Although former Berkeley Police Sgt. Cary Kent, who pleaded guilty to felony charges of grand theft and possession of heroin and methamphetamine was sentenced Friday to one year in county jail, he’ll do no time behind bars. Friday, Judge Don Clay offered the now-retired officer an “alternative” to jail. -more-

Zoning Adjustments Board members ruled on three controversial projects Thursday night, approving the environmental impact report and the permit that will enable construction of a new Berkeley Bowl at 920 Heinz Ave., denying a permit for a new Quizno’s sandwich shop and approving installation of a new odor-control system for Pacific Steel Casting, 1421 Second St. -more-

A string of arson and suspicious fires has plagued a normally quiet South Berkeley neighborhood since Monday, causing jitters among residents in the area around Shattuck Avenue and the Ashby BART Station. -more-

In 1956 Pat and Fred Cody borrowed $5,000 and gave birth to the original Cody’s Books in an 18-by-29-foot shop on Euclid Ave. -more-

On Wednesday afternoon a sea lion at the Berkeley Marina did more than just catch a ball on its nose and clap. -more-

At a birthday party for a 4-year-old recently, a youngish mother of my acquaintance, in between bouts of chasing her very active baby who was just learning to walk, wondered why no one had ever tried to figure out some good way for parents to work part-time at interesting and responsible jobs with future promise. Of course, I told her, we did try. But it didn’t work as easily as we might have hoped. Why? she asked. -more-