Cover: Forest for the Trees
Shunning the controversy and costs of harvesting in forests to the north, loggers have big plans for the timber-rich Santa Cruz Mountains. But residents, disturbed by the potential environmental destruction, are mounting their own opposition.

News: Un-Tattoo You
San Jose wants to help former gang members start with a clean slate by removing visible tattoos. Is this money well spent, or are gang affiliations more than skin deep?

Off Camera: The money ran out and the media benefactors drifted, but Your Voices Count continued to speak out. Can this volunteer group of armchair political reformers still be heard?

Public Eye: Bonus rounds.

Polis Report: Poets under 21 lines.

History is Made at Night: From 'Slacker' to his new 'subUrbia,' Richard Linklater sets his characters loose in the wee hours.

Talking Pictures: Renowned monologuist Josh Kornbluth sizes up Kenneth Branagh's wordy adaptation of Shakespeare's 'Hamlet.'

A Rube of One's Own: 'Sling Blade' wants to be a morally uplifting freak show.

The Old Man and the Boy: Jan Sverak's 'Kolya' delivers a familiar tale of intergenerational bonding.

Executive Inaction: Clint Eastwood goes through the paces in the formulaic thriller 'Absolute Power.'

A Musical Epiphany: A new retrospective album charts the recording history of Chaka Khan.

The Jackson Four: Luscious girl group raises a fever.

Savoring All the Flavors: Zakiya Hooker, John Lee's singing daughter, samples the full range of the blues on new album.

Audiofile: Reviews of the latest CDs by the Grouch, Pat Boone, Danny Tenaglia and Kinfolk.

Beat Street: Rooster show gives lesson in major-label thinking.

Country Charm: Nouveau Trattoria's tireless chef/owner Annie Mocho Nunan conjures comfort with Basque family-style dinners and a repertoire of roast pork, poached salmon and pastas.

Bargain Bites: Naz Cafe has enough authentic flavors and low prices to make it a true cultural bargain.

Gonna Take It Lying Down: New sexy book package is a great bedside read.

The King and His Spinoff: From 'King of the Hill' to 'Daria,' will TV ever depict smarts smartly?