Cover: Higher Power
In her search for sobriety and enlightenment, 40-year-old Claudia Kraft found New Age musician Gary Lamb and what turned out to be the dark side of Golden Gate Records. In the end, Claudia lost it all.

News: Strawberry Fields Forever
A 'new and improved' union has divided strawberry pickers in Watsonville, and some say the funding for it has come straight from agribusiness.

Gonzo Wins: Ron Gonzales takes San Jose in photo finish. Plus, a photo essay from Election Night '98.

Public Eye: The old elite is out on the street.

Metropolis News Extras

• Palo Alto: Fake charity volunteer on the loose.
  
• Willow Glen: The Glen gets away from the negative associations of "Billiards."
  
• Alviso: Will there be changes to the Alviso Master Plan?
  
• Santa Cruz: Once a wife-beating Satanist, always a wife-beating Satanist.

Mining the Seventies: Todd Haynes' Velvet Goldmine laments the lost promise of gender-blurring glitter rock.

DeVito Defeated: Retro women's picture Living Out Loud examines the agony of a cardiologist's ex.

Siege Mentality: Edward Zwick's action flick The Siege raises the specter of military fascism.

Unalarming: Stanley Tucci and David Arquette are too nice to be nasty in The Alarmist.

Upping the Ante: R.E.M. keeps on moving 'Up' with new album.

Bound for Glory: Singer/guitarist Deborah Coleman finds her voice as a blueswoman.

Audiofile: Reviews of the latest CDs by DeeJay Punk-Roc, 808 State and various artists.

Left Leaning: Menlo Park's Left Bank has all the right stuff, if you've got the time.

The Joy of Dissing: Dilbert creator Scott Adams stoops to redbaiting in Joy of Work; Richard Marcej puts down the daily comics.

Past and Present 'Rain': Bisected Three Days of Rain at San Jose Rep looks at lives early and late.