Two major forces dominating American society in the 1950s—one waning, the other waxing—collided in Sproul Plaza 40 years ago today, Oct. 1, climaxing in an epochal moment. -more-
Homeowners who live beside Berkeley creeks have less to fear from mother nature after the City Council Tuesday affirmed their right to rebuild their homes after a disaster. -more-
Gov. Arnold Schwarze-negger signed into law Thursday a new measure that increases the inclusionary bonus granted to builders who included low income housing in apartment and condominiums building. -more-
Richmond City Council members tabled Tuesday night’s planned vote on a casino complex development pact for Point Molate after ChevronTexaco offered a lucrative last-minute alternative. -more-
State officials Thursday afternoon approved a developer’s plans to dredge marshland at the edge of a highly polluted Richmond site, though some neighbors remain deeply concerned about possible effects to neighboring lives and property. -more-
On a typical day Berkeley’s Veterans’ Memorial Building has plenty of veterans inside; they just aren’t where one would expect to find them. -more-
Building on the city’s reputation as being one of the homes of the best and the brightest, two Berkeley-based winners were among the 23 recipients of this year’s MacArthur Fellowship awards. -more-
After nine straight hours on her feet as an event usher, Carol Harris could sympathize with the workers she passed at 11:30 p.m. who were walking a 24-hour picket outside the Claremont Hotel at the end of August. -more-
A boor given to embarrassing behavior, an American lackey on Iraq, a clown. He toes the U.S. line of not dealing with terrorists, yet his government may have secretly paid a ransom to free two kidnapped Italian aid workers. These are some of the darts critics throw at Italy’s Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Yet, none seems to matter to the Italian electorate as Berlusconi has managed to hold onto power. What explains his mystique? -more-
With nearly 100 residents in Berkeley and Albany nearing the end of their first week without telephone service, SBC, as of press time Thursday, continued to repair water-logged underground cables. -more-
People’s Park is not just a park—it’s an institution. It’s home to all sorts of people, gardeners, hopeful athletes, dancers, poets and musicians, and many of Berkeley’s poor, homeless and hungry. -more-
East Bay liberal-progressives pride themselves on the fact that they saw the errors of Iraq early-on and long before the rest of the country—the half-truths and misstatements by the nation’s leaders, the faulty conclusions, the failure of the media to as k the tough questions and point out the inconsistencies. -more-
As the election approaches, the Bush Administration is appealing for votes from the military and from civilians who want to feel safe from terrorist attacks. -more-
Berkeley firefighters were forced to summon assistance from Oakland, Albany and Alameda County to battle a Tuesday night blaze that nearly destroyed a dwelling at 2811 Stuart St. -more-
Editors, Daily Planet: -more-
Who remembers the proposal a few years ago for the Albany casino development in the vicinity of Golden Gate fields? To sweeten the deal, developers promised a ferry service for the anticipated boatloads of gamblers and shoppers. This proposal went to court and was defeated on appeal. -more-
For the last 35 years Cal Sailing Club has occupied a small piece of land in the Berkeley Marina, on the south side of University Avenue. CSC is a non-profit sailing co-operative. Historically it was a UC student activity, but in 1979 it severed its last ties, and became officially open to the public. -more-
The Planet has asked our readers to submit short questions for Berkeley City Council candidates, who will be given space for short answers. Candidates may answer any questions, even those addressed to other candidates. -more-
Caffe Trieste, the North Beach institution that takes credit for popularizing espresso culture on the west coast, opened a Berkeley café last week. -more-
It’s make it or break it for Berkeley’s Nabolom bakery. -more-
Lysistrata, Aristophanes’ classic of ancient comedy—and the preeminent modern antiwar stage production—will be presented by The National Theatre of Greece Friday, Oct. 1 (8 p. m.) and Sunday, Oct. 3 (3 p. m.) at Oakland’s Calvin Simmons Theatre. Adapted to modern Greek and directed by Kostas Tsianos (who will give introductory talks an hour before each performance), Lysistrata will have English supertitles. Lydia Koniordiu stars as Lysistrata. These performances mark its American debut after its presentation at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens—and celebrate the National Theatre's 100th anniversary. -more-
While many of us think of the ride to Pleasanton as a nasty commute and weekend excursions eastward as much more pleasant, Pleasanton, in fact, has a rather charming Main Street, complete with the old arched lighted white sign overhead, antique stores, and ye old tack shop. -more-
A group of former students of Lincoln Elementary School in southwest Berkeley returned last week to find a school that was significantly larger, better-landscaped, and more ethnically diverse than the one they left some 60 years ago. Oh, and yes, of course, the name has been changed, to Malcolm X Arts and Academics Magnet Elementary. -more-
If the big one hits, Frank Morris fears that he, and more than 2,000 Berkeley residents like him, might not be allowed to build anew. -more-
On a quiet cul-de-sac in central Berkeley, the neighbors will chat about nearly anything except the tangle of lawsuits they have filed against each other and the city. -more-
For the 20 years Maudelle Shirek has sat on the City Council she could always count on the support of Berkeley’s foremost progressive political organization. -more-
Three seats on the Peralta Community College District Board of Trustees in the Daily Planet’s coverage area will be filled by newcomers. -more-
An unexpected increase in Berkeley High School student attendance has caused the addition of 10 new classes at the school, the creation of the equivalent of two new full-time teaching positions, and the reshuffling of some student schedules. -more-
When heavy construction equipment moved in to the meadow on Aug. 18, a lot of Berkeley residents were angered at the sudden closure of the 72-acre site between the I-80 frontage road and the Berkeley Marina. -more-
Controversy over the high density Campus Bay waterfront residential development on a toxic waste site in Richmond continues to mount as eager-to-build developers are pitted against anxious residents. -more-
Richmond City Council members are scheduled to decide the fate of the Point Molate Casino proposal when they meet Tuesday night, Sept. 28, in their chambers at the Marina City Hall, 1401 Marina Way South. -more-
Members of the University of California community gathered at midday last week at the spreading lawn below California Hall to remember and mourn the loss of friends and colleagues during the past year. -more-
Lorie Harnden, whose daughter is a first grader at Fairmount Elementary School, is just one of several anxious El Cerrito parents awaiting the arrival of a service signed into law Friday by Gov. Schwarzenegger that allows the Department of Justice to post information about registered sex offenders on line. -more-
“I didn’t think that guy was queer, but now that I give it some thought, I guess I did think he acted a little funny, and yeah, it makes sense that he’s a homo.” -more-
The U.S. governmental system sets forth rights of all peoples under U.S. jurisdiction (described in previous columns in 11 sections), and duties of the U.S. Administration (starting in this column.) -more-
Those of us who watched the GOP convention, or have recently had conversations with Republicans, have been struck by their emotional fervor, their passion for George Bush and their hatred for liberals. Who are these true believers? -more-
Editors, Daily Planet: -more-
Editors, Daily Planet: -more-
LIMA, Peru—“Vamos! Do you have that heart rate at 80 percent?” -more-
“An apocalypse can be a funny thing.” -more-
Writer, activist, and Oakland resident Evelyn C. White settles into a comfortable leather chair at a Piedmont Avenue café and talks about her ten year project, researching and penning the biography of author Alice Walker (Alice Walker: A Life; W.W. Norton; September 2004; 496 pages; $29.95). -more-
A couple of Fridays ago, a letter from Michael Farrell appeared in the Planet regarding my recent rant about bad pruning. I thank Mr. Farrell for his kind remarks, and I’m taking another column here to endorse his accurate and perceptive pointers about choosing and siting trees in city yards. -more-
Culture. Or as they say in America’s capital of culture, New York City, kulcha. Everyone’s for it, who could be against it? We’ve gotten a number of communications from representatives of what’s described as the “arts and culture industry” in Mayor Bates’ proclamation endorsing today, Oct. 1, as “California Arts Day” and October as “Arts and Humanities Month.” The Arts Day press releases are chock-full of shocking statistics about the California’s sorry state of support for the arts, the worst of which is this, from the California Arts Council: -more-
We’re going to start the Planet’s discussion of ballot choices for the November election with the easiest one to understand. Proposition 66 is a balanced, moderate reform of California’s badly drafted “Three Strikes and You’re In Jail for Life” law. -more-
