The downtown Peet’s at the corner of Shattuck Avenue and Kittredge Street will soon be joined by 
                                              another a block away in the BART station.
Judith Scherr
The downtown Peet’s at the corner of Shattuck Avenue and Kittredge Street will soon be joined by another a block away in the BART station.

Extra

Chan Files Complaint Against Hancock Charging Illegal Use of Funds

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Friday April 04, 2008

Posted Mon., April 7—Former 16th District Assemblymember Wilma Chan has filed a complaint with the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) against 14th District Assemblymember Loni Hancock—Chan’s opponent in the race to succeed termed-out 9th District State Senator Don Perata—charging that Hancock has illegally used her assemblymember officeholder account to pay a campaign staff member. -more-


Oakland Plans Reception Honoring Robeson on his 110th Birthday

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Friday April 04, 2008

Posted Sun., April 6—The City of Oakland will honor the legacy of Paul Robeson—one of the giant figures in American History—with an April 9 City Hall reception on the 110th anniversary of his birth. -more-


Group Marks 40th Anniversary of King Assassination

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday April 04, 2008

Posted Sat., April 5—A small but dedicated crowd turned up to mark the 40th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination by reading aloud his Letter from a Birmingham Jail at the downtown Berkeley Public Library on Friday. The event coincided with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Youth Council's National Day of Nonviolence, started nine years ago by the organization's former director Jamal Bryant to encourage youth to fight against community violence. -more-


June 1 Demolition to Pave Way For Start of Trader Joe’s Project

By Richard Brenneman
Friday April 04, 2008

Demolition of the strip mall at the corner of University Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Way will begin June 1, said developer Chris Hudson. -more-



Page One

Another Peet’s for Downtown, Underground, with Sippy Cups

By Judith Scherr
Friday April 04, 2008

Commuting Peet-o-philes will no longer have to trudge the block or so from the downtown BART for their morning cup o’ joe. -more-



Hancock, County Officials Blast North Richmond Casino Plans

By Richard Brenneman
Friday April 04, 2008

A state legislator and county officials took sharp issue with the environmental documents prepared in support of a Lake County tribe’s bid to build a casino on industrial land in North Richmond. -more-



N. Shattuck Plaza Plan Resurfaces, Angering Foes

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday April 04, 2008

After almost a year-long hiatus, the North Shattuck Plaza is back—this time as part of the recently launched public review draft of the Berkeley Pedestrian Master Plan prepared by the city’s Public Works Department Transportation Division. -more-



Officials Praise Work of City Commissions

By Judith Scherr
Friday April 04, 2008

Whether it’s searching for a new animal shelter site, preserving Berkeley’s architectural heritage, scrutinizing police conduct or making sure schools have emergency caches, commissions do much of the city’s hard work, city staff, commissioners and several councilmembers told the Planet Thursday. -more-



Nurses, Sutter Health Conflict over RN Strike Success

By Richard Brenneman
Friday April 04, 2008

The ten-day strike of registered nurses (RNs) at Sutter Health’s Bay Area hospitals ended Monday with the start of the 7 a.m. shift. -more-



Features

Activists Push Dellums to Fulfill Promise to 'Ban the Box'

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Friday April 04, 2008

Under “friendly” but pointed pressure from community activists to fulfill a campaign pledge, Oakland Mayor Dellums has set a May 31 deadline to begin removing barriers to the hiring of formerly incarcerated people for City of Oakland jobs. -more-


Tenants Rights Group Urges EBMUD to Keep Water Flowing

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday April 04, 2008

Advocates for tenants’ rights are hopeful that the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) will keep the water running permanently in multi-family rental properties in foreclosure status and adopt a lien system to collect unpaid bills from landlords. -more-


Golden Gate Owner Sells Racetracks

By Richard Brenneman
Friday April 04, 2008

The company that owns Golden Gate Fields is splitting from its corporate parent, whose directors have been eager to strip their successful firm of its ties with the money-hemorrhaging gambling subsidiary. -more-


Youth Council Marks Anniversary of Martin Luther King Assassination

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday April 04, 2008

The Berkeley-Albany-Emeryville NAACP Youth Council will mark today (Friday) the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King by reading his Letter from a Birmingham Jail at the Berkeley Public Library on Kittredge Street. -more-


Lower Sproul Redesign, Eshelman Demo Planned

By Richard Brenneman
Friday April 04, 2008

UC Berkeley officials have called for new designs to transform the face of Lower Sproul Plaza, the less familiar portion of the university’s most famous public space. -more-


Code Pink April Fool’s Day Prank

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Friday April 04, 2008

Code Pink had the last laugh on April Fool’s Day, but the anti-war group preferred to call their little prank a “hope” instead of a hoax. -more-



Fire Log

By Richard Brenneman
Friday April 04, 2008

Garage blaze -more-


Public Comment

Letters to the Editor

Friday April 04, 2008

LINCOLN BRIGADE -more-


Commentary: UC Tries to Re-Write Earthquake Safety Law

By Hank Gehman
Friday April 04, 2008

The trial phase of the lawsuit brought by the City of Berkeley, the Panoramic Hill Association and the California Oaks Foundation against the University of California to stop the building of the new office/gym facility (SAHPC) and a mostly new Memorial Stadium heard its final arguments on March 20. The case is now in the hands of the judge who will give her decision within two months. The stakes couldn’t be higher. We have just seen in our newspapers a study of the probable damage from the severe earthquake expected at any time on the Hayward Fault. These experts are predicting staggering losses to homes and businesses of at least $165 billion. The magnitude of the damage and the rebuilding is hard to imagine. -more-


Commentary: Message for Barbara Lee: Not Another Dime for Israeli Occupation

By JIM HARRIS
Friday April 04, 2008

Barbara Lee said this recently in regard to Bush’s war/occupation in Iraq: -more-


Editorial

Editorial: Over-the-Top Chronicle Has Finally Topped Out

By Becky O'Malley
Friday April 04, 2008

Habits die hard. For almost all of my adult life, or at least as soon as the kids were old enough to fend for themselves at breakfast, I’ve enjoyed taking to my bed with a cup of coffee and the morning paper while it’s still too early to talk to anyone in a civilized way. Of necessity, we’ve stuck with the San Francisco Chronicle all these years, since we just aren’t that interested in reading a lot about Contra Costa County or San Jose. The New York Times is fine for national news, but the last time we subscribed it was delivered at 10 at night, tempting us to stay up too late reading it, and now it’s easier to read it on the Internet anyhow. -more-


Columns

Column: Undercurrents: Oakland Army Base Story Raises Concerns About Chronicle Coverage

By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor
Friday April 04, 2008

With the sad, slow decline of the Oakland Tribune as a newspaper of substance over the past several years, Oakland has begun to depend more heavily on the San Francisco Chronicle for coverage of city issues and events. With that dependence have come expressed concerns—jelling in the Jerry Brown years, escalating during the one year of the Ron Dellums administration—that Oakland is being “unfairly” covered, for want of a better word. -more-


East Bay, Then and Now: Parsons House: A Pioneering Design for Accessible Living

By Daniella Thompson
Friday April 04, 2008
A brick ramp leads to the Parsons house, designed by Albert J. Mazurette in 1911.

Since the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, standards for accessible design have guided new construction and building retrofits. A plethora of products, from doors to bathroom fixtures, are especially designed with accessibility in mind. -more-


Garden Variety: Thank You, Jenny Fleming

By Ron Sullivan
Friday April 04, 2008

I owe a personal debt to Jenny Fleming, and so do you. Mine is perhaps more specific: Jenny was one of a group of people who saved my sanity after I crashed and burned out of nursing. -more-


About the House: Imagining the Ideal Electrical System for Your House

By Matt Cantor
Friday April 04, 2008

I’m actually a very sensitive person. My feelings are easily hurt and I prefer to have an exchange of kind words: “I like you” is nice. On a good day someone might say “I like you, too.” Isn’t that nice. Then I wake up and realize, once again, that I’m a home inspector and no matter how I try to slice it, I have to criticize a few dozen things every day and, invariably, I’m going to have hurt someone’s feelings, made them angry or maybe a little scared. Well, at least I’m not in politics. -more-


Arts Listings

Arts Calendar

Friday April 04, 2008

Sims and Buchanan Sing For Four Seasons Concert Series

By Ken Bullock, Special to The Planet
Friday April 04, 2008

TheatreFirst Stages ‘Future Me’

By Ken Bullock, Special to The Planet
Friday April 04, 2008

Events Listings

Berkeley This Week

Friday April 04, 2008

Back Stories

Opinion

Editorials

Editorial: Over-the-Top Chronicle Has Finally Topped Out 04-04-2008

Editorial: Annual Report 04-01-2008

Public Comment

Letters to the Editor 04-04-2008

Commentary: UC Tries to Re-Write Earthquake Safety Law By Hank Gehman 04-04-2008

Commentary: Message for Barbara Lee: Not Another Dime for Israeli Occupation By JIM HARRIS 04-04-2008

Letters to the Editor 04-01-2008

Commentary: Seeing the Positive Reality of Change in West Berkeley By Steven Donaldson 04-01-2008

Commentary: Obama — Guilty By Association By Jack Bragen 04-01-2008

Commentary: The Winter Soldier Investigation and our National Movement for Liberation and Popular Democracy By Marc Sapir 04-01-2008

News

Chan Files Complaint Against Hancock Charging Illegal Use of Funds By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 04-04-2008

Oakland Plans Reception Honoring Robeson on his 110th Birthday By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 04-04-2008

Group Marks 40th Anniversary of King Assassination By Riya Bhattacharjee 04-04-2008

June 1 Demolition to Pave Way For Start of Trader Joe’s Project By Richard Brenneman 04-04-2008

Another Peet’s for Downtown, Underground, with Sippy Cups By Judith Scherr 04-04-2008

Hancock, County Officials Blast North Richmond Casino Plans By Richard Brenneman 04-04-2008

N. Shattuck Plaza Plan Resurfaces, Angering Foes By Riya Bhattacharjee 04-04-2008

Officials Praise Work of City Commissions By Judith Scherr 04-04-2008

Nurses, Sutter Health Conflict over RN Strike Success By Richard Brenneman 04-04-2008

Activists Push Dellums to Fulfill Promise to 'Ban the Box' By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 04-04-2008

Tenants Rights Group Urges EBMUD to Keep Water Flowing By Riya Bhattacharjee 04-04-2008

Golden Gate Owner Sells Racetracks By Richard Brenneman 04-04-2008

Youth Council Marks Anniversary of Martin Luther King Assassination By Riya Bhattacharjee 04-04-2008

Lower Sproul Redesign, Eshelman Demo Planned By Richard Brenneman 04-04-2008

Code Pink April Fool’s Day Prank By Riya Bhattacharjee 04-04-2008

Man Drives to Hospital after Being Shot in Berkeley, Expected to Survive 04-04-2008

Fire Log By Richard Brenneman 04-04-2008

Local NAACP Youth Council Plans Reading for 40th Anniversary of King's Death By Riya Bhattacharjee 04-01-2008

Activists Push Dellumns to Fulfill 'Ban the Box' Promise By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 04-01-2008

Code Pink Says April Fools at Marine Recruiting Station By Riya Bhattacharjee 04-01-2008

Sutter RNs End 10-Day Walkout By Richard Brenneman 04-01-2008

End of an Era in Elmwood? By Richard Brenneman 04-01-2008

BUSD Marks Cesar Chavez Day By Riya Bhattacharjee 04-01-2008

Businesses for Peace May Counter Boycott By Judith Scherr 04-01-2008

SuperBOLD Awarded for Push for More Public Comment By Judith Scherr 04-01-2008

Judge’s Ruling Puts Hodge on Ballot By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 04-01-2008

Berkeley PTAs Unite Against State Budget Cuts By Riya Bhattacharjee 04-01-2008

BUSD Surpluses Sixth Street Property By Riya Bhattacharjee 04-01-2008

Landmarks Commission to Discuss Remodel of Former Bentley’s Facade By Riya Bhattacharjee 04-01-2008

Retired UC Berkeley Traffic Expert Casts Wary Eye on Bus Rapid Transit Plans By Richard Brenneman 04-01-2008

Zoning Board OKs 24-Hour Chevron Mini Mart on Shattuck By Riya Bhattacharjee 04-01-2008

East Bay Daily News Prints Final Issue By Richard Brenneman 04-01-2008

Rumors Circulate About Marines Leaving Berkeley By Riya Bhattacharjee 04-01-2008

Getting to Know the North Berkeley Library By Phila Rogers, Special to the Planet 04-01-2008

On the Corner By Phila Rogers, Special to the Planet 04-01-2008

Calling All Quilts By Phila Rogers, Special to the Planet 04-01-2008

First Person: Moving Out By Annie Kassof 04-01-2008

Columns

Column: Undercurrents: Oakland Army Base Story Raises Concerns About Chronicle Coverage By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 04-04-2008

East Bay, Then and Now: Parsons House: A Pioneering Design for Accessible Living By Daniella Thompson 04-04-2008

Garden Variety: Thank You, Jenny Fleming By Ron Sullivan 04-04-2008

About the House: Imagining the Ideal Electrical System for Your House By Matt Cantor 04-04-2008

Column: Public Eye: Obama and Lincoln By Bob Burnett 04-01-2008

Column: Wild Neighbors: Antioch Dunes — Rare Insects of an Inland Island By Joe Eaton 04-01-2008

Arts & Events

Arts Calendar 04-04-2008

Sims and Buchanan Sing For Four Seasons Concert Series By Ken Bullock, Special to The Planet 04-04-2008

TheatreFirst Stages ‘Future Me’ By Ken Bullock, Special to The Planet 04-04-2008

East Bay, Then and Now: Parsons House: A Pioneering Design for Accessible Living By Daniella Thompson 04-04-2008

Garden Variety: Thank You, Jenny Fleming By Ron Sullivan 04-04-2008

About the House: Imagining the Ideal Electrical System for Your House By Matt Cantor 04-04-2008

Berkeley This Week 04-04-2008

Arts Calendar 04-01-2008

Shotgun Stages ‘Mrs. Warren’s Profession’ By Ken Bullock, Special to The Planet 04-01-2008

Column: Wild Neighbors: Antioch Dunes — Rare Insects of an Inland Island By Joe Eaton 04-01-2008

Berkeley This Week 04-01-2008