Local News and Opinion from The Berkeley Daily Planet

News Updates

Oakland School Disputes with State Show Rocky Road Back to Local Control

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Friday, February 29

Posted Sun., March 2—In December 2007, State Superintendent Jack O'Connell came to Oakland to announce that he was turning over two more areas of control to the state-operated Oakland Unified School District: personnel and facilities management. -more-

Council Postpones Several Items, Approves Blood House Move

By Judith Scherr

Friday, February 29

Posted Sat., March 1—Tuesday’s Berkeley City Council meeting, which was mainly devoted to a discussion of the light brown apple moth, ended in a surprise finale, with an 11:30 p.m. vote to extend the meeting until midnight falling short of the needed two-thirds approval. The council had been meeting since 5 p.m. -more-

News

Student Crashes SUV into Berkeley High

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Friday, February 29

A 16-year-old Berkeley High School student lost control of a KIA sports utility vehicle around 8 a.m. Wednesday and rammed into a cement planter located alongside the school’s H Building. -more-

Allegations Mount Against Willard Administrator

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Friday, February 29

Since the Planet reported last week that the Berkeley school board is investigating Willard Middle School Vice Principal Margaret Lowry for improper conduct involving two students, several more Willard parents have come forward with complaints against Lowry involving their children, complaints that they say were lodged with the school district months ago and about which they have never heard any resolution. -more-

Council May Face State in Court to Stop Moth Spray

By Judith Scherr

Friday, February 29

The state secretary of agriculture failed to convince the Berkeley City Council Tuesday night that aerial spraying of a pesticide to eradicate the Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) is either necessary or benign. -more-

Police Review Commission to Investigate Death of Anita Gay

By Judith Scherr

Friday, February 29

Patricia Johnson wants to know what happened the day a Berkeley police officer shot her sister. -more-

Dellums’ Oakland Police Plan Gaining Momentum

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor

Friday, February 29

With much less rancor than was widely anticipated, the Oakland City Council’s four-member Public Safety Committee unanimously approved Mayor Ron Dellums’ Augmented Police Recruitment Program Tuesday night with few alterations. -more-

BUSD Reaches Settlement in Old Gym Demolition Lawsuit

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Friday, February 29

BUSD Fails to Meet No Child Left Behind Goals

By Riya Bhattacharjee

Friday, February 29

Planners Make First Move to Challenge Downtown Plan

By Richard Brenneman

Friday, February 29

Planners Side With Staff in Debate over Density Bonus

By Richard Brenneman

Friday, February 29

Kennedy/Teece Buildings Priced at $147 Million

By Richard Brenneman

Friday, February 29

Mark Coplan

An unlicenced 16-year-old Berkeley High student took his mother’s SUV for a drive without permission Wednesday morning, hit a parked car and tried to flee the scene, but flipped the vehicle over and smashed into the school building. See story, page five.