Stephan Babuljak: Linda Montecino, sister-in-law of Juan Carlos Ramos, comforts Belen Bohan, a close friend of the slain teenager, at a memorial Wednesday on the median on Key Route Blvd bordering El Cerrito and Albany..
Stephan Babuljak: Linda Montecino, sister-in-law of Juan Carlos Ramos, comforts Belen Bohan, a close friend of the slain teenager, at a memorial Wednesday on the median on Key Route Blvd bordering El Cerrito and Albany..

Page One

Friends Say Goodbye to Juan Ramos By Judith Scherr

Friday February 17, 2006

Juan Carlos Ramos didn’t know how much he was loved, friends said through tears Wed-nesday at a memorial for the 18-year-old Contra Costa College student, who was mortally stab-bed Feb. 10 at a party in Berkeley. -more-



Landmark Law Change Closer By Richard Brenneman

Friday February 17, 2006

Preservationists made passionate pleas to preserve the city’s Landmarks Preservation Ordinance Tuesday night, but by the time the City Council meeting ended, they had little to cheer about. -more-



Grandmothers Try to Enlist By Judith Scherr

Friday February 17, 2006

The people banging on the door of the downtown Oakland Army recruiting center on St. Valentine’s Day weren’t your typical military wannabes. -more-



Albany Police To Review Response to Stabbing Victims By Judith Scherr

Friday February 17, 2006

There were tears shared at Wednesday’s memorial for Juan Carlos Ramos, victim of a stabbing Feb. 10 at a party on Contra Costa Avenue. -more-



Mayor Bates Announces Bid for Re-election By Suzanne La Barre

Friday February 17, 2006

Berkeley was Mayor Tom Bates’ sweetheart this Valentine’s Day when he announced he’ll pursue the city’s chief position for one more term. -more-



Features

Creek Ordinance Proposals a Wellspring of Conflict By Suzanne La Barre

Friday February 17, 2006

Invective flowed Wednesday at the first of two hearings to address the future of Berkeley’s embattled waterways. -more-


Neighbors Confront Developers over Project Proposal By Richard Brenneman

Friday February 17, 2006

A big five-story building is going up at the northwest corner of University Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Way and there’s nothing neighbors can do to stop it. -more-


Is Trader Joe’s the Perfect Bait? By Richard Brenneman

Friday February 17, 2006

Trader Joe’s probably ranks as the most attractive bait the city’s seen skewered on a developer’s hook in recent years. -more-


PUEBLO Director Praises Oakland Police Chief By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Friday February 17, 2006

A veteran Oakland progressive community police activist says that the combination of federal judicial oversight, the upcoming expiration of Oakland’s agreement with the police union, and a cooperative new police chief has the chance to result in significant positive reforms this year in the Oakland Police Department. -more-


Community Meeting Addresses Steel Plant Issues By Judith Scherr

Friday February 17, 2006

Fearing their jobs could be at stake if the plant was forced out of Berkeley’s shrinking industrial zone, some 200 Pacific Steel Casting workers bearing hard hats came to a Wednesday night community meeting at the West Berkeley Senior Center to laud their employer for the healthy working conditions they say they find at the plant. -more-


Berkeley Downtown Plan Group Looks to Future By Richard Brenneman

Friday February 17, 2006

Downtown Berkeley’s never again going to be a major commercial center with department stores and other large retailers, a city economic development officer said Wednesday night. -more-


Berkeley First Stop for 2006 STIGA North American Table Tennis Tour By Riya Bhattacharjee

Friday February 17, 2006

UC Berkeley’s Recreational Sports Facility will play host to the Western Open, a four-star table tennis tournament this weekend. -more-


Police Blotter By RICHARD BRENNEMAN

Friday February 17, 2006

Manslaughter bust -more-


Public Comment

Editorial Cartoon By JUSTIN DEFREITAS

Staff
Friday February 17, 2006

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


Letters to the Editor

Friday February 17, 2006

TRANSIT VILLAGE -more-


Commentary: Free Speech and Cartoons, With a Side of Rock and Chicks By Mansura Khanam

Friday February 17, 2006

I haven’t seen the cartoons myself and frankly don’t care to (much in the same way if I hear that there is a porno picture that is being passed around, I probably wouldn’t want to see it; I rather personally dislike trashy things.) What I know is that they were printed in September and there were protests and outcries. Nothing was done. No apologies. Then, they were reprinted another time. And then the clerics caught on to it. And massive protests were organized and many people were genuinely outraged. I have to say, the stupidity of both sides astounds me and really shows some murky truths that further sadden me. First, how uncouth, how disrespectful, how racist, muslim-phobic do you have to be to mock another religion at its core of symbolism? All religions depend on symbolism. There is no imagery of the Prophet Muhammad because of a deep belief that no person should become a source of worship. Worship should be of God also left formless to take form in the individual. -more-


Commentary: BART Proposal Contains Blatant Mistakes And Should Be Withdrawn Due to Flaws By Rosemary Hyde

Friday February 17, 2006

As a resident in the Ashby BART vicinity, I attended the city-sponsored meeting this past Saturday. The city had given us only four days notice before the meeting, and had not notified any area residents directly. Yet over 200 people were there, thanks in part to the Daily Planet’s good coverage of the City Council meeting. We were interested in learning the official view of the proposed BART parking lot project. -more-


Editorial

Editorial: The People Speak on Landmarks Law By BECKY O'MALLEY

Friday February 17, 2006

The Berkeley City Council’s special hearing on proposed revisions to the city’s Landmarks Preservation Ordinance was both impressive and discouraging. It was impressive because 40 articulate citizens showed up, many with statements written out in advance to take exactly three minutes, and many representing even larger numbers of signers including most of the city’s neighborhood organizations. All 40 and those they represented, probably adding up several thousand citizens, were in favor of maintaining the city’s current level of protection for historic resources. -more-


Columns

Column: Dispatches From The Edge: Scary Words, Wolf Tracks and Orange Swastikas By Conn Hallinan

Friday February 17, 2006

In the past two weeks the rhetoric on Iran has taken a chilling turn, in part because it doesn’t all come from the White House. Consider the following statements: -more-


Column: UnderCurrents: Mayor Jerry Brown’s Arts Promises Failed Oakland By J. DOUGLAS ALLEN-TAYLOR

Friday February 17, 2006

At what point should the citizens of Oakland begin declaring the two-term administration of Mayor Jerry Brown to be a failure? Massive. Total. Complete. -more-


Garden Variety: Urban Ore Likely Has What You’re Looking For By RON SULLIVAN

Friday February 17, 2006

When I need some retail therapy, you won’t be surprised to hear, I often go look for something for the garden. I spend time in the nurseries I write about in this space, and I have to be careful if I actually want to make my occupation produce income, rather than outgo. There’s just something so hopeful about a fresh seedling or seed packet, and the scent of wholesome dirt makes my spirits rise. -more-


About the House: The Practical Realities of Remodeling By MATT CANTOR

Friday February 17, 2006

Our friends the Shnozzles (names herein will be changed to protect me, the person I’m always most concerned about) are in the throws of a major remodel and the festivities attending this blessed event are reminding me of all the things I learned back in the days when I engaged in this most cruel and unusual of professions. I’ve been giving them a little advice here and there and hearing about their woes-du-jour so I’ll pass along a few of each in the hopes that you might be spared just a little of the misery that so often accompanies the day when our houses change. -more-


Arts Listings

Arts Calendar

Friday February 17, 2006


Events Listings

Berkeley This Week

Friday February 17, 2006

Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

Editorial: The People Speak on Landmarks Law By BECKY O'MALLEY 02-17-2006

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

Public Comment

Editorial Cartoon By JUSTIN DEFREITAS Staff 02-17-2006

Letters to the Editor 02-17-2006

Commentary: Free Speech and Cartoons, With a Side of Rock and Chicks By Mansura Khanam 02-17-2006

Commentary: BART Proposal Contains Blatant Mistakes And Should Be Withdrawn Due to Flaws By Rosemary Hyde 02-17-2006

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

News

Friends Say Goodbye to Juan Ramos By Judith Scherr 02-17-2006

Landmark Law Change Closer By Richard Brenneman 02-17-2006

Grandmothers Try to Enlist By Judith Scherr 02-17-2006

Albany Police To Review Response to Stabbing Victims By Judith Scherr 02-17-2006

Mayor Bates Announces Bid for Re-election By Suzanne La Barre 02-17-2006

Creek Ordinance Proposals a Wellspring of Conflict By Suzanne La Barre 02-17-2006

Neighbors Confront Developers over Project Proposal By Richard Brenneman 02-17-2006

Is Trader Joe’s the Perfect Bait? By Richard Brenneman 02-17-2006

PUEBLO Director Praises Oakland Police Chief By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 02-17-2006

Community Meeting Addresses Steel Plant Issues By Judith Scherr 02-17-2006

Berkeley Downtown Plan Group Looks to Future By Richard Brenneman 02-17-2006

Berkeley First Stop for 2006 STIGA North American Table Tennis Tour By Riya Bhattacharjee 02-17-2006

Police Blotter By RICHARD BRENNEMAN 02-17-2006

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

Columns

Column: Dispatches From The Edge: Scary Words, Wolf Tracks and Orange Swastikas By Conn Hallinan 02-17-2006

Column: UnderCurrents: Mayor Jerry Brown’s Arts Promises Failed Oakland By J. DOUGLAS ALLEN-TAYLOR 02-17-2006

Garden Variety: Urban Ore Likely Has What You’re Looking For By RON SULLIVAN 02-17-2006

About the House: The Practical Realities of Remodeling By MATT CANTOR 02-17-2006

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

Arts & Events

Arts Calendar 02-17-2006

Active Arts Enchants Children And Adults at Julia Morgan By KEN BULLOCKSpecial to the Planet 02-17-2006

Garden Variety: Urban Ore Likely Has What You’re Looking For By RON SULLIVAN 02-17-2006

About the House: The Practical Realities of Remodeling By MATT CANTOR 02-17-2006

Berkeley This Week 02-17-2006

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