TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2002
FR EE
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Volume 1, Issue 43
Santa Monica Daily Press Serving Santa Monica for the past 51 days
Top California news for 2001: Terrorism and spiraling economy BY ROBERT JABLON Associated Press Writer
Ross Furukawa/Daily Press
Patrick Sulivan, a two-year Santa Monica resident, is already working on his New Year’s resolution to get in better shape at the Easton Gym on the Third Street Promenade.
Terrorism fears. Gary Condit. The power crisis and the recession. Inexplicable outbursts of violence from San Diego schoolyards to the steps of the state Capitol. California headlines in 2001 tell the story of a trendsetter state swept along by world and national events. 2001 also was a year of change. California officially lost its white majority; the U.S. Census showed Hispanics made up nearly a third while nonHispanic whites slipped to less than half of the state’s total population of 33.9 million. TERRORISM: California was in the crosshairs from the very beginning of the terrorism scare. Two hijacked jetliners that hit New York City’s World Trade Center and a third that hit the Pentagon were originally en route to Los Angeles. A fourth plane that crashed in Pennsylvania was headed to San Francisco. In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks and the anthrax scare that followed, National Guard troops were positioned at California airports, and bridges, cargo ships were routinely stopped and searched. The Emmy
Awards, usually held in September, were twice delayed for reasons of both symbolism and security. Thousands of sailors and Marines headed off to the war in Afghanistan from San Diego. In November, Gov. Gray Davis made public a private FBI warning that terrorists might be targeting bridges. National Guard troops were sent out to San Francisco’s Golden Gate and three other spans, but no attacks took place. Even before Sept. 11, California was a target. In April, an Algerian man was convicted of federal terrorism charges in an alleged plot to bomb Los Angeles International Airport during millennium celebrations. Authorities say Ahmed Ressam was trained in Afghan terrorist camps linked to Osama bin Laden. POWER WOES: California started the year with an energy crunch and wound up with predictions of too much juice. The state spent a fortune buying power to supply customers of Pacific Gas and Electric Co., Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric Co. The utilities were struggling with billions in debt and could not pass on high electricity costs to consumers. PG&E, the state’s largest utility, filed for federal bankruptcy protection in April. Then new power See NEWS, page 3
Hollywood’s 2001 odyssey: record bucks, big franchises BY DAVID GERMAIN AP Movie Writer
LOS ANGELES — For Hollywood, 2001 was another year of record revenue, a time for the birth and rebirth of big film franchises and a period of soul-searching over violent action films after the Sept. 11 attacks. Movie-ticket sales for 2001 will total an estimated $8.35 billion by the end of New Year’s Eve, up from last year’s record of $7.7 billion, according to box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations. Factoring in an estimated 4 percent rise in average ticket prices, admissions were up about 5 percent, the first increase since 1998, said Paul Dergarabedian, Exhibitor Relations president. Blockbusters such as “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” “Shrek” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” became instant franchises. The next two years will bring parts two and three of “Harry Potter” and “Lord of the Rings,” while “Harry Potter” could become an annual or near-annual franchise through
“Our job is to give audiences what they want, satisfying their needs. You had to sit back and ask, is this appropriate, because everybody’s very depressed and we’re at war.” — NIKKI ROCCO Head of distribution for Universal
all seven chapters of J.K. Rowling’s fantasy series. A “Shrek” sequel is in the works, along with another installment of the family espionage hit “Spy Kids.” Other new films with followups planned include “The Fast and the Furious” and “Legally Blonde.” 2001 saw its share of sequels, with “Rush Hour 2,” “The Mummy Returns,” “Jurassic Park III,” “Dr. Dolittle
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2” and “American Pie II.” The industry’s favorite serial killer returned in “Hannibal” after a 10-year absence since “The Silence of the Lambs.” A record five films topped the $200 million mark: “Harry Potter,” “Shrek,” “Monsters, Inc.”, “Rush Hour 2” and “The Mummy Returns.” “Lord of the Rings” could become the sixth film released in 2001 to hit that level. Among the notable misses were “Scary Movie 2,” which grossed less than half the $157 million the first film took in, and “Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within,” which bombed with just $32 million. Some major releases were postponed after the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks, notably Arnold Schwarzenegger’s terrorist-themed “Collateral Damage” and Tim Allen’s “Big Trouble,” a comedy whose plot includes a nuclear device on an airplane. Both films have been rescheduled for release in 2002. Studio queasiness over how audiences would react to violent films after Sept. 11 has eased. In the months since See HOLLYWOOD, page 3
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Page 2 Tuesday, January 1, 2002 Santa Monica Daily Press
Looking for the Daily Press? The Santa Monica Daily Press is a free newspaper that is circulated throughout all six commercial zones within the Santa Monica city limits. Hundreds of copies can be found in news racks at these local businesses:
Pico Blvd. Locations: • Lowest Liquor • Fosters Freeze • Subway • Lazey Daisey • Chevron • Jiffy Lube • Tom’s #1 Family Restaurant • Yoshinoya Beef Bowl • Santa Monica Car Wash • Sunset Liquor • Yum Yum Donuts • Weinerschnitzel • Kentucky Fried Chicken • Eddie’s Liquor • Discount Tire This is not a complete list. You can find more copies in these areas: • Montana Avenue Commercial Zone • Santa Monica Boulevard • the Downtown Commercial Core (including Third Street Promenade) • Wilshire Boulevard • Lincoln Commercial District. • Major Hotels on Ocean Avenue • Retail businesses on the Boardwalk and Santa Monica Pier districts • Commercial zones on Pico and Ocean Park Boulevard If you are interested in becoming a distribution point (it’s free and gives your customers just one more reason to come in), please call 310-458-PRESS (7737) x 104
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Beam all you want, Leo JACQUELINE BIGAR'S STARS The stars show the kind of day you'll have: ★★★★★-Dynamic ★★★★-Positive ★★★-Average
★★-So-so
★-Difficult
ARIES (March 21-April 19) ★★★★ Deal with pandemonium. Others might not be as sure of themselves as they would like to be. Speak your mind clearly to a child or loved one who needs to hear your opinion. Give some thought to a seminar or workshop you want to enroll in. Tonight: Catch up on others’ news.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) ★★★★★ Where your friends are is where you need to be! Don’t push quite so hard; stay on track when dealing with friends who might be less upbeat than you. Make an effort to reach out to someone. Speak your mind as strongly as you need to. Tonight: Someone’s opinion does count.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) ★★★★ You might have a difficult time regrouping after the wildness of this New Year’s celebration. Stay close to home, relaxing. Don’t allow someone to urge you out the door. Nestle in where you are most content. Instincts lead you concerning a money matter. Tonight: At home.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) ★★★★★ Spend this day with a special friend who means a lot to you. Consider what it is that will make you happy, though you might not want to handle a difficult conversation. Indulge someone, but also know when you need to say “enough is enough.” Tonight: Redefine a relationship.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) ★★★ Revise your thinking involving a dear friend or loved one. Perhaps you have been a little hard on this person. Someone goes out of his or her way to help you. Clear your vision of opinions, and you might be delighted by what you see. Tonight: Catch up on others’ news.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) ★★★★★ Work on a key relationship, even if that person behaves in a contrary or difficult manner. If you feel it is more important to stay close to the hearth, feel free to reverse your plans or cancel an outing. Good news travels over the airways. Make that call. Tonight: Share a favorite piece of music.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) ★★★ You could be hard on yourself, as well as others. Why not lighten up on the self-criticism and see if you start feeling better? Your sense of humor returns once you mellow out some. Ask yourself how much exhaustion is playing into your decision-making process. Tonight: Treat someone.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) ★★★ Spend quality time with a partner or close loved one. Don’t let recent pressure and/or expectations cause a problem with this important relationship. Slow down and take your time. Give up rushing — at least for a day! Sharing flows. Tonight: Don’t read into someone’s words. Ask.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) ★★★★★ You’re all smiles once you catch up on your sleep. Make time for a “very serious” friend who wants and demands your feedback. Your ability to find creative answers to problems bails out yet another friend. You have reason to smile ear to ear. Tonight: Beam all you want.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) ★★★★★ Others ask you to join them. You really have many choices, but do what most suits your fancy. Schedule some sharing time with a loved one or child whom you adore. Your sense of humor clears out a problem before it actually becomes one. Tonight: Follow someone’s loving suggestion.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) ★★★ Stand back and gain perspective. Your ability to realize what you want and go for it makes you a great adviser and confidant. Someone shares much of his or her feelings. Your suggestions will be appreciated. You might need to revamp your plans. Tonight: Take it easy.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) ★★★ Express interest in cleaning up and starting the new year in a more organized fashion. You could be unusually tired and exhausted, and/or a family member drains your energy. Think about an up-and-coming workweek. Tonight: Put your feet up.
WEATHER Today ... Partly cloudy with a high 63°F. Winds from the northwest at 6 mph. Tonight ... Partly cloudy with a low of 46°F. Winds from north northeast at 3 mph. Tomorrow ... Partly cloudy
High—60°F
Low—45°F
QUOTE of the DAY
“Never go to bed mad. Stay up and fight.” — Phyllis Diller
Published Monday through Saturday Phone: 310.458.PRESS(7737) • Fax: 310.576.9913 530 Wilshire Blvd., Suite #200 • Santa Monica, CA 90401 PUBLISHER Ross Furukawa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ext. 104 EDITOR Carolyn Sackariason . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ext. 102 PRODUCTION MANAGER Del Pastrana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ext.106 CLASSIFIED REPRESENTATIVE Angela Downen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ext. 101 SALES REPRESENTATIVE Steve Kenedy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ext. 105 TEST SUBJECT Dave Danforth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ext. 103
Santa Monica Daily Press Tuesday, January 1, 2002 Page 3
LOCAL STATE
Terrorists center of most 2001 news stories NEWS, from page 1 plants got fast-tracked. And the state signed long-term power contracts at high prices in order to stabilize the market and keep electricity flowing. But it all worked too well. Electricity prices dropped and so did demand, in part because of conservation. A state analysis warned that the state could get too much power, and ratepayers could find themselves paying as much as $3.9 billion for surplus electricity. ECONOMY: Terrorism scares put a big dent in California’s $75 billion-a-year tourism and business-travel industry. High-tech firms in Silicon Valley and elsewhere continued to go belly-up in the “dot-bomb” shakeout. And the failure of electricity deregulation, coupled with plummeting tax revenue, cost the government so much that the state was expected to end the fiscal year in the red. But at year’s end, forecasters were suggesting the economy might start looking up by spring. — Gov. Gray Davis proposed $2.24 billion in cuts to the current state budget, with the largest slice coming from his pet priority of education. There will be a $12.4 billion deficit this budget year and next, according to analyst reports. — Charities, hurting as their usual donations were diverted to funds for victims of the terror attacks, began a TV and radio campaign to urge Californians to dig deeper. One survey found that among 413 nonprofit groups in the state, 56 percent had funding drops since Sept. 11. — Home sales edged up after a drop following the terrorist attacks. Low mortgage rates helped as sales rose more than 4 per-
Oscar-nominated actor Robert Downey Jr. pleaded no contest to cocaine charges and was sentenced to a year at a live-in rehabilitation center; Comedian Paula Poundstone spent 180 days in a drug and alcohol center after pleading no contest to child endangerment. cent in October over the previous month. The median home price dropped 1 percent during the month but for the year rose 8.5 percent to stand at well over $272,000. — Unemployment climbed to 6 percent in November, as the number of unemployed Californians topped 1 million for the first time in nearly five years. CRIME AND PUNISHMENT: — On Jan. 16, a truck driver with a history of mental problems rammed an 18wheeler carrying a load of canned milk the south portico of the state Capitol. The truck caught fire, killing driver Mike Bowers of Hemet and causing more than $13 million in damage. Repairs were still under way at year’s end. — On Jan. 26, college lacrosse coach Diane Whipple was mauled to death in the hallway of her San Francisco apartment building by two Presa Canario dogs weighing more than 100 pounds each. The story went from strange to bizarre: It turned out the dogs, Bane and Hera, belonged to an inmate in the high-security prison at Pelican Bay. The dog’s caretakers, Robert Noel and Marjorie Knoller, legally adopted inmate Paul “Cornfed” Schneider, a member of the white supremacist Aryan
Release dates moved up for combat films HOLLYWOOD, from page 1 then, violent movies such as “Training Day,” “Don’t Say a Word” and “Spy Game” performed well at the box office, softening worries about the action films and thrillers that are among Hollywood’s mainstays. “For a while there, you had to be concerned,” said Nikki Rocco, head of distribution for Universal, which released “Spy Game.” “Our job is to give audiences what they want, satisfying their needs. You had to sit back and ask, is this appropriate, because everybody’s very depressed and we’re at war. I think we’ve found everybody made the right decisions.” Studios moved up release dates for two combat films that had been scheduled for 2002: “Behind Enemy Lines” and “Black Hawk Down.” Besides an all-time revenue year, the industry had a record summer on the strength of heavily promoted, widely distributed movies. Hollywood mastered the method of front-loading — marketing films to ensure monster debuts and pack in as many viewers as possible in a movie’s first few days. A different box-office record seemed to fall almost every weekend, but few films had staying power. Movies such as “Planet of the Apes,” “Pearl Harbor” and “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” opened huge, then nose-dived as grosses fell by 50 per-
cent or more in subsequent weekends. “People went to see things opening weekend, then migrated to the next big movie,” said Dergarabedian. “But regardless of how big those drops were, movies were making money so fast they were still big blockbusters. It’s not a marathon to $200 million anymore. It’s now a sprint.” Only “Shrek,” “Rush Hour 2” and some smaller hits — including “The Others,” “The Princess Diaries,” “Memento” and “Legally Blonde” — held up well week after week. Hollywood saved the biggest for last. “Monsters, Inc.” broke the record for best debut of an animated film in early November. Opening the week before Thanksgiving, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” destroyed most major box-office records, grossing $90.3 million in its first three days. The previous best was “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” at $72.1 million. “Lord of the Rings” swooped in a month later, topping $100 million in just over a week. And Hollywood’s outlook for 2002? Maybe even bigger. The year will bring the next installments of “Star Wars,” “Harry Potter,” “Lord of the Rings,” “Star Trek,” “Austin Powers,” “Men in Black,” “Stuart Little,” “Spy Kids” and James Bond.
Brotherhood gang. Bane was destroyed after the attack, but Hera remained alive as a trial date for the couple neared in early 2002 in Los Angeles. — In March, two students were killed and 13 other people injured when a freshman opened fire at Santana High School in the San Diego County community of Santee. Charles “Andy” Williams, 15, faces trial as an adult on murder charges. Two weeks after the attack, a student opened fire with a shotgun at Granite Hills High School in nearby El Cajon. Five people were hurt. Jason Hoffman, an 18-yearold with a history of mental illness, later hanged himself in his jail cell while awaiting sentencing. — In August, a Ukrainian immigrant allegedly went on a rampage in the Sacramento area, killing seven members of his family, including his pregnant wife and 3-year-old son. Nikolay Soltys, arrested after a nationwide manhunt, broke his leg jumping from a balcony in the jail where he was held awaiting trial. A month later, a Sacramento security guard who left a videotape saying he wanted to outdo Soltys allegedly gunned down five people in a 24hour killing spree. Joseph Ferguson, despondent over breaking up with his girlfriend, donned a bulletproof vest and used an AK-47 rifle to fire more than 200 rounds at officers before putting a gun to his own head. — The long-running case of Leo the dog, killed in a fit of road rage in San Jose, reached a landmark in June. Andrew Burnett was convicted of animal cruelty and sentenced to three years in prison for grabbing the fluffy white bichon frise from its owner’s lap and throwing it to its death in traffic during a February 2000 argument following a minor traffic accident. The killing outraged animal lovers around the
world. Postscript: Burnett was later convicted of theft, vandalism and lying to police, for stealing tools from his telephone repair van and pushing the vehicle off a cliff to cover it up. — In November, 70’s radical fugitiveturned Minnesota housewife Sara Jane Olson pleaded guilty in an attempted bombing case from her days in the radical Symbionese Liberation Army. After a highly public bout of anguish, Olson tried unsuccessfully to withdraw the plea. At year’s end she was awaiting a sentencing hearing that that may or may not end the story of the radical group that kidnapped newspaper heiress Patty Hearst. SCANDALS: — Rep. Gary Condit had a reputation as a conservative, family values guy, wellliked in his Central Valley district. Until the married lawmaker’s name was romantically linked to 24-year-old Chandra Levy, a federal intern who vanished from Washington in May. While Condit is not a suspect in her disappearance, police sources said the married man admitted having an affair with her. The Stanislaus County Democrat found himself shunned by old colleagues and looking at a hard row to hoe in his run for re-election next year. — In Los Angeles, disgraced ex-cop Rafael Perez, lynchpin of the city’s largest police corruption scandal, agreed to spend two years in federal prison for violating civil rights by shooting and crippling a suspect. Perez broke the scandal in 1999 by claiming that anti-gang officers in the Rampart area beat, shot and framed innocent people. The district attorney’s office wanted to close the books on the scandal this year but now says dozens of new cases may have to be investigated. — On the celebrity front: Oscar-nominated actor Robert Downey Jr. pleaded no contest to cocaine charges and was sentenced to a year at a live-in rehabilitation center; Comedian Paula Poundstone spent 180 days in a drug and alcohol center after pleading no contest to child endangerment; Former basketball star Dennis Rodman was fined $1,000 after pleading guilty to disturbing the peace with a raucous 40th birthday party at his Newport Beach home.
Associated Press
Traffic on eastbound Interstate 80 is backed up from just west of Reno, Nev., to where this picture was taken in Truckee, Calif., some 25 miles away, due to weather, road construction and the hoards of people driving into the Lake Tahoe area for the New Years holiday.
Page 4 Tuesday, January 1, 2002 Santa Monica Daily Press
STATE
East Bay cities are designating historic sites BY KILEY RUSSELL Contra Costa Times
DUBLIN, Calif. — Donna Kolb Miller remembers a time before suburbia, when it seemed like more cattle than cars roamed the streets and occasionally children rode to school on horseback. Miller, 75, and her three siblings grew up on their grandfather’s 300-acre ranch across the street from the old Murray School House in Dublin. Her parents and her grandmother before her attended the school, never intending to leave the rolling hillsides and lush valleys that would eventually sprout houses and strip malls as they once grew beef cattle and hops. “I tell the kids I went to school there and all eight grades were in this room and we had one teacher,” said Miller, who now leads tours of the schoolhouse-turnedmuseum. “Teachers today can’t imagine what it’s like to have all eight grades in the same room.” But increasingly, suburban activists and city officials from Pleasanton to Pittsburg want people to imagine, to remember a time before the older homes were plowed under to make way for ministorage businesses and muffler shops. Since the 1970s, momentum has been building for efforts to save the old homes, the mercantile shops, the adobe settlements and hotels that survived one wave of development after another. “California is just getting old enough now that a lot of buildings are aging to the point that they need to be rehabilitated or torn down and begun again. We’re also running out of open space,” said Susan Brandt-Hawley, a California board member for the National Trust for Historic Preservation and an environmental lawyer based in Sonoma County. To that end, Dublin is trying to make amends with its past by creating a historic district in one little corner of town. It’s the site of the first cemetery and stagecoach
crossing, where the city has already moved the old Catholic church and Murray School. “Some suggestions from the community are to put in a boutique hotel and have a themed area where you have shops and restaurants with similar architecture to the 1850s,” said Dublin Mayor Janet Lockhart. The idea, however, is not without its detractors. The Berkeley Land Co. wanted to replace a shopping center in the area with a modern three-story office building. Its project is stalled while the city decides what to do with the district.
“California is just getting old enough now that a lot of buildings are aging to the point that they need to be rehabilitated or torn down and begun again.” — SUSAN BRANDT-HAWLEY National Trust for Historic Preservation board member
Dublin is only the latest city in the region to try to save at least a small part of its history. Cities are either encouraging private owners to improve their own buildings or are buying the properties and doing it themselves, said Steve Mikesell, an officer at the state’s Office of Historic Preservation. In San Ramon, a gift from Ruth Boone, a descendant of Daniel Boone, put the city on the path toward creating the historic Forest Home Farms park, complete with turnof-the-century ranch house, barn and a 22-room Dutch Colonial style mansion. In the Brentwood area, the state
has set aside $3 million for restoration of the 140-yearold sandstone home of early California settler John Marsh. Pleasanton is restoring an adobe ranch house built in 1854. In Walnut Creek, officials have created a list of 38 historically important buildings and sites. “If somebody wants to build or expand on those buildings, they have to work with the city so that any renovations retain the historic integrity of the site,” said city spokeswoman Gayle Vassar Melvin. In the 1980s, Pittsburg established a historic district that includes about 25 buildings around the city’s old waterfront area, with the most impressive renovation project focusing on the old California Theater. Leaders of a Pittsburg nonprofit group and city officials are cooperating on an effort to transform the dilapidated vaudeville theater into a community performing arts center. “This is an awfully beautiful building and it helps define our downtown,” said Tom LaFleur, director of Pacific Community Services, the nonprofit agency spearheading the $3 million renovation. In Danville, officials went one step further. The town council this year passed a townwide historic preservation ordinance that applies to commercial and residential buildings. If a building is thought to have historic significance, it is cataloged in a register. “When you’re put on that list, you have to follow our design guidelines as to how you handle restorations and additions to historic buildings,” Danville senior planner Chris McCann said. The ordinance only applies to building exteriors, and owners aren’t forced to make repairs. Owners can seek a “heritage resource” designation for property that’s been placed on the city’s register. The moniker comes with incentives, such as tax breaks, a streamlined permit approval process and waiver of some town fees.
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Santa Monica Daily Press Tuesday, January 1, 2002 Page 5
STATE NATIONAL
Wyoming’s Red Desert threatened by pressures BY ROBERT W. BLACK Associated Press Writer
FARSON, Wyo. — In the 1870s, Jack Morrow had a reputation in the mining towns of the West as a hard-drinking thief and swindler. He even killed a man in a gunfight. The hills in southwestern Wyoming’s Red Desert that bear his name are unforgiving in their harsh climate and isolation. And they are the subject of a rancorous battle among ranchers, environmentalists, oil and gas companies, hunters and others. The Jack Morrow Hills, which lie mostly on federal land, have become a testing ground of two Bush administration commitments: opening more of the Rocky Mountains to drilling and protecting America’s natural treasures. In 1935, then-Wyoming Gov. Leslie Miller proposed the area as a national park and in 1961 Congress mulled creating a national monument. Today, environmentalists are again advocating some type of federal protection. With pressure to develop more domestic energy, drilling companies say that locking up the area would deprive America of large reserves of oil and natural gas. About 150 wells have already been drilled in the hills. Debate heated up last year when the U.S. Bureau of Land Management concluded that 65 more could be squeezed in. Bruce Babbitt paid a visit in his last days as interior secretary and announced that he was rejecting the BLM plan and ordering the agency to adopt an alternative that leans more toward conservation. President Clinton had already used the 1906 Antiquities Act to create 19 monuments and expand three others, protecting 5.9 million acres. Babbitt’s move was seen by industry and Wyoming officials as another way the Clinton administration sought to squirrel away Western lands. But Clinton did not create a monument out of the Jack Morrow Hills because he was not allowed to. Federal law prevents any new national monuments in Wyoming without congressional approval. The law was enacted in 1950 as a compromise when Grand Teton National Park was enlarged over the objections of Jackson Hole ranchers and state officials. Stewart Udall, interior secretary from
1960-69, tipped off Babbitt about the hills. He said Babbitt’s order was the only option the administration had to protect the area in a state with a seemingly unquenchable thirst for mineral tax revenue. “I feel sorry for Wyoming,” Udall said. “There’s no voice in the government for conservation in Wyoming today. My friend (former Wyoming Sen.) Al Simpson used to have a sense of restraint on some things. But I don’t hear those things now. It’s let ’er rip.” Indeed, man’s presence is evident
“When that’s gone, what’s left? When they get them all, I don’t know who’s going to feed and clothe us and provide fuel for our vehicles.” — LEO CHAPMAN Rawlins banker
throughout the hills: cellular towers dot high ridges and scars from buried pipelines and cattle trails crisscross the area. Proponents of more drilling say the area is so wide open that a few more wells will not spoil the view nor harm herds of elk, mule deer, antelope and wild horses that roam the high desert. “We honestly believe that we can have a balance between environmental protection and economic growth. We do it all the time,” said Dru Bower, vice president of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming. “There is a tremendous gas reserve in the Jack Morrow Hills, and we don’t believe it should be withdrawn or excluded from development.” Mac Blewer, of the Lander-based Wyoming Outdoor Council, said too much of the 4.5 million-acre Red Desert has already been developed, and enough is enough.
“It’s a world-class landscape,” he said. “You can go from red-rock country into a sea of sagebrush and then into a landscape resembling Saudi Arabia. I know of no place in America where you can do that.” The hills draw not only drilling interests but mountain and dirt bikers, hunters, anglers, backpackers, horseback riders, rock climbers and photographers. American Indians want protection of their ancestors’ religious sites while paleontologists value the abundant fossils. Historians advocate preserving storied South Pass and other remnants of the Oregon, California and Mormon Pioneer trails which pass through the hills. Charged with the thankless task of striking a balance among this milieu of competing interests is the BLM, which has been studying a 622,000-acre area encompassing the hills for four years. Lloyd Dorsey, field representative for the Wyoming Wildlife Federation, a sportsmen and wildlife group, said the BLM’s helter-skelter leasing of wells has altered big game corridors hundreds of miles long. While the agency has proposed development in stages to reduce the effects on wildlife, Dorsey said it has not been done because the BLM relies too heavily on the Mineral Leasing Act of 1919 “which encourages sort of an Oklahoma Land Rush mentality.” After the BLM issued the draft of its initial plan in June 2000, it received more than 12,000 comments, highest response in the agency’s history. Most comments opposed further development. A citizens’ group comprising about 100
individuals and businesses then offered its own plan that would prohibit any new drilling and mining, a halt to road-building and restoration of habitat damaged by roads and pipelines. Because of issues raised by the citizens’ proposal and the variety and volume of comments, the BLM on Sept. 19 announced it was taking a new look at the hills, which prompted rare agreement among the competing interests. “We were very pleased with this administration and the BLM’s decision to go back and overturn Bruce Babbitt’s directive,” Bower said. “What this administration said was no, you can’t determine the outcome before you conducted the analysis.” Said Blewer: “I think the Bush administration is showing its true patriotism by giving the Red Desert a second chance. They could have completely denied Babbitt’s directive. At least by this decision they’re going along with part of it.” A final decision is expected in about 18 months. Regardless of the outcome, Leo Chapman, a Rawlins banker who recently sold his cattle ranch east of the hills, says the pendulum has already swung too far to the environmental side. Loggers and sheep ranchers have been targets for removal from public land, he said, adding that environmentalists are now zeroing in on cattle and drilling. “When that’s gone, what’s left?” he said. “When they get them all, I don’t know who’s going to feed and clothe us and provide fuel for our vehicles.”
Supervisor looks to widen ban on street begging By the Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO — One city supervisor is looking to widen the city’s laws against panhandling and has outlined proposed legislation that would make it a crime to stand on median strips and freeway ramps to beg for money. Supervisor Gavin Newsom said he’s received several complaints from San Francisco residents about the persistent panhandlers and something needs to change. “This is not legislation I’m particularly proud of,” Newsom said. “But the problem is so dominant and disproportionate in a city our size that something needs to be done.” Newsom is using parts of anti-panhandling laws from around the country to
fine-tune his measure. Mara Raider of the Coalition for Homelessness says Newsom’s proposed legislation is not the answer to the problem and that begging is a fact of life for the poor. “This is yet another political attempt to legislate poverty out of sight. It’s not the answer and he knows it,” Raider said. Part of Newsom’s plan would create a link between the police crackdown on panhandling and the city’s outreach programs and services. Newsom’s proposed begging ban would also outlaw the practice in front of banks, in parking lots and around transit stations. Newsom is set to introduce his proposed ordinance at the next Board of Supervisors meeting on Jan. 7.
Associated Press
A U.S. soldier tries on an Afghan knapsack with grenade launchers projectiles, near a prison in Shibergan, some 120 kilometers (75 miles), west of Mazar-e-Sharif, Northern Afghanistan. American forces recently transferred a batch of war prisoners from northern Afghanistan to a detention facility at a Marine base where suspected al-Qaida and Taliban fighters face interrogation — and possible imprisonment in Cuba afterward.
Page 6 Tuesday, January 1, 2002 Santa Monica Daily Press
COMICS Natural Selection速 By Russ Wallace
Speed Bump速
Reality Check速 By Dave Whammond
By Dave Coverly
NEWS OF THE WEIRD by Chuck Shepard
Totem pole belongs at dump The city council of Edmonds, Wash., voted recently to toss out a 60-year-old, cheap-looking totem pole that had been donated to the city, but before it got to a landfill, demolition company employee Sydney Locke plucked it out of a trash bin and took it home. City officials for some reason resented Locke's action, and have filed a lawsuit against Locke to regain legal ownership of the totem pole, though not because they have found a use for it but rather to make sure it gets to and stays in the landfill.
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Santa Monica Daily Press Tuesday, January 1, 2002 Page 7
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ADMIN ASSISTANT to President. Small investment company. Requires MS/word,Excel, AOL, 50-60 wpm., 3-5 years experience, phones, investor relations, travel arrangements. Fax resume (310)827-5541
NIGHT MANAGER needed for Santa Monica Restaurant. Experience a must. Please fax resume to (310)393-6840
27’ CATALINA, Immac livaboad/Cruiser. Many xtras. MdR slip. $6900 obo (310)8924616
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FINANCIAL ACCOUNTANT available to come to your home/business and help cleanup, free-up and organize your finances. Professional services included; Quicken / Quickbooks set-up and management, establishing on-line banking services, accounting, payroll, employee benefits and other professional matters. Flexible weekly / monthly programs and excellent references. Please call Roland. (310)230-2341
ANIMAL LOVER Mobile grooming. Looking for a fit, energetic, individual w/ good people skills, who loves working with animals. Exp. not nec, training provided. Attractive package. Vehicle provided. Call (310)266-6076 ESTHETICIAN/MASSAGE ROOM available in busy hair and skin salon. Credit card processing, parking, great environment w/ fun people. Call Peter or just drop by 13114 Washington Blvd., MDR (310)383-0357 FACILITY MANAGER Small west side school seeks organized, motivated manager to supervise crew. Exp. preferred. 32+hours/wk. AM’s Mon-Fri, some flexibility, call (310)4515657
FINISH CARPENTERS Experience in fine custom residential required, 3yrs minimum. Must have references & tools. Call(310)822-0685, fax ref. to (310) 822-0785 FLORAL DESIGNER needed for flower shop in Century City. Please call (310)785-0669 GENERAL OFFICE Assistant for busy Marina Del Rey travel office. Microsoft Word, Excel. Contact: Billy (310)823-7979 HAIR STYLIST, ESTHETICIAN & RECEPTIONIST wanted for Campus Cuts salon at UCLA. 2 positions open. Stylist Minimun 2 years experience. (310)2064770 JIFFY LUBE Customer Service Join the best and be part of the J-Team. F/T, P/T & Flex. hours. Santa Monica location. Retail cashier/calculator exper w/ computer knowledge helpful. Valid Calif. DL/English required. Competitive wages w/health/dental/401k & vacation benefits. Must pass physical/drug exam. EOE (562)806-4948 MANICURIST FOR Busy Santa Monica Salon. Full-time, commission or rented. Open 9am8pm. (310)450-8669 MANICURIST FOR busy upscale Brentwood Salon. Lots of walk-ins. Can build very quickly full time rent or commission call (310)471-5555 MEDICAL ASSISTANT parttime dermatology office. Marina Del Rey (310)821-0861
MEDICAL BACK OFC Family Practice in Santa Monica. Experience necessary. Fax resume to (310)395-2063 RECEPTIONIST FOR busy upscale Brentwood Salon. Fulltime, Tues. - Sat. Position starts January 1 2002. (310)471-5555
PARALEGAL W/3 years or more experience; self-starter, assertive and organized; able to handle heavy client contact; suitable writing skills required; PI experience necessary; medical record review exp,; bilingual Spanish a plus. Please email resume to kgallo@biren.com
RETIRE IN two years with a six figure residual income. Part Time and Full Time. (888)4126921 REWARDING SALES CAREER. Int’l firm with 16 years success track record seeks experienced business person M/F to sponsor & coach clients on maximizing & protecting wealth. Comprehensive training & support. Call Mr. Kenedy (800)600-5149 THE SANTA Monica Daily Press is looking for Advertising Account Executives. Print advertising and consultave/solution based selling experience a plus. Email resume and cover letter to Ross at ross@smdp.com UPSCALE MONTANA Ave. salon has 2 stations available for rental. $300 / week with shampoo assistant. (310)451-3710
For Sale ADULT 3 wheel bicycle. One year old and had been ridden 12-15 hours. (310)450-2395 SONY VAIO R505JSlaptop. 850 MHz, 30G, CDRW/DVD, 256 MB RAM, 10/100, Windows XP, 12.1” Active Matrix screen. Super thin, super light and super fast! $2000 (orig. $2496). Chris (310)821-5611
Boats 20’ CAL: Good condition. Completely stock. Xtra Geona sail. Motor. Incl. cust. trailer. $1900 (310)391-4051 24’ ISLANDER ‘66: 6hp Evinrude, 6-gal metal tank, radio, galley, sleeps 4 $1990 obo (310)645-3104 27’BAYLINER BUCCANEER Great live-aboard, very spacious, aft cabin MUST SELL! $5950 obo. (310)417-4141
Wanted - ALBANIA If Albanian is your native tongue and you have time to teach two elderly people a little of that language, Please call (310)450-2395. HOUSE SITTING position wanted. Santa Monica. Westside. Will water lawn and plants. Feed and walk pets. Collect mail and newspapers. Maintain household. Compensation flexible. Contact Elliot (310)6619155
FURNISHED BEACH front studios from $3350/mo. 1 bedrooms from $4000/mo. (310)917-1398 LADERA HEIGHTS: Single 4820 Slauson Ave. #1 Stove, carpet, blinds, laundry, parking, no pets. $500 & up Call 323298-0221 MAR VISTA: Single 12746 Pacific Ave. #4 Stove, frig, D/W, A/C, carpet, blinds, laundry, intercom-entry, parking, no pets. $700 Call 310-578-7512
MARINA DEL REY 2 bd 2 ba condominium on the Waterfront. Big views. $2025/month. Pool, Jacuzzi, very desirable. (310)718-3012 MDR LUXURY Silver Strand Ocean view, Lrg 2bdr, 2ba. Frplc D/W, pool, A/C, tennis, sauna, spa, sec, nr bch. $2300. (310)306-0363 OFFICE SUBLET; 1, 2, or 3 offices available. Great location in Santa Monica starting @ $450.00/month. available immed. Steve (310)392-6100 PDR MANITOBA West 2bdr + loft Condo. New crpt/paint. Pool, spa, hot tub tennis, paddle tennis, gym. Available now. $1700mo Agt Sheila: (310)3381311 PDR: LUXURY Condo 2bd/2ba, frplc, 2 balc, pools, jacuzzi, sauna, W/D in unit, racquet ball courts, security parking, exercise room, all appliances, 1 year lease $1750 (310)8717812 S.M.: 2+1, 3 blocks to beach. Huge balcony, parkay floors, lndry, prkg. Ocean view. $2100. (310)399-1273 SANTA MONICA Ocean, panoramic view, 1bd furn/unfurn $1500 & $2100. Luxury furn 2 bd $3500. Prime loc., walk to 3rd St. Promenade & pier. Full kitchen, assigned parking, secured building, new appliances. Call for appointment. (310)3993472 SANTA MONICA $2000/mo. 1844 Euclid, 2bd/1ba home. Eat-in kitchen, dining room, fireplace, new floors throughout, rear patio, front patio, front yard, parking. (310)592-5346 Jeff SANTA MONICA New, Architectural Tri-Level, 3bdrm, 3ba + Study, Twnhse, Skylights. Gourmet granite kitchen. 12’ ceil., Scenic Roof Deck, spa, gated parking, intercom access, DSL. $2900/mo. (310)454-4210 SM $1800 2+2. Approximately 1100s.f. 2 car enclosed gar. No. of Wilshire Bl. Walk to Montana Shops. 2020 Washington Ave. Call: (310)395-1880 SM $1395 Spacious 2 Bdrm 1 Ba with prkg. New carpet. 501 Raymond Ave. (310)573-7452 SM $1400 Lg 2 bdrm 1 ba, hrdwd fl, lots of closets, stove, prkg, ldry rm Quiet area (310)396-1644
STUDIO SPACE FOR LEASE avail 1500sf Santa Monica. AM, Eves, Sun, for classes, workshops, meetings. E. Pico, Ample Parking. Karen 310-3965990 TOWNHOUSE 2+2 1/2, parking 5 blocks from beach, Hdwd. Floors, wash/dry, walk in closets, $2400 mo. 818-343-7826 or 818-259-6293 VENICE BEACH Lrg 1+1 apt. Enclosed patio, 1/2 block to beach. N/p w/stv & refrig $1250 (310)641-1149 VENICE HOUSE for rent $1975. 3+1 Approx. 1000s.f. Hrdwd & carpets. Remodeled kitchen, pvt. garden. Very clean. New appliances, inside W/D. 2477 Walnut Ave. Call: (310)395-1880 VENICE/SM EXTRA large studio, swimming studio, 1 parking, section Bldg, 2 blocks to the beach. Must be disabled or senior 62+. Avail furn or unfurn. $1,145/mo. (310)261-2093 VENICE: $1350 1Bdr + 1Ba Hdwd floors. W/D in unit. 1128 6th Ave. No pets. (310)3997235 VENICE: $995, 1Bdrm & Single $850. Stove, refrig, carpet, laundry, utilities included, parking, no pets. 501 N. Venice Blvd. Call 9am to 7pm JKW Properties 310-574-6767 VENICE: 2bdrm+2bath, parking,1 block from beach, mini bar, $1700 + sec. dep. (310)305-9659 VENICE: DUPLEX 2+1 W/D, appliances, hardwood floors $1700 2 blocks to Abbot Kinney. N/P 627 San Juan Ave. (310)399-7235 VENICE: Lrg 1+1 w/grt lite. Huge closet, stove, W/D on site. Off the canals. $1325 (310)305-8109 VENICE: 3+2, Lrg, sunny upper unit, 4 plex. French doors, balcony, parking. $2100 (310)581-5379 VENICE: ON BOARDWALK Sec. building. Clean 1bd/loft bdrm+1.2 level balcony. w/vu.frig, stv., D/W, lndry, gtd, prkg. $1850. (310)823-6349 W. LA 2464 Barrington 3bdr, 3ba Lrg rooms, all appliances included. Fireplace, marble countertops, in unit W/D. Gated parking elevator, intercom entry. $2195. OPEN DAILY. Mgr. Call: (310)390-9401 W. LA: 2464 Barrington Ave. 4bd/4ba Very Lrg unit, spacious closets, marble counters, stove, refrig, d/w, nu paint, frplc, gtd prkg intercom entry, elevator. W/D in unit. Open daily. $2695. Mgr. Call: (310)3909401
WESTWOOD 1 Bed, 1 bath $850 furnished / unfurnished, bright, pool, drapes, carpet, laundry rooms. Parking available. 801 Levering (310)8240601
Commercial Lease RESTAURANT SPACE for lease. Office space for lease. Santa Monica. 2204/2206 Lincoln. Jeff (310)452-0344
Vehicles for sale 1970 VW Bug in good condition, new floors, upholstery. $1800 or best offer. Call (323)259-8500 96 VOLVO 850 turbo, teal blue with tan interior 61,000 miles (310)280-0840
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Page 8 Tuesday, January 1, 2002 Santa Monica Daily Press
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WSU researcher working for cheesy military rations BY NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS Associated Press Writer
PULLMAN, Wash. — The soldiers of the future will require more than micro computers, better body armor and lethal firearms. They will also need macaroni and cheese. We’re not talking about a box of Easy Mac. Uncle Sam wants macaroni and cheese that will remain tasty and nutritious for three years after it is cooked. Under a contract with the Department of Defense, food scientists at Washington State University are using microwave cooking technology to create a macaroniand-cheese dish that can be used in the Meals, Ready To Eat field rations the military has produced for two decades. The WSU scientists are also trying to create egg and fresh vegetable dishes that will meet military specifications. “There is no macaroni and cheese or egg products in MREs,” said Juming Tang, a researcher at WSU. Unfortunately for forces in Afghanistan, production based on Tang’s research is several years away. The MREs are soft-sided, sealed pouches that contain complete meals — an entree, a starch, fruit, crackers, spread and dessert — intended to sustain troops on the battlefield. They pack more than 1,200 calories into a small package with a three-year shelf life, even in hot, cold or filthy conditions. The MREs can be dropped without parachutes from helicopters, and contain a chemical device that can quickly heat the contents, allowing for hot meals miles
from any field kitchen. But while beef, ham, turkey and chicken are among the two dozen entrees available, macaroni and egg dishes are not. The intense, bacteria-killing heat from steaming or boiling the food inside the pouches fundamentally alters the color and consistency of pasta and of dairy products. Eggs and cheese turn green and smell funny. Macaroni gets unappetizingly soggy. Tang’s team is using microwaves to fully cook the meals in the pouches in a fraction of the time. The fast cooking helps preserve the integrity of the food, he said. The idea of using microwaves has been around for a long time, but until recently the packaging and some other technology was not up to the task of mass-producing field rations. The pouches must be lightweight and flexible, thick enough to keep contaminants out and survive air drops, but thin enough to easily rip open. In addition, the contents must be “shelf-stable,” meaning they do not need refrigeration. Microwaves cook foods to desired temperatures much faster than steaming or boiling. But a problem has been ensuring uniform temperatures inside the food pouches. One spot that isn’t cooked enough can become a breeding ground for the bacteria that produce botulism, Tang said. Food research is one of the missions of the U.S. Army’s Natick Soldier Center in Massachusetts, which gave Tang a $460,000 contract for his research. Tom Yang, a senior food technologist, said the first goal of researchers is to ensure that soldiers receive the
3,600 calories a day they need in the field. That jumps to 4,500 calories a day in cold weather, such as troops are currently facing in Afghanistan. The ideal situation is for soldiers to eat one MRE and two fresh meals each day, he said. Tang is a professor of biological systems engineering. His team also includes mathematicians, engineers, chemists and microbiologists. “It takes lots of engineering and science to make it safe and palatable,” he said. The food is actually cooked after the MRE package is sealed, to ensure no contamination gets in. Tang said a key requirement is that the interior temperature of food must reach at least the boiling point to kill potential toxins, and that can take up to two hours using conventional preparation methods. Two hours of cooking “would degrade the texture of pasta into the consistency of cheesecake, and the cheese would taste burnt,” Tang said. Microwaves are a much more efficient way, hitting the required temperatures in food in about five minutes, he said. Tang began his research in 1996. His contract with the Army also includes money from food companies interested in using the technology for commercial products. Tang’s family taste tests the macaroni and cheese. “They are the best judges,” he said. Scientists also set up a panel of students and faculty twice last year to compare MRE-style macaroni and cheese to boxed products available in grocery stores. “It was comparable to boxed macaroni and cheese,” Tang said.
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