Despite the unveiling last Friday of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed $76 billion 2004-05 budget with its restoration of Vehicle License Fee monies to California’s cities and counties, Berkeley’s top two officials say it’s far too early to tell how big an economic hit this city will take. -more-

TUESDAY, JAN. 13 -more-

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Nothing pumps an audience more than music with a beat, performers with attitude, and dancers jumping off the stage into the audience! This is exactly how Berkeley High School’s Dance Production 2004 begins. -more-

TUESDAY, JAN. 13 -more-

Just two days after approving a use permit, city planners booted a nonprofit from its office space in one of Berkeley’s most drug-blighted neighborhoods, revoking their permit amid allegations the group’s chief planned to bring a cannabis club to the site. -more-

The Daily Planet editorial of Dec. 19-22 invited positive ideas for the future of the Holy Land. Following is a summary of a peace plan which I presented -more-

“If somebody was to ask me how I came to be here, I swear b’fore God that I wouldn’t know what to say to ‘em. My whole life, I always wanted to be able to hear stories ‘bout how I came into the world a wanted and special child. But the folks I lived with told stories, ‘bout my mama that wasn’t meant for children’s ears. Truth be told, seemed like nobody could even dig up a idea of how I got inside my mama, let alone what happened afterwards. Since no one was gonna tell me what I wanted to hear, I let myself believe that God had gave me a mouth and mind of my own to do what I seen fit…” -more-

Following a unanimous rejection by Zoning Adjustment Board commissioners Thursday, the developer of the controversial Library Gardens project says he’s been hammering out a compromise to add public parking spaces to the largest apartment complex ever planned for the city center. -more-

Two weeks ago, national representatives of Eddie Bauer stores announced the closure of its retail outlet at Shattuck Avenue and Allston Way in downtown Berkeley, seven years after Berkeley preservationists fought a pitched and ultimately unsuccessful battle to prevent the city from allowing the demolition of the 1890’s-era Edy’s Ice Creamery building where the Bauer store now stands. -more-

A light agenda awaits Berkeley City Council schedule for their first meeting of the new year at 7 p.m. tonight (Tuesday, Jan. 13)—its first meeting in a month—proving either that the city is exhausted from wrestling with budget deficits throughout the fall, or that it is merely taking a breath before gearing up for the new money battles this winter and spring. -more-

Apparently, the apartment downstairs and one over from mine was broken into last week. One of our neighborhood methamphetamine enthusiasts forced his way through the bathroom window and started rifling through some drawers while the tenant and her boyfriend were, ahem, busy in the back bedroom. -more-

There are few harvesting thrills for the home vegetable gardener to equal the digging of new potatoes. Disinterring a bed of Jerusalem artichokes is one of them. -more-