The End of Nexus
              A planing machine stands unused Wednesday afternoon at the Nexus Institute, one of Berkeley’s last remaining arts and crafts collectives. Members will have to move out of their Eighth Street quarters by the end of the month. Photograph by Richard Brenneman
The End of Nexus A planing machine stands unused Wednesday afternoon at the Nexus Institute, one of Berkeley’s last remaining arts and crafts collectives. Members will have to move out of their Eighth Street quarters by the end of the month. Photograph by Richard Brenneman

Page One

City’s Political Candidates Rake in the Campaign Cash

By Judith Scherr
Friday August 04, 2006

If money talked, it could turn into a noisy campaign season this year. Preliminary campaign finance statements for the 2006 races that were released Monday show most candidates in the City Council and mayoral races, despite lofty Berkeley idealism, are in hot pursuit of the gritty greenback dollar. -more-



Shirley Dean Veers Off Mayoral Campaign Trail

By Judith Scherr
Friday August 04, 2006

Former Mayor Shirley Dean says she’ll be on the campaign trail. -more-



Council Sends Landmark Initiative to Ballot

By Richard Brenneman
Friday August 04, 2006

On two 6–3 votes, the city council Tuesday endorsed ballot language and a legal analysis that backers of a landmarks ordinance initiative said misrepresents their proposal. -more-



Berkeley Hosts a Successful National Night Out

By Rio Bauce, SPecial to the Planet
Friday August 04, 2006

On Tuesday, many Berkeley residents came together to bring public safety awareness into their communities by celebrating National Night Out Day 2006. There were block parties throughout the city, which promised food, fun, and socializing. -more-



Salem Sets the Standard for Nursing Home Care

By Carol Polsgrove, Special to the Planet
Friday August 04, 2006

I dreaded the day when my mother would need to move into a nursing home. That day came, and a year and a half later, I enjoy her nursing home life on my visits—joining in Tai Chi or a round of mindgames, right alongside her. Her nursing home is so homey and hospitable that I wonder why more nursing homes aren’t like it. -more-



Features

Watchdogs Demand Release of Pacific Steel Report

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday August 04, 2006

Supporters of neighborhood watchdog group Cleanaircoalition.net will be coming together with environmental and community groups this month to demand that Pacific Steel Casting make the results of their already delayed emission inventory report and health risk assessment available to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the City of Berkeley immediately. -more-


Half of City’s Economic Team Soon to Depart

By Judith Scherr
Friday August 04, 2006

Economic Development Manager Thomas Myers went from helping site 7-Elevens in South Central Los Angeles to working four-and-one-half years to get Berkeley Bowl situated on Oregon Street. -more-


Collective’s Departure Marks Another Berkeley Arts Loss

By Richard Brenneman
Friday August 04, 2006

With the deadline for their eviction from their home of the last 31 years fast approaching, the artists of the Nexus Institute are looking for a new home. -more-


Court Orders State Universities to Pay for Impacts

By Richard Brenneman
Friday August 04, 2006

The Berkeley city attorney’s office has good reason to gloat over this week’s California Supreme Court ruling that the state’s universities aren’t exempt from paying for impacts of developments on surrounding communities. -more-


Judge Kills Initiative by Albany Mall Foes

By Richard Brenneman
Friday August 04, 2006

An Oakland judge Tuesday barred a November vote on an initiative that would have stopped waterfront development pending the creation of a new plan. -more-


Richmond Residents to Share Memories of Macdonald

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Friday August 04, 2006

“Since its heyday during World War II, when workers from Richmond’s Kaiser shipyards filled the streets and sidewalks,” we learn from Richmond Councilmember Tom Butt’s e-mail forum, “Macdonald Avenue has reflected the common patterns of American downtowns. Many businesses have struggled to maintain economic viability in a climate of shifting commercial development and shopping patterns.” -more-


Lebanese Woman Reflects on Her Homeland

By Judith Scherr
Friday August 04, 2006

These days Nadine Ghammache thinks of little else than Lebanon, the tiny country by the sea where she was born. -more-


Two Cities, Two Approaches to Waterfront History

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Friday August 04, 2006

While the controversy continues over the all-but-total destruction of the massive, historic Ninth Avenue Terminal as part of Oakland’s Oak To Ninth Development Project, the City of Richmond is quietly moving forward with the development of one of its waterfront areas that preserves the similarly historic Ford Assembly Building. -more-


Public Comment

Letters to the Editor

Friday August 04, 2006

A LITTLE HELP, PLEASE -more-


Commentary: Where Have All the Environmentalists Gone?

By Merrilie Mitchell
Friday August 04, 2006

Recently I returned to an area near my former home on Canyon Road near UC Stadium. I spent the afternoon walking around the stadium, and on up to the beautiful UC Botanical Gardens. And there I picnicked, surrounded by beautiful flowers and birds singing. -more-


Commentary: Throwing Stones

By Bill Hamilton
Friday August 04, 2006

The front page article by Suzanne La Barre in the Aug. 1 edition celebrating Michele Lawrence’s five years as BUSD superintendent gave me pause to consider my own views about the current state of BUSD and the City of Berkeley. Let me share them with you. -more-


Commentary: Bates and the Bowl: Some Inconvenient Truths

By Zelda Bronstein
Friday August 04, 2006

Tom Bates is telling people that I tried to stop the West Berkeley Bowl. Once again, he’s spinning the truth like a top. -more-


Editorial

No Pay Cuts Yet for Absentee Teachers

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday August 04, 2006

Berkeley Unified School District teachers who received letters informing them that their salaries would be cut for skipping classes May 1, the day of immigrant rights rallies nationwide, received their paychecks for the month of July on Monday. -more-


Columns

The Public Eye: Why I’m Not Running for Mayor of Berkeley This Time

By Shirley Dean
Friday August 04, 2006

First, I want to thank the many Berkeley residents who have indicated their support for me to enter the race for mayor this November, particularly Merilee Mitchell who took out papers to gather signatures in-lieu of filing fees (even though I didn't know about it at the time); and to all of you who collected signatures, signed your names, sent me e-mails, called me, wrote me letters and stopped to talk to me in the grocery store, on the street or at various meetings. -more-


Column: Dispatches From The Edge: Of Treadle Pumps and Grandmothers

By Conn Hallinan
Friday August 04, 2006

Erica Schoenberger is scrolling through her photos of Maphaphateni, a small village in the “Valley of 1,000 Hills” northwest of Durban in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal Province. She is looking for a particular image that crystallizes the difference between a project funded by the World Bank and one sponsored by the Colorado-based organization, Engineers Without Borders (EWB). -more-


Column: Undercurrents: Oakland Night Out Welcomes (Some) Citizens

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Friday August 04, 2006

Driving home on Tuesday evening, Aug. 1, I passed one of the officially sanctioned National Night Out Events, this one sponsored by the East Bay Dragons (African-American) Motorcycle Club, who had already begun to cordon off the block at 88th and International on the side of their clubhouse. National Night Out, from its website, is a campaign involving “citizens, law enforcement agencies, civic groups, businesses, neighborhood organizations and local officials… Along with the traditional display of outdoor lights and front porch vigils, cities, towns and neighborhoods ‘celebrate’ NNO with a variety of events and activities such as block parties, cookouts, [and] visits from local police and sheriff departments.” -more-


About the House: Granite, and Some Other Boring Things

By Matt Cantor
Friday August 04, 2006

I can feel another rant coming on and this one has been coming for some time. I’m definitely involved in the world of real estate, for better AND for worse. Rather than simply sharing construction knowledge with people at their homes, a lot of what I end up doing involves checking over houses that are in the sale process, and this means examining the product of sales preparation, of last-minute, minimally budgeted spin and fluff. Even the term “flipping” a house sounds more like making a crepe than building a home. There’s a vernacular to these things that’s not unlike reality TV or aerobics classes and it’s become so predictable that there are genuinely days in which I can’t remember which flip I’ve been inside of for three or four hours. Yes, one had two baths and three bedrooms and the other was four baths with an in-law downstairs but the “look” of these places is often so similar, due to the vernacular of choices that there isn’t much difference beyond square footage. -more-


Garden Variety: Antiques, Nurseries and a Coffee Break in Alameda

By Ron Sullivan
Friday August 04, 2006

The Alameda Antiques Flea Market happens on the first Sunday of the month. It’s a good show for five bucks, a stroll through the surreal, and, if you’re my age, just a bit unsettling to see so many of your own childhood artifacts labeled “vintage.” -more-


Quake Tip of the Week

By Larry Guillot
Friday August 04, 2006

What About Quake Insurance? -more-


Arts Listings

Arts Calendar

Friday August 04, 2006

Moving Pictures: Revisiting Orson Welles’ ‘Mr. Arkadin’

By Justin DeFreitas
Friday August 04, 2006


Theater: The End of the World Comes to John Hinkle Park

By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet
Friday August 04, 2006

Events Listings

Berkeley This Week

Friday August 04, 2006

Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

No Pay Cuts Yet for Absentee Teachers 08-04-2006

Editorial: Is Inevitable Killing Intentional Slaughter? 08-01-2006

Public Comment

Letters to the Editor 08-04-2006

Commentary: Where Have All the Environmentalists Gone? By Merrilie Mitchell 08-04-2006

Commentary: Throwing Stones By Bill Hamilton 08-04-2006

Commentary: Bates and the Bowl: Some Inconvenient Truths By Zelda Bronstein 08-04-2006

Letters to the Editor 08-01-2006

Commentary: Yale Goes to War: How Disasters Happen By Michael Katz 08-01-2006

Commentary: Saving the Berkeley Housing Authority By Eleanor Walden 08-01-2006

News

City’s Political Candidates Rake in the Campaign Cash By Judith Scherr 08-04-2006

Shirley Dean Veers Off Mayoral Campaign Trail By Judith Scherr 08-04-2006

Council Sends Landmark Initiative to Ballot By Richard Brenneman 08-04-2006

Berkeley Hosts a Successful National Night Out By Rio Bauce, SPecial to the Planet 08-04-2006

Salem Sets the Standard for Nursing Home Care By Carol Polsgrove, Special to the Planet 08-04-2006

Watchdogs Demand Release of Pacific Steel Report By Riya Bhattacharjee 08-04-2006

Half of City’s Economic Team Soon to Depart By Judith Scherr 08-04-2006

Collective’s Departure Marks Another Berkeley Arts Loss By Richard Brenneman 08-04-2006

Court Orders State Universities to Pay for Impacts By Richard Brenneman 08-04-2006

Judge Kills Initiative by Albany Mall Foes By Richard Brenneman 08-04-2006

Richmond Residents to Share Memories of Macdonald By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 08-04-2006

Lebanese Woman Reflects on Her Homeland By Judith Scherr 08-04-2006

Two Cities, Two Approaches to Waterfront History By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 08-04-2006

City Planning Director Issues Scathing Critique of UC Stadium Expansion Report By Richard Brenneman 08-01-2006

War of Words Over LPO Ballot Measure By Richard Brenneman 08-01-2006

Lawrence Marks Five Years at Helm of Berkeley Schools By Suzanne La Barre 08-01-2006

BUSD Interdistrict Transfer Policy Draws Criticism By Suzanne La Barre 08-01-2006

Construction to Begin on Alameda Cineplex Project By Suzanne La Barre 08-01-2006

Effort to Expand Public Comment Gains Steam By Judith Scherr 08-01-2006

Feds Focus Anti-Terror Effort On Local Anti-War Events By Judith Scherr 08-01-2006

High Court Says CSU Must Prepare New Report on Expansion Bay City News 08-01-2006

Bevatron, Berkeley Iceland Landmarking, Drayage Demolition on LPC Agenda By Richard Brenneman 08-01-2006

Californians Seek Action on Air Quality, Global Warming By Brian Shott, New America Media 08-01-2006

Ten Questions for Councilmember Gordon Wozniak By Jonathan Wafer, Special to the Planet 08-01-2006

Police Blotter By Richard Brenneman 08-01-2006

Lebanon Is the New Damascus By Franz Schurmann, New America Media 08-01-2006

Columns

The Public Eye: Why I’m Not Running for Mayor of Berkeley This Time By Shirley Dean 08-04-2006

Column: Dispatches From The Edge: Of Treadle Pumps and Grandmothers By Conn Hallinan 08-04-2006

Column: Undercurrents: Oakland Night Out Welcomes (Some) Citizens By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 08-04-2006

About the House: Granite, and Some Other Boring Things By Matt Cantor 08-04-2006

Garden Variety: Antiques, Nurseries and a Coffee Break in Alameda By Ron Sullivan 08-04-2006

Quake Tip of the Week By Larry Guillot 08-04-2006

Column: The Devil in Me Carries Fake Prada By Susan Parker 08-01-2006

Trees, Plants are Great, But the Real Action is Underground By Ron Sullivan, Special to the Planet 08-01-2006

Arts & Events

Arts Calendar 08-04-2006

Moving Pictures: Revisiting Orson Welles’ ‘Mr. Arkadin’ By Justin DeFreitas 08-04-2006

Moving Pictures: Impressionistic ‘Brothers of the Head’ Compelling, Flawed By Justin DeFreitas 08-04-2006

Theater: The End of the World Comes to John Hinkle Park By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 08-04-2006

About the House: Granite, and Some Other Boring Things By Matt Cantor 08-04-2006

Garden Variety: Antiques, Nurseries and a Coffee Break in Alameda By Ron Sullivan 08-04-2006

Quake Tip of the Week By Larry Guillot 08-04-2006

Berkeley This Week 08-04-2006

Arts Calendar 08-01-2006

Actors Ensemble Brings ‘Night of the Iguana’ to Live Oak Theatre By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 08-01-2006

Trees, Plants are Great, But the Real Action is Underground By Ron Sullivan, Special to the Planet 08-01-2006

Berkeley This Week 08-01-2006