Berkeley Iceland is the subject of a fight over whether to reopen the rink or redevelop the site. Photograph by Michael Howerton.
Berkeley Iceland is the subject of a fight over whether to reopen the rink or redevelop the site. Photograph by Michael Howerton.

Extra

Council Upholds Iceland as Landmark

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday July 17, 2007

The Berkeley City Council upheld a commission vote Tuesday evening to landmark a 1939 ice skating rink, an act supporters of the nonprofit corporation Save Berkeley Iceland hope will facilitate the group’s purchase of the site and pave the way to reopening the facility for ice skating. -more-



Page One

Council Takes Another Look at Berkeley Iceland Landmark Status

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday July 17, 2007

If the City Council decides to uphold a commission designation of Berkeley Iceland as a landmark, it could put a crimp in development plans for a housing/childcare project, while breathing new life into the plans of a nonprofit corporation to re-open the now-shuttered 68-year- old ice skating rink. -more-



West Berkeley Car Sales Plan Nears Deadline

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday July 17, 2007

Berkeley residents have until Aug. 10 to express their concerns about the environmental review of zoning ordinance and General Plan amendments to open up West Berkeley to car dealerships. -more-



Forfeiture Audit Shows Police, City Mismanagement

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday July 17, 2007

An auditor’s report released late Monday morning says Berkeley police and city workers mismanaged asset forfeiture accounts, which could have caused the city to lose the uninsured funds or allowed the money to be misused or embezzled—neither of which happened, according to the audit. While the council and public did not receive a copy of the audit on asset forfeiture funds until late Monday morning, the council will be asked to approve the report and its suggested remedies at tonight’s (Tuesday) council meeting. -more-



Competing Resolutions for Public Comment Vie for Council Approval

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday July 17, 2007

Threatened by citizens considering a lawsuit to force state-mandated public participation in city meetings, Mayor Tom Bates has been experimenting since the fall with a variety of rules aimed at increasing opportunities for public comment at council meetings. -more-



LeConte Neighbors Oppose UC Student Dorm Project

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday July 17, 2007

The Berkeley Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) set the appeal of an administrative use permit to construct an addition to a one-story, two-unit building at 2516 Ellsworth St. for a public hearing Thursday. -more-



Features

Pacific Steel Prepares Health Risk Report

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday July 17, 2007

West Berkeley-based Pacific Steel Casting (PSC) is scheduled to release its health risk assessment report (HRA) to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District Monday. -more-


Attorney Slams UC Response to Richmond Toxic Dump

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday July 17, 2007

Warnings of criminal penalties, charges of intimidation and ousters of worried UC Berkeley workers and concerns about radioactive contamination dominated discussions about two polluted southeast Richmond sites Thursday. -more-


OUSD Local Control Bill Gains Support

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Tuesday July 17, 2007

Oakland Assemblymember Sandré Swanson modified his AB45 Oakland Unified School District local control bill again last Wednesday, giving back more powers to State Superintendent Jack O’Connell over when state control of the Oakland schools will end and winning, in return, key Republican support and passage in the California State Senate Education Committee. -more-


Teenagers Arrested For Shooting at Passing Vehicles

By Rio Bauce
Tuesday July 17, 2007

Two teenagers were arrested Friday on charges of shooting a gun at passing vehicles on the 2600 block of California Street. -more-


Berkeley Police Blotter

By Rio Bauce
Tuesday July 17, 2007

Corporal punishment -more-


UC Extension Landmark Denial Appealed

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday July 17, 2007

The San Francisco Preservation Consortium appealed the San Francisco Planning Commission’s decision not to landmark the UC Berkeley Extension Laguna Street campus last week. -more-


Public Comment

Letters to the Editor

Tuesday July 17, 2007

DUMBING DOWN THE MEDIA -more-


Commentary: Mayor’s Proposed Public Comment Rules Violate Fair Play

By Dona Spring
Tuesday July 17, 2007

On Tuesday July 17, the City Council will take up the issue of how public comment at Council meetings is structured. We will be deciding who gets to address the Council and how long they will get to speak. -more-


Commentary: Berkeley Iceland: A Treasure that Should Not Be at Risk

By Gale Garcia
Tuesday July 17, 2007

I attended the hearings on the landmark designation for Iceland, our jewel in the heart of Berkeley. Those wishing to preserve Iceland spoke spiritedly on behalf of this well-loved asset—and they were brilliant. They paid tribute with eloquence and soul. -more-


Commentary: Thoughts on Berkeley Living

By George Oram
Tuesday July 17, 2007

One of my favorite songs from long ago begins “Why, oh why, oh why oh why did I ever leave Ohio?” -more-


Healthy Living: What Are We Eating and How Is Our Food Produced?

By Charlene M. Woodcock
Tuesday July 17, 2007

These essential questions are being raised more and more often, at least in California, and several local authors and filmmakers have addressed them recently in illuminating ways. -more-


‘Inquiring Mind’ Journal Throws 25th Anniversary Party

By Marty Schiffenbauer
Tuesday July 17, 2007

As the psychedelic ’60s morphed into the sour reality of the ’70s, many a dazed survivor was struck with the revelation that there was more to life than sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll. For some, a search for enlightenment led to Buddhism, which had a particular appeal for Jewish hippie intellectual lefties—such as a fair percentage of my pals. Picking up on this trend, a local stand-up comic, Darryl Henriques, did a shtick where he inhabited the persona of the Swami from Miami, chief guru of the Bu-ish religion. -more-


Editorial

Editorial: Whatever Became of the Commons?

By Becky O'Malley
Tuesday July 17, 2007

"Public Commons for Everyone.” Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? The slogan, adopted by Mayor Bates for his re-run of the anti-panhandling ordinance which he’d supported once before, was probably coined by his house flack Cisco DeVries, formerly of San Francisco’s Staton & Hughes political public relations firm. It acquired Orwellian overtones when it became clear that the Bates ordinance’s real purpose was to keep unattractive persons away from the public commons, particularly from shopping districts. But the council approved it, in concept at least. -more-


Columns

Wild Neighbors: Requiem for the Hat Creek Beavers

By Joe Eaton
Tuesday July 17, 2007

The week before the Fourth of July we were up at Lassen Volcanic National Park watching the traffic at Hat Lake. The place was jumping. -more-


Arts Listings

Arts Calendar

Tuesday July 17, 2007

Midsummer Mozart Kicks Off New Season

By Ira Steingroot, Special to the Planet
Tuesday July 17, 2007

The Theater: Impact Briefs: Sinfully Delicious

By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet
Tuesday July 17, 2007

Events Listings

Berkeley This Week

Tuesday July 17, 2007

Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

Editorial: Whatever Became of the Commons? 07-17-2007

Editorial: Does Anyone Know What’s Going On? 07-13-2007

Public Comment

Letters to the Editor 07-17-2007

Commentary: Mayor’s Proposed Public Comment Rules Violate Fair Play By Dona Spring 07-17-2007

Commentary: Berkeley Iceland: A Treasure that Should Not Be at Risk By Gale Garcia 07-17-2007

Commentary: Thoughts on Berkeley Living By George Oram 07-17-2007

Healthy Living: What Are We Eating and How Is Our Food Produced? By Charlene M. Woodcock 07-17-2007

‘Inquiring Mind’ Journal Throws 25th Anniversary Party By Marty Schiffenbauer 07-17-2007

Letters to the Editor 07-13-2007

Commentary: Smart Growth: Let’s Not Dumb it Down By Rob Browning 07-13-2007

Commentary: The Importance of Saving Iceland By Wendy Schlesinger 07-13-2007

Commentary: Ode to Bus Rapid Transit By Doug Buckwald 07-13-2007

Healthy Living: Happiness is a Choice By Annie Kassof, Special to the Planet 07-13-2007

News

Council Upholds Iceland as Landmark By Judith Scherr 07-17-2007

Council Takes Another Look at Berkeley Iceland Landmark Status By Judith Scherr 07-17-2007

West Berkeley Car Sales Plan Nears Deadline By Richard Brenneman 07-17-2007

Forfeiture Audit Shows Police, City Mismanagement By Judith Scherr 07-17-2007

Competing Resolutions for Public Comment Vie for Council Approval By Judith Scherr 07-17-2007

LeConte Neighbors Oppose UC Student Dorm Project By Riya Bhattacharjee 07-17-2007

Pacific Steel Prepares Health Risk Report By Riya Bhattacharjee 07-17-2007

Attorney Slams UC Response to Richmond Toxic Dump By Richard Brenneman 07-17-2007

OUSD Local Control Bill Gains Support By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 07-17-2007

Teenagers Arrested For Shooting at Passing Vehicles By Rio Bauce 07-17-2007

Berkeley Police Blotter By Rio Bauce 07-17-2007

UC Extension Landmark Denial Appealed By Riya Bhattacharjee 07-17-2007

Warm Pool Plans Criticized For Parking Lack By Riya Bhattacharjee 07-13-2007

City Council Delays Iceland Decision By Judith Scherr 07-13-2007

Appeal Denied, Elmwood Project Opponents Vow To Keep Fighting By Judith Scherr 07-13-2007

UC Regents Expected to Approve Lab’s Expansion By Richard Brenneman 07-13-2007

Controversial Planning Manager Rhoades Quits By Richard Brenneman 07-13-2007

Supervisors Blast Children’s Hospital for Bond Measure By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 07-13-2007

Oakland Sues over Uncollected Garbage Bay City News 07-13-2007

Wrecking Ball Scheduled For Earl Warren Hall By Richard Brenneman 07-13-2007

Council to Hear Trader Joe’s Building Appeal By Riya Bhattacharjee 07-13-2007

DAPAC Pace Quickens With Deadline Nearing By Richard Brenneman 07-13-2007

Arson Repeated at Mental Health Center By Rio Bauce 07-13-2007

Bone Marrow Drive Held for Former UC Berkeley Student 07-13-2007

Columns

Wild Neighbors: Requiem for the Hat Creek Beavers By Joe Eaton 07-17-2007

Column: Undercurrents: East Bay’s Problems Can’t Be Hidden Under the Trash By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 07-13-2007

East Bay: Then and Now: When Southside Apartment Living Was All the Rage By Daniella Thompson 07-13-2007

Garden Variety: Don’t Panic! Ethical Gardening is Possible By Ron Sullivan 07-13-2007

About the House: House Photos Are Worth Thousands of Words and Dollars By Matt Cantor 07-13-2007

Quake Tip of the Week: Brace Your Chimney? By Larry Guillot 07-13-2007

Arts & Events

Arts Calendar 07-17-2007

Midsummer Mozart Kicks Off New Season By Ira Steingroot, Special to the Planet 07-17-2007

The Theater: Impact Briefs: Sinfully Delicious By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 07-17-2007

Wild Neighbors: Requiem for the Hat Creek Beavers By Joe Eaton 07-17-2007

Berkeley This Week 07-17-2007

Arts Calendar 07-13-2007

San Francisco Mime Troupe’s ‘Making a Killing’ 07-13-2007

SFMOMA Highlights Art of Sculpture By Peter Selz, Special to the Planet 07-13-2007

Trinity Lyric Opera Stages Copland’s ‘The Tender Land’ By Jaime Robles, Special to the Planet 07-13-2007

Moving Pictures: The Meditative Art of Kiarostami on Display at BAM/PFA By Justin DeFreitas 07-13-2007

East Bay: Then and Now: When Southside Apartment Living Was All the Rage By Daniella Thompson 07-13-2007

Garden Variety: Don’t Panic! Ethical Gardening is Possible By Ron Sullivan 07-13-2007

About the House: House Photos Are Worth Thousands of Words and Dollars By Matt Cantor 07-13-2007

Quake Tip of the Week: Brace Your Chimney? By Larry Guillot 07-13-2007

Berkeley This Week 07-13-2007

CORRECTION 07-13-2007