The Week

Photograph by Riya Bhattacharjee:
          Hundreds of protesters marched from UC Berkeley toward downtown as part of the May Day action protesting proposed immigration reform.
Photograph by Riya Bhattacharjee: Hundreds of protesters marched from UC Berkeley toward downtown as part of the May Day action protesting proposed immigration reform.
 

News

A Day of Immigrant Action

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday May 02, 2006

The conch shells resounding and the flags raised in unison on the Sproul Hall steps at noon Monday signaled a day of action for a new civil rights movement. -more-


Public Mixed Over Trader Joe’s Project

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday May 02, 2006

A parade of speakers marched to the podium at Thursday’s Zoning Adjustments Board, 22 praising a proposed development, and a dozen speaking in opposition. -more-


Seeking a New Look For Downtown BART

By Suzanne La Barre
Tuesday May 02, 2006

Plans to redesign the downtown BART station drew a range of reactions at an open house presentation over the weekend. -more-


Local Impact of Preschool Initiative Is Unclear

By Suzanne La Barre
Tuesday May 02, 2006

An initiative to grant preschool to all California 4-year-olds is on the ballot this June, but how it would operate locally, if approved, remains unclear. -more-


Student Achievement at Small Schools Is Mixed

By Suzanne La Barre
Tuesday May 02, 2006

Academic performance at Berkeley High School’s first two small schools is a mixed bag, new data show. -more-


County Gets Late Start On Measure A Oversight

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Tuesday May 02, 2006

Two years after voters gave Alameda County the authority to impose a half-cent sales tax to augment medical and health care spending, the county is just beginning the process of monitoring how a major percentage of Measure A money has been spent. -more-


Peralta Steps Back from Extending Hand to Compton

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Tuesday May 02, 2006

Recent developments surrounding Compton Community College makes it less likely—but not impossible—that the Peralta Community College District may step in to help bail out the troubled Southern California district. -more-


New, Hip Identity Proposed for Berkeley Alternative High

By Suzanne La Barre
Tuesday May 02, 2006

The Berkeley Alternative High School is in for a new model—and a hip new name. -more-


Berkeley Schools, Businesses Affected by May 1 Boycott

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday May 02, 2006

A few weeks ago, most felt invisible. -more-


Barbara Lee Speaks Out Against Immigration Bill

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday May 02, 2006

Calling for “real, comprehensive immigration reform,” Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) blasted legislation now stalled in the House of Representatives that would criminalize undocumented immigrants and those who help them. -more-


Asian Media Report Conflicts Over Economic Boycott

By Carolyn Goossen, New American Media
Tuesday May 02, 2006

The national economic boycott for immigrant rights on May 1 elicited mixed feelings among Asian communities, according to a survey of Asian media. -more-


Police Blotter

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday May 02, 2006

Two heisters -more-


Police Chief Details How Cop Stole Drugs

By Judith Scherr
Friday April 28, 2006

While Berkeley Police Chief Doug Hambleton called Sgt. Cary Kent’s drug evidence theft “a profound violation of public trust,” in an oral report he gave to the Police Review Commission Wednesday, the chief’s accounting left some commissioners and audience members still searching for answers. -more-


Bitter Honda Strike Ends With Contract Agreement

By Suzanne La Barre
Friday April 28, 2006

Service workers at Berkeley Honda overwhelmingly ap-proved a contract late Monday, ending a bitter 10-month strike—and the reign of an inflatable rat over Shattuck Avenue. -more-


International Food Festival Lands in West Berkeley

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday April 28, 2006

Ever heard of a little something called “Mulligatawny”? In case you haven’t, it’s a a spicy Anglo Indian soup made with red lentils, vegetables and chicken. Nothing foreign about red lentils, vegetables or chicken, is there? And yet, most of us would think of it as something exotic and even have a hard time relating it with food. -more-


North Shattuck Plaza Planned for Gourmet Ghetto

By Suzanne La Barre
Friday April 28, 2006

A tree-lined plaza. Grassy area for feasting on a slice of Cheese Board pizza. Small kiosks housing newsstands, cafes and flower shops. -more-


Council Jumps into the Gaia Building Culture War

By Judith Scherr
Friday April 28, 2006

When Patrick Kennedy got permits to develop the Gaia Building on Allston Way, he was allowed to build two stories more than the downtown height limit allowed, in exchange for the promise of using the ground floor and mezzanine for cultural purposes. -more-


Contentious Lawn Parking Law Revision Delayed

By Judith Scherr
Friday April 28, 2006

As Berkeley curbs get increasingly jammed hood-to-trunk with stationary vehicles, easing rules about parking cars on private property becomes a viable solution, the city’s planning staff says. -more-


Oakland Teachers’ Contract Meets Mixed Reception

By Suzanne La Barre
Friday April 28, 2006

Reviews of a tentative contract agreement for Oakland’s teachers are decidedly mixed. -more-


Opt Out Bill Passes Committee

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Friday April 28, 2006

Despite the absence of public speakers in opposition at a hearing held this week in the state Assembly Education Committee, a high school military recruitment notification bill co-sponsored by Bay Area Assemblymembers Loni Hancock and Sally Lieber only won the support of committee Democrats, leaving much work to be done if the bill is to become state law. -more-


David Beauvais: Defender of the First Amendment

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday April 28, 2006

David Beauvais loves the First Amendment. -more-


Commission Grills UC Officials On Campus Disaster Plans

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday April 28, 2006

Officials from UC Berkeley’s Office of Emergency Preparedness met with the Disaster and Fire Safety Commission and the public Wednesday to present the emergency aspects of the university’s Memorial Stadium project and take part in a question and answer session related to it. -more-


May Day Action Calls for Immigration Strike

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday April 28, 2006

This May 1 could become the day without immigrants if calls to boycott schools and work by national and local immigrant organizations are heeded all over the United States. -more-


County Medical Center Settles Nurses’ Contract

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Friday April 28, 2006

Finalizing a settlement reached after a year of contract negotiations with its 2,000 registered nurses, the Alameda County Medical Center turned this week to shore up its remaining nagging budget problems. -more-


City College Completion Scheduled for Mid-July

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Friday April 28, 2006

Construction of the new Berkeley City College in downtown Berkeley is 85 percent complete with a tentative opening date scheduled for mid-July, Peralta Community College District trustees learned this week at their regular meeting. -more-


Police Blotter

By Richard Brenneman
Friday April 28, 2006

Bloody arrest -more-


Opinion

Editorials

Editorial: Singing About America in Many Tongues

By Becky O’Malley
Tuesday May 02, 2006

A couple of weeks after Sept. 11, 2001, I attended a concert which was a benefit for African-American college students. It was organized by Hope Briggs, then just another struggling soprano, though she’s now a featured artist with the San Francisco Opera and other major companies. She had put together a bouquet of young classical singers who contributed their performances, many but not all of them African-Americans like herself. -more-


Sewers, Impeachment, Alcohol Policy on Council Agenda

By Judith Scherr
Friday April 28, 2006

After a serenade by Berkeley’s Kairos Youth Choir and enlightenment by clever Public Service Announcements written by students in Berkeley High’s Communication Arts and Sciences program to inspire recycling, the City Council was ready to dig into the more meaty issues of the evening—aging sewers, creating an alcohol policy and impeaching the president. -more-


Public Comment

Letters to the Editor

Tuesday May 02, 2006

FCMAT -more-


Commentary: ZAB Holds Trader Joe’s Pep Rally

By Regan Richardson
Tuesday May 02, 2006

After attending the April 28 Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) meeting and witnessing the sickening and suspiciously euphoric response to the behemoth project proposed at 1950 MLK Way, and after reading the post-meeting “Livable Berkeley” (they may soon want to consider a name-change) blog page, I am compelled to respond. In theory this was supposed to be a substantive ZAB meeting to discuss the mass and height of this project. Thanks to the developer, Hudson McDonald, it actually just turned out to be a pep rally for supporters of Trader Joe’s, alternative transit and even denser housing, staged on public time in a public venue. -more-


Commentary: Latini Omnes Sunt

By Thomas Gangale
Tuesday May 02, 2006

Last summer, when California Democratic Party chair Art Torres quipped from the podium, “I’ve been a Latino for most of my life,” he received the laughter his remark was intended to garner. But afterward, I got to thinking—he’s on to something here. Who are the Latinos? -more-


Letters to the Editor

Friday April 28, 2006

OREGON STREET -more-


Commentary: ‘Push Polls’ Not Part of Downtown Association’s Agenda

By Mark McLeod
Friday April 28, 2006

I appreciate the Daily Planet’s interest in the fact that several merchant associations, including the Downtown Berkeley Association (DBA), have been discussing the commissioning of a professionally created and administered survey of Berkeley residents to determine their public policy interests and preferences. -more-


Why I’m the Only Viable Candidate for Mayor

By Zachary Running Wolf
Friday April 28, 2006

I am a Native American leader, not a sold-out career politician. Berkeley citizens need me as mayor at this very important time in world history. A career politician sells his or her souls to the highest bidder, climbs the political ladder by making “compromises” with fellow politicians, and leaves behind and ignores the best interests of their constituencies. A perfect example of a career politician and his dirty dealing is Mayor Bates and his closed-door sweetheart deal to sell out downtown Berkeley to his alma mater, the University of California at Berkeley. In contrast, a Native American leader looks to the future and out for the well being of the community (or tribe), which comes first before personal security and economic gain. This means looking out for the well-being of the children for seven generations. -more-


Commentary:How to Create a Lively ‘Green’ Oasis in Downtown

By Kirstin Miller
Friday April 28, 2006

Increasingly, people living in cities are calling for the creation of natural, beautiful, functional, and healthy public spaces accessible to all citizens, regardless of age, ability or income. Cities are also taking greater steps to heal the natural environment within their borders. Revitalizing and restoring nature in the city not only helps the environment, but also connects people with place. -more-


Commentary: 1610 Oregon Street: It’s Everyone’s Concern

By Shirley Dean
Friday April 28, 2006

It is hard to believe that Councilmember Max Anderson actually said that the action taken by 14 neighbors in Small Claims court regarding 1610 Oregon St. involved a “revenge motive.” But, there it was in the April 18 Daily Planet, in a news story about the appeal brought by 1610’s owner against the judgment the neighbors had won in January in Small Claims Court which awarded $5,000 to each of the neighbors. The news story reported that the owner’s appeal had been dismissed by Superior Court Judge Wynne Carvill. -more-


Columns

Column: New From the Home Page Of the Fallen Warriors

By Susan Parker
Tuesday May 02, 2006

Two weeks ago I wrote a column about receiving a solicitation in the mail to join the United States Navy. In the letter the Navy promised me training on the world’s most advanced equipment, a debt-free education, full benefits, outstanding medical coverage, a competitive edge in the civilian job market, and no “money hassles.” -more-


The Not-So-Sweet Life of the Lemon Tree

By Ron Sullivan Special to the Planet
Tuesday May 02, 2006

Lemon tree very pretty -more-


Column: Dispatches From the Edge: Rummy Shelled, Silvio Falls, Iran Strikes

By Conn Hallinan
Friday April 28, 2006

There are any number of reasons why half a dozen retired generals have turned on Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, but a major one was a disastrous week in the spring of 2002 when several battalions of the 101 Airborne Division attacked insurgents in the Shahikot Valley of Afghanistan. -more-


Column: Undercurrents: Public Comment Lies at the Heart of Democracy

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Friday April 28, 2006

Mr. Ignacio De La Fuente, we learn in last week’s Oakland Tribune, is “frustrated” with the present debate format in the Oakland mayoral race which “rarely, if ever,” the Tribune explains, “allows candidates time to rebut their opponents’ remarks.” -more-


She’s Got Your Goat at Caribbean Cove

By B.J. Calurus Special to the Planet
Friday April 28, 2006

You don’t forget your first curried goat. It was years ago, and I was on the Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando’s answer to San Pablo Avenue, looking for a cheap and non-franchised lunch. I wound up at a hole-in-the-wall run by Trinidadians that served goat and roti, a flatbread with South Asian roots. Really good goat. I’ve been looking for its equal ever since. -more-


About the House: Neatness Saves Time, Even on a Job Site

By Matt Cantor
Friday April 28, 2006

I have slovenly tendencies. I know this about myself. I’m not proud of it, but let’s face facts: I like neatness, but it is, on most days, beyond my grasp. I also like to complain about those around me who do not keep things neat. Of course I never complain about my wife or kids and their messes, and if you think you’ve ever heard me shouting from next door, it must have been someone else or perhaps it was the game on TV. -more-


Garden Variety: Recycling For Garden Decor at Omega Too

By Ron Sullivan
Friday April 28, 2006

So I dropped by Omega Too on San Pablo Avenue to see what Jana had for gardens. The answer was: Not quite so much as she used to, but what’s there is nifty. Of course; her sensibility is one I’ve always liked. -more-


Arts & Events

Arts Calendar

Tuesday May 02, 2006

TUESDAY, MAY 2 -more-


Arts: Benny Golson Headlines At Yoshi’s This Weekend

By Ira Steingroot Special to the Planet
Tuesday May 02, 2006

If you saw Steven Spielberg’s somewhat unfocused 2004 film Terminal starring Tom Hanks, you may remember that Hanks’ character travels to America, where he proceeds to get stuck at JFK Airport, in order to fulfill a promise he had made to his late father. -more-


Arts: A Tale of Genocide Unfolds in TheatreFIRST’s ‘World Music’

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Tuesday May 02, 2006

“Welcome to Europe!” As a British father and son reunite in Brussels and stumble through French to order food in a cafe, a young African waitress surprises both by speaking to them in English. -more-


The Not-So-Sweet Life of the Lemon Tree

By Ron Sullivan Special to the Planet
Tuesday May 02, 2006

Lemon tree very pretty -more-


Berkeley This Week

Tuesday May 02, 2006

TUESDAY, MAY 2 -more-


Arts Calendar

Friday April 28, 2006

FRIDAY, APRIL 28 -more-


Aurora Theatre Presents a ‘Small Tragedy’

By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet
Friday April 28, 2006

“I still couldn’t say whose tragedy this was ... is ... or if it even is a tragedy ... does it belong to the people suffering, or those watching them suffer?” -more-


Moving Pictures: The Not-So-Discreet Charms of the Bourgeoisie

By Justin DeFreitas
Friday April 28, 2006

The name Luis Buñuel is familiar to even those with only a passing interest in movies, largely due to the success of his satiric films of the 1960s and ’70s. But when the great director made his seamless transition from experimental Surrealist filmmaking to commercial narrative work, he did so with the help of a slightly lesser-known talent: screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere. -more-


The International Reach of the Arts and Crafts Movement

By Marta Yamamoto Special to the Planet
Friday April 28, 2006

The Arts and Crafts Movement is no secret in Bay Area architecture and furnishings. The Berkeley hills are dotted with homes designed by Bernard Maybeck, Julia Morgan and others while the California bungalow dots neighborhoods from north to south. -more-


She’s Got Your Goat at Caribbean Cove

By B.J. Calurus Special to the Planet
Friday April 28, 2006

You don’t forget your first curried goat. It was years ago, and I was on the Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando’s answer to San Pablo Avenue, looking for a cheap and non-franchised lunch. I wound up at a hole-in-the-wall run by Trinidadians that served goat and roti, a flatbread with South Asian roots. Really good goat. I’ve been looking for its equal ever since. -more-


About the House: Neatness Saves Time, Even on a Job Site

By Matt Cantor
Friday April 28, 2006

I have slovenly tendencies. I know this about myself. I’m not proud of it, but let’s face facts: I like neatness, but it is, on most days, beyond my grasp. I also like to complain about those around me who do not keep things neat. Of course I never complain about my wife or kids and their messes, and if you think you’ve ever heard me shouting from next door, it must have been someone else or perhaps it was the game on TV. -more-


Garden Variety: Recycling For Garden Decor at Omega Too

By Ron Sullivan
Friday April 28, 2006

So I dropped by Omega Too on San Pablo Avenue to see what Jana had for gardens. The answer was: Not quite so much as she used to, but what’s there is nifty. Of course; her sensibility is one I’ve always liked. -more-


Berkeley This Week

Friday April 28, 2006

FRIDAY, APRIL 28 -more-