From the archives

The money was to be redistributed to fund more courses in math, English and social science in ninth and 10th grades, more support courses and core physical education classes.

A study committee of teachers, parents and administrators was expected to be formed to study Superintendent Sam Johnson’s proposed seven-period day. Schools in the district could choose to implement it the following school year though that appeared unlikely.

Youth dominate Mavericks

Anthony Tashnick, 20, pulled ahead of a brave field of 24 big wave surfers to win the Mavericks Surf Contest in Half Moon Bay the week of March 6, 2005.

In doing so, the Santa Cruz resident was leading a younger generation of big-wave surfers into a sport dominated by their elders for years.

Mavericks, the reef break at Pillar Point many consider the most dangerous wave in the world, produced smooth, 30-foot-plus waves that grew and became bumpier and more perilous throughout the day. Many competitors from San Mateo County and San Francisco in their 30s and 40s put in valiant efforts, but it was Tashnick, 21-year-old Greg Long of San Clemente and young alternate Ryan Augustine of Santa Cruz who led the charge.

At Mavericks, competitors are obligated to paddle into the green, windswept waves, but personal water crafts are used to pull surfers out of the water to safety when they fall. The waves are powerful enough to snap in half 10-feet-long fiberglass surfboards in an instant and the personal injury list at the spot grows with almost every session.

Bomb scare clears Foster City school

For the second time in a week, a San Mateo County school was evacuated after administrators received a bomb threat March 4, 2005.

At 8:30 a.m., employees at Bowditch Middle School in Foster City retrieved a message from the school’s answering machine stating a bomb would go off at the school. Earlier that week, a false bomb threat was called in to Carlmont High School in Belmont.

Bowditch, at 1450 Tarpon St., immediately evacuated more than 1,000 students to Audubon Elementary School, at 841 Gull Ave. The students walked in the rain for 15 minutes to Audubon and were later bused back when police confirmed there was no bomb, Foster City police Capt. Jon Froomin said.

"The school has a plan similar to a fire drill,” Froomin said. "The thing that complicated it was the rain.”

Overall, the school handled the evacuation very well. The entire school was evacuated in about five minutes and students were back in class by 11:40 a.m., Froomin said.

Tongue burner gets 30 years

The San Bruno man accused of brutally beating his new bride and burning her tongue with a car lighter more than a year ago pleaded no contest March 3, 2005 in return for 30 years in prison.

Mazhar Ashkar, 31, must serve at least 85 percent of the sentence before being eligible for parole. Upon his release, he will be deported back to his native Turkey.

Ashkar made the deal on the second day of trial in return for no more than three decades behind bars and the dismissal of numerous felonies. If convicted of the original charges of domestic violence and assault he faced up to life in prison.

Ashkar was arrested the Thanksgiving weekend of 2003 after neighbors reported screaming from the couple’s apartment. Ashkar thought his new bride was paying too much attention to another man at the gym, according to police reports.

After interviewing the victim, police determined the torture may have gone on for a week. Among the incidents, Ashkar allegedly grabbed his wife’s tongue out of her mouth while they drove in Marin County Nov. 21, 2004 and burned it with a cigarette lighter. He also reportedly punched her in the arm before the couple returned home.

From the archives highlights stories originally printed five years ago this week. It appears in the Thursday edition of the Daily Journal.