Flash: Judge Rules for UC Berkeley in Oak Grove Case
Berkeley’s treesitters and Memorial Stadium neighbors who had sued to block construction of a gym at the site of the adjacent oak grove were dealt a resounding setback Tuesday. -more-
Berkeley’s treesitters and Memorial Stadium neighbors who had sued to block construction of a gym at the site of the adjacent oak grove were dealt a resounding setback Tuesday. -more-
The Legal Aid Society Employment Law Center of San Francisco filed charges with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Tuesday (today), alleging that the McDonald’s in downtown Berkeley unlawfully discriminated against one of its employees and her two co-workers because of their developmental disabilities. -more-
Today (Tuesday) Jesse Arreguin became the fifth candidate to replace recently deceased Councilmember Dona Spring in District 4. Arreguin chairs the elected Rent Stabilization Board, chairs the Housing Advisory Commission and is a member of the Zoning Adjustments Board. -more-
A man who fell multiple stories from a window in a Berkeley apartment building on Saturday is recovering from his injuries. Police responded to a report of a man down in the 2400 block of Channing Way just before 4 a.m. when witnesses reported seeing and hearing the fall. The police found no sign of foul play and consider the fall an accident. -more-
Fearing adverse health effects related to toxic debris from dismantling the Bevatron and the associated Building 51 at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and trucking the materials over several years through the streets of Berkeley, Councilmember Max Anderson is sponsoring a resolution for Tuesday’s City Council meeting—originally coauthored by recently deceased Councilmember Dona Spring—asking for a full environmental report on the impact of the demolition. -more-
The Berkeley Board of Education approved a resolution Friday to work with the City of Berkeley to relocate the warm water pool from the landmarked Old Gym to an appropriate location without naming West Campus as a preferred site. -more-
Campus police arrested six protesters Sunday after they -more-
Planning commissioners will tackle the controversial project of changing West Berkeley’s zoning ordinances when they meet Wednesday night. -more-
Berkeley police have issued a warrant for Gabriel Alejo, 18, of Berkeley, as the suspect in Sunday night’s Russell Street shooting. -more-
Six protesters of the removal of a grove of oak trees on the University of California, Berkeley campus were arrested today after they planted an oak seedling on the lawn of the university's chancellor, a UC Berkeley police spokesman said. -more-
Three new candidates signed up for local seats today (Monday). -more-
The Berkeley City Council on Tuesday could approve a two-year $200,000 per-year contract to improve shoppers’ experiences on Telegraph and Shattuck avenues by hiring “hosts” to assist out-of-towners and to direct people with inappropriate behaviors into services or—if they refuse help or if services are not available—to jail. -more-
The city clerk listed three new candidates filing for office Friday: -more-
After months of deliberating neighborhood concerns about Safeway’s proposed expansion plans on College Avenue, the Rockridge Community Planning Council (RCPC) announced its decision to oppose the project last week. -more-
Berkeley planning commissioners zipped through a chapter and a half of the Downtown Area Plan on Thursday, including the potentially controversial section on historic buildings and design. -more-
A judge on Friday denied a bid for a preliminary injunction to Oakland attorney-plaintiff Marleen Sacks, who says the city of Oakland should return $60 million to its taxpayers because it has failed to live up to its promise to hire more police officers under the Measure Y mandates. -more-
Although Judge Barbara Miller has not yet issued her final decisions in the lawsuits challenging UC Berkeley's gymnasium project, the Berkeley City Council has scheduled special legal sessions for 5 p.m. Friday and Tuesday, at which they could decide whether or not to join other plaintiffs in any appeal. The meetings are closed, but public comment will be allowed. -more-
Candidates are beginning to line up to fill the District 4 seat left vacant by the death Sunday of Councilmember Dona Spring: Former School Board President Terry Doran, videographer LA Wood and Commissioner Asa Dodsworth have taken out preliminary papers. -more-
The first statewide report on high school dropout and graduation rates tracking individual students revealed a high dropout rate for African Americans and Latinos compared to other ethnic groups, state educators said. -more-
Berkeley Councilmember Dona Spring, protector of the environment, fighter for housing rights and champion for human and animal life, died Sunday evening, July 13, at Alta Bates/Summit Hospital, after being diagnosed with pneumonia. She was 55. -more-
Dona Spring was the bravest person I’ve ever met. No, she wasn’t just brave, she was fierce, as fierce as a lioness defending her cubs. She loved justice as much as she despised injustice, and for Dona “Justice for All” included all species, not just all humans. -more-
Following the death Sunday of Councilmember Dona Spring, the warm pool’s most dedicated City Council advocate, pool supporters got some—but not all—of what they had wanted at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. -more-
With deceased Councilmember Dona Spring’s spot on the council dais overflowing with flowers and a poster with a photograph and inscription, “Speak truth to power,” the council carried on its regular business of the day, after accolades to Spring from councilmembers and the public. -more-
Berkeley Sea Scouts leader Eugene Evans was convicted of two counts of child molestation Monday and is expected to spend six years in prison under a plea deal with the Alameda County district attorney’s office. -more-
“Where will you spend eternity?” The preacher’s saving souls. His voice—amplified at no more than 65 decibels according to SOS Ministries—resonates through speakers, carrying the message of salvation through Jesus Christ along the Telegraph Avenue/Haste Street corridors. -more-
Despite what appeared to be a judge’s injunction not to strike, thousands of University of California hospital and service workers—including hundreds of UC Berkeley custodians, gardeners, cafeteria workers, bus drivers and more—walked the picket line, according to union officials. -more-
With the official opening of the filing period Monday, six new candidates have declared interest in running for Berkeley offices. -more-
Berkeley planning commissioners continued their march through the Downtown Area Plan last week with a side excursion through a controversial economic study. -more-
Berkeley planning commissioners finally approved a new wireless ordinance for the city last week, after making two minor tweaks to a revision of the 17th version prepared by city staff. -more-
UC Berkeley squares off with its foes in a Hayward courtroom this morning (Thursday) during a hearing on the university’s bid to start construction at the site of the ongoing tree-sit. -more-
Controversy over Monday’s arrest of an oak grove tree-sitter who came down after a death in the family sparked outraged among supporters of the 17-month-old Berkeley protest. -more-
It’s been a bad news month for American journalism, starting with layoffs of East Bay journalists. -more-
The Oakland City Council approved $14.45 million in new city loans and grants to the Fox Oakland restoration project Tuesday night. Councilmembers made no comment in voting for the new expenditures, but not before a small coalition of Oakland residents had plenty to say in opposition. -more-
Oakland City Council decided Tuesday night to put on the November ballot a police parcel tax compromise measure co-written by Mayor Ron Dellums and Councilmember Jane Brunner, but the final 6-2 council vote did not reflect how close the proposal was to stalling and dying on the council chambers floor. -more-
The Oakland City Council voted late Tuesday night to approve four finalist developers to bid on its 108-acre Oakland Army Base Gateway Development project. The four finalists—pared down from an original list of eight developers who bid on the job—will now be invited to submit requests for proposals within the next four to six months. -more-
Almost five months after the Berkeley City Council voted unanimously to enter into an agreement with Pacific Steel Casting to cut emissions and odor within a specific timeline, community activists met with Mayor Tom Bates and Councilmember Linda Maio at the City Hall last week for their first update on the process. -more-
In the face of impending water restrictions and drought rates, both the city and UC Berkeley are bracing for water reductions of up to 30 percent. -more-
A judge sentenced Christopher Hollis to 24 years in state prison on Friday, the toughest sentence possible, for fatally shooting his friend Meleia Willis-Starbuck after responding to her plea for help in a Berkeley street confrontation nearly three years ago. -more-
The Berkeley Zoning Adjustments Board approved a use permit modification for the Ed Roberts Campus Thursday to allow offices of several nonprofits to be located in a residential zone near the Ashby BART, but they limited the ruling to include only those organizations. -more-
The Berkeley Zoning Adjustments Board mandated that a private software company provide transit subsidies to its employees as a condition of approval of its use permit onThursday. -more-
She has been called a Berkeley icon and a force of nature or, as she was honored on her 70th birthday, simply Bolshevik Mary. -more-
In Lindsay Vurek’s film, Courage in Life and Politics: The Dona Spring Story, the 15-year Berkeley councilmember’s fierce advocacy for the environment, animals, the downtrodden and the disabled shines bright. -more-
On July 8 the Berkeley City Council voted unanimously to put the “Voter Approval” initiative on the November ballot. -more-
In responding to Michael Stephens’ July 10 letter, “The Tree Sit Saga,” in which he criticizes my July 3 commentary, “City Must Continue Lawsuit Against UC,” I would just like to say that Mr. Stephens’ glaring rationality helped me to see the folly of my views, and I have now come around to his way of thinking. -more-
If cities were comedians you could say Berkeley and San Francisco are riffing on each other. Each claims to be crazier. Why they would claim bragging rights is unclear. -more-
I want to thank Becky O’Malley for her heartfelt, intelligent, respectful appreciation of Dona Spring (see front page). I met Dona soon after moving to California 14 years ago. We had a warm collegial relationship; I greatly admired her work, and I think she had high regard for mine. The various causes to which she committed her time and energy were and are passionate commitments for me as well, including peace and social justice, disability rights, animal rights, and defense of the oak grove and the protesters perched in its branches. -more-
With a profoundly heavy heart I received the sad news of the sudden passing of Berkeley City Councilmember Dona Spring, whom I called my friend. I frankly cannot now even try to quantify her positive impact on our town and the thought of moving forward without her leadership weighs hard. I truly appreciated her “big tent,” include-everybody vision of a progressive community and her self-effacing respect-for-everybody personal manner. -more-
When downtown shoppers pass the southeast corner of Shattuck and Allston these days, they’re apt to see unhappy-looking people with their noses pressed to the glass in the door of the storefront there. That’s because the last stand of the fabled Cody’s bookstore suddenly closed its doors a couple of weeks ago, leaving books on the shelves and signs announcing upcoming author talks in the windows. A combination of changes in the publishing industry and unsuccessful business decisions with accompanying debts prompted the current owner, a Japanese corporation, to withdraw funding from the enterprise. -more-
Will they, or won’t they? Is Israel on a collision course with Iran, or is all the recent saber rattling about Israeli politics? -more-
Chinese-American author of Bone Fae Myenne Ng was at Moe’s Books in Berkeley this week, presenting her new novel in a dialogue with Berkeley author Ishmael Reed. Ng revealed that she had been a student years ago in Reed’s creative writing class at UC, saying that as one of three Asian-American students in the class the experience was “traumatic.” -more-
If there’s a passionvine in your neighborhood, you may have noticed a big showy butterfly, flame-orange with silvery spots like a spatter of mercury on the underside of its hindwing, hanging around. That would be a Gulf fritillary, which is actually a longwing rather than a true fritillary. -more-
I was chatting with my friend Charlie this morning about things variously fixable and unfixable. Charlie is that rarely spotted bird, the philosopher/handyman (et mariner/gadabout/movie and social critic). My little secret is that even though I have these last 20 years inspected buildings for a living, my roots run deep in the same garden that Charlie curates. -more-
Lorenzo in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice asserts, “The man that hath no music in himself,/ Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,/ Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils,” but he wasn’t Giuseppe Verdi. Il Trovatore, the second in Verdi’s trilogia popolare, clearly demonstrates that the reigning king of opera in late-19th century Italy believed that “sweet sounds” were the absolute best mate for treason, stratagems and spoiled lives. -more-
Beginning this evening and stretching over the next two and a half weeks, rabid Mozart fans can hear 17 of the master’s compositions played by two outstanding musical aggregations. The Midsummer Mozart Festival orchestra conducted by the illuminating George Cleve will perform five separate programs at six venues. -more-
The Furies -more-
Could Cody’s Rise Again? 07-17-2008
Dona Spring By Justin DeFreitas 07-17-2008
Click Here to Support Your Local Cartoonist! By Justin DeFreitas 07-24-2008
Letters to the Editor 07-21-2008
Letters to the Editor 07-17-2008
BRT: Why the ‘Voter Approval’ Initiative? By Dean Metzger 07-17-2008
Bright Light of Epiphany Shines Through the Trees By Katlin Moore 07-17-2008
Crazier Than Thou By Ted Friedman 07-17-2008
Following in Dona’s Tire Tracks By Jean Stewart 07-17-2008
Dona Spring’s Bevatron Resolution By Mark McDonald 07-17-2008
Flash: Judge Rules for UC Berkeley in Oak Grove Case by Richard Brenneman 07-22-2008
Employee Charges Downtown McDonald's Franchise With Discrimination By Riya Bhattacharjee 07-22-2008
Candidate Watch: Arreguin Declares for District 4 By Judith Scherr 07-22-2008
Man Recovering After Falling Multiple Stories By Kristin McFarland 07-22-2008
Community Fears Bevatron Demolition Debris By Judith Scherr 07-21-2008
BUSD, City Differ on Naming West Campus as a Preferred Site for Warm Pool By Riya Bhattacharjee 07-21-2008
Protesters Bring Tree Fight Home to UC’s Birgeneau By Bay City News and Planet staff 07-21-2008
Planning Commission Resumes Work on West Berkeley ‘Project’ By Richard Brenneman 07-21-2008
Police Name Suspect in Sunday’s Russell Street Shooting by Kristin McFarland 07-21-2008
Oak Grove Protesters Arrested by UC Berkeley for Planting Seedling on Chancellor's Lawn by Bay City News 07-21-2008
Candidate Watch: More Filings for Elections By Judith Scherr 07-21-2008
Eyes and Ears for Berkeley Shopping Areas May Help, May Criminalize By Judith Scherr 07-19-2008
Candidate watch: By Judith Scherr 07-19-2008
RCPC Says No to College Avenue Safeway Expansion, Design Change Sought By Riya Bhattacharjee 07-19-2008
Planners Sail Through Pair of Downtown Plan Chapters By Richard Brenneman 07-19-2008
Judge Denies Injunction Bid In Police Funding Lawsuit By Bay City News Service and Berkeley Daily Planet Staff 07-19-2008
More Arguments, No Decision In UC Berkeley Stadium Case By Richard Brenneman 07-17-2008
Candidates Come Out for District 4 By Judith Scherr 07-17-2008
State Report Shows High Drop Out Rates for B-Tech By Riya Bhattacharjee 07-17-2008
Berkeley Mourns Councilmember Dona Spring By Judith Scherr 07-17-2008
Dona Spring: An Appreciation By Becky O’Malley 07-17-2008
Berkeley City Council Delays Pools Measure By Judith Scherr 07-17-2008
Council Upholds Zoning Board’s Bayer Decision By Judith Scherr 07-17-2008
Sea Scout Leader Gets Six Years in Sex Abuse Case By Riya Bhattacharjee 07-17-2008
Telegraph Merchants Petition Against Amplified Preaching By Judith Scherr 07-17-2008
Service Workers Strike UC Campuses By Judith Scherr 07-17-2008
Candidates Sign Up for Mayoral, Rent Board, Council Races By Judith Scherr 07-17-2008
Planning Commission Leaps Tall Buildings By Richard Brenneman 07-17-2008
Planners Approve Wireless Ordinance By Richard Brenneman 07-17-2008
Court Hearing on Stadium Gym Could Spell Oak Grove’s Demise By Richard Brenneman 07-17-2008
Controversy Marks Tree-Sitter’s Arrest By Richard Brenneman 07-17-2008
Bad News Continues In the News Biz By Richard Brenneman 07-17-2008
Loans Approved for Oakland’s Fox Theater By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 07-17-2008
Oakland Parcel Tax Would Fund Increased Police Staffing By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 07-17-2008
Oakland Council OKs Four Finalists for Army Base Development By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 07-17-2008
Community Questions Berkeley Mayor About Pacific Steel Agreement By Riya Bhattacharjee 07-17-2008
City, University Prepare to Dramatically Reduce Water Usage By Kristin McFarland 07-17-2008
Judge Sentences Hollis to 24 Years for Willis-Starbuck Death Bay City News 07-17-2008
Zoning Board Approves Offices for Ed Roberts Campus By Riya Bhattacharjee 07-17-2008
Software Firm Must Provide Transit Subsidies By Riya Bhattacharjee 07-17-2008
Mary Davis Presente! By Karl Kramer 07-17-2008
Film Depicts Spring’s Public and Personal Courage By Judith Scherr 07-17-2008
Clarification 07-17-2008
Dispatches From The Edge: Iran and Israel—To the Edge? By Conn Hallinan 07-17-2008
Undercurrents: Media Treatment of Jackson-Obama Flap Obscures Underlying Issues By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor 07-17-2008
Wild Neighbors: Following the Passionvines By Joe Eaton 07-17-2008
About the House: Do You Speak Toaster? By Matt Cantor 07-17-2008
Arts Calendar 07-17-2008
Eclectix Gallery Hosts SNIFF’S ‘Out of the Landfill’ By Osha Neumann Special to the Planet 07-17-2008
Wilde’s Humorous ‘An Ideal Husband’ Staged by Cal Shakes By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet 07-17-2008
Woman’s Will Stages Brecht’s ‘Good Person of Szechuan’ By Ken Bullock Special to the Planet 07-17-2008
Berkeley Opera Presents Puccini’s ‘Tosca’ By Jaime Robles Special to the Planet 07-17-2008
Festival Opera’s ‘Trovatore’ Opens in Walnut Creek By Jaime Robles Special to the Planet 07-17-2008
Berkeley, SF, San Jose Host Midsummer Mozart Festival By Ira Steingroot Special to the Planet 07-17-2008
Moving Pictures: New to DVD By Justin DeFreitas 07-17-2008
About the House: Do You Speak Toaster? By Matt Cantor 07-17-2008
Community Calendar 07-17-2008