Jakob Schiller: UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau speaks to striking campus workers and their supporters outside the International House Thursday afternoon. The workers called a one-day strike to protest what they consider UC’s unwillingness to bargain in good faith..
Jakob Schiller: UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau speaks to striking campus workers and their supporters outside the International House Thursday afternoon. The workers called a one-day strike to protest what they consider UC’s unwillingness to bargain in good faith..

Page One

UC Strikers Demand Good-Faith Bargaining By JAKOB SCHILLER

Friday April 15, 2005

University of California service workers from the system’s nine campuses, five medical facilities and the Lawrence Berkeley Labs held a one-day strike Thursday to protest what they said is UC’s disrespect for their jobs and its refusal to bargain in good faith for a new contract. -more-



No Layoffs At Library By MATTHEW ARTZ

Friday April 15, 2005

Unanticipated revenues have halted plans to lay off workers at the Berkeley Public Library, the library’s Executive Director Jackie Griffin said. -more-



Council Can’t Help Evicted Artists By MATTHEW ARTZ

Friday April 15, 2005

Lacking the authority to keep more than two dozen tenants in their West Berkeley live/work complex that city officials have declared a fire hazard, the City Council Tuesday urged the residents of the Drayage Warehouse to comply with an April 15 evacuation order. -more-



Peralta Chancellor Reopens Dones Negotiations, Temporarily Pulls Back on Art Annex Contract By J. DOUGLAS ALLEN-TAYLOR

Friday April 15, 2005

Peralta Community College Chancellor Elihu Harris is close to an agreement in principle with Oakland developer Alan Dones on a controversial Peralta-Laney College land development proposal, but plans to present the agreement to Peralta Trustees in coming weeks without his recommendation. -more-



BUSD Launches Long-Range School Planning Initiative By J. DOUGLAS ALLEN-TAYLOR

Friday April 15, 2005

In the midst of continuing uncertainty about how much education money will be coming out of Sacramento—and what strings will be attached—the Berkeley Unified School District has launched a long-range initiative to identify the “essential components of quality schools” and reliable ways to fund them in Berkeley. -more-



Features

Planning Panel Sets Landmarks Law Hearing, Approves Creeks Proposal By RICHARD BRENNEMAN

Friday April 15, 2005

Planning commissioners Wednesday voted unanimously to approve the proposed workplan and timeline of the Creeks Task Force and to schedule an April 27 hearing on the city’s Landmarks Preservation Ordinance (LPO). -more-


UC, Developer Extend Downtown Hotel Talks By RICHARD BRENNEMAN

Friday April 15, 2005

UC Berkeley’s plans for a hotel, conference center and museums complex aren’t dead, merely delayed, said Kevin Hufferd, the university’s project manager. -more-


Property Auction Augments City’s General Fund By MATTHEW ARTZ

Staff
Friday April 15, 2005

Berkeley is $773,000 richer after auctioning off two residential housing lots on McKinley Avenue behind the public safety building Tuesday. -more-


Hancock Waste Site Bill Set for Assembly Hearing By RICHARD BRENNEMAN

Friday April 15, 2005

At least two East Bay residents will testify later this month on two bills that would transform regulation of toxic waste sites. -more-


Slasher Companion Resigns By MATTHEW ARTZ

Friday April 15, 2005

The accused accomplice of the 16-year-old girl who has been charged with slashing a Berkeley woman outside the Rose Garden has resigned from her job at Juvenile Hall, Alameda County Counsel Richard Winnie said. -more-


Tax Activists: Big Buisness Must Pay its Fair Share By LUCY KOMISAR

Pacific News Service
Friday April 15, 2005

As Americans fret over their personal income taxes, there is a movement afoot to reduce the tax burden on ordinary people by getting corporations and wealthy individuals to pay their fair share. -more-



Letters to the Editor

Friday April 15, 2005

WHAT’S HAPPENING? -more-


Looking for Love From Oakland’s Next Mayor J. DOUGLAS ALLEN-TAYLOR

UnderCurrents
Friday April 15, 2005

A friend from out of town asked the other day if Oakland had a convention center. -more-


The Meaning of Manliness: A Cosby Kid in the ‘Hood By P.M. Price

The View From Here
Friday April 15, 2005

Not long ago, my 10-year-old son, Jason, came limping into the kitchen, a doo-rag (scarf) on his head, some bling (an over-sized, shiny but fake medallion) around his neck and wearing—just barely—a pair of pants about two sizes too large, his plaid boxers peeking out over his backside. -more-


Police Blotter By MATTHEW ARTZ

Friday April 15, 2005

Combat Victim -more-


Community Supports Work-To-Rule, Teacher Says By GEN KOGURE

Commentary
Friday April 15, 2005

In the encounters I have had with the parents and children of Berkeley, I have found that the overwhelming majority of them support the work to rule action. I know that they don’t find it easy, but all of them understand the fundamental human right that people should be paid for the hours they work. -more-


Arrested for Attempted Murder: Don’t You Hate it When That Happens? By CAROL DENNEY

Commentary
Friday April 15, 2005

I was arrested a couple weeks ago for attempted murder. The police take me to jail a lot for sport. I’m starting to think they should thank me for providing some recreation in their day. -more-


Election Section

Berkeley’s Best: Jump’n Java By BECKY O'MALLEY

Friday April 15, 2005

Jump’n Java -more-


East Bay’s Little-Known Russian Community Celebrates Diversity By FRED DODSWORTH

Special to the Planet
Friday April 15, 2005

It’s easy to miss the East Bay’s immigrant Russian community. Typically they are poised, neatly dressed Caucasians with lilting accents that can be mistaken for anything from French to Eastern European to Israeli. -more-


Point Richmond’s Masquers Mark 50 Years with ‘Proof’ By BETSY M. HUNTON

Special to the Planet
Friday April 15, 2005

The Masquers of Point Richmond, housed for the last 40 years in one of the most charming theaters in one of the most charming areas in the Bay Area—we’ll get to that later—are celebrating their 50th anniversary with their usual eclectic selection of plays. The company started the season with a bubble entitled The Farndale Avenue Dramatic Society’s Production of MacBeth and has now moved on to one of Broadway’s recent and best-known block-busters. -more-


Wilde Irish’s ‘Ariel’ Explores the Battleground of Family By KEN BULLOCK

Special to the Planet
Friday April 15, 2005

So the Platonic Year/Whirls out new right and wrong,/Whirls in old instead;/All men are dancers and their tread/Goes to the barbarous clangour of a gong. -more-


Arts Calendar

Friday April 15, 2005

FRIDAY, APRIL 15 -more-


Garden Tour Focuses on East Bay’s Native Plants By RON SULLIVAN

Special to the Planet
Friday April 15, 2005

On Sunday, May 1, the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour will open 50 gardens in the East Bay for free tours. Tours include guides, who along with the garden owners can answer questions and point out subtle features of the gardens; at some gardens, plants will be available for purchase or for free. The gardens are maintained with minimal supplemental water—some get no irrigation at all, just our usual winter rain—and also minimal or no pesticides. This fosters a lively ecosystem; many gardeners have long lists of the wildlife they encounter in their gardens, from mammals to birds and butterflies. Thirteen of these gardens are in Berkeley, and for an example of the range of possibilities in a California native plant garden, here are three. -more-


Berkeley This Week

Friday April 15, 2005

FRIDAY, APRIL 15 -more-


Editorial

Penny-Wise, Pound-Foolish By BECKY O'MALLEY

Editorial
Friday April 15, 2005

Next week’s Berkeley City Council agenda contains a proposal from City Manager Phil Kamlarz, generated at the City Council’s behest, for cost-cutting by cutting down on a large percentage of Berkeley’s commission meetings. For example, he recommends that the Commission on Disabilities should meet only quarterly, instead of monthly, and that the Public Works Commission should meet only every other month. If adopted, this proposal would cause a dramatic change in Berkeley’s long and proud tradition of citizen participation in government. -more-


Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

Penny-Wise, Pound-Foolish By BECKY O'MALLEY 04-15-2005

Watchdogging Government By BECKY O'MALLEY 04-12-2005

News

UC Strikers Demand Good-Faith Bargaining By JAKOB SCHILLER 04-15-2005

No Layoffs At Library By MATTHEW ARTZ 04-15-2005

Council Can’t Help Evicted Artists By MATTHEW ARTZ 04-15-2005

Peralta Chancellor Reopens Dones Negotiations, Temporarily Pulls Back on Art Annex Contract By J. DOUGLAS ALLEN-TAYLOR 04-15-2005

BUSD Launches Long-Range School Planning Initiative By J. DOUGLAS ALLEN-TAYLOR 04-15-2005

Planning Panel Sets Landmarks Law Hearing, Approves Creeks Proposal By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 04-15-2005

UC, Developer Extend Downtown Hotel Talks By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 04-15-2005

Property Auction Augments City’s General Fund By MATTHEW ARTZ Staff 04-15-2005

Hancock Waste Site Bill Set for Assembly Hearing By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 04-15-2005

Slasher Companion Resigns By MATTHEW ARTZ 04-15-2005

Tax Activists: Big Buisness Must Pay its Fair Share By LUCY KOMISAR Pacific News Service 04-15-2005

Editorial Cartoon By JUSTIN DEFREITAS 04-15-2005

Letters to the Editor 04-15-2005

Looking for Love From Oakland’s Next Mayor J. DOUGLAS ALLEN-TAYLOR UnderCurrents 04-15-2005

The Meaning of Manliness: A Cosby Kid in the ‘Hood By P.M. Price The View From Here 04-15-2005

Police Blotter By MATTHEW ARTZ 04-15-2005

Community Supports Work-To-Rule, Teacher Says By GEN KOGURE Commentary 04-15-2005

Arrested for Attempted Murder: Don’t You Hate it When That Happens? By CAROL DENNEY Commentary 04-15-2005

Berkeley’s Best: Jump’n Java By BECKY O'MALLEY 04-15-2005

East Bay’s Little-Known Russian Community Celebrates Diversity By FRED DODSWORTH Special to the Planet 04-15-2005

Point Richmond’s Masquers Mark 50 Years with ‘Proof’ By BETSY M. HUNTON Special to the Planet 04-15-2005

Wilde Irish’s ‘Ariel’ Explores the Battleground of Family By KEN BULLOCK Special to the Planet 04-15-2005

Arts Calendar 04-15-2005

Garden Tour Focuses on East Bay’s Native Plants By RON SULLIVAN Special to the Planet 04-15-2005

Berkeley This Week 04-15-2005

Conflict of Interest Charge At West Campus Planning Meeting By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 04-12-2005

Peralta Board to Vote on No-Bid Contract at Laney By J. DOUGLAS ALLEN-TAYLOR 04-12-2005

BUSD to Replace Five Principals, Food Chief By J. DOUGLAS ALLEN-TAYLOR 04-12-2005

City Looks to Boost Condo Conversion By MATTHEW ARTZ Staff 04-12-2005

Bayer Moves Division Headquarters to Berkeley By MATTHEW ARTZ 04-12-2005

Margaret Breland Funeral Services 04-12-2005

Contra Costa County, Orinda Say No to Urban Casinos; Senate May Act By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 04-12-2005

East Bay Pickets Target Controversial Developer By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 04-12-2005

Berkeley Loses Key Health Official Namkung By MATTHEW ARTZ 04-12-2005

City Hopes New Meters More Intelligent Than Vandals By MATTHEW ARTZ 04-12-2005

Weighty Wednesday Agendas for ZAB, Planners By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 04-12-2005

CORRECTION 04-12-2005

Berkeley High Crew Finishes Strong in San Diego By DAVID ARNOLD Special to the Planet 04-12-2005

Editorial Cartoon by JUSTIN DEFREITAS 04-12-2005

Letters to the Editor 04-12-2005

In Spring, Comforting Others in Time of Loss By SUSAN PARKER Column 04-12-2005

Police Blotter By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 04-12-2005

Governing Berkeley by Questionnaire and Fiat By ZELDA BRONSTEIN Commentary 04-12-2005

AC Transit’s Van Hools Hated by Riders, Drivers By JOYCE ROY Commentary 04-12-2005

Kathakali: Ancient Indian Theater at MLK Middle School By KEN BULLOCK Special to the Planet 04-12-2005

Arts Calendar 04-12-2005

Blooming Flannelbush, One of Area’s Showiest Plants By RON SULLIVAN Special to the Planet 04-12-2005

Berkeley This Week Staff 04-12-2005