By PETER FIMRITE, San Francisco Chronicle

Poll shows Westerners favor drilling and alternatives

By PETER FIMRITE, San Francisco Chronicle

The "drill, baby, drill" chant may fire up supporters of Big Oil, but it does not reflect the feelings of most Western voters, according to a new poll released Wednesday.

If anything, the poll indicates voters in California, Oregon and Washington would like to yell out to those who will listen, "alternatives, sweetie, alternatives!"

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Dirt and poverty minutes from Olympic glitz in Beijing

By PETER FIMRITE, San Francisco Chronicle

BEIJING -- It is hard to see what the modernization of Beijing and the glitz and glamor of China's Olympic coming-out party are doing for the residents of the city's Suo Jia area.

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Iraq veterans encouraged as Paralympics participants

By PETER FIMRITE, San Francisco Chronicle

Friday's Opening Ceremonies for the Olympics will mark the start of a two-week series of dreams-come-true for athletes from around the world. But only once they have gone home will another U.S. athlete, Scott Winkler, get his chance for glory in Beijing.

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California congressional leaders want ceasefire in deer kills

By PETER FIMRITE, San Francisco Chronicle

A powerful cadre of politicians, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and both California senators, called this week for a halt in the killing of nonnative deer at the Point Reyes National Seashore.

The park's superintendent said Thursday that officials are considering the request.

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Effort to revive San Joaquin River advances

By PETER FIMRITE, San Francisco Chronicle

WASHINGTON -- Long-stalled legislation to bring life back to California's dried-up San Joaquin River and restore its historic salmon run has cleared a significant hurdle with approval from a Senate committee.

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A tropical bird that flew way off course is saved

By PETER FIMRITE, San Francisco Chronicle

SAN FRANCISCO -- A giant tropical bird -- a type rarely, if ever, seen in the Bay Area -- got stuck in the vortex of a hurricane-force Pacific storm this month and took a dizzying Wizard of Oz-like ride hundreds, maybe thousands, of miles off course.

That's the theory of how it ended up in a tree in Healdsburg, Calif.

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