News Digest News Digest (October 22, 2004)

Bands marching in

With horns sounding and drums thumping, Main Street will be alive tomorrow as Foothill High Band Boosters host the 30th annual Marching Band Review.

Up to 40 bands from throughout California and Nevada will march down Main Street beginning at 9 a.m., while concert band competitions will be held simultaneously at Amador Theater, 1155 Santa Rita Road. Both events are free.

A field show competition will be held at Foothill High's stadium, 4375 Foothill Road, at 4:30 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door for $7. For details, visit Foothill's Web site, www.foothillband.org. Waterslides delay

The $7 million expansion of the waterslides at Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area on Stanley Boulevard will not begin before the end of the 2005 summer season, Craig Copeland of the California Splash development said Wednesday. The one-year postponement of the project was caused by delays in obtaining expansion permits.

Copeland said the existing waterslides, called The Rapids, will be open to the public next year just as they have been for the past 23 years. Once that season ends, work will begin on adding more slides, a Lazy River Ride and large wave pool, with that project scheduled to be completed in time for the 2006 waterslides season. Kerry 'ketchup poll'

Sen. John Kerry increased his lead over President George W. Bush this week in the Pleasanton Hotel's "ketchup poll," with the number of votes cast now totaling 603 for Kerry compared to 461 for Bush. The poll is based on the number of tomato seeds diners place in separate ketchup jars - Heinz ketchup for Kerry, and W Ketchup for Bush.

"This week it's become clear that, yes, we do live in the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the most liberal voting areas in the country," said restaurant owner Bill Laube. "What will happen next week? Perhaps the conservatives will flood us with ballots while dining here and tighten up the race." He said the poll is being conducted "as a fun way to get people more involved in their community and the election of their representatives."

Stay tuned for a final ketchup poll report in next week's Weekly.

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