Thirty-nine custodians and their supporters—including City Councilmember Max Anderson —sat down at the intersection of Bancroft Way and Telegraph Avenue Wednesday afternoon to make the point that UC Berkeley custodians should receive wages equal to wages earned by others in the area doing similar work. -more-

If Merrilie Mitchell were elected to replace 14-year incumbent Linda Maio as District 1 councilmember, she said she would continue the nuts-and-bolts activism she’s known for: peddling her bicycle throughout Berkeley and attending every city meeting she can. -more-

Willard Park area residents want a safe, quiet place to live, they told mayoral and City Council candidates at a Tuesday candidates’ night, sponsored by the Willard Neighborhood Association, that drew more than 80 people. -more-

The U.S. Supreme Court’s refusal on Monday to review a ruling that allows the City of Berkeley to deny the Sea Scouts a free dock at the Marina because of its discrimination against gays and atheists could spell the end for the 74-year-old sailing group. -more-

“Politics can be fun” was the message Berkeley City Council candidate George Beier sent out to UC Berkeley students and young Southside residents during his campaign party at Blakes on Telegragh Wednesday. -more-

It took a week of intense negotiations, with Councilmember Laurie Capitelli moving back and forth between developer Jim Hart and neighbors of Hart’s proposed five-story mixed-use project at Harrison Street and San Pablo Avenue, for the two sides to come to what appears will be a compromise agreement. -more-

Citizens helping to create a new downtown plan for Berkeley turned their attention to one of the city center’s perennial conundrums Wednesday night: street -more-

The long-running saga of the house at 1610 Oregon St. took another twist Tuesday morning with the backyard shooting of a 19-year-old San Leandro man. -more-

When a Berkeley police bicycle officer spotted a couple of youths brawling in the 2100 block of Shattuck Avenue Tuesday noon, he didn’t expect he’d be joining the fray. -more-

Three propositions on the November ballot—83, 85, and 90—would make significant changes to the California Constitution or California law. -more-

Three propositions on the November statewide ballot seek to raise taxes to support various state programs. Proposition 86 would tax cigarettes to support health projects, Proposition 87 would tax oil producers to fund and encourage alternative energy sources, and Proposition 88 would increase educational spending through a parcel tax. -more-

Sat., Oct. 21 -more-

With a newly negotiated contract in hand, Doubletree Hotel employees will return to familiar seats at the bargaining table next week. -more-

GOLDEN GATE FIELDS -more-

Four years ago I entered the race for mayor with a simple promise—that we would turn a new page in Berkeley’s political history by setting aside the old political divisions and working together to make Berkeley the very best it can be. We have been remarkably successful—governing with civility, supporting our kids and schools, making Berkeley an environmental leader again, and creating affordable housing. -more-

Since June, I’ve been going door-to-door talking to Berkeley voters all over town. I’ve now visited thousands of households, and everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve encountered dissatisfaction with the current mayor and his administration. The details vary, but one theme is constant: In Berkeley, of all places, people feel that they have lost control of their local government. My campaign is about reclaiming City Hall for the community. -more-

Landlords: Remorseless, lying, blood-sucking parasites. More property, more vicious. Give back every dollar stolen from the tenants, immediately, in cash. Rent is Theft. -more-

Come Run with the Running Wolf -more-

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Mayor: Zelda Bronstein -more-

The City of Berkeley, by casually, sans permit, allowing Milo Foundation to introduce, in a deliberate and concerted effort, unknown and diseased animals to our neighborhood, has exhibited gross negligence in the administration of their duties to protect and serve the residents of our community. This community includes neighbors, volunteers and visiting public to the locations surrounding the 1575 Solano and 1572 Capistrano Ave. addresses. The cavalier and uninformed lack of control over these conditions puts the City of Berkeley at great risk for potential lawsuits from individual and groups most at risk for these diseases, that is, the entire public. -more-

Until recently, I held the naïve belief that only objective language would be used in official voters’ materials. But I was wrong. Unlike the state attorney general, our city attorney is not legally required to use impartial language to explain ballot measures to the public. As a result, Berkeley voters do not have an absolute right to unbiased presentations of municipal measures. -more-

Twice during the past few months, the Planet has published articles proclaiming a “new vision” for Shattuck Avenue north of Vine Street, where the Farmers’ Market is located. The promoters of this “vision,” almost exclusively realtors, developers, architects and merchants, would like you to believe they will be creating a pedestrian plaza with lots of greenspace and trees. -more-

If all four bond measures, Propositions 1B to 1E, pass, the State’s bond debt would almost double. With constant economic growth, we might afford it, but in a downturn or even if State’s revenue is flat, we will have to increase taxes, cut services, or borrow even more money to pay for the Bonds. Worse, some of the bond funds would be used in a socially inequitable manner, failing to produce long-term benefits or improve our quality of life, environment and economy. Measures 1C and 1D seem worthwhile, but 1B and 1E do not. -more-

Two Sundays ago, on Oct. 8, I rose before dawn (way before) to drive a friend to Ocean Beach in San Francisco and take part in Ma’afa, what turned out to be an extremely moving ceremony marking the estimated 100 million African ancestors who perished during the Transatlantic Slave Trade, commonly referred to as the Middle Passage. -more-

It’s rare these days that I find myself in agreement with Mayor Jerry Brown’s attorney general campaign consultant and spokesperson, who specializes in the kind of fighter pilot/attack dog responses you would expect from someone named Ace Smith. But when Mr. Smith calls it “pathetic and desperate” a recent threat by Republicans to file a lawsuit challenging Mr. Brown’s attorney general credentials, he’s right on target. This is a matter for the voters to decide, not the judges. -more-

Esther Owens was born Esther Frances Wagner in Tecumseh, Oklahoma, on March 13, 1898, the last of Anna and Max Wagner’s three children. While on a visit home from singing in a light-opera road company, Esther met her future husband, Forest John Maynard, originally from Vermont. After several moves because of Forest’s work, the young couple eventually settled in the Bay Area, first in Berkeley, then in Oakland. -more-

Killing yourself isn’t as easy as it used to be. You used to be able to get in your 8,000 pound Buick, pull into the garage, tune in KNBR and slowly pass into unconsciousness to the strains of “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes,” as the disappointments of the world faded softly into nothingness. Wow, that was dark. But it’s a reality that carbon monoxide has been widely used to end it all for many decades, maybe a hundred years. -more-

How’s Your Earthquake Knowledge ? (Part 2) -more-

Here’s another field trip, in case you’re not busy enough with all the October nursery sales and native-plant fests. Morningsun Herb Farm has a few natives, but its focus is garden herbs in the vernacular sense of the word: useful culinary, medicinal, and fragrant plants. -more-

The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials announced this week that the Oakland Housing Agency has won a national award for its Mandela Gateway Mixed-Use Housing Development. -more-

Soprano Alaine Rodin, Berkeley native, a graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory and the Juilliard School, has made an international career for herself as an opera singer. -more-