Jakob Schiller: The west parking lot of the Ashby BART station is the site of a proposed new housing development. The proposed project area will include the residential and commercial areas surrounding the lot.
Jakob Schiller: The west parking lot of the Ashby BART station is the site of a proposed new housing development. The proposed project area will include the residential and commercial areas surrounding the lot.

Page One

Major Project Planned for Ashby BART West Lot By RICHARD BRENNEMAN

Tuesday December 13, 2005

A proposed major new development with at least 300 units of housing built over ground floor commercial space at the site of the Ashby BART Station’s western parking lot could spell major changes in South Berkeley. -more-



ZAB Nears Nuisance Vote On Adeline St. Liquor Store By PAULINE BARTOLONE Special to the Planet

Tuesday December 13, 2005

At a heated Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) meeting, residents of the Ashby neighborhood packed the second floor of Old City Hall chambers Thursday night with tales of their local liquor store. -more-



Downtown Retail Taxes Down by 10 Percent By AL WINSLOW Special to the Planet

Tuesday December 13, 2005

Sales taxes paid by downtown Berkeley retail stores fell 10 percent between June 2004 and June 2005, according to city figures. -more-



UC Moves Ahead With Stadium Area Development, Worrying City Planners By RICHARD BRENNEMAN

Tuesday December 13, 2005

Was UC Berkeley’s Thursday night public “scoping session” to help prepare an environmental review of its massive development plans at and around Memorial Stadium a meaningless gesture? -more-



Shirek Honored for a Life’s Work By RIO BAUCE Special to the Planet

Tuesday December 13, 2005

On Saturday evening, former councilmember/peace activist Maudelle Shirek was given a standing ovation for all the work she has done in her life. To a cheering, ecstatic crowd of more than a couple hundred Berkeley residents, Shirek introduced herself with a famous Mark Twain quote. -more-



Features

Barbara Shearer, 1936-2005 By DAVID WHITMAN Special to the Planet

Tuesday December 13, 2005

Barbara Shearer, one of the Bay Area’s best-loved concert pianists and music teachers, died on Dec. 6 of natural causes, in Oakland. -more-


Debi Echlin Remembered By LYDIA GANS Special to the Planet

Tuesday December 13, 2005

Debi Echlin, founder and owner of A Great Good Place for Books, died suddenly on Nov. 25. She was 52 years old. -more-


City Council to Get Budget Update By RICHARD BRENNEMAN

Tuesday December 13, 2005

Berkeley city councilmembers will get a firsthand look at City Manager Phil Kamlarz’s proposal for the additional $1.08 million the city expects to receive in the current fiscal year’s budget. -more-


Vandalism Victim Breaks His Silence By MOE SALEH As told to JOE MARSHALL Pacific News Service

Tuesday December 13, 2005

I own New York Market in Oakland. My brother Tony was kidnapped and my store got burned down. The day before those incidents happened, my store was vandalized. -more-


Police Blotter By RICHARD BRENNEMAN

Tuesday December 13, 2005

School BB-gun attack -more-


Editorial Cartoon By JUSTIN DEFREITAS

Tuesday December 13, 2005

To view Justin DeFreitas’ latest editorial cartoon, please visit -more-


Letters to the Editor

Tuesday December 13, 2005

LOW BLOW -more-


Column: The View From Here: Reflections on the Fate of Stanley Tookie Williams By P.M. Price

Tuesday December 13, 2005

So I took a little break. I needed not to read anymore about the war in Iraq, global warming, white collar, blue collar or government fraud, spousal murders, kidnappings or everyday racism, sexism, ageism and any other isms you want to throw in there. -more-


Column: Red and Green Christmas Light Associations By Susan Parker

Tuesday December 13, 2005

All the lights are green for me when, in 1952, I am born. My daddy is short and he isn’t super rich, but my mom is smart and good lookin’. -more-


Commentary: West Berkeley’s Silent Majority Wants a Grocery Store By CHRISTINE STAPLES

Tuesday December 13, 2005

Welcome to my neighborhood. We live in the block just east of San Pablo Avenue. We describe each other’s houses based on their “S.P. Factor”—N. and her husband and 2-year-old, they’re as close as you can be to San Pablo, so they have the highest S.P. factor. They mostly deal with the hookers. L. and her husband and 2-year-old live up the block, where the issue is more the drug dealers and the midnight “donuts.” Me, I live in the middle of the block with my husband and 5-year-old; I call about domestic violence and gunshots. The east side of San Pablo is the “tony” side; one block to the west is where things really get exciting. -more-


Commentary: UC Libraries Control Public Access to Databases By RICHARD THOMPSON

Tuesday December 13, 2005

Mina Davenport asks: “How can UC libraries send letters to the public and alumni to ask for contributions? I used to pay the libraries at least $200 a year; however, I will not do so any more. It is simple: no services, no contributions. Perhaps the UC executives can contribute to the libraries out of that $871 million they paid themselves as bonuses. UC libraries should let the alumni and holders of library cards have access to the Internet via the library computers.” I think her request is reasonable. -more-


Arts: ‘Cabaret’ Is Good Old Dirty Fun By KEN BULLOCK Special to the Planet

Tuesday December 13, 2005

“Watching Shotgun’s Cabaret is like spying through the keyhole into the delirious and extravagant world of the Weimar Republic.” -more-


Arts Calendar

Tuesday December 13, 2005

TUESDAY, DEC. 13 -more-


Election Section

Winter’s Visiting Birds Need Our Bugs By RON SULLIVAN Special to the Planet

Tuesday December 13, 2005

Last week Joe and I took a detour onto Fourth Street, to cruise Cody’s and a couple of dry-goods stores. We were just going to dash into the Vivarium for turtle chow, but I found a free parking space on Fifth and felt that was occasion to celebrate, and besides, the sun was out. -more-


Berkeley This Week

Tuesday December 13, 2005

TUESDAY, DEC. 13 -more-


Editorial

Editorial: Joy to Some of the World, Some of the Time By BECKY O'MALLEY

Tuesday December 13, 2005

Oy vey! The winter solstice is upon us, and the Christians are at it again. A friend has e-mailed me what he calls an “outline” for an editorial—it’s a collection of unbelievable stories about silly things being done in the name of Christ as the holidays approach. Top billing this year goes to the campaign by elements of the organized Christian (self-described) right wing to ban the use of the greeting “Happy Holidays” by the president. Huh? As much as I dislike the man, surely he does retain the right to greet his friends anyway he wants at any time of the year, with the possible exception of saying “Sieg Heil,” which might be considered in bad taste. -more-


Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

Editorial: Joy to Some of the World, Some of the Time By BECKY O'MALLEY 12-13-2005

Editorial: Doing Business in Greater Berkeley By BECKY O 12-09-2005

News

Major Project Planned for Ashby BART West Lot By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 12-13-2005

ZAB Nears Nuisance Vote On Adeline St. Liquor Store By PAULINE BARTOLONE Special to the Planet 12-13-2005

Downtown Retail Taxes Down by 10 Percent By AL WINSLOW Special to the Planet 12-13-2005

UC Moves Ahead With Stadium Area Development, Worrying City Planners By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 12-13-2005

Shirek Honored for a Life’s Work By RIO BAUCE Special to the Planet 12-13-2005

Barbara Shearer, 1936-2005 By DAVID WHITMAN Special to the Planet 12-13-2005

Debi Echlin Remembered By LYDIA GANS Special to the Planet 12-13-2005

City Council to Get Budget Update By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 12-13-2005

Vandalism Victim Breaks His Silence By MOE SALEH As told to JOE MARSHALL Pacific News Service 12-13-2005

Police Blotter By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 12-13-2005

Editorial Cartoon By JUSTIN DEFREITAS 12-13-2005

Letters to the Editor 12-13-2005

Column: The View From Here: Reflections on the Fate of Stanley Tookie Williams By P.M. Price 12-13-2005

Column: Red and Green Christmas Light Associations By Susan Parker 12-13-2005

Commentary: West Berkeley’s Silent Majority Wants a Grocery Store By CHRISTINE STAPLES 12-13-2005

Commentary: UC Libraries Control Public Access to Databases By RICHARD THOMPSON 12-13-2005

Arts: ‘Cabaret’ Is Good Old Dirty Fun By KEN BULLOCK Special to the Planet 12-13-2005

Arts Calendar 12-13-2005

Winter’s Visiting Birds Need Our Bugs By RON SULLIVAN Special to the Planet 12-13-2005

Berkeley This Week 12-13-2005

UC Berkeley Plans to Send Hurricane Katrina Students Back to New Orleans Schools By ZACHARY SLOBIG Special to The Planet 12-09-2005

Downtown Museum and Film Archive Architect Sought By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 12-09-2005

Confrontations Between Student and Administrator Lead to Accusations of Racism By J. DOUGLAS ALLEN-TAYLOR 12-09-2005

Landmarks Panel Tackles Bevatron, Stadium Plans, West Berkeley Project By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 12-09-2005

North Oakland Bids Fond Farewell to Lt. Green By J. DOUGLAS ALLEN-TAYLOR 12-09-2005

Fans, Foes of Derby Street Ballfield Pack Council Meeting By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 12-09-2005

Riddle Ends Tenure as School Board President By RIO BAUCE Special to the Planet 12-09-2005

Age Affects Attendance, Study Says By Yolanda Huang 12-09-2005

Scuffle at BHS Leads to Arrests By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 12-09-2005

Police Arrest Suspect in 1980 Murders, DA Orders Release By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 12-09-2005

Editorial Cartoon By JUSTIN DEFREITAS 12-09-2005

Letters to the Editor 12-09-2005

Column: Dispatches From the Edge: Dinner With Condi and the Fate of Gaza By Conn Hallinan 12-09-2005

Column: Undercurrents: More Thought and Civility Needed in Public Debate By J. DOUGLAS ALLEN-TAYLOR 12-09-2005

Commentary: Justice Matters, But Whose Justice, and Whose Brutality? By LAWRENCE WHITE Staff 12-09-2005

Commentary: And Then There Was Tookie By MARC SAPIR 12-09-2005

Arts: ‘The Revels’ Lends Medieval Touch to Holiday Season By KEN BULLOCKSpecial to the Planet 12-09-2005

Arts Calendar 12-09-2005

Berkeley This Week 12-09-2005

About the House: Those Awful Aluminum Windows By MATT CANTOR 12-09-2005

About the House: Ask Matt 12-09-2005

Garden Variety: Small-Size Garden Gifts for Budding Gardeners By RON SULLIVAN 12-09-2005