Surrounded by worn chasing hammers, punches and gravers that were made by her father, jeweler Susan Brooks sat at a cluttered workbench and shaped a thin piece of sterling silver with short, precise hammer strikes. -more-

FRIDAY, JUNE 6 -more-

THE REAL PROBLEM -more-

For 26 years, the Berkeley Bowl grocery store has provided customers with a taste of everything Berkeley—organic fruit, upscale orange juice, tattooed cashiers and baggers working their way through college. Now, shoppers are getting a dash of another local flavor: labor strife. -more-

I do not share the Daily Planet’s great hope that Phil Kamlarz will turn the Planning Department around. As budget director and deputy city manager, Kamlarz has been one of the most powerful people in Berkeley city government over the past 20 years. As such, he has had a major say not only in hiring Carol Barrett, but also in the hiring of her last four of five predecessors. The major reason planning directors do not get along with Berkeley residents and commissioners is that they come here with an agenda. In the recent past, that agenda has been to build as much and as high as possible—the neighborhoods be damned. -more-

The discovery of two submerged fuel tanks beneath the Harrison House Adult Shelter in West Berkeley means another environmental problem for the city-owned property and another cleanup cost for taxpayers. -more-

Icons are falling at The New York Times in the wake of its Jayson Blair plagiarism scandal. -more-

“Time served—one day!” -more-

A superior court judge on Tuesday suspended criminal proceedings against Ryan Lee Raper until psychiatrists determine whether he is mentally competent to stand trial for the murder of Berkeley transient Kevin Lee Freeman. -more-

Early Thursday morning 64 local, county and federal law enforcement officers served 12 search warrants at locations throughout the Bay Area in relation to a counterfeiting ring that may be responsible for the theft of $6 million. -more-

Before flying to Washington for my Yale class of ‘68 college reunion dinner at the White House, Lisa and I bought gifts for the Bushes. We picked up an “I love Berkeley” T-shirt for the President, complete with peace sign—he won’t get too many of those, we figured—and a book for Laura. -more-

High-speed police chases resulting in injury and death, which have become something of an issue in Oakland over the past year, are also becoming a potentially explosive issue throughout the state of California. -more-

Whether it’s been gone so long or always on your mind, the sound of “traditional” music is everywhere these days except on commercial radio. Then again, who listens to commercial radio? -more-

FRIDAY, JUNE 6 -more-

FRIDAY, JUNE 6 -more-

On Tuesday, June 10, PBS Channel 9 will air “Daddy & Papa,” a film by Oakland independent filmmaker Johnny Symons. I caught up with Johnny and his partner William at their comfortable craftsman bungalow a few blocks from the Daily Planet office. Actually, I did more than catch up with them. I weeded their garden. (Like most wildly successful writers in the Bay Area, I do a little gardening, babysitting, housecleaning and light hauling on the side.) -more-

The Downtown Berkeley Association (DBA) presents Summer Noon Concerts 2003, a unique series of nine free concerts, Thursdays at noon in June & July, beginning June 5th. From Rhythm & Blues to Brazilian capoeira, these concerts at the Downtown Berkeley BART Plaza (Shattuck Ave. at Center St.) are a showcase of the culturally rich performing arts in Berkeley. This outdoor summer celebration of Berkeley-based musicians & dancers is just a small sampling of the performing arts happening nightly in clubs, cafes, schools, theaters and concert halls in Downtown Berkeley. -more-