politics, rarely has anything been as incompetent as the run-up to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Nov. 8 special election. Another pearl of his "year of reform" turned to dust last week when a Sacramento Superior Court judge struck his redistricting initiative, Proposition 77, from the ballot. He should immediately move to cancel the election.

Two crashes, many hard questions  Police say a teen was hurt and her grandfather killed in a DUI collision with a driver suspected in an earlier case.

Museum plans up for vote A state task force considering locations for a state Indian Heritage Center is scheduled to vote today whether to proceed with plans for a center in the American River Parkway.

Solar-powered machines replace parking meters As construction projects on almost every street corner downtown make parking harder to find, at least paying for it could get easier under new technology unveiled Monday by Sacramento officials.

Child molester draws sentence of 15 years to life  Joseph Clarence Benson, the former Sacramento Youth Symphony general manager who fled to Africa after he became the focus of a child molestation investigation, was sentenced Friday to a 15 years-to-life term in prison for sexually molesting two brothers at a Christmas party.

Sac City charter schools in a jam Bowing to community opposition, the Sacramento City Unified School District has decided not to move the Success Academy school from Eighth and V streets to another campus about a mile away.

Man killed near ex-girlfriend's home SACRAMENTO - A confrontation over an Oak Park woman ended Monday with one man dead and the other wanted in connection with the fatal shooting, police said

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SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

Defendant says he found transgender teen attractive Merel, 25, testified he found the victim, a transgender teenager who was born with male anatomy, very attractive. ``She was kind of wild, I guess you would say she wasn't shy,'' Merel said. A short time after meeting Gwen in the fall of 2002, Merel testified that he had sex with her and found the experience satisfying. He is the only defendant to admit warm feelings for the victim. A short time later, when the group of friends that Gwen had male genitalia, Merel said he vomited and burst into tears. ``I think I was going through some kind of identity crisis because I seriously thought I was gay,'' Merel said. ``Your whole life you believe you are a heterosexual and you find out you've been pleasured by a man. It disgusted me . . . Emotionally I was crushed.''  But Merel said he didn't want to kill her.

Officials recommend light rail for Grand Prix The souped-up performance cars in town for this weekend's Taylor Woodrow Grand Prix of San Jose will have wide-open streets to race on, but for the thousands of humble compacts and SUVs full of race fans hoping to see them, it'll be a different story.

Police arrest S.J. teen in killing of athlete
1 MAN STILL AT LARGE IN APPARENT DRUG DEAL GONE BAD
A 19-year-old San Jose man is in jail on suspicion of murder in a Sunnyvale double-shooting that killed a former Homestead High School running back about two weeks ago in what police now say was a drug deal that went sour.

Hearst appraisal made public
STATE HAS BOUGHT DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS TO SCENIC RANCH
Despite opposition from environmentalists, the Hearst Corp. had enough legal lots, water and road access to build luxury homes across large sections of the scenic Hearst Ranch -- if it had tried.

Beating called a hate crime
COUPLE ALLEGEDLY STRUCK PREGNANT WOMAN WHILE YELLING RACIAL EPITHETS
As two of her neighbors beat her, police say, a Morgan Hill woman pleaded with them: ``Don't hit me, don't hurt me! I'm pregnant! ''

Council reviews ethics code
CITY'S STRICTER STANDARDS FOR CONFLICTS OF INTEREST WOULD AFFECT INVESTMENTS
Los Altos officials will consider bolstering the city's ethics code tonight to keep members of the city council and planning commission from investing in real estate deals that come up for government review.

Veteran promoted to chief
TOOK INTERIM POST IN JANUARY
Bob Lacey joined the Los Altos Police Department 25 years ago and liked the small town feel so much that he never left. On Monday, City Manager Phil Rose gave Lacey another reason to stick around: He named Lacey the new chief

Teens, tanning salons skirt law
PARENTAL CONSENT NOT WELL ENFORCED
When Michele, 16, of San Jose went to a tanning salon eight days in a row to even out the farmer's tan she had gotten from playing softball, she knew her parents wouldn't approve.

Town voting on purchase of local water system
EVEN IF BOND MEASURE PASSES, GERMANS SAY THEY WON'T SELL
Four years ago, it's safe to say, no one in Essen, Germany, had ever heard of a little town in the Santa Cruz Mountains called Felton.

City debates medicinal pot store
CRITIC WORRIES OVER SHOP'S EFFECT
The Santa Cruz City Council is expected to decide today whether to allow its first medicinal marijuana shop. Planning commissioners voted 5-0 last week to approve a special-use permit for Boulder Creek resident Lisa Molyneux to operate the Greenway pot dispensary on DuBois Street in the Harvey West Business Park.

Water firm will seek consent to thin forest for fire control
San Jose Water Co. plans to submit formal documents to the state next month asking permission to log about 1,000 acres of land near the Lexington Reservoir as a way to control fire and protect water quality.

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MODESTO BEE

Replacing Kyte as city manager won't be easy task for Turlock  Steve Kyte set a date for his retirement as Turlock's city manager last week, 25 years after he took the job.

Turlock votes on metering water for all
TURLOCK — All city residents will move another step closer to having water meters at their homes if the City Council amends an ordinance tonight.

Prisoner linked to 2 valley killings
Police have connected two valley slayings in 2000 to a killer serving a life sentence in Montana for the death of a homeless man.

Board to consider replacing sheriff
The Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors is set to consider naming a replacement for outgoing Sheriff Les Weidman when it meets this morning.

Waterford mulls superintendent selection
WATERFORD — When Frank Cranley signed his contract as school superintendent in 2002, he made it clear he would work for only four years.

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SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, EXAMINER

SAN FRANCISCO: Hospital may owe taxes. Assessor estimates bill at $4 million In one of his first acts as San Francisco's new assessor-recorder, Phil Ting said Monday a preliminary investigation by his office found that California Pacific Medical Center might not have qualified...

BAY AREA: BART to halt many rush-hour trains to SFO. Lack of Peninsula riders brings change -- system will save almost $4 million a year  Plagued by low ridership on its Peninsula extension, BART plans to cut its rush-hour service to San Francisco International Airport in half starting in September in a move to save nearly $4 million a ...

SAN FRANCISCO. Curbs on overruns OKd by board panel. The idea is to have a capital expense plan submitted each year by city administrator  Legislation designed to coordinate capital planning in San Francisco and prevent huge cost overruns on city projects was approved Monday by a key committee of the Board of Supervisors. The legislation...

SAN FRANCISCO: Sunnydale slaying victim identified Authorities have identified a man slain over the weekend in a courtyard of the Sunnydale housing projects in Visitacion Valley as Eugene Muna, 20. He was shot outside a residence at 21 Blythdale Ave. ...

SAN FRANCISCO: Artist to fill vacancy on building panel Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin named artist Debra Walker on Monday to fill a vacancy on the city's Building Inspection Commission. Walker will serve out the term of Phil Ting, whom Mayor ...

ALBANY: City clears out 19 campsites used by homeless people. Squatters returned to future park after bigger eviction in '99 Authorities have removed nearly 20 homeless encampments from the Albany Bulb -- the latest step in the planned transformation of a former dump along the bay into part of the Eastshore State Park. The ...

MILPITAS: 10 inmates injured during jail fighting Ten inmates suffered minor injuries Monday during a fistfight at the men's minimum-security wing of Santa Clara County's Elmwood Correctional Center, a jail spokesman said. The fight happened at 2 p.m...

OAKLAND: Man shot to death in East Oakland A 19-year-old man was shot and killed Sunday night in East Oakland, police said Monday. The victim, identified as Andrew Mendoza of Oakland, was taken to Highland Hospital after the shooting, where he...

SOUTH BAY: Attack on pregnant woman may get worse for accused Suzanne Herel, Chronicle Staff Writer
A couple charged with assaulting a pregnant Morgan Hill woman in what police are calling a hate crime may face more serious charges if the victim's fetus dies, authorities said Monday. "We would look ...

Pastor at St. Boniface Church to step down Rev. Louie Vitale, pastor of the Tenderloin's St. Boniface Church and a familiar figure at San Francisco meetings and demonstrations, is stepping down this fall after 13 years and is being recognized for his varied service today by the Board of Supervisors.

S.F. waterfront braces for Transbay Tube upgrades Upgrades to the underwater tunnel that connects San Francisco to the East Bay will spell construction headaches for businesses around The City's landmark Ferry Building, as well as a temporary restructuring of the area's famed Farmer's Market.

New stroke centers aim to save lives   BURLINGAME — Three area hospitals are scheduled to come online as primary stroke centers in the coming months as part of an effort to improve care for victims of the nation's third-ranked killer

Computer recycling expands for demand  SAN FRANCISCO — Since San Mateo County and Goodwill Industries of San Francisco kicked off the ReCompute computer-recycling program last month, 200,000 pounds of outdated digital equipment clogged the pipeline in just the first seven weeks

Dissatisfied patients voice concerns  MILLBRAE — Negative experiences of six former Mills-Peninsula Health Services patients were aired Monday as the debate heated up over a proposed contract for Sutter Health's Mills-Peninsula unit to build a new $450 million Burlingame hospital.

Bay Area unions to continue participating in labor councils  The president of the Bay Area's Teamsters union said the local union wants to continue to participate in state labor organizations despite the national Teamsters' announcement that they are leaving the AFL-CIO.

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MARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL

Mill Valley blaze blamed on fireworks Three teens playing with fireworks sparked a two-alarm wildfire that raced up a grassy slope in Mill Valley yesterday, damaging one home and threatening several others, authorities said. No injuries were reported, but the fire sent smoke drifting throughout the area and gave residents a fright a day after another fire across town. "It was scary," said Joseph Yarnell, a Vista Linda Drive resident.  

Property tax windfall helps drive record county budget Marin County's 2005-06 budget grew rosier yesterday, with final tallies on county property tax revenue boosting the total spending plan to a record $389.7 million. The total budget is up 6 percent, or $22.1 million, from the $367.6 million spending plan proposed last month. It is also up 10 percent, or $36.1 million, from last year's total $353.6 million spending plan.  

Healthcare District wants Sutter to pay for MGH retrofitting
The Marin Healthcare District wants a judge to rule that Sutter Health be required to pay for state-required earthquake retrofitting at Marin General Hospital. Sutter Health, which operates the hospital and leases the building from the publicly operated Marin Healthcare District, filed a lawsuit in Marin Superior Court last month asking the court to decide whether it must pay to make the Greenbrae hospital earthquake safe by 2013.

Summit aimed at better patient care
Officials, doctors from Bay Area hospitals meet Representatives from hospitals in Marin will begin the first of a series of meetings today with officials from medical facililties throughout the Bay Area to collaborate on the best methods for improving patient care. The Bay Area Patient Safety Collaborative is a new forum for hospitals to work together to discuss and promote ways to achieve the best possible outcomes for patients.  

Novato man accused of embezzling from bank
A 59-year-old Novato man was charged yesterday with embezzling more than $100,000 from the Wells Fargo branch in downtown Tiburon, authorities said. LaRue Kelsey, an assistant manager at the bank, was being held at the county jail in lieu of $500,000 bail, police said. Kelsey was scheduled to enter a plea today, Deputy District Attorney Linda Witong said. The investigation began Wednesday, when the bank called the Belvedere Police Department to report theft of the money.

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SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL

Labor rift hits home Local union leaders were unclear as to how the split would play out in the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council, the regional arm of the AFL-CIO. But most expect some level of cooperation to continue.

Lawsuit targets Safeway’s cheap gas In a lawsuit some say could affect gasoline prices at all big-box stores, a judge last week ordered a Safeway Inc. gas station in Hollister to stop selling fuel below cost to harm competitors.

Attorney general Gonzales appears in Scotts Valley  SCOTTS VALLEY — A visit here from U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales over the weekend went largely unnoticed, just as planned. Gonzales was visiting family, said Justice Department spokeswoman Tasia Scolinos. During his weekend visit, he gave three live television interviews Sunday morning.

Draft plan finally unveiled for Scots Valley town center  The architects propose a new "main street" with stores, residential development and a public plaza on a 28-acre site at Mount Hermon and Kings Village roads.

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OAKLAND TRIBUNE, ARGUS, TRI-VALLEY HERALD

New bridge phase sees old questions Wednesday opens a new chapter in the 16-year Bay Bridge saga, when regional politicians take the reins to oversee the project amid unanswered questions about why the public will pay twice — at unknown cost — for the same work.

San Joaquin Valley officials raking in funding WASHINGTON — San Joaquin Valley lawmakers are vacuuming up political cash at a blistering pace, even though the next election is well over a year away

Pleasanton may see 17 downtown homes PLEASANTON — The Planning Commission on Wednesday will consider two separate proposals to build a total of 17 homes in the downtown area.

Trucker not yet ID'd after Sunol rollover PLEASANTON — A Nevada man who died Sunday when the tractor-trailer rig he was driving veered off the freeway has yet to be identified.

Council to review massage parlors SAN RAMON — City Council members tonight will discuss regulating massage parlors in an attempt to prevent potential criminals from moving into San Ramon.

Slaying suspect may make first public remarks in trial HAYWARD — After nearly three full days of questioning, one of the three men accused of killing a Newark transgender teenager in 2002 concluded his testimony Monday, and another defendant is expected to take the stand today. When Merel does take the stand, it will be the first time he testifies in any court about the slaying of 17-year-old Gwen Araujo

Jury convicts man of molestation FREMONT — To the women he dated, Brian Bud Benson seemed like the ideal mate. Their children saw him as a father figure. He helped coach the football team. He took the children on field trips. He was someone the family could trust. On Monday, an Alameda County jury convicted Benson of 29 counts of child molestation involving six children during a seven-year period.

County still feeling pinch of jail's closure OAKLAND — The closure of Oakland's city jail has cost Alameda County $400,000 so far, with more still to come, officials said Monday.

Governor urged to get rid of lotto boss Senate lawmakers Monday called for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to remove the lottery director or subject him to upper-house scrutiny in an escalation of the court and partisan battles over the state's alleged illegal participation in Mega Millions. Schwarzenegger appointed administration troubleshooter Chon Gutierrez as acting director in December — a position immune from the Senate confirmation process.

Man pleads not guilty in car-dragging case FREMONT — A Hayward man Jorge Valle accused in a brutal hit-and-run in Newark that left two men hospitalized after they were dragged under the car for more than a block entered his plea Monday in the Fremont Hall of Justice.

Man charged in three 'Nut Case' slayings OAKLAND — A suspected member of the infamous "Nut Case" Gang was charged Monday with a seven-hour killing spree in February 2003 that left two men shot to death in Oakland and another in San Francisco, police said.

Berkeley shooting suspect sought help Christopher Hollis, the young man Berkeley police believe shot and killed Dartmouth student Meleia Willis-Starbuck last week, made a call for help during the weekend. Hollis called his former basketball coach, Vincent Trahan, on Saturday, reaching the coach on his cell phone.

Kaiser Fremont collaborates to improve patient safety Today, about 30 hospitals from five Bay Area counties aim to reduce that number by kicking off a campaign to improve patient safety. Hospitals participating in the Bay Area Patient Safety Collaborative will share information during the next 18 months on how to improve patient outcomes through six interventions. These six interventions are: deploying rapid response teams at the first sign of patient decline; delivering reliable care for heart attack patients to reduce deaths; avoiding adverse drug reactions; preventing central line infections through clear protocols; preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia; and reducing surgical site infections through correct perioperative care.

Fremont developer has new plans A new era begins today for Salwan Property Management, according to landlord Dharam Salwan. The Fremont veterinarian and developer, perhaps best known in the Hayward area for the roughly 860 apartment units he rents to tenants there and in Cherryland, has joined the push to build owner-occupied town homes downtown.

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CONTRA COSTA TIMES

Supervisors eye ways to curb PACs Like engineers trying to dam a tenacious river, Contra Costa leaders are toiling to stem the seemingly inevitable flow of money into local elections. Ironically, their answer may be to ease or end their own campaign finance limits. A decade-old Contra Costa law curbing political campaign donations and spending sure hasn't worked.

Retiree benefit aid coming  Alameda County supervisors appear ready to reauthorize a $23.7 million contribution to a fund that that pays the taxes on the health benefits of about 6,000 retired county workers.

In Albany, waterfront proposals fail to pass The Albany City Council will not ask voters to prevent city consideration of large-scale development along the waterfront until the Golden Gate Fields racetrack closes.

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SACRAMENTO BEE

Shedding its borrowing ways a tough task for state Although Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's new spending plan contains less borrowing than he initially proposed, California still is strapped with more than $25 billion in debt from a variety of loans and bond sales used to help cover budget shortfalls during the last five fiscally dismal years.

The buzz: It's easy to get a handle on this art issue The thing about protest art is that, well, sometimes it leads to protest.

Geriatric clinic is welcomed
Routine bypass surgery for 84-year-old Ed Chally took an unexpected turn with the loss of his short-term memory. He remembered the subject of his master's thesis, but he had trouble placing which grandchildren belonged to which child.

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SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

Molester planned memoir
POLICE SAY THEY'VE ALMOST CRACKED CODE S.J. MAN USED IN NOTES ON BOYS
Not only did career pedophile Dean Arthur Schwartzmiller fill his many journals with detailed notes about young boys, but he also began writing a memoir, San Jose police said Sunday.

Despite `Bag Lady's' long run, female bank robbers are rare
The petite blond with the big purse looked like a typical shopper at Bay Area supermarkets -- until she eased up to the in-store banking counter.

As special-election drive falters, governor steps back
ADVISERS ACKNOWLEDGE NEED FOR IMAGE BOOST
With his reform agenda falling apart and his approval ratings reaching a new low, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will try to soften his image and reconnect with voters who have turned against him in the midst of his special-election campaign.

Event to celebrate Tillman legacy
The Almaden Valley Athletic Club (AVAC) will celebrate the life and legacy of Pat Tillman Saturday with a ``Celebration Under the Stars'' event.

Physical therapist at SCU dies after party near campus
A 46-year-old physical therapist who worked part time with athletes at Santa Clara University died last week following a party with students at a house near the campus.

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MODESTO BEE

1 dead, 1 critical, many grieve
One family was in mourning this weekend, stunned by the death of bubbly, outgoing 16-year-old Stephanie Blevins of Turlock.

Pollution closes 19 city wells
The water division of the Modesto Public Works Department is fighting a war of attrition — at last count, 12 of the city's 96 wells were shut down due to low-level uranium contamination and-or "gross alpha" radiation.

Suspect drowns after pursuit
A man fleeing from sheriff's deputies drowned Sunday when he jumped into the Tuolumne River, investigators said.

Students awaiting school's fate
Three weeks before school starts, 80 students around Riverbank are still wondering where they'll be taking classes.

Is serial bank robber sitting in Placer jail?
JACKSON — Police have arrested a woman they believe could be the serial bank robber dubbed the "Bag Lady Bandit" — a brazen robber who calmly places a bag on bank counters and instructs tellers to place cash inside it.

Town-gown relations have rocky history
The term "town-gown" comes from the early days of higher education when universities were usually populated by people who wore gown-like robes, as opposed to the townspeople, who wore regular clothes.

Merced natives brace for UC DAVIS — Jason Jurow is a big booster of the University of California at Davis, but he encouraged his younger brother to attend UC Merced.

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MARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL

San Rafael cops turn up the heat San Rafael police Officer Justin Graham was on night patrol recently when he was dispatched to find a possible prowler outside a home on Mission Avenue. Rather than search the area with a conspicuous flashlight beam, he was able to pull out the department's new hand-held infrared device. "We pointed it to the ground and there was some heat marks on the ground and they went around the corner," Graham said. "I pointed it up and found a deer. That was the prowler.

County's roads get low marks in survey Marin's roads stink. A majority of Marin's cities and the county itself rank in the bottom half of rankings that assess road quality, according to a new report put out by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. The MTC - the Bay Area's transportation agency - ranked streets based cracking, patching, depressions and rutting. Potholes are considered cracks in the analysis.

Larkspur project OK'd by planners San Rafael developer Campus St. James has passed its first real hurdle for a proposed development of more than 100 residential units and an 80-room hotel in Larkspur. The 10.65-acre parcel at 2000 Larkspur Landing Circle, on land currently owned by the Ross Valley Sanitary District, was recommended for approval by the Larkspur Planning Commission at its July 19 meeting. The vote was 4-1, with chairwoman Helen Heitkamp voting against approval.

Suspect in Marin City murder to be returned More than a year after his arrest in Germany, a suspect in a 1997 Marin City murder has been cleared for extradition to the United States to face trial, authorities said. Joseph Michel, also known as JoJo Koulibaly, is expected to be back in Marin by the third week in August, barring unforeseen legal or diplomatic obstacles, District Attorney Ed Berberian said. The murder victim, 20-year-old Ronnie Small Jr

The man hired to sort out Novato schools' budget mess Don Speich Novato schools' new chief budget officer, Jim Cerreta, admits he is attracted to a challenge like a moth to flame. He is in the right place. Consider: - With four weeks before the first day of school, the Novato Unified School District - unlike its counterparts in the county as well as the state - has no budget for the 2005-06 school year

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SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL

Watsonville wants crime-fighting help Families of the late Wayne Minten, 18, and Issac Guzman, 17, are hoping the homicides don’t join the list of 18 that have gone unsolved in the city since 1937. There have been 75 total homicides. Capt. Eddie Rodriguez of the Watsonville Police Department said last week that investigators continue to pursue these cases, but the problem is many witnesses and friends of the suspects and victims remain mum and have not come forward to help — a longtime problem in Watsonville.

Cops and Courts

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OAKLAND TRIBUNE, ARGUS, TRI-VALLEY HERALD

Lab scientist 'a woman in a man's field' LIVERMORE — In her freshman year of college, Gayle Pawloski took a course in oceanography, kindling an interest in science and starting her down a trail that led to the Nevada desert.

Proposal tuned in for radio network Oakland and San Francisco are proposing digital radio links across and around the Bay, with computers and radio repeaters for making incompatible radios talk to one another, as a linchpin of a new...

Livermore crash victim identified by coroner LIVERMORE — Authorities identified the victim of a car crash in Livermore on Friday as Mary Camacho of Fremont, according to the Alameda County Coroners Bureau.

San Joaquin to act against ex-sheriff STOCKTON — San Joaquin County supervisors have voted to file a false claim against former county Sheriff Baxter Dunn and his former attorney, Michael Capizzi, alleging that instead of defending Dunn on civil rights violations, the attorney worked on Dunns fraud defense.

Hayward man's attempted-murder trial underway HAYWARD — James Delphia Williams had been divorced for 11 years and during those years, he fashioned a new life in a town outside San Diego. Then he learned that his former wife, Frieda, had placed her fiance's name on the deed of the home the Williamses once shared. That, Deputy District Attorney Rachel Lozano contends, began a slow, simmering rage that boiled over on Dec. 3, 2002.

Projects could bring relief to commuters Three projects that have received funding could bring quick relief to some bottleneck areas, officials said. The projects will be the focus of a meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at Smith Elementary School, 391 Ontario Drive, Livermore. The meeting is being hosted by the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency, the Alameda County Transportation Improvement Authority and the city of Livermore, in conjunction with the California Department of Transportation

Classes put diabetics' lives in their hands Four diabetes patients sat in a semicircle in a classroom at Highland Hospital in Oakland one recent morning, all looking down at the printed handout in front of them.

Body's ID brings closure to family OAKLAND — When Wanda Green did not show up at her mother's house in late June 2004 to take a family portrait as she had promised, her mother knew something was wrong.

Transit agency seeks to alter Measure B spending HAYWARD -- The agency must convince Alameda County cities that a 1986 voter-approved expenditure plan for the Foothill Freeway, a proposed southward extension of Route 238 through Hayward, should be scrapped in favor of smaller projects on Mission and Foothill boulevards and the Route 238 corridor.

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CONTRA COSTA TIMES

Support falls for bill redefining blight
A bill that could redefine key neighborhoods as blighted, but that has yet to go before lawmakers, is already losing local support. The Contra Costa Centre Area Municipal Advisory Council, formerly the Pleasant Hill BART station council, voted Tuesday not to support the bill put forth by State Sen. Tom Torlakson, D-Antioch, and urged the county board of supervisors to do the same. Torlakson's legislation would expand the definition of blight in neighborhoods surrounding rail stations

Two houses are lost in Antioch fire
A fire that started Wednesday afternoon between two houses on Arroyo Way destroyed both and threatened a third, causing nearly $1.5 million worth of damage.

San Ramon Valley plans for new fire stations, added jobs
Money for land to build an additional Alamo fire station is part of a new San Ramon Valley fire district budget, which also includes three new positions along with $3.2 million in new revenues.

Port billboard issue not yet settled
Oakland's vice mayor is making a last-ditch bid to give the city more control over billboards on property owned by the Port of Oakland. Jane Brunner says the city should have some say over decisions to place large advertisements near the Bay Bridge and Oakland International Airport, well-traveled hubs where the port currently exercises exclusive land-use authority.

Mother of slain teen wants peaceful closure
The mother of a 16-year-old killed in his neighborhood park said Wednesday that she did not want anyone to avenge the killing and she doesn't want to know who fired the fatal shot.

Board re-elects Cerrato for education office chief
The governing board of the Alameda County Office of Education unanimously has re-elected Pleasanton resident Yvonne Cerrato as its president. The 5-0 decision was made during the board's Tuesday meeting, said county office spokeswoman Terri Hardesty. Board members Dennis Chaconas and Gay Plair Cobb were absent. When Cerrato was first elected as board president, the vote was 4-3, with Chaconas, Cobb and board member Eileen McDonald in the minority.

Hercules projects at the center of public workshops
The Hercules Economic Development Department will host a community workshop Saturday to present a long list of proposed projects, including shopping centers, residential subdivisions, schools, parks and a transit center -- and possibly a Wal-Mart as the anchor of a Bayside Marketplace shopping center

Man suspected in fraud cases
Police have arrested an Alameda man on suspicion of defrauding fellow church members out of thousands of dollars for kitchen appliances he never delivered, a Contra Costa County prosecutor said this week.

Oakland pays $500,000 to injured anti-war protester Willow Rosenthal, the most seriously injured of the protesters, settled her lawsuit for $500,000. Rosenthal was hit in the back of her right calf with a wooden pellet and said she had at least $80,000 in doctors' bills after undergoing several surgeries for internal bleeding and skin grafts. The Oakland City Council also signed off on two other injury claims from the 500-person protest at the Port of Oakland that took place during the early days of the war with Iraq. A man who said his fingers were broken will get $85,000, while another demonstrator who suffered cuts and bruises is set to get $7,500, according to city lawyers.

Belflower gets 25-to-life sentence in Jenna Nannetti killing
Stockton: Katherine Belflower, one of three suspects in the gruesome 2002 murder of Jenna Nannetti of Livermore, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison this morning for her role in a sordid tale of love gone horribly awry

Martinez OK marina lease The City Council voted 3-2 on Wednesday night in favor of finalizing negotiations on a 45-year term lease of its marina to Ventura-based Pacific Marina Development/Almar Marina Management

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SACRAMENTO BEE

Editorial: Arena plan, R.I.P. Neither team nor politicos have game plan. That sound you don't hear is any continuing discussion of a new arena for the Sacramento Kings.

Daniel Weintraub: Here's a road map for bipartisan budget reform With Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders still searching for a way to avert a confrontation on the Nov. 8 ballot, the issue of state budget reform is clearly the toughest nut for them to crack.

Legislators set hearing on initiative
The California Legislature scheduled an oversight hearing Wednesday into interactions between Proposition 77 proponents, the governor's office and the secretary of state's office leading to the redistricting measure's disputed placement on the ballot.

Grieving family seen as a pawn
A spokeswoman for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Wednesday that the family that filed an ethics complaint against the governor is "being used" by the administration's political opponents.

Nurses picket UC Med Center but ER back to normal
With their planned one-day strike blocked by a judge, several dozen nurses picketed outside UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento early Thursday and life inside the hospital was slowly returning to normal.

Governor's aide says he misstated payment
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's chief spokesman on Wednesday said he unintentionally mischaracterized a payment an insurance company made to one of the governor's companies in 2004.

Energy industry seeks to delete proposition
Lawyers for an energy-industry trade group argued Wednesday before a state appeals court that Proposition 80 should be taken off the Nov. 8 special election ballot.

No haven from politics for librarians' leader
WASHINGTON - Check this out: Libraries are a front in the war on terror and its political aftermath.

Ex-officer faces new charges
Jason Bryan March, the former Sacramento police officer whose Ford Expedition struck and killed a 13-year-old boy in May, was charged Wednesday with additional counts of vehicular manslaughter and drunken driving.

West Nile virus hits horse in county
A south Sacramento County horse has become the 10th in California to die of West Nile virus this year, the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District announced Wednesday in Elk Grove.

Coalition seeks more Latinos, blacks among grads
Marianna Rivera still chokes back tears as she describes her son's difficulties during high school more than a decade ago. He witnessed violence, skipped class and was surrounded by administrators who expected the worst from him, Rivera said.

Woman guilty of abusing stepdaughter
SACRAMENTO - A Sacramento Superior Court jury Wednesday convicted a 35-year-old woman of four felony counts of abusing her 6-year-old stepdaughter, but deadlocked on a torture charge.

Pilot in Galt crash landing dies
GALT - The Sacramento pilot who crash-landed his ultralight airplane on a golf course in Galt died early Wednesday, authorities said

Davis man hit, killed by freight train
DAVIS - A Union Pacific freight train struck and killed a man early Wednesday near Second and L streets, authorities said.

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SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

Body floating in Bay ID'd as missing S.J. designer
THARP PRODUCED AWARD-WINNING WORK
More than a month after friends began to worry about the disappearance of a popular, award-winning graphic designer from West San Jose, Contra Costa County officials have confirmed their fears: Charles ``Rick'' Tharp apparently died after jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge.

Mother, police search for 15-year-old
POLICE SAY GIRL RAN AWAY; WOMAN SUSPECTS DAUGHTER WAS ABDUCTED
Isabell Alvarez is living a nightmare -- her 15-year-old daughter is missing, and all she really knows is this: On June 16, ``she went to school and she never came back.''

HP cuts 'exciting' research; pioneer leaving
A day after Hewlett-Packard announced the elimination of 14,500 jobs, it moved to cut some of its more speculative research projects at HP Labs in Palo Alto.

New series bringing Iraq war to TV screen
FIRST DRAMA TO DEPICT CONFLICT IN PROGRESS
The Iraq war is being fought nearly every day in the hills off Highway 118 between San Fernando and Simi Valley. In an audacious and potentially volatile move, the cable channel FX is filming ``Over There,'' the first television drama about a war to be telecast while that conflict is still taking place and American soldiers are still dying.

Explosives need bunker
OFFICIALS SEARCHING FOR SITE TO STORE MUNITIONS AFTER JULY 2004 BREAK-IN REVEALED SECURITY FLAWS
Last summer, San Mateo County couldn't find its explosives. Now the county sheriff can't find a place to put them. The sheriff's department has been without a storage bunker since thieves made off with more than 200 pounds of military-grade explosives from its facility near Crystal Springs Reservoir last July. The munitions were recovered and destroyed within days, but Sheriff Don Horsley said the construction of a new facility has been delayed because he has been unable to locate a new site.

Strong testimony on nursing homes
SUNNYVALE MEETING CONVENED TO SUPPORT PATIENT-CARE BILL
Fifteen years ago Robert Goldsborough fell out of a tree and into a life of long-term care facilities. Paralyzed from the shoulders down, he uses a power wheelchair that helps him breathe, keeps water near his mouth and gets him around.
Police seek man believed to have robbed gas stations
San Jose police are hoping for the public's help in identifying and capturing a man who they believe is responsible for at least two armed robberies of gas stations.
Court overturns convictions, but DA vows to appeal
The 2003 convictions of a man who was found guilty of mistakenly killing one man and attempting to kill another in a Santa Cruz auto painting shop were overturned by an appellate court.

Council makes building home additions easier
3-2 VOTE REDUCES HURDLES FOR OWNERS OF ODD-SHAPED LOTS
After heated debate, the Menlo Park City Council voted 3-2 Tuesday night to make it easier for owners of non-standard shaped lots to add on to their one-story houses, taking action toward concluding