Gun Goes Off in Oakland Middle School

Bay City News reports that a gun smuggled into a classroom by a 13-year-old boy at Cole Middle School in Oakland yesterday seemed to have discharged unintentionally.

No one was injured, but the shot hit a radiator in the classroom and the school was evacuated yesterday.

Reiser Seeking Appeal in Case

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Hans Reiser, the UC Berkeley alumnus who had admitted he strangled his estranged wife, is attempting to appeal his conviction by claiming his attorney is not effectively representing him.

Reiser accused defense attorney William Du Bois of basing jury selection in part on Chinese astrology and said the lawyer had “oxytocin excess” because people who have too much of the hormone “enjoy betraying others.”

The Consumer Price Index reportedly showed a decrease of 1 percent in October prices for goods and services, as compared with September.

The New York Times reports that the decline is the steepest single-month drop since the survey was initiated 61 years ago, prompting fears of deflation.

Daschle Chosen as Health and Human Services Secretary

According to The Washington Post, president-elect Barack Obama has chosen former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle to be the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

A daily roundup of the biggest headlines in Bay Area and national news.

Wildfires Destroy Homes in Southern California, Schwarzenegger Calls for Review

Three wildfires that began on Friday and Saturday in Southern California continue to blaze after already destroying hundreds of homes and tens of thousands of acres.

Firefighters continue to battle the blazes, which began near Santa Barbara, in Orange County and in Los Angeles.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has called a state of emergency, and in addition has called for a review of safety procedures and standards after a power outage at a hospital and the destruction of a mobile home park occurred in relation with the fires, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Street Hosts to Keep Streets Safer

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Berkeley’s street-host program, which launched about six weeks ago, is helping the city keep its streets safer.

The program is part of the Public Commons for Everyone Initiative, a plan to combat homelessness and improve the safety in public spaces.

Law School Hosts State Supreme Court Forum

The Boalt Hall School of Law on Friday hosted a forum about the state Supreme Court, discussing the status of gay marriage, among other issues.

Iraqi Security Pact Approved by Cabinet

The New York Times reports that the Iraqi cabinet has approved a security pact that allows the U.S. to remain in Iraq until the end of 2011.

The pact comes as the resolution by the United Nations Security Council allowing the military to function in Iraq is set to expire by the end of 2008, according to the Times.

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Bailout Plan to Focus on Consumers

Abandoning the original plan to use $700 billion to bailout financial institutions, the Treasury Department is planning instead to directly bailout consumers, according to The New York Times.

UCSF Researcher Charged With Attempted Murder in Colleague’s Poisoning

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that a postdoctoral researcher at UCSF has been arrested and charged with poisoning another colleague at the lab.

Study Finds Bad Air Causing Billions of Dollars in Healthcare Costs

A new study reports that the air pollution throughout the state is incurring billions of dollars in healthcare costs for Californians, according to The San Francisco Chronicle.

Senior Pets On Sale for Adopt-A-Senior-Pet Month

The Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society is offering their senior pets at discounted prices as part of Adopt-A-Senior-Pet month.

Secret Order Approved by U.S. Officials Allows Al Qaeda Raids in Certain Countries

The New York Times revealed yesterday that a secret order signed in 2004 by top U.S. officials approved undisclosed U.S. raids on Al Qaeda in certain countries.

According to the Times, almost a dozen raids were carried out in Pakistan, Syria and other countries after Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld signed the special order in 2004, with support from President George W. Bush.

The order did not give the U.S. authority to carry out raids in Iran, though the Times’ sources said other “classified directives” allowed it.

Obamas Visit Bushes at White House

President-elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle paid a visit to the Bushes at the White House today, according to The Washington Post.

Two Shot Dead After Argument Concerning Alabama-LSU Game

According to The Associated Press, a man and a woman were shot dead on Saturday evening, in what may have been the result of an argument about the football game between the University of Alabama and Louisiana State University.

The shooting occurred a the home of shooting suspect, Michael W. Williams of southern Alabama. Police said they are still investigating the cause of the shooting, the Press reports.

Schwarzenegger’s Budget Plan Seeks to Sway Some Term-Limited Republicans

Certain term-limited Republicans in the state legislature may be targeted to change their anti-tax policies in order to approve Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed tax increases, according to The Oakland Tribune.

The pathways to success appear narrow for Schwarzenegger: He can either persuade a handful of term-limited Republicans to end their careers with a vote on tax increases or count on the votes from incoming GOP lawmakers fresh off victory in what has been an otherwise devastating year for their party.

According to the Tribune, 16 term-limited Republicans are on the way out of office in the state legislature, many of whom will likely not change their policies.

Obama Begins Building Transition Team

A day after being elected to become the next U.S. President, Barack Obama getting his transition into the presidency underway.

The New York Times reported today that Obama has already appointed officials to be members of his transition committee. According to the The Chicago Tribune, UC Berkeley Law School Dean Christopher Edley is among those chosen by Obama to help him with the transition.

The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that Edley may also be a possible Education Secretary candidate.

Same-Sex Marriage Proponents Take Issue to State Supreme Court

Following the passage of the same-sex marriage ban in yesterday’s election, dissenters of Proposition 8 have again raised lawsuits in the state Supreme Court seeking to overturn the ban, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The lawsuits come after the state Supreme Court ruled on May 15 that same-sex couples have a fundamental right to marry, enabling them to apply for marriage licenses since June when the ruling took effect.

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Presidential Candidates Make Final Push for Campaigns

Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama are campaigning on the last full day before the election.

Percentage of Voters Still Undecided

CNN reports that a smaller percentage of voters in tomorrow’s election remain undecided about their votes than in the past two presidential elections.

According to a CNN-sponsored poll, approximately 1 percent of voters remain undecided, while 4 percent said they could change their minds tomorrow. In a 2004 poll, approximately 3 percent of voters said they were undecided, and in 2000 that figure was at 4 percent.

Circuit City to Close 155 Stores

Circuit City Inc. announced today that it will close 155 stores nationwide before the end of the year, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The closures represent approximately 20 percent of its stores nationwide and would cut Circuit City’s domestic workforce by approximately 17 percent, according to the Chronicle.

“The weakened environment has resulted in a slowdown of consumer spending, further impacting our business as well as the business of our vendors,” Marcum said in a statement. “The combination of these trends has strained severely our working capital and liquidity.”

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U.S. Missile May Have Killed 27 in Two Pakistani Villages

An alleged U.S. missile strike in Pakistan has killed at least 27 people, including an Al Qaeda operative, according to The Associated Press.

Food Safety Investigations Underway in China

Reports of contamination in certain food products from China have prompted action by Chinese officials to investigate the contamination, according to The New York Times.

Eggs from China that were found to contain high levels of melamine, a toxic industrial chemical, have been recalled. Warnings to consumers have also been issued, according to the Times.

However,

Hong Kong food safety officials said a child would have to eat about two dozen of the eggs in a single day to become ill.

Asian food safety officials say the levels are are not as significant as they were in the baby formula that was found to be contaminated a few months ago, the Times reports.

BART Stations Shut Down After Students Jumped Fares

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that a group of students and youths on their way to a rally in San Francisco this morning caused BART officials to close three BART stations, after the students attempted to jump fare.

Police had to shut down the Fruitvale and Coliseum stations in Oakland, as well as the Richmond station, when the mass of youth jumped fare on their way to participate in a rally against Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in San Francisco. Some students also caused delays by holding train doors open to keep them from closing.

According to the Chronicle, no one was injured, but three were detained at the Richmond station. BART officials speculate the fare evasion was coordinated.

Oakland Mayor Seeks State Help in Bailey Killing Investigation

The Oakland Tribune reports that Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums issued a formal request Thursday asking the state to help investigate the 2007 killing of journalist Chauncey Bailey.

Dellums made the request after the Chauncey Baily Project reported this weekend that the Oakland detective investigating the case may have ignored evidence linking the killing to Yusuf Bey IV, the leader of Your Black Muslim Bakery in Oakland.

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Treasury Department Develops Mortgage Plan

In the works at the Treasury Department is a $40 billion program that is slated to aid delinquent homeowners, according to The New York Times. However some speculate that the plan may also appeal to non-delinquent homeowners, who may soon ask for a bailout for themselves.

The mortgage plan is being developed after it was passed as part of Congress’ overall bailout bill.

State May Cut Water Allocations

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the water allocation estimate by the state Department of Water Resources could be as high as 85 percent for 2009.

While the allocation would not affect the East Bay Municipal Utility District that provides water to the East Bay, five agencies throughout the state may potentially face the cut if the estimates are carried through.

A daily roundup of the biggest headlines in Bay Area and national news.

Pakistan Quake Kills More Than 170

An earthquake hit southwestern Pakistan on Wednesday, reportedly killing more than 170 people and doing a great deal more of damage, The Washington Post reports.

The reported 6.5 size quake hit several parts of the country from the epicenter, approximately 400 miles southwest of Islamabad, according to the Post.

Approximately 400 people have been injured by the quake, which has displaced about 15,000 total, according to the Post.

Nationwide Prostitution Sweep 

Approximately 20 percent of the arrests made in a nationwide prostitution sweep were made in the Bay Area, according to the Oakland Tribune.

In an FBI raid of beginning last Wednesday through Monday, approximately 136 people, including prostitutes, pimps and 13 juveniles, were arrested in Bay Area cities.

While no arrests were made in Berkeley in relation to the nationwide sweep, the Berkeley Police Department made six arrests in a prostitution sting on Thursday.

McCain Supporters at College Campuses

The New York Times published a piece today highlighting students on college campuses who support Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, “outnumbered, outspent and generally outgunned by the legions of young, liberal college students who came out for Senator Barack Obama in record numbers during the primary season.”

“We’re trying to get 20-year-old kids,” said Chris McMonagle, a tall, dark-haired senior from Lansdale, Pa., “to vote for a 72-year-old man.”

About 15 students attended a rally in support of McCain at UC Berkeley on Monday.

Education Funding Could Be Cut

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger projected a possible $10 billion state deficit after a closed-door meeting with education leaders on Tuesday, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The Chronicle reports that education funding may be cut by $2 billion to $4 billion to close the deficit, and education officials said they believe the governor called the meeting to encourage collaboration regarding how to close the budget gap.

The governor is scheduled to call a special legislative session to discuss the budget after Tuesday’s election, the Chronicle reports.

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Fellow Republicans Call Out Stevens

The New York Times reported today that presidential nominee Sen. John McCain and running mate Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska have called on fellow Republican Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska to resign from his position.

Stevens was convicted on charges that he failed to report receiving monetary gifts from friends, but said he will contend for his seat in next week’s election.

Microsoft Users in China

Microsoft users in China are complaining about a technology by Microsoft that blackens their computer screens intermittently when they watch pirated material on their computers, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The “Windows Genuine Advantage” initiative introduced by the Redmond, Wash.-based giant in China goes beyond earlier versions elsewhere by turning desktops black every 60 minutes if the software fails a validation test. “You may be the victim of pirated software,” it then warns repeatedly.

Home Prices in August Fall At Slower Rate

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, home prices nationwide continued to fall in August, though not as dramatically as before.

In Berkeley, falling home prices have contributed to rising rents.

Rwandans to Instruct in English, Not French

Rwandan officials announced that English will now be the language of instruction in schools, citing French is no longer as useful in the world as English, according to The Washington Post.

The local languages in Rwanda are Kinyarwanda and French, while currently less than 5 percent of the population speaks English, according to the Post.

The Post reports that while the Rwandan relationship with France is deteriorating, the decision to change the language of instruction was not based on this.