Holy Names High School -- the first high school in Oakland -- began educating girls in the 1860s at the school's first location, the marshy shores of Lake Merritt.  

WHAT do you do when a supposedly reputable merchant doesn't deliver the goods? The answer surprised me.In early December, I returned an item to a longtime Peninsula specialty store and ordered a replacement in another size.  

My heart started thumping when my parents told us we were going to Lebanon. They were beaming with excitement — my dad hasn't gone back to his homeland in nearly 20 years and it has been 14 years since my mom and I went there.  

Indeed, the Party at Pat's, the annual summer fundraiser for the Blackhawk Museum's children's education and transportation fund, was very East Egg. It could have come straight from the pages of F. Scott Fitzgerald's romanticized epic, and it was wildly successful.  

As my final service to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, I attended the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico City on Aug. 3-6. The United States dominated the first few days of the conference, with everyone discussing, first, the reauthorized President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.  

I used a brake lining gauge to measure the brake pad and found that it measured less than 1/32 of an inch. Now even I know that's pretty bad. It was almost metal to metal.  

The Olympics are over, and Michael Phelps is not the only one who is relieved. While he is basking in the glory of his unprecedented eight gold medals, I am celebrating the fact that we no longer have to watch him every night.  

MONEY, no matter the source, is getting tight. Not surprisingly, government budgets are under extreme stress. Just look at the painful example of the state of California for proof.  

Axis Health's patient load and increased demand for services show how the stalemate in Sacramento affects the most vulnerable people, as well as underscoring the need for spending-limit reform.  

As part of The Shops at Tanforan's back-to-school promotion, shoppers may "dump" a pair of gently worn jeans in exchange for a $10 mall retailer gift card from Aug.  

The Pacific Coast League, which long ago had baseball franchises in Oakland and San Francisco, has its own hall of fame, with the usual list of inductees: shortstops, center fielders, first basemen, pitchers, catchers and the like.  

California Education Code Section 48200 says that children between 6 and 18 "are subject to compulsory full-time education." Good for California. Don't make dropping out easy.  

Many pet owners are just as concerned about what goes into their pets' food as they are about their own food. With so many brands out there, how can concerned pet owners know they are using the best food?  

I've never had an office romance until now. My new staff member sits on my lap during work hours and kisses me constantly. He does back-flips and squeals in delight whenever I enter the room. He follows me everywhere. He observes my every move with rapt attention.  

THE WHO'S WHO of Alameda County met recently for the Annual 100 Club Barbeque. The 100 Club is a not-for-profit charitable organization that provides immediate financial support to spouses and families of police officers and firefighters who are killed in the line of duty in Alameda County, and  

THERE IS NO doubt that Americans want change. Pretty much any poll that simply asks if the country is headed in the right direction will consistently find less than 20 percent feeling good about it.  

WHERE ONCE IT was a claim bulging with arrogance, stomping out any and all dissent, the title "World's Fastest Human" ain't what it used to be. Can't be, when it's written in sand.  

SOUTHPORT, England _ He held the lead for so long on this memorable day. Then it was snatched from Greg Norman in the early evening, taken from him by K.J. Choi on a birdie putt the last hole, a hard bit of reality after hours of fanciful possibility.

 

Bowing to the inevitable, historic San Mateo County track will close after Sunday's races following 74 years of horse racing.

• Bay Meadows closes forever

 

IF YOU HEAR a bit of snoring along Wall Street, it could be flowing from the nostrils of some sleeping giants, big stocks that are down, but not completely out, and could be good purchases before they wake up and start kicking up their earnings and prices.  

Considering that a stopped clock tells the correct time at least twice a day, it's interesting to read what a variety of economists and stock market newsletter writers have to say about the future of the stock market.  

Readers are annoyed with these flies that circle endlessly around their yard. Gary explains why they shouldn't be annoyed.  

Oh, the tangled webs we weave when we (as in, I) try to Walk the Dog or Rock the Baby or Shoot the Moon  

For Alice Waters, food is never merely fuel. It's a reflection of culture, a barometer of health, and a measure of commitment to saving the planet.  

Landmark crime series about to enter its seventh and final season  

The drama opens at Masquers Playhouse in Point Richmond this weekend  

At first glance, 'Braid' sets out to tell a well-worn tale of saving a damsel in distress. But after a few levels, the player will discover the rarest of things -- a personal story.  

Perplexing or not, the Swedish pop act's popularity cannot be denied — and shows no sign of slowing down.

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