Berkeley’s proposed parcel tax plan died Monday night, almost exactly 24 hours before City Council was scheduled to approve final language to place the measure on the March, 2004 ballot. -more-

TUESDAY, NOV. 25 -more-

UC HOTEL -more-

Aurora Theatre’s production of Kenneth Lonergan’s Lobby Hero turns out to be well worth the three years of somersaults Director Tom Ross had to perform to bring it to Berkeley. -more-

TUESDAY, NOV. 25 -more-

Ask anyone on City Council about passing a tax hike in Berkeley these days and they’ll say it’s no easy task. Last year only one cause out of four won the hearts and votes of two-thirds of Berkeley’s increasingly stingy voters: a new animal shelter. -more-

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of two articles on the Mayor’s Task Force on Permitting and Development. This article addresses the task force process; the next article will address the substance of the recommendations. -more-

Drivers on upper Ashby Avenue are getting a graphic reminder of just how fast they’re going, legally or otherwise, thanks to a trio of solar-powered signs that flash their speeds on glowing digital panels. -more-

Editors, Daily Planet: -more-

Berkeley fourth graders—forced by budget cuts to trade in their violins and trumpets for rhythm lessons and recorders—are banking on unwanted CDs to bring the band back together. -more-

The achievement gap separating white Berkeley public school students from other racial groups remains profound, according to an analysis of test scores unveiled at last week’s meeting of the Berkeley Unified School District board. -more-

The Feet of Clay award for this week is shared by two recipients, Sen. Diane Feinstein and the American Association of Retired Persons, for supporting the bogus Medicare bill which the Republicans have already shoved through the House with support from some Democrats. Senator Diane’s presence on any list of sellouts comes as no surprise to those who have followed her career, but if you’re too young to have encountered the AARP first-hand, you might wonder what’s gone wrong there. -more-