Holes in the roof of the Berkeley Hills home at 1156 Keith Ave. attest to the ferocity of the fire that gutted the three-level residence early Saturday and killed 61-year-old Richard Drury. Photograph by Richard Brenneman.
Holes in the roof of the Berkeley Hills home at 1156 Keith Ave. attest to the ferocity of the fire that gutted the three-level residence early Saturday and killed 61-year-old Richard Drury. Photograph by Richard Brenneman.

Page One

Storm Leads to Fatal Fire, Flooded Streets

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday January 08, 2008

A power outage caused by the heavy storm that swept through Northern California led to a Saturday morning fire that claimed the life of a Berkeley man. -more-



Oakland Development Issues Continue Into 2008

By J. Douglas Allen Taylor
Tuesday January 08, 2008

While no one knows everything the new year will bring, there are at least two major Oakland development issues and controversies we know are coming up, unresolved in the old year and therefore carried over to the new. -more-



Stabbing Victim Berkeley’s First Murder of Year

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday January 08, 2008

Berkeley logged what may be the first murder of the year when a 44-year-old man died Thursday at Highland Hospital, 12 days after he was stabbed outside an Adeline Street bar. -more-



Bayer Leasing Agreement Worries West Berkeley’s Alliance Graphics

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday January 08, 2008

Bayer’s plans to close a parking lot used by artists and clients of West Berkeley’s Sawtooth Build-ing follow the company’s lease of an adjacent building. -more-



Locals Stump for Iowa Caucus Campaigns

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday January 08, 2008

What would it take to get Bay Area folk to trudge through Iowa snow in the heart of winter? -more-



Features

Remembering Louis Flynn, Pillar of East Bay Theater

Tuesday January 08, 2008

Actor, director, playwright, and pillar of the East Bay’s vibrant community theater scene for half a century, Louis Flynn is dead at the age of 86. Few individuals have touched so many others through the arts—not only participants in theatrical productions and other programs, but audience members as well. Flynn, or “Louie” as he was known affectionately to generations of theater people onstage, in the front of the house, and behind the scenes, died in El Cerrito on Jan. 4 following a brief illness. -more-


Open House for Middle-Eastern Studies Series at Berkeley City Club

Tuesday January 08, 2008

Horizon Studies, a lifelong-learning institute at the Berkeley City Club, will be offering two six-week classes that give historical background on Islam and the volatile situation in the Middle-East: “The Spirit of Islam: Past and Present" and "Iran and the U.S.—An Anthropological Perspective.” -more-


Public Comment

Letters to the Editor

Tuesday January 08, 2008

KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN -more-


Commentary: Recall Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates

By Julie Dickinson
Tuesday January 08, 2008

In December a recall petition was begun against Mayor Tom Bates of Berkeley. -more-


Commentary: Jane Brunner—The Teflon Incumbent

By Robert Brokl
Tuesday January 08, 2008

When Jane Brunner ran against then-Planning Commissioner Peter Smith in 1996 for the Dist. 1 (North Oakland) open seat vacated by Sheila Jordan, one of her most pointed criticisms of Smith was his “ambition.” She charged that Smith, whose father worked on disarmament issues in the Clinton administration, would use the council seat as a stepping stone to higher office, such as Congress. -more-


First Person: Living in the Last Days of the American Republic

By Marvin Chachere
Tuesday January 08, 2008

Many distinguished scholars agree in general that we are witnessing “the last days of the American Republic.” But, ordinary people don’t need to rely on scholarly insights because the evidence that our republic is failing hits us almost every day, evidence summarized in the record low job approval ratings of both President Bush and Congress. -more-


Editorial

Editorial: All Change Is Not Progress

By Becky O’Malley
Tuesday January 08, 2008

Despite my announced official position on the race for the Democratic nomination for president—that I’m happy to let those who care passionately decide who it will be—I occasionally sneak a peek at the campaign propaganda. Watching the thrust and counter-thrust in the battle of slogans, and how the press reports on it, you can get a pretty good picture of what Americans care about, or at least what the people in power or aspiring to power hope they care about. -more-


Columns

Column: The Public Eye: Steroid America

By Bob Burnett
Tuesday January 08, 2008

Throughout 2007 Americans were warned of a looming steroid scandal in major league baseball. Nonetheless, many fans were surprised when Barry Bonds and 88 other players were identified as steroid users in the Mitchell Report. Sadly, indications are this is only the tip of the drug iceberg, as steroids are said to be an issue at all levels of American sports. Recent estimates suggest two to three percent of high school athletes use steroids, a number in the tens of thousands. -more-


Green Neighbors: Going Medieval on the Streets of Berkeley

By Ron Sullivan
Tuesday January 08, 2008

I was at that footsore stage where one’s mind settles fixedly on the goal—getting home and barefoot—but the shrub by the sidewalk stopped me anyway. It looked apple-ish but different; its leaves were longer and larger, and it was bearing fruit I didn’t recognize. It was obviously something in the rose family, but half the fruit-bearing trees I meet are roses: not much of a distinction. -more-


Arts Listings

Arts Calendar

Tuesday January 08, 2008

The Sculpture of Louise Nevelson at the de Young

By Peter Selz, Special to the Planet
Tuesday January 08, 2008

Benny Green Brings Monterey Jazz All-Stars to Zellerbach Hall

By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet
Tuesday January 08, 2008

Events Listings

Berkeley This Week

Tuesday January 08, 2008

Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

Editorial: All Change Is Not Progress 01-08-2008

Editorial: Looking for Leadership on Every Level 01-04-2008

Public Comment

Letters to the Editor 01-08-2008

Commentary: Recall Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates By Julie Dickinson 01-08-2008

Commentary: Jane Brunner—The Teflon Incumbent By Robert Brokl 01-08-2008

First Person: Living in the Last Days of the American Republic By Marvin Chachere 01-08-2008

Letters to the Editor 01-04-2008

Commentary: BRT: Orwell, Damned Lies and Parking By Michael Katz 01-04-2008

Commentary: BRT Parking Data Will Come in Due Time By Alan Tobey 01-04-2008

Commentary: Resolve to Drive Safely in the New Year By Laurie Capitelli 01-04-2008

News

Storm Leads to Fatal Fire, Flooded Streets By Richard Brenneman 01-08-2008

Oakland Development Issues Continue Into 2008 By J. Douglas Allen Taylor 01-08-2008

Stabbing Victim Berkeley’s First Murder of Year By Richard Brenneman 01-08-2008

Bayer Leasing Agreement Worries West Berkeley’s Alliance Graphics By Richard Brenneman 01-08-2008

Locals Stump for Iowa Caucus Campaigns By Judith Scherr 01-08-2008

Remembering Louis Flynn, Pillar of East Bay Theater 01-08-2008

Open House for Middle-Eastern Studies Series at Berkeley City Club 01-08-2008

Clashes Continue Inside KPFA By Judith Scherr 01-04-2008

Tree-Sit Supporter Hangs Jury at Trial By Richard Brenneman 01-04-2008

City Psychiatrist Struck, Killed by Auto Crossing Marin Avenue By Judith Scherr 01-04-2008

Sawtooth Building Artists Lose Parking Lot to Bayer By Richard Brenneman 01-04-2008

Critics of UC Computer Lab Seek Review Extension By Richard Brenneman 01-04-2008

New Year’s Day Blast Startles Neighborhood By Richard Brenneman 01-04-2008

February Election Offers More Than Presidential Choices By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 01-04-2008

Fire Department Log By Richard Brenneman 01-04-2008

A Reporter’s Eye: 2007 in Photos By Richard Brenneman 01-04-2008

A Reporter’s Eye: 2007 in Photos A Reporter’s Eye: 2007 in Photos 01-04-2008

A Reporter’s Eye: 2007 in Photos By Richard Brenneman 01-04-2008

A Reporter’s Eye: 2007 in Photos By Richard Brenneman 01-04-2008

A Reporter’s Eye: 2007 in Photos By Richard Brenneman 01-04-2008

Columns

Column: The Public Eye: Steroid America By Bob Burnett 01-08-2008

Green Neighbors: Going Medieval on the Streets of Berkeley By Ron Sullivan 01-08-2008

Column: Threat of Eminent Domain Gets Writer Writing Again By Susan Parker 01-04-2008

Column: Dispatches from the Edge: Dispatch Awards for The Year That Was By Conn Hallinan 01-04-2008

Column: Undercurrents: A Religious and Spiritual Test for Candidates By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 01-04-2008

First Person: What Would Buddha Buy? By Martha Dickey 01-04-2008

About the House: Getting the Real Dirt on Dirt By Matt Cantor 01-04-2008

Arts & Events

Arts Calendar 01-08-2008

The Sculpture of Louise Nevelson at the de Young By Peter Selz, Special to the Planet 01-08-2008

Benny Green Brings Monterey Jazz All-Stars to Zellerbach Hall By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 01-08-2008

Green Neighbors: Going Medieval on the Streets of Berkeley By Ron Sullivan 01-08-2008

Berkeley This Week 01-08-2008

Arts Calendar 01-04-2008

About the House: Getting the Real Dirt on Dirt By Matt Cantor 01-04-2008

Berkeley This Week 01-04-2008