Local News and Opinion from The Berkeley Daily Planet

News Updates

Flash: Kavanagh Arrested, Charged with Five Felonies

By Judith Scherr

Friday September 21, 2007

Berkeley Rent Board member Chris Kavanagh was arrested Friday morning by Oakland police and is currently (Friday afternoon) in Santa Rita jail, according to his attorney, James Giller. The date of his arraignment has not been set. -more-

News

Court Battle Begins Over UC Gym Complex

By Richard Brenneman

Friday September 21, 2007

The city of Berkeley, environmental groups and neighbors are seeking to overturn the UC Board of Regents’ approval of documents that would pave the way for a massive construction program and the removal of a grove of oaks along the stadium’s western wall. -more-

Council Slows BRT Decision Process

By Judith Scherr

Friday September 21, 2007

Finding himself without City Council allies in support of a rapid transit system with dedicated bus lanes, Mayor Tom Bates backed down Tuesday night in his request for the pro-Bus Rapid Transit Transporta-tion Commission to lead city efforts in exploring AC Transit’s BRT proposal. -more-

Sproul Rally Attacks Racism In Louisiana Beating Cases

By Angela Rowen, Special to the Planet

Friday September 21, 2007

About 200 people congregated at UC Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza Thursday to show support for six black teenagers who they say were unfairly charged in the beating of a white student in a small, mostly white town in Louisiana. -more-

Low-Income Housing List Opens for Week

By Judith Scherr

Friday September 21, 2007

The good news is that Berkeley will be housing three new low-income families in the three- and four-bedroom homes it owns. The bad news is that if you were on the waiting list, you have to start the application process from scratch. -more-

Deal for New AC Transit Buses Lacked Federal Approval

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Friday September 21, 2007

AC Transit officials have not released bottom-line figures on the complicated exchange of 16 North American Bus Institute buses for 16 buses made by Belgium-based Van Hool company because as late as Aug. 28 the district was still in negotiations over how much it owes the federal government for going through with the deal without federal approval. -more-