Parents at City of Franklin Microsociety Magnet School said they will strongly oppose the proposed closure of the school, and criticized Superintendent Michele Lawrence for recommending the move without parental input, during a series of interviews with the Daily Planet Wednesday. -more-

Dave Guest made five of six penalty kicks and the Bears held the visiting University of Victoria men’s rugby team to one try on Wednesday as Cal won 27-7 at Witter Field. -more-

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Thursday, Feb. 21

Michael Lehet, a 22-year-old UC Berkeley student, devoured a package of crackers as he explained why he isn’t a registered voter. Tuesday was the registration deadline for anyone hoping to vote in the March 5 primary election, but Lehet stood inside Sproul Hall, looking at the rain. Elections failed to interest him. -more-

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Two programs on BTV channel 25 depicting “sexually explicit” material has sparked a free speech debate that may in fact put some of the channel’s funding in jeopardy. -more-

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Alameda County is using the $20 million a year it receives from the Proposition 10 tobacco tax approved by voters in 1998 to improve the quality of life for children and families through the Every Child Counts program, part of the Children and Families Commission. -more-

Today is Thursday, Feb. 21, the 52nd day of 2002. There are 313 days left in the year. -more-

SAN FRANCISCO — Popular online search engine maker Google Inc. is introducing a new program that allows Web sites to be displayed more prominently by paying more money — an advertising-driven system derided by critics as an invitation to deceptive business practices. -more-

SAN JOSE — Much like the airline industry before Sept. 11, high-tech companies, customers and government agencies are well aware of security vulnerabilities but are reluctant to pay to fix them, President Bush’s top computer security adviser said Tuesday. -more-

SACRAMENTO — Legislative Analyst Elizabeth Hill warned Wednesday that “the fiscal situation has deteriorated” and lawmakers must make deeper-than-expected budget cuts to lift the state from its financial straits. -more-

OAKLAND — City of Oakland officials have decided to pay $195,000 to a man who spent 287 days in custody after he was arrested by a pair of officers who have been accused of criminal misconduct in a case against the so-called “Riders.” -more-