Fourth-graders at Rosa Parks test their solar cars a day before racing them at the school’s Solar Fair. Photograph by Riya Bhattacharjee.
Fourth-graders at Rosa Parks test their solar cars a day before racing them at the school’s Solar Fair. Photograph by Riya Bhattacharjee.

Page One

Rosa Parks School Tries Going Solar

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday May 25, 2007

Rosa Parks Elementary School went solar for a couple of days earlier this month. -more-



BHS to Give Student Data To Military Recruiters

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday May 25, 2007

Berkeley High School administrators informed students this week about a change in board policy that requires all juniors and seniors who do not want their names and addresses released to the U.S. military for recruitment purposes to sign an “opt-out” form. -more-



City Housing Workers Fight Back

By Judith Scherr
Friday May 25, 2007

Skewered in a city attorney’s report for incompetencies such as housing dead people in low-income apartments and obstructing investigations, Berkeley Housing Authority workers fought back at Tuesday’s BHA meeting, where the City Council approved the city manager’s recommendation to eliminate the positions of all BHA workers except the manager. -more-



Planners Reject High-Density Downtown Fund Bid

By Richard Brenneman
Friday May 25, 2007

A bid to designate downtown Berkeley as a priority development area (PDA) targeted for state-funded high-density development failed by a single vote Wednesday night. -more-



Council Unravels After Seven Hours of Deliberation

By Judith Scherr
Friday May 25, 2007

The City Council meeting ended in a complete meltdown just before midnight Tuesday with Councilmember Betty Olds walking out of the meeting followed by Councilmembers Max Anderson and Kriss Worthington. -more-



Features

PRC Plans Closed-Door Complaint Hearing; Expects Police Union TRO

By Judith Scherr
Friday May 25, 2007

On Wednesday evening, the Police Review Commission (PRC) approved 3-1 new rules that will govern hearings involving complaints against police officers and set June 7 as its first hearing date since September—an action commissioners say is likely to get the city back in court facing off against the Berkeley Police Association. -more-


UC Custodians Win Raises

By Judith Scherr
Friday May 25, 2007

UC Berkeley custodians have won their equity raises, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 announced in a press release Tuesday. -more-


Lawsuit Challenges Richmond Casino

By Richard Brenneman
Friday May 25, 2007

A last-minute lawsuit filed this week alleges the Richmond City Council violated state environmental law by signing a $310.4 million contract to provide services for a North Richmond casino. -more-


Tod Mikuriya, 1933-2007

By Fred Gardner, Special to the Planet
Friday May 25, 2007

Tod Mikuriya, M.D., died Sunday at his home in the Berkeley Hills. He was 73. The cause was complications of cancer. In the final days he’d been in the care of his sisters, Beverly, an M.D. from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and Mary Jane of San Francisco, and his longtime assistant, John Trapp. -more-


Public Comment

Letters to the Editor

Friday May 25, 2007

LAWN FURNITURE -more-


Letters: Save Yassir Chadly’s Job!

Friday May 25, 2007

EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES OF BERKELEY DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION -more-


Commentary: The Housing Scandal: A Perfect Storm

By David M. Wilson
Friday May 25, 2007

In separate reports, City Manager Phil Kamlarz and City Attorney Manuela Albuquerque have found gross incompetence, if not fraud, in the Berkeley Housing Authority. BHA manages a budget of $25,000,000 per year. This is supposed to provide subsidized housing for nearly 1900 needy families. The truth, as reported in the Daily Planet on May 22, is that in too many cases the money goes to ineligible persons, and even to people who are long dead. Finding “egregious violations” of federal rules, and active employee resistance to reform, Kamlarz and Albuquerque ask the mayor and City Council to replace themselves as directors of BHA with a set of Mayoral appointees, and to terminate the employment of 13 full time staffers. Strangely (given the alleged misconduct), the fired employees are to be offered equal or better positions elsewhere in the city bureaucracy. The city will kick in another $947,000 to help BHA to “transition” to something different (what exactly is not described). -more-


Commentary: Why We Don’t Impeach the President or Stop the War

By Bill Hamilton
Friday May 25, 2007

There have been many articles on this subject lately. To generalize, it comes down to two very broad reasons. The first is based on the desire for the Democrats to just let the bastard stew in the mess that he created and in the process take the Republicans down with him. The Dems are dreaming of winning back the presidency without having to work very hard. This is probably correct. It insulates the Dems from having to make a courageous stand on principle, an especially odious enterprise for the other corporate dominated party, but, it also makes them culpable for this endless war. This will be the Republican’s defense come next elections: You were with us on this war until it got hard. They have a point. -more-


Commentary: People Injured in Pit Bull Attack

By Sally Tarver
Friday May 25, 2007

Residents of the 2400 block of Seventh Street in Berkeley, be warned. A couple of weeks ago my sister’s little poodle, Floy, got her throat ripped out by a neighbor’s pit bull. A young man was walking past our home with this vicious dog on a leash with no muzzle, while Floy was happily romping in her yard. Being a friendly sort, the poodle ran over to greet this dog, and with no warning the pit bull seized her by the throat. There was a terrible struggle, in which my sister’s hand was somewhat mangled. The young man had no idea what to do, so he just kept beating his fist on the dog’s head until it finally relaxed its jaws enough to pull Floy loose. But, oh it was so awful! Her little jaw was crushed and her throat literally tore out. My God, it could have been the little girl who lives across the street! Why didn’t this animal have a muzzle on?! -more-


Commentary: A Modest Proposal Regarding the Ohlone Dog Park

By Beverly Slapin
Friday May 25, 2007

Despite the many complaints we have heard about its being “stupid,” we commend the City of Berkeley for erecting the 10-foot high self-locking gates at each entrance of the Ohlone Dog Park to prevent unauthorized persons and/or animals from entering the park during the hours in which it is closed. We have several suggestions for further improvements. -more-


Commentary: Aloha Rachel Rupert

By Winston Burton
Friday May 25, 2007

Some people make things happen. Some people watch things happen. Some people say, “What happened?!” -more-


Editorial

Editorial: Remembering Living Veterans on Memorial Day

By Becky O'Malley
Friday May 25, 2007

Drivers leaving the freeway at the Fifth street exit in San Francisco often find their cars besieged by several men carrying signs: middle-aged or older, many though not all African-American, disheveled, some with teeth missing. Frequently they wave signs, hand-lettered on cardboard boxes, saying things like “I’m a veteran who needs help.” Or “Will take any kind of job.” It’s easy to keep the windows rolled up and drive on. -more-


Columns

Column: Dispatches from the Edge: Deja Vu in Afghanistan; Paraguay Political Challenge

By Conn Hallinan
Friday May 25, 2007

Deja vu all over again? The longer the United States and NATO stay in Afghanistan, the more the place is looking like Vietnam: -more-


Garden Variety: Try Not to Poison Your Neighbor’s Baby Food

By Ron Sullivan
Friday May 25, 2007

It’s bug time! The plants in the garden are just starting to thrive and get real leaves; the flowers are midway in their annual sequential display; what was mud is starting to look like future meals. -more-


About the House: How to Handle a Condo at Forty

By Matt Cantor
Friday May 25, 2007

Woody Allen says “When you're forty, half of you belongs to the past—and when you’re seventy, nearly all of you.” -more-


Quake Tip of the Week

By Larry Guillot
Friday May 25, 2007

Bad Advice From PG&E? -more-


Arts Listings

Arts Calendar

Friday May 25, 2007


Moving Pictures: PFA Presents ‘Shohei Imamura’s Japan’

By Justin DeFreitas
Friday May 25, 2007

The Theater: Shotgun Players Stage Mamet’s ‘Cryptogram’

By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet
Friday May 25, 2007

Events Listings

Berkeley This Week

Friday May 25, 2007

Correction

Friday May 25, 2007

Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

Editorial: Remembering Living Veterans on Memorial Day 05-25-2007

Editorial: Doing Things Wrong on the West Side of Town 05-22-2007

Public Comment

Letters to the Editor 05-25-2007

Letters: Save Yassir Chadly’s Job! 05-25-2007

Commentary: The Housing Scandal: A Perfect Storm By David M. Wilson 05-25-2007

Commentary: Why We Don’t Impeach the President or Stop the War By Bill Hamilton 05-25-2007

Commentary: People Injured in Pit Bull Attack By Sally Tarver 05-25-2007

Commentary: A Modest Proposal Regarding the Ohlone Dog Park By Beverly Slapin 05-25-2007

Commentary: Aloha Rachel Rupert By Winston Burton 05-25-2007

Letters to the Editor 05-22-2007

Commentary: Mayor Bates Sends Mixed Message On Troubled Housing Authority By Lynda Carson 05-22-2007

Commentary: Don’t Assume He’s Pro-Israel By Joel Tranter 05-22-2007

Commentary: Subverting the Peace and Justice Commission By Joanna Graham 05-22-2007

News

Rosa Parks School Tries Going Solar By Riya Bhattacharjee 05-25-2007

BHS to Give Student Data To Military Recruiters By Riya Bhattacharjee 05-25-2007

City Housing Workers Fight Back By Judith Scherr 05-25-2007

Planners Reject High-Density Downtown Fund Bid By Richard Brenneman 05-25-2007

Council Unravels After Seven Hours of Deliberation By Judith Scherr 05-25-2007

PRC Plans Closed-Door Complaint Hearing; Expects Police Union TRO By Judith Scherr 05-25-2007

UC Custodians Win Raises By Judith Scherr 05-25-2007

Lawsuit Challenges Richmond Casino By Richard Brenneman 05-25-2007

Tod Mikuriya, 1933-2007 By Fred Gardner, Special to the Planet 05-25-2007

Flash: Housing Authority Workers Fight Back By Judith Scherr 05-22-2007

Missing the Oxford Parking Lot By Al Winslow, Special to the Planet 05-22-2007

Dead Tenants Get Low-Income Housing; City Blames Staff By Judith Scherr 05-22-2007

Council Addresses Two City of Refuge Proposals By Judith Scherr 05-22-2007

Governor Touts Berkeley Biofuel Programs By Richard Brenneman 05-22-2007

Fluorescent Light Bulbs, Controlling Electricity Sources Lauded at Community Meeting 05-22-2007

Chronicle Newsroom Slashed, East Bay Express Goes Indie By Richard Brenneman 05-22-2007

Board Considers Washington School Solar Project By Riya Bhattacharjee 05-22-2007

Council Re-Examines Mayor’s Public Commons Initiative By Judith Scherr 05-22-2007

Cheryl Draper Named Coach for BHS Women’s Basketball Team By Riya Bhattacharjee 05-22-2007

Residential Additions Dominate Zoning Board Agenda By Riya Bhattacharjee 05-22-2007

National Talk Show Hosts Brings Health Expo to Oakland By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 05-22-2007

Columns

Column: Dispatches from the Edge: Deja Vu in Afghanistan; Paraguay Political Challenge By Conn Hallinan 05-25-2007

Garden Variety: Try Not to Poison Your Neighbor’s Baby Food By Ron Sullivan 05-25-2007

About the House: How to Handle a Condo at Forty By Matt Cantor 05-25-2007

Quake Tip of the Week By Larry Guillot 05-25-2007

Green Neighbors: The Tough, Sweet Beauty of Cecile Brunner Roses By Ron Sullivan 05-22-2007

Arts & Events

Arts Calendar 05-25-2007

Arts and Entertainment Around the East Bay 05-25-2007

Moving Pictures: PFA Presents ‘Shohei Imamura’s Japan’ By Justin DeFreitas 05-25-2007

The Theater: Shotgun Players Stage Mamet’s ‘Cryptogram’ By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 05-25-2007

Garden Variety: Try Not to Poison Your Neighbor’s Baby Food By Ron Sullivan 05-25-2007

About the House: How to Handle a Condo at Forty By Matt Cantor 05-25-2007

Quake Tip of the Week By Larry Guillot 05-25-2007

Berkeley This Week 05-25-2007

Correction 05-25-2007

Arts Calendar 05-22-2007

Arts and Entertainment Around the East Bay 05-22-2007

The Theater: Berkeley Playwright Makes Hometown Debut By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 05-22-2007

Green Neighbors: The Tough, Sweet Beauty of Cecile Brunner Roses By Ron Sullivan 05-22-2007

Berkeley This Week 05-22-2007