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Kepler's, the largest independent bookstore in the Palo Alto area (making it an important off-campus institution for Stanford Univ. and Silicon Valley) closed last week, but yesterday at a rally hundreds heard that there's a chance to reopen the store. David Kepler, the owner and heir of the store his father founded 50 years ago, also spoke today on the local NPR station on a show about independent bookselling, and said there could be an announcement as early as tomorrow.

The California legislature yesterday passed a gay marriage bill and sent it on to Gov. Schwa, who no doubt fervently hoped he would never have to decide whether he supported it or not.