Students in La Raza gathered Saturday at St. Joseph the Worker Church for a graduation ceremony. Photograph by Suzanne La Barre
Students in La Raza gathered Saturday at St. Joseph the Worker Church for a graduation ceremony. Photograph by Suzanne La Barre

Page One

Graduation for the Class of 2006 Marked By Many Ceremonies

By Suzanne La Barre
Tuesday June 20, 2006

About 700 students graduated from Berkeley’s high schools Friday. -more-



‘Curvy Derby’ Plan Enters Street Debate

By Suzanne La Barre
Tuesday June 20, 2006

A group of neighbors is proposing a new plan for the East Campus/ Derby Street field that just might find stalwarts on either side of the “Close Derby-Leave Derby Open” debate standing well in agreement. -more-



Medical Center Budget Problems Prompt Calls For Oversight

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Tuesday June 20, 2006

Health care advocates and labor leaders stepped up their pressure on Alameda County supervisors this week to help the Alameda County Medical Center close a $4.8 million budget gap by asking the county to cut loan interest and rent payments owed by the medical center. -more-



Kerry Surveys Berkeley Fire Station

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday June 20, 2006

Sen. John Kerry dropped by Berkeley Fire Department Station No. 2 on Friday to talk to firefighters. The senator stopped by the Berkeley Way station after visiting Google headquarters in Mountain View on his way to San Francisco. -more-



Nexus Evictions, LPO Revisions, Fee Hikes on Council Agenda

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday June 20, 2006

As the Berkeley City Council heads down the final stretch toward its mid-July summer recess, it will face a packed agenda that will include a discussion of possible eviction of the artists from the Nexus Workshop. -more-



Features

Council Set to Hear Public on Budget Wishes

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday June 20, 2006

While the City Council will hold a public hearing on the budget tonight (Tuesday), only a fraction of Berkeley’s $300 million budget is actually in question. -more-


ZAB to Hold Public Hearing on 700 University Ave. Project

By Suzanne La Barre
Tuesday June 20, 2006

The Zoning Adjustments Board is set to consider a mixed-use development project on the two-acre site at 700 University Ave. Thursday. -more-


People’s Park Activists Sue City Over Freebox Removal

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday June 20, 2006

People’s Park freebox users have filed a suit against the City of Berkeley for not holding to its 1994 agreement with UC Berkeley, which stated that a freebox, in which people put clothing and other items for others to pick up, must remain in People’s Park. -more-


Landmarks Commission to Discuss Mayor’s Revisions

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday June 20, 2006

Members of the Landmarks Preservation Commission will meet Thursday to discuss changes proposed for the city’s Landmarks Preservation Ordinance (LPO). -more-


BUSD School Lunch Initiative up for Evaluation

By Suzanne La Barre
Tuesday June 20, 2006

Berkeley’s School Lunch Initiative has attracted a big helping of publicity in recent days, including a feature in the San Francisco Chronicle’s Food section and a spread in Time Magazine. Now, it is garnering the attention of the research world. -more-


Campaign Commission Looks at Public Financing

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday June 20, 2006

Depite a warning from the city attorney that her office hasn’t time to prepare a ballot measure on publicly financing local elections, the Fair Campaign Practices Commission will meet Thursday to discuss putting the measure on the ballot. -more-


Public Comment

Letters to the Editor

Tuesday June 20, 2006

SOCIAL SECURITY -more-


Commentary: Pacific Steel Casting: At What Cost?

By L A WOOD
Tuesday June 20, 2006

The stacks of Pacific Steel Casting rise high above the northwest Berkeley skyline of Oceanview. Once surrounded by manufacturing and light industry, the foundry now finds itself constrained by residential neighborhoods and a growing retail presence. This move towards gentrification is on a collision course with PSC’s massive expansion of its operations. Indeed, Pacific Steel, which claims to be the third largest facility of its kind in the country, has been the city’s number one zoning conflict for over a dozen years. -more-


Commentary: A 12-Point Plan for Revitalizing Telegraph

By George Beier
Tuesday June 20, 2006

Here is my 12-point plan for changing Telegraph Avenue as part of my campaign for Berkeley City Council, District 7. I believe Telegraph should be safe, drug-free, clean, diverse, vibrant and prosperous. It should be dominated by independent stores. It should honor its history and encourage its mix of eclectic shops and restaurants. It should be a regional draw and also have stores that serve the neighborhood. Here’s how we get there from here: -more-


Editorial

Editorial: Weasel Word Watch: ‘It’s a Compromise’

By Becky O’Malley
Tuesday June 20, 2006

The election season is beginning in earnest now. Oakland took the sensible path and got it all out of the way early, before anyone noticed what was going on. The election there proved a couple of things: -more-


Columns

Column: Rescuing Jeffrey and Gallicentral News

By Susan Parker
Tuesday June 20, 2006

Scanning through my recent e-mails, I came across one with the subject line “Gallicentral News.” It was from news@gallicentral.com. -more-


The Nature of the Cricket and Other Loose Ends

By Joe Eaton, Special to the Planet
Tuesday June 20, 2006

I’m always a little startled when I get a response to one of these pieces. Sometimes it’s about something that requires correction, like the incident of the owl in the Embarcadero BART station. Other comments call for amplification. -more-


Arts Listings

Arts Calendar

Tuesday June 20, 2006

At the Theater: Zimmerman’s One-Man Satiric Show at The Marsh

By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet
Tuesday June 20, 2006

Events Listings

Berkeley This Week

Tuesday June 20, 2006

Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

Editorial: Weasel Word Watch: ‘It’s a Compromise’ 06-20-2006

Public Comment

Letters to the Editor 06-20-2006

Commentary: Pacific Steel Casting: At What Cost? By L A WOOD 06-20-2006

Commentary: A 12-Point Plan for Revitalizing Telegraph By George Beier 06-20-2006

Letters to the Editor 06-16-2006

West Bowl Would Cause Traffic Woes Daniel Knapp 06-16-2006

The Downtown Berkeley Blues David Nebenzahl 06-16-2006

Berkeley’s Overground Railroad Toya Groves 06-16-2006

News

Graduation for the Class of 2006 Marked By Many Ceremonies By Suzanne La Barre 06-20-2006

‘Curvy Derby’ Plan Enters Street Debate By Suzanne La Barre 06-20-2006

Medical Center Budget Problems Prompt Calls For Oversight By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 06-20-2006

Kerry Surveys Berkeley Fire Station By Riya Bhattacharjee 06-20-2006

Nexus Evictions, LPO Revisions, Fee Hikes on Council Agenda By Judith Scherr 06-20-2006

Council Set to Hear Public on Budget Wishes By Judith Scherr 06-20-2006

ZAB to Hold Public Hearing on 700 University Ave. Project By Suzanne La Barre 06-20-2006

People’s Park Activists Sue City Over Freebox Removal By Riya Bhattacharjee 06-20-2006

Landmarks Commission to Discuss Mayor’s Revisions By Richard Brenneman 06-20-2006

BUSD School Lunch Initiative up for Evaluation By Suzanne La Barre 06-20-2006

Campaign Commission Looks at Public Financing By Judith Scherr 06-20-2006

Shattuck Cinemas Employees to Cast Votes Judith Scherr 06-16-2006

Parents Press BUSD, City To Curb Teen Violence Suzanne La Barre 06-16-2006

City Council Approves West Berkeley Bowl Judith Scherr 06-16-2006

OUSD Choose New York Developer for Property Sale Talks J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 06-16-2006

Police Chief Details City Crime Trends Judith Scherr 06-16-2006

Lawsuit Threat Targets Limits on Public Speakers at City Meetings Judith Scherr 06-16-2006

Planning Commission Rejects Transportation Fee Program Suzanne La Barre 06-16-2006

Berkeley’s 20th Annual Juneteenth Celebration Sunday Riya Bhattacharjee 06-16-2006

City Says Neighborhood Wishing Well Must Go Riya Bhattacharjee 06-16-2006

Despair Caused Prison Suicides Becky O'Malley 06-16-2006

Four-Star Hotel in the Works for Downtown Berkeley Suzanne La Barre 06-16-2006

Comrades Recall Stew Albert Richard Brenneman 06-16-2006

Grandmothers Group Calls for Letters Against the War Dorothy Bryant 06-16-2006

Ten Questions for Councilmember Laurie Capitelli Jonathan Wafer 06-16-2006

Council Looks at Items for City Budget Consideration Judith Scherr 06-16-2006

World Cup Pay-Per-View Riles Middle East Fans Jamal Dajani, New American Media 06-16-2006

Study: ‘Bubble’ Likely to Deflate, Not Pop Glenn Roberts Jr., Inman News 06-16-2006

Columns

Column: Rescuing Jeffrey and Gallicentral News By Susan Parker 06-20-2006

The Nature of the Cricket and Other Loose Ends By Joe Eaton, Special to the Planet 06-20-2006

UnderCurrents:Lamenting Brown’s Artful Oakland Dodge J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 06-16-2006

Richmond Museum Highlights City’s Hispanic History Marta Yamamoto, Special to the Planet 06-16-2006

About the House: The Problems with Forced Air Heating Matt Cantor 06-16-2006

Garden Variety: A Nursery with Spine: Get The Point at Cactus Jungle Ron Sullivan 06-16-2006

Arts & Events

Arts Calendar 06-20-2006

At the Theater: Zimmerman’s One-Man Satiric Show at The Marsh By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 06-20-2006

The Nature of the Cricket and Other Loose Ends By Joe Eaton, Special to the Planet 06-20-2006

Berkeley This Week 06-20-2006

Arts Calendar 06-16-2006

The Theater: Masquers Playhouse Presents ‘The Fantasticks’ Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 06-16-2006

Moving Pictures: LGBT Festival Features East Bay Filmmakers Justin DeFreitas 06-16-2006

Richmond Museum Highlights City’s Hispanic History Marta Yamamoto, Special to the Planet 06-16-2006

About the House: The Problems with Forced Air Heating Matt Cantor 06-16-2006

Garden Variety: A Nursery with Spine: Get The Point at Cactus Jungle Ron Sullivan 06-16-2006

Berkeley This Week 06-16-2006