Sightseers enjoy the panoramic views over Berkeley from a Grizzly Peak Boulevard turnout, as fog billows through the distant Golden Gate. Photograph by Steven Finacom.
Sightseers enjoy the panoramic views over Berkeley from a Grizzly Peak Boulevard turnout, as fog billows through the distant Golden Gate. Photograph by Steven Finacom.

Page One

East Bay’s Most Scenic Road Turns 75

By Steven Finacom
Tuesday August 21, 2007

San Francisco shimmers in the distance, across from mountainous Marin. Tiny cars crawl across the Bay Bridge, Berkeley’s biggest buildings are toy-sized at the foot of the hills, and on a clear, fogless day there’s sometimes a glimpse of the Farallon Islands through the Golden Gate. -more-



Hop on the Bus and Discover Berkeley’s Neighborhoods

By Marta Yamamoto
Tuesday August 21, 2007

It’s a well-known fact that the city of Berkeley has a worldwide reputation that far outweighs its size. First to settle here were squatters along the bay’s shoreline, attracted by accessible water and farmland. Later, the University of California acted like a magnet, drawing students and staff. -more-



A Few Important Tips about Living in the East Bay

By Ron Sullivan
Tuesday August 21, 2007

A few things I wish someone had told me when I moved here, and a few things I’ve learned since: -more-



Welcome to the Albany Bulb

By Lydia Gans
Tuesday August 21, 2007

It used to be called the Albany Landfill, now it’s the Albany Waterfront Park. It’s at the end of Buchanan Street just north of Golden Gate Fields. It starts with a level scrub-covered plateau across from the parking lot. From there you walk up to a narrow strip of land jutting out into the water called the Neck. This is the beginning of the Albany Waterfront Trail. -more-



Getting Around Without a Car

By Rio Bauce and Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday August 21, 2007

Blink and you will miss it. It’s fast and furious, but not necessarily when you want it to be. And if you aren’t fast enough, it’s sure to leave you standing behind in the dust. -more-



Features

For Chills and Thrills, Try a Big Van Hool Bus Ride

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Tuesday August 21, 2007

With the consolidation of AC Transit Telegraph Avenue and International Boulevard bus lines into the 1 and the 1R earlier this summer, North Oakland and Berkeley riders are discovering a secret that has been known to East Oakland riders for years. The Van Hool 60-footers are one of the most thrilling rides in California, the $1.75 entrance price a considerable bargain against what you might pay at Great America or Magic Mountain or on the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, with the added bonus that while the amusement park rides are all pre-programmed and therefore can become boring after several repeats, you never know what to expect on the bus. -more-


Getting Around Berkeley on Your Bike

By Will Allen
Tuesday August 21, 2007

The East Bay lends itself well to modes of transportation other than driving. Here is a guide to the whys and hows of biking in the East Bay, and Berkeley in particular. -more-


The Cheese Board at 40 is a Vibrant Collective

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday August 21, 2007

Oy, cheeses of frustration, cheeses of timing, -more-


Berkeley’s Landmarks are Everywhere You Look

By Daniella Thompson
Tuesday August 21, 2007

If you’ve driven around California, you’ll no doubt have seen the ubiquitous signs that grace the entrance to various cities, directing you to the historic district or what’s left of it. Berkeley has no such sign—probably because it’s preserved more of its historic heritage than most cities, and because our landmarks aren’t confined to one area but can be found all over town. -more-


Exploring the East Bay’s Regional Parks

By Marta Yamamoto
Tuesday August 21, 2007

Welcome to the East Bay. You’re just in time for some of the area’s best weather – warm days, long shadows and gentle breezes. They make up the perfect combination to get outdoors, explore and develop a relationship with nature. -more-


Finding Nature by the Bay

By Joe Eaton
Tuesday August 21, 2007

We’re never too far from nature here in the East Bay. Sometimes nature builds a nest in the vine outside your window, gets in through the cat door, eats your prize roses, or settles into the crawlspace under your house. Venture a little farther away from home and you can expect less problematic encounters—lots of options for viewing spring wildflowers, watching migrant and resident birds, appreciating butterflies, or meeting newts, horned lizards, and gopher snakes. -more-


Outdoor Adventures in the Hills and on the Bay

By Marta Yamamoto
Tuesday August 21, 2007

Sometimes you feel like a walk in the woods, sometimes you feel like a stroll near the coast. Whatever your pleasure, Tilden Regional Park and the Berkeley Marina form the eastern and western boundaries of the city of Berkeley. Each offers a broad range of outdoor attractions to fill an hour, an afternoon or an entire day. -more-


How to Impress Your Parents

By Joe Eaton and Ron Sullivan
Tuesday August 21, 2007

After the ritual stop at the Lawrence Hall of Science parking lot for the view of the bay, you might want to show your parents around your new home. -more-


A Few Festivals for Fun and Food

By Joe Eaton
Tuesday August 21, 2007

Diversity is not just a lofty abstraction: it tastes great, and you can dance to it. With the exception of the wet months, the East Bay calendar is full of street fairs, music festivals, parades, and other events where you can hear everything from mariachi to taiko and sample endless variations on grilled-stuff-on-a-stick. -more-


Stay Sharp on The Home Front

By Zelda Bronstein
Tuesday August 21, 2007

Sooner or later, well-used cooking knives and sewing scissors get dull. I use a steel to keep my knives sharp, but eventually they need a professional to do the job. At that point, I call California Cutlery’s Mobile Sharpening Service. Based in Richmond, they come to your house or business, take your implements at the door, sharpen them in their van and bring them right back to you. -more-


First Person: Remembering Herb Caen and ‘Baghdad-By-The-Bay’

By Dorothy Snodgrass
Tuesday August 21, 2007

I owe Herb Caen, the dearly loved and sorely missed San Francisco columnist, a debt of gratitude for having totally changed my life. To put it more precisely, it was his book published back in 1949, Baghdad-By-The-Bay that turned my life around, and all for the better. -more-


An Incomplete Guide to Cheap Eats in Berkeley

By Will Allen
Tuesday August 21, 2007

You should never lack good food in Berkeley. Although good food is often expensive (commensurate with the price of high-quality ingredients), it doesn’t have to be. Here is a list of cheap Berkeley restaurants that serve great food. -more-


First Person: Walking Through History at Oakland’s Mountain View Cemetery

By Ruby Long
Tuesday August 21, 2007

One of my favorite places in the East Bay is Mountain View Cemetery at the end of Piedmont Avenue in Oakland. There you find a great expanse of open space with wide, curving streets and mature trees, beautiful landscapes, a variety of wildlife, and historical artifacts. -more-


Election Section

First Person: The Street Belongs to Me, Too

By Maya Elmer
Tuesday August 21, 2007

In Calcutta I heard a 6-year-old ragamuffin call out, “Baksheesh. Baksheesh. No Mommie. No Daddee, Baksheesh. Baksheesh.” Here the Berkeley street person mumbles, “ Any spare change? Spare change?” whether on North Berkeley Shattuck Avenue or South Berkeley Shattuck, or not surprisingly, on Telegraph Avenue. -more-


Cragmont Rock Park

By Alan Bern
Tuesday August 21, 2007

Neighborhood residents bought the land for Cragmont Rock Park from the Cragmont Land Company and donated it to the City of Berkeley at purchase price. It was dedicated for park purposes in 1920. Dick Leonard, the “father of technical climbing,” formed the Cragmont Climbing Club, which was absorbed a few months later into the Sierra Club’s Rock Climbing Section. -more-


An Out-of-Towner’s Guide to the East Bay’s Native Plants

By Ron Sullivan
Tuesday August 21, 2007

A few years ago, Michael Pollan moved here and wrote about his new garden for the New York Times Magazine. Clearly conscious of who his purported audience was (and wasn’t), he said those boilerplate things about missing fall color and spring budbreak, and that California’s seasons are “all messed up.” He also had the wit to say this: -more-


Some Advice for Apartment Renters in the Bay Area

By Matt Cantor
Tuesday August 21, 2007

Although I’ve been a home-owner for many years, it’s not hard to remember my renting days. I lived communally, like many of us in Berkeley, and shared cooking, food shopping and the lack of attention to property care that says “I’m a renter. Painting the house is someone else’s problem!” -more-


What to Expect When Buying an Older Home

By Matt Cantor
Tuesday August 21, 2007

A few of years ago the California College of Arts and Crafts (CCAC) decided to change its name to the California College of Art (CCA). While it may not have been a direct slur against craft, I took it pretty hard (I’m very sensitive). What’s wrong with craft, I thought. We craftspersons need not hang our head in shame. Ceramics are neither lowly or common. Wood working is as valid and rich as painting and weaving, well, just ask any weaver; I’ll say no more. -more-


Public Comment

Letters to the Editor

Tuesday August 21, 2007

-more-


Commentary: Kill Bush’s ‘No Child Left Behind’ Program

By Marvin Chachere
Tuesday August 21, 2007

Veteran California Congressman George Miller (Democrat, 7th district) told members of the National Press Club a couple of weeks ago that he will introduce a swatch of changes to Public Law 107-110, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, when it comes up for reauthorization this fall. -more-


Commentary: How to Make a Break-Out Question Live Up to its Name

By Zelda Bronstein
Tuesday August 21, 2007

Of all the news that came out of the recent Yearly Kos convention, the story that lingers in my mind tells how Hillary Clinton was put on the spot by San Francisco blogger Paul Hogarth. Hogarth, a lawyer who is the managing editor of the online newspaper BeyondChron (and a former member of the Berkeley Rent Board), pitched his humdinger in a break-out session with the senator. Writing online (of course), he recounted the exchange: -more-


Editorial

Editorial: Welcome To The East Bay’s Many Wonders

By Becky O'Malley
Tuesday August 21, 2007

Happy New Year! That’s right. In Berkeley, the end of August is the beginning of a new year for many of us—for students, for teachers and researchers, and for many of the thousands of service workers who make life easier for them. The University of California is our largest employer, with the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley City College, the Berkeley Unified School District and several independent schools bringing many more students and employees to town every fall. -more-


Arts & Events

Local Theater Ensembles Boast Varied Repetoire

By Ken Bullock
Tuesday August 21, 2007

The shoreline cities of La Contra Costa, the old East Bay, share a surprising concentration of theatrical activity, both major companies and small troupes, in a Bay Area theater scene which comprises a stunning number: over 400 companies, according to San Francisco’s Theater Bay Area (whose eponymous monthly magazine is the best overall window on that sprawling stage landscape). -more-


Where to Find Great Opera Around the Bay

By Jaime Robles
Tuesday August 21, 2007

The Bay Area seems to be teeming with singers. That may be a reflection of the presence of the San Francisco Opera, one of the largest houses in North America, and its cultivation of both singers and opera lovers, or it may be just a quirky feature of a population that loves stories, accepts artifice and applauds the wildly dramatic. Whatever the reason, in the Bay Area, Opera Rules. -more-


Live Music Venues

Tuesday August 21, 2007

Check the Arts Calendar for daily listings. -more-


Arts Listings

Arts Calendar

Tuesday August 21, 2007

A Guide to Local Classical Music Performances

By Jaime Robles
Tuesday August 21, 2007

How to Sample the East Bay Jazz Scene

By Ira Steingroot
Tuesday August 21, 2007

Downtown Jazz Festival Starts Wednesday

By Ira Steingroot
Tuesday August 21, 2007

A Guide to Museums in the East Bay and Beyond

By Joe Eaton
Tuesday August 21, 2007

Life After Cody’s for Local Booksellers and Readers

By Joe Eaton
Tuesday August 21, 2007

Events Listings

Berkeley This Week

Tuesday August 21, 2007

Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

Editorial: Welcome To The East Bay’s Many Wonders 08-21-2007

Editorial: Clinton v. Obama Shapes Up 08-17-2007

Public Comment

Letters to the Editor 08-21-2007

Commentary: Kill Bush’s ‘No Child Left Behind’ Program By Marvin Chachere 08-21-2007

Commentary: How to Make a Break-Out Question Live Up to its Name By Zelda Bronstein 08-21-2007

Letters to the Editor 08-17-2007

Commentary: Bus Rapid Transit Means Reduced Traffic, Reduced CO2 By Rob Wrenn 08-17-2007

Commentary: Planning in Berkeley: Doing Our Job By Dan Marks 08-17-2007

News

East Bay’s Most Scenic Road Turns 75 By Steven Finacom 08-21-2007

Hop on the Bus and Discover Berkeley’s Neighborhoods By Marta Yamamoto 08-21-2007

A Few Important Tips about Living in the East Bay By Ron Sullivan 08-21-2007

Welcome to the Albany Bulb By Lydia Gans 08-21-2007

Getting Around Without a Car By Rio Bauce and Riya Bhattacharjee 08-21-2007

For Chills and Thrills, Try a Big Van Hool Bus Ride By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 08-21-2007

Getting Around Berkeley on Your Bike By Will Allen 08-21-2007

The Cheese Board at 40 is a Vibrant Collective By Riya Bhattacharjee 08-21-2007

Berkeley’s Landmarks are Everywhere You Look By Daniella Thompson 08-21-2007

Exploring the East Bay’s Regional Parks By Marta Yamamoto 08-21-2007

Finding Nature by the Bay By Joe Eaton 08-21-2007

Outdoor Adventures in the Hills and on the Bay By Marta Yamamoto 08-21-2007

How to Impress Your Parents By Joe Eaton and Ron Sullivan 08-21-2007

A Few Festivals for Fun and Food By Joe Eaton 08-21-2007

Stay Sharp on The Home Front By Zelda Bronstein 08-21-2007

First Person: Remembering Herb Caen and ‘Baghdad-By-The-Bay’ By Dorothy Snodgrass 08-21-2007

An Incomplete Guide to Cheap Eats in Berkeley By Will Allen 08-21-2007

First Person: Walking Through History at Oakland’s Mountain View Cemetery By Ruby Long 08-21-2007

First Person: The Street Belongs to Me, Too By Maya Elmer 08-21-2007

Cragmont Rock Park By Alan Bern 08-21-2007

An Out-of-Towner’s Guide to the East Bay’s Native Plants By Ron Sullivan 08-21-2007

Some Advice for Apartment Renters in the Bay Area By Matt Cantor 08-21-2007

What to Expect When Buying an Older Home By Matt Cantor 08-21-2007

First Person: Telegraph 2007: Making it Work By Judith Scherr 08-17-2007

Putting Telegraph in Perspective By Judith Scherr 08-17-2007

Library Gardens Sold By Richard Brenneman 08-17-2007

Controversial Planner Hailed On Departure By Richard Brenneman 08-17-2007

St. Joseph School’s 130-Year History Comes to an End By Riya Bhattacharjee 08-17-2007

Berkeley Schools Gain in State Standardized Testing By Riya Bhattacharjee 08-17-2007

Berkeley, Albany Win Marin Avenue Lawsuit By Richard Brenneman 08-17-2007

Richmond Activists Fight Cell Phone Antenna Installation By Will Allen 08-17-2007

UC Sets Sept. 11 Deadline for BP Fuel Project Lab Bids By Richard Brenneman 08-17-2007

Youth March Against Violence in Southwest Berkeley By Riya Bhattacharjee 08-17-2007

SF Supervisors Landmark UC Buildings By Riya Bhattacharjee 08-17-2007

DAPAC Tensions Continue Over Downtown Landmarks By Richard Brenneman 08-17-2007

Oakland School Board Asks State for New Fiscal Plan By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 08-17-2007

Bailey’s Alleged Murderer’s Confession Challenged Bay City News 08-17-2007

Conference Strives to Break Walls of Silence By Judith Scherr 08-17-2007

Media Blames Black Mayors for Rising Homicides By Randy Shaw 08-17-2007

Columns

Column: Dispatches from the Edge: Targeting Africa with Guns and Free Trade By Conn Hallinan 08-17-2007

Column: Undercurrents: Oakland Police Catch Citizens in Criminal Sweeps By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 08-17-2007

Healthy Living: Using Sugar to Prevent Tooth Decay By Melissa Harmon 08-17-2007

Garden Variety: Picking Winners at the Nursery By Ron Sullivan 08-17-2007

About the House: No Professionals Need Apply By Matt Cantor 08-17-2007

Quake Tip of the Week By Larry Guillot 08-17-2007

Arts & Events

Arts Calendar 08-21-2007

A Guide to Local Classical Music Performances By Jaime Robles 08-21-2007

How to Sample the East Bay Jazz Scene By Ira Steingroot 08-21-2007

Downtown Jazz Festival Starts Wednesday By Ira Steingroot 08-21-2007

A Guide to Museums in the East Bay and Beyond By Joe Eaton 08-21-2007

Life After Cody’s for Local Booksellers and Readers By Joe Eaton 08-21-2007

Local Theater Ensembles Boast Varied Repetoire By Ken Bullock 08-21-2007

Where to Find Great Opera Around the Bay By Jaime Robles 08-21-2007

Live Music Venues 08-21-2007

Berkeley This Week 08-21-2007

Arts Calendar 08-17-2007

Goat Hall Cabaret Opera at Oakland Metro By Jaime Robles, Special to the Planet 08-17-2007

Cal Poet Laureate Al Young and Barry Gifford Read at Moe’s on Monday By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 08-17-2007

Two Fine Photographers on Display at Berkeley Art Museum By Peter Selz 08-17-2007

Garden Variety: Picking Winners at the Nursery By Ron Sullivan 08-17-2007

About the House: No Professionals Need Apply By Matt Cantor 08-17-2007

Quake Tip of the Week By Larry Guillot 08-17-2007

Berkeley This Week 08-17-2007