In the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day, Makayla Grace Miller was offering her own handmade cards from a street-side stand. The young entrepreneur (her business is called “Heartgirl Enterprises” and prices ranged from $1 to $1.50) reported good sales, using a bit of old-fashioned street-corner marketing..
In the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day, Makayla Grace Miller was offering her own handmade cards from a street-side stand. The young entrepreneur (her business is called “Heartgirl Enterprises” and prices ranged from $1 to $1.50) reported good sales, using a bit of old-fashioned street-corner marketing..

Page One

Mayor, Anderson Field Ashby BART Questions By RICHARD BRENNEMAN

Tuesday February 14, 2006

“It’s pretty clear that we as a City Council got out in front of the community. I’m sorry. I think it was a mistake,” said Mayor Tom Bates to a crowd gathered in a church meeting room Saturday morning. -more-



KPFA Staff, Board Eye New Pacifica Director By Judith Scherr

Tuesday February 14, 2006

The Daily Planet recently spoke with new Pacifica director Greg Guma. See Page 14 for the interview. -more-



Murdered El Cerrito Student Identified By RICHARD BRENNEMAN and JUDITH SCHERR

Tuesday February 14, 2006

El Cerrito High School student Juan Ramos was fatally stabbed and three others received knife wounds when a Berkeley party—mobbed because of an Internet posting—turned deadly Friday night. -more-



Black & White Liquor Battle Erupts Again at ZAB By RICHARD BRENNEMAN

Tuesday February 14, 2006

The battle over Black & White Liquors took a new turn Thursday when the Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) voted to reject a proposed settlement imposing new hours and conditions on the store. -more-



Landmarks, Creeks on Council Agenda By RICHARD BRENNEMAN

Tuesday February 14, 2006

Three important meetings are slated for this week on documents that will play a central role in shaping the city’s future: the Landmarks Preservation Ordinance, the new Downtown Plan and the Creeks Ordinance. -more-



Features


Greg Guma Takes Charge as Director at Pacifica By JUDITH SCHERR

Tuesday February 14, 2006

On Jan. 24, print and radio journalist Greg Guma took the reins of Pacifica, a foundation that holds the licenses to five progressive radio stations, including KPFA in Berkeley. -more-


First Person: Recycling Team Finds Open Doors in England By DAN KNAPP Special to the Planet

Tuesday February 14, 2006

“You’re pushing against an open door!” said a dignitary in the audience. -more-


Police Blotter By RICHARD BRENNEMAN

Tuesday February 14, 2006

Failed kidnapping -more-


Public Comment

Editorial Cartoon by JUSTIN DEFREITAS

Tuesday February 14, 2006

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


Letters to the Editor

Tuesday February 14, 2006

UNREASONABLE RESTRICTIONS -more-


Commentary: Facts on Pension Fund Could Use a Tune-Up By Don Crosatto

Tuesday February 14, 2006

I don’t blame Jim Doten (Commentary, Daily Planet, Jan. 24) for being upset about having to pay $541,000 in withdrawal liability to cover his employees pensions. No one likes unexpected bills, not even millionaires. -more-


Commentary: Creeks Ordinance: The Fifth Option By TOM KELLY

Tuesday February 14, 2006

The Creeks Task Force (CTF), charged by the City Council to recommend revisions to the Creeks Ordinance, will hold its first Public Hearing on Feb. 15 at the North Berkeley Senior Center. At that Hearing, the CTF, of which I am a member, will be presenting a series of preliminary recommendations for public review and comment. These recommendations consist of four proposals (Options A-D) which can be seen on the city’s website at www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/planning/land use/creeks. -more-


Commentary: More Condominiums Will Raise More Tax Dollars By MICHAEL ST. JOHN

Tuesday February 14, 2006

On Feb. 21, the Berkeley City Council will hold a workshop on its policy concerning the conversion of rental units into condominiums. The council has for many years prohibited most conversions, but has recently opened the door to a minor extent because a San Francisco lawsuit cut the legs from under the council’s parallel prohibition of tenants-in-common sales. As a result, interest has been awakened in a topic long considered closed. -more-


Commentary: Red, White and Blue, But Not Colorblind By WINSTON BURTON

Tuesday February 14, 2006

I turned on the TV and there was a black boxer fighting a white boxer. I had the sound turned down and was blasting a Jimi Hendrix record while I was watching the fight. I had never seen or heard of either fighter before and didn’t know a thing about them. -more-


Editorial

Editorial: Real Security: Three Ways Not to Get It By BECKY O'MALLEY

Tuesday February 14, 2006

The press over the weekend was full of bad news about our security at home. The Associated Press got ahold of a leaked copy of the summary of the Congressional report on what went wrong with Katrina, and it sounds like a doozy. -more-


Columns

Column: Running Out of Space is Always a Good Excuse By SUSAN PARKER

Tuesday February 14, 2006

I spent over four hours working on this week’s column, but I wasn’t satisfied with the results. When this happens, I send it to friends whose opinions I respect. -more-


The Life and Times of the Jerusalem Cricket By JOE EATON Special to the Planet

Tuesday February 14, 2006

This is not an owl column per se, but it was inspired by a recent conversation with an owl person: Maggie Rufo of the Hungry Owl Project, who brought a barn owl named Wookie to a Keep Barn Owls in Berkeley event. We were talking about barn owl diets, and Rufo mentioned finding a lot of Jerusalem cricket remains in the nests she monitors. -more-


Arts Listings

Arts Calendar

Tuesday February 14, 2006



Events Listings

Berkeley This Week

Tuesday February 14, 2006

Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

Editorial: Real Security: Three Ways Not to Get It By BECKY O'MALLEY 02-14-2006

Editorial: Civics Lessons, By: Becky O'Malley 02-10-2006

Public Comment

Editorial Cartoon by JUSTIN DEFREITAS 02-14-2006

Letters to the Editor 02-14-2006

Commentary: Facts on Pension Fund Could Use a Tune-Up By Don Crosatto 02-14-2006

Commentary: Creeks Ordinance: The Fifth Option By TOM KELLY 02-14-2006

Commentary: More Condominiums Will Raise More Tax Dollars By MICHAEL ST. JOHN 02-14-2006

Commentary: Red, White and Blue, But Not Colorblind By WINSTON BURTON 02-14-2006

Editorial Cartoon, By: J. DeFreitas 02-10-2006

Commentary: Letters To The Editor 02-10-2006

Commentary: Church’s BART Site Plan Was In the Works for Years, By: Kenoli Oleari 02-10-2006

News

Mayor, Anderson Field Ashby BART Questions By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 02-14-2006

KPFA Staff, Board Eye New Pacifica Director By Judith Scherr 02-14-2006

Murdered El Cerrito Student Identified By RICHARD BRENNEMAN and JUDITH SCHERR 02-14-2006

Black & White Liquor Battle Erupts Again at ZAB By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 02-14-2006

Landmarks, Creeks on Council Agenda By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 02-14-2006

African Women Leaders to Be Honored By Judith Scherr 02-14-2006

Greg Guma Takes Charge as Director at Pacifica By JUDITH SCHERR 02-14-2006

First Person: Recycling Team Finds Open Doors in England By DAN KNAPP Special to the Planet 02-14-2006

Police Blotter By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 02-14-2006

Ashby Transit Village Opponents Win Delay, By: Richard Brenneman 02-10-2006

Council Spends Budget Surplus, By: Richard Brenneman 02-10-2006

Public Library Workers Claim Retaliation for Speaking Out, By: Judith Scherr Workers Claim Retaliation for Speaking Out 02-10-2006

City Raises Red Flags on Transportation Fees, By: Richard Brenneman 02-10-2006

Union, Alta Bates End Two-Year Dispute, By: Richard Brenneman 02-10-2006

Bates Praises City Focus on Housing, Environment, Youth, By: Judith Scherr 02-10-2006

Berkeley Firefighter Held for Child Porn to Face Molestation Charges, By: Richard Brenneman 02-10-2006

Creeks Task Force Divided, By: Richard Brenneman 02-10-2006

Peralta Chancellor Report Clears International Office, By: J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 02-10-2006

Former Vista President Presses Employment Termination Lawsuit, By: J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 02-10-2006

Kragen Auto Site Developers to Meet With Neighbors, By: Richard Brenneman 02-10-2006

Fire Department Log, By: Richard Brenneman 02-10-2006

‘The Vagina Monologues’ Comes to Berkeley High, By: Rio Bauce and Jacob Horn 02-10-2006

The Images and Voices of the African Diaspora, By: Marta Yamamoto 02-10-2006

Columns

Column: Running Out of Space is Always a Good Excuse By SUSAN PARKER 02-14-2006

The Life and Times of the Jerusalem Cricket By JOE EATON Special to the Planet 02-14-2006

Column: The Public Eye: Domestic Eavesdropping: Why Do We Care?, By: Bob Burnett 02-10-2006

Column: UnderCurrents: Progressives Need to Bone Up on Defense Policy, By: J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 02-10-2006

Thornhill Nursery Offers Wide Variety of Trees and Plants, By: Ron Sullivan 02-10-2006

Heating Your House in the Space Age, By: Matt Cantor 02-10-2006

Arts & Events

Arts Calendar 02-14-2006

TheatreFIRST Looks at the History of Love By KEN BULLOCK Special to the Planet 02-14-2006

A Play Falls Through, But the Show Goes On By BETSY HUNTON Special to the Planet 02-14-2006

The Life and Times of the Jerusalem Cricket By JOE EATON Special to the Planet 02-14-2006

Berkeley This Week 02-14-2006

Arts Calendar 02-10-2006

Family Dilemmas and Ties At Masquers Playhouse, By: Ken Bullock 02-10-2006

Thornhill Nursery Offers Wide Variety of Trees and Plants, By: Ron Sullivan 02-10-2006

Heating Your House in the Space Age, By: Matt Cantor 02-10-2006

Berkeley This Week 02-10-2006