Ali Kashani’s design for the proposed five-story condo complex for the corner of San Pablo and Ashby avenues, seen here in an artist’s rendering, was criticized by members of the Design Review Commission as better suited for the neighboring city of Emeryville.
Ali Kashani’s design for the proposed five-story condo complex for the corner of San Pablo and Ashby avenues, seen here in an artist’s rendering, was criticized by members of the Design Review Commission as better suited for the neighboring city of Emeryville.

Extra

BRT Runs into Unexpected Delay in the Heart of Oakland

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Tuesday January 22, 2008

Posted Thurs., Jan. 24—Full implementation of AC Transit District’s proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line ran into a potential chokepoint Wednesday night when dismayed district board members learned that the planned bus-only lanes may not be possible in a 1,000-yard stretch in the heart of Oakland. -more-


Albany Stands Up Against Spray, Tree Removal

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday January 22, 2008

Posted Wed., Jan. 23—The little town of Albany stood up Tuesday night, first to the University of California and then to the California Food and Drug Administration and the CFDA partner, the U.S. Department of Agriculture. -more-



Page One

San Pablo Condo Project Blasted By Design Review Committee

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday January 22, 2008

Berkeley’s official design review panel gave a scathing review to developer Ali Kashani’s five-story condo complex planned for a corner of one of the city’s busiest intersections. -more-



Tune-Up Masters Project Rises From the Dead

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday January 22, 2008

Berkeley Design Review Committee members gave a qualified thumbs up Thursday night to plans for a controversial and long-delayed condominium project on University Avenue. -more-



Albany Leads Opposition to Aerial Spraying in Alameda County

By Judith Scherr
Tuesday January 22, 2008

While Albany is preparing to take an aggressive stand in opposition to aerial spaying intended to eradicate the light brown apple moth—epiphyas postvitattana—Berkeley has adopted a wait-and-see attitude. -more-



Oakland Teachers Make Opening Proposals in Contract Negotiations

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Tuesday January 22, 2008

Oakland teachers fired the first shot in the upcoming Oakland Unified School District contract negotiations, with more than 100 representatives braving chilly afternoon temperatures last Thursday to present their contract proposals at a press conference in front of Castlemont High School in East Oakland. -more-



City to Turn in Revised Dredging Plan

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday January 22, 2008

Berkeley Public Works officials told the Aquatic Park subcommittee that they expect to turn in a revised dredging work plan for the Aquatic Park lagoon to the Regional Water Quality Control Board this week. -more-



Features

Berkeley High Makes National Register List

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday January 22, 2008

The National Register of Historic Places granted the Berkeley High campus the status of a historic district, the National Park Service announced last week. -more-


Berkeley Shoreline Opens, Tar Still Dots Some East Bay Beaches

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday January 22, 2008

More than two months after HazMat experts replaced local volunteers to clean up the gunk left over from the Cosco Busan oil spill, city officials declared the Berkeley shoreline reopened Wednesday. -more-


Planning Commission Takes Up Downtown Plan

By Richard Brenneman
Tuesday January 22, 2008

Berkeley Planning Commissioners begin their review of the proposed Downtown Area Plan Wednesday, when DAPAC Chair Will Travis formally presents the document for their critique. -more-


No Bus Strike Imminent as AC Transit Workers Authorize One

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Tuesday January 22, 2008

AC Transit bus drivers and mechanics voted overwhelmingly last week to authorize a strike in the event ongoing contract negotiations break down, but no strike appears imminent. -more-


SF Planning Commission Approves UC Berkeley Extension Project

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday January 22, 2008

The San Francisco Planning Commission unanimously approved the 55 Laguna mixed-use project last week. It proposes to develop the historic UC Berkeley Extension site for private use. -more-


Berkeley Democratic Club Fails To Endorse Presidential Candidate

Tuesday January 22, 2008

The Berkeley Democratic Club could not agree on a presidential candidate to endorse at its meeting on Thursday night. The vote was: Obama 15, Clinton 13, Edwards, 4 No endorsement, 2. -more-


County Registrar Addresses Voter Concerns for Election

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Tuesday January 22, 2008

California voters who have not registered with any party can vote in next month’s Democratic presidential primary if they request a ballot from their local Registrar of Voters office. -more-


Remembering Rae Louise Hayward

By Paula M. Price
Tuesday January 22, 2008

This is hard. To write about a dear friend’s passing before her absence has fully sunk in is quite a challenging task. What I can easily write about is what I know about Rae; who she was and what she meant to me and so many others in the arts community. -more-


Instant Runoff Voting Probably Dead for Oakland, San Leandro

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Tuesday January 22, 2008

Instant Runoff Voting (IRV), in which voters are allowed to rank their second and third choices in a multi-candidate election rather than waiting for a possible runoff between the top two vote-getters, will almost certainly not be held in Oakland and San Leandro June municipal elections in 2008 as was anticipated. -more-


Zoning Board Looks at Ninth St. Battle Over Rent-Controlled Units

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday January 22, 2008

The Berkeley Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) on Thursday will hear a project proposed for 1923 9th St. and 1920 10th St. involving the demolition of five rent-controlled units to allow construction of a 15-story condominium project. -more-


Doctor Says Christopher Rodriguez Faces ‘a Tough Road’

Bay City News
Tuesday January 22, 2008

Christopher Rodriguez, a 10-year-old Oakland boy who likely will be partially paralyzed for the rest of his life after being struck by a stray bullet while taking a piano lesson, “has a rough road in the future,” Dr. Jacob Neufeld said last week. -more-


Public Comment

Letters to the Editor

Tuesday January 22, 2008

PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT -more-


Commentary: Genuine Democracy Should Be the Universal Human Religion

By Nazreen Kadir
Tuesday January 22, 2008

We—all 6.6 billion of us humans—live on the surface of a ball which we call planet earth. We have some theories and some evidence as to how land masses and oceans formed over millennia. The land masses were fixed, for the most part, until recently when the waters start to rise and encroach on bordering populations. We are in this together, so what should our response be? What should be our guide? -more-


Commentary: The Ox-Bow Incident in Oakland

By Jean Damu
Tuesday January 22, 2008

Almost everything I know I learned from sitting in front of the television watching old movies. -more-


Commentary: A Free Speech Conundrum on Telegraph

By David Nebenzahl
Tuesday January 22, 2008

As I once again encounter the god-damned Jesus freaks holding forth at the corner of Telegraph and Haste, and wonder what should be done about them, the answer seems clear: put up with their crap. My reasoning follows. -more-


Commentary: When I’m President

By Marc Winokur
Tuesday January 22, 2008

Beyond all the bloviating, bombast that we have been subjected to in the last few months, (and will continue to be bombarded with for the foreseeable future) there are several questions we voters should be asking ourselves amidst this egomaniacal cacophony, otherwise known as politics. -more-


Commentary: America’s Greatest Problem

By Randall Busang
Tuesday January 22, 2008

The Berkeley old Adult School complex on lower University Avenue (directly across from All Star Donuts, 1255 University, Berkeley 94702) sits empty, idle, deteriorating, just as it did when I arrived in Berkeley three years ago. I’ve had countless conversations with Berkeley’s homeless, frequently centering on how the old unused Adult School would make an ideal shelter complex. As it surely would. The building has miles of space for dormitories, numerous lavatories and several full-service kitchens. -more-


Commentary: Kachinga Tribe Wants a Piece of the Action

By Thomas Gangale
Tuesday January 22, 2008

Ciao. I’m Don Tommaso. I’m the capo of the Kachinga Tribe, and I’m makin’ a special appeal to youse, the voters of California. When youse go to the polls on Feb. 5, please vote yes on Propositions 94, 95, 96, and 97. These propositions would approve agreements that four Indian tribes have negotiated with the State of California to triple the number of Indian-run slot machines in some parts of the state. Ka-CHING! -more-


First Person: New Hampshire Diary

By J. Harrison Cope
Tuesday January 22, 2008

Concord, New Hampshire, Thursday, Jan. 3, 8:30 a.m., 4°F -more-


First Person: Berkeley Paths

By Paul Brumbaum
Tuesday January 22, 2008

For over a year now walking has been my primary commute mode from my house on Grizzly Peak to my job (via BART) in downtown San Francisco. This has been made possible by the Berkeley Path Wanderers Association’s work to build paths on the rights of way created long ago when the Berkeley Hills were originally mapped and subdivided. (See BPWA’s website at www.berkeleypaths.org for more on this excellent organization and the history of the paths of Berkeley.) -more-


Editorial

Editorial: Tossing the Baby Out with the Bath Water

By Becky O’Malley
Tuesday January 22, 2008

The “What Were They Thinking?” award for this week goes to whoever put together the elaborate plan for inspecting every establishment in Berkeley which sells alcohol, to be paid for by a flat fee that would have been the same for all sellers, from the little deli that sells an occasional six-pack of beer to the big grocery and liquor stores that sell hard liquor by the case. It’s not that alcohol isn’t associated with problems for some users, but the city’s plan was primarily a solution in search of a problem. And the award shouldn’t go only to the bureaucrats who put it together—the elected councilmembers who passed the measure at first reading and were geared up to finalize it last week before restaurateurs rallied to protest deserve part of the credit (or blame) too. -more-


Columns

Column: The Public Eye: What Do Liberals Believe?

By Bob Burnett
Tuesday January 22, 2008

As we sail into the murky political waters of 2008, it’s useful for liberals (progressives) to remember our core beliefs. Two elemental American narratives illuminate these values: the triumphant individual and the benevolent community. -more-


Column: Channeling Mrs. Scott Against Measure A

By Susan Parker
Tuesday January 22, 2008

Lately I’ve been channeling my old friend Mrs. Scott. She’s the neighbor who came to our rescue after Ralph had his bicycling accident 13 years ago. The day Ralph came home from the hospital, she marched through our back door and took over. She cooked and cleaned and introduced us to others in the neighborhood. She went with us to doctors’ appointments, watched over the people I hired to help with Ralph’s care, became my right (and left) arm, my best friend, my guardian angel. -more-


Green Neighbors: Celebrating the Classic Cordyline

By Ron Sullivan
Tuesday January 22, 2008

I don’t know how old you have to be to think of Sunset magazine and early 1960s swimming-poolside dioramas whenever you see a Cordyline australis in its other vocation, as a plain old yard or streetside tree. It’s a classic, though, to complete the post-TK look that starts with a turquoise pool, maybe kidney-shaped, and a Weber kettle. Some of us get whiffs of vinyl, chlorine, and firestarter fluid from our subconscious every time. -more-


Arts Listings

Arts Calendar

Tuesday January 22, 2008

The Theater: Hoch’s ‘Taking Over’ at the Berkeley Rep

By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet
Tuesday January 22, 2008

Events Listings

Berkeley This Week

Tuesday January 22, 2008

Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

Editorial: Tossing the Baby Out with the Bath Water 01-22-2008

Editorial: Remembering That the Prize is the Presidency 01-18-2008

Public Comment

Letters to the Editor 01-22-2008

Commentary: Genuine Democracy Should Be the Universal Human Religion By Nazreen Kadir 01-22-2008

Commentary: The Ox-Bow Incident in Oakland By Jean Damu 01-22-2008

Commentary: A Free Speech Conundrum on Telegraph By David Nebenzahl 01-22-2008

Commentary: When I’m President By Marc Winokur 01-22-2008

Commentary: America’s Greatest Problem By Randall Busang 01-22-2008

Commentary: Kachinga Tribe Wants a Piece of the Action By Thomas Gangale 01-22-2008

First Person: New Hampshire Diary By J. Harrison Cope 01-22-2008

First Person: Berkeley Paths By Paul Brumbaum 01-22-2008

Letters to the Editor 01-18-2008

Commentary: Zoning Board Must Protect Rent-Controlled Housing By Randy Shaw 01-18-2008

Commentary: Why Progressives Should Embrace Obama By Thomas Long 01-18-2008

News

BRT Runs into Unexpected Delay in the Heart of Oakland By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 01-22-2008

Albany Stands Up Against Spray, Tree Removal By Judith Scherr 01-22-2008

San Pablo Condo Project Blasted By Design Review Committee By Richard Brenneman 01-22-2008

Tune-Up Masters Project Rises From the Dead By Richard Brenneman 01-22-2008

Albany Leads Opposition to Aerial Spraying in Alameda County By Judith Scherr 01-22-2008

Oakland Teachers Make Opening Proposals in Contract Negotiations By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 01-22-2008

City to Turn in Revised Dredging Plan By Riya Bhattacharjee 01-22-2008

Berkeley High Makes National Register List By Riya Bhattacharjee 01-22-2008

Berkeley Shoreline Opens, Tar Still Dots Some East Bay Beaches By Riya Bhattacharjee 01-22-2008

Planning Commission Takes Up Downtown Plan By Richard Brenneman 01-22-2008

No Bus Strike Imminent as AC Transit Workers Authorize One By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 01-22-2008

SF Planning Commission Approves UC Berkeley Extension Project By Riya Bhattacharjee 01-22-2008

Berkeley Democratic Club Fails To Endorse Presidential Candidate 01-22-2008

County Registrar Addresses Voter Concerns for Election By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 01-22-2008

Remembering Rae Louise Hayward By Paula M. Price 01-22-2008

Instant Runoff Voting Probably Dead for Oakland, San Leandro By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 01-22-2008

Zoning Board Looks at Ninth St. Battle Over Rent-Controlled Units By Riya Bhattacharjee 01-22-2008

Doctor Says Christopher Rodriguez Faces ‘a Tough Road’ Bay City News 01-22-2008

Tune-Up Masters Condos Project Rises from the Dead By Richard Brenneman 01-18-2008

My Diary of the New Hampshire Primary By J. Harrison Cope 01-18-2008

Albany Leads Opposition to Aerial Spraying in Alameda County By Judith Scherr 01-18-2008

Outrage Over Alcohol Inspection Fees Forces City to Halt Plans By Judith Scherr 01-18-2008

City Council Questions, Approves Green Corridor By Judith Scherr 01-18-2008

City Rejects University Plan For Third Fence At Oak Grove By Richard Brenneman 01-18-2008

Dellums Focuses on Oakland’s Crime and Violence in First State of City Speech By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 01-18-2008

Berkeley High Teachers Press District for More Space By Riya Bhattacharjee 01-18-2008

Council Delays Decision to Place Warm Pool on November Ballot By Judith Scherr 01-18-2008

Remembering Robert Ewing, Memorial Planned for Sunday By Matt Cantor 01-18-2008

Columns

Column: The Public Eye: What Do Liberals Believe? By Bob Burnett 01-22-2008

Column: Channeling Mrs. Scott Against Measure A By Susan Parker 01-22-2008

Green Neighbors: Celebrating the Classic Cordyline By Ron Sullivan 01-22-2008

Column: Dispatches From the Edge: Updating Two Stories: Desert Mirage, African Report Card By Conn Hallinan 01-18-2008

Undercurrents: Ghost of America’s Racial Past Lies Uneasy in South Carolina By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 01-18-2008

The Sunset ‘Idea House’ Opens for a Peek This Month By Steven Finacom 01-18-2008

Quake Tip of the Week By Larry Guillot 01-18-2008

Garden Variety: A Walk in the Woods, or Not By Ron Sullivan 01-18-2008

Arts & Events

Arts Calendar 01-22-2008

The Theater: Hoch’s ‘Taking Over’ at the Berkeley Rep By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 01-22-2008

Green Neighbors: Celebrating the Classic Cordyline By Ron Sullivan 01-22-2008

Berkeley This Week 01-22-2008

Arts Calendar 01-18-2008

Around the East Bay 01-18-2008

ReOrient Festival Showcases Mid-East Short Plays By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 01-18-2008

Memorial for Jack Tucker Saturday By Ken Bullock, Special to the Planet 01-18-2008

The Sunset ‘Idea House’ Opens for a Peek This Month By Steven Finacom 01-18-2008

Quake Tip of the Week By Larry Guillot 01-18-2008

Garden Variety: A Walk in the Woods, or Not By Ron Sullivan 01-18-2008

Berkeley This Week 01-18-2008