Native American activists, with Clarence Atwell of the Apache tribe at the microphone, rally for the return of ancestral remains at UC Berkeley on Friday. Photograph by Judith Scherr.
Native American activists, with Clarence Atwell of the Apache tribe at the microphone, rally for the return of ancestral remains at UC Berkeley on Friday. Photograph by Judith Scherr.

Extra

Flash: Boy Dead, Mother Hospitalized

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday October 09, 2007

A student at Emerson Elementary School in Berkeley is dead, his mother has been hospitalized, and police are questioning her as the suspect in the boy’s death. -more-



Page One

Native Americans Rally for Return of Ancestral Remains

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday October 09, 2007

Native Americans and their supporters rallied on the UC Berkeley campus Friday, demanding that the university return the remains of Indian ancestors so that they can be buried according to custom. -more-



Council Takes Another Look at Public Comment

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday October 09, 2007

The question of public comment at council meetings is back before the council today (Tuesday), with Mayor Tom Bates adding greater opportunity for public comment than in earlier iterations of his plan, but not enough to satisfy SuperBOLD (Berkeleyans Organized for Library Defense), the organization that had threatened to sue the city for skirting the state’s open meeting laws with inadequate opportunities for the public to speak at public meetings. -more-



UC Class Debates Tobacco Industry Funds

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday October 09, 2007

Anti-tobacco advocate Stan Glantz spoke about tobacco money and tainted research at the University of California at last Tuesday’s Talkin’ Tobacco De-Cal class at UC Berkeley. -more-



While Berkeley Boils Over Bus Rapid Transit, Neighboring Cities Give It Mixed Reviews

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Tuesday October 09, 2007

While the reaction to AC Transit’s ambitious Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) proposal has not stirred up the sort of public controversy in Oakland and San Leandro that it has in Berkeley, interviews with city officials show that the transit district may have a way to go before the development of a BRT plan will win approval in those cities as well. -more-



Running Wolf Announces Drive to Recall Mayor Bates

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday October 09, 2007

Unable to defeat Tom Bates in a challenge at the polls last year, Berkeley tree-sitter Zachary Running Wolf launched a second campaign Monday, this one aimed at a recall election to unseat the mayor. -more-



Features

Alta Bates Walkout Wednesday; Hospital Seeking Nursing Temps

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday October 09, 2007

Registered nurses plan to walk off their jobs at two Berkeley hospitals in Berkeley starting at 7 a.m. Wednesday as the start of a two-day job action. -more-


Downtown Committee Examines Role of City’s Historic Buildings

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday October 09, 2007

The Downtown Area Plan Advisory Committee (DAPAC) holds its 43rd meeting next week, with the topic a perennial hot button issue: the role of historic buildings in tomorrow’s downtown cityscape. -more-


Guma Looks Back at Stint as Pacifica Executive Director

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday October 09, 2007

When Nicole Sawaya steps into place as Pacifica Radio’s executive director—part-time in mid-November and full-time in December—she’ll have a couple of things that former executive director Greg Guma wished he’d had: one is a unanimous board solidly behind him and the second is a multi-year contract. -more-


Zoning Board to Approve Controversial Blood House Project

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday October 09, 2007

Berkeley developers Ruegg & Ellsworth will ask the city zoning board for a permit to construct a 34,158-square-foot, five-story building with 44 apartments, 18 parking spaces and retail space at 2526 Durant Ave. after moving the historic Blood House from the site to 2508 Regent St. -more-


School District to Appoint New Youth Commissioners

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday October 09, 2007

The Berkeley Board of Education will appoint six students to the city’s youth commission at Wednesday’s school board meeting out of the 13 that have applied to the district. -more-


The Great Radio Hope: Tribal Stations Could Solve Indian Country’s Communications Gap

By Neelanjana Banerjee, New America Media
Tuesday October 09, 2007

When Native America Calling—a live, daily call-in radio program based in Albuquerque, N.M.—started more than 12 years ago, they had a hard time gaining people’s trust. -more-


Berkeley High Beat: A Stressful Time of Year

By Rio Bauce
Tuesday October 09, 2007

This is one of the most stressful parts of the year for seniors at Berkeley High School. This is the time where first semester grades really count, this is the time where the idea of college hits you. This is the time where everything you do will make a difference for the next four years of your life. -more-


Public Comment

Letters to the Editor

Tuesday October 09, 2007

CORRECTION -more-


Commentary: A Developers’ Shell Game

By John Curl
Tuesday October 09, 2007

A far-reaching attack on the zoning protections of West Berkeley is being contrived by a small group of developers and real estate brokers. It is coming at us disguised as a either a new West Berkeley Business Improvement District (BID) or a Community Benefits District (CBD), which the organizers would control and use to lobby for zoning changes to gentrify the industrial areas. This lobbying would be financed by taxes collected from the many West Berkeley businesses and residents opposed to their goals. That’s the cleverest part of their plan: it makes the potential victims pay for it. And they’ve already gotten $10,000 from the city to organize it. The group behind it calls themselves the West Berkeley Business Alliance (WBBA), but their organization does not in any way represent industries, artisans and artists, which make up the majority of businesses in that area. -more-


Commentary: Lacking Mechanisms to Deal With the Mentally Ill

By Jack Bragen
Tuesday October 09, 2007

I couldn’t help being shaken by the “accidental death” of Carol Ann Gotbaum, in a holding cell at a Phoenix airport. From what I can gather, she acted in an erratic and irate manner, a similar manner to a mentally ill person in crisis. It brought back memories of friends and acquaintances who are mentally ill and who died either while being restrained or in some other way because of the illness. -more-


Commentary: Remembering and Missing Naim and Halal Market

By Glen Hauer
Tuesday October 09, 2007

On Monday, a cardboard sign in the window of the Halal Market on San Pablo at University announced that it was closing. -more-


Editorial

Editorial: Experiencing the New Old Pasadena

By Becky O’Malley
Tuesday October 09, 2007

At a concert on Sunday night we encountered a friend in the seat behind us who has been active on multiple city commissions for many years. I asked him if I’d missed anything, since I’d been in Pasadena over the weekend. He said he didn’t know, because he’d been out of town too. I asked if it was a vacation. “It was outside of Berkeley,” he said. “That’s all it takes to make it a vacation.” But at intermission time I spotted him chatting with another commissioner, and threatened jokingly to bust them for a violation of the Brown Act, California’s open meeting law. -more-


Columns

Green Neighbors: Tobacco on the Streets, With Diverse Digressions

By Ron Sullivan
Tuesday October 09, 2007

For a couple of decades at least, Joe and I have lurked around a few of the little stands of the weed Nicotiana glauca, tree tobacco, that are scattered along Del Puerto Canyon Road just east of I5. Short lurks are part of our usual spring day-trip itinerary along that route from Del Puerto Canyon to Mines Road because we might see Costa’s hummingbirds feeding on the tall shrubs’ tubular yellow flowers, and who knows what other hummers might show up while they’re migrating? -more-


Arts Listings

Arts Calendar

Tuesday October 09, 2007

The Theater: Japanese Puppet Theater Comes to Zellerbach

By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet
Tuesday October 09, 2007

‘Whatever She Wants’ Opens at Paramount

By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet
Tuesday October 09, 2007

Events Listings

Berkeley This Week

Tuesday October 09, 2007

Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

Editorial: Experiencing the New Old Pasadena 10-09-2007

Public Comment

Letters to the Editor 10-09-2007

Commentary: A Developers’ Shell Game By John Curl 10-09-2007

Commentary: Lacking Mechanisms to Deal With the Mentally Ill By Jack Bragen 10-09-2007

Commentary: Remembering and Missing Naim and Halal Market By Glen Hauer 10-09-2007

Letters to the Editor 10-05-2007

Commentary: Who’s A(n Alleged) Crook Now? By Albert Sukoffopini 10-05-2007

Commentary: Worst Kind of Demagoguery By Mark Tarses 10-05-2007

Commentary: Labor Struggles at KPFA By Tracy Rosenberg and Ruthanne Shpiner 10-05-2007

News

Flash: Boy Dead, Mother Hospitalized By Richard Brenneman 10-09-2007

Native Americans Rally for Return of Ancestral Remains By Judith Scherr 10-09-2007

Council Takes Another Look at Public Comment By Judith Scherr 10-09-2007

UC Class Debates Tobacco Industry Funds By Riya Bhattacharjee 10-09-2007

While Berkeley Boils Over Bus Rapid Transit, Neighboring Cities Give It Mixed Reviews By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 10-09-2007

Running Wolf Announces Drive to Recall Mayor Bates By Richard Brenneman 10-09-2007

Alta Bates Walkout Wednesday; Hospital Seeking Nursing Temps By Richard Brenneman 10-09-2007

Downtown Committee Examines Role of City’s Historic Buildings By Richard Brenneman 10-09-2007

Guma Looks Back at Stint as Pacifica Executive Director By Judith Scherr 10-09-2007

Zoning Board to Approve Controversial Blood House Project By Riya Bhattacharjee 10-09-2007

School District to Appoint New Youth Commissioners By Riya Bhattacharjee 10-09-2007

The Great Radio Hope: Tribal Stations Could Solve Indian Country’s Communications Gap By Neelanjana Banerjee, New America Media 10-09-2007

Berkeley High Beat: A Stressful Time of Year By Rio Bauce 10-09-2007

Code Pink Confronts Recruiters By Judith Scherr 10-05-2007

UC vs. City: Stadium Suit Nears Decision By Richard Brenneman 10-05-2007

Kavanagh Takes Leave From City Rent Board By Judith Scherr 10-05-2007

Albany Bulb Sweep Averted By Lydia Gans, Special to the Planet 10-05-2007

Hodge vs. Brooks Election Brewing By Jesse Douglas Allen-Taylor 10-05-2007

16-Story Towers Trigger Heat at DAPAC Session By Richard Brenneman 10-05-2007

Gordon Confirmed as Port Commissioner with Dellums’ Help By Jesse Douglas Allen-Taylor 10-05-2007

Native Americans Demonstrate for Remains Return By Judith Scherr 10-05-2007

Jane Jackson, Rights Activist, 1934–2007 By Libby McMahon 10-05-2007

Peace Notes: Beach Impeach Project Planned for Weekend By Judith Scherr 10-05-2007

Exit Exams at Berkeley High By Riya Bhattacharjee 10-05-2007

Students Use Feet to Get to School By Riya Bhattacharjee 10-05-2007

Reading Recovery Program Shows Results in Berkeley Schools By Riya Bhattacharjee 10-05-2007

Columns

Green Neighbors: Tobacco on the Streets, With Diverse Digressions By Ron Sullivan 10-09-2007

Column: The Public Eye: A Good Meeting (in Another City) By Zelda Bronstein 10-05-2007

Column: Undercurrents: Politics, Not Principle, Will Likely Dictate Fate of AB45 By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 10-05-2007

East Bay Then and Now: Bennington Apartments Evoke 19th Century Euclid Ave. By Daniella Thompson 10-05-2007

Quake Tip of the Week By Larry Guillot 10-05-2007

About the House: Houses in Need of a Cold Compress By Matt Cantor 10-05-2007

Arts & Events

Arts Calendar 10-09-2007

The Theater: Japanese Puppet Theater Comes to Zellerbach By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 10-09-2007

‘Whatever She Wants’ Opens at Paramount By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 10-09-2007

Green Neighbors: Tobacco on the Streets, With Diverse Digressions By Ron Sullivan 10-09-2007

Berkeley This Week 10-09-2007

Arts Calendar 10-05-2007

Arts and Entertainment Around the East Bay 10-05-2007

McGoldrick’s ‘Countercoup’ at S.F. Marsh By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 10-05-2007

Moving Pictures: Festival Brings Out Best in Indie Cinema By Justin DeFreitas 10-05-2007

East Bay Then and Now: Bennington Apartments Evoke 19th Century Euclid Ave. By Daniella Thompson 10-05-2007

Quake Tip of the Week By Larry Guillot 10-05-2007

About the House: Houses in Need of a Cold Compress By Matt Cantor 10-05-2007

Berkeley This Week 10-05-2007