Richard Brenneman:
              
              Julia Vinograd, Berkeley’s “positive public nuisance” poet, prepares for Saturday’s Poetry Festival and Community Fair, where she will be the first recipient of the city’s Lifetime Achievement Award. See story, Page Twelve.?
Richard Brenneman: Julia Vinograd, Berkeley’s “positive public nuisance” poet, prepares for Saturday’s Poetry Festival and Community Fair, where she will be the first recipient of the city’s Lifetime Achievement Award. See story, Page Twelve.?

Page One

Vista Dean Claims He Was Ousted By A Black Conspiracy

By MATTHEW ARTZ
Friday June 04, 2004

The outgoing president of Berkeley’s Vista College is claiming that a black-orchestrated, racial discrimination conspiracy has cost him his job and is threatening a lawsuit against the Peralta Community College District if his contract is not reopened and renewed before the end of the month. -more-



UC Plan Blasted at City Council Meeting

By Richard Brenneman
Friday June 04, 2004

Any illusions UC officials may have harbored about how the rest of Berkeley views their Long Range Development Plan should have vanished after Tuesday night’s City Council session. -more-



BUSD Looks to Break Cycle Of Meager Budget Planning

By MATTHEW ARTZ
Friday June 04, 2004

Larry Picus stood center stage before about 75 parents Tuesday at the Longfellow Middle School Theater Tuesday as he auditioned for the leading role in Berkeley Unified’s great school funding adventure. -more-



Berkeley This Week Calendar

Friday June 04, 2004

FRIDAY, JUNE 4 -more-



Day by Day, Laborers Seek Work on West Side

By BILL CARDER Special to the Planet
Friday June 04, 2004

The day laborers gather on Berkeley’s Hearst corridor early in the morning, hours before most of the high-priced shops and trendy cafes in the nearby Fourth Street commercial district open for business. The first to arrive is Hector Castillo, a 51-year old Honduran who sleeps in his car on a nearby side street. -more-



Features

Transfers Draw Lawsuit From Rosa Parks Teachers

By MATTHEW ARTZ
Friday June 04, 2004

The four teachers involuntarily transferred last week from Rosa Parks Elementary School will file a grievance seeking monetary compensation, the Berkeley Federation of Teachers announced Tuesday. -more-


After School Programs Get Funding Reprieve

By MATTHEW ARTZ
Friday June 04, 2004

The lights will not go out on Berkeley after school programs this fall, though they might flicker a bit. -more-


Teachers, School District Deadlock Over New Contract

Friday June 04, 2004

Nearly one year after their contract expired, the Berkeley Federation of Teachers (BFT) announced Tuesday they have unilaterally declared that negotiations with the Berkeley Unified School District are at an impasse. -more-


Fast Food Giants Face Lawsuit Over Cancerous Fries

By Starre Vartan AlterNet
Friday June 04, 2004

Carbs have been taking a beating lately, and the news isn’t getting any better. A pending lawsuit filed against fast food mega-corps McDonald’s and Burger King may leave one of America’s most beloved junk foods with a cigarette-like warning label: “May cause cancer.” -more-


Police Blotter

By JAKOB SCHILLER
Friday June 04, 2004

Cop Hit (Again) -more-


UnderCurrents: A Deja View of a Summer Beginning to Simmer

J. DOUGLAS ALLEN-TAYLOR
Friday June 04, 2004

2004 is nothing like 1966. -more-


Letters to the Editor

Friday June 04, 2004

SCHOOL FUNDING -more-


Nexus Artist Blasts Animal Shelter Decision

By BOB BROKL
Friday June 04, 2004

I’m writing as one of the “anxious artists” from Nexus who attended the recent Berkeley City Council Subcommittee on the New Animal Shelter. These meetings have been going on for about two years—this is the first we have attended since finding out about them one month ago. -more-


UC Should Forsake Its Nukes

By David Krieger MinutemanMedia.org
Friday June 04, 2004

We’ve all heard about the inspections that took place in Iraq to find weapons of mass destruction and programs to make them. As we know, none were found in Iraq. -more-


Bubble Lady Captures Berkeley’s Beat

By RICHARD BRENNEMAN
Friday June 04, 2004

“I’ve spent the last 30 years being a public nuisance,” says Julia Vinograd, adding—with a smile—“in a positive way.” -more-


Civic Center Park Hosts Weekend Poetry Festival

By Richard Brenneman
Friday June 04, 2004

Simple syllables -more-


Moreno Excels in Berkeley Rep’s ‘Master Class’

By Betsy Hunton Special to the Planet
Friday June 04, 2004

“No applause, please” the diva commands as she walks on stage at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. -more-


Arts Calendar

Friday June 04, 2004

FRIDAY, JUNE 4 -more-


A Bar-Hopping Guide to Berkeley’s Gourmet Pubs

By Barbara Quick Special to the Planet
Friday June 04, 2004

For the longest time, I felt sure that a romantic dinner out meant sitting across from your companion at a candlelit table in a great restaurant. It is only recently that I’ve been won over to the charms of bellying up to the bar in those very same restaurants and eating side by side. -more-


Editorial

School Board Moves Toward November Ballot Tax Measure

By MATTHEW ARTZ
Friday June 04, 2004

The Berkeley School Board unanimously approved the first reading of an $8.3 million tax measure for the November ballot that, if passed by voters, would cost the average homeowner $184 per year in extra taxes. -more-


Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

School Board Moves Toward November Ballot Tax Measure 06-04-2004

Editorial: Back in the Big Muddy 06-01-2004

News

Vista Dean Claims He Was Ousted By A Black Conspiracy By MATTHEW ARTZ 06-04-2004

UC Plan Blasted at City Council Meeting By Richard Brenneman 06-04-2004

BUSD Looks to Break Cycle Of Meager Budget Planning By MATTHEW ARTZ 06-04-2004

Berkeley This Week Calendar 06-04-2004

Day by Day, Laborers Seek Work on West Side By BILL CARDER Special to the Planet 06-04-2004

Transfers Draw Lawsuit From Rosa Parks Teachers By MATTHEW ARTZ 06-04-2004

After School Programs Get Funding Reprieve By MATTHEW ARTZ 06-04-2004

Teachers, School District Deadlock Over New Contract 06-04-2004

Fast Food Giants Face Lawsuit Over Cancerous Fries By Starre Vartan AlterNet 06-04-2004

Police Blotter By JAKOB SCHILLER 06-04-2004

UnderCurrents: A Deja View of a Summer Beginning to Simmer J. DOUGLAS ALLEN-TAYLOR 06-04-2004

Letters to the Editor 06-04-2004

Nexus Artist Blasts Animal Shelter Decision By BOB BROKL 06-04-2004

UC Should Forsake Its Nukes By David Krieger MinutemanMedia.org 06-04-2004

Bubble Lady Captures Berkeley’s Beat By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 06-04-2004

Civic Center Park Hosts Weekend Poetry Festival By Richard Brenneman 06-04-2004

Moreno Excels in Berkeley Rep’s ‘Master Class’ By Betsy Hunton Special to the Planet 06-04-2004

Arts Calendar 06-04-2004

A Bar-Hopping Guide to Berkeley’s Gourmet Pubs By Barbara Quick Special to the Planet 06-04-2004

Berkeley Unified Launches Study Of Long-Term Funding Needs By MATTHEW ARTZ 06-01-2004

Budget Cuts Bring Fire Season Hazard By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 06-01-2004

Vera Casey’s Son Returns to Berkeley To Rescue Day Care Program Founded By His Mother By MATTHEW ARTZ 06-01-2004

Berkeley This Week Calendar 06-01-2004

Harvard’s Know-Nothing Sounds the WASP Alarm By Nicholas von Hoffman Featurewell 06-01-2004

Council Takes On Unions, University By MATTHEW ARTZ 06-01-2004

Police Blotter By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 06-01-2004

Sports Obsession Drags Love Through Extra Innings From Susan Parker 06-01-2004

Letters to the Editor 06-01-2004

A Worker’s Views on the Budget By PATRICK K. McCULLOUGH 06-01-2004

Clothing Drive Nancy Wogan 06-01-2004

Angry at Planning Staff? Don’t Waste Your Energy By ROBERT LAURISTON 06-01-2004

Readers Respond to Pagan Parade Coverage 06-01-2004

Bagdikian’s Long Journey to Journalistic Heights By Dorothy Bryant Special to the Planet 06-01-2004

Giorgi Gallery Exhibits Big Work by a Tiny Artist By JULIE ROSS Special to the Planet 06-01-2004

Arts Calendar 06-01-2004

Hummingbirds Are Not as American as You Think By JOE EATON Special to the Planet 06-01-2004